Post: 7967 of 7970
Xref: theporch rec.music.beatles:7967
Newsgroups: rec.music.beatles
From: planders@shadow.scs.unr.edu (Preston Landers)
Subject: rec.music.beatles FAQ
Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 19:02:29 GMT
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Organization: University of Nevada, Reno
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The Most Frequently Asked Questions in Rec.music.beatles
Written and researched by saki (dmac@math.ucla.edu)
with contributors as noted.
Copyright 1993---no unauthorized use permitted
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Last Update: 28 October 1993
1. Are the Beatles really getting back together?
The remaining three ex-Beatles---Paul, George and Ringo---will be
contributing to a multi-part television documentary being assembled
in England, which is due for release sometime in the next year
or two. This documentary draws upon many sources, so it's only
sensible to suggest that these fellows participate. But this does
not constitute a Beatles reunion. Although Paul has hinted that
the three "may" play music in the course of the taping, the others
have not publically commented, and it remains to be seen. The
documentary, to be released by Apple, promises to be a thorough
and well researched piece of work, and should be worth the wait.
Tentative release has been set for Fall 1994.
2. I heard that rare "lost" Beatles songs were found in EMI/Abbey
Road Studios and will soon be released.
The project remains a "potential" one, according to David Hughes,
President of Communications for EMI, and will be up to the Beatles,
who are in charge of the project. These songs are not, however,
actually "lost", having been carefully documented both by EMI
tape librarians and by Mark Lewisohn, whose book "The Beatles
Recording History" talks in detail about them. EMI hopes to release
a CD of songs to accompany the Apple video documentary (see #1 above),
but the Beatles will decide whether the audio package will include
unreleased vault treasures never before officially released, or
instead selections from BBC recordings (live radio performances
which the Beatles also control). Or perhaps none of the above. :-)
Many of these songs have been unofficially distributed since 1983
through underground channels on bootleg recordings, but these
have been produced without permission of the Beatles or their
estates, and certainly without EMI's knowledge.
3. Where can I buy the Red and Blue Albums?
Any local record store. :-) These LPs were out of print for years
and have just been reissued in CD format.
4. How about the video of "Let It Be"? Where can I get it?
Another one of those legal tangles, alas---"Let It Be" has not been
licensed for video distribution for some time and although rumors
suggest it will be out soon, there are no apparent plans for its
rerelease by any certain date. "Yellow Submarine" is also temporarily
unavailable.
5. Is Paul really dead? (Alternate: Did the Beatles have anything
to do with the "Paul is dead" scheme?)
Paul is alive and well, and has been since 18 June 1942. He did not
die in a car crash and was not replaced by a surrogate called William
Campbell. The "Paul is dead" controversy began in mid-1969, and can
be traced to origins in the American midwest, possibly a college prank.
The Beatles have always denied having anything to do with it. The "clues"
are either coincidence or not supportable under intense investigation.
6. Is it true that Ringo didn't play the drums on most Beatles
records?
Ringo did indeed play the drums; EMI studio documentation proves he
was present and was paid for sessions in the group. The only exceptions:
he played tambourine to Andy White's drums on one take of "Love Me Do" in
1962 (producer George Martin wasn't sure Ringo was good enough---he'd
just joined the Beatles at that time), and for a week in August 1968
Ringo took off during the White Album sessions, distressed at the
group's animosity. Paul and John filled in for him till he returned.
7. How did the Beatles get their name and what does it mean?
John Lennon and his friend Stuart Sutcliffe came up with the name
"Beatles", a pun on Buddy Holly's "Crickets", in 1960.
8. What's the chord that begins the song "A Hard Day's Night"?
D7sus4/A is the suggestion most frequently cited. See Question 19
in the Nems II Note for further discussion.
9. What was the last Beatles song?
The last Beatles *release* of new material was the LP, Let It Be, Friday,
May 8, 1970.
The last *mixing* was I Me Mine, Thursday, April 2, 1970.
The last *recording* was with Ringo: Across The Universe, The Long & Winding
Road, and I Me Mine, Wednesday, April 1, 1970. The other Beatles were not
present on this date.
The last *single release* was Let It Be b/w You Know My Name, Friday,
March 6, 1970.
The last time *George or Paul were in the studio recording* was Jan. 4, 1970.
Everyone but John was there for this. Paul and George did vocals, George did
the guitar solo heard on the LP version, Ringo played drums, and Paul shook
maracas.
The last time *John was in the studio* coincided with two other events.
The four Beatles were together in the studio recording for the last time,
*and* the cover for Abbey Road was shot, on Friday, August 8, 1969. The
songs recorded were: Ending (working title for The End) [ironically
appropriate], I Want You, and Oh! Darling.
John wasn't recording anything with the others for nearly 8 months before the
last recordings were made.
10. What is the most-covered Beatles song?
"Yesterday".
11. Where can I buy bootleg records?
Bootleg recordings of Beatles material, which have proliferated
recently, are illegal material. Buying them seems to be illegal, and
selling them certainly is. Thus your local record store is unlikely
to carry them, but you can always ask for them by title, or take your
chances at swap meets or via mailorder. Don't ask publicly on r.m.b.
where specifically you can buy such material--it's considered impolite,
not to mention dangerous, to require people to reveal sources.
12. What does "J'ai guru deva om" mean?
Various interpretations. Depends upon how well you read Sanskrit. The
traditional translations are "Glory to the teacher", "The heavenly teacher
is divine", or "Lift up your spiritual master", followed by the meditative
one-word chant "ommmm", refering to the sound of the universe. It was
a mantra of John's that he decided to incorporate into "Across The
Universe."
13. What does John Lennon really say at the end of "Strawberry Fields
Forever"---"cranberry sauce", "I'm very bored", "I buried Paul"...or
something else?
John Lennon himself claimed he said "cranberry sauce." On outtakes
of SFF, you can quite clearly hear the words. But if that's not
enough, listen to his writing partner, the inimitable Macca:
(From "The Beatles In Their Own Words"):
Paul: That wasn't "I buried Paul" at all, that was John saying "cranberry
sauce". It was the end of 'Strawberry Fields'. That's John's humour.
John would say something totally out of synch, like 'cranberry sauce'.
If you don't realise that John's apt to say 'cranberry sauce' when he feels
like it, then you start to hear a funny little word there, and you think
"Aha!"
14. Why do people refer to Paul McCartney as "Macca"?
It was apparently a habit among the Quarrymen, the first appellation
of the Beatles, to call each other by a nickname. Paul was Macca,
George was Hazza, and John was Lennie. Since Ringo wasn't with the
group at this time, he missed out (though of course he was self-named
"Ringo", feeling that it sounded more western and cowboyesque than
Richard, his given name.)
15. I have an old Beatles record. How much is it worth?
Check "The Beatles Price Guide for American Records", by Cox & Lindsay.
If you don't have access to this, you can post your request, but
keep in mind the fact that most original Beatles albums and singles
are judged very strictly in terms of quality. If your LP has had the
normal amount of use, it's probably worth more to you as a sentimental
token than it is to collectors.
16. Is it true that the first letters in the title "Lucy In The Sky
With Diamonds" refer to LSD?
John Lennon maintained that this was an accidental reference, and swore
that he was inspired to name this song from a painting his then-5 year old
son Julian brought home from school, which upon questioning Julian described
as "Lucy in the sky with diamonds." Lucy was Julian's preschool-mate, Lucy
O'Donnell, daughter of a London physician.
This story was corroborated by John's close friend Pete Shotton, who
claimed to have witnessed the incident.
17. Which came first, the Byrds' 12-string Rickenbacker or the Beatles'
(George Harrison's)?
George received his 12-string from the makers of Rickenbacker guitars in
early 1964 and began playing it in sessions from 25 February 1964 onward,
most notably on the album "A Hard Day's Night". The Byrds didn't release
their first record till 1965. Undeniably, however, once both groups were
using 12-string guitars, they influenced each other, as Harrison and
Byrds guitarist Roger McGuinn have attested.
18. Who yells "I've got blisters on my fingers" at the end of "Helter
Skelter"?
It's Ringo, according to Mark Lewisohn's "The Beatles Recording History".
Many think it sounds like John, but it's not; it's Ringo compaining
about his drumsticks.
19. I've heard that Paul owns the rights to "Happy Birthday" and requires
royalties from anyone who sings it in public!
Not true at all; strictly an urban legend. Paul has never owned "Happy
Birthday", and has no plans to buy it, according to his New York offices
at MPL. Currently a firm called Birch Tree owns the song.
20. Does Paul require all his tour roadies to become vegetarian?
He does not. He provides food for roadies and crew in keeping with
his own current philosophical predilection for vegetarianism (i.e.
no meat products served), and will gently proselytize to crew members
who insist they need to eat meat; but he has no objection to his crew
spending their own money to supplement official road-crew fare.
21. Is Linda Eastman McCartney related to Eastman Kodak?
No relationship at all. Her family name was originally Epstein and
was changed when her grandfather emigrated from Russia in the early
20th century. The Eastmans were involved in law and entertainment
representation in and around Scarsdale, NY, where Linda grew up;
Linda's mother's family had an interest in a clothing store chain
in Queens for some years, and in that sense one might say that Linda
is partial heir to a department store concern. Linda's professional
dabblings have been in photography, but this is as close as she gets
to Eastman-Kodak.
------
Don't see your question here? There's a "graduate level" FAQ list
called "Nems II"...ask for that if you're still confused or intrigued.
Otherwise, do post your query and one of the many r.m.b regulars is
certain to help out.
------
saki (dmac@math.ucla.edu)
####
Post: 8016 of 8054
Xref: theporch rec.music.beatles:8016
Newsgroups: rec.music.beatles
From: planders@shadow.scs.unr.edu (Preston Landers)
Subject: Here is the FAQ 2/2
Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 19:03:28 GMT
Nntp-Posting-Host: shadow.scs.unr.edu
Organization: University of Nevada, Reno
Lines: 534
NEMS II---Frequently Asked Questions for Graduates!
Last Update: 1 July 1993
----
This is a modest compendium of "advanced" questions that have appeared
in rec.music.beatles; some occur and are debated regularly. More will be
added in future editions, as the need warrants. This is not a substitute
for honest, thorough scholarship on your part! Don't expect to become
a Beatles Wizard right off the bat! :-)
Corrections and emendations are, of course, welcome.
------
1) What Beatles songs have drug references?
While it is undeniable that the Beatles took varieties of drugs during
their career, starting with "prellys" (uppers) in Hamburg, marijuana
during "Help", LSD and other hallucinogenics after 1965, there is not
a shred of evidence that any of their songs *promote* drug-taking or
drug use. Nevertheless, many first-generation Beatles fans recall being
inspired by what they found in the music and lifestyle of the Fabs to try
drugs themselves, almost as if the Beatles were giving them permission
to do so. The question is whether actual advocacy was an element of the
Beatles' musical message. As with most of their creative expression, the
Boys' use of drugs seems to have become an undeniable thread in the fabric
of their songs. In print and interviews, the Beatles were always careful
to say that drug usage was their personal decision, and that they weren't
suggesting the public at large imitate them (see Paul's LSD confession
of 1967.)
As a result, many songs were inspired by drug experiences, but few have
actual specific references. "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" was a reference
to a drawing by John's young son; the initials are an unfortunate
coincidence (though arguably the images in the lyrics were probably
based on drug-induced visions). Paul has said he meant the words "Found
my way upstairs and had a smoke/And somebody spoke and I went into a
dream" from "A Day in the Life" as a reference to nicotine. The "I'd love
to turn you on" was a multidimensional meaning---turn on to the potentials
of life rather than merely a drug user's wish to share the wealth. John said
he wrote "She Said, She Said" about an LSD experience he had with Peter
Fonda at a party in 1966. "Dr. Robert" is a "tribute" to a NY physician
who handed out pills and the like to important people and rock stars
(see question 2 below.) "With A Little Help Etc." has a reference to
getting high, of course.
2) Who was Dr. Robert?
A New York physician, Charles Roberts, during the middle-to-late
1960's, from whom it was easy (for celebrities, at least) to acquire
various prescription medications. Most of the drugs were, needless to
say, of a rather illegal variety. "If you're down he'll pick you up,
Dr. Robert..."
3) What films should I see related to the Beatles?
Their primary output was "A Hard Day's Night" (1964), superb, funny,
B&W film that evokes the best of the early hysteria; "Help" (1965),
a strange, ironic take-off on the James-Bond school of filmmaking;
"Magical Mystery Tour" (1967), properly a video, very much an in-joke
but quite charming; "Yellow Submarine" (1968), a happy accident of
witty writing, animation, and great music; "Let It Be" (1970), a
mournful, sometimes painful examination of the breakup of a super-
group.
For easy history (you can skip all that reading!) rent or buy
"The Compleat Beatles" (1981), which has basically excellent
research and great clips of the Fabs' development. Everyone who
reads r.m.b. regularly would do well to see this.
Also ask for Edward Chen's guide to Beatles video/film appearances.
4) What's the story behind the "butcher cover"?
In the UK the Beatles' release sequence included Rubber Soul (1965)
and Revolver (1966). In the US, Capitol decided to make extra money
by releasing an interim album called "Yesterday and Today", with
some songs from the "Help", "Rubber Soul" and "Revolver" albums.
The Beatles were asked to provide a cover photo. The "story" goes that
they felt their work was being butchered, so they posed themselves
in white lab coats with meat cleavers, hunks of raw steak, and cut-up
dolls. This photo actually made it onto "Yesterday and Today" and
was shipped to some stores in 1966...until someone at Capitol decided
it was in rather poor taste. They recalled the album. Some were
"fixed" by pasting over a hastily-photographed picture of the Beatles
around a steamer trunk. These album covers provided many hours of
amusement for people who wanted to peel off the new cover--- a
delicate process, but a successful job would reveal the "butcher
cover" underneath. Needless to say, only the first printing of this
album had the pasted cover photo; "Yesterday and Today" has been
deleted from the Capitol album lineup. You can tell, usually, if the
album you have has a butcher cover underneath (though most of these
are long since peeled) by looking at the right-hand side of the "steamer
trunk" photo, in the white area. If you can see a dark inverted
triangle, that *may* be Ringo's turtleneck sweater in the photo
underneath.
Recent investigation suggests that the "urban-legend" version of the
butcher cover story might be impossible to confirm. The photo session
in question was actually completed months before, for the "Paperback Writer/
Rain" single, the concept being developed by John and photographer Robert
Whitaker; at the time they may have been completely unaware that Capitol
was planning to release "Yesterday and Today." In any case, there is
no evidence, either from the Beatles own words or any other traceable
source, that the Butcher Cover was photographed as a protest against
Capitol's marketing practices. However, the legend that it was engineered
for just this reason seems particularly tenacious.
(Thanks to snopes [David P. Mikkelson] for the above information.)
5) What's backwards masking?
The Beatles began to enjoy experimenting with bits of backwards tape,
as can be heard as early as their single "Rain". What "backwards
masking" refers to, however, is the alleged recording *forwards*
of a reverse message, comprehensible only by playing the song
*backwards* --- although this is not the audiophilic definition
of the term (which is a phenomenon perceived when a soft passage
is followed by a loud passage of music, talk, whatever...the loud
noise having a tendency to "mask" the last few seconds of what
preceded it.)
Some of the "Paul is Dead" clues focus on this phenomenon (in
the White Album track "Revolution No. 9", for instance). The Beatles
denied placing secret messages in their backwards recordings, and
said that these were only coincidences. (Although the "end bit"
from the Sgt. Pepper CD, played in reverse, sounds too deliberate
to be a coincindence).
6) Who was Stuart Sutcliffe?
John's best friend in Liverpool Art College, Stuart was a gifted
abstract painter. He played bass for the Silver Beatles only during
1959-1961, when (because of admitted lack of musical talent) he chose to
remain in Hamburg with his girlfriend Astrid Kirscherr, herself an
artist and first professional photographer for the Beatles. Stuart
died in 1962 of a brain hemorrhage.
7) Did John and Paul write their songs together or separately?
The composition process was most often separate in the physical
sense, especially in the early stages of a song. But almost each
song underwent a metamorphosis in the recording studio, when John
and Paul would give each other "helpful" suggestions on completing
a tune. Sometimes one or the other was stuck for an eight-bar middle,
or a guitar riff, and the other would fill in. It is undeniable that
friendly competition between the two was operant almost from the
beginning of their songwriting career (1957) and influenced their
songwriting talents. From an early stage, John and Paul had an
agreement about acknowleging joint songwriting credit, even if this
wasn't strictly fact. Until August 1963, these songs were known as
"McCartney-Lennon" tunes; after this point (as Paul remarks in the
introduction to "The Beatles Recording History") John "got his way"
and the credit became officially "Lennon & McCartney". A few songs
were, in fact, written jointly; "Flying", from Magical Mystery Tour,
is credited to all four Beatles.
8) Who was first to quit the Beatles?
Trick question. It was unofficial and well-concealed, but Ringo walked
out of the White Album sessions on August 22, 1968, in the middle of
recording the album, and proclaimed to the others he had definitely
quit. The three remaining Beatles covered for Ringo and apparently
(from what can be gleaned from the recording info available) substituted
for him on drums on various famous tracks, probably "Back in the USSR"
among them. Ringo returned at the end of a week, finding a welcome-back
greeting of masses of flowers over his drumkit.
9) Who owns the right to the Beatles' songs?
During the great Apple debacle the Beatles experienced in the late '60's, the
lads found themselves losing tremendous amounts of money and needed a lot of
cash fast. This and other contributing factors (like Dick James selling his
stake in Northern Songs) led to the Beatles selling the publishing
rights to their songs (except for some of the early ones like "Love Me Do"
which were published by various companies and are now owned by MPL -- Macca's
company). The song rights were for sale again a few years back, and Paul
mounted a joint effort with Yoko to buy them back -- but (as Paul tells it)
Michael Jackson outrageously outbid everyone, offering a really unheard of and
unanticipated price. He walked away with the whole kit and kaboodle.
Consider the following scenario, if you will. If "Please Please Me"
was in a film and not sung by the Beatles, then Mr. Jackson did
license it. He owns the song, like a book copyright, while EMI owns
rights to the Beatles recordings. Presumably EMI never licenses a Beatles
recording for use in such a case unless the Beatles think it's okay (this
may be an unofficial arrangement, probably because the Beatles are suing
Capitol-EMI for rights of the recordings in the US), which was what caused
the uproar over the Nike commercial (apparently Yoko okayed it, but no one
asked the others, and, hey, Yoko wasn't a Beatle anyway. :-) ).
(Thanks to Jay C. Smith for the answer to No. 9.)
10) What ever happened to Raymond Jones, the young man whom
Brian Epstein reported was his first link to the Beatles?
He was the lad who, we are led to believe, was the individual who
asked Brian Epstein for a copy of "My Bonnie", which in turn led
to Mr Epstein visiting The Cavern and discovering The Fabs.
("My Bonnie" was from the session the Beatles did with Tony Sheridan
in 1961, as a backup band. It was released to European markets on
the Polydor label; when the Beatles hit the States, "My Bonnie"
was rereleased here, but the original Polydor version acquired
something of a "cult" status for collectors in 1964, who believed
they were on to the first inkling anybody had---as Brian told
it in his biography---of the Beatles' music.)
The evidence currently available---most convincingly from the pen
of Bill Harry, who published a Liverpool fanzine called "Mersey Beat",
and was a sharp observer of the Mersey music scene---suggests that
this story is a fabrication.
It is almost inconceivable that Brian did not know about The Beatles
before that date. Brian was running a very successful record store
(Nems), very close to The Cavern (maybe 100 metres), and it is
hard to believe could not have heard about the events there.
As Bill Harry remembers, the Boys were also regular customers in the
store, and if their record appetite was as wide-ranging as they have
indicated (the full spectrum of American pop, rhythm and blues, and
rock/rockabilly), Brian would surely have been busy ordering special
titles for them.
More objectively convincing is the fact that Brian wrote in, and was a
major distributor for, Mersey Beat - a newspaper that was at times
nothing more than a Beatles fanzine (and Bill Harry was their personal
friend, as well).
Finally - how come this guy has never been traced?
It seems likely that Raymond Jones was an attempt on Brian's part
(through his ghostwriter for "A Cellar Full of Noise", Derek Taylor)
to mythologize the Beatles' appearance on the musical horizon. As
if they needed mythology!
(Thanks to Stephen Carter for contributing to No. 10.)
11) Who plays the guitar solos at the end of the second side of "Abbey
Road," and in what order?
First off, you need to count the rhythm in 4/4 time:
1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4....etc. (with each quadruplet
being one measure or "bar" of 4 beats) -
So, begin counting where they go into the sequence immediately
following the drum solo, with the guitars crunching out the
chords in unison, and the voices singing, "Love you. Love you...."
(Then the 1st guitar comes in.)
di-di-da-da-DAH.... (that "DAH" is count #1 of the first measure)
1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4
(4 bars, with some high notes by the 3rd bar -
some folks hear just one guitar here....if so, it's all George;
I think maybe there are two guitars that sound pretty similar....
the first 2 bars are Paul, but the 3rd & 4th [the high notes] are
definitely George; logic would suggest the latter possibility [2 bars each])
1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4
(2 bars of dirty, crunchy, nasty fast chordal chomping - definitely John)
1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4
(2 bars, steady 8th-note, whiny-tone, high notes in the 2nd - definitely Paul)
1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4
(2 bars, low, growling notes, whipping up to mid-range notes - George)
1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4
(2 bars, a few very, low, sustained notes - John)
1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4
(2 bars, more staccato bursts of shrill, trebly single notes - Paul)
1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4
(2 bars, quick looping run up to very high notes - George)
1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4
(2 final bars of slashing ugly chords - who else but John)
....crashing directly into Paul's little piano notes.
John is clearly identifiable in this sequence. He frequently used that
dirty, overmodulated tone, and his tendency was to play chordal, rhythm-
style guitar, rather than a lot of clear, high single notes. When he did
play single-note runs, he usually bent a few low notes into slightly
out-of-tune or dissonant groans, like in "Happiness is a Warm Gun".
Paul's style is also obvious where he uses that shrill, whiny, piercing
thin tone that he seems to like. You can hear it in a number of his other
recorded guitar solos, like on "Back in the USSR", and much of the stuff
on his 1st solo lp and "Ram".
George didn't have the most obvious guitar style back then, with his
fingerstyle (he's absolutely unmistakable with his later slide style of
playing). But you can tell it's him in this sequence by listening to
some of his other solos from various 1968-69 recordings ("Savoy Truffle",
"Let it Be", others).
(Thanks to Stuart Troutman for his contribution to No. 11.)
12) Isn't it true that there's a hidden sequence of morse code after
the lines "Let me take you down..." in "Strawberry Fields Forever"? And
doesn't this hidden code spell out John Lennon's initials (J. L.)?
Bob Clements, our resident amateur radio expert, answers:
The "code" is pretty clearly there if you listen for it. It
appears from 0:16 to 0:20 on the official release (Magical
Mystery Tour CD) on the left channel. It does sound a lot like
intentional hand-sent Morse. As I read it, it says:
-.- .- -.- - - . .-
where the last dash is considerably extended and there is too
long a space between the first dash and the first dot. This
translates as "KAKTTEA" if you believe it's Morse.
But it isn't.
It gets interesting if you listen to the various outtakes. We
know from Lewisohn and other evidence that the released SFF is
spliced together from a "slow" version (mixed from take 7) and a
"fast" version (mixed from take 25). If you listen to take 7,
you find that the "code" appears after the same vocal phrase
three times, only the first of which appears in the official
release. And the second and third occurrences sound much less
like Morse code. They are certainly not the same patterns (or
"letters"). They also have a little dynamics, fading at the end
of some dashes rather than the on/off keying that makes it seem
like Morse.
The "code" as we hear it on the released version first appears at
take 6, which is where that vocal track first appears. (Take 5
was a false start.)
What is really fascinating, though, is take 4. On that take, a
different vocal track appears AND a different "code" sound
appears. It is shorter, less Morse-like, and less of a pure
tone. It sounds like some kind of intermodulation distortion,
but I can't pick out what the source is.
My GUESS is that it's coming from the Mellotron (also on the left
channel) or something sitting on/near the Mellotron, vibrating in
response to that particular sustained minor chord. I think that
chord is repeated every time the "take you down 'cause I'm going
to" line occurs, and it doesn't appear elsewhere.
That's the end of my speculation. Sources: The outtakes on URT1,
the Condor "Srawberry Fields" CD, and the vinyl URT6 which has
takes 1 through 7. And THE BOOK (i.e., Lewisohn's "...A Recording
History").
--Bob Clements, K1BC, clements@bbn.com
13) I heard that "meeting a man from the motor trade" in "She's
Leaving Home" really refers to an abortionist in Britain.
According to our linguistics expert, Harold Somers, there is no
basis for this assertion. An abortionist is not "a man from the
motor trade." The man in question is Terry Doran, a friend and
later associate of the Beatles who used to be a car salesman before
he worked for Epstein and later for Apple Corps. The reference to
Doran was just a personal tribute by Paul. Most theories indicate
that the girl leaving home is, in fact, running away with a car
salesman because, presumably, he can make her happy.
14) What is the first chord of "A Hard Day's Night"?
Harold Somers says:
I'd call it D7sus4/G.
Even if you had a 12-string, it would not sound perfect unless you were
lucky enough (rich enough) to have a *Rickenbacker* 12-string, which is
strung differently (the octave strings are above rather than below the
normal strings - that's why the Ricky sounds distinctive).
----
Paul Schwotzer, pws@hp-lsd.COS.HP.COM, says:
This is one that was sent to me, it sounds pretty good:
+---|---|-O-|---|---|---
N+---|---|-O-|---|---|---
E+---|---|-O-|---|-O-|---
C+---|---|-O-|---|---|---
K+---|---|-O-|---|-O-|---
+---|---|-O-|---|---|---
----
Joe "Top Gear" Gogan, v086kzmq@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu, says:
I posted this along time ago, that the chord is very possibly TWO guitars.
The chord definitely has 'G7,9sus4etc...' characteristics to it, but when my
band played this live, we added a D ? on the other guitar played at the same
time. It achieved astounding results. The D ? that was played was the one
found on the fifth fret:
8 7 6 5 4 3
| | | | x | |
| | | | x | |
| | x | | x | |
| | | | x | |
| x | | | x | |
| | | | x | |
Why not play the D? in first position, with the G bass on 6th string,
on my Ricky 360/12v64 no-less. This one, if not two guitars is the closest
I've heard, but you be the judge. It looks like this:
3 2 1 nut
| 3 | | ||
| | | ||
| | | ||
| | 2 | ||
| | | 1 ||
| 4 | | ||
----
Dan Kozak, dbk@mimsy.umd.edu, responds to Joe Gogan:
> I posted this along time ago, that the chord is very possibly TWO guitars.
Nope, tho' 12 strings _do_ sound that way sometimes (I should know,
I've got enough of them).
> The chord definitely has 'G7,9sus4etc...' characteristics to it, but when my
> band played this live, we added a D ? on the other guitar played at the same
> time. It achieved astounding results. The D ? that was played was the one
> found on the fifth fret:
Almost right chord, wrong position . . . I don't know about anybody
else, but I find the difference between a bar chord and an open chord
(i.e. with open strings) to be like that between night and day. The
HDN chord is an open chord, which I would describe as D7sus4/A.
> Why not play the D? in first position, with the G bass on 6th string,
> on my Ricky 360/12v64 no-less. This one, if not two guitars is the closest
> I've heard, but you be the judge. It looks like this:
This is very close to what I posted when this started recently except
that I indicated that all three low strings (E, A, D) were open, but
now I'd like to revise that to say that if you hit the low E at all,
it should be very slightly, i.e. accidently. There is no G in the
bass in this chord, the low note is the open A string.
> Please, someone who has tried these two please tell me what you think, but
> not before you try them.
I have . . . on a '67 366-12 through a pre-62 Vox AC-30, no less. :-)
And I played it with the record. You might also note that the ending
(overdubbed) guitar pattern is based on this same form -- pick the top 3
strings and go between the D7sus4 and a Dm7 (i.e. G to F on the high
E).
15) What are the foreign lyrics in "Sun King"?
Note that the Beatles freely mixed dialects and languages here, and when this
is combined with less than perfect enunciation and accent, many uncertainties
arise, leading to many possible interpretations.
The lyrics are usually published as:
Quando paramucho mi amore de felice corazon
Mundo paparazzi mi amore chica ferdy parasol
Cuesto obrigado tanta mucho que can eat it carousel
But that is NOT correct. I believe the lyrics could be:
Quando para mucho, mi amore de felice corazon
Mundo paparazzi, mi amore, chicka/chica ferdy/verde para sole
Cuesto a brigata, tanta mucho, que/cake and eat it, care of sun
NOTE CHANGES: "chicka ferdy" is a Liverpool expresssion of
indeterminate meaning, but could also
be a combination Spanish/Liverpudlian pun
"chica verde" [green girl]
"parasol" could be "para sole" [for the sun],
or perhaps "pa re sole" [for sun king],
"que can eat it" should be "que/cake and eat it", (see John's
comments below on this pun),
"carousel" could be "care of sun".
"obrigado" could be "apre gabbo" [open deception]
or perhaps "obligado" [obgligation]
or "a brigata" [a party].
or "obbligado" [musical term - what is it?]
or "Abrigado" [raincoat].
So a rough literal translation would be:
Quando para mucho mi amore de felice corazon
IF/WHEN FOR MUCH, MY LOVE OF HAPPY HEART
Mundo paparazzi mi amore chicka/chica ferdy/verde pa re sole
WORLD PAPARAZZI, MY LOVE, CHICKA/GIRL FERDY/GREEN FOR KING SUN
[then choose one of these three]
Cuesto a brigata, tanta mucho, que/cake and eat it, care of sun
THIS PARTY , VERY MUCH, CAKE AND EAT IT, CARE OF SUN
Cuesto apre gabbo, tanta mucho, que/cake and eat it, care of sun
THIS OPEN DECEPTION , VERY MUCH, CAKE AND EAT IT, CARE OF SUN
Cuesto obligado, tanta mucho, que/cake and eat it, care of sun
THIS OBLIGATION, VERY MUCH, CAKE AND EAT IT, CARE OF SUN
(Thanks to Mario Giannella for the above.)
16) Did Pink Floyd and the Beatles ever record a song together?
Pink Floyd, when Syd Barrett was still a member, was involved
in recording at EMI Studios, Abbey Road (later Abbey Road Studios)
at the same time The Beatles were busy recording "Sgt. Pepper's
Lonely Hearts Club Band", but the two groups did not record
together, and may have met only briefly in their comings and
goings at the studio in March 1967.
17) Were the Beatles really turned on to LSD by their dentist?
He wasn't their dentist. The Beatles knew the dentist socially, and one
evening in 1965 he hosted a dinner party for John Lennon, George Harrison
and their wives. He slipped some LSD into the coffee. "It was, at the time,
an unrestricted mediation," Harrison said. "I didn't really know what it
was, and we didn't know we were taking it." The dentist didn't participate
himself, Harrison said: "I'm sure he thought it was an aphrodisiac. I
remember his girlfriend had enormous breasts, and I think he thought there
was going to be a big gang-bang."
After dinner, as the group traveled around London, the dose hit. When they
took an elevator up to a nightclub, they thought the elevator was on fire.
"We were screaming, 'Aargh!'" Lennon said, "It was just a little red
light." After some misadventures, which included Pattie Harrison attempting
to smash out a store window, George Harrison took everyone home in his Mini,
driving eighteen miles per hour.
----
More updates will be added as the need warrants. If you have
questions, suggestions, or complaints on any of the above, please
send to saki (dmac@math.ucla.edu).
--
.............................................................................
: Preston Landers : Not valid in all areas. Times approximate. :
: : Some restrictions apply. Not the Beatles. :
: planders@shadow.scs.unr.edu : Parental discretion advised. Retain stub. :
.............................................................................
####
Post: 15214 of 15289
Xref: theporch rec.music.beatles:15214
From: CDWALKER@acs.harding.edu (Chris Walker)
Newsgroups: rec.music.beatles
Subject: Revised American Discography FAQ
Date: 17 Apr 1994 19:29:37 GMT
Organization: Harding University
Lines: 295
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: acs.harding.edu
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.24
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Here's a list of the tracks on the American albums (and which CD's
they appear on in that incarnation). This list doesn't include interview
albums, or the Vee Jay albums, just the Capitol LP's of music. Nor are
compilation albums such as "Rock and Roll Music" or "Love Songs" included.
Note also that on "Abbey Road" and maybe a couple other albums, the order
of songs is different on the cassette issue of the album. The order listed
here is for the LP incarnation.
1. MEET THE BEATLES
Release date: 1/20/1964
Capitol 27-2047
(All tracks are on "With the Beatles" unless otherwise noted)
a. I Want To Hold Your Hand (Past Masters)
b. I Saw Her Standing There (Please Please Me)
c. This Boy (Past Masters)
d. It Won't Be Long
e. All I've Gotta Do
f. All My Loving
g. Don't Bother Me
h. Little Child
i. Till There Was You
j. Hold Me Tight
k. I Wanna Be Your Man
l. Not A Second Time
2. THE BEATLES SECOND ALBUM
Release date: 4/10/1964
Capitol st-2080
a. Roll Over Beethoven (with the Beatles)
b. Thank You Girl (Past Masters)
c. You Really Got A Hold On Me (With The Beatles)
d. Money (With The Beatles)
e. You Can't Do That (Hard day's Night)
f. Long Tall Sally (Past Masters)
g. I Call Your Name (Past Masters)
h. Please Mr. Postman (With The Beatles)
i. I'll Get You (Past Masters)
j. She Loves You (Past Masters)
3. HARD DAY'S NIGHT
Release date: 6/26/1964
United Artists UAS-6366
(All songs are from the film Hard Day's Night. To my knowledge, the
instrumentals by George Martin's orchestra have never been releases in the
UK. Of course all the Beatles songs are on the CD Hard Day's Night. I
believe the reason this album was issued in the format it was, was because
United Artists in the US insisted on having the rights to release the
soundtrack, but could only get the rights to the 7 songs that were in the
film.)
a. Hard Day's Night
b. Tell Me Why
c. Ill Cry instead
d. (orchestral) I Should Have Known Better
e. I'm Happy Just To Dance With You
f. (orchestral) And I Love Her
g. I Should Have Known Better
h. If I Fell
i. And I Love Her
j. (orchestral) Ringo's Theme (This Boy)
k. Can't Buy Me Love
l. (orchestral) A Hard Day's Night
4. SOMETHING NEW
Release date: 7/20/1964
Capitol st-2108
(All songs are from the CD Hard Day's Night unless otherwise noted)
a. Ill cry instead
b. Things we said today
c. Anytime at all
d. When I get home
e. SLow down (past masters)
f. Matchbox (past masters)
g. Tell me why
h. And I love her
i. I'm Happy Just to dance with you
j. If I fell
k. Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand (Past masters)
5. Beatles '65
Release date: 12/15/1964
Capitol st-2228
(All songs are from "Beatles for sale" unless otherwise Noted)
a. No Reply
b. I'm a loser
c. Baby's in Black
d. Rock and Roll Music
e. Ill follow the sun
f. Mr. Moonlight
g. Honey Don't
h. Ill be back (Hard Day's Night)
i. She's a woman (Past Masters
j. I feel fine (Past Masters)
k. Everybody's Trying to be My baby
6. THE EARLY BEATLES
Release date: 3/22/1965
Capitol st-2309
(All songs are from Please Please me. This album is basically all the left
over songs from Please Please me that hadn't been released by Capitol yet,
with the exception of Misery and There's a place, which did not appear until
1980, on the US Rarities Album)
a. Love me do
b. Twist and Shout
c. Anna (Go to him)
d. Chains
e. Boys
f. Ask Me why
g. Please Please me
h. P.S. I love you
i. Baby its you
j. A Taste of Honey
k. Do you want to know a secret
7. BEATLES VI
Release date: 6/14/1965
Capitol st-2358
a. Kansas city/Hey Hey Hey (Beatles For sale)
b. Eight Days a week (Beatles for sale)
c. You Like me too much (Help)
d. Bad Boy (Past Masters)
e. I don't want to spoil the Party (Beatles for sale)
f. Words of Love (Beatles for sale)
g. What you're doing (Beatles for sale)
h. Yes it is (Past Masters)
i. Dizzy Miss Lizzy (Help)
j. Tell me what you see (Help)
k. Every Little thing (Beatles for sale)
8. HELP
Release date: 8/13/1965
Capitol smas-2386
(see note on Hard Day's Night)
a. (orchestral) James Bond Intro
b. Help
c. The Night Before
d. orchestral From Me to You
e. You've got to hide your love away
f. I need you
g. (orchestral) In the Tyrol
h. Another Girl
i. (orchestral) Another Hard Days Night
j. Ticket to Ride
k. (orchestral) The bitter end/you can't do that
l. Your gonna loose that girl
m. (orchestral) The Chase
9. RUBBER SOUL
Release date: 12/6/1965
Capitol st-2442
(All songs from Rubber soul unless otherwise noted)
(Note that Drive my car, Nowhere Man, If I needed Someone, and What goes
On, are missing)
a. I've just seen a face (Help)
b. Norwegian WOod
c. You wont see me
d. Think for yourself
e. The Word
f. Michelle
g. Its only love
h. Girl
i. I'm looking through you
j. In My life
k. Wait
l. Run for your life
10. YESTERDAY AND TODAY
Release date: (butcher cover 6/15/1966)
(new cover 6/20/1966)
a. Drive my car (Rubber Soul)
b. I'm only sleeping (Revolver)
c. Nowhere man (Rubber SOul)
d. Dr. Robert (Revolver)
e. Yesterday (Help)
f. Act naturally (Help)
g. And your bird can sing (Revolver)
h. If I needed someone (Rubber SOul)
i. We can work it out (Past Masters)
j. What Goes On (Rubber SOul)
k. Day Tripper (Past Masters)
11. Revolver
Release date: 8/8/1966
Capitol st-2576
(The American Release is identical to the British release in track order,
but "I'm only sleeping," "Dr. Robert," and "And your bird can sing" were
deleted because they had already been released on the "Yesterday and today"
album.)
12. Sgt Pepper.
The 50,000 Mhz tone and the gibberish from the Inner groove were
dropped from the US version.
The White Album, Magical Mystery Tour, Yellow Submarine, Let it Be, and
Abbey Road are identical on both the UK and US releases.
In case you're interested, there was an album called Hey Jude issued, that
wasn't released on CD. The material from Hey Jude, along with the material
from the British "Rarities" album, as well as several singles not available
on other CD's, were all placed on the two volumes of Past masters. Anyway,
here's a list for "Hey Jude", which was basically a collection of singles
that hadn't been released on LP yet.
13. HEY JUDE
Release date: (2/23/1970 as "The Beatles again")
(2/26/1970 as "Hey Jude")
Apple sw-385
a. Can't buy me love. (I believe this is the stereo version, which hadn't
been released previously, and currently is available only on the 1962-1966
CD)
b. I should have known better (The STEREO version of this song, which has a
gap in harmonica part at the beginning unlike the mono version on "Hard Day's
Night" This version has yet to be released in the US)
c. Paperback Writer
d. Rain
e. Lady Madonna
f. Revolution
g. Hey Jude
h. Old Brown Shoe
i. Don't let me down
j. The Ballad of John & Yoko
14. RARITIES
Release date: 3/24/1980
capitol shal-12060
a. Love me do (the original single with Ringo on drums and no tambourine)
b. Misery
c. There's a place
d. Sie Liebt Ditch
e. ANd I love her (A German remix with the vocals double tracked, and the
chorus triple tracked, as well as couple extra strums at the end)
f. Help! (the mono version used on the single, which uses a different
recording of the vocal track)
g. I'm only sleeping (I don't remember what's different about this one.)
h. I am the walrus (A combination of a couple different versions, with the
extra organ notes at the beginning and before the line "Yellow Matter
Custard")
i. Penney Lane (a true stereo version, with the piccolo notes at the end,
which had been deleted soon after its release)
j. Helter SKelter (the mono version, which does not return after fading
out, and no "I got blistered on my fingers!")
k. Don't pass me by (I believe this is the mono version too, don't';
remember what's different about it.
l. The Inner Light
m. Across the universe (the original un-Spectered version)
n. You Know my name (look up my number)
o. Sgt. Pepper Inner Groove
THE BEATLES AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL
Release date: 5/4/1977
Capitol smas-11638
a. Twist and Shout
b. She's a woman
c. Dizzy Miss Lizzy
e. Ticket to Ride
f. Can't buy me love
g. Things we said today
h. Roll Over Beethoven
i. Boys
j. A hard day's night
k. Help!
l. All my loving
m. She loves you
n. Long Tall Sally
####
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