I've been playing around with an old songbook today, "101 Rock 'n' Roll Hits for Buskers". Here are a couple of fairly straightforward instrumental covers, mainly to try out a few ideas on how to play bass lines on my new mandocello. The mandolin simply plays the vocal line.
1) Sea Of Heartbreak (Hal David/Paul Hampton): This was a big hit for Don Gibson in 1961, and has more recently been covered by Johnny Cash (backed by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers) and by Roseanne Cash & Bruce Springsteen.
2) Save The Last Dance For Me (Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman): A Number One for Ben E King & The Drifters in 1960, and covered by lots of acts since. A very simple tune, and I've kept it plain -- works pretty well on mandolin.
Plus another old song from the same tunebook, here is "Pretend", written in 1952 by Lew Douglas, Cliff Parman & Frank Lavere. The best-known recording was by Nat King Cole, a US No. 3 hit in 1953. Other hit versions were by Alvin Stardust (as a rockabilly tune) and by Don Williams (as a country ballad).
My instrumental cover is based on a transcription in a wonderful old music book ("101 Rock'n'Roll Hits for Buskers"). Melody on mandolin with a tenor guitar and mandocello rhythm.
