Hey, I don't have to work tomorrow so here we go. This will be blog number 2 and tonite's story is about my favorite band. No, it's not the Stones. Nor Van Halen. No, it's definitely not the Fudge, Vanilla, that is. Hint: the band members hail from Liverpool and are affectionately known as the Fab 4.
Why the Beatles, you may ask. Didn't they break-up in 1969, er, 1970? That was 34 years ago Are you a dinosaur or what?
Yes, guilty as charged. But why do I continue to listen? Why the intrigue? I shall try to explain. Let's begin with a few of my favorite tunes. In no particular order. Some of the songs may not be familiar to the casual listener/fan.
1) In My Life: Beautiful song by John Lennon. Harmonium solo.
2) Happiness Is A Warm Gun: Bang Bang Shoot Shoot. The intro:
She's not a girl who misses much
Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Oh yeah
She's well acquainted with the touch of a velvet hand
Like a lizard on a windowpane
A man in the crowd with the multi-coloured mirrors
On his hobnail boots.
Lying with his eyes while his hands are busy working overtime.
A soap impression of his wife which he ate
And donated to the national trust.
In the top five. The song heard here is not the ultimate recording. This version was taken from "The Beatles Anthology III."
3)You Never Give Me Your Money: An ode to the lawyers, business managers, record companies, executives, etc. who were valiantly attempting to split the bountiful pie w/o success. From "Abbey Road:"
You never give me your money
you only give me you funny paper
And in the middle of negotiation you break down
I never give you my number
I only give you my situation
And in the middle of investigation I break down
4) When I'm 64: Loved it as a kid. Love it today. Great lyrics. Clarinet throughout the song. Unheard of on a pop song at the time.
Grandchildren on your knee
Vera, Chuck, and Dave
5) Eleanor Rigby: Haunting. Strings. Once again, unheard of on a pop record. I recall a reviewer using the word "enigmatic" when describing the song. "Ah, look at all the lonely people." I love listening to this track in the dead of winter alongside Betsy, my Buick and confidante.
6) While My Guitar Gently Weeps: A George foray. Harmony with Paul. Priceless. Also, the lead guitar duties were fashioned by Eric Clapton.
7) From Me to You: One of their earlier songs. Bright, energetic. In retrospect, you can see the appeal. Basic "I love you, don't be blue" lyrics, but the freshness and genuineness is evident throughout.
8) It Won't Be Long: One reviewer likened it to a cacophony of chanting tibetan monks . Yeah! From "Meet The Beatles."
9) Julia: Beautiful song by John. Written to his mom, Julia.
Ocean child ( Yoko Ono )calls me
So I sing a song of love, Julia.
10) Here, There, And Everywhere: From "Revolver" which was voted the number one album of all time, courtesy of VH-1. Apollo g's to everyone else. Sorry!
11) Norweigan Wood: First use of the sitar. ( idea sponged from Ravi Shankar ) In a pop recording.
She told me she worked in the morning and started to laugh
I told her I didn't and crawled onto sleep in the bath.
12) Strawberry Fields Forever: I love all of the versions, but the simple, unadulterated version from the Anthology tapes, is fantastic. Cranberry sauce.
13) Taxman: Rocker by George. Begins the "Revolver" lp ( seems Elton John, among others, left his beloved England due to an 85% tax on his earnings. Ouch! )The scorching guitar riff is played by Paul and not by George.
14) The Word: The word is love. Bright, clean, up-tempo song from "Rubber Soul." Influence of Dylan evident. I can get my groove on whenever I listen.
15) A Day In The Life: First time I saw the cover ( Madame Tussauds, eh? ) was in N'awlins. Me and my family had gone to Jamaica. Couldn't wait to arrive home to get a listen. I knew the song was different and that the boys were heading in a new direction. 30 second piano bit at the end. Thanks to Steve Woodford who loaned me his copy back in the day. He knew the lp [ long playing ] was special and that [ yours truly ] would definitely enjoy. Yes, I bought my own copy days later.
16) I Am The Walrus: My all time favorite: Recorded in "fake" stereo, I often turn the balance to either side for a unique listening approach. The words, imagery, and music-unmatched imho. The Anthology version is excellent.
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/5109/walrus.html
17) And Your Bird Can Sing: Another fresh, vivacious entry. From "Rubber Soul" but in America, the tune appears on "Yesterday and Today." [ see the "Butchershop Photo" for further details. The version on the Anthology is awesome.
18) Help: From "Help," the movie. Nuff said. Plus, I like to play it in times of trouble. Misery loves company, eh? Just a damn good song.
19) Cry Baby Cry: From the "White Album" Melodic. As if you're a member of a seance. Strong British references. No American would compose lyrics such as these:
The Dutchess of Kicaldy always smiling and arriving late for tea
The duke was having problems with a message at the local Bird and Bee.
20) Hey Jude: One of me all time favourites. But because of its overexposure on the radio, it will never be as fresh as it was in 1968, the height of flower power. Plus, it would be sacrilege not to include the 7 minute song. The Beatles at the zenith of their popularity.
There are many songs that weren't included. And these songs were formulated off the cuff, so I'm sure there are some classics I forgot. editor's note: "Yes, you did!
Damn, this was a fun foray. And the blog counts the words. Wonder how many?
Until next time, Farewell and adieu, v.c. your irreverent host and music critic for a day!
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