"I just saw Mel Torme on TV the other day saying that 'Lucy' was written to promote drugs and so was 'A Little Help From My Friends' and none of them were at all. 'A Little Help From My Friends' only says get high in it, it's really about a little help from my friends; it's a sincere message. Paul had the line about 'little help from my friends,' I'm not sure, he had some kind of structure for it and we wrote it pretty well 50-50 but it was based on his original idea."
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Paul McCartney on Yoko Ono and the Beatles' Break-Up
"We didn't accept Yoko totally, but how many groups do you know who would? It's a joke, like Spinal Tap. You know, I loved John, I was his best mate for a long time. Then the group started to break up. It was very sad. I got the rap as the guy who broke the group up. It wasn't actually true."
-October 1986
-October 1986
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
George Martin on John Lennon's Voice
"It's a funny thing, but John never liked his voice. I don't know why, because I always said he had the greatest of voices, but I guess it's the same problem you have when you wake up in the morning and you shave yourself and you look at your face and say, 'What an awful face.' He was always wanting to distort it, always wanting me to do things to it, to ADT it or double-track it or whatever. 'Don't give me that thing again, George,' he'd say. 'Give me another one.' He was always wanting something different."
Beatles News
- World's Largest Beatles Tribute Festival Says 'Yeah, Yeah, Yeah' to Washington, D.C.'s Gaylord National Resort (PR Newswire)
- Lilly Scott gets by with a little help from The Beatles (USA Today)
- Abbey Road Studio Given Protected Status (New York Times)
- Beatles' Penny Lane barber Tony Slavin sees tourists flock to rival (Daily Mail)
- Review: Yoko Ono at Noise Pop (San Jose Mercury News)
- Paul McCartney to tour the US this spring (Independent)
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
John Lennon on "Hey Bulldog"
"Paul said we should do a real song in the studio, to save wasting time. Could I whip one off? I had a few words at home so I brought them in."
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
The Ballad of A.J. Weberman
The Ballad Of A.J. Weberman is a feature length documentary chronicling the life, times and crimes of notorious Bob Dylan obsessive and Garbology inventor, A.J. Weberman. Its an irreverent and witty exploration into one man's obsessions, his life lived on the New York fringes and a uniquely twisted take on the American dream.
The film enjoys an unforgettable cast of characters including Lower East Side street punk-poet David Peel, former child dancer Jay Byrd and Aaron Kay aka 'The Pieman.' A rare and astonishing telephone conversation between Weberman and Dylan appears in the film as an animation. And to top it all, the film is accompanied by a vivid Americana soundtrack performed by members of the cast.
Length: 80 minutes
Features an excerpt from John Lennon's appearance on Underground, filmed at the Record Plant East on July 26, 1972:
Sunday, February 14, 2010
"For No One"
"For No One" is a song written by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon/McCartney) that originally appeared on The Beatles' seventh album, Revolver. A ballad about the end of a relationship, it was one of McCartney's most mature and poignant works to date. Musically the track is particularly distinguished by its French horn solo.
John Lennon said of the song, "One of my favourites of his—a nice piece of work."
Writing and recording
McCartney recalls writing "For No One" in the bathroom of a ski resort in the Swiss Alps, while on holiday with his then girlfriend Jane Asher. He said, "I suspect it was about another argument." The song's working title was "Why Did It Die."
The song was recorded on 9, 16 and 19 May 1966. McCartney sang and played clavichord (rented from George Martin's AIR company), piano, and bass, while Ringo Starr played drums and tambourine. Lennon and George Harrison did not contribute to the recording.
The French-horn solo was by Alan Civil, a British horn player. Prior to the session, Civil thought he was playing for a classical album, mistaking the words "For No One" on a lead sheet as "For No. One", an abbreviation for "Symphony Number One." During the session, McCartney pushed Civil to play a note that was beyond the usual range of the instrument (pitched on an F horn, it is a Super-G sharp). The result was the "performance of his life," high praise for someone who was known as the best French horn player in London at the time.
The song is in 2/2 time.
Personnel
* Paul McCartney - lead vocals, clavichord, piano
* Ringo Starr - drums, maracas, tambourine
* Alan Civil - French horn
Cover versions
* Cilla Black released a recording already in 1966.
* Country singer Emmylou Harris included the song on her third album in 1975.
* In 1975 Brazilian singer Caetano Veloso recorded "For No One" on his Long Play "Qualquer Coisa" [Anything].
* In 1992, Maureen McGovern released this and "Things We Said Today" as a 2-song medley on her album Baby I'm Yours.
* Paul McCartney also released a different version on the soundtrack for his 1984 movie Give My Regards to Broad Street.
* In 2001 Anne Sofie von Otter and Elvis Costello recorded "For No One" in For the Stars album.
* In 2005, Meret Becker performed "For No One" on the television programme "Juke Box Memories" on arte (in German and in French).
* Elliott Smith played a live version of this song.
* Cabaret lounge singer Andrea Marcovicci included this song on her tenth album Here, There and Everywhere in 2000.
* Rickie Lee Jones released a version of "For No One" on her 2000 album It's Like This.
* Gregorian covered this on their album Masters of Chant Chapter IV.
* Pat DiNizio on his 2006 album This is Pat DiNizio.
* Diana Krall on her 2009 album Quiet Nights
Album: Revolver
Released: 5 August 1966
Recorded: Abbey Road Studios, 9, 16, 19 May 1966
Genre: Baroque pop
Length: 2:01
Label: Parlophone
Writer: Lennon/McCartney
Producer: George Martin
Wikipedia
John Lennon said of the song, "One of my favourites of his—a nice piece of work."
Writing and recording
McCartney recalls writing "For No One" in the bathroom of a ski resort in the Swiss Alps, while on holiday with his then girlfriend Jane Asher. He said, "I suspect it was about another argument." The song's working title was "Why Did It Die."
The song was recorded on 9, 16 and 19 May 1966. McCartney sang and played clavichord (rented from George Martin's AIR company), piano, and bass, while Ringo Starr played drums and tambourine. Lennon and George Harrison did not contribute to the recording.
The French-horn solo was by Alan Civil, a British horn player. Prior to the session, Civil thought he was playing for a classical album, mistaking the words "For No One" on a lead sheet as "For No. One", an abbreviation for "Symphony Number One." During the session, McCartney pushed Civil to play a note that was beyond the usual range of the instrument (pitched on an F horn, it is a Super-G sharp). The result was the "performance of his life," high praise for someone who was known as the best French horn player in London at the time.
The song is in 2/2 time.
Personnel
* Paul McCartney - lead vocals, clavichord, piano
* Ringo Starr - drums, maracas, tambourine
* Alan Civil - French horn
Cover versions
* Cilla Black released a recording already in 1966.
* Country singer Emmylou Harris included the song on her third album in 1975.
* In 1975 Brazilian singer Caetano Veloso recorded "For No One" on his Long Play "Qualquer Coisa" [Anything].
* In 1992, Maureen McGovern released this and "Things We Said Today" as a 2-song medley on her album Baby I'm Yours.
* Paul McCartney also released a different version on the soundtrack for his 1984 movie Give My Regards to Broad Street.
* In 2001 Anne Sofie von Otter and Elvis Costello recorded "For No One" in For the Stars album.
* In 2005, Meret Becker performed "For No One" on the television programme "Juke Box Memories" on arte (in German and in French).
* Elliott Smith played a live version of this song.
* Cabaret lounge singer Andrea Marcovicci included this song on her tenth album Here, There and Everywhere in 2000.
* Rickie Lee Jones released a version of "For No One" on her 2000 album It's Like This.
* Gregorian covered this on their album Masters of Chant Chapter IV.
* Pat DiNizio on his 2006 album This is Pat DiNizio.
* Diana Krall on her 2009 album Quiet Nights
Album: Revolver
Released: 5 August 1966
Recorded: Abbey Road Studios, 9, 16, 19 May 1966
Genre: Baroque pop
Length: 2:01
Label: Parlophone
Writer: Lennon/McCartney
Producer: George Martin
Wikipedia
Saturday, February 13, 2010
"Flying"
"Flying" is an instrumental song by The Beatles which first appeared on the 1967 Magical Mystery Tour release (two EP discs in the United Kingdom, an LP in the United States).
Origins
A rare Beatles instrumental (the first since "Cry for a Shadow" in 1961), although wordless chanting is heard at the end, it was the first song to be credited as being written by all four members of the band, with the writing credits of "Lennon/McCartney/Harrison/Starkey" (another being "Dig It" off the Let It Be album). It was recorded on September 8, 1967 with mellotron, guitar, bass, maracas, drums, and tape loops overdubbed September 28.
"Flying" was originally titled "Aerial Tour Instrumental." The end of the recording originally included a fast-paced traditional New Orleans jazz-influenced coda, but this was removed and replaced with an ending featuring tape loops created by John Lennon and Ringo Starr during the September 28 session. The loops initially made the song last 9 minutes 38 seconds, but the track was cut after only 2 minutes 17 seconds. Part of the loops were used alongside an element of the ending jazz sequence to make "The Bus," an incidental piece used at various points, for the TV movie. The track is likely to have originally started simply as a jam session — it is in simple 12-bar blues form in a straight-forward 4/4 time and the key of C major.
Recording
On the track as recorded and officially released, John Lennon plays the main theme on mellotron, accompanied by Paul McCartney and George Harrison (both on guitars, plus a later bass overdub) and Ringo Starr (on maracas and drums). All four Beatles added the chanting, and the track fades in an assortment of tape effects created by Lennon and Starr. This released version is identical to that heard on the soundtrack of the Magical Mystery Tour film; the music is accompanied in the film by color-altered images of landscape in Iceland taken from an airplane. Those shots are outtakes of the Stanley Kubrick's movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.
A different version can be found on some Beatles bootleg albums (such as Back-track 1), and features added Hammond organ and strange whistling noises in the early parts of the track. The jazz-influenced ending is also present on this version, which is slightly shorter, clocking in at around 2:08.
Influence on music by other artists
In 1977, The Residents covered "Flying" on the Residents Play the Beatles side of their The Beatles Play the Residents and the Residents Play the Beatles single release. Reportedly, the only reason they chose "Flying" was because it was the only song they could find that was credited to all of The Beatles as composers. The single is now fairly difficult to obtain, although the track can be found on the discontinued CD release of The Third Reich and Roll as a bonus track, as well as the re-released radio interview Eat Exuding Oinks.
It has been said that Noel Gallagher of Oasis used the song "Flying"'s chords to create the song "Shakermaker" on the album Definitely Maybe.
Album: Magical Mystery Tour
Released: November 27, 1967 (US) (LP), December 8, 1967 (UK) (EP), November 19, 1976 (UK) (LP)
Recorded: September 8, 1967
Genre: Psychedelic rock
Length: 2:17
Label: Parlophone, Capitol, EMI
Writer: Lennon/McCartney/Harrison/Starkey
Producer: George Martin
Wikipedia
Origins
A rare Beatles instrumental (the first since "Cry for a Shadow" in 1961), although wordless chanting is heard at the end, it was the first song to be credited as being written by all four members of the band, with the writing credits of "Lennon/McCartney/Harrison/Starkey" (another being "Dig It" off the Let It Be album). It was recorded on September 8, 1967 with mellotron, guitar, bass, maracas, drums, and tape loops overdubbed September 28.
"Flying" was originally titled "Aerial Tour Instrumental." The end of the recording originally included a fast-paced traditional New Orleans jazz-influenced coda, but this was removed and replaced with an ending featuring tape loops created by John Lennon and Ringo Starr during the September 28 session. The loops initially made the song last 9 minutes 38 seconds, but the track was cut after only 2 minutes 17 seconds. Part of the loops were used alongside an element of the ending jazz sequence to make "The Bus," an incidental piece used at various points, for the TV movie. The track is likely to have originally started simply as a jam session — it is in simple 12-bar blues form in a straight-forward 4/4 time and the key of C major.
Recording
On the track as recorded and officially released, John Lennon plays the main theme on mellotron, accompanied by Paul McCartney and George Harrison (both on guitars, plus a later bass overdub) and Ringo Starr (on maracas and drums). All four Beatles added the chanting, and the track fades in an assortment of tape effects created by Lennon and Starr. This released version is identical to that heard on the soundtrack of the Magical Mystery Tour film; the music is accompanied in the film by color-altered images of landscape in Iceland taken from an airplane. Those shots are outtakes of the Stanley Kubrick's movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.
A different version can be found on some Beatles bootleg albums (such as Back-track 1), and features added Hammond organ and strange whistling noises in the early parts of the track. The jazz-influenced ending is also present on this version, which is slightly shorter, clocking in at around 2:08.
Influence on music by other artists
In 1977, The Residents covered "Flying" on the Residents Play the Beatles side of their The Beatles Play the Residents and the Residents Play the Beatles single release. Reportedly, the only reason they chose "Flying" was because it was the only song they could find that was credited to all of The Beatles as composers. The single is now fairly difficult to obtain, although the track can be found on the discontinued CD release of The Third Reich and Roll as a bonus track, as well as the re-released radio interview Eat Exuding Oinks.
It has been said that Noel Gallagher of Oasis used the song "Flying"'s chords to create the song "Shakermaker" on the album Definitely Maybe.
Album: Magical Mystery Tour
Released: November 27, 1967 (US) (LP), December 8, 1967 (UK) (EP), November 19, 1976 (UK) (LP)
Recorded: September 8, 1967
Genre: Psychedelic rock
Length: 2:17
Label: Parlophone, Capitol, EMI
Writer: Lennon/McCartney/Harrison/Starkey
Producer: George Martin
Wikipedia
Friday, February 12, 2010
"Fixing a Hole"
"Fixing a Hole" is a song mainly written by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon/McCartney) and performed by The Beatles on the 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Recording
The first of two recording sessions for the song was at Regent Sound Studio in London on February 9, 1967 in three takes. Regent was used because Abbey Road was not available that night. This was the first time the Beatles used a studio other than Abbey Road for recording a track for an EMI album.
The lead vocal was recorded at the same time as the rhythm track, a change from their post-1963 approach of overdubbing the vocal.
According to McCartney, on the night of the session an unusual man appeared at the gate of McCartney's home and identified himself as Jesus Christ. After a cup of tea, and after getting him to promise to be quiet and sit in a corner, McCartney brought the man to the recording session. After the session the man left and was never heard from again.
In another version of the story, John Lennon arrived at the studio, found the man hanging around the front door, and it was Lennon who invited him in.
Personnel
* Paul McCartney: Vocals, bass guitar.
* John Lennon: Backing vocals.
* George Harrison: Backing vocals; guitar.
* Ringo Starr: Drums
* George Martin: Harpsichord
Inspiration
McCartney said the song was "another ode to pot," and considering the song's slightly psychedelic vibe (due to the heavy use of echo on McCartney's vocals and the overall use of rather surrealistic imagery in the lyrics), this may very well be true. He further said the song was about having the freedom to let one's mind roam freely. Another theory is that the song is about McCartney repairing the roof of his Scottish farmhouse, but McCartney said he didn't get around to that until much later. Many believe the song is a reference to track marks or "holes" left in a heroin addict's arm after getting their fix, though McCartney denied this interpretation.
McCartney has added to the confusion:
* In an interview with Q magazine from around the time of his 1997 album Flaming Pie, McCartney said that the song's lyric began with the simple idea of someone mending a hole in the road, and that he was living alone and smoking a lot of marijuana when he wrote it.
* In a 1967 interview, McCartney said the following lines were about those fans who hung around outside his door day and night and whose actions put him off.
According to his diaries, Mal Evans (the Beatles' roadie) made some contributions to the lyrics of the song.
Other versions
* In the 1978 film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, George Burns performed the song in a soft shoe style.
* The Fray performed the song on 2 June 2007 for a 40th anniversary tribute to Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.
* Les Fradkin has an instrumental version on his 2007 release Pepper Front To Back.
* Easy Star All-Stars covered the song in a reggae style for Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band.
Album: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Released: 1 June 1967
Recorded: Regent Sound Studio, 9, 21 February 1967
Genre: Rock, Psychedelic rock
Length: 2:36
Label: Parlophone
Writer: Lennon/McCartney
Producer: George Martin
Wikipedia
Recording
The first of two recording sessions for the song was at Regent Sound Studio in London on February 9, 1967 in three takes. Regent was used because Abbey Road was not available that night. This was the first time the Beatles used a studio other than Abbey Road for recording a track for an EMI album.
The lead vocal was recorded at the same time as the rhythm track, a change from their post-1963 approach of overdubbing the vocal.
According to McCartney, on the night of the session an unusual man appeared at the gate of McCartney's home and identified himself as Jesus Christ. After a cup of tea, and after getting him to promise to be quiet and sit in a corner, McCartney brought the man to the recording session. After the session the man left and was never heard from again.
In another version of the story, John Lennon arrived at the studio, found the man hanging around the front door, and it was Lennon who invited him in.
Personnel
* Paul McCartney: Vocals, bass guitar.
* John Lennon: Backing vocals.
* George Harrison: Backing vocals; guitar.
* Ringo Starr: Drums
* George Martin: Harpsichord
Inspiration
McCartney said the song was "another ode to pot," and considering the song's slightly psychedelic vibe (due to the heavy use of echo on McCartney's vocals and the overall use of rather surrealistic imagery in the lyrics), this may very well be true. He further said the song was about having the freedom to let one's mind roam freely. Another theory is that the song is about McCartney repairing the roof of his Scottish farmhouse, but McCartney said he didn't get around to that until much later. Many believe the song is a reference to track marks or "holes" left in a heroin addict's arm after getting their fix, though McCartney denied this interpretation.
McCartney has added to the confusion:
* In an interview with Q magazine from around the time of his 1997 album Flaming Pie, McCartney said that the song's lyric began with the simple idea of someone mending a hole in the road, and that he was living alone and smoking a lot of marijuana when he wrote it.
* In a 1967 interview, McCartney said the following lines were about those fans who hung around outside his door day and night and whose actions put him off.
See the people standing there
who disagree, and never win
And wonder why they don't get in my door
According to his diaries, Mal Evans (the Beatles' roadie) made some contributions to the lyrics of the song.
Other versions
* In the 1978 film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, George Burns performed the song in a soft shoe style.
* The Fray performed the song on 2 June 2007 for a 40th anniversary tribute to Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.
* Les Fradkin has an instrumental version on his 2007 release Pepper Front To Back.
* Easy Star All-Stars covered the song in a reggae style for Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band.
Album: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Released: 1 June 1967
Recorded: Regent Sound Studio, 9, 21 February 1967
Genre: Rock, Psychedelic rock
Length: 2:36
Label: Parlophone
Writer: Lennon/McCartney
Producer: George Martin
Wikipedia
Thursday, February 11, 2010
"Golden Slumbers"
"Golden Slumbers" is a song by The Beatles, part of the climactic medley on their 1969 album Abbey Road. The song begins the progression that leads to the end of the album and is followed by "Carry That Weight." The two songs were recorded together as a single piece, and both were written by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon/McCartney).
Original ballad and poem
"Golden Slumbers" is based on a poem by Thomas Dekker and written in a lullaby style. McCartney saw the sheet music for Dekker's lullaby at his father's home in Liverpool, left on a piano by his stepsister Ruth McCartney. McCartney could not read music at the time and was unable to read the score, and so he created his own melody and arrangement.
The words originally come from a lullaby in "The Pleasant Comodie of Patient Grissill" written about 1603.
Recording
McCartney was the lead vocalist. He begins the song in a soft tone appropriate for a lullaby, with piano, bass guitar, and string section accompaniment. Beginning with the line "Once there was a way to get back homeward," the drums come in and McCartney switches to a stronger tone, both of which emphasize the switch to the refrain. McCartney said, "I remember trying to get a very strong vocal on it, because it was such a gentle theme, so I worked on the strength of the vocal on it, and ended up quite pleased with it."
The main recording session for "Golden Slumbers"/"Carry That Weight" was on 2 July 1969. John Lennon was not present. He was injured in a motor vehicle accident in Scotland on 1 July 1969, and was hospitalized there until 6 July.
Additional vocals were added in an overdub session on 30 July 1969, the same day the first trial edit of the side two medley was created. Lennon did participate in this session. On 15 August, orchestral overdubs were made to "Golden Slumbers" and five other songs on Abbey Road.
Credits
* Paul McCartney – vocals and piano
* George Harrison - bass
* Ringo Starr – drums
Covers
* In 1969 the George Benson version was released on the LP The Other Side of Abbey Road.
* In 1970 it was featured as the beginning of a medley on John Denver's album Whose Garden Was This?
* In 1971 it was recorded by Brazilian singer Elis Regina, in the LP Ela (She).
* In 1991 it was recorded as a duet between Jackson Browne and Jennifer Warnes for the Disney benefit album For Our Children: To Benefit the Pediatrics AIDS Foundation.
* In 1991 a dreamy instrumental version was used as background music for a dream sequence in The Simpsons episode "Lisa's Pony."
* In 1996 an album was released by the reggae cover band Dread Zeppelin featuring a cover.
* In 1998, it was covered by Phil Collins on the album In My Life, a tribute to George Martin.
* In 1998 it was covered by Andrés Calamaro on the album of rarities Las Otras Caras de Alta Suciedad.
* In 2002 a version by Ben Folds appeared on the I Am Sam soundtrack.
* In 2006 it was covered by k.d. lang in a mashup with "The End" for the movie soundtrack album Happy Feet: Music from the Motion Picture.
* In 2003 it was featured as a B-side on Alex Lloyd's single, "Coming Home."
* In 2006 it was also covered by German singer/songwriter Rolf Meurer.
* In 2009 it was live-covered by English piano rock band Keane.
* Les Fradkin has an instrumental version on his 2005 release, "While My Guitar Only Plays."
* It was covered by Claudine Longet.
* The title of the 1990 song "Golden Blunders" by The Posies was inspired by "Golden Slumbers" ("Golden Blunders" was covered by Ringo Starr in 1992).
In Popular Culture
* A few lines of the song are sung by a penguin at the start of the film "Happy Feet" (2006).
Album: Abbey Road
Released: 26 September 1969
Recorded: Abbey Road, 2 July-15 August 1969
Genre: Rock
Length: 1:31
Label: Apple Records
Writer: Lennon/McCartney
Producer: George Martin
Wikipedia
Original ballad and poem
"Golden Slumbers" is based on a poem by Thomas Dekker and written in a lullaby style. McCartney saw the sheet music for Dekker's lullaby at his father's home in Liverpool, left on a piano by his stepsister Ruth McCartney. McCartney could not read music at the time and was unable to read the score, and so he created his own melody and arrangement.
The words originally come from a lullaby in "The Pleasant Comodie of Patient Grissill" written about 1603.
Recording
McCartney was the lead vocalist. He begins the song in a soft tone appropriate for a lullaby, with piano, bass guitar, and string section accompaniment. Beginning with the line "Once there was a way to get back homeward," the drums come in and McCartney switches to a stronger tone, both of which emphasize the switch to the refrain. McCartney said, "I remember trying to get a very strong vocal on it, because it was such a gentle theme, so I worked on the strength of the vocal on it, and ended up quite pleased with it."
The main recording session for "Golden Slumbers"/"Carry That Weight" was on 2 July 1969. John Lennon was not present. He was injured in a motor vehicle accident in Scotland on 1 July 1969, and was hospitalized there until 6 July.
Additional vocals were added in an overdub session on 30 July 1969, the same day the first trial edit of the side two medley was created. Lennon did participate in this session. On 15 August, orchestral overdubs were made to "Golden Slumbers" and five other songs on Abbey Road.
Credits
* Paul McCartney – vocals and piano
* George Harrison - bass
* Ringo Starr – drums
Covers
* In 1969 the George Benson version was released on the LP The Other Side of Abbey Road.
* In 1970 it was featured as the beginning of a medley on John Denver's album Whose Garden Was This?
* In 1971 it was recorded by Brazilian singer Elis Regina, in the LP Ela (She).
* In 1991 it was recorded as a duet between Jackson Browne and Jennifer Warnes for the Disney benefit album For Our Children: To Benefit the Pediatrics AIDS Foundation.
* In 1991 a dreamy instrumental version was used as background music for a dream sequence in The Simpsons episode "Lisa's Pony."
* In 1996 an album was released by the reggae cover band Dread Zeppelin featuring a cover.
* In 1998, it was covered by Phil Collins on the album In My Life, a tribute to George Martin.
* In 1998 it was covered by Andrés Calamaro on the album of rarities Las Otras Caras de Alta Suciedad.
* In 2002 a version by Ben Folds appeared on the I Am Sam soundtrack.
* In 2006 it was covered by k.d. lang in a mashup with "The End" for the movie soundtrack album Happy Feet: Music from the Motion Picture.
* In 2003 it was featured as a B-side on Alex Lloyd's single, "Coming Home."
* In 2006 it was also covered by German singer/songwriter Rolf Meurer.
* In 2009 it was live-covered by English piano rock band Keane.
* Les Fradkin has an instrumental version on his 2005 release, "While My Guitar Only Plays."
* It was covered by Claudine Longet.
* The title of the 1990 song "Golden Blunders" by The Posies was inspired by "Golden Slumbers" ("Golden Blunders" was covered by Ringo Starr in 1992).
In Popular Culture
* A few lines of the song are sung by a penguin at the start of the film "Happy Feet" (2006).
Album: Abbey Road
Released: 26 September 1969
Recorded: Abbey Road, 2 July-15 August 1969
Genre: Rock
Length: 1:31
Label: Apple Records
Writer: Lennon/McCartney
Producer: George Martin
Wikipedia
The Beatles on Politics and the Vietnam War
Why are you disinterested in politics?LENNON: "We're not. We just think politicians are disinteresting."
What do you think of the Vietnam war?
LENNON: "We think of it every day. We don't like it. We don't agree with it. We think it's wrong. But there is not much we can do about it. All we can do is say we don't like it."
What is your opinion of Americans who go to Canada to avoid the draft?
LENNON: "We're not allowed opinions."
McCARTNEY: "Anyone who feels that fighting is wrong has the right not to go in the army."
LENNON: "We all just don't agree with war. There's no need for anyone to kill for any reason."
HARRISON: "'Thou shalt not kill' means that--not, 'Amend section A.' There's no reason whatsoever. No one can force you to kill anyone if you don't want to."
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Monday, February 08, 2010
George Harrison's Thoughts on Psychedelic Drugs
"I hadn't had any psychedelic drugs for almost ten years since the '60s, when we were all loonies, so I thought maybe I should have it to just see . . . if it reminds me of anything . . . You have to be careful [with mushrooms] because they're so good. That stuff is very organic, you know. You feel great, and everything is in perfect focus, even the physical body feels good. But because I felt so good, I kept on eating them all day. I nearly did myself in; I had too many. I fell over and left my body, hit my head on a piece of concrete -- but they were great."
-1979
-1979
Beatles News
- Paul McCartney on the Beatles: 'We Were a Great F-ing Band' (Hollywood Reporter)
- Beatles Get Covered By Roberta Flack (RTT News)
- 'In Mono' - newest Beatles for sale (SCSU University Chronicle)
- Latest Ringo Starr star update: pics of Paul's surprise appearance at George's dedication (Examiner.com)
- The Gadget Blog: A Flash Drive for Beatles Fanatics (NewsFactor Network)
- Drummer Zak Starkey Of “The Who” Was Amazing In Super Bowl Halftime Show (Thaindian.com)
Sunday, February 07, 2010
John Lennon on the Myth of the Beatles
"You see, we believed the Beatles myth too. I don't know whether the others still believe it, but we were four guys that--I met Paul and said, "Do you want to join me band?" and then George joined and then Ringo joined. We were just a band who made it very, very big--that's all. Our best work was never recorded.
"Because we were performers in spite of what Mick [Jagger] says about us, in Liverpool, Hamburg and around the dance halls. What we generated was fantastic when we played straight rock, and there was nobody to touch us in Britain. But as soon as we made it, the edges were knocked off. Brian Epstein put us in suits and all that, and we made it very, very big. We sold out. The music was dead before we even went on the theatre tour of Britain. We were feeling shit already, because we had to reduce an hour or two hours' play--and which we were glad [to do] in one way--to twenty minutes, and go on and repeat the same twenty minutes every night. The Beatles' music died then, as musicians. That's why we never improved as musicians. We killed ourselves then to make it--and that was the end of it. George and I are more inclined to say that. We always missed the club dates 'cause that's when we were playing music. Then later on we became technically efficient recording artists, which was another thing. Because we were competent people, whatever media you put us in, we can produce something worthwhile."
-1970
"Because we were performers in spite of what Mick [Jagger] says about us, in Liverpool, Hamburg and around the dance halls. What we generated was fantastic when we played straight rock, and there was nobody to touch us in Britain. But as soon as we made it, the edges were knocked off. Brian Epstein put us in suits and all that, and we made it very, very big. We sold out. The music was dead before we even went on the theatre tour of Britain. We were feeling shit already, because we had to reduce an hour or two hours' play--and which we were glad [to do] in one way--to twenty minutes, and go on and repeat the same twenty minutes every night. The Beatles' music died then, as musicians. That's why we never improved as musicians. We killed ourselves then to make it--and that was the end of it. George and I are more inclined to say that. We always missed the club dates 'cause that's when we were playing music. Then later on we became technically efficient recording artists, which was another thing. Because we were competent people, whatever media you put us in, we can produce something worthwhile."
-1970
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Beatles News
- Ringo Starr: Still Charming At 70 (NPR)
- Pensacola Symphony Orchestra pays tribute to the Beatles (Pensacola News Journal)
- The Beatles Books…A Long And Winding Road Of Literature (TMR Zoo)
- It was this month in 1964 The Beatles launched the British Invasion (Waterbury Republican American)
Coupon Code: 10% Off All Beatles T-Shirts
Visit the Beatles Shirt website and use the coupon code "valentine" to receive 10% off any t-shirt.
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James McCartney
James Louis McCartney was born in 12 September 1977 in London to Beatle Paul McCartney and his first wife, rock photographer and animal rights activist Linda McCartney. He is a musician, songwriter and sculptor, living in London, England. He, like older sister Heather McCartney, strives to keep his life private, unlike their fashion designer sister, Stella McCartney, and photographer sister, Mary McCartney. McCartney also has a much younger half sister, Beatrice Milly McCartney, born in 2003 to his father, and his second wife Heather Mills.Family and personal life
James was named after both his paternal grandfather Jim McCartney and father (whose birth name is James Paul McCartney), as well as Linda's late mother, heiress Louise Linder Eastman. He spent the first two and a half years of his life on the road with his older sisters and his parents, who were in a successful rock group, Wings. After the band broke up in 1980, the McCartneys settled down with their children, who attended the local state secondary school, the Thomas Peacocke Community College in Rye, East Sussex. In 1989, McCartney, along with his older sisters Mary and Stella, again joined his parents on their world tour. He continued his education with a tutor while on the road.
In 1993, celebrating his sixteenth birthday, McCartney and his friends went out to swim in the sea. When the weather started to get bad, the water currents carried him off. Paul, Linda, and Stella rushed to the site, distraught and helpless. Luckily, McCartney was recovered back to shore safely.
On 17 April 1998, in Tucson, Arizona, James McCartney, along with his father and sisters, was at his mother's side when she died from breast cancer, which had been diagnosed in 1995. Later that year, McCartney graduated from Bexhill College, near his home in East Sussex, where he pursued studies in A Level Art.
James is devoted to his family and famously appeared in support of Stella at her 1999 fashion show (her first show following the death of their mother) seated in their mother's place next to his father.
In 1995, McCartney introduced his older sister Mary to television producer Alistair Donald, the man she would later marry. He has five nephews and one niece: Mary's three sons Arthur Alistair Donald (born 3 April 1999), Elliot Donald (born 1 August 2002), and Sam Aboud (born 11 August 2008); Stella's son Miller Alasdhair James Willis (born 25 February 2005), her daughter Bailey Linda Olwyn Willis (born 8 December 2006), and son Beckett Robert Lee Willis (born 8 January 2008).
In 1999, McCartney, who is a vegan, wrote a letter to the Governor of Wisconsin to try to prevent the Dairy Expo company from selling cows' milk, which he believes was intended for calves and not for humans to drink. This activism is reminiscent of his late mother, and is shared by his father and sisters.
Career
James is most notable in the music business for playing guitar and drums as well as co-writing a few songs on some of his father's solo albums, including Flaming Pie (1997) and Driving Rain (2001). On Flaming Pie, he has an electric guitar solo on the track "Heaven on a Sunday." On Driving Rain, he co-wrote the songs "Spinning On An Axis" and "Back In The Sunshine Again" with his father, and played percussion on the former track and guitar on the latter. He also plays lead guitar on his mother's posthumously released solo album, Wide Prairie.
In 2005, he was spotted accompanying his father during his American tour.
McCartney is currently recording a solo album with his father's help, which is expected to be released in 2010.
James McCartney made his U.S. debut, performing November 14, 2009 at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, during the Fourth Annual David Lynch Weekend for World Peace and Meditation in Fairfield, Iowa.
Wikipedia
Friday, February 05, 2010
"Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby"
"Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby" is a song composed by Carl Perkins adapted from a similar song by Rex Griffin (Decca, 1936) Perkins recorded the song in 1957 which was covered by The Beatles in 1964.
Carl Perkins changed the music and added his own lyrics but retained the refrain and adapted two verses from the Rex Griffin song. Perkins changed the theme of the song, however, from bravado and narcissism to rock and roll groupies and the frenzy and mania of rock and roll stardom. In the Smith version, the theme is about drinking moonshine whiskey and womanizing. In Perkins' alternate take, there is an additional verse not found in Griffin's song. Perkins added two new verses, changed the theme of the song, and wrote entirely new music.
It was later covered by Johnny Cash and performed by Bruce Springsteen in concert in 1998 as a tribute to Carl Perkins.
The Beatles' version
The Beatles recorded "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby" on 18 October 1964 at EMI Studios in Abbey Road, London, with George Harrison on vocals. It was first released as the final song on Beatles for Sale in the UK later that year, and as the last track on the US album Beatles '65.
The recording finishes with a false ending, with the final phrase repeating itself after the song seems to have stopped. A version recorded live at the Star-Club in Hamburg in December 1962 contained four of these musical phrases.
The Beatles also recorded "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby" in June 1963 for the BBC radio programme Pop Go The Beatles, and in November 1964 for Saturday Club. The latter recording can be heard on Live at the BBC.
The Beatles performed it live again after their studio recording was released. A version recorded at Shea Stadium on 15 August 1965 was included on Anthology 2.
Personnel
* George Harrison – vocals, lead guitar
* John Lennon – acoustic rhythm guitar, tambourine
* Paul McCartney – bass
* Ringo Starr – drums
Current ownership and administration of song
The song is currently owned by the Perkins family and administered by former Beatle Paul McCartney's company, MPL Communications which still credits the song to Perkins.
Album: Beatles for Sale
Released: December 4, 1964
Recorded: October 18, 1964
Genre: Rock and roll
Length: 2:23
Label: Parlophone
Writer: Carl Perkins
Producer: George Martin
Wikipedia
Carl Perkins changed the music and added his own lyrics but retained the refrain and adapted two verses from the Rex Griffin song. Perkins changed the theme of the song, however, from bravado and narcissism to rock and roll groupies and the frenzy and mania of rock and roll stardom. In the Smith version, the theme is about drinking moonshine whiskey and womanizing. In Perkins' alternate take, there is an additional verse not found in Griffin's song. Perkins added two new verses, changed the theme of the song, and wrote entirely new music.
It was later covered by Johnny Cash and performed by Bruce Springsteen in concert in 1998 as a tribute to Carl Perkins.
The Beatles' version
The Beatles recorded "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby" on 18 October 1964 at EMI Studios in Abbey Road, London, with George Harrison on vocals. It was first released as the final song on Beatles for Sale in the UK later that year, and as the last track on the US album Beatles '65.
The recording finishes with a false ending, with the final phrase repeating itself after the song seems to have stopped. A version recorded live at the Star-Club in Hamburg in December 1962 contained four of these musical phrases.
The Beatles also recorded "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby" in June 1963 for the BBC radio programme Pop Go The Beatles, and in November 1964 for Saturday Club. The latter recording can be heard on Live at the BBC.
The Beatles performed it live again after their studio recording was released. A version recorded at Shea Stadium on 15 August 1965 was included on Anthology 2.
Personnel
* George Harrison – vocals, lead guitar
* John Lennon – acoustic rhythm guitar, tambourine
* Paul McCartney – bass
* Ringo Starr – drums
Current ownership and administration of song
The song is currently owned by the Perkins family and administered by former Beatle Paul McCartney's company, MPL Communications which still credits the song to Perkins.
Album: Beatles for Sale
Released: December 4, 1964
Recorded: October 18, 1964
Genre: Rock and roll
Length: 2:23
Label: Parlophone
Writer: Carl Perkins
Producer: George Martin
Wikipedia
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Beatles News
- Ex-Beatle Ringo Starr: 'God Is in My Life' (Christian Post)
- McCartney as more than second fiddle (Boston Globe)
- 'No. 1 Beatles show in the world' comes to Norman (Oklahoma Gazette)
- 'Idol' a big Beatles fan (Inquirer.net)
- TICKET TO RIDE: A Live Beatles Tribute Rocks Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2/6 (Broadway World)
- Beatles subject of laser show at Heritage Planetarium in Maryville (Knoxville News Sentinel)
- Today's Pop Five: MikeV's favorite Cirque du Soleil shows (USA Today)
- Aboard 'Yellow Submarine' (Boston Globe)
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Beatles News
- The Beatles' drummer Ringo Starr admits: 'I have found God' (Telegraph.co.uk)
- Paul McCartney's son hits the road (Belfast Telegraph)
- Beatle Scene (Boston Herald)
- Backbeat: what really happened with Stu Sutcliffe and The Beatles (stv.tv)
- Wu-Tang Clan meets the Fab Four in remix album -- and it's all good (Los Angeles Times)
- The Beatles or The Stones? with Warren Haynes (MusicRadar.com)
- BWW Reviews: RAINmania at the Academy of Music (Broadway World)
- Heather Mills to open up about Paul McCartney marriage for TV special (San Francisco Chronicle)
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Beatles News
- Mash-Up Monday: Beatles vs. Wu-Tang Enter the Magical Mystery Chambers (Crawdaddy! The Magazine of Rock)
- Former Beatle Ringo wears Electric Fetus T-shirt, Minnesotans wonder how he got it (KARE)
- Brush Up on Your Beatles Knowledge With Summer School at Oxford University (Jaunted)
- Fab Four-themed Mankey Monkeys go on display at Liverpool's Beatles hotel (Liverpool Daily Post)
- Paul McCartney Plugs Meat-Free Monday On Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP (Ecorazzi)
- Heather Mills Says Her Genitals Are Made Of Steel (Musicrooms.net)
Ringo Starr on "Lady Madonna"
"It sounds like Elvis, doesn't it? No -- no, it doesn't sound like Elvis. It is Elvis -- even those bits where he goes very high."
Monday, February 01, 2010
Beatles News
- Free Beatles Theme from Build By Request (BerryReview.com)
- The Beck Week That Was; Woodrow Wilson is an Evil SOB Edition (News Hounds)
- Income tax software makes best of bad situation (TheChronicleHerald.ca)
- Baby you can drive my car (Schenectady Gazette)
- Mills: 'McCartney's Daughter Will Be Musical' (Contactmusic.com)
"Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey"
"Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey" is a song written by John Lennon (credited to Lennon/McCartney) and performed by The Beatles on their 1968 double-disc album The Beatles, also known as "The White Album."
Origins
In 1980, Lennon said: "That was just a sort of nice line that I made into a song. It was about me and Yoko. Everybody seemed to be paranoid except for us two, who were in the glow of love. Everything is clear and open when you're in love. Everybody was sort of tense around us: You know, 'What is she doing here at the session? Why is she with him?' All this sort of madness is going on around us because we just happened to want to be together all the time."
The song's title is the longest of any in the Beatles' catalog, and it originates from a quote by the Maharishi; however, as for the "and My Monkey" part, George Harrison attested that he didn't "know where that came from." The most common interpretation is that John's "monkey" was a pet name for Yoko Ono, though the most obvious interpretation is that the use of "monkey" is to refer to an addiction of some kind, which would make the title humorous.
Recording
The released version of the song was recorded at Abbey Road Studios on 27 June 1968, and an overdub session the next day.
Personnel
* John Lennon: lead and harmony vocals; lead and rhythm guitar; percussion.
* Paul McCartney: bass, fireman bell, harmony vocals.
* George Harrison: lead guitar, harmony vocals.
* Ringo Starr: drums.
Cover versions
* Fats Domino covered the song in 1970, which pleased Lennon, a long-time fan of Domino's.
* Ramsey Lewis included an instrumental version of the song on his 1968 album Mother Nature's Son.
* The American rock group the Feelies also covered the song on their 1980 debut album, Crazy Rhythms.
* Phish covered the song when they played the entire album on Halloween 1994, which they released as Live Phish Volume 13.
* Beatallica (a satire tribute band that plays songs derived from those of the Beatles and Metallica ) covered the song as "Everybody's Got a Ticket to Ride Except for Me and My Lightning", which combines the titles of this song, "Ticket to Ride", and the Metallica song "Ride the Lightning".
* Kristin Hersh (main singer and songwriter of the Throwing Muses) covered this song on her 1999 Echo EP, which was released in conjunction with her third solo album, Sky Motel.
* The Trews have covered this song during many of their live sets.
* Soundgarden would play the song in 1988, and there is also a bootleg with a demo.
* 60ft Dolls put a live cover of the song on track two of their 'Happy Shopper' CD Single in 1996.
* Tea Leaf Green played a cover of the song around midnight on New Years Eve, December 31, 2008.
Cultural references
In the episode Speaking Terms / Tooth and Nail of the Nickelodeon cartoon Rocko's Modern Life, the title of the song was referenced by the main character. In this episode, Rocko has acquired a nail-biting problem and tries to hide his hands under a ham and a monkey puppet as he answers the door. His friends, Heffer and Filburt try to question him, to which Rocko replies "So what? Everyone's got something to hide except for meat, and my monkey!"
Marilyn Manson alluded to the song live frequently during the early-mid 90's, as well as wrote a song called "My Monkey" which loosely can said to be influenced from this song.
Robbie Williams released his own song entitled "Me and My Monkey" on his 2002 album, Escapology.
In the Vertigo comic Y: The Last Man, issue #46, Yorick calls "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey" the worst Beatles song. He uses it to compare the relationship he has with his pet monkey, Ampersand. Ampersand is the only living being he tells everything to.
Album: The Beatles
Released: 22 November 1968
Recorded: 27 June 1968
Genre: Rock and roll, hard rock
Length: 2:24
Label: Apple Records
Writer: Lennon/McCartney
Producer: George Martin
Wikipedia
Origins
In 1980, Lennon said: "That was just a sort of nice line that I made into a song. It was about me and Yoko. Everybody seemed to be paranoid except for us two, who were in the glow of love. Everything is clear and open when you're in love. Everybody was sort of tense around us: You know, 'What is she doing here at the session? Why is she with him?' All this sort of madness is going on around us because we just happened to want to be together all the time."
The song's title is the longest of any in the Beatles' catalog, and it originates from a quote by the Maharishi; however, as for the "and My Monkey" part, George Harrison attested that he didn't "know where that came from." The most common interpretation is that John's "monkey" was a pet name for Yoko Ono, though the most obvious interpretation is that the use of "monkey" is to refer to an addiction of some kind, which would make the title humorous.
Recording
The released version of the song was recorded at Abbey Road Studios on 27 June 1968, and an overdub session the next day.
Personnel
* John Lennon: lead and harmony vocals; lead and rhythm guitar; percussion.
* Paul McCartney: bass, fireman bell, harmony vocals.
* George Harrison: lead guitar, harmony vocals.
* Ringo Starr: drums.
Cover versions
* Fats Domino covered the song in 1970, which pleased Lennon, a long-time fan of Domino's.
* Ramsey Lewis included an instrumental version of the song on his 1968 album Mother Nature's Son.
* The American rock group the Feelies also covered the song on their 1980 debut album, Crazy Rhythms.
* Phish covered the song when they played the entire album on Halloween 1994, which they released as Live Phish Volume 13.
* Beatallica (a satire tribute band that plays songs derived from those of the Beatles and Metallica ) covered the song as "Everybody's Got a Ticket to Ride Except for Me and My Lightning", which combines the titles of this song, "Ticket to Ride", and the Metallica song "Ride the Lightning".
* Kristin Hersh (main singer and songwriter of the Throwing Muses) covered this song on her 1999 Echo EP, which was released in conjunction with her third solo album, Sky Motel.
* The Trews have covered this song during many of their live sets.
* Soundgarden would play the song in 1988, and there is also a bootleg with a demo.
* 60ft Dolls put a live cover of the song on track two of their 'Happy Shopper' CD Single in 1996.
* Tea Leaf Green played a cover of the song around midnight on New Years Eve, December 31, 2008.
Cultural references
In the episode Speaking Terms / Tooth and Nail of the Nickelodeon cartoon Rocko's Modern Life, the title of the song was referenced by the main character. In this episode, Rocko has acquired a nail-biting problem and tries to hide his hands under a ham and a monkey puppet as he answers the door. His friends, Heffer and Filburt try to question him, to which Rocko replies "So what? Everyone's got something to hide except for meat, and my monkey!"
Marilyn Manson alluded to the song live frequently during the early-mid 90's, as well as wrote a song called "My Monkey" which loosely can said to be influenced from this song.
Robbie Williams released his own song entitled "Me and My Monkey" on his 2002 album, Escapology.
In the Vertigo comic Y: The Last Man, issue #46, Yorick calls "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey" the worst Beatles song. He uses it to compare the relationship he has with his pet monkey, Ampersand. Ampersand is the only living being he tells everything to.
Album: The Beatles
Released: 22 November 1968
Recorded: 27 June 1968
Genre: Rock and roll, hard rock
Length: 2:24
Label: Apple Records
Writer: Lennon/McCartney
Producer: George Martin
Wikipedia
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