Violins and fiddles. | Stereophile.com

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March 8, 2007 - 4:33pm

#1

Buddha

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Violins and fiddles.

Hola,

I was driving along, grooving to the smooth FM stylings of Chic's "Good Times" when it hit me that they have really sucky violins in that tune.

Well, that made me wonder:

Has there ever been a rock/soul/R&B tune that was BETTER for having violins in it?

I can't think of any.

Paul Simon's "Something So Right" is my most outstandingly egregious example of violins killing a tune. Right now.

Now, don't get me wrong, fiddle can be just fine...

"Come on Eileen" needs that fiddle. I'm talking violins.

So, anyway. Good rock tunes with violin?

March 8, 2007 - 7:11pm

#2

Monty

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Re: Violins and fiddles.

I want to give this a little more thought, but a couple of Led Zeppelin tunes come to mind. Kashmir, for example.

March 8, 2007 - 9:19pm

#3

Jeff Wong

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Re: Violins and fiddles.

"Spinning Away" by Eno and Cale wouldn't work without them.

March 9, 2007 - 1:13am

#4

Yiangos

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Re: Violins and fiddles.

The devil Went Down To Georgia.That is the only one that springs to mind right now.

March 9, 2007 - 5:57pm

#5

Monty

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Re: Violins and fiddles.

Kansas used the violin quite a bit. YES certainly stamped a lot of their stuff with the violin. I think YES was the perfect type of band for that sort of thing and they did always put on a symphonic signature to their stuff.

March 16, 2007 - 1:30pm

#6

MJS

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Re: Violins and fiddles.

Listen to Loggins & Messina's "Pathway to Glory". Superb violin solo in there.
Frank Zappa also had a decent violinist named Jon Luc Ponty in his band.
Loreena McKennett has a regular "fiddle" player as well.

It's not the instrument that makes or breaks a song, it's the creativity of the musician playing it.

March 17, 2007 - 11:36am

#7

ACobb

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Re: Violins and fiddles.

I'll have to second the "Kashmir" nod, and this next suggestion may fall into more of an alternative category than rock, but the opening track of Silverchair's "Neon Ballroom" makes pretty good use of violins.