Come on in to the Dave Yarin Vocals Tasting Room. Have a sip! Enjoy a full-bodied or lighter song. Spit out what you don’t like. Rinse. Repeat. Enjoy the songs that I love, and artists that have inspired me. Music is a true love and a big part of my life journey. I just pick songs that I enjoy singing, hit record and have fun singing them…so nothing else really matters. Thanks for listening, and if you’d like a copy of anything you hear, let me know! Peace, love and music always! – “Mainely Dave“
An early take on this one, but it’s a fun song to sing and one of my favorites.
Just to make sure that I can sing this better than Kendall Roy…
Always loved David Bowie, and always loved this song. Killer guitar on this was Stevie Ray Vaughan. Bowie was not only one of the greatest artists who ever lived, but one of the best humans to ever walk this planet. Before you judge the song, here is it’s true meaning as The Washington Post reported:
“Bowie was donning the role of a racist womanizer not only to decry racist womanizing but to condemn the West’s demeaning view of the East as a whole. “China Girl” was a parody of racism and stereotyping.”
“The message that they have is very simple,” Bowie said. “It’s wrong to be a racist!”
“If you ever took Bowie for what was on the surface, you were missing something,” said Tiffany Naiman, whose work on Bowie was published in “David Bowie: Critical Perspectives.” “I think he was well aware of his elite cosmopolitanism. He was able to move through different cultures because of his privilege but he understood otherness and wanted to highlight that.”
“How David Bowie’s ‘China Girl’ used racism to fight racism”
By Ruth Tam
Washington Post
January 20, 2016
If you grew up on Long Island, NY back in the late 1970s to mid 1980s as I did, you might remember the radio station WBAB (102.3 on your FM dial). Back then, they played what was known as “AOR” – album oriented rock – meaning they were classic rock songs but they could play any song on an album; not just the songs that the computers and programmers told them to play, and this was one of the Billy Joel songs that they would play that few other stations would (“A six minute song? Oh my goodness!”). And whenever they played a Billy Joel song, they would start by saying “Here’s a song by Long Island’s own…Billy Joel.” Always one of my favorite Billy Joel songs, this one goes out to my buddies that I grew up with.
…In honor of the documentary of the same name that came out last November. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it. The video and dialogue between John, Paul, George and Ringo (and Billy Preston) are so clear that it feels like these events happened last week or something. I know, I know but just let me have my dream ok? This has always been one of my faves from the Fab Four, and I really came to appreciate John’s lead guitar work on this song. From the rooftop of Apple Corps headquarters at 3 Savile Row in Central London…
True story – Paul and John had repaired their relationship to the point that John was going to join Paul in New Orleans in late 1974 – early 1975 to write and record a few songs together on the album on which this song appeared. But at the last minute John cancelled; having just found out that Yoko was pregnant. Needless to say they very sadly didn’t get an opportunity to write and record together again.
Because “Rock and roll can never die…”
“Doo-wop Dave” trying something very different with a song from Billy Joel’s 1983 homage album (An Innocent Man) to the 50’s doo-wop groups that he grew up listening to. This song’s chorus uses the second movement of Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Pathetique Sonata, and Beethoven is credited as one of the song’s writers on the sleeve of the album as “L.v. Beethoven”. The 50s doo-wop singers are the creme de la creme vocally – they used every vocal technique there is and combined it with beautiful vocal ranges, emotion, melody and soul that’s very hard to re-create. I gave it my best shot here.
Sort of a raw take with this one and a little clean up needed (check back soon I’ll update this one), but there is something redeeming about it. My Billy Joel listening experience growing up started with the album The Stranger and forward. Around 1980 Billy released a live album – “Songs In The Attic” – that included a lot of his earlier songs, and this instantly became one of my favorites. I like the sentimental journey he takes lyrically in the song, and I too can honestly say that I love these days.
Theme song for life here in Maine. But seriously the guitar work between Joe Walsh and Don Felder on this one! Love it! I added lyrics in the outro from another 70s super group from a song that came out around the same time. Recognize the lyrics, the song, the group?
Back around 1977 and already really into music, my grandma took me to Newberry’s (the “five and dime”) to buy me my first record album. Truth is before I got really into The Beatles, my first musical memories are of Paul McCartney’s solo music, and the best I could tell my grandmother at the time was that “this guy was once in a really big band.” Understatement of the century. Anyway, my grandmother bought me a Paul McCartney live album, of which one of the songs on it is this one. Oh and by the way…here’s the album. Still with me after all these years…
Another great great song from Elton and Bernie.
– vocals by Dave Yarin
It’s the title track from my absolutely favorite Elton John album, and one of my favorite Elton songs. It’s a really challenging song to sing – I hope I did it at least some justice. Watching a few Elton live performances of this song provided some inspiration.
If you’re not tapping your foot during this song, something’s wrong. Check pulse, take a deep breath…rinse, lather, repeat.
This is a Tom Waits song that The Eagles covered, and I love The Eagles version. Apparently Tom didn’t, but Glenn Frey had the last laugh in concert when he said “Tom will come around when he gets his check.” I love the dual vocals between Frey and Don Henley in The Eagles version, but alas I’m only one man so I took a shot at both. And I threw in some lyrics from another Eagles song at the end if you stick around till then.
To Beth…every word, lyric, note, emotion…she made this song incredibly easy to sing.
Sara Smile is one of my favorite Hall and Oates songs. Daryl Hall can sing R&B soul like nobody’s business, and the way he can ad lib at the end of a song is awesome. If you listen to live versions of their songs, he rarely sings songs the same way twice, keeping it interesting for him and the audience.
Did this one recently for my buddy Brian’s birthday; hence the birthday greetings at the end. Bri is the biggest Rush fan I know; big Neal Peart (RIP) fan. My lovely wife Beth (not as big of a Rush fan) heard my version and said “You sound like that guy” – meaning Geddy Lee, which was good enough for me to put my version up in my vocal tasting room for you to hear. Mazel tov to Geddy, Alex and Neal, and Happy “Duh-bull nickels” birthday Brian!
Produced and mixed by 1Beatle (aka my son – Michael Yarin)
Definitely one of my all-time favorite Van Halen songs, this one goes out to the late great Eddie Van Halen. Off their first album, when the sound was raw, sounded like they just plugged in and hit record. Eddie’s guitar on this one is absolutely amazing. Rock on! And thank you again 1Beatle !
To ma boys, ma homies, my Green Acres MOTs. Five guys who grew up loving The Who. The Who forevah. Best friends forevah.
Sung by Ric Ocasek (RIP) like a 50s doo-wop singer, borrowing a Beatles guitar riff from the 60s, fused with late 70s new wave, you get a timeless high energy song that has always been one of my favorites.
A lesser-known but great George Michael song. First take on this one…
This is a song called Plush.
“I wish you a hopeful Christmas
I wish you a brave new year
All anguish, pain and sadness
Leave your heart and let your road be clear“
Four of my favorite Christmas songs above. Combining Motown and U2 is like putting chocolate and peanut butter together, and I’ve loved the John Lennon and Greg Lake songs ever since I can remember anything. I remember first hearing Please Come Home For Christmas by The Eagles when I was a kid, but over time I’ve discovered several other versions that are equally as good, the best of which is by Aaron Neville. Four of my favorite Christmas songs. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays 2021 everyone!
The best of the rest below…still in a barrel aging…works in progress
Don’t Go Breakin My Heart (Elton John and Kiki Dee) – Live Performance 2021
If you happened to be driving through Harrison, Maine (how many times in your life have you heard that constant refrain?) on the evening of August 13th, 2021; you might have heard a certain someone singing this song live (the Elton part) in a duet with Madison Maier and The Piano Men at the DeerTrees Theatre. A video of the grand performance is below. So get out your Elton sunglasses like I did, throw on your bell bottom pants and overalls (Kiki – see the video) and flashback to the 1970s…
Inspired by today’s weather here in Maine, and with the 50th anniversary of Jim Morrison’s death (July 3rd, 1971) having just passed, I recorded this off the cuff as a “scratch” version. I don’t think there is any group with a sound as unique as The Doors, and certainly no singular talent like Jim Morrison. Beth and I made a pilgrimage to his gravesite in Paris a few years ago, although Beth likes to remind me that we went to Paris for a lot of other reasons. The rain sounds at the very beginning and ending of this recording are of the rain here in Maine today (very high tech – I stuck the mic up to the screen door). Long live The Doors!
Steve Perry – nuff said
My life long friend Mike Schaffer (of the Far Rockaway Schaffers) suggested I do this one. He must’ve heard some Steve Winwood in my voice. First song that I’m posting with my new and improved mic.
Here’s another song that I’m singing to Beth. Till There Was You was originally in the 1957 musical and 1962 movie “The Music Man’, sung by Shirley Jones (that’s Shirley Partridge to me). The Beatles covered the song early in their career, with the romantic vocals by Paul and the awesome flamenco guitar by George.
To my favorite Auntie Cynthia of San Diego…I believe this is one of your favorites…
Did you ever listen to a song where the lyrics, music, tone…everything just perfectly fits? Here’s one of them, and Elton – with Bernie Taupin – probably has more songs in that category than anyone. From the opening note on this song to the end, everything fits.
Really Dave? Haven’t we heard this song a million times? Correct we have, but if ever a time to revisit a song about making it through tough times to not only survive but live strong and thrive, 2020 was that time. And to sing a Queen song that has the amazing vocals of Freddie Mercury! Honestly I can’t sing like Freddie, but it’s fun to try. While we’ll all be glad to put 2020 behind us, I’ll look back on it in many ways, but one was to end up spending more time with something that is not just a hobby for me, but a true passion – music. However good at it I may or may not be, the journey is da thing…and it’s a fun one.
Ah what the heck – one more song from “Long Island’s own” – Billy Joel. Another one of my favorite’s from him. “Slow down you crazy child…” – I’ve heard Billy interviewed about this song, and he wrote it about and for himself. Not to sound preachy (ok I do), but there’s a message in there for all of us. 🙂
