Sam Cooke: "A Change Is Gonna Come"

[Steven]

Hi,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQU4torUz-Q .

One of my favorite recordings of Sam Cooke.

[sturgess66]

Thanks Steven. Nice to hear Sam Cooke singing his own song.
Now covered by so many .....



Speaking of covers - for Bob Dylan fans - last week I came upon a YouTube video of his cover -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8Nd8neBMrA

[Kush]

haha ...I think Bob (and to a lesser extent Willie as well) really need to give it a rest - they are like old heavyweight champs who dont know when to quit! But I suppose there is something of a ragged glory in it....

[Steven]

Hi sturgess66,

Really nice to see the part of the music page you posted. The Dylan cover, i.m.o., largely misses the
hopeful and positive elements of Sam Cooke's recording. Dylan goes for the bluesy and anguished, but
doesn't really convey what "like a river" (metaphor for life) means nor does he sing with any conviction
that he really believes "a change is gonna come." When Dylan sings "a change is gonna come," it sounds
to me like a guy who is singing it because to sing otherwise would just be an expression of hopelessness.

[sturgess66]

Hi Steven - yes - I liked seeing the sheet music too. Interesting to see how the melody is notated.
Tricky.

I probably should not have posted the Dylan there because I did not mean it as a shining example of a cover of Sam Cooke's song.
What it is really - is "Dylan". That's what it is - I think.
And - it's just that I saw it on YouTube - just last week - and his stuff can disappear as fast as it is uploaded.

[Steven]

Hi sturgess66,

Yes, as you said, it's Dylan. I'm glad you posted the link.

[Squidgy]

Interesting history to this famous civil rights anthem---Sam Cooke wrote it after hearing Dylan's "Blowing In the Wind" with the lines "how many roads ... before you can call him a man" and "how many ears ... before you can hear people cry". Cooke commented something to the effect of, "How could a white boy write a song like that?" so he decided to write a better one.

[Steven]

Hi Squidgy,

Yes, a very interesting story. Motivation can come arise from unexpected sources.

[lizzytysh]

Did anyone hear the segment on Sam Cooke on NPR this morning? Just listened to his song and, again, about the sadness of his death and the conflicts within him that 'apparently' led to it. He was also very intellectual.

I'm glad you posted the link, too, Linda.