My Top 1000 Songs #536: Tried So Hard

[I've been writing up my Top 1000 songs on a daily basis--you can see them all in descending order by hitting the All My Favorite Songs tag.]

Ugh, some nasty storms here in Northern California. 24 hours without power or internet, but, hey, we're back online! So just a quick catch-up, 'cuz not a lot to say. Great song here, nifty little example of twangy country rock. I have to admit, I think the first version I heard was on Yo La Tengo's Fakebook, their excellent 1990 album of mostly acoustic covers. (Making this the second song they covered on that record to appear on this list.) Eventually I went back and found the more country-flavored original by Byrds founder Gene Clark (from his 1967 solo debut), and the breezy, upbeat Flying Burritos Brothers take (from 1971's self-titled third LP) on which the YLT version is based. Other versions out there as well--I'm particularly fond of the slightly edgier take from jangle pop legends Winter Hours, an impossible to find compilation track from around 1992--though, truth be told, it's probably the Yo La Tengo cover that gets the most play time in these here parts.

Gene Clark original:

Flying Burrito Brothers:

Yo La Tengo:

Yo La Tengo, again, live 2013: