You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)

"You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)" is an exceedingly weird song written by Lennon. According to Wikipedia:

The song is a music hall comedy number. Lennon came up with the lyric/title after seeing a phone book. He said:

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 contains various weird vocalizations and different music styles that imitate some of The Beatles' contemporaries. Overall, it's a quirky song that starts off only a little odd and devolves into something truly bizarre. At this juncture I'm unable to decide how I feel about this song on a personal level. :P

That's it for now... see you tomorrow!

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Heard It Tally: 54

Songs Completed: 211

Old Brown Shoe

Today we hear Harrison's "Old Brown Shoe", which was the B-side to "The Ballad of John and Yoko". Wikipedia notes:

Harrison commented about this song: "I started the chord sequences on the piano, which I don't really play, and then began writing ideas for the words from various opposites... Again, it's the duality of things – yes no, up down, left right, right wrong, etc." This idea was also prevalent in their earlier single, "Hello, Goodbye".

It's a fun love song, one that makes you laugh. I particularly enjoyed the line, "I want a short-haired girl who sometimes wears it twice as long" as well as "If I grow up I'll be a singer / Wearing rings on every finger", which I took to be a humorous nod to Ringo, who was known for wearing lots of rings. 

John and Paul were great lyricists in their own ways, and had distinctive and individual styles that were hard to miss. However, when it came to writing love songs, George was the undisputed master. It's funny, how it took a long time for Harrison to even start writing lyrics that he felt comfortable enough to show to his bandmates, and he ends up writing some of the group's best songs. :)

That's it for now... See you tomorrow!

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Heard It Tally: 54

Songs Completed: 210

The Ballad of John and Yoko

"The Ballad of John and Yoko" is a song written by Lennon in 1969. The song is not a "ballad" in the modern sense (that is, a slower-paced and often powerful love song, i.e. the "power ballad"); it's in the traditional style of a narrative poem in a song. The ballad chronicles Lennon's and Ono's wedding and honeymoon, including an account of their "'Bed-In' at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel and their demonstration of 'bagism.'" (Both the bed-in and bagism are noteworthy reads; I recommend losing yourself in the Wikipedia articles for a while.)

During the recording session, the group was missing two members: George Harrison was on holiday, and Ringo Starr was filming The Magic Christian. Wikipedia continues:

In his biography, McCartney recalls that Lennon had had a sudden inspiration for the song and had suggested that the two of them should record it immediately, without waiting for the other Beatles to return. Reflecting this somewhat unusual situation, the session recordings include the following exchange:

Lennon (on guitar): "Go a bit faster, Ringo!"

McCartney (on drums): "OK, George!"

The song wasn't well-received in some circles, however. Lennon, who had uttered the infamous "more famous than Jesus" line, again drew the ire of conservative religious groups and radio stations, who took offense at the chorus of the song:

Christ, you know it ain't easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going 
They're gonna crucify me

In addition, and somewhat more hilariously, "The Spanish government under Franco objected to the song due to its statement that Gibraltar was "near Spain". The status of Gibraltar was a subject of debate between Spain and the United Kingdom at that time." How random is that? :P

I like this song quite a bit. Although I have mixed feelings about the Lennon/Ono mythos, particularly its effects on The Beatles as a group, this song seems to embody the best parts of their relationship--the creativity and inspiration that they produced when they were together (which, let's be honest, was all the time). If ever there was a "good parts" version of their relationship, it's "The Ballad of John and Yoko". 

That's all for today. See you tomorrow!

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Heard It Tally: 54

Songs Completed: 209

Don't Let Me Down

"Don't Let Me Down" is an angst-ridden ballad, written by John Lennon for Yoko Ono. It was recorded during the 1969 Get Back/Let It Be sessions, but was dropped by Spector from Let It Be. According to Wikipedia:

...Paul McCartney interpreted it as a "genuine plea", with Lennon saying to 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." Lennon's vocals work their way into screams, presaging the primal scream stylings of the following year's John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band album.

The Beatles performed this song twice during their rooftop concert, which, as we know, was the last time they performed together publicly (or somewhat publicly, as it were).

As far as love songs go, it's very anguished and heart-wrenching. Lennon's vocals (particularly on the version I listened to first, followed by the rooftop version) are fierce and send his passionate shrieks straight to listeners' hearts (and eardrums, if you're like me and crank the volume up). "Don't Let Me Down" is a relays a message that most, if not all, people can relate to: the anxiety, insecurity and nervousness involved in giving your heart to someone. 

That's it for today... see you tomorrow.

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Heard It Tally: 54

Songs Completed: 208

Revolution

We heard the experimental "Revolution 9" and the remix "Revolution 1". Now it's time for the original version, "Revolution". It was written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon/McCartney, and according to Wikipedia:

"Revolution" was inspired by political protests in early 1968. Lennon's lyrics expressed doubt about some of the tactics. When the single version was released in August, the political left viewed it as betraying their cause. The release of the album version in November indicated Lennon's uncertainty about destructive change, with the phrase "count me out" modified to "count me out, in". In 1987, the song became the first Beatles recording to be licensed for a television commercial, which prompted a lawsuit from the surviving members of the group.

The protests, which were against the Vietnam War in America (along with protests in Poland and France, among others) inspired The Beatles to express a political statement for only the second time ever (the first being in Harrison's "Taxman"). Like most (if not all) political statements, "Revolution" left a bitter taste in many fans' and critics' mouths. Some critics, however, took a different view of the song:

Music journalist Greil Marcus noted that the political critics had overlooked the music; he wrote that while "there is sterility and repression in the lyrics", the "freedom and movement in the music ... dodges the message and comes out in front." Among later music critics, Dave Marsh included "Revolution" in his 1989 book covering the 1001 greatest singles, describing it as a "gem" with a "ferocious fuzztone rock and roll attack" and a "snarling" Lennon vocal. Writing for Allmusic, Richie Unterberger called "Revolution" one of The Beatles' "greatest, most furious rockers" with "challenging, fiery lyrics" where the listener's "heart immediately starts pounding before Lennon goes into the first verse".

I agree with Marcus about the lyrics and the music telling vastly different stories. While the lyrics make me a little bit mad at John--protester extraordinaire, if somewhat lazy--the music is indeed ferocious and almost makes your blood boil just listening to it. For that reason, I forgive John his ill-conceived notions about what revolutions should and shouldn't do. :P

That's all for now. See you tomorrow. :)

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Heard It Tally: 53

Songs Completed: 207

Hey Jude

Today we hear possibly The Beatles' most famous song: "Hey Jude". Allegedly written by Paul McCartney for Julian Lennon, John Lennon's oldest son, the song was originally called "Hey Jules". According to Wikipedia, "More than seven minutes in length, 'Hey Jude' was, at the time, the longest single ever to top the British charts."

While the back story of the song--Paul writing it to comfort Julian Lennon during his parents' divorce--is the most commonly believed version (including by Julian himself, who said he often felt closer to McCartney than to his own father), there are alternate versions that are equally interesting and possible. These include: that Paul wrote the song about John (which Lennon firmly believed), that Paul wrote the song about himself (he was breaking up with Jane Asher around that time), or that Paul wrote the song about various other people (most of them random). 

Wikipedia gives us this funny tidbit:

Ringo Starr almost missed his drum cue. He left for a toilet break—unnoticed by the other Beatles—and the band started recording. In 1994, McCartney said, "Ringo walked out to go to the toilet and I hadn't noticed. The toilet was only a few yards from his drum booth, but he'd gone past my back and I still thought he was in his drum booth. I started what was the actual take, and 'Hey Jude' goes on for hours before the drums come in and while I was doing it I suddenly felt Ringo tiptoeing past my back rather quickly, trying to get to his drums. And just as he got to his drums, boom boom boom, his timing was absolutely impeccable."

For me, however, the most interesting fact about this song is this one:

When McCartney introduced Lennon to his new composition, he came to "the movement you need is on your shoulder" and told Lennon "I'll fix that bit." Lennon asked why, and McCartney answered "...it's a stupid expression; it sounds like a parrot." Lennon parried with "You won't, you know. That's the best line in the song." McCartney thus left the line in, and later said "...when I play that song, that's the line when I think of John, and sometimes I get a little emotional during that moment."

For me, "Hey Jude" symbolizes the McCartney + Lennon saga more than any other song, even more than "Carry That Weight" or others that were written by one specifically about the other. This song, which (if you believe the main theory) was written for his best friend's son, represents all of the best parts of their partnership and friendship. It gives encouragement and hope instead of the more common criticism and resentment that was often exchanged between the two. That's why this is one of my absolute favorite Beatles songs--although there are many amazing songs out there that showcase John and Paul's collaborations, to me, nothing says "Lennon/McCartney" like "Hey Jude". 

That's it for today... see you tomorrow.

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Heard It Tally: 52

Songs Completed: 206

The Inner Light

"The Inner Light" is a George Harrison piece from 1968, released as the B-side of "Lady Madonna". It displays Harrison's Indian influence and inspiration and, as it was recorded in Mumbai, India, features Indian artists on various instruments (including the sitar, shehnai, flute, sarod, tabla, pakhavaj, dholak, and harmonium. 

As we know from other Harrison works, he was greatly inspired by North India's music and spiritual culture. The lyrics in "The Inner Light" are actually from the Taoist Tao Te Ching, a Chinese classic text. The 47th chapter reads (from one translation): "Without stirring abroad/One can know the whole world;/Without looking out of the window/One can see the way of heaven."

This is quite a beautiful song, both musically and lyrically. The exotic-sounding instruments paired with the soul-searching lyrics, which ask the listener to look inward for knowledge and peace, create a lovely and fascinating piece. The lines that say, "The farther one travels, the less one knows / The less one really knows" seem to be saying something similar to "The more I see, the less I know," meaning, in short, that the more you learn, the more you realize how little you actually know. I happen to agree with that sentiment/philosophy, so this song resonates with me. :)

That's all for today. See you tomorrow!

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Heard It Tally: 51

Songs Completed: 205

Lady Madonna

Today we meet the "Lady Madonna", released in March 1968 as an A-side, which was written by Paul McCartney in an attempt to emulate Fats Domino's style of piano blues. About the lyrics, Wikipedia says:

John Lennon helped write the lyrics, which give an account of an overworked, exhausted (possibly single) mother, facing a new problem each day of the week. The lyrics miss Saturday and in a 1992 interview, McCartney, who only realised the omission many years later, half-jokingly suggested that, given the difficulties of the other six days, the woman in the song likely went out and had a good time that night.

This is an interesting song, in that the lyrics can be interpreted in a couple of vastly different ways. Wikipedia's account of the story is that the Lady Madonna of the song is simply an overworked mother; however, when I read the lyrics closely, I noticed a couple of things that make me believe she's possibly prostituting herself in order to feed her children. That may not be what McCartney and Lennon intended the song to say, but the lyrics suggest it nonetheless. I like this song, overall; no matter which interpretation you embrace, the song is about a hard-working woman trying to take care of her children--always an admirable and courageous feat. :)

That's all for today... see you tomorrow!

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Heard It Tally: 51

Songs Completed: 204

Rain

"Rain" is an almost-psychedelic jam from June 1966, released as the B-side of "Paperback Writer". Wikipedia notes:

Written by John Lennon, "Rain" has been called The Beatles' finest B-side, especially notable for its heavy sonic presence and backwards vocals, both of which were a hint of things to come on Revolver, released two months later.

The Beatles also made three promotional videos for the song, which were accompanied by other videos they were making at the time. These films and music videos "sparked George Harrison to say during the Beatles Anthology, 'So I suppose, in a way, we invented MTV.'" Not nearly as controversial a statement as John Lennon's "more popular than Jesus" comment from decades earlier, but definitely a bold claim--and more than probably true. :P

John Lennon said that the lyrics to "Rain" were inspired by people who complain about the weather all the time. When it's raining, they hide inside, yet when it's sunny, they stay in the shade. To Lennon, all weather was good weather--at least for this song it was. Although both he and producer George Martin claimed credit for the idea of flipping a couple of the last lines backwards, whoever did it had a great idea, one that The Beatles expanded on a great deal afterwards.

That's it for today! See you tomorrow.

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Heard It Tally: 51

Songs Completed: 203

Paperback Writer

"Paperback Writer", from 1966, is a bass-heavy non-love song by Paul McCartney, who was encouraged by an aunt to write "a single that wasn't a love song". Lennon had some influence on the lyrics, as Wikipedia mentions:

The song's lyrics are in the form of a letter from an aspiring author addressed to a publisher. The author badly needs a job and has written a paperback version of a book by a "man named Lear." This is a reference to the Victorian painter Edward Lear, who wrote nonsense poems and songs of which Lennon was very fond (though Lear never wrote novels).

The article mentions that "the backing vocals during this section are from the French children's song "Frère Jacques". In addition, McCartney apparently wanted to create a song that remained on a single chord; with "Paperback Writer", he almost accomplishes that goal. It stays on G until the end of the verse, where it briefly touches on C.

I love this song; the bass is devastating (and was cranked up by engineer Geoff Emerick so as to be much louder than normal) and I love the vocals and the background harmonies. It's incredibly catchy, plus I'm a big fan of books and writing so "Paperback Writer" had a head-start with me from the get-go. :P

That's it for yesterday's tune... Today's song is coming up!

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Heard It Tally: 51

Songs Completed: 202

I'm Down

Today we start catching up with all the songs--mostly singles--that we've missed along the way. "I'm Down" was written by McCartney and released as a B-side to "Help!" in 1965.

Wikipedia states that "according to critic Richie Unterberger of Allmusic, ''I'm Down' is "one of the most frantic rockers in the entire Beatles' catalog.'" I have to agree; Paul's screaming earnestness as he asks, "How can you laugh when you know I'm down?" might be the best aspect of the song. The guitar is absolutely killer, too. As an homage to Little Richard, and this is an idea that no one really agrees about ("no one" meaning Ian MacDonald and Richie Unterberger), it definitely works. 

Finally, an interesting tidbit from our friendly neighborhood Wikipedia:

At the beginning of the Anthology version, McCartney says, "Let's hope this one turns out pretty darn good" in a faux American accent. During the session, particularly between takes one and two, McCartney can be heard repeating the phrase "Plastic soul, man, plastic soul". He later revealed that the phrase, which the Beatles later adapted for the title of their album Rubber Soul, was used by black musicians to describe Mick Jagger.

Not sure if that's a compliment or a statement of fact. :P

That's it for today... See you tomorrow!

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Heard It Tally: 50

Songs Completed: 201