West LA Fadeaway is one of those songs that I never paid much attention to until it slowly began to grow on me. It’s not a song that I tend to seek out, but when it comes on I don’t complain. It’s got that funky something extra that sets it apart from the other songs on In The Dark.
A lot of people knock Dead cover bands, but I happen to really enjoy them. It was playing and attending these types of shows around the Chicago Dead scene that really turned me on to this song. Having heard it live and even played it a few times I gained a new appreciation for the song. This alternate version is like no other version of the song I’ve heard before and that contrast is what makes it unique and interesting to my ears.
I know that Los Lobos covered this tune on their Tin Can Trust
Any other versions of West L.A. to consider for the future?
This is really an interesting contrast piece to the album version and how the band played it live. Jerry still manages some nice licks here though. Having not listened to many of the live versions of this prior to 1987 I can’t say how much, if any the lyrics changed, but there’s little difference from what became the album version here. I wouldn’t call this a great version but more an interesting one.
