Last edited Thu Apr 23, 2026, 05:47 AM - Edit history (1)

Final, shortened edit: after a bit more thought and comparisons, I think the maker of THIS youtube video (and the others going around, this is one of few posters of this version of this performance) messed with the original live sound by introducing guitar sounds from the original studio recording i.e. added them to this live video, replacing parts that were there before. I *think* there's guitar overdubs on China Grove and you can hear it by syncing the original with this performance. When you do, you find the main guitar line syncs suspiciously perfectly between them, but here its a dryer version i.e. w/o the phase and delay.

But there's *no way* that acoustic guitar sound was coming out of Tom's electric like it appears on LTTM. That is FOR SURE overdubbed in this video. So I don't know what else might've been done.

I don't know WHY whoever put out this video messed with the original? Which I bet kicked ass, given there's other vids of them playing this song from that era that are 100% legit, and they are even better. Like this one absolutely KILLS Sorry you have to click through to YT, but trust me, it's pretty worth it

As much of a view on the guitar playing. That is why I didn’t choose it. I like the one in the op exactly because you can see them playing and it appears to sync.

But the performance you hear I'm pretty confident is 100% that performance. The OGWT is not, at least that acoustic is not, and I think China Grove is messed with a bit. Still very cool though

Employed some recorded sounds in their live performances?

Why go to the trouble of Tom playing the acoustic part on his electric? Why not just have him play the acoustic? There are vids of him playing a dreadnought on live perfs of the era of this song. Youtubers do this sort of thing to their videos sometimes, I don't think it was the Doobies. Also OGWT songs are not known for having pre-recorded "stuff". Plus the Doobies were VERY competent live, I don't think they'd have wanted that, it was frowned upon to do in 1974

I don't hear any augmentation on China Grove. I see everything I hear being played. And, I'm awfully sensitive to augmentation in live performances as one who performed live music for >3 decades.
But, we agree on Listen...
There is clealy and acoustic guitar part, and the counterrhythm clean electric from the studio.
So, 4 guitar parts; 2 guitar players.
That one has DEFINITELY been altered.

All the way until right after the solo when the two fall slightly out of sync for like the last 10 secs or so. It's uncommon for bands to play at perfect tempo vs. studio versions in concert. But maybe they were 'that good'

Also there's little guitar flourishes I don't see anyone playing. "Phantom licks", if you will.

For example at :50 mark, right before the chorus starts there's a phantom lick leading into "Talking bout the China Grove".

Then at 1:30, and again at 1:33. When it goes "Woh-oh-oh" (bow-now-now) "woh-oh China Grove"? Who's playing the bow-now-now fill? I don't see either of them doing so, esp. not holding the sustain on the last 'now' through the decay, which I'd think would be a pretty visible action. Instead Tom is visibly on to a new chord before the decay is done.

Also at 2:08 there's a (I think six-note long) lick I don't see being played. You see Tom from the neck-side doing something that COULD be it, but then he shifts up the neck too early, before the audible lick is done. Simmons is out of view for a second there but when he shows again, his hand hasn't moved, so I don't think he played it either.

As always, appreciate your considerable expertise Professor

That got me to the "Maybe" category, but I'm still not as convinced as you.
Listen To The Music, however, there can be no doubt. That one I'd pretty obvious.
At least there were not "super tells". I've seen supposedly live videos where the amps aren't even on; or the pilot is lit but the standby switch is clearly in silent mode.
The biggest tell, of course, is a fade out. Even the finest musicians alive can't fade out a tune effectively.

It's just I think the youtuber got ahold of the dry/raw studio tracks and mixed those in with the real live recording from 1974, for the presentation in this particular video. Some of these youtubers are actually really skilled with sound editing/mixing and video syncing.

Anyways, I was only meaning to say was it was messing w/my brain a bit because it's very clear the vocals you're hearing are the actual, live ones, *but* then the acoustic came in for LTTM and I'm like whaaaaaaa?

Cheers, Professor

It fits perfectly to the song.
I also flipped out over than flanging on Listen To The Music. Especially given how they had to do it in the early 70s.