Come on in to the Dave Yarin Vocals Tasting Room (aka “The Billy Joel and Elton John Channel?”). 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“
These Sound More Better…
A huge thank you to Brian Lee of Bob Ludwig’s Grammy award winning Gateway Studios here in Maine for the mix and mastering on this one. My listeners thank you too Brian!
– vocals by Dave Yarin (re-recorded September 2022; mixed and remastered by Brian Lee March 2023)
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.
Hey the standards and doing some Frank and trying different stuff was great, but it was time to rock out again. Chris Robinson call your office…
I love George Jones’ voice and the funny lyrics to this song. I blended George’s country voice with James Taylor’s voice on a cover version of this song that James sings on one of his live albums. What kind of hybrid crooning voice I came up with who knows, but here ya go…
There is no one song that I’ve sung or on this website whose lyrics are more personal to me than this one. As my lovely wife said in inspiring me to get the vocals right on this, Jim had a story to tell in every one of his songs. Tell your story when you sing it. I just hope that I made her advice stick.
Hang on I’ll be adding Anytime soon…
To my one and only Valentine Beth – it’s one of her favorites. And to you all you Valentiners out there – Happy Valentine’s Day!
If you’re a fan of the series Only Murders In The Building, my favorite scene is when Martin Short and his dog get into the elevator with Sting, Sting looks down disapprovingly at the dog, so Short tells his dog “Don’t stand so close to Sting.” Anyway, first recording of 2023. Stay warm my babies!
We were watching Fleishman Is In Trouble last night – great new show. They were playing this song in the episode and I said “Dang It that’s one of my favorite Neil Diamond tunes.” So here ya go…
From Sun Studio here in Maine – Elvis enjoyed a turkey leg or two…or three as the years went on. Happy Thanksgiving!
Heard it on the radio – thought “what the heck I should try that one.”
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Yes you are Beth. I worked on this song so many times to find the right tone and emotion that I wanted it to have…for such an amazing wife who has made anywhere we ever find ourselves feel like home.
To Jennifer and Michael. You won’t find 2 more inspiring kids on this planet, and I really and truly love them just the way they are.
One of my favorite Billy Joel songs. Off his first album from 1972 – Cold Spring Harbor. But the song came to life for me when he included it on his live album Songs In The Attic in 1981, as did many of his other earlier songs that didn’t get the airplay they should have back when they were released. I consider Billy the Normal Rockwell of popular music and songwriting – all of his songs have a little story in them. Some on the surface; some you just have to use your imagination and fill in the story like a Rockwell Saturday Evening Post cover. I made a slight lyrical edit towards the end of the song to throw a nod to MY Long Island hometown.
“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.
What the heck I’m trying to stretch – fun song
…In honor of the documentary of the same name that came out last year. 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…
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.
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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. There’s a message in there for all of us. 🙂
The song writer and singer’s son – Albert Hammond Jr. – is the lead guitarist for The Strokes. For you – Beatle…
The second song that The Beatles played in their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show back on that evening in February 1964 that changed the world. For you Beth…
Seemed like a good song for finally getting my cast off and spreading my wings again…
Updated mix in progress. Stay tuned on this one!
First song recorded since my achilles repair surgery. Under anesthesia, I heard the voice of Jim Morrison calling to me and saying “Dave – it’s me – Jim” …well not really but it sounded like a good story. Anyway, a song from their last album. One of the few groups who broke out with an incredible debut album, and also had their last album be a classic.
Such a beautiful song, and amazing vocals from one of my all-time favorite singers – Robert Plant. The dynamics and range in his voice, especially earlier in his career, are out of this world.
Saw a documentary about him last night – amazingly talented guy, wonderful singer and songwriter, but ironically this song – probably his best known one, wasn’t written by him. Best buddies with John Lennon and Ringo Starr, and did an amazing album of standards which somehow got lost in the shuffle, but his vocals on it (along with most of his songs) are amazing. His health failed him (in large part his own doing) and he unfortunately left us too soon. He never achieved that super-stardom status that he should have, but by talent standards he was on par with the best – big reason why all 4 Beatles respected and admired him.
Jerry Lee Lewis wrote this humorous little ditty, and I enjoy Rod Stewart’s cover. The instrument track was in a lower key than I wanted to sing it in, so I cranked it up a few steps, which is why the mouth harp sounds a little funny in the background…
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:
“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.”
“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!”
By Ruth Tam
“How David Bowie’s ‘China Girl’ used racism to fight racism”
Washington Post
January 20, 2016
The great Nile Rodgers produced this song and album (and I believe played guitar on this song), and combined with John Taylor’s bass playing it made for an absolutely fantastic soulful funk album. This was my favorite song off that album. Come to think of it, Nile Rodgers produced David Bowie’s Let’s Dance album that China Girl (above) is on. No doubt that Nile Rodgers is one of the greatest musicians, performers and producers there is.
Because who among us didn’t have an imaginary childhood friend? Mazel Tov Neil!
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…
If you grew up on Long Island, NY back in the late 1970s to the 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.
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…”
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.
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.
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.
Produced and mixed by Beatle (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.
A lesser-known but great George Michael song. First take on this one…
This is a song called Plush.
Happy Holidays
Four of my favorite Christmas songs below. 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 remembering. I first heard 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, with Happy Holiday wishes from me and the “band” – Karaoke Trax – to everyone!
“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“
The Best Of The Rest…still in a barrel aging
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…
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?
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.
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. Long live The Doors!
Steve Perry – nuff said
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.
