Brian BBBB asked me if I had ever performed the Streets of London, a song that if I recall, came out in the 1940s or a bit later, but didn't become popular until the early 60s. I remember sitting on a wooden bar-stool in a honky-tonk bar in Baltimore, with an old Ibanez six string guitar, a 100-watt tube amp, Shure SM58 mic on a boom and a 3-inch thick loseleaf binder filled with lyrics and tabs. The smoke in the bar was so thick back then when someone opened the front door it looked like the building was on fire. Those were the days my friend.

I was asked by a lady from London to perform that song, one that I had never heard. She wrote down the words for me on a napkin, then found another musician that knew the song and learned it the following day. I played it every time she came into the bar, which was for about 7 years. One weekend, she didn't show, and I asked the barmaid, who was a good friend of hers where she was - she passed away that day. I performed the song later that night and found it nearly impossible to not break into tears - she was an incredible lady that have lived through WWII, and was a nurse in London when the Germans were bombing the city on a daily basis.

So here's my version of that song, Brian, which is probably not nearly as good as the original, but it has been more than 50 years since I last performed it. Ironically, I still get a bit emotional when I sing the song.

Streets Of London

Gary

Good job for an old dog!

Thanks guys, this old codger really appreciates your positive comments.

Gary

Lovely rendition of this beautiful song Gary, but a sad story to go with it unfortunately.It was a tremendous hit in the sixties here in Europe for Ralph McTell. You stayed quite close to that version, while I recorded it in 2005 on my Korg PA50 , opting for an entire different arrangement. You can find it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZvgawOFiB8

regards,
John

Enjoyed that Gary, definite strains of Roger Whitaker, just listened to his version and was surprised how thin his voice sounds in comparison to yours.

Col

Well played, but your arrangement doesnt give me the emotions i feel with the orriginal or even the dutch version of Guus Meeuwis... The simplicity of the orriginal version is what gives me the shivers every time i hear this song..

But i would love to hear you sing this song in the orriginal version as you certainly have a voice that can shine with the orriginal arrangement in all its simplicity..

John nice job well played, good vocal I enjoyed this version...... but,... wasnt a fan of the harmony parts Thanx for sharing.

Bachus,
As someone who almost solely plays at home and hardly ever gigs the challenge to me often is a complete overhaul of the original.In contrast with all those here on SZ that gig I do not have to offer the "feast of recognition ". ( my prhaseology really....). I absolutely agree that the original and also Gary's rendering is truer to the contents of this song, but when I did this it was a spur of the moment thing which almost turned it into another song imho. That is why, unlike Gary for example who says he cannot have enough styles in his collection, I often get down to the same or similar styles and tweak them intensly in a way to fit an arrangement of a song that I have in my head. I could give links and examples here but I do not want to go off topic really, which is STreets of London by Gary.

regards,
John

P.S. Donny, me I love the vocals. There was no vocaliser available to me at the time so after recording the song on my old Boss BR8 (zipdisk !!) recorder I added backing vocals track after track. Personallly I prefer it to the vocaliser stuff, though having just purchased a TC Voicelive ( the first edition) I may have to reconsider....

Great job, John, making it your song as well with an upbeat style. The only version I've ever heard was Raplh McTell's from back in the 60s, and of course the guy that taught me the song, which was quite similar. In most instances, I try to get as close to the original style as possible when I perform a song, mainly because that's what the audiences tend to expect.

Cheers,

Gary