The Beatles Thread

Anybody here read "Beatles '66"? Outstanding...detailed month-by-month of everything from the making of "Revolver" to their final tour (what a shitty experience for both the band and the audience). Going on to September, so I still have George's India explorations and the beginning of Sgt. Pepper, among other things, remaining.

 

If nothing else, this thread has reminded me how much I love 'Don't Pass Me By.'
I hadn't thought about or played that song in a long time.

 

It took Ringo three years to get "DPMB" on record.

I've heard interview tapes from 1965 and Rubber Soul in which John and Paul are discussing writing songs for Ringo, and in the background he pipes up about the song he's been working on, and sings, "don't pass me by, don't make me cry," and J/P kind of laugh it off, "uhhmm, yeah I think that one needs more work."

It had to take Ringo some balls during the White Album, after 5-6 years as serving just as "good 'ol Ringo," to say, "god damn it, I've been working on this song for three years, I want it on the album."

As it turned out, in the first period after the Beatles, 1970-73 or so, George-Ringo was quite a solid songwriting combo with "It Don't Come Easy" and "Photograph," which would have been the centerpieces of an imaginary Beatles album if they were still recording as a group in those years.

Who knows if maybe they could have done a lot more if they concentrated on it earlier.

 

I love it. Long-time personal fave dating back to my first acquisition of the White Album, which was vinyl and would've been circa 1984-85.

 

So the soundtrack for today's road trip was "All Together Now" - a countdown of the top 100 Beatles songs as voted by the listeners on Sirius XM's Beatles channel. Really great show hosted by Peter Asher but I can't tell you how disappointed I was that "She's Leaving Home" was down at #98. Such an ethereal beautiful song ... perhaps it doesn't grab people because it's accompanied only by strings - no rock instruments at all?

It makes me sad.

 

Your ear and sensibilities are beyond the mass-audience radius, my friend. Rejoice that it made the list and that you got to hear it!

 

The great part is that my other favourite made it to #1 - A Day in the Life. So all was not lost. LOL

 

Any love for "One after 909"?

 

Didn't hear it. Maybe they played it while we were eating breakfast in Floradale.

 

Where do you rank Eleanor Rigby?

 

It would definitely be in my Top 10. The problem is that every time I think I have a definitive list they play another song I've forgotten about and then I start mentally editing and I never have a final draft.

Edited to add: Eleanor Rigby was #11 on the countdown (it was playing again when we went to dinner tonight).

 

Here's another thought .... they played 100 songs today and there wasn't a single one I hadn't heard before. I don't know of any other pop/rock artist with whom that would even be remotely possible.

Some random observations:
- Paul McCartney wrote "When I'm 64" when he was 16 years old (for his Dad's birthday) and pulled it out of a drawer in 1967 for the Beatles to record.
- The clarinet was so perfect for "When I'm 64" I can't imagine what other instrument could have played the obligato.
- Is there another band where each member had a solid solo career?
- Listening to the stories of the bands tensions (especially fights over money) I keep thinking it was just like a marriage breaking up. Marrying young is tough enough since people can change and grow in different directions but a marriage of 4 very talented but different individuals would have taken a miracle to stay together.
- The musical journey from "Love Me Do" (1962) to "Abbey Road (1969) is almost unfathomable. They started out playing covers and then found their voice and completely changed popular music.
- That amazing transition in "A Day in the Life" would today be done with synths and digital trickery. The Beatles actually had a symphony orchestra and told them to start on the lowest note you can play and work your way up to the highest pitch you've got. Stunning effect done 'manually'.
- Whatever my music teachers thought when I was in Grade 3 and 4, "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" is not an appropriate song for 8 year olds.