Tag Archives: the beatles

My iPod #511: The Beatles – Hello, Goodbye

1 Reply

Only a few months after their success with “All You Need Is Love“, The Beatles were back in the studio in order to record what would become their next hit single. The result was “Hello, Goodbye”, a track written by Paul McCartney based on the ‘deep theme of duality in the universe’. Really it is a light, simple, and sugary tune which incorporates a lot of opposites within the lyrics and isn’t about anything very important. But you need those types of songs sometimes. I do think the pitch of the song on Magical Mystery Tour is a bit too high; the video seems to play it at the original recorded pitch and it sounds just as good to me.

John Lennon wasn’t a great fan of it and argued for his new song “I Am the Walrus” to be the next single; listening to one after the other you can see why Paul won this round. Not saying that John didn’t have an ear for melody, but you could always rely on Paul to make one that would always get you singing along to it. Mix the melody with very simple lyrics; you can’t fail. The track, with “I Am the Walrus” as the B-Side, went straight to number one in many countries.

I’ve always felt that the song sounds much better when viewed along with its video as seen above. The four guys are donned in their Sgt. Pepper costumes and do little silly things that will get you smiling, especially during the last minute of the song’s ‘heba-hello-ah’ coda. It is a promotional film that has aged very well and looks like it was only filmed the other day, let alone almost fifty years ago.

My iPod #486: The Beatles – A Hard Day’s Night

Leave a reply

John Lennon took on the task of writing the theme song for The Beatles’ movie debut; something that grabbed the audience’s attention as soon as the first shot of the film hit appeared on the screen, would get the crowd excited for what was to come. He did so over one night. He then came up with a final lyric whilst on the way to Abbey Road Studios to record the track the next morning. Less than three hours later, “A Hard Day’s Night” was complete.

Taking its name from an accidental but witty remark by Ringo Starr, “A Hard Day’s Night” begins both the album and film of the same name with a strident, hard-to-replicate guitar chord, before launching into its first verse in which Lennon declares to us that it has been ‘a hard day’s night’ because he’s been working too much. He wants to sleep, but when he gets home to his lady all the stress goes away. Pretty standard subject matter, right? But Lennon used it to make one of the most exciting album openers of the 1960s. Paul McCartney provided some help too.

You have probably heard it already, if not, take some time now. It’s only two and a half minutes.

My iPod #465: The Beatles – Got to Get You into My Life

1 Reply

“Got to Get You into My Life” is the jubilant, horn-heavy, Motown influenced ode to marijuana written by Paul McCartney, appearing as the penultimate track on the Revolver album. Why do I say it’s an ‘ode to marijuana’, you may be thinking. Well because that’s what it is. McCartney said it himself; the statement can be read in this authorised biography. Sorry to all those who’ve thought it was a typical song about yearning for love. But the real influence behind it makes the track all the more clever, slick and a bit humourous.

But when the first note plays and the blaring horns play the memorable introductory phrase it doesn’t matter what it’s about, you just know that the song is gonna be a good one. It doesn’t disappoint. Paul pulls off yet another stunningly smooth vocal take amongst the aforementioned brass instruments, leaping from the tamest of notes to the other end of the spectrum in a matter of milliseconds. It’s may be a bit worthy to note that Paul is the sole Beatle to sing on here with no harmonies from John and George, something that’s eventually mirrored by the former’s sole vocal presence on the next track. Still the two are make their presence known in the music, particularly George who from out of nowhere brings out a stellar lead guitar solo at the song’s climax, cueing the celebratory coda.

A brilliant track. It’s the last song on the album that you can get up and sing your heart out to before things get a bit philosophical and spaced out for “Tomorrow Never Knows”. Really dig it.

My iPod #459: The Beatles – Good Morning Good Morning

1 Reply

“Good Morning Good Morning” tends to be the song from Sgt. Pepper that not even Beatles fans really appreciate a lot. Upon listening to the album for the first time in 2009 or so, I found the track to be one of the most likeable ones on there. I don’t want to say that it was simplicity that attracted me to it because the song has quite a complex structure to it, though it’s really the only track on there (apart from the title track’s reprise) which focuses on the four members and their guitars (sort of), bass and drums.

Inspired by a Kellogg’s Corn Flakes advert he saw on the television, John Lennon went on to write the song which can only be described as one of the observational kind in which he describes what he sees going on around him while he’s at work, in the town for a while after finishing the shift, at home for tea and when he’s at a show where he’s able to glance at the girls around him. So the subject matter is not as ‘deep’ on this song as for the majority of the others on Sgt. Pepper, but there musically there are plenty of things about it that hold it up as one of the best ones on there.

It changes its time signature many times. That’s something that still confuses me, and if I were to get all technical about it you would not be able to understand it either. Ringo and Paul own the rhythm section on here. The former playing on a drum kit utilising two bass drums which can be heard in full force during the final minute or so, and whilst playing a sliding bass line which maintains the song’s momentum, Paul showcases his guitar skills by shredding out a soaring guitar solo in the middle. Also, as the song begins to fade out and all the animal noises pan from ear to ear John, Paul, and George jokingly begin to sing in German. What more could you want.

So yeah, “Good Morning Good Morning” deserves more praise than from what I’ve witnessed. Just as important and infectiously catchy.

My iPod #456: The Beatles – Good Day Sunshine

Leave a reply

Opening up the second side of The Beatles’ 1966 album Revolver is “Good Day Sunshine”, a bouncy Paul McCartney number about the happiness one seems to feel with everything (including the weather) whilst being in love. After the somewhat lyrical subject matter in “She Said, She Said”, the track comes to alleviate the mood and start the second half with positive vibes.

Set to a swinging rhythm established by the vibrant piano work and grounded drums, “Good Day Sunshine” is the song to go to on those days where you feel nothing could go wrong and everything’s going your way. The vocal work ain’t too bad. McCartney takes sole lead vocal during the verses, but it’s in the choruses where he is joined by George and John on the harmonies to produce to a simple, repetitive, but memorably catchy melody – one that also gets a sudden key change treatment right at the end of the song.

Only just over two minutes, “Good Day Sunshine” is of the happiest tracks you’ll hear today. I once made it the alarm song on my phone if that’s of any use to you. Made for a good way to start the day.