If you’ve seen The Sopranos, you know Alabama 3’s “Woke Up This Morning.” It’s arguably now one of the most famous themes in TV history. Few songs are so associated with a particular type of TV show, even though the song predated the show by a couple years. The moment you hear the title line, it’s almost impossible not to envision Tony Soprano driving through New Jersey.

Guts Club clearly don’t want that connection. Though nominally a folk group, this New Orleans duo has taken an entirely different approach on this cover, abandoning their acoustic instruments for electric guitars and a synthesizer. They’ve even renamed their version “Song for Carm,” shifting the focus to Tony’s wife and back to the song’s original subject: a woman who has suffered domestic violence fighting back, not gangsters. Continue reading »