The Beatles' Thread

[ronmac]

Does anyone know if Abbey Road is going to get the White Album/Sgt Peppers treatment? For what it's worth, I hope it is!

It's supposed to. But, there has been zero updates about it. One can only speculate.

They REALLY need to do the ones they missed, too. AHDN, Rubber Soul, Revolver, especially.

[Jerjo]

This winter I got Elton John's expanded Here and There album. I just remembered it and played it today. The bonus disc is that famed Thanksgiving show at MSG and yes, the three songs with Lennon are there and sound wonderful.

[Jerjo]

[ronmac]

^^ Great interview, Part 2 follows and is better.

I always considered Dick Cavett the best in the business.

[Hal...]

Well, I missed this thread the first go around but read all 12 pages. So, my first reply:

For all the speculation about Yoko's reportedly baneful presence, I've always suspected that J, G, & R simply could not stand the insufferable McCartney.

Yeah, that's my view, as well. It was a double edged sword, tho. Paul kept the band together for quite awhile, while also alienating the others.

------------------------------

With all the talk about The Beatles (aka The White Album) it got me to looking at it, because I've only ever considered it a good album, not excellent like A Hard Day's Night, Revolver, Sgt Pepper's, or Abbey Road. I think Rubber Soul is somewhere between good & excellent; the same for Magical Mystery Tour, altho it's never felt like an album to me, even when I was a kid and didn't know it was originally an EP.

Anyway, I got to looking over the track list for TB and was surprised by the lengths of the sides. Eighteen to twenty minutes is typical for an album side, fwir. TB sides range from 22:41 to 24:21. When I saw that, I realized that creates a ton of wiggle room. So, I loaded all the songs & times into a spread sheet and came up with a new double record LP, including some of the songs that didn't make it and excluding others. Bear in mind, I'm taking into consideration the era, as well. The album was released in the middle of the hippie movement (with all that implies) so Revolution 9 is still essential, imo.

So, to me, this is what would have made it an excellent album - possibly their best - as opposed to just a good one:

Side One: 20:31

Dear Prudence (an excellent contender for opening the album)
Mother Nature's Son
Glass Onion
Wild Honey Pie
Not Guilty
Happiness Is a Warm Gun
While My Guitar Gently Weeps (this really needed to be at the end of a side)

Side Two: 21:29 (the acoustic set)

I Will
Martha My Dear
Blackbird
Julia
Junk
Child of Nature
Rocky Raccoon
The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill (I put these last two songs together at the end so someone could life the needle if they preferred)

Side Three: 21:33

Yer Blues
Why Don't We Do It in the Road? (a throwaway song that, nevertheless, may be the quintessential White Album song, imo)
I'm So Tired (see what I did there?)
Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey
Savoy Truffle
Helter Skelter (which includes an extra 4 minutes of jamming; I've also always felt this should end a side, possibly the album)

Side Four 21:54

Revolution (the singles version)
Sexy Sadie
Cry Baby Cry
Can You Take Me Back (the 28" song that's never listed)
Long, Long, Long (imo, a great lead-in to the next)
Revolution 9

I'm not entirely committed to the order; consider this a first draft. For instance, "Mother Nature's Son" would make an excellent closer for a side, so maybe it should end S2 and Bungalow Bill should go back to S1. I'm just not sure where. But I also love the idea of MNS immediately following "Dear Prudence".

You may have also noticed that I left out three Paul songs. "Back in the USSR", OLDOLD, and "Birthday" all represent the side of Paul I really dislike. They had to go.

Now, imagine hearing this version for the first time in '68 after smoking a few spliffs with your friends - or better yet, tripping balls - and having a listening party. Which is why "Helter Skelter" should be longer. In fact, dump "Savoy Truffle" and extend HS another three minutes, for a total of 11:30! In that case, switch HS with LLL/R9, making HS the album closer. That might have really driven ol' Charlie Manson over the edge.

Another thought I had was switch HS & "Dear Prudence", making HS the opener and DP the closer. In which case, "Long, Long, Long" should go back to following HS. But, after the musical trip of my version, how inspired - and prudent (don't want anyone having a psychotic break) - would it be making DP the closer? In fact, it might be a good idea to make the acoustic set S4 with DP the closer (I'm thinking of what Joe McDonald said about how much thought went into the track order for Electric Music for the Mind and Body so as to make the listening experience conducive to tripping).

There're so many possibilities.

[Hal...]

My picks for Sirius/XM's My Fab Four:
I Feel Fine (fave)
Eleanor Rigby (2nd fave)
(actually, I think these are the two greatest pop songs ever written)

And then two more from a very short list:
Things We Said Today (Paul's 2nd or 3rd best, imo)
I'm Only Sleeping
For No One (Paul's 2nd or 3rd best, imo)
Taxman
Tomorrow Never Knows
A Day in the Life
Dear Prudence
Long, Long, Long (criminally underrated, imo)

[ronmac]

It seems everyone has their own favorite alternate white album. And, yes, it never did fit on a 90-minute cassette.

[Hal...]

It seems everyone has their own favorite alternate white album. And, yes, it never did fit on a 90-minute cassette.

You're right. It's 1:33:33. But that seems easily solved.

BTW, has anyone ever tried to come up with a desert island Beatles disc (i.e. an hour and twenty minutes of your favorite Beatles songs)?

[Garyhead]

I'm currently passing through Las Vegas and attended LOVE last night. This was my fourth viewing since 2011. The program changes a bit over the years so no two shows were the same. It was a wonderful performance and about 1/2 way through I felt bittersweet.....about the loss of two of them.....and the loss of the innocence of the times.... Yes, there were bad things happening in the world....but the simple joy of their music was the "sweet" part of bittersweet. When I attended in 2017, it seemed they highlighted Sgt. Peppers a bit more (50th Anniv.) so I thought this year they would feature Abbey Road....I didn't think that was the case as they did hit the "hits" tho. They do tout the fact that Giles Martin reworked the sound but to be honest...there was so much tweaking involved ( and I mean that in a good way) that I couldn't tell. Anyway, it was fun watching all those performers who weren't even born when the Beatles were a unit carry on with such revelry. I was in the front row last night and noticed all the performers dancing to Twist And Shout had a variety of tattoos on various body parts.... a dichotomy of 1960's audio mixed with current-day culture / visual.

I once again spent too much money at The Beatles Store outside the theater. There are only 2 shops worldwide....London and Las Vegas. They did have some new Abbey Road Merch but they said more was coming around Christmastime.

All the limited edition stuff from Pepper, Magical, and Yellow Submarine are gone. The Christmas tree ornaments are really cool.

Anyway, just thought I'd share my Beatles evening with Y'all.......Stepped out of this magical theater and into the Mirage Casino and was brought Quickly back to 2019. Walked for a while in an unusually cool Las Vegas night and continued to be accosted by prostitutes, druggies, drunks and homeless........now that I think about it.....not unlike the Reeperbahn in the early 60's! Went to bed thinking....The more things change, the more they stay the same. Goodnight.

[ronmac]

Thanks for sharing your story. I have not seen the show, but hope to some day. I wish they would tour it, because Las Vegas has no other appeal to me. In fact, I would probably drive down the strip and right into the desert.

[Garyhead]

Thanks for sharing your story. I have not seen the show, but hope to some day. I wish they would tour it, because Las Vegas has no other appeal to me. In fact, I would probably drive down the strip and right into the desert.

I have those feelings about Las Vegas as you do. I'm staying "downtown" (one block from Fremont St) so I'm about 6 miles North of the famous part of "the Strip". Anyway...its morning now and the experience can only be explained as that Hot Woman you met last night looks quite different in daylight! I'm really here for a Motorcycle Rally starting Thursday then off to Scottsdale to extend my summer for two more weeks. Fall / rainy season has already begun in the PNW. I always have a problem transitioning from Summer to Fall so I get on the Harley for three weeks and tour the Southwest US until I've had enough of the 99 degree days in Phoenix / Palm Springs then welcome the cooler weather of the Seattle area. One thing I didn't expect was waking up to 27 degree mornings in Virginia City, NV and Tonopah, NV. The latter only 200 miles north of 99 degree Las Vegas! Left Tonopah it was 35 degrees.....Three hours later it was 96 in Vegas! Stopped three times to peel off clothing.....But I digress.....This is a Beatles Thread! I Did sing along to my Beatles playlist at 80 mph very loudly over the wind noise......it is difficult to speak today.

[EdWiser]

I saw the Love show last year. It was wonderful. For a Beatles fan it is something that you must see. Was well worth the trip to Vegas just for the show. I was there for a convention and bought my tickets in advance. The sound was amazing and the performers did a great job.

[Garyhead]

I got one seat - front row for $86.00! It was in the $209.00 section! They’ll drop the price closer to showtime just to fill the seats. Funny, the early show almost always sells out. (7:00pm). While you can get these deals for the 9:30 show. (Show is 90 minutes)
If you want to balk at the ticket prices look up into the rafters and see all the stagehands and high tech machinery moving around let alone that stage....holy cow. It seems like sections are moving about the whole show.

[Garyhead]

Oh. And when was the last time you went to a musical and knew every song by heart! By the end of the 90 minutes it’s pretty much a sing-a-long! Normally, I’d be the cranky-old-coot telling everyone to be quiet but you have to relent to the pure joy being expressed by the audience.

[mogrooves]

There're so many possibilities.

My single (UK) LP:

USSR
Dear Prudence
Glass Onion
Warm Gun
Martha
I'm So Tired
Piggies

I Will
Julia
M N's Son
Monkey
Sexy Sadie
Rev. #1
Savoy Truffle

Lennon owns this album.

[Hal...]

Sup, Mo? Long time, no talk.

My single (UK) LP:

USSR
Dear Prudence
Glass Onion
Warm Gun
Martha
I'm So Tired
Piggies

I Will
Julia
M N's Son
Monkey
Sexy Sadie
Rev. #1
Savoy Truffle

Lennon owns this album.

Having grown up in the era when phonographs were first invented,* I've always respected your opinion with regard to music, especially psych and proto-prog (not to mention "old-timey" music, blues, and swing), but your album leaves out some great songs:

While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Blackbird
Yer Blues
Helter Skelter
Can You Take Me Back
Long, Long, Long


*Sorry. Couldn't resist an age joke.

[JKL2000]

Heard Don’t Pass Me By this morning - Id never realized how funny this line is:

“I'm sorry that I doubted you,
I was so unfair.
You were in a car crash,
And you lost your hair.”

I also just stumbled on something that says the name Billy Shears is a pun on “Billy”s here.” Not sure I get that.

[Mister Triscuits]

“I'm sorry that I doubted you,
I was so unfair.
You were in a car crash,
And you lost your hair.”

I can't hear that without associating it with the "Paul is dead" business, where I heard the line presented as a clue before I had even heard the actual song. (I didn't get the White Album until 1970.)

[ronmac]

I can't hear that without associating it with the "Paul is dead" business, where I heard the line presented as a clue before I had even heard the actual song. (I didn't get the White Album until 1970.)

The only thing is that it took Ringo four years to write that song. That line may have actually preceded Paul's "death."

[Mister Triscuits]

The only thing is that it took Ringo four years to write that song. That line may have actually preceded Paul's "death."

Well, it's not like any of the Paul Is Dead clues made any sense anyway.

[Top Cat]

Well, it's not like any of the Paul Is Dead clues made any sense anyway.

"I'm very tall" says it all, doesn't it? lol

[Hal...]

"I'm very tall" says it all, doesn't it? lol

What's that from?

[Top Cat]

What's that from?

My memory is a bit hazy on this, but I thought John sang "I'm very tall" and people misinterpreted it as "I buried Paul", but I can find nothing on the internet to substantiate that memory. I find statements citing "cranberry sauce" as the phrase being attributed to that rumor, but not the phrase I posted.
I could swear there is a part at the end of The Walrus where John sings "I'm very tall", maybe slowed down a bit on tape, but for now I can't listen to it.

[ronmac]

My memory is a bit hazy on this, but I thought John sang "I'm very tall" and people misinterpreted it as "I buried Paul", but I can find nothing on the internet to substantiate that memory. I find statements citing "cranberry sauce" as the phrase being attributed to that rumor, but not the phrase I posted.
I could swear there is a part at the end of The Walrus where John sings "I'm very tall", maybe slowed down a bit on tape, but for now I can't listen to it.

I've never heard that. It sounds like a confusion about "cranberry sauce" at the end of "Strawberry Fields Forever."

That one was a nice example of how the power of suggestion made people hear, "I buried Paul." It wasn't until I specifically listened for "cranberry sauce" that I heard it correctly. Then it was clear as day.

[Top Cat]

I've never heard that. It sounds like a confusion about "cranberry sauce" at the end of "Strawberry Fields Forever."

That one was a nice example of how the power of suggestion made people hear, "I buried Paul." It wasn't until I specifically listened for "cranberry sauce" that I heard it correctly. Then it was clear as day.

me confused?? lol. I'm lucky I remember my phone number some days.