VA - Demo Diaries, Acoustic Origins (A Butterboy Compilation) (4 x CDs)

ACOUSTIC DEMO's

VA - Demo Diaries, Acoustic Origins (A Butterboy Compilation) (4 x CDs)

Alright, music lover, this one’s for you. Presented here is a 4 x CDs set that is a front-row seat to the creative spark behind some of the most iconic and obscure songs ever written. These aren’t just demos, they’re acoustic demos. That’s an important distinction. You won’t find alternate studio takes, live versions, or band rehearsals here. What you will find is the songwriter alone with their instruments, often in a quiet room, capturing the first breath of a song before it’s dressed up for the world. It’s often raw, intimate, and often breathtaking.

Expect a genre-hopping ride through decades of music history. You’ll hear early rock ’n’ roll, folk, psych, glam, indie, country, and even proto-punk, all rendered in stripped-down form. Dion’s 1961 take on “Fever” is all swagger and restraint, while Nirvana’s “Pennyroyal Tea” aches with quiet desperation. The Beatles are here in force, with their legendary Esher demos “Revolution,” “Dear Prudence,” “Glass Onion” offering a glimpse into the White Album’s skeleton. Lennon’s solo acoustic versions of “God” and “Watching the Wheels” are meditative and deeply personal. Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” demo is a revelation, not the stadium anthem we know, but a quiet protest song with grit and sorrow.

Acoustic demos matter because they reveal the emotional blueprint of a song. You hear the pauses, the breath, the uncertainty. Sometimes the lyrics are unfinished, sometimes the chords are still searching. But that’s the beauty, it’s real. It’s vulnerable. It’s the artist saying, “Here’s what I’ve got so far.” And when it works, it really works. Elliott Smith’s “Miss Misery” demo is heartbreak in miniature. Bowie’s “Space Oddity” feels like a bedroom transmission to the cosmos. Even Pink Floyd’s “Money” shows up in skeletal form, proving that even the most complex arrangements start with a simple strum.

There are magical moments scattered throughout this set. Janis Joplin’s solo acoustic “Me and Bobby McGee” is spine-tingling. The Housemartins covering “You’ve Got a Friend” is unexpectedly tender. Marc Bolan’s acoustic fragments “Girl,” “Cat Black,” “The Road I’m On” are glittery ghosts, brief and beautiful. Carole King’s piano demos feel like you’re sitting beside her at the keys. And the inclusion of lesser-known artists like Archie Roach, Kak, Goldebriars, and Tracey Russell adds a layer of discovery that makes this set feel personal.

This set is a celebration of the creative spark and a preservation of musical soul. By focusing strictly on acoustic demos, it honours the purity of songwriting and the intimacy of creation. It’s a set that invites repeated listening, not for polish, but for presence. Each track is a moment captured before the world got hold of it. And that, in itself, is magic. Press play and let the magic unfold. (B)

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Track lists

CD1

01 Beatles - Revolution (Acoustic Demo) 4:06 1968

02 Dion - Fever (Acoustic Demo) 2:54 1961

03 Carole King - Take Good Care of My Baby (Acoustic Piano Demo) 2:15 1961

04 Bee Gees - Black Diamond (Acoustic Demo) 4:02 1970

05 Go-Betweens - Girl Lying on a Beach (Acoustic Demo) 3:23 2003

06 Bruce Springsteen - Born in The U.S.A (Acoustic Demo) 3:11 1982

07 David Bowie - Space Oddity (Acoustic Demo) 5:05 1969

08 Rolling Stones - 100 Years Ago (Piano Demo) 2:43 1973

09 Buffalo Springfield - Flying on The Ground is Wrong (Acoustic Demo) 3:11 1966

10 Gene Clark - So You Say You Lost Your Baby (Acoustic Demo) 3:11 1967

11 Gregg Allman - Multi-Colored Lady (Acoustic Demo) 4:40 1973

12 Housemartins - You've Got A Friend (Acoustic Demo) 3:31 1986

13 Beatles - Back in The U.S.S.R. (Acoustic Demo) 2:59 1968

14 Beatles - Glass Onion (Acoustic Demo) 1:55 1968

15 Pink Floyd - Money (Acoustic Demo) 1:41 1973

16 Lou Reed - Perfect Day (Acoustic Demo) 3:20 1972

17 Marc Bolan - The Road I'm on (Gloria) (Acoustic Demo) 2:41 1967

18 Liam Gallagher - Once (Acoustic Demo) 3:51 2019

19 Beatles - Happiness is A Warm Gun (Acoustic Demo) 1:55 1968

20 Beatles - Dear Prudence (Acoustic Demo) 4:47 1968

21 Paul Simon - Loves Me Like a Rock (Acoustic Demo) 3:24 1973

22 John Lennon - Watching The Wheels (Acoustic Demo) 3:03 1980

CD2

01 John Lennon - God (Acoustic Demo) 2:45 1970

02 Go-Betweens - Caroline and I (Acoustic Demo) 4:20 2003

03 Go-Betweens - Poison in the Walls (Acoustic Demo) 4:10 2003

04 Pearl Jam - Acoustic #1 (Acoustic Demo) 2:49 1991

05 Shoes - Karen (Acoustic Demo) 2:02 1977

06 Lou Reed - Hangin' 'Round (Acoustic Demo) 3:57 1972

07 XTC - 1000 Umbrellas (Early Acoustic Run Through) 1:40 1986

08 Janis Joplin - Me and Bobby McGee (Previously Unreleased Solo Acoustic Demo) 4:48 1970

09 Dears - There Goes My Outfit (Acoustic Demo) 4:00 2003

10 Nirvana - Pennyroyal Tea (Acoustic Demo) 3:28 1993

11 Elliott Smith - Miss Misery (Acoustic Demo) 2:55 1996

12 Paul Westerberg - Dyslexic Heart (Acoustic Demo) 3:43 1992

13 Uncle Tupelo - If That's Alright (Acoustic Demo) 3:03 1992

14 Replacements - Can't Hardly Wait (Acoustic Demo) 3:51 1985

15 Joni Mitchell - Talk to Me (Acoustic Demo) 3:55 1977

16 Carole King - Tapestry  (Acoustic piano Demo) 3:02 1971

17 Cilla Black - Step Inside Love (Acoustic Demo) 2:53 1968

18 Collective Soul - Over Tokyo (Acoustic Demo) 3:36 1997

19 Elvis Costello - Veronica (Acoustic Demo) 3:03 1989

20 Gameface - Frames (Acoustic Demo) 4:34 1994

21 Whitesnake - Seasons (Acoustic Demo) 1:06 1990

21 Shambles - The Colour Swirl (Acoustic Demo) 1:26 1987

23 John Lennon - Whatever Gets You Thru The Night (Acoustic Demo) 2:53 1974

CD3

01 Kak - I've Got Time (previously Unissued Acoustic Demo) 2:06 1969

02 Incredible String Band - First Girl I Loved (Acoustic Demo) 4:58 1967

03 Fairport Convention - Now and Then (Acoustic Demo) 3:49 1968

04 Archie Roach - I Don't Wanna Go (Acoustic Demo) 5:51 1990

05 Dave Cousins - Lemon Pie (Acoustic Demo) 2:40 1973

06 T-Rex - Left Hand Luke (Acoustic Demo) 1:58 1973

07 T-Rex - The Groover (Solo Acoustic Demo) 1:50 1973

08 Please - Gently as You Feel (Acoustic Demo) 2:42 1969

09 Please - Gently as You Feel (Acoustic Demo 2) 3:10 1969

10 Mirage - Ebaneezer Beaver (Acoustic Demo) 2:02 1974

11 Barbara Pittman - I'm Getting Better All the Time (Acoustic Demo) 1:36 1956

12 Melvin Carter - I've Got Memories (Acoustic Demo) 3:14 1972

13 Buckingham Nicks - Without You (Acoustic Demo) 3:42 1973

14 Big Star - Lovely Day (Acoustic Demo) 1:54 1974

15 Alex Chilton - It Isn't Always That Easy (Demo) 2:32 1975

16 Tim Buckley - Wings (Acoustic Demo) 2:25 1966

17 Tommy Bolin - I Can’t See the Sun (Acoustic Demo) 1:13 1975

18 GoldeBriars - Pretty Girls and Rolling Stones (Acoustic Demo) 2:02 1964

19 Alarm - Howling Wind (Acoustic Demo) 4:18 1984

20 Paul Weller - Light Nights (Acoustic Demo) 3:07 2008

21 Hawkwind - The Only Ones (Acoustic Demo) 4:39 1980

22 Echo & The Bunnymen - The Game (Acoustic Demo) 3:57 1987

23 22-20s - Only Way I Know (Acoustic Demo) 3:19 2004

CD4

01 Beatles - Something (Acoustic Demo) 3:19 1969

02 22-20s - Purple Heart (Acoustic Demo) 3:57 2004

03 Beau Brummels - Another (Acoustic Demo) 3:14 1965

04 Heart - Dog & Butterfly (Acoustic Demo) 4:57 1978

05 Linda Lewis - Red Light Ladies (Acoustic Demo) 2:42 1973

06 Mark Wirtz - Avalon (Acoustic Demo) 3:59 1967

07 Smashing Pumpkins - Perfect (Acoustic Demo) 3:18 1998

08 Jefferson Starship - Sunrise (Grace's Acoustic Demo Tk. 8) 1:21 1976

09 Warren Zevon - Networking (Acoustic Demo Version) 3:14 1987

10 Whitesnake - Surrender (Acoustic Demo) 3:35 1987

11 Dolly Parton - My Blue Tears (Previously Unissued Acoustic Demo) 2:24 1971

12 Ernie Maresca and The Belmonts - Cry and Be on Your Way (Acoustic Demo) 2:25 1962

13 Fairport Convention - Fotheringay (Acoustic Demo) 3:05 1969

14 Nick Drake - Man in a Shed (Acoustic Demo) 3:06 1968

15 Marissa Nadler - Leave The Light on (Demo) 3:13 2004

16 Tracey Russell - Make Me Your Baby (Acoustic Piano Demo) 2:39 1965

17 Kinks - I Go to Sleep (Demo Version) 2:46 1965

18 Superchunk - Florida's on Fire (Acoustic Demo) 2:54 1995

19 Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever with Overdubs) 2:39 1996

20 Triffids - Fairytale Love (Acoustic Demo) 2:17 1985

21 Marc Bolan & T.Rex - Girl (Acoustic Home Demo) 0:40 1967

22 Marc Bolan - Cat Black (Acoustic Demo) 1:20 1967

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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