“Hocus Pocus” by Focus
Bohemian Rhapsody.
Actually a lot of it could perfectly well be acoustic (some pretty much is already), but the hard rocking part near the end needs to be that way. I pulls the whole song together.
I too was going to say “Helter Skelter.”
Also: “Smoke on the Water,” “You Really Got Me,” and the Indigo Girls’ “Compromise.”
Layla.
Actually…http://www.myspace.com/thevillainscanada
I think it sounds pretty good.
And if anyone does an acoustic cover of “Devil’s Haircut”, I will lose all faith in humanity.
Word! I’m an acoustic girl, but even I think the unplugged version had all the passion sucked right out if it.
Too late…it’s ruined forever.
Tangerine Dream, “Get Off the Babysitter”
Two “acoustic version” things…
One, for the OP, I saw Tom Petty in concert shortly after that song came out, and the version he performed was acoustic. I thought it was awesome.
And two, regarding Layla, I read an interview with Pete Townshend about the time Tommy, the Rock Opera was coming out. At the end, the last question and answer went something like this:
Q: So all that’s left is to unplug like all (your) peers and release the acoustic Townshend.
A: I already did that, at the (1981) second Amnesty International concert in London. I invented Unplugged-ness-it belongs to me. I can do what I f – -ing like with it. I’m glad that Eric (Clapton) has sold millions of albums, but if I hear that bossa nova bongo version of ‘Layla’ again, I think I’ll scream.
(side note: I’m not sure Townshend was at the second Secret Policeman’s Ball. I think he was at the first one, in 1979. But whatever. “bossa nova bongo version” kills me.)
As for songs that probably shouldn’t go acoustic… I’ll go with Die Roboter by Kraftwerk.
thwartme
Sabotage by The Beastie Boys.
Van Halen’s Eruption, though I’d be morbidly curious how it would come across.
Gee, I dunno. TheTurtle Island Quartet kicks ass on Purple Haze.
Oops! Heh, heh.
Yes, it was the first one (he often mixes up dates and events to suit his stories) . Pete was so drunk that night he fell asleep while playing “Won’t Get Fooled Again” with John Williams. As far as his “dig” at Clapton, he’s made that comment various times about Layla, but he’s just giving Eric a hard time–they are good friends.
“Dazed and Confused”
My nephew played Back in Black for me on his acoustic - it was funny as hell.
I’ll add Song 2 by Blur to the list.
Blue Collar Man - Styx
Come Together - The Beatles
I don’t need no doctor - Humble Pie / Peter Frampton
Probably like Spanish Fly - off VH II, done on a nylon-string acoustic…
Matthew Good Band - Hello Time Bomb
Matthew Good tried to do an acoustic version of this. Somehow I’m not surprised it ended up being more or less an entirely different song.
Parliament/Funkadelic’s “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)”