Falls To Climb

It's a genuine coincidence that I chose a mandolin-based approach to this song and then discovered, just by searching for the song on YouTube, that the original demo the band did for the song was much the same as what I'd set out to do.

There's only a handful of songs on Up that I do like but this is one. I've always thought it's a beautifully simple song with a really great vocal from Stipe. I guess I just wanted to see what a more traditional approach to the song might sound like – Hairshirt – that's what it sounds like! With its similar chords and the mandolin/organ combination it does sound a lot like Hairshirt. Maybe this was the reason the band completely re-worked it, this and the fact the electronic version suits the sound of Up better.

Swan Swan H

After finishing a batch of acoustic mandolin songs I was looking for further ideas for songs with minimal percussion that would lend themselves to the mandolin. Swan Swan H seemed the perfect choice.

I've gone for a balance between the original Lifes Rich Pageant version and the Athens Demo version. I really like the urgency of the Athens Demo version but I hold back until the start of the 2nd verse before bringing in the marching band-style percussion.

Weirdly I had never attributed the lovely sound of the acoustic guitar in this song to being because it was played on a 12-string acoustic. I should have recognised the sound really, or at least spotted the 12 tuning pegs on Peter's guitar in the Athens GA/Inside-Out video! Sadly I had to settle for 6 strings despite attempts at emulating the 12 string sound. I don't think it's a problem once all the other instruments kick in.