Explore every episode of the podcast Heart Banter/Music Covers & Acoustic Guitar

“When You Say Nothing At All” is a country music song with a storied past. Written by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz, the song was picked up by Keith Whitley. He loved the song when he first heard it, and wasn’t going to let it go to another recording artist. Whitley had learned his lesson when he passed on another Overstreet-Schlitz song that became a hit for Randy Travis. This time around, “When You Say Nothing At All” became a major hit for Whitley when he introduced it in 1988 on his “Don’t Close Your Eyes” album. Sadly, Whitley passed away a few months later at the age of 33.

As an interesting side note, Schlitz and Overstreet created the song after an unproductive day in the studio. While strumming their guitars, they sang about coming up with nothing at all, which led to the song’s lyrics. They didn’t think the song was anything special, but history proved them wrong.

Country Singer Allison Krause and her band, Union Station, reintroduced the song in 1995 on a tribute album to Keith Whitley. “When You Say Nothing At All” became their first top 10 country hit.

“Talking In Your Sleep” is not exactly a happy song. I chose it for the guitar background and the melody, both of which I find quite beautiful. I’m a long-time fan of Gordon Lightfoot, and I’ve covered many of his songs on this blog. However, this song is not as well known as many of Lightfoot’s others, and I hadn’t listened to it in decades. But the song kept popping up on the Pandora stations I’ve been listening to lately, and it captured my attention immediately.

“Talking In Your Sleep” is a touching, country-folk song written and performed by the Canadian singer-songwriter. Reprise Records released the song in 1971 on Gordon’s 6th album, Summerside of Life. It became a moderate hit, reaching #64 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts and #19 on the Canadian RPM charts. In case you were wondering, RPM stands for the title of a popular Canadian music trade journal called Records, Promotion, Music.

Moderate hit or not, “Talking In Your Sleep” rings my doorbell. I hope it will ring yours as well. My mentor, Jerry Lamberth, calls it “a wonderful song,” and one of the first lessons he posted on his site, Jerry’s Guitar Bar. With Jerry’s tutelage, I’m playing the song close to Lightfoot’s original.

It started out as a poem. Then it turned into a song. Then it became a background song for the movie “Beaches.” After various song covers at home and abroad, in 1988, Bette Midler made “Wind Beneath My Wings” a #1 hit in the USA. A year later, the song won Grammy Awards for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

Here’s my version.

Chapters

• (00:00:08) - My Hero

Fans of Gordon Lightfoot will want to hear this cover of one of Gordon's earliest love songs. It is among his greatest hits. Thanks for listening. Love to all.

--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/12/02/early-lightfoot-love/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/11/21/simple-honest-transparent-beautiful-2/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/11/15/the-wind-in-my-soul/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/11/11/a-transcendent-voice/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/10/29/across-the-barrier-of-time/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/10/13/jefferson-airplane-comin-back-to-me/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/09/28/from-a-distance-the-song/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/09/19/reprise-and-i-love-you-so/ 

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/08/30/rise-and-shine/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

It started out as a poem. Then it turned into a song. Then it became a background song for the movie “Beaches.” After various song covers at home and abroad, in 1988, Bette Midler made “Wind Beneath My Wings” a #1 hit in the USA. A year later, the song won Grammy Awards for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

Here’s my version.

Chapters

• (00:00:09) - When You Were Simply Everything

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/08/25/time-travel-anyone/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/08/18/fleetwood-mac-landslide/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/07/06/another-word-for-love/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/06/25/beautiful/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/06/10/everything-i-own/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/05/11/shadows-of-love/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/04/16/the-gift/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/04/07/the-love-of-my-life/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/03/21/another-slice-of-american-pie/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/03/04/true-colors/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

“Sky Blue and Black” is an emotional roller coaster, looking back on the joys and sorrows of love and its lasting impact. Jackson Browne wrote the song over four years and released it on his album “I’m Alive” in 1992. The source material comes from Jackson’s relationship with a famous actress. However, Browne never wants his songs to be identified with his specific life events, so he rarely speaks about his real-life relationships, especially in the context of his music.

“It’s a drag even to imagine that people are thinking about [the] relationship instead of their own lives,” Jackson told the Los Angeles Times. “I think if a song is any good, eventually it’ll turn out to be about the life of the listener and not about the life of the writer. Anyway, that’s my hope.”

Enjoy my revised version of “Sky Blue and Black” with background instrumentation.

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2022/02/16/time-after-time/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2021/12/28/american-pie-gold-nuggets/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2021/12/21/empty-chairs-the-beauty-of-a-broken-heart/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2021/12/02/and-i-love-you-so/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2021/10/28/vincent-revisited/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

In 1964, Gordon Lightfoot wrote one of his most memorable songs: Early Morning Rain. Lightfoot, a Canadian singer-songwriter, has become a folk legend. Along with his crystal clear singing voice and accomplished guitar playing, Lightfoot has written a library of outstanding folk songs depicting historical events and all manner of love relationships. To single out a smattering of Lightfoot's top hits is to do the man an injustice. "Early Morning Rain" appears on his 1966 debut album simply titled Lightfoot!  Before he released the song, another Canadian duo, Ian and recorded it in 1964. Many other folk singing notables including Peter, Paul, and Mary also adopted the song.

The genesis of "Early Morning Rain" can be traced to Gordon's 1960 stay in Westlake, Los Angeles. At the time, Lightfoot became homesick for his Canadian roots. He remembers going to the Los Angeles International Airport on rainy days to watch the aircraft take-off and land. The memories of the flights launching into the overcast skies stayed with him. In 1964, while caring for his 5-month-old son, Lightfoot remembers thinking, "I’ll put him over here in his crib, and I’ll write myself a tune." In that moment, "Early Morning Rain" was born.

The lyrics refer to someone down on his luck who stands at an airport fence to watch the thunderous takeoff of a Boeing 707 airliner. The theme of the song suggests a jet-age musical allegory to the by-gone days of hobos loitering at railroad yards to steal a train ride home. Lightfoot credits the popularity of the song to his improvement as a songwriter.

I've always loved this song. Lightfoot strums it. When I heard Eva Cassidy perform the song using a picking technique, I had to learn it her way. Unfortunately, there were no guitar tutorials available. Since Eva plays "Early Morning Rain" close to her version of "Kathy's Song" I was able to figure out how to play EMR three-quarters of the way she does.

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This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2021/09/14/the-clancy-brothers-re-imagining-irish-folk-music/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2021/08/20/where-does-the-time-go/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2021/08/03/beauty-of-the-bells/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2021/04/16/the-gathering-of-spirits/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

Cat Stevens wrote “The First Cut Is The Deepest” when he was eighteen. At the time, he had no intention of becoming a worldwide star performer. He sold the song for thirty pounds to P.P. Arnold, a soul singer who lived near him in London. She released “The First Cut Is The Deepest” on her first album. It reached #18 on the U.K. charts in 1967. Eventually, Rod Stewart and Sheryl Crow covered the song, making it a major hit in America.

Stevens released his version of the song on his debut album, New Masters. Because he never released “The First Cut Is the Deepest” as a single, the album went largely unnoticed.

Despite his shyness, Stevens’ songwriting and singing burst through to make him an international star in the music industry. I’m using Stevens’ version in my cover.

Chapters

• (00:00:15) - When You Know First Cut Is the deepest

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2021/07/20/can-i-we-do-anything-about-the-crap-surrounding-us/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2021/07/11/an-unfinished-life/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2021/07/04/its-coming-no-time-to-waste/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2021/02/17/feeling-the-heart/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2021/02/09/through-her-music/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2021/05/03/throw-a-stone-in-the-water/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2021/02/24/to-engage-with-time/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2021/05/16/beloved/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2021/06/08/fields-of-gold/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://davidgittlin.net/2021/06/20/the-first-day-of-forever/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-gittlin/message

The Seekers are an Australian band formed in 1962. The Folk and Gospel group achieved the zenith of their popularity in the mid ’60’s with several hit songs. Their most memorable chart-topper is a song titled “I’ll Never Find Another You.” It reached #1 on the UK charts in 1965, making the Seekers the only Australian band with a #1 hit song outside of Australia. The song reached #97 in the United States, quite a feat in itself. The group has continued to perform to standing ovations around the world into the 1990’s.

I am dedicating this song to my wife of 37 years, Bonnie Erens-Gittlin. Without exaggeration, every word in the lyrics of this song applies. I am grateful to have spent my adult life with this woman and the beautiful daughter we have raised. Here’s my cover.

Listening to the Heart Brings Peace and Harmony into a Life

Chapters

• (00:00:10) - "For You Will Be My Someone Forever"

“True Colors” is a song with legs. It started out as a song written for a mother in a traditional ballad format. Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly wrote the song in 1986 and offered it to Anne Murray, a popular singer at the time. Murray passed on the song. Cyndi Lauper took it and creatively revamped the format into a stark and breathtaking version.

The song became a hit worldwide because of its universal appeal. The songwriters acknowledge that Lauper was the perfect artist to adapt the song partly because of her bold style. Released as the title song on Lauper’s 1986 album, “True Colors,” is the only original song on the album that the artist did not help to write.

In 1998, Phil Collins covered the song on his “Greatest Hits” album. Australian country music star Kasey Chambers covered the song as the theme for the 2003 Rugby World Cup. In 2007, Cindy Lauper launched “The True Colors Tour” to support gay rights and fight hate crimes. In 2016, Justin Timberlake and actress Anna Kendrick used the song in the soundtrack for the movie “Trolls.” Kodak also used the song to advertise its film stock.

Like I said: The song has legs. Here’s my version.

Chapters

• (00:00:05) - True Colors

Eric Andersen’s voice, songs, guitar, and piano playing created a career that has spanned over 45 years. He has recorded 25 albums of original songs and made numerous tours of North America, Europe, and Japan.

His songs have been recorded and performed by world-renowned artists such as Judy Collins, Peter Paul and Mary, Linda Ronstadt, Johnny Cash, The Grateful Dead, Linda Thompson, plus many others in Europe, Australia, England, and Japan. One of Eric's most famous songs is "Thirsty Boots." I loved it from the first time I heard it. Here's my cover.

Chapters

• (00:00:09) - A stranger stops for a while

Cat Stevens first met Alun Davies as a backup musician in a recording session. He liked what he heard. After another session, Stevens recognized that Davies was an exceptional talent. In a following private session, Stevens played something like fifty of his original songs for Davies, whereupon Davies decided Cat was also an exceptional talent. He agreed to accompany Stevens on an upcoming tour. After the tour, Davies became Stevens' permanent 2nd guitar until Stevens stopped playing music with his conversion to Islam in 1977. When Stevens began performing again in 2003, the two artists reunited.

Here is a new version of "How Can I Tell You" with me playing and singing Davies' now famous second guitar part.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - How Can I Tell You That I Love You?