Hello again, LAUREL. See you again soon, maybe? (That’s called FORESHADOWING).
How can something simultaneously be rough and smooth at the same time? Somehow LAUREL’s voice is. I can’t explain it. I feel like I might have said that before but here it is again. I still haven’t solved it. Weigh in. Help me understand!
LAUREL is her old self after just one song in the list. So many gorgeous melodies. Her belting at the end is sublime.
“I’m a troubled man, I’m changed by the things I do, true but it’s funny how they all remember you, it all could be different, time to do something new, give it everything, oh wanna be a happy man too, got to understand, blamed by the friends I lose, who’s getting out of hand to think they depend on you?, it all could be different, time to do something new, give it everything, oh, wanna be a happy man too”
That guitar is second only to LAUREL’s voice. What a skeleton it provides for the melodies. There’s just so much funk in this song to me as we shift our focus more on that bassline. There’s a bluesy-ness that’s obvious and it’s deep molasses.
“Gonna run it ’round, strange but it just won’t do, oh, when it’s coming down, taking hold on you, it all could be different, try to do something new, give it everything, oh wanna be a happy man too, buy yourself a dream, how’s it looking?, buy yourself a car, and a house to live in, get yourself a girl, something different, buy yourself a dream, and you won’t need nothing”
As far as I can tell, this song is originally by the band Jungle. LAUREL’s version is faithful to the funk present in the original. As soon as the vocals start though, it’s evident we are not in the lush, dark, moody recesses of LAUREL’s performance. This is almost a celebration. I feel like we travel for more of an arc in this version. Like there’s a completely different main character.
Jungle’s version is painted in a more optimistic light. The more I listen to it the more I love it. It’s impossible not to move to it. I’d be surprised if you managed to resist moving at least something while listening. :)
I hope, whenever you are reading this, that you are well! Remembering to breathe? Drinking water? Moving around? Always good to do a monthly self-diagnostic. Sometimes we need reminders for basic stuff. It’s ok!
Love you, enjoy the songs!
everything, etc. 
The Jungle version is on pretty regular rotation here. Cool to hear the Laurel version. It would also be interesting to do this song even more bluesy with the vocals a register lower and a much slower tempo.
Laurel’s version feels more… alone than the original one? Just her vocals, no backing/doubling. I dunno. I enjoy her cover. Definitely a different feel.
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Also, the original from Jungle borrows heavily (whether intended or not) from Glory Box by Portishead. Which is a song that I think you’d enjoy if you don’t know it. It’s super old. I think I first heard it on the Stealing Beauty soundtrack. Give a listen and you’ll hear the whole descending melody from Happy Man.
Also, also, love you, man.
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Nice I’ll check out! Love you brother!
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