I Want You (She's So Heavy)

"Today's song is "I Want You (She's So Heavy)". It was written by John and credited to Lennon/McCartney. Wikipedia sums it up best:

This song is an unusual Beatles' composition for a variety of reasons, namely its length (nearly eight minutes), few lyrics (basically the title is the lyric, aside from two more phrases; only 14 different words are sung), three-minute descent through repeated guitarchords (a similar arpeggiated figure appears in another Lennon contribution to the album, "Because"), and abrupt ending. It is one of the last songs that the Beatles mixed as a group, on 20 August 1969.

This is one of those songs in which it feels like there are chapters, or movements, or something similar. In the first part, Paul's bass really kills it; during the middle, Ringo's drums and congas stand out. Throughout the song, John's vocals and his and George's guitars weave in and out, threading the whole thing together. The ending is unique; somewhat similar to "A Day in the Life", the song ends with a blast of sound--the main melody and riff repeating, along with white noise. However, Lennon insisted on having the song abruptly cut off at the 7:44 mark, bringing both the song and the A-side of the album to a close. 

This is the first time I've heard the original; I'm more familiar with the Across the Universe version by Joe Anderson, Dana Fuchs, and T.V. Carpio. Hearing the "real" version was incredibly interesting; it's a very independent song, and even though there aren't many lyrics, I'm definitely a fan. 

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

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Heard It Tally: 41

Songs Completed: 177

Octopus's Garden

"Octopus's Garden" is another Ringo song that sounds like a great tune for kids, along with "Yellow Submarine". Although all of the Beatles contributed to the track, it was George who was the most supportive, having felt the sting of Lennon's and McCartney's criticism many times in the past:

"Octopus's Garden" is Ringo's song. It's only the second song Ringo has ever written, mind you, and it's lovely." He added that the song gets very deep into your consciousness "...because it's so peaceful. I suppose Ringo is writing cosmic songs these days without even realising it."

Starr was inspired to write the song while on a friend's boat in Sardinia; he ordered fish and chips for lunch but instead got squid. Later, "the boat's captain told Ringo Starr about how octopuses travel along the sea bed picking up stones and shiny objects with which to build gardens." The song's lyrics are appropriately whimsical and Spongebob Squarepants-ish (or, rather that Spongebob Squarepants is Octopus's Garden-ish).

Like most other Ringo songs, I'm quite fond of this one. Like "Yellow Submarine", it's fun and takes you back to a more imaginative and innocent mindset--like a little vacation to the ocean. :)

That's all for today. See you tomorrow!

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Heard It Tally: 41

Songs Completed: 176

Oh! Darling

"Oh! Darling" is a McCartney composition that has quite an interesting recording history:

McCartney later said of recording the track, "When we were recording 'Oh! Darling' I came into the studios early every day for a week to sing it by myself because at first my voice was too clear. I wanted it to sound as though I'd been performing it on stage all week." He would only try the song once each day; if it was not right he would wait until the next day, in order to make sure he got every precious first take right. He once lamented that "five years ago I could have done this in one take".

I'd call that devotion. Knowing that fact makes me appreciate the Dana Fuchs and Martin Luthor McCoy version from Across the Universe even more, cause Fuchs' voice naturally has that gravelly, husky tone that Paul was attempting to produce. Continuing with the song's recording history:

After an early attempt at this song on 27 January 1969 during the Let It Be sessions, Lennon announced, "Just heard that Yoko's divorce has just gone through", after which he and the band burst into an improvised version of the song, substituting "I'm free at last" for a part of the lyric.

"Oh! Darling" was clearly inspired greatly by New Orleans rhythm and blues (originating with African-American artists like Fats Domino) and Louisiana "swamp pop". I feel the song is very reminiscent of The Beatles' early days of blues and rock and roll. It's good to see that they were continuing to be inspired by African-American artists, even after they'd taken very different paths in their career. 

That's all for today... see you tomorrow. :)

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Heard It Tally: 41

Songs Completed: 175

Maxwell's Silver Hammer

Today's ode to a serial killer, "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", was written by Paul McCartney. 

Beatles guitarist George Harrison described the song in 1969 as "one of those instant whistle-along tunes which some people hate, and other people really like. It's a fun song, but it's kind of a drag because Maxwell keeps on destroying everyone like his girlfriend then the school teacher, and then, finally, the judge."

The clanging, clanking noise was actually an anvil, played by Ringo for the song. I really enjoy that mental image of Ringo banging cheerfully away on a great big anvil--in my imagination, Maxwell rather resembles Ringo, too (when he's not Joe Anderson from Across the Universe, whose character is of course named Max).

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

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Heard It Tally: 41

Songs Completed: 174

Something

Double post today, since crazy events yesterday prevented me from posting. 

Yesterday's song was "Something", by George Harrison. It's the second most covered Beatles song after "Yesterday". Not only was it the only Harrison composition to reach the top of the (American) charts while he was still with The Beatles, but "John Lennon and Paul McCartney, the band's principal songwriters, both praised 'Something' as among the best songs Harrison had written, or the group had to offer." 

George began working on the song during the White Album recording sessions. According to Wikipedia:

The song's first lyrics were adapted from the title of an unrelated song by fellow AppleJames Taylor called "Something in the Way She Moves" and used as filler while the melody was being developed. The song's second line, "Attracts me like no other lover," was the last to be written; during early recording sessions for "Something", Harrison alternated between two placeholder lyrics: "Attracts me like a cauliflower" and "Attracts me like a pomegranate." artist

Which I find hilarious. Also hilarious? The disputed inspiration for his song. 

Many believe that Harrison's inspiration for "Something" was his wife at the time, Pattie Boyd. Boyd also claimed that inspiration in her 2007 autobiography, Wonderful Tonight, where she wrote: "He told me, in a matter-of-fact way, that he had written it for me."

Meanwhile, George had insisted in 1996 that when he wrote the song, he'd been "thinking of Ray Charles". I tend to side with Georgie, especially since Pattie Boyd called her autobiography Wonderful Tonight (after the Eric Clapton song about her--Clapton, the guy who she cheated on Harrison with). Maybe that's just me being petty on George's behalf, but who knows? :P

Finally, there was a promotional video for the song. According to Wikipedia:

The promotional video for "Something" was shot shortly before the break-up of the band. By this time, the individual Beatles had drawn apart and so the film consisted of separate clips of each Beatle walking around his home, accompanied by his wife, edited together.

Kind of a sad fact, considering it's a love song. 

That's it for "Something". On to today's song!

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Heard It Tally: 41

Songs Completed: 173

Come Together

Today we begin listening to Abbey Road, considered by some to be The Beatles' best album, and definitely one of the most influential and highly-praised albums of all time. According to Wikipedia, "Abbey Road is widely regarded as one of The Beatles' most tightly constructed albums, although the band was barely operating as a functioning unit at the time." 

The tension between the guys during the recording of the White Album had only increased; however, they felt that, since this was likely to be their last album together, they might as well put aside their differences and join forces once more to create a career finale that would be worthwhile and meaningful. Most of the songs were recorded between July and August of 1969, which was after they recorded the songs from Let It Be, which was released after Abbey Road (though Abbey Road is considered their "final" album, while Let It Be is more of a tying-up-loose-ends album).

A final note about the album before we dive into the first song: The album cover is one of the most instantly recognizable images... ever. It features neither the name of the group nor the album title on the cover. 

The first song on Abbey Road is "Come Together". Probably one of the more lyrically cryptic songs in the Beatles repertoire, there are a couple of theories regarding the meaning. From Wikipedia:

It has been speculated that each verse refers cryptically to each of The Beatles (e.g. "he's one holy roller" allegedly refers to the spiritually inclined George Harrison; "he got monkey finger, he shoot Coca-Cola" to Ringo, the funny Beatle; "he got Ono sideboard, he one spinal cracker" to Lennon himself; and "got to be good-looking 'cause he's so hard to see" to Paul); however, it has also been suggested that the song has only a single "pariah-like protagonist" and Lennon was "painting another sardonic self-portrait".

I've heard this song many times, and when I read the first theory, a verse for each Beatle, it made perfect sense to me. I'm rather less fond of the second, that Lennon was writing of a single character (possibly himself), but before I started this post I did feel that the song was about an individual instead of several. Both theories are possible; I think it's up to the listener to decide which is more or less likely. (One thing I find somewhat eerie about this song is that John whispers "Shoot me" a few times throughout, which is almost unrecognizable due to Paul's distinctive bass riff and Ringo's drums.)

That's all for today! On to the next great song tomorrow. I do find it appropriate that the first song on the last Beatles album, when the guys had agreed to set aside their differences for one last hurrah, is called "Come Together."

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Heard It Tally: 40

Songs Completed: 172

It's All Too Much

Today's song is a Harrison creation. "It's All Too Much" starts with a spoken dedication "to your mother" (a la Mark Wahlberg) and continues on a journey complete with guitar, trumpet, organ, and even a cowbell. 

We can almost hear the Indian influence that George was so inspired by in previous songs. The multitude of instruments, some playing just out of sync with one another, and the repetitive chanting all feel reminiscent of some of his other songs, like "Within You Without You". "It's All Too Much" is still at least an ocean away from that exact sound (missing, as it is, the unmistakable sitar), but I can't help but feel that there is a connection, and that it was intentional.

There are actually at least two versions of this song; the version I heard first was six and a half minutes long, while the unreleased (but often bootlegged) version clocks in at a lengthy 8:10. The lyrics also remind me of Harrison's Indian influence; in particular, the lines "When I look into your eyes, your love is there for me / And the more I go inside, the more there is to see" somehow put me in mind of that sort of experimental and soul-searching exploration.

That's it for now. See you tomorrow--I'll be starting Abbey Road. :)

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Heard It Tally: 39

Songs Completed: 171