I grew up with LOVE and Arthur Lee and Love was one of the greatest and Forever Changes should be in the top 10 lp's of all time.... any way it is awesome that they chose to cover I have been a Calexico fan for many years just because of their respect for LOVE
Calexico just can't make a sound that I don't like! What inspirational talents of sound, music and ability to pull so many things together for an excellent delivery.
It was a Bryan Maclean dong originally called Alone Again it was Arthur Lee suggested adding “ Or “. The Spanish intro was created by the guitarist Johnny Echols was tuning up in the studio and Bruce Botnick said that’s what we needed. Originally it had a bluegrass feel to it but nobody could play the banjo. The strings and horns were Arthur Lee’s idea and with the help of David Angel who wrote the charts. Regards, Martin
Fawk, I *love* this song; one of my favourite things about it is that every cover of it - of all the many covers of this song - they're all superb. This one ranks right up there. The spirit of the song is so strong it comes through no matter who does it. Great performance, here!
Calexico is awesome ... period. I haven't heard a band ( the lead guy) this fantastic in quite awhile. His talent is rare (very rare). A gem. A very talented musician. Excellent ! (and he has good taste in music too .... hee ) !!!!!!!
I turned around and drove straight to Tower Records the day I heard the song Praskovia on the radio, by some group I'd never heard of: Calexico. When I got hone and played the album, Convict Pool, I couldn't believe this Love Song was there - one of my favorite songs of all time. Thanks for posting this live version!
First heard and loved this song when it came out when I was 17. Got into Calexico in my 50s - and then they did this - so well! Wow. Isn't music great! and slightly magical too
@braggville I agree that LOVE is one of the best bands ever. Forever Changes is my favorite album, have two LP'S Two CD'S and an 8 Track.Like to see other bands appreciate it and keep this classic alive.
I disagree. Calexico's is better and Love's is the best. So there ya go, personal opinion. Actually, the song's writer, Bryan Maclean, knocks it out with his solo version. He scats the trumpet break.
After just discovering and obsessing on this song I’ve concluded that the rawness and guitars of The Damned combined with the vocals and horns of Calexico would be the ultimate cover version for this amazing song!
First heard and loved this song by when I was 11 yrs old and in jr. high school. To me it is one of the ultimate, most evocative 60's songs. Calexico certainly does justice to this classic by Arthur Lee. Nice vocals and arrangement.
one of my favourite songs ever. I was a little bit of a late comer to Calexico but they are freakin fantastic and this is a wonderful rendition of this song.....good stuff r.i.p. Arthur Lee :)
Wow ! I didn't know that .... I knew this was a song by Love ... many years passed. I think this band does a nice job here (who else would have picked this song out) ? Nobody !! That's why I give Calexico credit, mainly for being so gosh darn cool ........
There are some songs that are just meant to be covered by certain bands, This is one of those songs, and Calexico is the band. Yeah, music is fucking magical!
Bryan MacLean wrote this song and it appeared on Love's Forever Changes album. Brian was the second guitarist and songwriter with Love and this was his favorite song. It took two years to write and he spent many hours arranging the horns and strings. However Arthur Lee remixed it to bring his own vocals to the forefront and, according to MacLean, ruined the true melody. Bryan never forgave him. All the cover versions we hear these days feature Lee's harmony vocal in front of the melody.
For years Arthur would open with this and not credit Bryan (he later did) but to the average newbie Love fan it was Arthur's song. Glad it has become the most popular Love song .
I thought The Devastations were great - but then heard this band by chance browsing for vinyl on Amazon. Didn't realize how incomplete my life was until now...
Ah shit .. what band would even consider doing this old 'Love' song ? . 'Love' sang songs in the 60's. I love Calexico as a band, and for being so cool.
Ahh thanks. Perhaps I will check these other versions out, as well. I just remember this song from the 60's. The actual BAND was called LOVE. I have their album. Arthur Lee was the singer (who was a songwriter as well), but it seems this guy Bryan MacLean actually wrote this particular song. I only recalled this when I heard Calexico sing it. I was introduced to Calexico about 5 years ago via a cool co-worker. Calexico floored me (I thought they were great). But this song "Alone again or" was my first introduction to Calexico ... :-) I've been somewhat following Calexico ever since first hearing them sing "Alone again or".
NIce to see the mention of Bryan as the song writer. He reportedly was not that fond of Albert's arrangement with Love. Bryan's own version is here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hmkME3Hu62U.html The focus is on the vocals and there is no brass accompaniment
whats with everyone in the indie world covering this song?! dont get me wrong great song. just noticed Beirut cover it.. and a couple others on the 'take away' shows. damn scene became homogenized 8 years ago.
Loved this set! You guys wouldn't mind uploading their performance of "Across the Wire" would you? It's my favorite version they've performed! Thanks for the upload!
