When does live trump studio?

Posted by: joerand on 11 March 2012

Responses to another post on "the Naim sound" had me wondering which live or "concert" recorded songs I liked better than their studio counterparts. Yes, there can be much to like about the quality of studio recordings, but sometimes live has greater energy/synergy, doesn't it?

A few come to mind immediately:

Cheap Trick - I Want You to Want Me

Deep Purple - Smoke on the Water

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird

Beatles - Get Back (actually, no studio counterpart for this one)

Let's hear your's.

Posted on: 13 March 2012 by Guido Fawkes

OK .. so you want a great live album then try this

Around The World With Three Dog Night

February 1973 ABC DUNHILL

Side I
1. ONE MAN BAND (T.Kaye/J.Tyme/B.Fox) 2:33
2. NEVER BEEN TO SPAIN (H. Axton) 3:33
3. GOING IN CIRCLES (T.Myers) 2:44
4. THE FAMILY MAN (P. Williams/J.Conrad) 2:50
5. MIDNIGHT RUNAWAY (G.Itri) 5:51

Side B
1. LIAR (R.Ballard) 3:49
2. GOOD FEELIN' (A.Bracket/J.Merrill) 4:36
3. ORGAN SOLO (J.Greenspoon) 4:36
4. ELI'S COMING (L.Nyro) 4.23

Side C
1. JOY TO THE WORLD (H. Axton) 2:40
2. BLACK AND WHITE (D. Arlin - E. Robinson) 2:56
3. PIECES OF APRIL (D. Loggins) 4:07
4. OUT IN THE COUNTRY (P. Williams - R. Nichols) 3:25

Side D
1. MAMA TOLD ME (Not To Come) (R. Newman) 2:59
2. DRUM SOLO (F. Sneed) 5:53
3. AN OLD FASHIONED LOVE SONG (P. Williams) 3:51
4. JAM (Band) 7:04

Posted on: 13 March 2012 by Quad 33

IMO 'ITS TO LATE TO STOP NOW'' by Van Morrison as one of the all time great live albums in rock / blues.

Graham

Posted on: 13 March 2012 by MangoMonkey

I prefer real live roadrunning to the studio album.

Posted on: 14 March 2012 by chimp

Rush, Show of hands, or exit stage left, beats all their studio albums hands down.

Posted on: 14 March 2012 by osprey

Wings Over America introduces a rock versions of the songs that in studio albums are perhaps a little too sweet.

Posted on: 14 March 2012 by fatcat

A lot of Todd Rundgren studio recordings sound very flat, rather strange as he's produced many very dynamic sounding albums for other artists. Some of them may be down to the fact he often plays all the instruments on an album.

One particular studio track that sounds awful is Mated. The live recordings on the other hand are excellent.

Posted on: 14 March 2012 by mudwolf

I haven't thought of 3 Dog Night for a long time, I'd just moved to CA in 70 and they were on the radio constantly while I was driving up and down coast highway. They picked great songs and made them their own.

I wasn't familiar with Dave Mathews years ago and ended up buying Live in Chicago and listened to it while at a computer graphics job. Loved the roar of the crowd.

I have vinyl of Sarah Vaughn in her early 30s called Sassy Swings the Tivoli. Recorded over 3 nights but they really loved her and she was great with a small band.

Posted on: 19 March 2012 by Ron Toolsie

Gary Moore-Blues Alive. While I haven't heard *all* of his studio albums, I have heard enough to realize that none of them could even come close to this live masterpiece.

Posted on: 19 March 2012 by Guido Fawkes

Originally Posted by mudwolf:

Hello Wolf

Around The World With Three Dog Night is a exceptionally well recorded performance: well it sounds like one concert although it wasn't, of course. They were great entertainers too. I know they were criticised for not writing their own material, but they did pick obscure songs by many artists and as you say make them their own. I think the artists appreciated the exposure from this too.

I think the 3DN version of the Beatles It's For You is still quite stunning: though the Beatles never released this officially writing the song for Cilla Black, but the 3DN cover is one of the best covers ever. Shame it's not on Around The World ....

There was some great music around in California in the early 70s - so many great bands - I have quite a few records from that period - Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, CJ Fish, Mamas & Papas, Byrds ... the list just goes on.

All the best, Guy