LA1: One Song To Rule Them All

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• LA1 One Song To Rule Them All.

LA1 One Song To Rule Them All.
Ed Gonzalez MUY 2100 Dr. Southall
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• The hardest part of this essay is actually
  picking a favorite song. On any given day, I roam
  the campus with over eight thousand songs
  attached to my hip. Picking one that I would call
  my favorite is going to be next to impossible.
  I believe an easier task would be to change the
  label of the song from my favorite to one of my
  favorites.

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• As a burgeoning musician, I find my musical
  preferences continue to expand along with my
  knowledge of music. I am choosing to write about
  is Jimi Hendrixs Little Wing preformed by
  Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble.

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In December of 1967, The Jimi Hendrix Experience
released Axis Bold as Love. Little Wing became
to be 357 on "The 500 Greatest Songs of All
Time" by Rolling Stone Magazine. Although the
original song itself was only two minutes and
twenty-four seconds in length, its impact on
society was great. Influencing and being
re-arranged by such artist as Derek and the
Dominos and Sting the song will continue to
change lives in generations to come.
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• The version that I enjoy the most was released in
  1991 on the posthumous compilation The Sky is
  Crying. Stevie Ray Vaughn extended the original
  song to a full six and a half minutes of sheer
  blues force. The original was preformed with a
  what is know in the music industry as a power
  trio, containing guitar-vocals, drums, and bass,
  the SRV version contains no vocals with the same
  instrumentation. Both artists changed the way we
  interpret what the six strings on an electric
  guitar are a capable of and have raised the bar
  for future generations. Complex changes of melody
  and hammer offs make this an extremely difficult
  piece to play. Their influences and contributions
  to modern music are impossible to ignore.

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What is most fascinating feature about Vaughans
version of the song is how the attitude and style
are altered. The beginning starts out soft and
gradually changes with every reiteration of the
underling melody. Vaughan had the ability to
channel his emotions and personal demons in to
his instrument with the minimal use of added
pedals. This skill demonstrates his remarkable
knowledge of the instrument. As he uses different
pick-ups on the instrument, one can hear how he
manipulates the timbre and dynamic of the song.
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• As the song continues, it grows stronger with
  every chorus, building momentum while keeping the
  original beat and paying homage to the creator of
  the song. Vaughan enjoyed playing Hendrix covers
  and did so on multiple live albums. The
  simplicity of Little Wing, with complex chord
  changes makes this a most enjoyable listen, a
  song that has and will stand the test time.

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Regardless of which performer or version you
prefer, you cannot ignore the awe-inspiring power
of this music. Even though no words are spoken,
in Vaughans version you can still hear the raw,
naked emotions of the artist. Blues can make you
sad, but also by appreciating, the heartache that
others have gone through blues can make you happy
too. I hope one day to master the changes in this
song, and be able to create a masterpiece that
will send shivers up ones spine as this song has
done for me. Though I do not have a favorite
song, this is a piece of music that I find
myself coming back to again and again.
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R.I.P
1942 - 1970
1954 - 1990
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