MR

Apologies if this is ancient news and already discussed.

Came across a cover of "Ever Since the World Began" ala Tommy Shaw. It was recorded and released on vinyl back in 1987...? Had no idea he covered this great ballad. Tommy's tenor voice and his ability to nail the high notes he attempts really shines through on this one, making it sound like it could have easily been a STYX original.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trjP6-kmg8I

Hands down my favorite version/performance of this song! Couldn't find any in-depth info about it to verify but the sax sounds suspiciously like either Clarence Clemmens or the saxophonist from The Beaver Brown Band - but I could be way off. This arrangement gives the song a lot more body and a much larger feel without sounding over-produced or uber-commercialized. Good stuff!

It's on his ambition album, which is pretty easy to get on CD.

In case you haven't heard it. This is Jimi Jamison's version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMJzCoB0tT4

Duncan wrote:It's on his ambition album, which is pretty easy to get on CD.

In case you haven't heard it. This is Jimi Jamison's version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMJzCoB0tT4

Thanks for the info, Duncan. Yeah, I'm very familiar with the Jimi version. I guess I'm more surprised I'd never come across Tommy's version nor was I even aware he had covered it - and so soon after it was originally released.

I think Shaw sounds great during the chorus,but both Bickler and Jamison sound much better throughout the rest of the song. My vote is with the original but Jamison is so close as a runner up, Shaw a respectable third place.

JRNYMAN wrote:

Duncan wrote:It's on his ambition album, which is pretty easy to get on CD.

In case you haven't heard it. This is Jimi Jamison's version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMJzCoB0tT4

Thanks for the info, Duncan. Yeah, I'm very familiar with the Jimi version. I guess I'm more surprised I'd never come across Tommy's version nor was I even aware he had covered it - and so soon after it was originally released.

I'm not surprised, that series of three solo albums weren't big sellers, Ambition is the best of the three but none of them lit the music world on fire. That being said, I still have all three of them on vinyl, can't part with them.

Memory tells me the sax player was Ritchie Cannata (sp?)

MCM wrote:

JRNYMAN wrote:

Duncan wrote:It's on his ambition album, which is pretty easy to get on CD.

In case you haven't heard it. This is Jimi Jamison's version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMJzCoB0tT4

Thanks for the info, Duncan. Yeah, I'm very familiar with the Jimi version. I guess I'm more surprised I'd never come across Tommy's version nor was I even aware he had covered it - and so soon after it was originally released.

I'm not surprised, that series of three solo albums weren't big sellers, Ambition is the best of the three but none of them lit the music world on fire. That being said, I still have all three of them on vinyl, can't part with them.

Memory tells me the sax player was Ritchie Cannata (sp?)

Really? Billy Joel's old sax player..? Cool! If memory serves, he quit playing and became a producer and built a studio. Awesome musician that guy. He actually plays like 9 instruments or something crazy like that.

Jamison's version is my favorite of the 3 for the lead vocals.
The original version from Survivor's EOTT album is my favorite for the music.
I like Shaw's version, but it ranks third out of the 3 on my list.

Journey/Survivor wrote:Jamison's version is my favorite of the 3 for the lead vocals.
The original version from Survivor's EOTT album is my favorite for the music.
I like Shaw's version, but it ranks third out of the 3 on my list.

I love Jamison as a singer, but that song more than any other proves that he never had Dave Bickler's range. JJ sounds VERY strained on the chorus and bridge.

The whole thing still strikes me odd though...Jamison covering a Survivor song as a solo artist. Don't see that happening very often.