Best Tweedy/Bennett Ballad/Duet + Other Moments

[choo-choo-charlie]

So there's some fresh commentary in the "Jay Bennett R.I.P." thread and it got me thinking: the duets between Jeff Tweedy and Jay Bennett, particularly those were Jeff sang accompanied only by piano, are some of the greatest moments in the Wilco discography. So many people reference the clip of them playing "Cars Can't Escape" in IATTBYH as a quintessential Wilco moment. The entire 11-20-96 show and the entire 7-25-1999 show sums up so much about their relationship and their music, for me at least.

 

So - what's your favorite Jeff/Jay duet? This includes officially released tracks, unreleased tracks, and covers - done in the aforementioned style, with different instrumentation or a whole new arrangement. Feel free to chime in if I've missed any good ones. I'm sure someone will...

[Guest Speed Racer]

For me, it's a three-way tie between That Auld Triangle, Another Man's Done Gone, and We're Just Friends. Thankfully, each song is in its own category of ownership (cover, Woody Guthrie lyrics, Wilco original), so I guess I don't have to narrow it down. Nothing Up My Sleeve was the easy pick in the last category, because nothing ever - EVER - tops whistling harmonies.

[mpolak21]

The YHF demo of Venus is on my shortlist of the greatest things Wilco has ever done, it gets the nod in the first category.

Sugar Baby kicks all kinds of ass, I always skip to it on bootlegs.

The final one might be the toughest, but I really like Jay's mandolin on She's a Jar.

 

When they were together, they were capable of genius. We're fortunate to have ample evidence of it.

 

--Mike

[hazel]

i can't pick between 'cars cant escape' and 'venus stop the train'

'sugar baby' for the 2nd. but i love the way jeff sings 'will you still love me tomorrow'

'nothing up my sleeve' definately!

[ThisIsNowhere]

This was tough, I actually deleted my vote for 'Cars,' which I had voted for just because of the scene in IATTBYH, but after listening, Venus Stop The Train was clearly the better moment.

[Patent Guy]

This is my first post on this Wilco fan site. We saw them last weekend in San Jose - right smack in the middle of the floor crowd. Tweedy was having a good night, but we are fans of Wilco's older (and quieter) material, and were disappointed they did not work in a few more older songs. I don't know why Tweedy has disowned (is that the right term?) "Venus," which is (pick your superlative) brilliant. "Cars" and "I'm the One ..." are also great, but IMO, Venus is head and shoulders above the other YHF-era recordings. Yes, Nels plays a fast and mean guitar, but he was often over the top (and too "noisy") during many of the songs, which IMO was a distraction-subtraction more than an addition, as was the "light show" (good thing we were not epileptic). I'd have paid three times the ticket price for an "acoustic" show, or at least a 3-song unplugged set from YHF. Oh well.

[The Inside of Outside]

This is my first post on this Wilco fan site. We saw them last weekend in San Jose - right smack in the middle of the floor crowd. Tweedy was having a good night, but we are fans of Wilco's older (and quieter) material, and were disappointed they did not work in a few more older songs. I don't know why Tweedy has disowned (is that the right term?) "Venus," which is (pick your superlative) brilliant. "Cars" and "I'm the One ..." are also great, but IMO, Venus is head and shoulders above the other YHF-era recordings. Yes, Nels plays a fast and mean guitar, but he was often over the top (and too "noisy") during many of the songs, which IMO was a distraction-subtraction more than an addition, as was the "light show" (good thing we were not epileptic). I'd have paid three times the ticket price for an "acoustic" show, or at least a 3-song unplugged set from YHF. Oh well.

Sounds like you might want to check out a Jeff solo show. You'll get the older and quieter material (some newer stuff, too). You won't likely get Venus, though. But it won't cost you three times the ticket price.

[Basil II]

time is the best guage of Jay's legacy with wilco.....

 

-robert

[Skian]

I was just listening to the slow Box Full of Letters the other day. The collaboration is very nice. Those guys made a fine lounge act. Good stuff.

 

 

 

 

Hey Robert, how ya doing?