Is it live?

Songs that are superior when played live (exceeding the quality of their recorded versions), is the hot meme at goodhodgkins today. I would submit a couple of observations:

• Sirius satellite radio plays an excellent live cut of Ben Harper’s “Burn One Down” and “My Own Two Hands”, different from (and better than) the version of “Burn One Down” on Harper’s “Live from Mars” live album.

• One of the early commentators cited Guided By Voices’ “Teenage FBI”—I certainly concur, but I would extend that example across the entirety of the GBV catalog. “I am a Scientist” and “Tractor Rape Chain” on a tape can never capture the kung-fu energy of Bob Pollard in his true element, the run down stinky bar, sauced to the gills.

• How can you go through all that and never mention Frampton?