Tag Archive | Beatle

The Beatles Anthology: A Love Story

Sep13

I’ve been digging into the Beatles Anthology as of late thanks to Robin Coyle’s piece here.  Somehow I made a few observations that escaped me during April 2012’s A to Z Blogging Challenge:  Beatles Edition.  I thought I’d share them here.  Here we go:

  1. The Beatles Anthology is much more complete than I ever imagined.  It nicely set the stage for Love years later, both the Cirque de Soleil show and the album.
  2. The Beatles gave it their all and truly loved one another.  I’d realized this before, but it is an inescapable conclusion of the Anthology.
  3. John, Paul, George, and Ringo were first and foremost fans.  In describing their various musical influences, it is clear they remained in awe of the likes of Carl Perkins, Buddy Holly, Elvis, the Ronettes, and more, long after they achieved fame themselves.  Their desire to take that music further is what ultimately led to their success and their continued popularity.
  4. Both “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love” were better songs than I remembered, and even better videos.  They were modest hits at the time of release, but at the time I didn’t really register their significance or how truly good they really are.
  5. The Beatles Anthology is truly a gift to fans.  In the extra segments in the Anthology, Paul, George, and Ringo discuss the technical difficulties in making both “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love” from unfinished and unreleased Lennon tracks.  They state that “Free As A Bird” is truly a Beatles song, while “Real Love” is much more similar to John Lennon’s solo work.  I couldn’t agree more.  It says a lot about the band that the three remaining Beatles (at the time) put aside petty grievances to complete the work they started so long ago, and include their slain band mate in a fundamental way.  All of them had long established solo careers at the time of the Anthology and could have easily walked away from anything relating to the Beatles; they didn’t

I have to say, after reviewing all of the extras in the Anthology, the ukulele scene at the end of “Free As A Bird” gets to me even more now.  I think most Beatles fans recognize it as a tribute to John Lennon.  Legend has it that John’s mom, Julia, taught him to play the ukulele first.  When John and Paul first became friends, Paul had to teach John guitar chords as he still played the ukulele chords his mom taught him.

But it gets even better.  According to the director, George wanted to play the ukulele in the ending scene of “Free As A Bird.”  The director said no.  At the time he wanted someone not recognizably a Beatle to play it.  Of course, after George passed away in 2001, the director felt horrible about his decision.  I can imagine George wanted to play it as a tribute to John.

I suppose that is what I absolutely love about the “Free As A Bird.”  There are so many references to Beatles songs in the video I notice something new every time I watch the video.  It literally covers every aspect of their career.  I have no idea how any band could ever top their career and everything they accomplished.  It may be cliché to say that or even admit to being a Beatles fan.  I simply don’t care.  Sometimes things are cliché simply because they are true.

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‘Who Shot Rock & Roll’

Jul22

‘Who Shot Rock & Roll’ snaps the photographers – USATODAY.com
Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History, 1955-Present – News – Paul McCartney

I’ll have to watch this documentary sometime.  Below are a couple of videos in which Mary McCartney discusses the work of her late mother, Linda McCartney.  Linda McCartney’s photos of Janis Joplin, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, and of course, her husband Paul (and their family) are among some of my favorites.  Her photos of Janis Joplin are particularly interesting.

Below is an older article I came across discussing the rerelease of McCartney and McCartney II, Paul McCartney’s first solo albums last year.  Ram was rereleased earlier this year.  Ram is the only album credited to Paul and Linda McCartney.  Originally released in 1971, it is the last album recorded by Paul McCartney before the creation of Wings.

McCartney’s reissues cover full spectrum of emotion – USATODAY.com

Wings, 1975. L-R: Joe English, Denny Laine, Li...

Wings, 1975. L-R: Joe English, Denny Laine, Linda McCartney, Jimmy McCulloch, and Paul McCartney. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Janis Joplin, Taken By Linda McCartney

The Lost Art Of Keeping Secrets: Setting The Stage

May20

I read The Lost Art Of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice back in November 2010.  It never really let go of my imagination.  As in so many cases, there is so much to say I find it hard to know where to begin.  Set in post-World War II Britain in the early/mid-1950s, it is hard not to see the influence of the unbridled optimism of the period on just about everything, especially music and fashion.

Despite being a piece of fiction, the musical superstars of the era, Johnnie Ray, and later Elvis, are very real.  I have to admit that I had never heard of Johnnie Ray before this book and wasn’t quite sure if he was just a fictional part of the book.  A tiny bit of internet research made it clear that he was indeed real.

What I love most about the book is Eva Rice’s well-developed description of true love of music, not just the passing fads of impressionable teenage girls.  Yes, Penelope Wallace, the teenage protagonist of The Lost Art Of Keeping Secrets, is a devoted fan of Johnnie Ray’s, but right from the beginning of the novel you can tell it is so much more.  She is deeply in love with the music.  She is so deeply in love with the music of Johnnie Ray as a matter of fact that it becomes a part of her whirlwind teenage life in London with her friends Charlotte, Harry, and later her brother Inigo, who idolizes Elvis.

Ok.  This is where I’m going to stop for a minute.  Does any of this bring anything to mind?  As I read the book back then, it hit me.  I was very reading about the Britain in which the Beatles grew up.  They, like Inigo, loved Elvis and treasured any and every album they could get imported from the United States.  The music they grew up with inspired them so much that they later went on to not only create a huge catalog of their own, but also became the biggest band rock and roll has ever seen.

What made the connection so obvious to me were the descriptions of the crowd outside of the London Palladium before a Johnny Ray concert – a taste of the Beatlemania that would later sweep the country – and descriptions of Teddy Boys encountered by Penelope and her new friend Charlotte.  Teddy Boys in 1950s England dressed in leather, defied authority, and greased back their hair.  As an American, I would compare the 1950s British Teds to 1950s American Greasers.  The TED look was very much a part of the early Beatles look, that is until Brian Epstein agreed to help the band and helped them to clean up their act.  My favorite part of the entire “look” has to be the DA haircut.

Until I read John by Cynthia Lennon, I had no real clue what the haircut was called.  As she met John and all the Beatles during the TED phase, she talks a little bit about the haircut, which she terms the DA, shorthand for Duck Arse.  I couldn’t help but laugh.  It does indeed look exactly like a duck’s butt.  She states she felt the mop top was a huge improvement, and I have to agree.

I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Lost Art Of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice.  It gave me a glimpse into a world long since gone, full of optimism and glamour that may never return.  I love how music is used in the novel and hope I can only do it half as well someday.

Book review: ‘The Lost Art Of Keeping Secrets’ by Eva Rice | write meg!

John Lennon, pre-fame, with the DA haircut.

Beatles, early 60s, dressed as Teds – probably in Hamburg.

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Z is for Dizzy Miss Lizzy/The End

Apr30

Z is for Dizzy Miss Lizzy/The End.  For some reason The Beatles had a way with cover songs early in their career.  Originally composed and performed by Larry Williams in 1958, the Beatles released their version on Help! (1965).  Sadly, we now come to the end of April 2012 Blogging A to Z:  Beatles Edition.

I just couldn’t end this series without including “The End.”  It is the very end of the album Abbey Road – and the last recording of the Beatles together as a band.  I seriously doubt the world will see another such talented and successful band in my lifetime.  The Beatles is and always will be a subject of endless fascination for me.  I hope all of you enjoyed my project as much as I enjoyed putting it all together.  And yes, as always with the Beatles, there is more to come.  Stay tuned.

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Y is for Yesterday

Apr30

Y is for Yesterday.  Written almost exclusively by Paul McCartney in 1964/1965, “Yesterday” has a story and a life all its own.  Originally recorded for the 1965 album Help!, “Yesterday” wasn’t released as a single in the UK until 1976.  The Beatles agreed that it didn’t really fit the rest of their catalog at the time or their image.  It was released as a single in the US in 1965 paired with “Act Naturally,” topping the charts for four weeks and selling over a million copies within five weeks.

Today “Yesterday” is widely acknowledged to be the most recorded popular song of the 20th century with over 2,000 cover versions produced.   In recent decades it topped several lists of best popular songs of the 20th century and all time put out by the likes of MTV, Rolling Stone, and the BBC.  “Yesterday” will be with us for a very long time.

Among Beatles’ fans the story of the song’s inception is legendary.  Paul McCartney supposedly dreamed the entire melody – and couldn’t get it out of his mind.  He went around asking people in the music industry about the song, thinking it was an older song stuck in his subconscious.  After realizing it was an original, he claimed he wrote it in his sleep.  It was only then that he began to work on the lyrics.  And yes, it is true that the original working lyrics were:

“Scrambled Eggs/Oh, my baby how I love your legs.”

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X is for Merry XMas (War Is Over)

Apr29

X is for “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)”, released in 1971 as a single on Apple Records by John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir.  While the song is in theory a protest song about the Vietnam War, it has become a Christmas standard.  After John Lennon’s murder on 8 December 1980, the song was rereleased in the UK.  In recent years the song seems to land very high on any list of favorite Christmas songs.

While the song certainly isn’t directly Beatle-related, I felt I should include a song from John’s post-Beatle work, as I did with Paul McCartney.  The song is beautiful, and I think it is a shame that the Beatles didn’t write any Christmas music together.

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W is for The White Album

Apr29

W is for The White Album, or more formally, The Beatles.  Released in November 1968 after a contentious year for the Beatles, and the world, in many ways the double album defies description.  Personally, I love it, warts and all.  With the help of modern technology I can selectively skip a few of the subpar songs.  That said there are so many hidden gems on the album even fans tend to forget some of their favorites.

On a personal note, I’ll always associate The White Album with the semester I spent in Spain January to May 2002.  Despite being a huge Beatles fan and hearing about The White Album for years, I never really listened to the entire thing until that point in my life.  My schedule included class Monday through Thursday, leaving three-day weekends to explore Spain.  I’ll leave it at this:  The White Album accompanied me, along with books and a journal, through several hundred miles of Spanish countryside, whether by train or bus.  It will always put a huge smile on my face.

Unfortunately, as a Beatles fan, it is easy to tell it’s the beginning of the end for the band.  It is very possible to indentify “Paul songs” and “John songs” on the album.  The Beatles were growing a part and the fissures in their relationships are apparent on the album.  The album is a mess and all over the place.  That is part of what makes it so much fun.  Enjoy!

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V is for Vintage Everyday

Apr28

V is for vintage everyday.  vintage everyday is one of my favorite blogs.  It highlights interesting vintage/historic pictures from various periods throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.  The Beatles feature prominently, as you can see.  Enjoy!

vintage everyday: Beatlemania

vintage everyday: LIFE’s Best Beatles Photos

vintage everyday: The Beatles’ Abbey Road Photo Shoot Outtakes

vintage everyday: The Beatles – First Visit to America, 1964

vintage everyday: The Beatles at Holland – June 1964

vintage everyday: We love you Beatles!

vintage everyday: The Beatles Illuminated: The Discovered Works of Mike Mitchell

vintage everyday: The Beatles (1964) by Robert Whitaker

vintage everyday: Remembering The Beatles

vintage everyday: Beatles fashion

vintage everyday: The Beatles‘ First American Tour, 1964

vintage everyday: John Lennon in Pictures

For even more fun, check this out:

vintage everyday:  Beatles search results

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U is for Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey

Apr28

U is for Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey.  I understand that I must justify the Beatles connection.  First, I have to admit that I’ve loved this song for a very long time for a couple of different reasons,  both of which directly relate to the Beatles catalog and are a part of the reason why I love their music so much.

  1. “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” is really two songs or more, in one, connected by a bridge.  The Beatles used this to great effect in both on both “A Day In The Life” and “Happiness Is A Warm Gun.”  Paul McCartney discusses this technique in his recent interview with Fresh Air’s Terry Gross.  I discussed the interview here.  I’m fascinated by this technique.  I’m not sure whether it was Paul McCartney or John Lennon who first decided to try and combine songs, I’m just happy it worked.  The Beatles used a slightly different version of this technique on Abbey Road.  The entire second half of the album is a medley of snippets of songs.  It all blends together well.
  2. “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” also makes extensive use of sound effects, such as a thunderstorm and an answering machine.  The Beatles did this well – and to great effect – on Sgt. Pepper, the song “Piggies,” among others.  This seemingly small point really does help the lyrics tell a true story.  It is the fact that most of the Beatles’ music tells a story that fascinates me as a writer.

Released on 1971’s Ram, “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1971.  Although not technically a Wings’ release, it is featured on several later Wings compilation albums.  It was the first #1 hit for Paul McCartney as a solo artist in the 1970s/1980s.  It is very easy to imagine Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey as a Beatles song.

Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey

Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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T is for Taxman

Apr26

T is for Taxman.  It is one of my favorite Beatles songs for the guitar work alone.  It is one protest song I can get behind whole heartedly.  Originally released on Revolver (1966), “Taxman” is one of three songs written by George Harrison on the album.  While I knew George sang lead on “Taxman,” I did not know Paul McCartney played guitar on the song.  That guitar riff is one of the reasons why I love “Taxman” so much.  Madness.

Paul McCartney and George Harrison Deutsch: Pa...

Paul McCartney and George Harrison Deutsch: Paul McCartney und George Harrison (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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