Wooden Wand Steals The Covers (Vol. 1)

I believe that learning to play other peoples’ songs is a valuable exercise for any songwriter. Sometimes taking apart a song you dig helps you understand what makes it great. Sometimes a song is just plain fun to sing, and singing it can help you locate some inspiration for your own songs or shake you out of a songwriting rut. This collection comprises various covers recorded over a fairly large period of time (1996-2019), mostly unreleased.

Because I didn’t write any of these songs, I’m offering this album as a ‘name your price’ download (accepting donations only for the recording / performances). This album will be available for ***ONE DAY ONLY*** (5/1/20) and will never appear on streaming services.

Notes on the songs:

1. Beat It Down The Line (Jesse Fuller)
Grateful Dead cover for 2016’s “Songs To Fill The Air” WFMU benefit comp, curated by my pal Jeff Conklin.

2. Run Run Run (Lou Reed)
Originally recorded by the Velvet Underground (duh). This cover was released on a split 8” lathe cut with Clay Ruby on PIAPTK records in 2007 (at one time, the rarest WW release). A note on the solo: I tried a lot of different guitar sounds but ultimately found the guitar an inadequate instrument to do justice to the original’s singular, exhilarating, excoriating power. So I decided to use a no-input mixer to replicate the feeling, if not the sound, of the original solo.

3. Little Decisions (Paul Kelly)
Originally recorded by Paul Kelly & The Messengers. Dedicated to my dear friend, George Reyes, who introduced me to this song (and who has introduced me to many other great songs).

4. Goodbye To Romance (Daisley / Rhoads / Osbourne)
Originally recorded by Ozzy Osbourne. When I was growing up, my dad was a big fan of Blizzard of Ozz, but omitted this tune when he recorded his LP copy onto a cassette. I guess he doesn’t dig the Ozzy ballads as much as I do. I recorded the basic track from memory and only realized much later that I forgot to add the coda at the end. Sorry, Ozzy.

5. Oh Babe It Ain’t No Lie (Elizabeth Cotten)
Elizabeth Cotten cover recorded at my second Daytrotter session in 2011. With Brian Lowery on harmony vocal and second guitar. Everyone should cover this song. No one should cover this song.

6. Drug Store (Dwarves)
Dwarves cover from my very first studio session way back in 1996. Todd Cronin on drums and DM Seidel on organ.

7. Good To Get Home (Jim Ringer)
Jim Ringer cover circa 2005. Inspiration for my own song, “Shaving Cold.”

8. A Damn Good Disguise (Timothy Bracy)
Originally recorded by one of America’s great rock and roll bands, The Mendoza Line. Someday I will record an entire album of my favorite Tim Bracy (Paranoid Style, Mendoza Line, Jescos) songs. It may have to be a triple LP.

9. Goodbye The Day (Mandy Morton)
Originally recorded by Mandy Morton and Spriguns for their Magic Lady LP. This version was recorded around 2005 (I think) and released (I think) on a limited edition CDR release. Should have used a capo on this, as it is clearly out of what was then my quite limited vocal range.

10. Pick Me Up On Your Way Down (Harlan Howard)
This Harlan Howard tune has been covered by many people, but I think I learned this version from a Patsy Cline record. Recorded on tour in late 2008 while in pretty rough shape at Daytrotter on the occasion of my 30th birthday. I wish I could say the increasing / fluctuating tempo of this rendition was intended as a sly reference to the song’s title, but I’m afraid artificial energy is the culprit here. Dark days.

11. Chip Away The Stone (Richard Supa)
My favorite Aerosmith song, written by the under-recognized songwriter Richie Supa. Recorded at the same Daytrotter session as above. Dedicated to one of my favorite drummers, Richard "Chachie" Gowen.

12. Going Back Song (Chris Flemmons)
Originally recorded by the great Baptist Generals. Recorded at same Daytrotter session as above.

13. Get On Home (Charles Manson)
Manson was admittedly a terrible and vicious little cretin but he wrote a few undeniably good songs. I especially love the Family Jams LP (on which Manson himself doesn’t appear), which was a big influence on early WW. This is from a 2010 split 7” with the great metal band Unearthly Trance on the Chrome Peeler label.

(For more recent WW covers of Elvis, Born Against, Wire, Jonathan Richman and The Specials, please check out the two sessions I recorded for Aquarium Drunkard’s Lagniappe Sessions: aquariumdrunkard.com?s=wooden+wand+lagniappe)