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Riffhard

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The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song
Jan 18^th, 2009 at 11:27am

I have always loved Leon Russell. His tunes are just so insanely powerful. From Stranger In A Strange Land, to This Masquerade, not to mention his brilliant cover of Girl From The North Country on Mad Dogs and Englishmen, they are all so great, but A Song For You is the hands down greatest song ever as far as emotional tour de forces go.

This particular version of A Song For You just slays me. This was recorded just three days prior to the death of Ray Charles from cancer and the emotion with which he sings here is palpable. Just watch Willie's reaction to Ray's words. If you don't shed some tears while watching this then you have no soul.

Fooking brilliant!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sXGT0WhFnU&feature=related

Riffy

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GotToRollMe Rocks Off Regular Offline 'soft and freaky' Posts: 1,918 Gender:	Re: The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song Reply #1 - Jan 18^th, 2009 at 11:44am http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzl_3HNgQws
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glencar Ex Member	Re: The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song Reply #2 - Jan 18^th, 2009 at 11:47am I've always loved this song. I think even Cher recorded it.
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PartyDoll MEG Rocks Off Regular Offline Just one drink from your lovin' cup Posts: 3,127	Re: The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song Reply #3 - Jan 18^th, 2009 at 12:16pm Gotta say that song is up there in my favorites too, Riffy. And Leon Russell's performance with Ray Charles is one for the books!
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jostorm Rocks Off Regular Offline Rocks Off Rules You Bastards Posts: 408 Gender:	Re: The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song Reply #4 - Jan 18^th, 2009 at 12:28pm It's one of my faves, too, Riffy. I think you're officially a "softie" now. GTRM: great song. Those were the good old days, when people could still light up in a studio, huh?
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Ten Thousand Motels Rocks Off Regular Offline Posts: 1,797 Gender:	Re: The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song Reply #5 - Jan 18^th, 2009 at 12:31pm Too downbeat Riffy, I hate being "gutwrenched", its not a mood I tune into easily.
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Riffhard

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Re: The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song
Reply #6 - Jan 18^th, 2009 at 12:36pm

Ten Thousand Motels wrote on Jan 18^th, 2009 at 12:31pm:

Too downbeat Riffy, I hate being "gutwrenched", its not a mood I tune into easily.

I have always felt that this song was a good emotional tune. I don't find it downbeat at all. It's more of an emotional catharsis if you ask me. At least that's the way I have always perceived it.

Riffy

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&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&"When all government...in little as in great things, shall be drawn to Washington as the center of all power, it will render powerless the checks provided...” Thomas Jefferson&&&&"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have. The course of history shows us that as a government grows, liberty decreases." — Thomas Jefferson&&&&&&&&We're not old men.We don't bother about petty morals--Keef&&&&Actually, it only takes one drink to get me loaded. Trouble is, I can't remember if it's the thirteenth or fourteenth. &&-- George Burns&&&&&&I ain't no leftist!-Bob Dylan&&&&"In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a brave and scarce

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Ten Thousand Motels

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Re: The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song
Reply #7 - Jan 18^th, 2009 at 12:54pm

Riffhard wrote on Jan 18^th, 2009 at 12:36pm:

Ten Thousand Motels wrote on Jan 18^th, 2009 at 12:31pm:

Too downbeat Riffy, I hate being "gutwrenched", its not a mood I tune into easily.

I have always felt that this song was a good emotional tune. I don't find it downbeat at all. It's more of an emotional catharsis if you ask me. At least that's the way I have always perceived it.

Riffy

Well...perception is reality, they say. Leon Russell isn't eactly the easiest artist to try to understand. And if it ain't easy, I usually try to avoid it.

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glencar Ex Member	Re: The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song Reply #8 - Jan 18^th, 2009 at 12:55pm Well, you're clearly much more perceptive than Motels & not just about 1 song, either.
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glencar Ex Member	Re: The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song Reply #9 - Jan 18^th, 2009 at 1:01pm I have to say that losing Willie Nelson on this song would have been addition via subtraction.
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Ten Thousand Motels Rocks Off Regular Offline Posts: 1,797 Gender:	Re: The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song Reply #10 - Jan 18^th, 2009 at 1:01pm Quote: Well, you're clearly much more perceptive than Motels & not just about 1 song, either. There's nothing wrong with being soft.
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glencar Ex Member	Re: The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song Reply #11 - Jan 18^th, 2009 at 1:02pm Soft in the head? We have enough of that!
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gimmekeef Rocks Off Regular Offline Posts: 5,759 Ontario Canada Gender:	Re: The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song Reply #12 - Jan 18^th, 2009 at 1:26pm Graet song..thanks for sharing. One of my fave gut wrenchers has always been Etta James "At Last"....
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corgi37 Rocks Off Regular Offline Rocks Off Rules You Bastards Posts: 1,559 Aussie land Gender:	Re: The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song Reply #13 - Jan 18^th, 2009 at 11:58pm Any song by the "Vengaboys" was gut wrenching.
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Brainbell Jangler

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Re: The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song
Reply #14 - Jan 19^th, 2009 at 12:25am

Thanks for sharing that, riffy. I believe "A Song for You" was written for Rita Coolidge. Leon Russell is one of my favorite artists and doesn't get the recognition he deserves as a songwriter IMO. You mentioned the exquisite "This Masquerade"; "Hummingbird" (a great B.B. King cover) and "Delta Lady" (I like Leon's original better than Joe Cocker's version) are just a couple of other examples of Leon at his best.

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Riffhard

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Re: The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song
Reply #15 - Jan 19^th, 2009 at 1:40pm

Brainbell Jangler wrote on Jan 19^th, 2009 at 12:25am:

Thanks for sharing that, riffy. I believe "A Song for You" was written for Rita Coolidge. Leon Russell is one of my favorite artists and doesn't get the recognition he deserves as a songwriter IMO. You mentioned the exquisite "This Masquerade"; "Hummingbird" (a great B.B. King cover) and "Delta Lady" (I like Leon's original better than Joe Cocker's version) are just a couple of other examples of Leon at his best.

Yeah, it's a great tune, but it was in fact written by Leon. I should also mention that the video that I posted was from the Willie and Friends concert from April 2003. Ray Charles actually died in June of 2004. So while this was not his last performance ever, it was his last performance with Willie Nelson, and it obviously was very moving for Willie.

Other tunes by Leon Russell that I love include Roll Away The Stone, Back To The Island, Lady Blue, Magic Mirror, and, of course, Tightrope. He also wrote Beware Of Darkness from George Harrison's All Things Must Pass album. He is a great songwriter and is a great performer as well. I strongly recommend going to check him out should he visit your area. His version of Jumping Jack Flash/Younblood from Leon Live is the stuff of legend!

Riffy

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« Last Edit: Jan 19^th, 2009 at 1:44pm by Riffhard »

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&"When all government...in little as in great things, shall be drawn to Washington as the center of all power, it will render powerless the checks provided...” Thomas Jefferson&&&&"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have. The course of history shows us that as a government grows, liberty decreases." — Thomas Jefferson&&&&&&&&We're not old men.We don't bother about petty morals--Keef&&&&Actually, it only takes one drink to get me loaded. Trouble is, I can't remember if it's the thirteenth or fourteenth. &&-- George Burns&&&&&&I ain't no leftist!-Bob Dylan&&&&"In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a brave and scarce

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nankerphelge Rocks Off Regular Offline Maybe being bad is more fun than being good... Posts: 2,775 Sweet Virginia Gender:	Re: The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song Reply #16 - Jan 19^th, 2009 at 2:04pm AC/DC's "Love at First Feel" is one of my favorite emotional songs. Makes me cry every time I hear it!
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Brainbell Jangler

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Re: The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song
Reply #17 - Jan 19^th, 2009 at 5:55pm

Riffhard wrote on Jan 19^th, 2009 at 1:40pm:

Brainbell Jangler wrote on Jan 19^th, 2009 at 12:25am:

Thanks for sharing that, riffy. I believe "A Song for You" was written for Rita Coolidge. Leon Russell is one of my favorite artists and doesn't get the recognition he deserves as a songwriter IMO. You mentioned the exquisite "This Masquerade"; "Hummingbird" (a great B.B. King cover) and "Delta Lady" (I like Leon's original better than Joe Cocker's version) are just a couple of other examples of Leon at his best.

Yeah, it's a great tune, but it was in fact written by Leon. I should also mention that the video that I posted was from the Willie and Friends concert from April 2003. Ray Charles actually died in June of 2004. So while this was not his last performance ever, it was his last performance with Willie Nelson, and it obviously was very moving for Willie.

Other tunes by Leon Russell that I love include Roll Away The Stone, Back To The Island, Lady Blue, Magic Mirror, and, of course, Tightrope. He also wrote Beware Of Darkness from George Harrison's All Things Must Pass album. He is a great songwriter and is a great performer as well. I strongly recommend going to check him out should he visit your area. His version of Jumping Jack Flash/Younblood from Leon Live is the stuff of legend!

Riffy

You misread me, man. I said the song was written for Rita Coolidge, not by her. She and Leon were an item for a while when she first hit LA, but she said things were a little too wild for her. "Delta Lady" was also inspired by Rita. Carney, source of "Tight Rope," "Magic Mirror" and "This Masquerade" (and nine other great tunes, including "Out In the Woods," "If the Shoe Fits" and "My Cricket"), has been a favorite of mine since it came out--a month after Exile. I've also been lucky enough to see Leon perform in small venues a couple of times over the years. Thanks again for honoring him.

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Re: The world's most emoitional gut wrenching song
Reply #18 - Jan 20^th, 2009 at 10:37pm

Great performance! I've always been a HUGE Leon fan.

I'll never forget coming home from work on my 20th birthday and seeing Leon Live on my bed---bold, beautiful, and unwrapped! My 16 year old brother had sprung for it and bought it for me {cost something like $11 which was a LOT back then}. I played that 3 record album every day for months and months on end...

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