Favourite Beatles Song Megathread

[Tarquin 10]

He definitely should, I'm learning so much! I'm in awe of his knowledge of the lads

 

 

Iv'e been a big fan of the FAB FOUR for 27 years & am still learning every time Ousetunes posts.I thought I knew alot about them but he surpasses my knowledge of the boys by far.

[not wanted 10]

Mike Leander wasn't a bad alternative. I've got a book about the great music producers from the 50's 60's and 70's which I think was a spin off from a BBC radio series. its basically a 50 page interview with him about everything he did. Great stuff.

He was somebody else from that era who doesn't really get the recognition he deserves.

[beddoe79 10]

Piggies

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Help

Taxman

A day in the life.

 

As you can see I am mainly a George fan although love them all lol.

[Tarquin 10]

I know you asked for 5 but I'm just going to go for:

 

Here, There and Everywhere

 

Never fails to make me feel tingly :-)

 

 

 

Nice Harmonium by Wix as usual

[Tarquin 10]

A decent guitarist

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdzg8lrzAcQ&feature=related

[JenC 10]

A decent guitarist

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdzg8lrzAcQ&feature=related

 

Great stuff, he's brilliant

 

That solo from Something never fails to send a shiver down my spine

[Blue Monday 10]

1 Across the Universe

2 Come Together

3 Get Back

4 Norwegian Wood

5 Michelle

[Code13 10]

Another notable George Martin contribution was the solo on "In My Life", which a lot of people (including some who have written books on the Beatles) assume is a harpsichord, but is in fact George Martin playing piano. He played the recording at half speed, recorded a piano solo, and when it was returned to full speed it sounds like a harpsichord. Then there is the amazing Strawberry Fields, which (as Ousetunes mentions) is two recordings spliced together, requiring one to be slowed down and the other to be speeded up so that the keys matched. The sort of thing mix DJs caught up with 20 or 30 years later! Or the amazing vocal effect on Tomorrow Never Knows, caused (entirely George Martin's suggestion) by putting John's vocals through a rotating speaking taken from an organ (and copied by Portishead on their "Half Day Closing" track 30 years later).

 

When the Beatles split though, John, for whatever reason, was extremely critical of George Martin, saying that in future he would rather work with no-one rather than him.

[Code13 10]

Am I the only listener to detect what sounds like a female voice in the backing vocals? ('Poor' date=' Rocky, Poor'.) Strangely, this voice sounds very much like a certain Linda Eastman (later, McCartney).[/quote']

 

Wouldn't surprise me. George Harrison commented, that once Yoko "Opened the Box" as it were, the other Beatle wives were down the studio trying to get onboard, including Patti Harrison and Maureen Starkey (who I am fairly sure both sang on Bungalow Bill).

[Ousetunes 10]

Code13 - The guitar solo on A Hard Day's Night was also recorded at half-speed and speeded up. The Beatles used varispeed on many tracks, especially on and after Revolver.

 

For example, Lennon's vocal of I'm Only Sleeping was varispeeded so much that the song ends a semitone beneath its original key of Em! Harrison's backward guitar solo was also a feature of I'm Only Sleeping (although it was omitted from American pressings). Harrison spent over six hours recording it, firstly writing it down for Martin to transcribe in reverse. (See Revolution In The Head for further details). But again, it required George Martin's patience, musical knowledge and skill to bring this idea to fruition.

 

Another titbit: The middle section of Sexy Sadie utilises the same chord sequence as the verses of Here, There And Everywhere.

 

Finally, Lennon was known to dis all his previous work. He did the same to those he worked with. He even 'dissed' Yoko for some time, didn't he?

[Code13 10]

I have read "Revolution in the Head" and "The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions", also "Revolution" by David Quantick, which is just about the making of the "White Album".

 

I don't recall John ever dissing Yoko's work, but he may have done. I do recall in the mid 70s he was asked about a Beatles reunion and he said that the only thing that mattered was if he and Paul got back together as "we made all the music", which was very disrespectful to George H and Ringo, let alone George M.

[Ousetunes 10]

I have read "Revolution in the Head" and "The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions", also "Revolution" by David Quantick, which is just about the making of the "White Album".

 

I don't recall John ever dissing Yoko's work, but he may have done.

 

I was referring more to John's 'Lost Weekend' when he went off with May Pang.