The Beatle-Maker

How The Beatles Did It!
Intro
1
A Brief History
2
Who THEY Liked
3
Early Songs 1962-63
4
The Beatle Machine 1964-66
5
The Beatle Culture 1967-68
6
The End 1969-70
7
Why Ringo is My Favorite Drummer
8
George Really Wasn’t That Quiet
9
How I Met Paul McCartney
10
John Lennon: the Chameleon
11
Let’s Go A Little Deeper
12
Deeper Into The ‘Abbey Road’ Album
13
‘Let It Be… Naked’ A Lost Classic
14
UK Albums Versus US Releases
15
George Martin: The Beatle-Maker
16
Behind the Beatle Scene
© 2015 Marc Alan Platt
Intro
The Beatles history has been told and retold for more than half a century.
This user-friendly reference book will focus on the material they wrote and
recorded and artists who influenced that material. How DID The Beatles do it?
Musically! That’s how.
As we all know, many recording artists who followed them were greatly influenced
by their body of work. I have gathered annotated quotes and a few by some of the
artists who were directly and indirectly influenced by the songs and the legendary
recordings produced by George Martin, Phil Spector and Chris Thomas (‘The
White Album’).
I have paid attention to detail in the analysis of when and where certain songs
were conceived and taken some liberties in the assumption of certain songs, but
have done my best to present solid evidence of the possible influences. The best
part of the equation is YOU. You will be able to go listen to certain songs by the
artists who may have influenced The Beatles. You will be able to make that final
decision.
This is a content-heavy book with a lot of analysis. It is designed for Beatle fans
new and older. This is a band that has transcended generations and future
generations will be following the songwriting model Lennon, McCartney and
Harrison created with the great arrangement and production guidance from Sir
George Martin.
I have been a songwriter myself since 1978 and a Beatle fanatic since 1965 when I
was five years old. I have authored another book called “So You Want To Be A
Rock n’ Roll Star,” which serves as a songwriting guide. Needless to say, I have
approached this book from the standpoint of a songwriter AND a Beatles fan.
I hope you get as much out of the book reading it as I did writing it.
Marc Alan Platt
Winter, 2015
Chapter 1: A Brief History
In case you didn’t already know…
In 1957, 14-year-old Paul McCartney, who was grieving the recent loss of his
mother Mary McCartney, met John Lennon at a church fair in Woolton, Liverpool.
Lennon’s skiffle group ‘The Quarrymen’ was performing at the fair. Their mutual
friend Ivan Vaughn brought McCartney, who brought along his guitar, and
introduced Lennon to McCartney.
John basically challenged Paul to show Lennon and his friends what he can do on the
guitar. McCartney ripped through Eddie Cochran’s “Twenty Flight Rock,” which
impressed Lennon and his Quarrymen band mates.
Lennon, the group’s leader, ran into Vaughn a short while later and told him he’d
like Paul to join the band. Vaughn relayed the message to McCartney a few weeks
later and the seeds were planted.
In the following months, Paul brought George Harrison into the band and other
members dropped away. The nucleus of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison with
several interchanging drummers and Lennon’s art school friend Stuart Sutcliffe
went through several name changes and managers such as local Liverpool club
booker and owner Allen Williams.
Williams secured the group lodgings and bookings in Hamburg, Germany in clubs
along the red light district. The band learned the ropes and became a top-flight
live act that gained a lot of local traction in Liverpool when they returned from
Germany between engagements.
They took up a residency in Liverpool’s Cavern Club and began to build a rabid local
following. Recordings they made in Hamburg came to the attention of local NEMS
entrepreneur Brian Epstein, who went down to see the band during a lunch time
performance.
Epstein was so impressed, that he began to formulate a game plan in his mind
during that first performance of how this band could become a major recording
act.
The shy and reserved Epstein went backstage and introduced himself and started
the ball rolling to manage the group, who had settled on Pete Best as a drummer by
this time.
Epstein secured his deal to manage the band and then began shopping their crude
unpolished demos to record labels in London. Every label passed on the band and
Decca Records even had the band come in and play their Cavern set live in the
studio. The A & R rep Tony Meehan passed on the band declaring “…guitar bands
are on the way out.”
Epstein was near the end of the line when by chance he was transferring the Decca
audition tapes into acetates when the engineer suggested Parlophone’s George
Martin should hear the acetate. EMI, Parlophone’s parent company, had already
passed on The Beatles.
Martin didn’t like the demo, but heard something he liked and invited the band to
come to London for a studio audition.
When the band showed up, Martin was taken not with their music and material, but
their charm and humor. He liked the fact they had three singers and while
formulating which Beatle would be lead singer; it dawned on him it could be all
three.
Martin signed the band and insisted they change drummers. Pete Best would be
out and Epstein and his young band grabbed Ringo Starr, who had played with them
as a substitute at times, to join as the final piece.
Martin was not convinced when they showed up to record their first single “Love
Me Do.” Martin hired studio specialist Andy White to play on the session and Ringo
was handed a tambourine. The 45rpm single features Andy White on the drums and
Ringo on tambourine. The LP version, which was recorded later features Ringo.
That is how you distinguish between the two versions. The “Ringo” version has no
tambourine.
Martin made his presence felt greatly in that first session when he had Paul sing
the hook line “love me do” while Lennon played the harmonica. Paul recalls Martin
saying “Wait a minute, wait a minute. There’s a crossover there. Someone else has
to sing (the line) ‘Love me do.’ We can’t go “Love me waahh…”**
The ‘waahh,’ of course being that signature harmonica part Lennon developed and
the band had been playing for months.
“Love Me Do” reached #17 on the charts with or without the financial support of
Epstein, who may or may not have bought enough copies himself for his NEMS
store.
The Beatles were off and running and were developing a strong bond with George
Martin, who was producer of their records AND the label chief at Parlophone.
Chapter 2: Who THEY Liked
John Lennon and Paul McCartney were the chief architects of the songs and the
sound of the band. As teenagers, they along with their mate George Harrison,
grabbed every rock n’ roll import that came along from the states. Living in a
seaport like Liverpool gave them an advantage when it came to getting those
valuable records. All the Liverpool bands depended on those singles for repertoire
in the clubs. They all played the same covers at their gigs.
These Motown, Stax and U.S. pop records served as Lennon and McCartney’s
foundation. They sopped up Buddy Holly, Elvis, The Isley Brothers and Girl Group
records penned by songwriters like Goffin & King, Mann & Weill, Barrett Strong,
Smokey Robinson and even show tunes from shows like ‘The Music Man.’
Lennon & McCartney were enamored especially with Buddy Holly and emulated his
double-tracked vocals. One could argue that the Beatles early vocal sound was a
hybrid mixture of Buddy Holly and The Everly Brothers. Lennon & McCartney,
along with George Harrison developed a marvelous three-part harmony and also
mastered the call-and-response girl group harmonies. This became a huge part of
their game and really set them apart from other groups in the earliest days.
Later on we would see British Invasion bands like The Hollies, The Zombies and
Herman’s Hermits also follow this sound.
The biggest early influence was obviously Chuck Berry. The Beatles covered MANY
Berry songs in their live sets, which were later recorded live on the BBC. The band
recorded “Rock and Roll Music” & “Roll Over Beethoven” properly. Later in the
book, I will discuss Lennon’s usage of Berry’s “You Can’t Catch Me” in his own
“Come Together” on the ‘Abbey Road’ LP.
The Beatles loved Little Richard (“Long Tall Sally” & “Hey Hey Hey”), Larry
Williams (“Dizzie Miss Lizzie,” “Slow Down” & “Bad Boy”). These are all songs,
along with The Isley Brothers “Twist and Shout,” Smokey Robinson’s “You’ve
Really Got A Hold On Me” we know because the band recorded those songs.
That is only PART of the story.
In this book, I will go into detail to directly show the influence of songs The
Beatle’s wrote in their catalog, that were influenced by particular writers and
artists of that time. This is a positive thing. This is how music is created and
passed down generation to generation. Lennon and McCartney and George Harrison
were able to synthesize what was happening in their culture and the musical
currency of the day, which were records.
Paul McCartney often referred to records as “currency.” It is the thing that
mattered most to these guys. The Beatles were well aware that these recordings
would last forever. Well past their own lives. This is probably a main factor in their
drive to make the highest quality art possible. They drove George Martin and his
staff crazy with requests throughout their recording career that far exceeded
decorum of the day in the studio.
They brought in classical musicians. They raided the EMI Sound Library. They
hooked up multi-track recorders together. They recorded hot to the point of
distraction to the conservative recording engineers at Abbey Road Studios.
The Beatles certainly worked hard at their craft. The band broke all existing sales
records of the day and earned their right to excess in the pursuit of greatness.
Money talks and The Beatles made EVERYONE a lot of money. That fact unleashed
a monster of artistic excess by the band. They would come in later and later and
often record through the night.
When the band was first coming up, the big rock n’ roll star in England was Cliff
Richard and The Shadows.
Both John Lennon and Paul McCartney often credited Gerry Goffin and Carole
King as a huge influence on their craft. Both acknowledged that they wanted to be
“…The next Goffin & King.” Goffin & King were not afraid to challenge the pop
medium with different musical structures. Lennon & McCartney were enamored
with their use of major-seventh chords.
If you were to look closely at The Beatles earliest songs as a mixture of Everly
Brothers/Buddy Holly – meets - Goffin & King – meets - Chuck Berry in a very
British way.
Paul McCartney: "At least the first forty songs we wrote were Buddy Hollyinfluenced.”
Roy Orbison has been credited by Lennon & McCartney as the main influence for
songs like “Misery” & “Please Please Me.” I have a very interesting Orbison
influence to discuss later in the book. You will have to read on to get that little
nugget.
There were several other great writers the band covered such as Carl Perkins and
Chet Atkins, but more interesting to me is who they themselves tried to emulate.
Chapter 3: The Early Songs 1962-63
What Goes On: 1962-63
The band’s output in 1962-63 was just a precursor of what was to come in the next
two years when they put out two movies. Let us not forget that Lennon and
McCartney were also starting to write songs like Billy J Kramer’s “Bad to Me” and
Peter and Gordon’s “World Without Love.” They had originally written “Misery”
for British Teenage Songstress Helen Shapiro, but she balked at the negative
message of ‘misery.’
These were also the two years the band learned their studio chops.
They had to endure the process of fighting for LP space by playing their new songs
for George Martin, who would sit on a stool in the studio as the boys would play
their new compositions. Harrison had barely begun to write material, but was given
at least one slot per LP, as was Ringo. Martin was able to discern the fact that this
band was stronger when all four personalities shined. Martin thought everyone
would “like at least one of the four Beatles.” Remember…George Martin was the
HEAD of the Parlophone Records label.
The amount of growth is evident from “Love Me Do” to “All My Loving.” The band
learned both about composition and production in those first two years while
traveling all over Europe as Beatlemania was gripping England, France and Germany.
It should be noted George Martin was having trouble getting its American affiliate
label Capitol Records to release ANY Beatles songs in America. The label kept
rejecting song after song throughout 1962 and 1963.
Martin worked out arrangements with smaller labels like Swan records and Veejay
Records to release these 1962-63 recordings BEFORE Capitol got its act together.
The records did little if any damage in the U.S. charts and really frustrated the
band, management and production staff in England.
The Beatles were adamant that they would not cross the Atlantic Ocean and come
to America WITHOUT a number one record. That was not going to happen with
these smaller labels releasing the songs with no real push. No one in America had
the foggiest idea who these mop top poppers were.
The news reports in the states about Beatlemania raging in Britain seemed like a
bunch of long-haired aliens from another planet in the very conservative American
media.
Ed Sullivan did make his way to England to experience it first hand and signed the
band to appear on his very popular American show three times in early 1964 for
$10,000.
George Martin KNEW Capitol Records couldn’t refuse “I Want to Hold Your
Hand” and a few copies made their way to U.S. radio stations first in Washington
D.C. when a fan named Marsha Albert brought the song to WWDC and was the
first American to introduce The Beatles to the U.S. airwaves. The song took off
and then in New York Disc Jockeys Murray the K and Cousin Brucie played the
song non-stop throughout the Christmas holiday season and the song took off when
Capitol finally released it properly, after much coaxing from George Martin and
Manager Brian Epstein.
The previously-released smaller label LPs all entered the charts and made those
labels rich in the process. By the time the band made its way to the states, they
were number one and ready for a big 1964.
I’m sticking to their proper recording career which lasted from 1962-1970, but will
cover songs that may have been written before that time.
1962:
“Love Me Do” is the first official Parlophone 45rpm release. It reached #17 on the
charts. Its blues style is reminiscent of Ray Charles. Charles was a big influence on
the Mersey Beat bands of Liverpool. His “What’d I Say” was covered by everyone
in the pubs and The Beatles covered it themselves on the BBC Recordings. I love
the marriage of Ray Charles and The Everly Brothers on this track, coupled with
the simplicity of Buddy Holly, as McCartney often said. Holly had a hand in the
first 40 Beatles songs.
“P.S. I Love You” was inspired (according to John Lennon) to the Shirelles’
“Soldier Boy” (Luther Dixon-Florence Greenberg).
John Lennon: “That's Paul's song. He was trying to write a "Soldier Boy" like the
Shirelles. He wrote that in Germany, or when we were going to and from Hamburg.
I might have contributed something. I can't remember anything in particular. It
was mainly his song.” ***
1963:
“All I’ve Got To Do” is another Lennon-driven song that has a lot of Smokey
Robinson traits throughout. John and Paul were truly starting to come into their
own. You can easily envision Robinson covering THIS song himself. This song was
really great writing for such young lads.
“All My Loving” is known as the first great McCartney ballad. Lennon has his
footprints on the song arrangements with some cool guitar work. McCartney has
said he wrote the lyrics first and THEN the music, which was a first for the young
Beatle.
“Ask Me Why” appears to be one of those Goffin & King-inspired songs. This one
was mostly penned by John Lennon and was a staple of their live act in the early
years.
“Don’t Bother Me” is the first-credited George Harrison composition to appear on
vinyl. It has a Cliff Richards-esque feel to it, but also very distinctive biting lyrics
that Harrison would later perfect in songs like “Taxman.”
“Do You Want to Know a Secret” was written for George Harrison to sing on the
first LP. It is a Disney-inspired song from the ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’
movie.
“From Me to You” was another top Beatles single with footprints of both Lennon
and McCartney.
“Hold Me Tight” was held in even less esteem by BOTH Lennon & McCartney as a
“Work Song.”
“I’ll Get You” is a Lennon/McCartney B-side inspired by Joan Baez song “All My
Trials.”
“I Saw Her Standing There” is a classic Beatles rocker. It is a McCartney-driven
song that starts the ‘Please Please Me’ British LP.
Paul McCartney: "Here’s one example of a bit I pinched from someone: I used the
bass riff from 'Talkin’ About You' by Chuck Berry in 'I Saw Her Standing
There'. I played exactly the same notes as he did and it fitted our number
perfectly. Even now, when I tell people, I find few of them believe me; therefore,
I maintain that a bass riff hasn’t got to be original"****
“It Won’t Be Long” is a Lennon rocker that truly has its own origins. This was a
Beatles song through and through. Paul helped with the arrangement and the
middle eight.
“I Wanna Be Your Man” was started by Lennon-McCartney and then quickly
finished after John and Paul went to a Rolling Stones rehearsal and hustled that
band on recording the song. The Stones version is reminiscent of Elmore James.
Of course, we know and love the Ringo version featured in the ‘A Hard Days Night’
disco scene.
“I Want to Hold Your Hand” is what McCartney called: “Our big number one. It
broke us in America.” *****
“Little Child” was “an album filler.” The Beatles called these “Work Songs.”
“Misery” and “Please Please Me” have been acknowledged as Roy Orbison-inspired
compositions. Don’t need to go into detail on these two great songs. It should be
mentioned that “Please Please Me” did start out as a much slower song and George
Martin asked the band to work on it some more. They came back with the song
sped up and THAT version became their first number one hit.
“Not a Second Time” is the song that was covered in the New York Times with
musical analysis by William Mann, citing “Aeolian Cadence” and also invoked Mahler.
Lennon recalled the song being another Smokey Robinson knockoff, as was “This
Boy.”
“She Loves You” has been acknowledged by Paul McCartney to be inspired by
Bobby Rydell’s “Forget Him” in its call and response pattern, but by most accounts
is truly a Lennon-McCartney composition through and through.
“There’s a Place” was inspired by Bernstein & Sondheim’s “Somewhere” from
‘West Side Story.’ McCartney acknowledges that he lifted the title directly from
the show tune. The line he lifted it from…”Somewhere, there’s a place for us.”
“This Boy” has direct ties to Smokey Robinson’s “I’ve Been Good To You.” The
middle eight is almost identical musically (not lyrically) in its form and emotional
bite.
The band was about to embark on the craziest ride in show biz history in 1964….
Chapter 4: The Beatle Machine 1964-66
What Goes On: 1964–66
These years were the MOST productive as far as song output is concerned. There
was also a metamorphosis in style and substance. “Can’t Buy Me Love” is vastly
different than “Tomorrow Never Knows” in both sound and message.
George Martin and The Beatles were inventing modern pop production on the fly,
by the seat of their pants.
In this time period The Beatles went from NEVER going into the control room, as
was the custom of the early years to TAKING OVER the control rooms of several
studios at Abbey Road.
By the end of 1966, they had ceased touring and made the studio their exclusive
artistic home.
The 1960s drug culture was in full gear and this band was leading the way. Paul
McCartney still had not taken acid by the end of 1966, but smoked plenty of pot.
The drugs had entered their lyrics and message and sound. George Martin was an
able accomplice at getting a sound landscape for each song that exceeded the
previous song. The band was hungry to test the limits musically of all genres.
The Beatles led the way by using middle-eastern musicians on their recordings, as
well as classically-trained musicians from the London Symphony.
Swinging London was the center of the pop universe these years. Pop stars were
treated like kings and queens. In fact, Queen Elizabeth hosted The Beatles and
gave them MBEs (Member of the British Empire), the highest honor that can be
bestowed on a British citizen.
It is not an exaggeration to say that The Beatles records were Britain’s greatest
import financially.
It bears mentioning that their fine Manager Brian Epstein was brilliant at
promotion, but not so much financially. The Beatles were vastly underpaid and
ripped off by many companies, who took full advantage of Epstein’s naivety when it
came to exploitation of their likenesses. There were Beatle wigs, toys, games,
perfumes, etc… The Beatles never saw a penny from many of these exploits and
were vastly underpaid.
The Beatles were never broke at this time, but within a few years, lawyers were
making a lot of money due to Beatle lawsuits in an effort to straighten out their
financial affairs.
The years 1964-through-1966 were non-stop hits for the band. Everything they did
was a winner in every conceivable way. Everyone else in pop music seemed to follow
their lead on everything.
The Beatles record ‘Rubber Soul’ and Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys answer
with ‘Pet Sounds.’ The Beatles respond to ‘Pet Sounds’ with ‘Sgt. Pepper’ in 1967.
The Rolling Stones hear “Norwegian Wood” and respond with the raga-sounding
“Paint it Black.” Remember, Mick Jagger was a constant attendee of Beatles
recording sessions.
Jagger also would later induct The Beatles into The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame.
It should also be noted that from 1964-66 The Beatles toured the world and
would have to book time at Abbey Road in between tours. It was a whirlwind of
activity with a ton of output. They also found time to star in two feature-length
films. These were the salad days of the band.
Three of the members (excluding Paul) were married and raising families (except
George) at this time. George would later have children with his second wife Olivia.
Paul would later marry Linda Eastman and raise his family.
Parlophone (Britain) and Capitol Records (America) were the labels that distributed
The Beatles records. At the end of 1966 and the beginning of 1967 the band began
formulating the “Apple” concept. That label would not officially be launched until
1968 with the release of ‘The Beatles (White Album),’ but it should be noted the
band was beginning to really look at themselves as businessmen.
In August 1966, the band played its last official concert at Candlestick Park in San
Francisco. This event would mark the beginning of the end of Brian Epstein’s grasp
and usefulness to the band. Epstein would be dead within a year of a possible
accidental drug overdose. Epstein was increasingly and gradually estranged
artistically from the band and with no tours to book became frustrated with his
role.
Also during this period, George Martin had left the employ of Parlophone and EMI
to become an independent producer. He made more money and began raising his
family with wife Judy. Martin’s company “AIR” handled the production of many
British acts during that same time period. He would often juggle his production
duties just to be able to keep up with The Beatles’ hectic and crazy schedule.
They were always his top priority, but sometimes had to walk a tightrope to be able
to keep his many commitments.
Norman “Hurricane” Smith was a vital contributor as a recording engineer in the
early years of the band. Geoff Emerick was there during the experimental phase
and should be given a lot of sonic credit. Emerick handled de-facto production
duties when Martin was unavailable. He would later go onto produce artists like
Elvis Costello.
1964:
“And I Love Her” was written and recorded for ‘A Hard Days Night,’ their first
feature movie. Paul McCartney wrote most of the song with John contributing the
middle eight. It is very much a Beatles song. McCartney has said he “impressed
himself with that one.”
“Any Time at All” was a Lennon-driven attempt at re-writing “It Won’t Be Long.”
Lennon inspired himself on this “work song” that ended up being filler on the
soundtrack album.
“Baby’s in Black” has Everly Brother’s-type harmonies coupled with those Beatles
pop sensibilities. The song was recorded as a waltz in 6/8 time.
“Can’t Buy Me Love” was a huge hit and a big song in ‘A Hard Days Night.’ George
Martin was invaluable, suggesting starting the song with that hooky chorus. This
was yet another Beatles monster smash hit.
“Eight Days a Week” is one of those ‘Ringo-isms’ John and Paul loved to write down
and use for songs.
“Every Little Thing” is a Paul song, written for his girlfriend Jane Asher. This
track ended up on ‘Beatles for Sale.’
“A Hard Days Night” inspired by Ringo’s phrase and written for order for ‘A Hard
Days Night’ by the most prolific team in rock n’ roll.
“I Call Your Name” is strictly a Lennon song that was recorded poorly by Billy J.
Kramer BEFORE The Beatles recorded the song. It was used to round out the ‘A
Hard Days Night’ soundtrack. Later a big hit for The Mamas and Papas in the
states.
“I Don’t Want To Spoil the Party,” “No Reply” and “I’m a Loser” are all Beatles
For Sale John Lennon-driven tracks inspired by The Beatles new hero Bob Dylan.
All three songs are introspective and represent Lennon in his domestic married
father role. Some people refer this period as the “Fat John” period when he was
home a lot and heavier.
“I Feel Fine” is the infamous “First-Use-Of-Feedback” song. Lennon and Harrison
both credited the guitar riff to a 1961 Bobby Parker song called “Watch Your
Step,” which also is one of the influences of “Day Tripper.”
“If I Fell” is John Lennon’s ode to Tin Pan Alley. I believe it is his finest Beatles
ballad. This is all Beatles and really peeks in ‘A Hard Days Night.’
“I’ll Be Back” was inspired by Del Shannon’s song “Runaway.” It is a Lennon song
through and through. It is album filler on ‘A Hard Days Night’ soundtrack.
“I’ll Cry Instead” was never used in the ‘A Hard Days Night’ film, but appears on
both the U.S. and British soundtracks. Lennon’s wife Cynthia insists it was a cry
for help, something we would again witness the following year with the song “Help!”
“I’ll Follow the Sun” was written by Paul when he was 16-years-old. Nice ditty.
"I'm Happy Just to Dance with You" was written for George to sing in ‘A Hard
Days Night.’ It was very much a Beatles “Work Song.”
"I Should Have Known Better" is the song from ‘A Hard Days Night’ on the train,
during the card game. It is hard not to smile during this number. Great harmonica
playing and Dylan was first starting to creep in on this number, according to John
Lennon. “That’s me. Just a song; it doesn’t mean a damn thing,” said Lennon to David
Sheff in Sheff’s ‘All We Are Saying’ book.
“Tell Me Why” was a John Lennon sing-along song for ‘A Hard Days Night’ album.
“Things We Said Today” was written for ‘A Hard Days Night’ by Paul and sung by
John and Paul. It didn’t appear in the film, but is on the British sound track and
‘Something New’ by Capitol Records in the states.
"When I Get Home" is very much a John Lennon “Work Song” for ‘A Hard Days
Night.’
“You Can’t Do That” rounded out the year 1964. Lennon really rocked hard that
year. This was a Wilson Pickett-inspired track that made its way as a filler track
on ‘A Hard Days Night.’
1965:
"Another Girl" was written by Paul for ‘Help!.’ At this stage in their writing, John
and Paul were “Push Button” and could write songs on demand and seemed to have
an endless supply of boy-girl songs.
“Day Tripper” is a very interesting Beatles song. Lennon has cited Bobby Parker’s
1961 single “Watch Your Step” as the inspiration and upon another listen I can see
why. However, just months before the October 16, 1965 recording of “Day
Tripper,” the radio airwaves were filled with Roy Orbison’s “Oh Pretty Woman.”
My theory is Lennon did a hybrid of the two songs. Lyrically Lennon & McCartney
really captured the Swinging London girls they were dealing with in the circles they
ran in. “She’s a big teaser/She got me half of the way.” This was a fantastic track
along with the double A-Side “We Can Work It Out.”
“Drive My Car” continues the writing exploits of Lennon-McCartney just having
fun in swinging London in the mid 1960’s. They were treated like Gods and kept
getting bolder and bolder with their message. McCartney: "Drive My Car” was an
old blues euphemism for sex"*****
“Every Little Thing” was written by Paul, but sung by John. It is one of my favorite
earlier Beatles songs. It appeared on ‘Beatles for Sale’ in England and ‘Beatles VI’
in the states. The song was written about Paul’s girlfriend Jane Asher.
‘Help!’ as everybody knows was Lennon’s cry for help, after a few years in the
Beatle Bubble. I love the intro “Help/I need somebody/Help/Not just
anybody/Help/You know I need someone/Help.” I find it interesting that it only
happens once in the song. That is the brilliance of The Beatles and George Martin.
There are hooks everywhere and they are NEVER overdone on a Beatles track.
“Girl” is another Lennon mid-tempo Rubber Soul track. The boys get away with “tit
tit tit tit” in the background vocals. Good enough for me.
“If I Needed Someone” is George Harrison’s poppy masterpiece clearly
influenced by The Byrds, with that fantastic electric 12-string guitar riff. It
appeared on ‘Rubber Soul’ and was also recorded by The Hollies.
“If You’ve Got Trouble” stood unreleased for many years (30 years) until the
Anthology. It was written by John and Paul for Ringo to sing. It is not one of their
stronger tracks.
“I’m Down” is Paul’s ode to Little Richard. It was a live staple and featured John’s
Farfisa organ. The Beatles had Richard’s “Long Tall Sally” in their live shows and
wrote this one to replace it in 1965.
“I’m Looking Through You” is probably McCartney’s version of introspective Bob
Dylan-inspired lyric writing. ‘Rubber Soul’ had a lot of these mid-tempo lyric heavy
pot-inspired classics.
“I Need You” is George Harrison’s ode to Pattie Boyd, the ‘Hard Days Night’
extra he would marry the next year. It appears in the film ‘Help!’
“In My Life” is yet another Lennon mid-tempo ‘Rubber Soul’ classic about his
Liverpool childhood. There are references to friends living and dead (Stu
Sutcliffe). Lennon cited Smokey Robinson once again as the inspiration for the
melody.
“It’s Only Love” is a Lennon mid tempo ‘Rubber Soul’ pop classic with a nice play on
words “I get high when I see you go by.” That, my friend, is a direct drug
reference.
“I’ve Just Seen a Face” is a Paul country acoustic rave up that appears on the U.S.
‘Rubber Soul’ LP and on the ‘Help!’ soundtrack in Britain.
"Michelle" is a Paul McCartney ‘Rubber Soul’’ classic. McCartney: “…The first
person we knew to use finger-picking style was Chet Atkins. .. I never learned it.
But based on Atkins' "Trambone", I wanted to write something with a melody and a
bass line in it, so I did. I just had it as an instrumental in C.”*****
“The Night Before” was sung by Paul, written with Lennon for ‘Help!’. The fantastic
guitar solo was shared by Paul and George at the same time.
"Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" is John Lennon at his finest lyrically
and musically writing about an extramarital affair. George played sitar on the track
and a new pop middle-eastern sound was created on this ‘Rubber Soul’ classic.
“Nowhere Man” is Lennon’s introspective classic from ‘Rubber Soul.’ Lennon said in
his 1980 Playboy interview: "I'd spent five hours that morning trying to write a
song that was meaningful and good, and I finally gave up and lay down. Then
'Nowhere Man' came, words and music, the whole damn thing as I lay down."
“Run For Your Life” with lyrics inspired by Elvis Presley’s hit “Baby Let’s Play
House,” John Lennon often said this song was a throwaway track. It is his first
real song about jealousy. It was on ‘Rubber Soul.’
“Tell Me What You See” is a track from the British ‘Help!’ Nice Wurlitzer organ
sound on the track. This is an underrated track that appeared on ‘Beatles VI’ in the
states.
“Think for Yourself” is Harrison’s ‘Rubber Soul’ contribution. This is yet another
song that fits into that 1965 pop sing along. This was one of George’s better early
lyrics.
“Ticket to Ride” was one of the biggest hits of 1965 from the ‘Help!’ film. Lennon
sizzles with a great lyric and vocal to match. At this point the writing duo had
minimal input, but still helped to tidy up the middle eight and a chorus here and
there.
“Wait” is a ‘Rubber Soul’ song written mostly by Paul and sung by John. It was
written for ‘Help,’ but pushed back to ‘Rubber Soul.’
“We Can Work It Out” is the exact opposite sentiment of the Lennon-driven “Day
Tripper” on the other side of the single. Lennon did aid McCartney with the middle
eight. What a fantastic Beatles Double A-Side 45rpm single.
“What Goes On” is an album filler “work song” credited to all four Beatles and
sung by Ringo Starr for ‘Rubber Soul.’
“What You’re Doing” is a catchy Byrds-influenced 12-string electric guitar track.
McCartney was just as enamored of The Byrds who were entrenched in the Bob
Dylan camp. David Crosby came over to England in the mid-1960s and hung out with
the Beatles.
“The Word” from ‘Rubber Soul’ is love and pot and sex. McCartney: “We smoked a
bit of pot, then we wrote out a multicolored lyric sheet, the first time we'd ever
done that. We normally didn't smoke when we were working. It got in the way of
songwriting because it would just cloud your mind up — "Oh, shit, what are we
doing?" It's better to be straight. But we did this multicolor thing.”*****
“Yes It Is” according to John Lennon was a bad attempt to re-write “This Boy.”
If that’s true, he didn’t succeed. This song remains an oft covered B-Side classic.
I’ve heard Elvis Costello and The Bangles do marvelous versions. Billy Joel has
praised the song in the past, as well.
“Yesterday” may well be the most important song ever to appear on a Beatles
record. Penned by McCartney and recorded as a solo effort on the ‘Help!’ album in
Britain. The song was scored brilliantly by George Martin with a string quartet. It
airs throughout the world every day and has been one of the world’s most recorded
songs in history. It put the group on the radar of a much wider audience than
BEFORE it was released. BEFORE “Yesterday,” only teenagers and young adults
listened to the band. AFTER “Yesterday” the parents and even grandparents
perked their ears up. It really made the band an international crossover sensation
among an older demographic.
“You Like Me Too Much” is a poppy George Harrison ditty that graced ‘Beatles VI’
in the U.S. and ‘Help!’ in England. Up to this point Harrison still had not written a
song that was influenced by anyone other than his mates Lennon and McCartney.
“You’re Going to Lose That Girl” Lennon, call-and-response and catchy from ‘Help!’
“You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away” is everybody’s favorite Beatles Campfire
Song. Lennon’s MOST Dylan-esque track to date.
“You Won’t See Me” is one of Paul’s finer 1965 pop efforts on ‘Rubber Soul.’
McCartney wrote the song at the very end of the project. It was important for
him to get the song recorded as he was going through relationship issues with his
girlfriend Jane Asher. Roadie Mal Evans played the Hammond Organ and John
Lennon only sang on the track. The Beatles were actually behind and had to record
three songs in one day to finish ‘Rubber Soul.’
1966:
"And Your Bird Can Sing" is a Lennon studio rocker that is an ode to Mick
Jagger’s then-girlfriend Marianne Faithful, whom Jagger referred to as “A Bird”
who can sing. All of the great guitar solos were dually played by Paul & George.
“Doctor Robert” as everyone knows is a true song about that doctor who slipped
LSD into the Beatles drinks at a party. McCartney has said of the man “…just kept
New York high.”
"Eleanor Rigby” is a McCartney song about a lonely spinster that merits some ink.
There is a lot of dispute as to who wrote how much. The consensus is that Lennon
contributed very little, maybe a few words in the 2nd verse. George Harrison
(uncredited) came up with “Ah. Look at all the lonely people.” The Beatles all
participated while McCartney was writing the song at Lennon’s house. Some of the
influence about death and a funeral were likely influenced by The Rolling Stones
“Paint it Black,” which was all over the British airwaves when “Eleanor Rigby” was
being composed. Regardless of any facts, this song is a hallmark in the recording
and composing career of the Beatles. It is one of their greatest achievements and
along with “Yesterday” cemented their ever growing audience. The song spent four
weeks at number one on the British charts.
"For No One" was another McCartney solo composition. According to John
Lennon: "One of my favourites of his—a nice piece of work." ******
This song centers on an argument Paul had with his girlfriend Jane Asher on a
vacation they were on in the Swiss Alps.
“Good Day Sunshine” has been acknowledged by Paul McCartney as having some
"old-timey vaudevillian-feel" similar to the then-current hit “Daydream” by the
Lovin’ Spoonful. This song has been covered often and was used as “wake up” music
on the shuttle missions.
“Got To Get You Into My Life” may surprise many who didn’t know that the song
is an ode to pot. Paul McCartney: “…was one I wrote when I had first been
introduced to pot ... So [it's] really a song about that, it's not to a person… "like
someone else might write an ode to chocolate or a good claret." *****
There are horns, great vocals and production. The song was a huge #1 hit for
Earth, Wind & Fire in 1978, after their version was released in the ‘Sgt. Pepper’
movie produced by Robert Stigwood.
“Here There and Everywhere” is a lovely ‘Revolver’ song written by Paul. He was
dating Jane Asher at the time and this song drips with emotion and melody. This
song has been covered by many artists in many languages.
“I’m Only Sleeping” is a John Lennon solo effort regarding his lazy attitude when
not working. Apparently Lennon was infamous for staying in bed all day when not
committed to Beatles activities.
“I Want To Tell You” is a stellar George Harrison track on ‘Rubber Soul.’ You can
hear the strong teamwork as the band powers through this track with strong vocal
support from Paul and John.
“Love You To” is a George Harrison composition. The obvious influence is Ravi
Shankar and his minions. Ringo played some tambourine on the recording. No other
Beatle involvement. It was becoming more evident that the band began going off in
different directions artistically at this point.
“Paperback Writer” is Paul McCartney’s side of the double A-Side single with
Lennon’s “Rain.” “Paperback Writer” is the beginning of the Beatles journey
towards rock n’ roll dominance sonically. The bass becomes more prominent on this
recording and MOST recordings after this single. It is guitar AND bass-rifforiented. Fuzz was just starting to infiltrate rock guitar at this time and the
Beatles led the way. This is a top rate production and set the standard for all
future Beatles recordings. Geoff Emerick: “’Paperback Writer’ is the first time
the bass sound was heard in all its excitement.”* Emerick was asked to boost the
bass sound by John Lennon, who complained that American records sound better.
“Rain” is the Lennon side of the single and has its place in rock history. Backwards
vocals and guitars are all over this sucker. George Martin needs to be credited
along with Geoff Emerick: “One of things we discovered when playing around with
the loops on ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ was that the texture and depth of certain
instruments sounded really good when slowed down.”*
Needless to say, “Rain” was LSD-influenced. The Beatles by this time were mostly
inspired by their own drug usage and newspaper’s, TV and media accounts of the
day.
“She Said, She Said” is a very surreal story involving an acid trip and Peter
Fonda. In a nutshell, The Beatles were hosting Fonda, The Byrds and other
assorted friends at a Los Angeles house they were renting. Fonda was telling the
band about a gunshot incident he survived as a child. It freaked John and George
out and much of the John Lennon lyric was written about that incident. Once again,
inspiration can come from anyone anywhere.
“Taxman” is one of Harrison’s best songs as a Beatle. He was really starting to
assert himself as a writer. It is also the first and only time a Beatles LP
(‘Revolver’) opened with a George Harrison composition. Harrison is legendary when
it comes to his finances. He was the most concerned about how much money he
made and how it was taxed. There are many British references like Wilson and
Heath, who were leaders of their respective parties in Parliament. There is a
fantastic McCartney bass line very similar to Motown recordings. James Jamerson
comes to mind as a McCartney influence. “Taxman” is a major George Harrison
achievement. The most ironic fact about the recording was that Harrison had a
heck of a time executing the guitar solo on his own song. Finally, Paul stepped up
and nailed the solo in a few takes on his pal’s track.
“Tomorrow Never Knows” is a complicated one-chord song, inspired by the writings
of Timothy Leary during a John Lennon acid trip. Geoff Emerick and George
Martin deserve a lot of credit for helping to create the musical landscape with
tape loops and a solid Beatles backing track. The lyrics also come directly from the
teachings by Tibetin monks.
“Yellow Submarine” was written by Paul for Ringo to sing on ‘Rubber Soul.’ It would
later become the title track for an animated feature movie. It was first released
on the other side of the British “Eleanor Rigby” 45rpm single. It is a children’s
song and Ringo still sings the song today in his touring act.
Rubber Soul: The First Best Beatles Album (UK Version)
Side One
Drive My Car
Norwegian Wood
You Won’t See Me
Nowhere Man
Think For Yourself
The Word
Michelle
Side Two
What Goes On
Girl
I’m Looking Through You
In My Life
Wait
If I Needed Someone
Run For Your Life
There is so much to decipher on ‘Rubber Soul.’
There is the Bob Dylan influences, George’s Middle Eastern
(“Norwegian Wood”) influence, British Show Hall flavored
“Michelle” Motown groove influence (“Drive My Car”) and
changes in the actual recording studio that would carry them all
the way to the finish line in 1969.
The music is stellar and you could look back in hindsight and hear the musical changes that
were happening on this recording that would encourage them to soon end their touring
years and move into the recording studio full time.
There was also a shift from Brian Epstein to George Martin as a key player in their
creative and productive output. Since they were getting weary of the road and really
wanted to creative innovative and exciting music, Epstein was becoming less and less
significant.
McCartney lived in the heart of London and the other three married Beatles were
entrenched in the suburbs.
‘Rubber Soul’ was really the beginning of a new phase of super creativity and The Beatles
were really working as a team.
Paul McCartney has taken a lot of criticism over the years
for his Grammy Award-winning Son-of-the-year “Michelle”
composition being too schmaltzy. John Lennon was critical
in later years of McCartney’s “Granny Songs,” but in this
case it was Lennon who encouraged Paul to pull “Michelle”
out of the scrapheap of his older songs and resurrect it
for the record. John Lennon was a team player and often
would make suggestions that go against type of his
personality in later years. John Lennon was quick to recognize the strengths of his
bandmates and “Michelle” is a great example of him helping the cause.
In kind, McCartney encouraged Lennon to explore his writing growth with songs like “In
My Life” and “Nowhere Man.” These two young men loved each other and appreciated
the other man’s strengths. It made the overall product better and they were great
admirers of each other.
George Harrison’s contributions are often overlooked. Songs like
“If I Needed Someone” and “Think For Yourself” are quality
early songs. They are catchy and fit right alongside the best
early Lennon-McCartney songs. The hooky sitar part on
“Norwegian Wood” helped spark the “Raga Rock” craze that
groups like The Rolling Stones, Byrds and Yardbirds would take
to new levels. It was George Harrison who started it all on
‘Rubber Soul.” We would soon see songs like The Rolling Stones
“Paint it Black” dominating the airwaves with this new sound that would help define the
1960s.
Check out the drums on “Drive My Car.” Ringo kicks it into high gear with Paul’s bassline
that grooves with the best Motown records of that time period. Ringo was starting to
become a force musically on this record. His work was solid and growing leaps and bounds
with every track they would produce. The hooky bass and guitar grooves on “Drive My
Car” were unlike any song recorded by anyone up to that time. They would carry on with
songs like “Day Tripper,” “Paperback Writer” and “Rain” soon after.
The ‘Rubber Soul’ LP was truly the first beast Beatles’ disc for so many reasons. It was a
bridge to their later work from the early dancehall pop songs that were more of a
singalong boy-girl-type of song that marked their early days.
These were lyrically enhanced songs that were influenced by their new hero Bob Dylan and
not happy-go-lucky songs at all.
All four Beatles had either wives or girlfriends they were committed to at this point. The
music reflects their foray into adulthood. Even the Lennon-driven “Girl” is a more
introspective and downbeat telling of a story. They ARE still very playful with the “tit tit
tit tit” background vocal part. They were always trying to stretch the boundaries of radio
and the politically correct society they came from.
The Beatles never strayed too far from their message of love with songs like “The
Word.” The word is love. It is just that they were more clever than most of their
contemporaries when it came to getting that message out.
‘Rubber Soul’ is really their first
masterpiece album. It changed the world’s
conception of what an album was supposed
to be. Before ‘Rubber Soul,’ LPs were
basically a collection of songs to support
one or two radio singles. This was a
complete album in its own right. Every song
had a purpose, despite the fact that the
American version mixed and matched songs
for their own release. There are some variations. The British LP is an intended complete
work.
Chapter 5: The Beatle Culture 1967-68
What Goes On: 1967-68
It is important to realize just how far the music scene had come since The Beatles
first hit the scene in 1963.
There was so much political upheaval happening in 1967-68 with an unpopular war
raging in Vietnam, student protests of that war and political assassinations in
America that were shaking society to its core.
The U.S. was deeply divided in its politics and that spilled over into the music.
Music as a business was thriving with many record labels popping up in many genres.
The Beatles were the leaders, but there were many acts following in their
footsteps and asserting themselves in the process.
The music world went from Herman’s Hermits in 1964 to Led Zeppelin in 1968-68.
That is a wide spectrum with The Beatles right smack in the middle continuing to
lead the way in the culture and on the charts.
The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Animals, The Yardbirds, The Zombies,
Cream, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds and
The Doors all became relevant artists because The Beatles laid the groundwork.
Do not underestimate the influence of Jimi Hendrix on the entire music scene in
these years. Hendrix helped shape the later sound and the style, as well as the
hippie culture. The Beatles were huge fans of Hendrix and needless to say songs
like “Helter Skelter,” “Yer Blues” and “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide” had
Hendrix footprints on those great Beatles tracks.
1967 & 1968 were both tumultuous years and it was reflected in the media and
culture of the times. The Beatles were able to walk the line as both entertainers
and pop gurus. People followed their leads on most things like style, drug culture,
social and political leanings. Most importantly, fans revered their music and
continued to listen to every release.
1967:
“All Together Now” is an extension of the song “Yellow Submarine” and according
to primary writer McCartney was “…to match the same light-hearted spirit" of
that track. It was written, but left off ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ and would find its
way to the ‘Yellow Submarine’ film and soundtrack.
"All You Need Is Love" was written by John Lennon. There is some debate as to
whether it was a made-to-order song for the ‘Our World’ worldwide telecast in the
summer of 1967. McCartney has said it was one of the songs they had sitting
around. Regardless, it was a huge part of the first worldwide satellite telecast.
The song was yet another smash hit during the ‘Summer of Love.’
“Baby, You’re a Rich Man” was combined from a Lennon song to a McCartney song
to make a satirical and biting song, which serves as a question to manager Brian
Epstein “How does it feel to be one of the beautiful people?” The song appeared on
‘Magical Mystery Tour.’
"Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" is a super Lennon ‘Sgt. Pepper’ track directly
lifted from a poster hanging in his house. Credit Mr. Martin and Emerick, along
with the band for the sonically-pleasing circus atmosphere they created using tape
loops and lots of tape echo, which was starting to become prevalent on ‘Pepper’
tracks.
“Blue Jay Way” a track by George that was released on ‘Magical Mystery Tour.’
Written about the street in Los Angeles off Laurel Canyon where Harrison was
staying in August, 1967. George has said he got the idea while waiting for his
friend (ex-Beatles Press Secretary) to arrive at the house. Yet another Beatles
song derived from a conversation.
"Christmas Time (Is Here Again)" is being included here solely to point out that
from 1963-1968, the band took time out of their recording schedule every year to
record a special Christmas Disc for their fan club members. This song is very
catchy and went out to their fan club. The song is credited to all four Beatles.
"A Day in the Life" was written primarily by John, but combined with McCartney’s
middle eight section of the song. It is both brilliant and moving and quite a
production achievement, along with Martin’s help with the orchestration parts.
McCartney should also be given extra credit for the arrangement of this track for
‘Sgt. Pepper.’
“Fixing a Hole” is a McCartney-driven song on ‘Sgt. Pepper.’ McCartney said in the
Los Angeles Times (1968): "…about the hole in the road where the rain gets in, a
good old analogy—the hole in your make-up which lets the rain in and stops your
mind from going where it will."
“Flying” is a 1967 song credited to all four Beatles. It is an instrumental track
written and recorded for ‘Magical Mystery Tour.’
"The Fool on the Hill" is strictly a McCartney effort and was featured in ‘Magical
Mystery Tour.’ McCartney: “'Fool on the Hill' was mine and I think I was writing
about someone like Maharishi. His detractors called him a fool. Because of his
giggle he wasn't taken too seriously ... I was sitting at the piano at my father's
house in Liverpool hitting a D 6th chord, and I made up 'Fool on the Hill.'”*****
“Getting Better” is a ‘Sgt. Pepper’ song mostly credited to Paul, but John played a
significant role in this one. Lennon was not a perfect man in his real life with first
wife Cynthia. These lines in the song have been attributed to Lennon: "I used to be
cruel to my woman/I beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved/Man
I was mean but I'm changing my scene/And I'm doing the best that I can." Lennon
also came up with the ironic line in the chorus “Can’t get much worse.”
"Good Morning Good Morning" is John Lennon’s ‘Sgt. Pepper’ track dedicated to a
Kellogg’s Cornflake commercial. Yes, even television had infiltrated the Beatles’
creativity. There was a successful instrumental pop group in England called Sounds
Incorporated. They were brought in to assist the band. It is the only instance of
ANOTHER BAND (in this case, their brass section) playing on a Beatles track.
“Hello Goodbye” is a McCartney pop masterpiece. The nonsensical lyrics add to
their mystique. Musically, it is a stellar ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ track.
“I Am The Walrus” is Lennon at his 1967 best. There have been MANY
explanations of the lyrics. I’ll just go with Lennon’s 1980 account: “LSD.” Masterful
production and recording by Martin and his crew. This track really elevates
‘Magical Mystery Tour.’
"It's All Too Much" is one of the more nondescript Harrison compositions that
was written around ‘Sgt. Pepper’ time and was pushed back two more records and
finally ended up in the ‘Yellow Submarine’ project.
“Lovely Rita” is a McCartney song about a meter maid who gave him a ticket
outside of Abbey Road studios that graced ‘Sgt. Pepper.’ The traffic officer’s real
name was Meta Davies, but McCartney said "Well, she looked like a Rita to me,"
thus “Lovely Rita Meter Maid.”
"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" is certainly a ‘Sgt. Pepper’ highlight by Lennon.
The song was inspired by a painting Julian Lennon drew at school, but the lyrics and
imagery are all John Lennon and his acid-laced mind. Lots of tape echo on the track
and a beautiful arrangement.
"Magical Mystery Tour" was mostly written by Paul, with an assist by John. Brian
Epstein had just died and the band was drifting along on its own. Paul came up with
the concept of a TV film and this song was the start of the process. The film aired
on Boxing Day, 1967 and flopped in the reviews. The album is excellent, but not
quite as excellent as the brilliant ‘Sgt. Pepper’ project.
"Only a Northern Song" was written by George Harrison, who had a penchant for
complaining about business practices in his material (see ‘Taxman’). George was not
happy with the Beatles publishing arrangements and felt he was getting ripped off.
This was his way of acknowledging the situation. The song ended up in the ‘Yellow
Submarine’ film.
"Penny Lane" was penned by Paul and is part of the brilliantly-executed double ASide single with John’s “Strawberry Fields Forever.” Both songs were concept
songs about the Beatles’ childhoods in Liverpool. George Martin often referred to
“Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever” as the greatest 45rpm single the band
ever released.
“She’s Leaving Home” may be the greatest and final song McCartney and Lennon
penned together. McCartney wrote the verses and Lennon the chorus from a Daily
Mail story about Melanie Coe, who was pregnant when she left home. McCartney
actually judged Coe a winner in a dance contest on Britain’s ‘Ready Steady Go’ TV
program three years
earlier. As a songwriter, it
boggles my mind that
these writers would be able to
tell such an engaging story
about cutting the chord at
their age. They write the
song from a third person
viewpoint, yet keep the listener involved and riveted to the story. We get the
perspective of the young girl who wants to break free of her family and we also get
the anguish of the mother and father. What a great song. George Martin was not
available to score the song when McCartney asked him, so McCartney went behind
his producer’s back and secured the services of Mike Leander. Leander did an
incredible job scoring the song and Martin conducted the orchestral section. John
and Paul sang the song together. In this writer’s opinion, “She’s Leaving Home” is
the masterpiece on their masterpiece ‘Sgt. Pepper’ album.
"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is the concept of McCartney. Paul
thought it would be freeing to The Beatles to make a concept album under another
name, thus ‘Sgt. Pepper’ was born. The album as a whole does not have an overriding
concept happening, but the textural and musical landscape of the entire project
made them even bigger than they were BEFORE the release. The song was knocked
off quickly by Paul and a reprisal version was recorded and leads into “A Day in
the Life.”
“When I’m Sixty Four” is a holdover by Paul from his batch of songs he wrote at
age 16. It has a 1930s Cabaret feel to it. Lennon alluded that the ‘Sgt. Pepper’
track was written by Paul during the Cavern Club days and was not really Lennon’s
cup of tea. We would get more of that sentiment from John in the next few years
with songs like “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” and “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.”
“With a Little Help From My Friends” was co-written by John and Paul for Ringo
to sing on the ‘Sgt. Pepper’ album. Ringo’s role in the project was Billy Shears. It
was intended and executed from the title track leading into what has become
Ringo’s signature Beatles’ song. It should be noted that Lennon was mostly
responsible for the melody of the song.
“Within You Without You” is Harrison’s MOST-noted Indian-influenced track. He
even wrote the music notation in “Indian Script” so he could have the players read
THAT music on the session. George was the only Beatle on the ‘Sgt. Pepper’ track.
“Your Mother Should Know" is strictly a Paul McCartney dance number written
for ‘Magical Mystery Tour.’ It is corny, yet catchy as were all his Beatles numbers.
1968:
"Across the Universe" is a beautiful John Lennon song that ended up a tad overproduced on the ‘Let It Be’ project by Phil Spector. The naked version ended up on
a charity compilation album in 1969. The song was actually begun in 1967 with the
TM Sanskrit Mantra “Jai Guru Deva Ohm” added later. Spector slowed the track
down and added strings and a choir to the ‘Let It Be’ version.
“Back In The U.S.S.R.” is a Paul McCartney track purposely influenced by both
Chuck Berry and the Beach Boys. McCartney said in his 1984 Playboy interview: “I
wrote that as a kind of Beach Boys parody. And "Back in the USA" was a Chuck
Berry song, so it kind of took off from there.” McCartney also played drums on the
track during Ringo’s short exile from the band.
Courtesy of Nick Goodman
“Birthday” was written strictly in the studio by Lennon & McCartney on the very
day the classic movie ‘The Girl Can’t Help It’ was first screened on British
television. Needless to say, The Beatles ran around the corner to Paul’s place to
watch the film and then went in the studio and raved it up with “Birthday,” an oft
requested ‘White Album’ track at all McCartney live shows to this day. The girl
harmonies were sung by two lucky ‘Apple Scruffs,’ (Beatle Groupies who hung
outside Abbey Road Studios all the time).
“Blackbird” is a very important ‘White Album’ McCartney song. It is McCartney’s
statement about the civil rights movement. It is also a song that most guitar
players learn how to play at some point. The song is essential to ‘The White Album’
and fits nicely with Lennon’s “Revolution I.”
"The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" was a ‘White Album’ song written by John
in India in 1968 about a guy he met there. Lennon mockingly recounted in his final
1980 Playboy interview: "‘Bungalow Bill’ was written about a guy in Maharishi's
meditation camp who took a short break to go shoot a few poor tigers, and then
came back to commune with God.” Lennon was beginning to shift in his attitudes
about violence. There are two other tracks on the record that explore his new
pacifism: “Revolution I” and “Happiness is a Warm Gun.”
“Cry Baby Cry” is another Lennon song for the ‘White Album,’ and was also started
in 1967 (like “Across The Universe”). It is loosely based on a nursery rhyme.
“Dear Prudence” was written in India by John for ‘The White Album’ about Mia
Farrow’s sister Prudence who would lock herself in her room to chant and never
socialized with the group.
"Don't Pass Me By" is a Ringo-penned song that he originally brought to the band
in 1962 when he joined. It finally saw the light of day on ‘The White Album.’
"Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey" was a vitriolic,
crazy rock n’ roll romp about the shabby treatment Yoko Ono had been getting.
The song featured all four Beatles playing together on this ‘White Album’ track.
“Glass Onion” is another ‘The White Album’ standout track by John Lennon, with
many references to ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ songs like “The Fool on the Hill,” “I
Am The Walrus” and even “Fixing a Hole” from Pepper. Lest I forget “Lady
Madonna trying to make ends meet” and “Strawberry Fields Forever.” The Beatles
had no problem poking fun at themselves and their celebrity.
“Good Night” is the closer on ‘The White Album’ and was written by John for his 5year-old son Julian. It is a lullaby sung by Ringo with no other Beatles
participation, only a George Martin score.
“Happiness is a Warm Gun” is another stellar ‘The White Album’ track written by
John Lennon. George Martin had shown Lennon a gun magazine that had the title
splashed on the front: “…I just thought it was a fantastic, insane thing to say. A
warm gun means you just shot something," Lennon told Jann Wenner in his final
Playboy interview in 1980. Lennon, formerly a tough teddy boy was becoming a
pacifist.
“Helter Skelter” merits quite a bit of ink here. There has been so much written of
this song in the modern cultural history (Charles Manson), as well as rock n’ roll
history as one of the most rocking tracks ever to make it to vinyl, ever.
I submit yet another thought. I will pose it in the form of a question.
What popular rock act do you think Paul McCartney (the sole writer) was trying to
emulate in “Helter Skelter?”
Pete Townsend thinks it was a response to “I Can See for Miles.”
McCartney has simply stated that it was a response to people complaining about his
lack of grit. I don’t agree.
I believe this track was completely influenced by McCartney’s love for The Jimi
Hendrix Experience. That was the hottest act in the business at the time and The
Beatles were huge fans. They were honored when Hendrix opened his Savile
Theatre show in June, 1967 with his version of the just-released “Sgt. Peppers
Lonely Hearts Club Band(Hendrix Version)” song. Take a long listen to “Purple
Haze” and THEN listen to “Helter Skelter.” I believe you will be amazed and will
clearly hear the influence.
“Hey Bulldog” was written by John in 1968, but didn’t appear on vinyl until the
‘Yellow Submarine’ soundtrack. It was initially left out of the film, but was
reinstated soon after.
“Hey Jude” was written by Paul for Julian Lennon, whose parents were going
through a divorce. The song clocked in at over seven minutes and was the longest
song ever to reach number one and sold well over 8 million copies as a 45rpm single.
“Honey Pie” is a ‘White Album’ track conceived and executed by Paul, with John
playing the guitar solo. The song is homage to British music halls of an era gone by.
“I Will” was written in India by Paul, like much of ‘The White Album.’ Paul played
most of the instruments on the recording and performed his own backing vocals.
“I’m So Tired” is a John Lennon’s ‘White Album’ update of “I’m Only Sleeping.”
There are references to his new relationship with Yoko and his fragility. It is said
Lennon was beginning to use heroin more frequently at this time.
“The Inner Light” is strictly a George Harrison composition, but John and Paul
sang some harmonies. It is played with Indian musicians and appeared as a B-Side
to “Lady Madonna.”
“Julia” was John’s mother, who died in 1958 when struck by a drunk driver. Lennon
performed this track solo on ‘The White Album.’ The song is filled with beautiful
poetry and even a Yoko reference “child of the sea,” a Japanese translation of
Yoko’s name. Lennon phrased it “Ocean child calls to me.” This is a beautiful and
tender love song.
“Lady Madonna” was a 1968 45rpm single written by Paul with some input from
John about a mother trying to get by with very little means at her disposal.
McCartney has acknowledged Fats Domino as a musical and stylistic influence.
Domino recorded his own version later in 1968. I still have my old single on Capitol
Records, but it was released on Apple Records in England.
“Long, Long, Long” is a fine George Harrison ‘White Album’ track. It is gorgeous,
it is vague. This could be the beginning of George’s spiritual rebirth musically. We
would hear much more in his later solo work. Many songs would be written directly
to God.
“Martha My Dear” was a ‘White Album’ track written by Paul not long after his
breakup with Jane Asher. It wouldn’t be long before Linda Eastman hit the
Beatles scene. The ‘Martha’ name comes from his sheepdog. That’s about as far as
the sheepdog’s involvement lasts in this song.
“Mother Nature’s Son” was written in India by Paul and later performed by
McCartney solo, with some arrangement aid by producer George Martin. It is said
that the song was written shortly after one of the Maharishi’s lectures.
“Not Guilty” was penned by George and discarded from ‘The White Album.’ It later
resurfaced on the Anthology in 1996 and a softer, acoustic version was recorded
on his solo 1979 release. I would have loved this song on ‘The White Album.’ I often
wonder where it would have been sequenced within the 30 songs on the album.
"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" is a Paul song the other three Beatles grew to hate.
McCartney made the band play the song over and over for months in the studio.
Lennon openly called the song “Paul’s granny shit.” The funny thing about Lennon’s
hatred of the song is that he was so tired of playing it over and over again, he went
to the piano and banged out that intro that would propel the band to quickly record
the version they ended up using.
“Piggies” was actually penned by Harrison in 1966 and re-worked for ‘The White
Album.’ “Piggies” is a reference to police and/or tyrants. Young adults used slang
terms like “pigs” and “Fuzz” when referring to police or people in authority.
Regardless, this is Harrison at his finest making social commentary and fit along
with the other ‘White Album’ tracks that would become a huge part of the human
psyche from 1968 onwards.
“Revolution I” & “Revolution” are two different versions of the John Lennon song,
the softer bluesy version was released on ‘The White Album.’ The harder-edged
rock version was the B-Side of “Hey Jude.” The song came out of the Tet
Offensive in Vietnam in early 1968. Lennon was becoming more and more vocal
about social upheaval. Remember what a big fan of Bob Dylan he was? This is
where the rubber hit the road for Lennon. He was all in at this point politically.
“Revolution 9” is mainly John & Yoko with some help from George Harrison. Using
the vast EMI tape library, the trio set about trying to get the soundtrack of what
the actual revolution would sound like.
“Rocky Raccoon” is a Paul McCartney western ditty written in England while
hanging out with Lennon and Donovan. The song fits nicely into the musical
landscape ‘The White Album’ creates for the listener.
“Savoy Truffle” was written by George for ‘The White Album’ about his pal Eric
Clapton’s chocolate addiction. This track was produced by Chris Thomas, who also
played some nifty keyboards on the track.
“Sexy Sadie” was originally called ‘Maharishi’ after Lennon became disillusioned
with the Indian guru, when Lennon and his mates realized that Maharishi wanted to
sleep with their women. Lennon later credited Smokey Robinson with some of the
lyrical inspiration delivered at the top of the song. “I’ve Been Good to You” is the
Miracles song Lennon grabbed a few lines from.
"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is one of George Harrison’s finest
accomplishments as a Beatle. The song is still played all the time throughout the
worldwide airwaves. The ‘White Album’ recording features amazing Eric Clapton
guitar work. If I were to say the term ‘Beatles 1968,’ this song comes to mind. This
song is a huge part of a lot of people’s personal soundtrack from that era. Harrison
recounted for the 2000 Beatles Anthology project: "While My Guitar Gently
Weeps" was a simple study based on that theory. I decided to write a song based
on the first thing I saw upon opening any book — as it would be relative to that
moment, at that time. I picked up a book at random, opened it, saw 'gently weeps',
then laid the book down again and started the song."
"Why Don't We Do It in the Road?" is another Paul McCartney ‘White Album’
track that was executed by his own means. He grabbed Ringo and recorded the
track without the others. This became a sticking point with John Lennon. There
was bad blood beginning to infiltrate the once tight-knit unit. Yoko was appearing
at more and more sessions. Everyone was starting to be walking on eggshells with
each other and it affected the production of the album. The bad feelings would
spill over into the ‘Get Back/Let It Be’ sessions the following January. This song
was just a microcosm of the Beatles deteriorating situation.
“Wild Honey Pie” is Paul’s very short weird response to John’s experimental
“Revolution 9.” It would have been nixed from ‘The White Album,’ except Pattie
Boyd loved it so much, it stayed the course.
"Yer Blues" was written by John Lennon and recorded by all four Beatles for ‘The
White Album’ and may be the BEST cut on the entire project featuring all of them
at once. Lennon played a fantastic version with a band that included Eric Clapton,
Keith Richards and Mitch Mitchell for The Rolling Stones TV Special: ‘Rock N’ Roll
Circus’ later that year at Christmas time. It was the first time Lennon performed
in public without The Beatles.
Chapter 6: The End 1969-70
What Goes On: 1969-70
By 1969/1970 The Beatles were on automatic pilot as recording artists. As a band,
they were not functioning as a unit. They were four war-weary grown men who had
been in “The Beatles Bubble” for nearly eight years. The nucleus of Lennon,
McCartney and Harrison had been together since 1957. They were children when
they began the journey looking for better gigs and a recording contract.
As the band’s their skills developed, their goals became even greater.
Brian Epstein deserves a lot of credit for spotting the true potential of this band
and he put his money where his mouth was and even his reputation as a businessman
was questioned in the early days before the securing on a recording contract.
The Beatles started out as a band, became a band of brothers trapped in a fame
“bubble,” not able to venture out of their hotel rooms on the road. They ate, slept
and created together. They married, started families, divorced spouses and
experienced so many ups and downs…All in the public eye.
The world’s media could never get enough print to a starving public. Other bands
came and went, but no other musical act in history (including Elvis Presley) had as
much written about them in so many languages.
The Beatles collaboration with George Martin evolved throughout the decade.
Martin was the first professional to truly recognize John Lennon and Paul
McCartney’s true potential as writers. Martin nourished and acted like a task
master when necessary and both Lennon and McCartney always wanted his approval
as he sat on that stool in the middle of Studio 2 at Abbey Road Studios.
The final bit of credit for The Beatles success should go to the four men in that
bubble.
They are the only human beings who could possibly know what it is like to
experience the magnitude of what they experienced throughout their run as the
biggest musical act.
They are still the biggest act the world has known, despite having disbanded in
1970.
1969/1970:
"The Ballad of John and Yoko" was written solely by John about his wedding
travails with Yoko. He brought the song to Paul in April, 1969 and the two of them
went into the studio alone and knocked the song off in one session. The song was
released as a single b/w George’s “Old Brown Shoe.” Both songs appeared on the
‘Hey Jude’ Apple Records release.
“Because” was written by John, after hearing his new bride playing Beethoven’s
“Moonlight Sonata” on the piano one day. Lennon decided to play the piece
backwards on the piano and continued to compose the song that appears on ‘Abbey
Road.’
“Carry That Weight” is a piece of music written by Paul expressly to fit in “The
End” medley. The meaning of the lyrics surrounds all the turmoil going on at the
disintegrating Apple Records at the time.
“Come Together” is the ‘Abbey Road’ opening track and a song John Lennon wrote
and was successfully sued by Morris Levy, who controlled Chuck Berry’s publishing.
The company sued Lennon for copyright infringement of Berry’s “You Can’t Catch
Me.” Lennon’s song was a bigger hit, but he was forced to record two of Berry’s
songs on a solo record several years later. Lennon was so incensed by the lawsuit;
he originally recorded the two Chuck Berry classics on the back of a cereal box.
The record was later properly released by Capitol Records and called ‘Rock n’ Roll.’
“Dig A Pony” from ‘Let It Be’ is John Lennon’s ode to heroin. ‘Pony’ is ‘Horse,’ which
is the slang term for heroin. “I-I-I Dig a pony, you can penetrate anything you
like….All I want is you.” Pretty cut and dry stuff for 1969. The hippies got it right
away. Remember, Lennon was deeply entrenched in heroin at the time of this song’s
inception. He would later write the equally-intriguing “Cold Turkey,” about the
withdrawal process of heroin addiction.
“Dig It” was conceived during the ‘Get Back/Let It Be’ sessions during the
jamming. It is John Lennon rattling off phrases and names: “Like the CIA, BBC, BB
King, Doris Day & Matt Busby.” The start of the 51-second ‘Let It Be’ version
begins with Lennon’s reference to “Like a Rolling Stone.” The song is credited to all
four Beatles.
“Don’t Let Me Down” is a John Lennon song released on ‘Let It Be.’ The song
comes off as an urgent statement: Paul McCartney says it was a direct message to
his new love Yoko Ono: “I'm really stepping out of line on this one. I'm really just
letting my vulnerability be seen, so you must not let me down." This song was
performed on the rooftop at Abbey Road Studios and has been covered often
throughout the years.
“The End” is all McCartney. “And in the end/The love you get/Is equal to the love
you make.” This is the kicker to the ‘Abbey Road’ medley and follows the blistering
solos and awesome teamwork the band displayed as their final act.
“For You Blue” is a George Harrison 12-bar blues little ditty that really ads
lightness to the otherwise dour ‘Let It Be’ project. Lennon has some masterful
slide work on his electric guitar. Billy Preston had a huge impact on these sessions
and lifted them up musically.
“Get Back” may be the most rocking McCartney track on ‘Let It Be.’ When they
were rehearsing the song in the weeks prior to the rooftop mini-concert,
McCartney would stare directly at Yoko every time he sang “Get back to where you
once belonged,” according to John Lennon. There was a lot of stuff going down
within the group at the time and this song probably has a lot more meaning than
the dopey story McCartney devised. There are pot references, transgender
references. No matter how you feel about the true meaning, It is still a great rock
n’ roll song and will forever played in wedding and bar bands.
“Golden Slumbers” is Paul McCartney’s ‘Abbey Road’ lullaby that begins “The
Medley.” The lyric is based on the Thomas Dekker poem “Cradle Song.” McCartney
created his own music and the song is simply beautiful and one of the finer pieces
on the entire ‘Abbey Road’ album.
“Her Majesty” almost was left off ‘Abbey Road,” but was tacked on at the end
after “The Medley.” The 23-second solo McCartney track fondly tells of the
singer’s love of the Queen of England.
“I Me Mine” (1970) is a very interesting George Harrison ‘Let it Be’ track. The
original recording for the record was a very short version that had to be re-edited.
It is actually the final recording The Beatles ever made and was recorded
WITHOUT John Lennon’s participation. He had already quit the band. There is a
fantastic scene in ‘Let It Be’ with John and Yoko dancing to this song while the
other three played it at Twickenham Film Studios. How ironic that Lennon would
end up NOT playing on the proper recording.
“Here Comes the Sun” is one of only two George Harrison tracks on ‘Abbey Road.’
There is no doubt in this writer’s mind that Harrison was writing the best material
in the band at this final stage. He was hoarding songs that would later appear on
‘All Things Must Pass.’ This song is probably the most optimistic song he wrote in
the band. When you say George Harrison “Here Comes the Sun” & “Something”
are the two most mentioned songs. It is no mistake that they are on this album and
it is also no mistake that they are the two songs that are played by other artists
from George’s catalog. The song was composed in Eric Clapton’s garden.
“I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” is a lengthy John Lennon ‘Abbey Road’ track.
Remember that 1969 was the epicenter of heavy hard rock guitar-driven and the
beginning of FM radio. This song was played to death on FM in the early years.
George had this to say: “It's very heavy. John plays lead guitar and sings the same
as he plays. It's really basically a bit like a blues. The riff that he sings and plays is
really a very basic blues-type thing. But again, it's very original sort of John-type
song.”*******
The song ends side one and clocks in at a whopping 7:44. The thousands of times I
have listened to ‘Abbey Road’ have always been marred by the fact that I can
NEVER pinpoint from memory the point the song just cuts off.
“I’ve Got A Feeling” is a mash-up of a John Lennon song and a Paul McCartney
song that were thrown together. The most interesting fact of the writing is Paul’s
original “I’ve Got A Feeling,” which is hopeful and optimistic about Linda, whom he
was about to marry against Lennon’s “Everybody Had a Hard Year,” after a rough
year of divorce, Beatle lawsuits and public scorn of his new girlfriend Yoko.
“Let It Be” is Paul McCartney’s emotional dealing in song about the passing of his
mother Mary McCartney when he was a teenager. This song can be considered the
one true hymn the band produced. The poetry is solid and the images are clear and
even morose. McCartney has made references throughout the years that the song
came to him in a dream during the turbulent times of the band. “Mother Mary” was
telling him to “Let it be, let it be.”
“The Long and Winding Road” is another McCartney ‘Let It Be’ production that
was later given to Phil Spector. Needless to say Paul would have NEVER consented
to a choir and loud strings on the track. McCartney raised a stink about the
production. John Lennon always thought Spector SAVED the project. These are
the types of fissures that tore this band apart in the end.
“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is a McCartney ‘Abbey Road’ song. It was one of those
productions along the ‘Granny Song’ mold of “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” “Honey Pie”
and “Your Mother Should Know” that John Lennon was forever criticizing. George
Harrison used to call this one of those songs you “really like” or “really hate.”
“Mean Mr. Mustard” is one of those songs Lennon wrote in India that finally found
a home in “The Medley” on Abbey Road. It is linked to “Sun King.” These songs,
along with Lennon’s “Polythene Pam” may have only been song fragments, but are
equally as important to “The Medley” as any of Paul’s contributions. George
Harrison has noted “Sun King” was musically influenced by Fleetwood Mac’s
“Albatross,” which was a current hit in England in 1969.
"Octopus's Garden" is credited to Ringo, but you really must give extra credit to
George Harrison, who we all can see helping Ringo write the song during the filming
of ‘Let it Be.’ The song was recorded properly for the ‘Abbey Road’ side one and is
still a staple of Ringo’s live act. The song was primarily written by Ringo on Peter
Sellers’ yacht.
“Oh Darling” was one of John Lennon’s favorite McCartney compositions. George
Harrison also praised this song throughout the years. The soulful, yet vocal-chord
searing version that made it on to ‘Abbey Road’ truly is McCartney’s side one
highlight to compliment Lennon’s “Come Together.” These two songs on this record
solidified The Beatles rock n’ roll reputation in an era when rock music was heavier.
“Old Brown Shoe” was one of the more non-descript George Harrison compositions
that didn’t make the cut on ‘Abbey Road’ or ‘Let It Be.’ It was released as the BSide of “The Ballad of John and Yoko” on Apple Records.
“One After 909” is a leftover from the very early years. There is a 1963 version
that surfaced on bootlegs and ‘The Anthology.’ The ‘Let It Be’ version is a scorcher
and was delivered on the rooftop with all the fervor the quartet could muster. This
was also one of those early songs both Lennon & McCartney wrote together.
“She Came in Through the Bathroom Window” was a McCartney song placed in
the medley, based on a true story. McCartney forever had to deal with girls
standing outside his home and sometimes sneaking into his residence. Joe Cocker
had a nice hit of his own with this song. This song, along with the Lennon tracks in
“The Medley” really created a landscape and feeling of this band working together
to wind down their recording career.
“Something” merits a bit of space here. George Harrison had been fighting for the
past few years to get more space on Beatles records to little avail. Lennon &
McCartney were entrenched in their positions in the band and Harrison ended up
hoarding material for his inevitable solo career.
Lennon & McCartney loved this song and it was likely the impetus for there even to
be an ‘Abbey Road’ record. I believe The Beatles were going to break up right
after the terrible ‘Get Back/Let it Be’ sessions and that climactic rooftop concert.
Harrison had actually written most of “Something” right at the end of ‘The White
Album.’
George Martin has told the story of Paul ringing him up saying that the band
wanted to make one more record with Martin “producing it like the old days.” It
seems logical to me that John and Paul realized they could (along with “Something”
already in the bank) get it together one more time to cement their legacy.
To me, “Something” is the cornerstone of ‘Abbey Road.’ It is simply George
Harrison’s finest song as a writer. It has been covered more than 150 times,
second only to “Yesterday” among Beatles covers.
One last note: Harrison acknowledges Ray Charles as his inspiration musically for
the track. That totally makes sense upon another listening.
“Two of Us” is seen throughout the film ‘Let It Be’ in various stages of
development. It is a Paul song, but the teamwork between him and John were
evident throughout the film. One really gets the sense of the friendship and
brotherhood these two guys shared.
“You Never Give Me Your Money” was Paul McCartney complaining about Allen
Klein, the man the other three Beatles chose to manage their financial affairs
after Brian’s death. Paul wanted his new in-laws the Eastman’s to get that gig. It
turned into a nightmare and a bunch of lawsuits. It amazes me The Beatles could
get this album (‘Abbey Road’) together with all the legal squabbles going on at the
time.
“You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)” (1970) could best be described as a
farcical work in progress comedy track. Here is how John Lennon described its
origins: That was a piece of unfinished music that I turned into a comedy record
with Paul. I was waiting for him in his house, and I saw the phone book was on the
piano with 'You know the name, look up the number.' That was like a logo, and I just
changed it.”***
The song was recorded over many sessions over several years.
McCartney told Mark Lewisohn: “It's so insane. All the memories ... I mean, what
would you do if a guy like John Lennon turned up at the studio and said, 'I've got a
new song'. I said, 'What's the words?' and he replied 'You know my name look up
the number'. I asked, 'What's the rest of it?' 'No, no other words, those are the
words. And I want to do it like a mantra.”**
Brian Jones played saxophone on the track at some point. All four Beatles took on
singing personalities.
The song was released as the B-Side of the “Let It Be” single in 1970 on Apple
Records.
Chapter 7: Why I Love Ringo’s Drumming
Richard Starkey (aka Ringo Starr) was born July 7, 1940 in Liverpool. He is the
oldest Beatle in age and also the first drummer in my consciousness, therefore my
all-time favorite stickman.
I will not try to convince you that he is the "BEST" rock n roll drummer of all time,
but I will give you the reasons he is my favorite.
Ringo was not the first Beatles drummer, but he solidified a unit that needed a
rock solid timekeeper. Along with Paul McCartney on bass, the world opened up for
The Beatles once he joined the Fab Four.
From ‘‘Please Please Me’' in 1963 through "Get Back" in 1970 the studio tracks
excelled with Starr's drumming. It is a major part of the sound they created. The
landscape of rock n' roll would not be the same without Starr and The Beatles.
It has been said that The Beatles had a history of not always playing in perfect
timing and Ringo was criticized for not being flashy like Keith Moon of The Who
was. Others have said that Starr was a beneficiary of luck. I strongly disagree
about the luck factor. The Beatles were lucky that Starr was available when they
needed to make the change from a shaky Pete Best. Producer George Martin was
adamant that Best would not be used on their recordings. Manager Brian Epstein
saw the writing on the wall with the chemistry of Lennon, McCartney & Harrison
with the moody Pete Best and oft-times Best was not "with the program."
Ringo had played with the band when Best was not available and fit in personalitywise with the other three.
Ringo started off with a bang with great signature drumming for songs like "She
Loves You," a song in which his great drum roll intro blasts the song into our
psyches forever.
How about Ringo’s great off-time drumming on "Ticket to Ride?" I had never
heard such interesting drumming approaches before. Maybe Gene Krupa comes to
mind in the Big Band genre. His drumming on Lennon’s "Rain" is spectacular.
Have you ever heard as ambitious drumming in rock BEFORE that track? I certainly
don't remember recordings BEFORE that 1966 recording with as interesting time
signature drumming. The other side of that single "Paperback Writer" is just as
interesting and adept.
The stick work on the entire ‘Sgt. Pepper’ project is stellar and signature to Starr.
I know Paul McCartney played drums on several tracks like “Dear Prudence”
&"Back In The U.S.S.R.," but how about Ringo's drumming on " Why Don't We
Do It in the Road?" and "Helter Skelter" on the ‘White Album.’ How rock solid is
Ringo on "Yer Blues" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps?"
Abbey Road is the final Beatles record and I am more than fond of Ringo's work on
tracks like "Come Together," "I Want You (She’s So Heavy)," "Something" and
the entire medley.
Ringo never considered himself an individual player, but his fine solo to begin that
final "The End" part of the medley is simply awesome and over the years Starr has
been very proud of that solo. He always disdained drum solos, but his mates
insisted and it is simply excellent.
I was 5-years-old when I received ‘Rubber Soul’ in December 1965. It would change
my life forever and Ringo is one quarter of the reason, but I along with most of the
world really fell in love with his persona in the ‘A Hard Days Night’ film. Whether
you love Ringo or just appreciate The Beatles, it is always a good idea to celebrate
his artistry as The Beatles fine drummer whenever possible.
Chapter 8: George Really Wasn’t That Quiet
George Harrison was always referred to as “The Quiet Beatle.” He was the
youngest Beatle. He was the least outgoing in the context of his three extroverted
mates. George also was quite a ladies man, according to Paul McCartney.
Harrison married a model, soaked up middle-eastern culture and had a miserly
approach when it came to his finances.
The world will likely never know who the real George Harrison was, because he was
a lot of different things to different people.
One thing cannot be denied. He was a trailblazer as a lead guitarist not for being
flashy, but more for being a song-oriented adaptable player. I give George loads of
credit for taking instruction and making the most of his opportunities to put his
stamp on every track The Beatles recorded with his participation. Harrison did
NOT overplay, he adapted and gave in to his senior partner’s wishes. There were
times George Martin would go to the piano and pick out a solo for a certain early
song. Paul and John had no problem voicing their desires for a given part or solo.
We must give George credit for sucking it up and then always shining when it was
his turn to play.
Take another listen to his guitar work along with Paul McCartney on John Lennon’s
“And Your Bird Can Sing.” That was an uncredited dual solo. George performed
brilliantly always doing what he was asked to do for a great part of the run of the
band.
We all know (because it was on film) that it came to a head during the filming of
‘Let It Be’ when he and his best friend Paul had an argument on what Paul wanted
George to play on a song they were rehearsing. In the film George says “If you
want me to play, I’ll play. If you don’t want me to play, I won’t play.” This fracture
had been building up for a long time. George went home from that session and
wrote the song “Wah-Wah,” a song that would show up on ‘All Things Must Pass’ in
1970.
Don’t forget that George was writing songs like “Here Comes the Sun” and
“Something,” as well as shunned material like “All Things Must Pass” and “Isn’t It
a Pity.” He was still being bossed around by McCartney, who was still dictating
what George was to play on songs like “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.”
It is hard to question Harrison’s equality with a song like “Something,” even though
he willingly and knowingly lifted the first line of a James Taylor song released on
Harrison’s own Apple Record label. Taylor has never publicly chided the use of that
line, but was rather honored to have a Beatle thing enough of his song to do it in
the first place.
George Harrison produced acts with little fanfare like Jackie Lomax. George was
considering giving Lomax “Something” to record and NOT The Beatles. Think about
that. What turned out to be his finest songwriting achievement might not have
been recorded by Harrison’s own band.
It was thanks to his band mates John Lennon and Paul McCartney that The
Beatles (armed with “Something”) decided to get their act together one last time
to write and record that ‘Abbey Road’ record. Remember, “Something” was written
right at the end of ‘The White Album’ when THAT record was already sequenced.
Harrison was mulling the destination of the song during the filming and recording
of the project that would become ‘Let It Be.’
I contend Harrison was just as vocal as the other three guys and also
remember…If Harrison hadn’t cracked that joke about not liking George Martin’s
“tie for a starter” that day in 1962 at Abbey Road when The Beatles were
auditioning for Martin and his Parlophone Records label, The Beatles may have
never signed with George Martin.
George Harrison was just as important to the success of The Beatles as anyone
and that fact should never be forgotten.
Chapter 9: How I Met Paul McCartney
Photo courtesy of Nick Goodman
I knew I wanted to be a rock and roll guy from a very early age. I got my first
Beatles album for Christmas when I was five years old…’Rubber Soul.’ Yes…I
said five-years-old. That was December, 1965.
My mom would hold up my ‘Beatles Complete’ songbook when I was 8-9-10 years
old. I would learn songs like “Blackbird.” My mom passed away just a few years
later when I was 12. My dad remarried, but I always had my Beatles to hold on
to and I loved Paul’s songs: “Mother Nature’s Son,” “And I Love Her,” “Michelle”
and “Oh Darling.” I loved John Lennon also, but Paul was my favorite when I was
a kid.
When I was 13 years old, I remember watching the Academy Awards because
McCartney was up for Best Song with “Live and Let Die.” He didn’t win that
year. “The Way We Were” beat McCartney out. This was 1974. I was a few
weeks away from my 14th birthday and The Beatles had been split up for three
years.
My pal Stewart and I were both huge Beatles fans and we cooked up this idea
to meet the man at the Beverly Hills Hotel. We were in 8th grade and it was
literally a 10-minute walk from the playground to the hotel. We KNEW he was
there. It was just a matter of getting his room number and then….
Okay. I know you are thinking to yourselves. Come on. You didn’t actually find
out his room number and meet the guy???
I can’t remember how we got the room number, but we did some sleuthing and
got the number. It may have been a distract-and-peek job with the hotel
manager.
Stewart and I snuck up to the room and knocked on the door. We were VERY
nervous. The door opened and it was the maid.
“Is Paul there?” Stewart asked.
“Who?” The maid was playing coy with us. We KNEW that was the room. We
couldn’t camp out there. We were sure to get busted by hotel management.
Draats….
We were determined. We were young and we did not know any better.
Next stop was the Polo Lounge, the infamous bar at the Beverly Hills Hotel. We
were four years underage to get seated. I believe I took a quick spin around the
room to see if McCartney was in there and Stewart went to the restaurant for
a quick peek.
No luck there. This was around 45-minutes into our little adventure and we
were tiring and wondering when we would finally get booted by the hotel staff.
We decided to give up when Stewart had one last idea…THE POOL.
We ran to the pool area and there they were: Paul, Linda and Heather
sunbathing at the world famous Beverly Hills Hotel Pool.
We approached the family.
1973
“Hi boys,” Paul said.
“Sorry about “Live and Let Die” out of breath, I said.
I mentioned to him I watched the Oscars ONLY to see him win. He shrugged his
shoulders and said something trivial about ‘getting em’ next time. I then told
him about a song I heard at Christmas time called “Band on the Run.”
Paul told us to keep our eyes and ears open as it was about to be released.
Stewart and I exchanged pleasantries for a few more moments with our
favorite Beatle and then I did something that I had never done before or
since…I asked him for his autograph. He signed little slips of paper for Stewart
and myself and then I went to shake his hand.
Paul McCartney Autograph
He was sitting on a pool lounge chair. I put out my right hand FORGETTING he
was left handed and he awkwardly turned his left hand upside down and shook
my hand.
We ran home with our prized autographs after a most adventurous afternoon.
That is how I met Paul McCartney when I was 13 years old.
Chapter 11: John Lennon: The Chameleon
He was known as the “Witty’ Beatle.” He wrote poetry. He was known as a tough
brawler with a bad temper. He wrote lyrics about it with his writing partner Paul
McCartney:
“I used to be cruel to my woman/I beat her and kept her from things that she
loved/Man I was mean/But I’m changing my scene/I’m doing the best that I can.”
(“Getting Better,” 1967 Lennon/McCartney)
Change!
That is a very important concept when trying to understand just who John Lennon
was.
He certainly changed artistically and socially throughout the eight-year
international run of The Beatles.
Lennon married his girlfriend Cynthia Twist after she became pregnant with Julian
in 1963. Lennon was open about the fact that he openly dated and had liaisons with
women throughout that marriage. He left Cynthia for Yoko Ono in 1968.
He allowed Yoko’s influence to infiltrate the sacred Beatles circle by not only
bringing her to Beatles recording sessions, but openly asking her opinion on those
sessions. During ‘The White Album,’ Ono was wheeled into the studio after a
miscarriage and was never to not be seen sitting by Lennon’s side during the last
two years of the band.
We can try to go into a psychological study of Yoko replacing Paul as an artistic
partner, but that is truly unnecessary. The facts speak for themselves. Yoko DID
insert herself as not only a fifth Beatle, but a cozy excuse for the others to blame
HER.
John Lennon allowed this to happen. John Lennon intended for this to happen. This
was HIS way of gradually withdrawing from his brothers when the going got tough.
When exactly did the going get that tough?
The day Brian Epstein died.
Brian was the glue that held the machine together. He may not have been the
savviest businessman on the planet, but he did give the perception that he had his
act together. The Beatles WERE the biggest act in the world, whether they
toured or just recorded albums.
The media always covered them. No one seemed to ever tire of The Beatles and
Brian Epstein was a master at that part of the equation. He knew how to work the
press. Epstein had a strong little organization and hired great people like Press
Secretary Derek Taylor and longtime Beatles Personal Assistant Neil Aspinall to
oversee many business activities and later head Apple. Epstein hired then-teenage
secretary Freda Kelly to be his secretary. Kelly ended up serving as The Beatles
secretary and ran their fan club until well after the band broke up.
John Lennon made it known that they were in trouble when Brian died. The old
organization began to crumble and Lennon deferred to Paul on most Beatle matters
and began to emotionally detach.
Enter Yoko. She was a new and exciting artist in her own right and Lennon was
smitten.
Once again, Lennon began to change. He changed appearance to even LOOK more
like his lover. He no longer bathed all the time. He became very thin as he was in
the grasp of heroin addiction.
Lennon had gone from art school Teddy Boy-to-cuddly ambitious mop top-tounshaven hippy within eight short years.
While the other Beatles morphed throughout the same time period in style, none
of them had as dramatic personality changes going on like John Lennon.
Lennon’s music changed along the same lines from Chuck Berry-to-pop-topsychedelic-back to rock n’ roll in those same eight years.
Lennon’s message seemed to change as well. He wrote about boy-girl stuff-thenDylan-styled introversion-to-LSD-laced songs-to-overtly political and social
commentary.
John Lennon was my favorite chameleon.
Chapter 11: Let’s Go a Little Deeper
The Beatles had a brief eight-year recording career in which their songs
transformed popular music. I don't need to go through the statistics of all their
Billboard chart success and record sales. That would be meaningless in today's pop
music culture.
I want to focus on subjective creative analysis of just a few songs by The Beatles.
Let's start with "Eleanor Rigby," a 1966 Lennon-McCartney composition from
Revolver about a lonely spinster.
George Harrison made an uncredited contribution in his one line in the song: "Aw,
look at all the lonely people." Needless to say, that line sums up the brilliant
McCartney lyric about the main character and Harrison, ever the team player
barely gets a mention for his contribution.
"Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been/
Lives in a dream/Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by
the door/Who is it for?"
The song goes on to bring in Father McKenzie, who also resides at the same
church:
"Father Mckenzie writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear/No one comes
near/Look at him working, darning his socks in the night when there's nobody
there/What does he care?"
McCartney was only 23-years-old when he wrote that lyric for “Eleanor Rigby.”
Never mind that The Beatles sang and performed this song immaculately, this is a
heady lyric for such young writers. Lennon and McCartney worked so well with each
other as editors and collaborators and knew how to make each song better.
The song is tied up brilliantly at the end, but should be noted that Lennon did NOT
want to bring Rigby and McKenzie together:
"Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her name/
Nobody came/Father Mckenzie wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the
grave/No one was saved."
McCartney decided to bring the two together in death, as Father McKenzie is the
only one at the gravesite.
Bob Dylan is the ONLY other artist in this age range at that time to deliver this
quality. While The Beatles started off with tribal dance music like "I Want To
Hold Your Hand" and “Please Please Me," they moved on to "Yesterday" and
"She's Leaving Home." Dylan and The Beatles were the leaders and others soon
followed their lead.
John Lennon was no stranger to strong personal messaging. Let’s take a look at
“Nowhere Man.” I would submit that this lyric is as introspective and meaningful as
anyone other than Dylan in pop music at the time:
“He’s a real nowhere man/Living in his nowhere land/Making all his nowhere plans for
nobody”
This is really great messaging. Lennon was trapped by his own fame and very
vulnerable. He had already written the song “Help!” and this song was an extension.
Lennon also penned “In My Life” for that same ‘Rubber Soul’ album. Rarely had the
public seen such introspection by a pop star. Think about what music was happening
at the time. There was nothing like these two songs by pop bands.
It certainly opened the door for other writers to expand their emotional
resources. Writers like Brian Wilson really started to go deeper after that
‘Rubber Soul’ record was released.
Lennon wrote biting and inner soul-searching songs like "I’m a Loser," "In My
Life," "Nowhere Man" and "Revolution." Those songs all have important messages
and were hailed by fans and critics at the time as major contributions.
George Harrison penned "Taxman," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," "Here
Comes the Sun" and Frank Sinatra's "Favorite" Lennon & McCartney song
"Something."
Harrison's "Something" has been covered by Frank Sinatra and MANY other
artists worldwide for more than 43 years.
Paul McCartney's "song Yesterday" is one of the most recorded songs in history
with “Something” right on its heels as the 2nd-most covered Beatles song.
Paul McCartney has said that “Yesterday” came to him when he was sleeping one
night in his room at the house of the Asher’s (Jane Asher’s parents). Paul said he
got out of bed and went to the piano and the music was there. He sang the phrase
“Scrambled Eggs,” which later became “Yesterday.”
I submit to you that this lyric is actually a bit deeper than I first thought. I used
to think it was trite. NOW after a bit of research, I believe I have found that
deeper meaning.
McCartney’s mother Mary died when he was 14-years-old. This event happened just
months before he would meet John Lennon, who lost his mother soon after meeting
Paul. McCartney and Lennon had this common thread and sadness in their core.
“Yesterday/All my troubles seemed so far away/Now I need a place to hide away/Oh
I believe in yesterday.”
Those lines really take on a lot more punch with this added context.
Producer George Martin was able to tap into the intimacy of the message and
musically really nailed the arrangement with that string quartet.
Martin helped bring The Beatles from tribal dance music into the art form it
would become with his guiding hand in their musical development.
Most popular music that has been recorded SINCE The Beatles arrived has in
some way been influenced by their music, recording techniques and style.
Chapter 12: Deeper into ‘Abbey Road’ Record
“‘Let It Be’ was a miserable experience and I never thought we would get back
together again. So I was very surprised when Paul rang me up and said ‘We want to
make another record. Will you produce it for us, really produce it.’ I said ‘Yes, if
I’m really allowed to produce it. If I have to go in and accept a lot of instructions I
don’t like, I won’t do it.” (George Martin, from Mark Lewisohn’s ‘Beatles Recording
Sessions’ book)
Me, being the complete Beatles fanatic I was from age five, REALLY love their
final recorded album ‘Abbey Road.’ I continue to get emotional to this day when I
hear the medley, just as I did in 1969 when it was first released and I would listen
to it night and day.
Of course, no one outside the inner Beatles circle knew for sure that this would be
their last hurrah. I suppose ‘Beatles Nation’ thought it would go on forever. The
band itself KNEW this was “The End.” It was inevitable with the legal squabbles,
Yoko Ono, Linda McCartney, Allen Klein and the failing Apple Enterprises tugging
them four different ways.
For these men, the fishbowl they had been living in for 8 years never hurt their
creativity and songwriting mastery. They kept competing for space on the records
right to the end.
‘Abbey Road’ was the 1st rock record to feature Moog synthesizer.
George Martin had to walk on eggshells the last three years as this band had really
come into its own in production and vision since the ‘Sgt. Pepper’ project in 1967.
They had all written, played or produced material for other people’s projects. They
were not the lovable mop tops anymore.
When the record started just weeks after the ‘Let It Be’ project had mercifully
ended, the band had one last collection of songs and some odds and ends they
wrote in India during the Maharishi experience.
I want to briefly discuss Side One. There are some amazing songs on this first
side. John Lennon’s song “Come Together,” starts the record off and it is sexy and
rockin’. Lennon would later be sued by Chuck Berry for plagiarism (Berry’s song
”You Can’t Catch Me” is very similar. Chuck Berry would later win the lawsuit). I
like Lennon’s song more. Berry was added on the copyright as a writer.
George Harrison’s song “Something” is simply my favorite later Beatles song.
Harrison had been developing in Lennon/McCartney’s shadow and would simply blow
his bandmates out of the water the next year with his first solo effort: ‘All Things
Must Pass.’
Paul McCartney’s song “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is schlocky and typical of his
most corny works like “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” etc.
Paul followed that song with one of his finest later Beatles tracks “Oh Darling.”
McCartney wrote this song during the ‘Let It Be’ sessions and can be seen in that
film rehearsing it. What I truly love about this song is the fact that he came into
the studio EVERY day early and sang himself hoarse just to get the effect on his
voice. It worked. It is brilliant and amazing craft and execution.
Ringo’s “Octopus’s Garden” is another song that can be glimpsed during the ‘Let It
Be’ film with George. The two of them collaborated on the song, but George
Harrison is not credited. Ringo wrote most of the song on Peter Seller’s yacht in
1968.
Harrison was a major contributor to Ringo’s song “Octopus’s Garden.”
Lennon’s “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)was recorded on the same day that the
album cover was shot of the four men walking across the street in front of the
Abbey Road studio. The track is highlighted by many guitars and some shrieking
harmonies by John, Paul and George.
Beatles get ready for ‘Abbey Road’ cover
shoot, which took all of 10 minutes.
Side Two:
“Here Comes the Sun” is stunningly beautiful and sets the tone for what was going
to be a masterfully-recorded side of a record that goes down in rock history as
meaningful and put together. Harrison wrote the song in Eric Clapton’s garden.
Lennon’s Beethoven-inspired “Because” is, in my opinion, his best later Beatles
track. It has tripled-tracked Lennon-McCartney-Harrison harmonies. This song
comes right before the medley and is beautifully poetic. This song predates
“Imagine,” but it can be argued that “Because” set Lennon on a course to write
that fine (“Imagine”) song just three years later.
Okay. Let’s move on to the 16-minute masterpiece known as ‘The Medley.’
“You Never Give Me Your Money” is McCartney at his best as a balladeer and
sometimes satirist. While these songs don’t particularly tie in to each other
lyrically, they make it work. This track has a bite to it much like Lennon’s
Maharishi-hating “Sexy Sadie” (from the White Album). McCartney HATED Allen
Klein, their manager at the time. He thought the band was getting screwed and he
wrote that song as a direct message to Klein. The second part of the song is a
boogie-woogie lament about what it is like to struggle in England:
“Out of college, money spent/See no future, pay no rent
All the money’s gone, nowhere to go/Any jobber got the sack
Monday morning, turning back/Yellow lorry slow, nowhere to go
But oh, that magic feeling, nowhere to go”
It is one of McCartney’s finest social statements, along the lines of “Eleanor
Rigby” and “She’s Leaving Home.” McCartney has never really been given his due as
a socially-conscious writer, but I would argue that these songs rank highly with
Lennon’s “Nowhere Man” and “Revolution” in this category.
John contributed “Sun King,” which has nonsensical spanglishly language thrown in.
It sounds great and belongs musically. The “Medley” would be lacking (in my opinion)
without “Sun King.”
“Mean Mr. Mustard” & ” Polythene Pam” were both Lennon throwaways he wrote
in India. They fit beautifully as they pick up the pace. I do not take Lennon’s
contributions lightly in this constructed 16-minute medley. These are just fun
songs that round out the sonic background.
“She Came in Through the Bathroom Window” is autobiographically true as a fan
did enter through McCartney’s bathroom window and Paul wrote the story she told
him as lyrics. This was a common practice Lennon and McCartney used in those
days. TV commercials, newspaper articles, real life were all fodder for songs.
“Golden Slumbers” is beautifully crafted from borrowed lyrics from 17th-century
poet Thomas Dekkor. It is a nursery rhyme set to new McCartney music. It goes
into “Carry That Weight,” which is a warning to his mates and inner circle that
they will ALL have to carry that weight…’A long time.’
“The End” Medley is the track that always gets me misty when I hear it.
The track is beautifully constructed by The Beatles and George Martin. They are
all working together and even Ringo plays a drum solo, which is the MOST famous
drum solo in recorded rock history. Lennon, McCartney and George Harrison each
contributed guitar solos. This is one hell of a way to end the Beatles. It is both
exhilarating and sad in a bittersweet way. I love the medley and the entire ‘Abbey
Road’ record as a testament to pop and rock history.
It is a piece of history that is capped off by Paul’s 23-second song “Her Majesty.”
Of course Paul gets the last word, but it is a good little piece of music about his
love for the Queen.
Chapter 13: ‘Let It Be… Naked’ A Lost Classic
The Beatles recording career ended officially in January, 1970 when Paul, George
and Ringo went into the studio to record “I Me Mine,” which was the final piece of
the ‘Let It Be’ puzzle. Or was it?
The three of them would reunite in 1995 to record “Free as a Bird” and “Real
Love,” two unfinished John Lennon tracks which were technologically recreated
with Producer Jeff Lynne. The three surviving Beatles played to Lennon’s tracks
and two new Beatle songs were added to the legend. I chose NOT to use those
tracks, because they were actually recorded after the demise of the original band
and I am a stickler. They are worth a mention here because they were included
with new videos on The Anthology.
‘Let It Be…Naked’ is a much different situation because it IS released Beatles
material that Paul McCartney went in to the studio (with George Harrison’s
blessing before he died) to finish what McCartney always felt was unfinished
business.
The CD was released in 2003, two years after Harrison’s death.
This release is worth some detailed analysis; mostly because Phil Spector’s
overproduction of George Martin’s original tapes ate away at McCartney for years.
Let’s remember, at the time McCartney was the driving force in the band. ‘Let It
Be’ was considered somewhat of a flawed coda to their career. The LP was released
AFTER ‘Abbey Road.’
McCartney had harbored resentment for many years at his former bandmates, Phil
Spector and especially Allen Klein, who had to make a decision contractually and
financially about those ‘Get Back’ sessions.
Allen Klein handed the project over to Phil Spector. At the time, Harrison, Lennon
and Ringo trusted their new manager. McCartney was pissed and even vented at
Klein in a letter in the spring of 1970:
14th April, 1970.
A. Klein, Esq.,
Apple Corps Limited,
3 Savile Row,
LONDON, W.1.
Dear Sir,
In future no one will be allowed to add to or subtract from a recording of one of my songs without my permission.
I had considered orchestrating “The Long and Winding Road” but I decided against it. I therefore want it altered to
these specifications:1. Strings, horns, voices and all added noises to be reduced in volume.
2. Vocal and Beatle instrumentation to be brought up in volume.
3. Harp to be removed completely at the end of the song and original piano notes to be substituted.
4. Don't ever do it again.
Signed
PAUL MCCARTNEY
c.c. Phil Spector
John Eastman
So you can understand why McCartney would feel that the ‘Let It Be’ album must
have felt like a stain on The Beatles legacy.
Paul went into the studio and reconstructed the tapes without any strings or
choirs. He even used the modern technology to pitch correct John’s voice in “I Dig
a Pony” on the word “Because” in the second chorus.
The songs have already been discussed in this eBook, this is more a chance to
discuss a point that hasn’t been discussed enough about this project. The Beatles
were still a great band, making great music.
These tracks explode on ‘Let It Be…Naked.’
The Beatles would have absolutely killed it in a great way live in 1969. Under
different circumstances, this band would have thrived on the road playing this
material at the same time Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, The Doors and
Janis Joplin WERE thriving. The Beatles would have been leading even THAT pack.
Rock n’ roll had not passed them by. Think about “Ive Got a Feeling,” “Don’t Let
Me Down,” “Get Back,” “Something” (which was written at that time) and the
material from the just-released ‘White Album’ in stadiums and arenas with better
sound and monitors that didn’t exist in 1966.
The band would have played this material to RESPECTFUL audiences and not
screaming teenage girls.
If the other three Beatles had followed McCartney’s intentions to play this
material live, I truly believe they would have gone on for a few more years.
The band on ‘Let It Be…Naked’ was exciting and relevant. The tracks Phil Spector
thought he was salvaging were not delivered back to the band and the label with
the “RAW” intentions they were created under. Spector created HIS vision for
“The Long and Winding Road,” “Across the Universe” and “Let It Be.” Those are
the three songs most in question.
I will say McCartney did a great job on ‘Naked’ picking takes and editing versions
that made sense to him, the creator and proper curator of the material. Paul
remained faithful to George Martin’s production.
“Across The Universe” was returned to the proper speed and key Lennon recorded
the song in 1968. It was stripped back down to his wonderful guitar and amazing
vocal. The song is truly a masterpiece and very emotionally mixed and captured
with a lot of love from his old mate Paul.
“Get Back,” “Dig a Pony,” “I Me Mine” and “One After 909” absolutely sparkle
on this release. “Don’t Let Me Down” is edited perfectly from two different
rooftop versions. There is a cohesiveness to ‘Let It Be…Naked’ and is well worth
several repeated listening’s.
Chapter 14 The Beatles UK Albums Versus US Releases
This is a subject near and dear to my heart. In the early 1970’s I traded my U.S.
Capitol Records version of ‘Rubber Soul’ for a Parlophone Records UK version. I
have regretted that decision since that day in 1973.
Later on I and millions of people were able to get the CD version, which sounded
pristine and lacking the warmth of vinyl.
As a longtime musician and Beatles Historian, I need to point out a major
difference between the Beatles releases in America and Great Britain separate
from the song selection which differed greatly on many of these albums.
They sounded different. The mastering engineers in Los Angeles used “Plate
Reverb” on those early records. This was a common practice in the 1960’s by
recording companies and the engineers, who were tasked with making the final
versions of the LPs and singles that were released.
Just listen to the version of “It Won’t Be Long” on the British ‘With the Beatles’
and the same song on the American counterpart ‘Meet the Beatles.’ The U.S.
version sounds louder, bristling with treble. No wonder George Martin and The
Beatles were perturbed by the mere sound of these recordings.
Here is the difference is the running order between the two versions
Side One:
It Won’t Be Long
All I’ve Got To Do
All My Loving
Don’t Bother Me
Little Child
Till There Was You
Please Mr. Postman
Side Two:
Roll Over Beethoven
Hold Me Tight
You Really Got a Hold On Me
I Wanna Be Your Man
Devil In Her Heart
Not a Second Time
Money
Side One:
I Want To Hold Your Hand
I saw Her Standing There
This Boy
It Won’t Be Long
All I’ve Got To Do
All My Loving
Side Two:
Don’t Bother Me
Little Child
Till There Was You
Hold Me Tight
I Wanna Be Your Man
Not a Second Time
On the British version, the public gets many more cover songs that would show up
on ‘The Beatles’ 2nd Album’ and “I Want To Hold Your Hand” was only released as a
single in the United Kingdom in late 1963. It is important to understand that it was
all about singles in 1963-through-1966. Parlophone and Capitol Records both
insisted that the band provide them with radio-ready singles. Both labels looked at
albums as a “Collection of B-sides” in those years.
In America, Capitol Records rush-released their ‘Meet the Beatles’ LP FOCUSING
on “I Want to Hold Your Hand” on that LP. The song had launched the band in the
United States and they wanted to make sure that record sold as many copies as
possible.
In the United Kingdom throughout The Beatles’ run, Parlophone would release Eps
(Extended Play singles) with four songs, often a SINGLE with three other strong
songs. These were huge sellers in the UK.
America relied on 45 rpm singles and later double A-side singles like “Strawberry
Fields/Penny Lane,” which was the huge single the band rushed out to buy them
time to make “Sgt. Pepper” in the spring of 1967.
‘Revolver’ was an album that suffered the loss of three John Lennon tracks in
America. Those songs would appear on ‘Yesterday and Today.’ A lot of these
omissions were due to contractual commitments The Beatles had to America to
deliver albums in a timely manner.
Capitol release
Parlophone release
Side One:
Side One:
Taxman
Eleanore Rigby
I’m Only Sleeping
Love To You
here, There and Everywhere
Yellow Submarine
She Said, She Said
Taxman
Eleanore Rigby
Love To You
Here, There and Everywhere
Yellow Submarine
She Said, She Said
Side Two:
Side Two:
Good Day Sunshine
And Your Bird Can Sing
For No One
Doctor Robert
I Want To Tell You
Got To Get You Into My Life
Tomorrow Never Knows
Good Day Sunshine
For No One
I Want To Tell You
Got To Get You Into My Life
Tomorrow Never Knows
It was after ‘Revolver’ that it all changed for The Beatles and the recording
industry. The band was not able to reproduce the quality of ‘Rubber Soul’ and
‘Revolver’ live on stage and they made a decision to start using the recording studio
as their main outlet for their growing creativity.
The band never formerly announced that they would never tour again, but within
their organization had decided that the studio was their new home. This move was
made at first to appease George Harrison, who threatened to quit The Beatles
unless they “Stopped Touring.” Once that was decided, it would be Paul McCartney
who came up with the concept for “Sgt. Pepper” being a band, thereby liberating
The Beatles from being The Beatles.
It is a magical album in that it pretty much runs from start-to-finish without
breaks between the songs. There were no singles released. “Sgt. Pepper” is one long
single.
The final point I want to make is The Beatles and George Martin insisting to
Capitol Records that they release the exact same versions (mono & stereo) in
America that Parlophone released in June, 1967. This would be the new normal for
the rest of their career, with the exception of Capitol/Apple releasing the ‘Hey
Jude’ LP at the end of the band’s run to do a little clean-up on songs that were
never released in America on LPs.
Chapter 15: The Beatle-Maker
What is a “Beatle-Maker?”
You could give the title to John Lennon, who was
the main player in the Quarrymen who recruited
Paul McCartney and later George Harrison into the
fold.
Allen Williams (The Beatles’ first manager) sent
them to Hamburg, Germany. That is where they
formed their chops and became a band to be reckoned with in the early 1960’s.
Brian Epstein could certainly have claimed the “Beatle-Maker” moniker. He slogged
it out on the streets of London for months, enduring rejection after rejection. One
day (by chance) he was getting the Decca Audition acetate demos made into a reelto-reel tape when the technician happened to call George Martin and a meeting
then ensued that led to The Beatles’ audition for Martin’s Parlophone label.
I will submit to you that George Martin is the true “Beatle-Maker.” Not for just
signing the band, but having the forethought to realize that he had “Four Elvis’s,”
not one star front man to focus on. Once Martin realized that he could utilize all
four Beatles’ personalities and their musical instincts, it was game on.
Martin would sit on a stool in the middle of Studio 2 at
Abbey Road (EMI Studios) and listen to John, Paul and
George audition songs. Martin would be the decider when
it came to which songs would make those early records.
He is the one who would help arrange and augment the
songs with his vast musical knowledge, having come from
the classical genre.
George martin was the man who allowed himself to open up to what the kids were
listening to and how this band and other acts later would follow and make history
on the fly.
The Beatles might never have happened without George Martin’s
willingness to believe that John and Paul would become better and
better song writers. He encouraged them to destroy the
boundaries that the recording industry had slowly been allowing
itself to get mired in.
George Martin AND The Beatles revolutionized the way records were made as
early as 1965 when they started recording certain instruments (notably bass
guitar) directly into the recording console.
At first Martin, recording engineers Norman Smith
and later Geoff Emerick only had 2-track recording.
Then along came 4-track recording, which the Beatles
broke even more barriers by linking multiple 4-track
machines. Later it was 8-track and beyond. The Beatles
were the main impetus for these changes in real time
and “Beatle-Maker” George Martin was helping to force the issue, because of his
and The Beatles’ curiosity about stretching the limits of the available technology.
The Beatles utilized the Moog Synthesizer (along with The Hollies), which really
started off a chain reaction in the industry in the late 1960’s. That sound and
technology opened the doors for bands like Led Zeppelin (“Stairway to Heaven”)
and Pink Floyd (“Dark Side of the Moon” LP) in the next decade to move the
recording industry into the corporate rock era.
Context
In reality The Beatles were the “Beatle Makers” just by
the mere fact that they formed, improved and created
the brand of popular music that would literally change the
world, but it would be almost criminal NOT to recognize
George Martin and his sonic vision, his great ears, his
positive personality and his belief that The Beatles were
great and could go where no one had ever gone in popular
music. It is all right there in the music for you to continually enjoy.
Chapter 16: Behind the Beatle Scene
It should also be noted that there were many people behind the scenes who helped
shape and formulate the phenomenon that Beatlemania propagated.
Allen Williams was the original promoter, booker and manager of
the band when they first started playing local shows in Liverpool.
Williams secured them their first significant local shows, as well as
their Hamburg bookings. Williams was more of a promoter than
manager. His contributions are significant in their early development. Without
Williams, Hamburg may have never happened for Liverpool bands. Without
Hamburg, it can be argued the band may not have developed its fierce stage act
that took Liverpool by storm in 1962.
Stuart Sutcliffe was John Lennon’s best friend from art school and the original
Beatles bass player. Sutcliffe stayed behind in Germany to be with his girlfriend
Astrid Kirchherr and continue his art studies. While he wasn’t a great bass player,
he was an integral early part of the band and helped mold their style.
Astrid Kirchherr is the
German photographer who
took such a big liking to
the band and created
their ‘Long Hair Look.”
She cut her boyfriend
Stuart Sutcliffe’s hair
first and the rest of the
band followed suit. This
look became the “Mop
Top” look that took the entire world by storm by 1964. Her early black & white
photographs are legendary in the history of the band.
Pete Best was the early star of the group in Germany and
Liverpool. The girls really liked him. He was moody and good looking.
Although he ended up being good friends with John, Paul & George,
he didn’t quite have the feel as a drummer. Producer George Martin brought that
point home and the others were feeling it anyway. He was replaced by Ringo in
1962, but should be given a lot of credit as their original stick man.
Klaus Voormann was Astrid’s sometime boyfriend
when he first saw The Beatles. He was the man who
wandered into a Hamburg nightclub and brought
Kirchherr to see the band. He became lifelong
friends of the band and even designed the ‘Revolver’
album in 1966. Voormann played bass on Lennon’s “Instant Karma” single in the
early 1970’s. Klaus Voormann was a major player early on. He is the man who
introduced the German fans to the band. That propelled The Beatles into becoming
a top act in Hamburg. The rest is history.
Mal Evans started out as a bouncer at The Cavern Club. Brian
Epstein hired the former telephone engineer to be the band’s road
manager and assistant pretty much right from the start of their
successful launch. Evans played a bit part as “The Swimmer” in
‘Help!” He can be seen in ‘Let It Be’ pounding on the anvil while the
band rehearses “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.” Evans basically tended to all the
band’s needs as an assistant throughout the entire run. Mal Evans also brought a
band to Apple Records called The Iveys, whom he produced early on. The band
would change its name to Badfinger and go on to great success. He died tragically
in 1976 at age 40.
Neil Aspinall started out as the band’s driver in the early days and
ended up running Apple Corps. Aspinall was a school friend of Paul
and George and was a trusted-confidant of Brian Epstein during
the crazy days of touring and often acted as a liaison. His business
skills enabled him to handle Apple and he helped the Beatles
greatly in their lawsuits against Allen Klein, EMI and then later Apple Computers.
Derek Taylor started his career as a journalist, wrote a great review
of an early Beatles concert, became friendly with the band, was hired
as a publicist and then left for California in 1965. He was always in The
Beatles “Close Circle.” He was the ghost writer on Epstein’s 1964 auto
biography.
Freda Kelly was originally just a fan of the band, who
was working as a secretary. She endeared herself to
the band and manager Brian Epstein, who became so
enamored of the 17-year-old girl, he hired her to be his
secretary at NEMS. Kelly took on heading The Beatles
Fan Club, which as you can imagine grew into quite an enterprise. Kelly was very
loyal to The Beatles (as their secretary) and never left Liverpool and remained in
the organization until 1974---Four years after the band broke up. Kelly was
featured in a 2013 documentary about her years with The Beatles called ‘Good ‘Ol
Freda.’
Allen Klein was hired by John, George and Ringo after Brian
Epstein’s death, to handle The Beatles legal and financial
affairs. Paul wanted his in-laws to get that job, but the other
three Beatles balked at that idea. Klein had previously worked
with Sam Cooke and The Rolling Stones. Klein first convinced
John Lennon that he could renegotiate The Beatles royalty deal
with EMI and then DID get them a great deal. EXCEPT unbeknownst to the group,
he was pilfering 20% of those royalties. Klein was sentenced to jail time in 1979
and was sued by The Beatles, Stones and many other people he worked with for
many different unethical practices and bad deals.
Norman “Hurricane” Smith was the original recording
engineer on the early Beatles records. John Lennon called
him “Normal.” Smith was an integral part of the band’s early
sound and later wrote and recorded a few hits as an artist himself. He would go on
to produce the early Pink Floyd records. He established himself early on with
George Martin and they had a very productive partnership at Abbey Road.
Geoff Emerick handled the engineering duties of The Beatles
beginning with 1966’s ‘Revolver’ album. He took over from
Norman Smith, who was promoted to Producer status at EMI.
Emerick began working at EMI at age 15 and was present in
Studio 2 the first session The Beatles recorded “Love Me Do”
with Ringo. He remained from 1966 until 1969 and ‘Abbey Road.’ Emerick earned
Grammy Awards for his engineering of ‘Sgt. Pepper’ & ‘Abbey Road.’ He would go on
to produce many successful artists in his career such as Elvis Costello, Badfinger,
Paul McCartney and Cheap Trick. Emerick is known as one of the best recording
engineers ever.
Phil Spector was a record producer tasked with reviving The
Beatles ‘Get Back’ sessions into a suitable record release. Spector
was given “The Mess,” according to John Lennon in March, 1970
and “re-produced” the George Martin-produced sessions from the
previous year. Spector added strings and choirs to songs like “The
Long and Winding Road” and “Across the Universe” and spliced in
little bits of chatter between songs and the ‘Let It Be’ record and movie were
released. It can be argued that the recording is either great or terrible. It was
the final studio album released, but not the final recorded LP. ‘Abbey Road’ gets
that distinction.
Sir George Martin, it can be argued is the REAL fifth Beatle. Martin began his
music career in 1950 as a producer at EMI’s
Parlophone label. By 1955, he was the head of the
small label and was producing acts like Peter
Sellers and The Goons and many quirky comedy
and classical records on the label. In 1962, a demo
was brought to his attention of The Beatles and
their manager Brian Epstein charmed his way to a
live studio audition. Martin was charmed by The Beatles humor and agreed to
record and release “Love Me Do,” which charted at number 17. They went on to
have the most lucrative partnership in music history. George Martin often juggled
his many production projects to cater to his prized act. Martin produced many
other Epstein clients and went on to produce acts well past The Beatles career.
Martin’s scoring on classics like “Yesterday,” “Eleanor Rigby” and “Strawberry
Fields Forever” are legendary in recorded music history. George Martin is simply
the most famous and decorated record producer in the history of recorded music.
Brian Epstein is last, but certainly not least. If Epstein had not
been curious to check this musical act out when some teenagers
came into his NEMS store requesting the German recording of “My
Bonnie” in 1961, this story may have not been possible. Epstein went
down to The Cavern club, saw the band play, fell in love with their
style and charm, signed them, walked the streets of London with
their demo, secured a deal for them and finally oversaw that great
success. Unfortunately his gay lifestyle and low self-esteem probably contributed
to his accidental overdose in 1967 at age 32. His death sent the band spiraling out
of control in its organization, but the man deserves every possible accolade for his
perseverance and firm belief in The Beatles as artists and people.
Brian Epstein is the one man responsible for creating the business of The Beatles
and that is why he gets the final words in this book.
About The Author
Marc Platt has been a Los Angeles-based songwriter for more
than 30 years, having songs placed on TV shows like The
Carrie Diaries, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, E True
Hollywood Story and several film projects. Marc was in a
Power Pop band called The Real Impossibles from 1984-1988
and played shows with many of the bands in this book. He has
also had several CD and vinyl releases in his career and is also the author of these
books: ‘So You Want to be a Rock N’ Roll Star. Why Songwriting Matters,’
‘The British Pop & Rock Invasion,’ ‘How the Beatles Did It!,’ ‘The American
Rock Revolution,’ ‘Modern History of Power Pop,’ ‘R & B, Soul and Funk Trunk’
& ’36 Albums That Matter’ ‘When Disco Was Everything’ and ‘The SingerSongwriter,’ ‘Throwing Stones,’ ‘’The Who; For Starters,’ ‘Fab 4 Solo.’
Annotations:
**Courtesy ‘The Beatles Recording Sessions’ by Mark Lewisohn, Harmony Books.
***Courtesy of David Scheff’s (2000) All We Are Saying. New York: St. Martin's Griffin.
****Courtesy of Bill Harry’s The Ultimate Beatles Encyclopedia. London: Virgin Books.
*****Barry Miles Paul McCartney: “Many Years From Now” London, Vintage (1997)
****** The Beatles (2000) The Beatles Anthology. San Francisco. Chronicle Books
******* George Harrison: interview with Ritchie Yorke, September, 1, 1969, Ottawa Beatles
Site. Retrieved 8, October 2010.
Thank You: Karen Sternfeld, Jack Thorne, Nick Goodman, Susan Sugarman, Ben Platt, Jon
Platt, Mike Isenberg and Josh Capiga.
Multi-Media Files
Deconstructing The Early Beatles (Video)
Deconstructing John Lennon The Chameleon (Video)
Deconstructing Paul McCartney (Video)
Deconstructing George Harrison (Video)
Deconstructing Ringo The Drummer (Video)
Deconstructing Hard Days Night/Help Songs (Video)
Deconstructing In My Life (Video)
Deconstructing Yes It Is (Video)
Deconstructing She’s Leaving Home (Video)
Deconstructing Paperback Writer (Video)
Deconstructing While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Video)
Deconstructing Abbey Road Medley (Video)
Back in The USSR (Audio Notebook)
Day Tripper (Audio Notebook)
Good Day Sunshine (Audio Notebook)
This Boy (Audio Notebook)
Sexy Sadie (Audio Notebook)
Helter Skelter (Audio Notebook)