Bewtween the covers:: Lili Haydn vs. Parliament

Seriously. I'm not sure how often you get to talk about a trained violinist trying to match the all out funk and haze of Parliament, but Lili Haydn gives it her best shot and for that you have to give her credit. Now, Maggot Brain isn't the standard get up and shake your ass P-Funk that white kids dance awkwardly to. In fact, you pretty well have to be tripping your face off to really enjoy the 11 minute solo. Either way, it's a great addition to Between the Covers.

[MP3]:: Maggot Brain - Parliament
This is an epic. Starting out with some classic nonsense - "Mother Earth is pregnant for the third time" - this track burns in a drug filled haze for almost 11-minutes. They escape any funk and just hit you with guitar and atmospheric psychedelics. I could try to describe this song, but really this quote sums it up best, "According to legend, George Clinton, under the influence of LSD, told Eddie Hazel to play the first half of the song like his mother had just died and to play the second half as if he had found out she was alive."

Exactly. Either way, this is one of the most intense guitar solos of all time, although I'm not sure how many sober people would ever toss this on.


[MP3]:: Maggot Brain - Lili Haydn
Really, it's a crazy song choice but she handles it well. It helps that she is a bit nutty to begin with - she used to go by the name Helicopter because her folks let her pick her own name - but she has crazy violin chops. As a session musician, she's played with Page and Plant AND Hootie, but her solo work is very notable.

She's able to toe the line between amazing skill and accessible pop but this cover is simply a showcase for her violin. She mirrors the psychedelics of the original with some serious vibrato and finger work. Trimming the track down to just over 5 minutes helps but it's still a stoner's paradise.

Here's a great clip of them playing together. It's super awesome when she's freaking out and George just starts walking aroun aimlessly.. full on feeling it: