JPF Home Page Forums Lyric and MP3 Feedback Creative Challenge Forum "Champion" Thread - post your version here

Please use this thread to post your version of Scott Campbell's "Champion".

Here's the original:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=377550&songID=6832815

Champion
(c) 2008 by SW Campbell

While others claim the lens and lights
As if it’s their God-given right
You toil away in lone obscurity
In a quest to capture gold
You take the higher, harder road
That’s why you are a champion to me

It came down to one day all along
When with a billion looking on
You have but moments to fulfill your destiny
But of the pressure that you face
You exhibit not a trace
That’s why you are a champion to me

How many times we hear that good guys finish last
How many times that seems the case
Yet now how many times the world has seen you act
With such humility and grace

In the hype of the event
It’s sometimes easy to forget
That after all you’re just a human being
But one of rare few who succeed
In showing us what we could be
That’s why you are a champion to me

Hey Mark, Big Jim and Scott....Here's my take on Scott's song....a simple version...needs more background....but it's the best I've got.....thanx for the fun.....Bob


http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7422476

Cool! And we're off to the races with different ways of doing this, aren't we?

If we heard this version first, we'd never have guessed at Scott's version. Great stuff! And will someone please pass me a Corona? Beautiful smooth voice, as ever, T-Bob. -Mark

Hi All,

Here is my version.....I stayed pretty close to Scott's original but substituted acoustic guitar for the "Randy Newman" piano.

Great song, Scott!!

[color:#993399][size:14pt]Champion[/size][/color]

Hi Scott & all

pretty sparse rendition is what I hear...... maybe something else will need to be added, but for now......


http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7440719

Oh man, by the time you get to the solo, things are rolling and tumbling so nicely, I feel like I'm at a Dead show again, with Jerry at the wheel. Nice interpretation, Colin!

Dang, another cool one! Love that fourth chord. Very George Harrison..and a nice soulful vocal delivery.

Really nicely recorded, Joice! What do you use for a mic?

Hi Mark and Good Morning !

It's a real good song - I even voted for it

Thanks for the comments - I have a Shure condenser 87A -- I like it pretty well.

I also think Colin and Bobs renditions are very good and cool.. so different too - how fun is this Scott ? !

Thanks for the fun Mark and Jim ! I'm looking forward to hearing all the rest coming out soon.

jm

Hi everybody !
Here's a quick attempt...

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/0/calvinstewart

Thanks for the fun Scott.

Calvin


http://www.soundclick.com/bands/0/calvinstewart

Joice...Another... WOW...I really like the way you did this....great vocal...this version is really good....nice work....have a great day...Bob

Calvin...quick attempt....the vocal stands out to me on this version....the weak spot is like mine....the guitar....don't get me wrong, it's not bad...that's ok....cause you make it up in your vocal interpetation....love the Scott part you added....and I agree....Bob

OH Yeah Calvin - This is Real nice --- and tribute to the writer ! - I like it jm

Well we've got some interesting variations here. Five so far including Scott's. I like all of them.

Bring 'em on!

Man, this is such a kick!

I hope we keep doing this just so you can experience the same joy that I am.

Bob: I already commented on this. Sweet vocal! Cool interpretation!

Colin: That was super! You convinced me it can be a guitar song. Love the guitar playing on this and your vocal is as soulful as I've heard from you.

Joice: Awesome! What a lovely rendition!

Calvin: You're too much - thanks! Your vocal on this was also as smooth as I've ever heard from you.

All four of you have completely different takes - but one thing they have in common to me is that they all have really nice vocals. Perhaps I'm biased....

Thanks you all!

Scott

OK, first off, I apologize all over the place for making this sooooo long! I was too far into it to change the tempo into something snappier once I realized I was over 4:30 minutes. Second, the recording is crap. I'm trying to do it myself as my music funds have vanished and I will not be able to have anything done for me in a real studio until I get my whole job back. Which leads me to three. I suck without reverb! Fourth, I cannot compete with the original so I took this down another path. Sorry Scott. Many thanks to you for volunteering your beautiful song to be butchered by the less talented. Also, thanks Mark & Jim for throwing this challenge at us. No money doesn't have to mean no creativity and fun. OK, rant over.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7442787

Hey Ricki:

All those times Louis and I (ok really Louis) made you cry? You paid them back in one. Not that I cried, of course, being a man and all ( ), but I had to blink my eyes a lot.

Thanks for putting your beautiful voice to this. And for allowing a download.

It's lovely.

Scott

Ricki....this is very good....great job...excellent style and vocal....guitar is just right....way to go....Bob

I'm in..try not to laugh.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7444293

Scott, I'm sorry.

Wendy!This is a unique sort of dark film like, where it could be like a tongue in cheek message song. Know what I mean? Has that Sears Silvertone guitar sound that gives it a haunting background. I can see the subject in that kind of film either fighting a drug addiction or just going through some tough times. Maybe with the twist of style here, it could be like I said,,,,a tongue in cheek praise to someone not really deserving.

Or, for someone that is, just that before the subject totally gets lost in that mood for whatever reason, this is her last words to him.

Powerfully simple, which is what soul is all about.

It grabbed me,

John

Yeah, me too.

This was a cool approach, Wendy. Although it has the same words as the original, it has an entirely different, almost ironic, feel. Many of these athletes have to sacrifice a lot to get to where they are - including personal relationships. Your take has the feel of someone who is in love with such a person - and proud of them - but sad because they have to let them go - knowing that, when push comes to shove, they were the second choice.

I might be reading too much into it but it's a cool take on that angle - or what I perceive as that angle anyway...

Nice one, Wendy!

Scott

Not funny. Very good in fact!

John, Scott, Colin..

Thanks! My version seemed so far flung from the original, I thought maybe Scott might hate it. I wasn't sure if the music really suits Scott's words. But Scott and John hit on what I was thinking..there's always someone who supports this person in the background and I was thinking of how that person would feel..perhaps a little mournful and maybe a little bitter too. Or it could be that dark, tongue in cheek kind of thing.

I listened to all the different versions last night. Each one is really good and unique. I can't wait to hear what Mark and Big Jim come-up with.

Thanks guys for your encouragement. It's such a trip listening to all these vastly different versions. I love them all and never get tired of hearing this song because it's like a new one each time. Keep them coming!

Ricki

I haven't listened to anyone else's yet because I haven't recorded mine (and I don't want my idea to be influenced) but I have the distinct honor of recording my version with a very good friend of mine who recently moved back to Cincy from Nashville and is extremely gifted. We haven't recorded together in over 10 years, so this is a huge treat for me. I too, have drastically changed the song (hope Scott doesn't mind...I just needed to do it to fit the style I'm trying to do). Larry and I will be recording this Monday afternoon. I'll try and get him to e-mail it that night. Yes, he's becoming a JPF member so he can do this with me.

This is such a cool exercise. It's taking me out of my "box", my comfort zone, and allowing me to explore other styles. I'm covering another song as well (pm'd the owner) and again, doing it in a completely different style than what I'm used to.

Can't wait to hear everyone else's!

I'm like way late, and had a busy weekend. I started a couple different approaches last week, but I didn't like 'em... hope to have a new one done and posted by Wednesday. But first, I need to finish this Steely Dan cover that's been driving me up a wall.

Can't wait to hear all these new versions when I get home late tonight!

My studio friend has been really sick all week, and is STILL complaining...I'm not though, because my version keeps getting better ! ! I won't have mine until at least midweek !

Well I will try and get something down...but am struggling to get things together after losing virtually all my software in the burglary. May end of the week. Might just catch the deadline.

Can someone walk me through how to post my version? I didn't receive my copy of "JPF Creative Challenge for Dummies"!

Upload your mp3 to Soundclick and post a link here to your song.....that's how most of us do it.

We could also post on Ourstage as well as Soundclick....just to keep the voters on OURSTAGE occupied..... it is a cover after all....technically....and if there are another twelve or more "Champion" entries..they cannot say otherwise. LOL

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Ricki and Wendy

You have both managed to create very different and Powerful renditions from the rest and I say - that's No surprise... You both are also women after my own heart-deep wells of talent.. I loved working with Scott's words and think it was a good pick to showcase the talent around here. Thanks so much for sharing these with us. jm

To me neither!

Except, in my humble opinion, there are three women who've done that, Joice...

Big Jim: Man, so sorry to hear that you were burgled. Hope the insurance comes through for you but there's no price that can be put on lost recordings....

Scott

Joice,

I saw your post this morning and just wanted to pop-in quickly to say I really enjoyed hearing your version too. I always like the way you develop such pretty melodies for your songs. Lately, I've been striving to get out of my comfort zone and knock around on my guitar and keyboard more. You (and Ricki too) have been an inspiration to me for that, so I thank you both. I'm not around much on the forum these days because I'm always struggling to "balance" between work, kids, life, and songs...and dropping stuff along the way.

Okay, finally got mine done! Tried to be a little more original this time around, so I hope you don't mind the liberties, Scott! Thanks for putting up such a cool song that can be covered in so many different ways.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7458095

Now you're just showing off!

No you are.

New mix posted, less harsh electric guitar.

OK Here is mine it was a rushed job.....be gentle when you critique. Sort of Randy Neuman meets George Fornby.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=687727&songID=7461446

Hey Big Jim:

I love it! I new we'd get a different slant when I heard the opening piano roll.

Great idea to repeat the middle eight after the instrumental break too!

A Very Cool take with the combination of your raspy vocal and the bouncy backing. Super!

Scott

Nice job Jim! I would say Randy Newman meets Sergeant Pepper.

Thanks Colin.

Thanks Scott. It is a tribute to your talent that your song could be easily adapted to so many style and genres. I was also considering a zooped up "You are so Beautiful" type Joe Cocker rendition but was unable to get a full orchestra and gospel choir at short notice.

Hey Guys,

I'm only up to the arrangement stage. When's the cut off ?

Cool song to work on. It's a SONG , which means it can go in so many directions. Don't worry fellas, I won't take all year. And, as this is about extending boundaries, you'll actually be able to hear me sing. And then agree, that's why I DON'T !

cheers, niteshift

PS - when where all done, it would be cool if someone could set up a soundclick "station". That way, we can stream them all, and have a real good listen.

cheers, niteshift

No need to rush, Geoff. I don't think we'll ever lock the thread or anything like that. Give us your best American Idol vocal.

Okay, I finally found the free moment to listen to all these great versions! So cool, I just love this place.

Calvin - Mellow as mellow can be mellow. Makes me wish we were all sitting by the midnight campfire, all the JPF folks who ever read this thread, all of us sitting around that campfire, and the iguana too, and all it carries...and this version would be just perfect to hear.

Ricki - You're like some sort of sorceress or something, because your voice always makes me feel happy, wistful and heartbroken all at once, just magic. Always really smart choices...you made it an entirely different song, but kept the simplicity. Didn't notice the length because the voice and crystal clear guitar pulled us right along. Nice!

Wendy - Oh I love this stuff, so European, so Tom Waits, makes me want to hear that French accordion sound weave through this one like a gypsy wind. Hey that was all poetic-like. See what you do to people? Holy smokes, how cool would it sound to have a Wendy-Ricki-Joice number ala Emmylou, Gillian and Allison? I'd fall down in bliss, no doubt about it, you all have such wonderful voices.

Big Jim - I caught the vibe right away, and I wanted to be wearing old Carnaby street 60's clothes, or at least some early 70's bellbottoms, and hoist a pint with sunglasses on! Yeah the end is so close to "You Are So Beautiful" you could almost riff right into it as a tag. When I was trying to figure out what to do I thought about opening and closing with the Beatles' "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" guitar stuff, just for a laugh. This is cool, kind of a 10cc thing too, in a different way. Great stuff from one of the real rock and rollers, Big Jim Merrilees. Man are we all blessed or what?

More! More!

Hey Mark,

Thanks a heap. Your version stays true to the original, but all in your own unique Markishness! What a wonderful challenge.
Listen to me now, believe me forever, you are getting sleepy... close your eyes... no peeking...give me all your money and musical abilities...

Ricki

Now why in the world would you want to take on a negative balance?

-Markish

Hey Big Jim,

It would seem that no matter how far out of our comfort zone this challenge has taken us, each version still has our own wonderfully unique stamp. It must be your distinctive voice but this is so BigJimish! Love the piano rolls too.

Ricki

Well, here's mine, last...but not least?

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=892846&songID=7467916

Champion(c) 2008 by SW Campbell “Herbie-ized”

Others claim the lens and lights as their God-given right
While you toil away in lone obscurity
Your quest to capture gold takes a higher, harder road
That’s why you are a champion to me

A billion looking on at your instinct and your brawn
The moment to fulfill your destiny
Is there pressure on your face? not you… not a trace
That’s why you are a champion to me

Chorus
How many times have the good guys finished last
Seems it’s usually the case
That’s why our hearts and minds are yours as you win
With such humility and grace

Though I wrote this song, the heart of it belongs
To the work it took to realize your dream
You have such humble ways even after all the praise
That’s why you are a champion to me

Instrumental
Chorus
How many times have the good guys finished last
Seems it’s usually the case
That’s why our hearts and minds are yours as you win
With such humility and grace

With the hype of the event It’s easy to forget
Though amazing, you’re just a human being
But the rare one will achieve ….. Inspiring us to be all we can be

That’s why you are a champion , That’s why you are a champion
That’s why you are a champion to me

I've been Herbie-ized!

I highly recommend it, folks.

That was great, Herbie - you really made it your own!

Really dig your additions and modifications to the lyric. Hey - where were you when I put this up for critique?

Love it!

Scott