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18+ | | I listened and I heard music in a word. | | by: Lynn McKenzie ![View lynnmckenzie's Portfolio. [Offline / Private]](http://imgs.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/costumicons/ps-icon-regular-40.gif "View lynnmckenzie's Portfolio. [Offline / Private]") ![Email User: lynnmckenzie [Offline / Private]](http://imgs.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/mail-off.gif "Email User: lynnmckenzie [Offline / Private]") | Avg Rating:  (1) |
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Created: 8:59am on 10-12-2008
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Entry #668883, added on 09-29-09 @ 7:47 am EDT.
[Entry Access Restriction] None.
Title:
Beatles for sale
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You may or may not be aware that the Beatles have just remastered their entire catalog for the first time on CD. They're still not on iTunes, but you can get brilliant sounding silver discs through Amazon, Best Buy, Target or that quaintest of relics, your local music store. Are there any of those left? It seems doubtful.
Yes, friends, the Beatles were of a different era, one where albums consisting of collections of songs were the predominant sellers and cherry-picking your favorite tunes was an impossibility. Although with the Fabs, most of their songs were released as singles...but the real fans knew the albums were fantastic. And the remasters are definitely worth buying if you are more than a casual fan. Students of rock will pick up Sgt. Pepper, the White Album and Abbey Road, of course. I've actually heard a couple of people calling themselves music fans who say they have no interest in anything before Pepper. Good God! Wake up, folks. The Beatles' early work has twice the energy of some of their later material and a lot more fun.
Confession time. My favorite Beatles album is one you've never heard of. Yes, I love Pepper and the White Album and Abbey Road and Revolver and Rubber Soul. And they're all better than this album. But my all-time favorite Beatles album, and one of the first remasters I bought, is...
...Beatles For Sale. From 1964. The only song you know from it is most likely "Eight Days A Week".
Why is it my favorite? Probably because it contains some of the first Beatles songs I heard. But the album as a whole has this aura of cheery melancholy which draws me in, every time. It's got lots of rockabilly guitars and semi-acoustic like electric strumming and harmonies out the wazoo and lyrics tinged by ennui and semi-despair. It's amazing.
Track by track:
"No Reply", Lennon. His first story song, about discovering that his girl is two-timing him. The "I saw the light" crashes in like thunder. Minor-key and awesome.
"I'm A Loser", Lennon. Even more amazing than the first track, a rocking Dylan-like number with harmonica and some of the sharpest guitar I've ever heard. John sounds about an inch from committing suicide. "Beneath this mask I am wearing a frown."
"Baby's In Black", Lennon (and McCartney). This is just weird, about a girl who can't forget her former deceased lover, so she dresses in black. You need to find someone less goth, guys. Country like crazy, and a "waltz", as John described it in concert.
"Rock And Roll Music", John. The Beatles rock Chuck Berry into the ground, with help from George Martin on piano. Love it.
"I'll Follow The Sun", McCartney. Eh. A slow ballad written in 1960 and dragged out to fill up space. It's OK, and fits the somber mood, but it ain't a classic. George's guitar solo is rather unimpressive, to say the least (consisting of four notes); he must not have thought much of it, either.
"Mr. Moonlight", John. Hands down my least favorite Beatles song. It's a cover, thank God. They just screwed up the arrangement with that cheesy Hammond organ and Arabian drum. Oh well. The outtake on Anthology is better.
"Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey!", Paul. Back on track with this Little Richard number caught in one take. Scream it, Paul!
"Eight Days A Week", Lennon/McCartney. Features a fade-in, something new back then. A cute piece of pop, but hardly the best song on here. It seems much too sunny with all the other material.
"Words Of Love", John/Paul. Their only Buddy Holly cover, it's just as great as the original. What harmonies. What guitar work. And Ringo plays packing case. Ummm.
"Honey Don't", Ringo. A Carl Perkins cover, it showcases his melancholy rockabilly side. Good job, Ring. "Ah, rock on George for Ringo one time!"
"Every Little Thing", Lennon (I think). Kind of a nothing tune, really, but it does have tympani on it which is cool. Another sad song, although lyrically you wouldn't know it. The way John sings "Yes I know I'm the lucky guy" sounds like he doesn't believe it at all.
"I Don't Want To Spoil The Party", Lennon. Back on form with this downer rockabilly number. Again, marvelous guitar work by George and lovely harmonies from Paul. "Though tonight she's made me sad/I still love her...I've had a drink or two and I don't care..." Sticks right in my heart.
"What You're Doing", McCartney. The coolest thing about this is the drum riff swiped from "Be My Baby" and the guitar riff throughout. I do like the way Paul sings "Why should it be so much to ask of you/What you're doing to me", though.
"Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby", George. One more Carl Perkins cover so we don't forget our lead guitarist. They drenched his voice in echo for some weird reason. Astounding guitar work, natch.
And there you have it. Those first three songs and "Party" are four of my favorite Beatles songs. Not the best, not the worst. Just the ones that are my special loves.
And now I have them in stereo again, after all these years. Thanks, guys. |
© Copyright 2009 Lynn McKenzie (UN: lynnmckenzie at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
Lynn McKenzie has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.
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