I love it when my worlds collide like this. I’m a sucker for Kings of Leon and a sucker for Charles Wesley Godwin, and the combining of the two is just what the doctor ordered today.
From their 2013 album Mechanical Bull, “Comeback Story” is one of my favorite Kings of Leon tracks. I mean, anything off this album will always be heavy in rotation for me.
While I have heard some incredible Kings of Leon tracks turned country, like Shane Smith covering “Cold Desert,” something about this one makes so much sense. Charles Wesley Godwin sat down for his CMT Campfire session and laid down a flawless cover of “Comeback Story.”
“Put a little country spin on Kings Of Leon’s ‘Comeback Story.'”
The guitar sequence on this track sets it up perfectly to be adjusted into a picking pattern suited for country music. The addition of the banjo player playing this pattern gives it a twang before CWG even opens his mouth.
While the original track lets the melody be the track’s focal point and the vocals take a softer sound, Godwin does the opposite and lets his vocals shine. And I mean SHINE. He effortlessly belts out the lyrics, nailing each of the higher notes.
“I’ve been told believing everything is all right
I break with the day and I bend with the night
It’s a comeback story of a lifetime
The comeback story of a lifetime…”
When the other players jump in for the harmonies during the second chorus, what I thought was already a flawless cover becomes perfect. The light, airy vocals from the other musicians give the track so much depth for an acoustic performance.
I will need CMT to put this on YouTube ASAP so I can have it on a loop.
If you liked this, check out the original version from Kings Of Leon.
Aside from the performance, can we take a second to acknowledge that CMT is jumping on the CWG bandwagon and highlighting a genuine country artist? It’s about time someone like CWG got some play time on a platform like this.
I didn’t even know they still played music…
