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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Help!: The Film

Help!, the movie, followed closely on the success of A Hard Day's Night. Once again produced by Walter Shenson and directed by Richard Lester, the color film was released in July, 1965.

The film was not as well-received as A Hard Day's Night, with critics saying that the plot seemed contrived. The Beatles themselves did not consider the film to be as well-made, noting that they had a bigger budget and intentionally asked the producers to arbitrarily write in scenes in the Alps and the Bahamas.

The film was broken down into "parts." Part One begins the movie, when an eastern cult is on the verge of sacrificing a young woman to the God Kaili. The sacrifice is stopped when the High Priestess (Eleanor Bron) notices that the woman is not wearing the sacrificial ring. Subsequently, High Priestess Ahme and the Swami (Leo McKern) try to find Ringo, who is wearing the ring. When the Beatles realize what's happening, they enlist the help of a mad scientist (Victor Spinetti) to help remove the ring. Meanwhile, Ahme, now on the Beatles' side, tells Ringo that he has become the new sacrificial victim.

The Intermission consists of John pretending that Ringo is a yo-yo as he bobs Ringo's head up and down. Part Two consists of Ahme's sister being given a scolding by her mother. It's brevity is intended to be a part of the film's comedy.

In Part Three, the Beatles try to find protection from the government and flee to the Austrian Alps, Salisbury Plain, and the Bahamas. The ring eventually falls off Ringo's hand after he is painted red in order to be sacrificed.

The Beatles said the film was reminiscent of the Marx Brothers, and the film is credited with inspiring the zany American sitcom called The Monkees.

The Beatles have stated that they were in a "marijuana haze" during most of the filming for the movie, and Ringo tells an anecedote in The Beatles Anthology, saying how he and Paul ran a long distance after the curling scene in order to smoke a joint. Ringo also stated that the warm-weather scenes shot in the bahamas were deceptive since it was "bloody cold" during their stay.

The film also starred Roy Kinnear and Patrick Cargill.

Help! was released in VHS in 1987 and on DVD in 1997. As with A Hard Day's Night, the British and American sountracks differed (see sitemap below for details).

The film featured the following songs:

Help!
You're Going to Lose That Girl
You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
Ticket to Ride
I Need You
The Night Before
Another Girl
She's a Woman
A Hard Day's Night
I'm Happy Just to Dance with You
You Can't Do That

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A Hard Day's Night: The Film

The movie A Hard Day's Night is a black and white Beatles film produced by Walter Shenson and directed by Richard Lester for United Artists in 1964. The film was shot shortly after the Beatles returned from their first American visit in 1964. It was released in the UK on July 6, 1964, and in the United States on August 11, 1964.

The film starred the Beatles and Wilford Brambell, an Irish actor known for the sitcom Steptoe and Son (basis for U.S. Sandord and Son) and his work for a British comedy troupe called the Goons. Norman Rossington played the Beatles' manager, and John Junkin played "Shake," their road manager. Victor Spinetti played the television director. A Beatles roadie, Mal Evans, has a cameo; he moves a stand-up bass through the hallway while John Lennon talks with a woman who believes him to be someone else.

The plot of the film is an "amplified," comedic version of an actual day in the life of the Beatles during the height of Beatlemania. Having escaped screaming fans at a railway station, the Beatles travel from Liverpool to London by train, on which the audience learns that the group must care for Paul's grandfather (a "very clean man" played by Brambell). In London the Beatles are driven to a hotel room, where they feel the pressure of always being sequestered to avoid being mobbed by fans. The film then shows the Beatles rehearsing for a broadcast, answering questions from the press, going to a casino to retrieve Paul's grandfather, and romping in a field. Towards the end of the movie, Ringo is seen moping along a riverbank (he confesses that in real life he was very hung-over at the time). The band also escapes the police after a chase caused by Paul's grandfather and finally gives their televised performance before boarding a helicopter at the end of the movie.

The title of the film, according to Lennon, was the result of a Ringo malapropism, a Ringo-ism that director Richard Lester liked. In The Beatles Anthology, McCartney said that it was the Beatles who chose Ringo's phrase, which seems to be the general consensus.

The film, which cost only half a million dollars to make, was well-received by critics, and the movie is still thought to be a remarkable piece of film-making. It is widely taught in university film classes for it's editing, writing, and cinematography. A hard Day's Night was released in VHS format in 1984, on CD-ROM in 1993, on DVD in 2000 (Miramax films), and on Blu-Ray in 2009.

The screenplay was written by Alun Owen because the Beatles and Richard Lester liked his work, which demonstrated a familiarity with the Liverpudlian accent. Owen followed the Beatles around while working on the concept to further observe the Beatles speech and mannerisms. It was Owen who ultimately wrote the movie's screenplay, the theme of which was the Beatles being prisoners of their enormous success.

The film included the following songs:

A Hard Day's Night
I Should Have KNown Better
I Wanna Be Your Man
Don't Bother Me
All My Loving
If I Fell
Can't Buy Me Love
And I LOve Her
I'm Happy Just to Dance with You
Tell Me Why
She Loves You.

The UK soundtrack of the film (Parlophone) was different in the UK from the U.S. version (United Artists), which eliminated some songs and added instrumentals. For more info on these versions, consult the links below for Beatles albums/discography.

Ringo Starr Albums: The Complete Discography

Ringo Starr surprised most Beatles fans by recording some of the most successful albums after the break-up of the Beatles. He continues to record and tour today. In his early solo days, George Harrison helped him record and produce his LPs.

The following Beatles facts cover the studio, live, and compilation albums/CDs by Ringo Starr. Recording information on individual albums are included on this site, although some pages are still under construction. The following does not include bootlegs or reissues.

Studio Albums
Sentimental Journey--1970
Beaucoups of Blues--1970
Ringo--1973
Goodnight Vienna--1974
Ringo's Rotogravure--1976
Ringo the 4th--1977
Bad Boy--1978
Stop and Smell the Roses--1981
Old Wave--1983
Time Takes Time--1992
Vertical Man--1998
Ringo Rama--2003
Choose Love--2005
Liverpool 8--2008
Y Not--2010

Live Albums
Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band--1990
Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band, Volume 2--1993
Ringo Starr and His Third All Starr Band, Volume 1--1995
VH1 Storytellers--1998
King Biscuit Flour Hour Presents Ringo & His New All Starr Band--2002
Extended Versions--2003
Tour 2003--2004
Ringo Starr and Friends--2006
Ringo Starr: Live at Soundstage--2007

Compilation Albums
Blast From Your Past--1975
Starr Struck: Best of Ringo Starr, Vol. 2--1989
The Anthology ... So Far--2001
Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo Starr--2007
Ringo 5.1: The Surround Sound Collection--2008

Monday, January 17, 2011

Paul McCartney Albums: The Complete Discography

Paul McCartney has been one of the more prolific Beatles in terms of his solo career. Not all of his releases have met with critical acclaim, but he continues to be the most active Beatle in terms of touring and recording.

The following Beatles facts cover the studio, live, and compilation albums/CDs for Paul McCartney. Recording information on individual albums are included on this site, although some pages are still under construction. The following information about Paul Mccartney's recordings does not include bootlegs or reissues. It also does not include albums on which the McCartney or the Beatles appeared as guest artists.

Studio
McCartney--1970
Ram--1971
Wild Life--1971
Red Rose Speedway--1973
Band on the Run--1973
Venus and Mars--1975
Wings at the Speed of Sound--1976
London Town--1978
Back to the Egg--1979
McCartney II--1980
Tug of War--1982
Pipes of Peace--1983
Give My Regards to Broad Street--1984
Press to Play--1986
Flowers in the Dirt--1989
Off the Ground--1993
Flaming Pie--1997
Run Devil Run--1999
Driving Rain--2001
Chaos and Creation in the Backyard--2005

Live
Wings Over America--1976
Tripping the Light Fantastic--1990
Tripping the Light Fantastic: Highlights--1990
Unplugged (The Official Bootleg)--1991
Paul is Live--1993
Back in the U.S.--2002
Back in the World--2003
Good Evening New York City--2009

Compilations
Wings Greatest--1978
All the Best--1987
Wingspan: Hits and History--2001

Classical
Liverpool Oratorio--1991
Standing Stone--1997
Paul McCartney's Working Classical--1999
Ecce Cor Meum--2006

George Harrison Albums: The Complete Discography

George Harrison was not considered to be a strong songwriter in the early days of the Beatles, but by the time Revolver and Abbey Road were issued, he had gained the respect of peers John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who previously did not believe Harrison's songs met their rigid criteria for excellence. George came on strong after the breakup of the Beatles, impressing the entire rock community with All Things Must Pass.

The following Beatles facts cover the studio, live, and compilation albums/CDs for George Harrison. Recording information on individual albums are included on this site, although some pages are still under construction. The list below does not include reissues, but rather the original recordings. It also does not include albums on which the Harrison or the Beatles appeared as guest soloist or producer.

Studio
Wonderwall Music--1968
Electronic Sounds--1969
All Things Must Pass--1970
Living in the Material World--1973
Dark Horse--1974
Extra Texture--1975
Thirty Three & 1/3--1976
George Harrison--1979
Somewhere in England--1981
Gone Troppo--1982
Cloud Nine--1987
Brainwashed--2002

Live
The Concert for Bangladesh--1971
Live in Japan--1992

Compilations
The Best of George Harrison--1976
Best of Dark Horse 1976-1989--1989
Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison--2009

John Lennon Albums: The Complete Discography

John Lennon recorded many solo albums with the help of Phil Specter and Yoko Ono. While he felt his songwriting talents wane a bit at times after the breakup of the Beatles, he has left a strong legacy of solo recordings. His solo songs reflect both his eccentricities, eclectic musical tastes, and political activism.

The following Beatles facts cover the studio, live, and compilation albums/CDs for John Lennon. Recording information on individual albums are included on this site, although some pages are still under construction. The following does not include bootlegs or reissues, of which there are many. It also does not include albums on which the Lennon or the Beatles appeared as guest artists.

Studio
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band--1970
Imagine--1971
Some Time in New York City--1972
Mind Games--1973
Walls and Bridges--1974
Rock 'n Roll--1975
Double Fantasy--1980
Milk and Honey--1984

Live
Live Peace in Toronto 1969--1969
Live in New York City--1986

Compilations
Shaved Fish--1975
The John Lennon Collection--1982
Menlove Ave.--1986
Imagine: John Lennon--1988
Lennon--1990
Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon--1997
John Lennon Anthology--1998
Wonsaponatime--1998
Acoustic--2004
Working Class Hero: The Definitive John Lennon

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Why Don't We Do It in the Road

"Why Don't We Do It in the Road" brings up several interesting Beatles facts. Lennon loved the song because of its irreverence, but he was hurt that Paul had taken Ringo and gone off to another room and recorded the song quickly without his involvement. As Lennon noted, however, this was the way things were often done during the turbulent months of the White Album sessions.

This McCartney song was recorded with Ringo on October 9, 1968 at Abbey Road Studios, with overdubs added the following day. McCartney sang the vocal (double-tracking himself at times) and played lead guitar, bass, and piano. Some accounts say McCartney played the drums himself, although McCartney has always said the song was recorded with Ringo. McCartney claims John and George were in another studio room finishing up a song, which is why he and Ringo recorded this separately.

George Harrison: The Album

George Harrison was an LP recorded at Harrison's home at Friar Park from July through November of 1978. The album was released on February 23, 1979. At the time of recording, Harrison was married to Olivia Trinidad Arias, and his son Dhani had recently been born, making this time in Harrison's life tranquil and satisfying. The LP was remastered and reissued in 2004, separately and as part of the boxed set called The Dark Horse Years 1976-1992.

The track list was as follows:

Love Comes to Everyone
Not Guilty
Here Comes the Moon
Soft-Hearted Hana
Blow Away
Faster
Dark Sweet Lady
Your Love Is Forever
Soft Touch
If You Believe

George Harrison played guitars, bass, and did lead and backing vocals; Eric Clapton played guitar on "Love Comes to Everyone"; Willie Weeks played bass; Ray Cooper played percussion; Andy Newark played drums; Neil Larson played keyboards and mini-moog; Steve Winwood played poly-moog, harmonium, and did backing vocals; Gary Wright played the oberheim; Gayle Levant played harp; and Del Newman did string and horn arrangements.

Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey

This Lennon number, according to the author, was about his relationship with Yoko Ono and how those around them seemed to be paranoid. Lennon said he and Yoko were simply surrounded by the glowing love for one another and had nothing to hide from anyone. Fats Domino did a cover version that Lennon liked very much.

The song, issued on the White Album, was recorded at Abbey Road Studios on June 27, 1968, with overdubs added in July.

Lennon plays lead guitar and sings the lead vocal; McCartney plays bass and sings backing vocal; Harrison plays rhythm guitar and firebell; and Starr played drums.

When I'm Sixty-four

The most interesting Beatles fact about "When I'm Sixty-four" is that McCartney wrote the song when he was fifteen and regarded it as something of a cabaret tune. A new set of lyrics was added many years later in honor of his father's sixty-fourth birthday. McCartney always believed that his talent and future, together with John's, lay in writing show tunes. Lennon is said to have helped to a small degree with a few lyrics, although he said that writing such a tune would never have occurred to him.

The song was recorded on December 6, 1966 at Abbey Road Studios for inclusion on the Sgt. PepperLP.

McCartney plays piano and bass and sings lead and backing vocals; Lennon played lead guitar (his Epiphone Casino) and does a backing vocal; Harrison did a backing vocal; Starr played drums; and session musicians did clarinets, including a bass clarinet.

Her Majesty

"Her Majesty" is a quick and off-the-cuff song by McCartney that comes at the end of side two on Abbey Road. The fascinating Beatles fact is that it was originally intended to go immediately before "Polythene Pam," although McCartney changed his mind. If one listens to the bass note that abruptly ends the song, one realizes that it fits perfectly with the bass notes that introduce Polythene Pam."

McCartney recorded the song alone at Abbey Road Studios on July 2, 1969. He plays acoustic guitar and sings the vocal track.

Rocky Raccoon

"Rocky Raccoon" was one of the many songs McCartney wrote while in India. The western-themed song was supposedly influenced by Lennon and Donovan Leitch, although they never claimed any song-writing credit. The interesting Beatles fact for this song is that the working title was "Rocky Sassoon."

McCartney sings the lead vocal and plays acoustic guitar; Lennon plays harmonica and does backing vocal; Harrison plays bass and does a backing vocal; Starr plays drums, and george Martin plays a honky-tonk piano.

The lines "Her name was McGill/But she called herself Lil,/But Everyone knew her as Nancy" are clearly referncing a prostiture in the Old West, one who had a professional name and reputation.

Good Morning, Good Morning

"Good Morning, Good Morning" was a Lennon song inspired by a Kellog's cornflake commercial. Lennon claimed the song was a piece of garbage even though it has always been considered a very popular track on the Sgt. Pepper's album.

The song was recorded on February 8, 1967 at Abbey Road Studios, with overdubbing added later in the month.

An interesting Beatles fact is that Lennon had Geoff Emerick add various farmyard animal noises to the track. The idea was to have each animal featured capable of devouring the one that came before it, and Emerick spent quite a bit of time engineering the sounds.

George Martin said that the sound of the chicken at the end of the song matched the guitar at the beginning of the "Sgt. Pepper Reprise" and made for easy editing at the mixing board.

Lennon sings lead and backing vocals; Harrison plays lead guitar and does backing a backing vocal; McCartney played bass and provided a backing vocal (and by some accounts also played lead guitar); Starr played drums; and session musicians played saxophones, trombones, and a French horn.

Revolution 9

"Revolution 9" is a track from the White Album, and was recorded on May 30, 1968 at Abbey Road Studios, with more special effects added in June of that year. It is a well known Beatles fact that this Lennon-Yoko collaboration was controversial and was unpopular with George Martin and the rest of the Beatles, who unsuccessfully tried to keep the track off the White Album. Paul especially disliked the piece.

"Revolution 9" is not a song, but a musical collage of sorts, employing tape loops arranged by Lennon and Yoko, as well as certain screeching and howling sounds. Lennon acknowledged that both he and the track were under the direction and influence of Yoko Ono. George Martin actually lent some support in recording various tape loops on a two track recorder. Part of the track contains a monologue by Yoko and the sound of banging water glasses. Other noises were created and taped one night by Lennon and long-time friend (and former Quarryman) Pete Shotton after they had smoked marijuana and ingested LSD.

The name of the track comes from Lennon's obsession with the number nine (see articles under sitemap for more information on Lennon's belief that the number nine had a special significance in his life).

This track also fed into the "Paul Is Dead" hysteria. A voice repeatedly says during the course of the track "Number nine, number nine, number nine." Many have said that when played backwards, these words become "Turn me on, dead man." Lennon always said this was a coincidence.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Hello Goodbye

"Hello Goodbye" was a McCartney composition recorded at Abbey Road Studios on October 2, 1967 and was included on the Magical Mystery Tour LP. The most interesting Beatles fact is that Lennon thoroughly disliked the song and was aggravated that it was issued as a single, being the A side to his "I Am the Walrus," the B side. The single was released in the U.S. on November 27, 1967, and in the UK on December 9, 1967.

The instruments used to play "Hello Goodbye" were probably the ones used in the song's promotional video, in which the group appears onstage, dressed in their Sgt. Pepper's outfits. The Beatles lip sync the song for the promo and do not actually play the instruments.

McCartney played Rickenbacker bass and sang lead and backing vocals; Lennon played organ, acoustic guitar (probably a Martin D-28), and sang backing vocals; Harrison played lead with an Epiphone (sunburst) Casino; and Starr played drums and maracas. Two session musicians played violas.

The song was used by McCartney as the opening number of his extended U.S. tour in 2002.

P. S. I Love You

"P.S. I Love You" is primarily a McCartney composition, with some help provided by Lennon. The song, written in Hamburg in 1962, was recorded on September 11, 1962 at Abbey Road Studios. One of the many interesting Beatles facts is that the song was recorded a week earlier with Ringo on drums, but George Martin did not care for the take.

In the UK, it was released as the B side to "Love Me Do" on October 5, 1962. In the U.S., it was released as a single on Tollie Records in 1964 and went to number 10. Vee Jay released it a few months later, but it failed to chart.

George Martin has been quoted often as saying that he did not feel either "P.S. I Love You" or "Love Me Do" were very remarkable. Martin, of course, is also quoted as saying that he was fascinated by their personalities when the Beatles first auditioned this material.

McCartney played bass and sang lead vocal; Lennon played acoustic guitar and sang harmony on certain verses (his voice entering at times on single phrases to punctuate McCartney's lyrics); Harrison played lead (an electrified Gibson J-160E); and Andy White played drums.

Piggies

"Piggies" is a Harrison composition, although Lennon gave George a few lyrics (about clutching knives and forks and eating bacon). It was recorded at Abbey Road Studios on September 19, 1968 and was included on the White Album.

There are many fascinating Beatles facts about this song. George had started the number in 1966, but only finished it two years later with a few suggestions from his mother Louise. Harrison said that the song was indeed a social comment, but one about upper class people and not the police. In his book I, Me, Mine, Harrison also lists a final verse that was never recorded, which goes as follows:

"Everywhere there's lots of piggies/Playing piggy pranks./You can see them on their trotters/At the piggy banks/Playing piggy thanks/To thee pig brother."

Harrison played acoustic guitar and sang lead vocal; Starr played tambourine; McCartney played bass; Lennon found and added various tape loops; Cris Thomas played harpsichord; and session musicians played strings.

If I Fell

"If I Fell" was recorded at Abbey Road Studios on February 27, 1964, shortly after the Beatles completed their first American visit. It was part of the soundtrack for A Hard Day's Night, although it was released as a single (the B side to "And I Love Her").

This Lennon song features what fans believe to be some of the best Lennon-McCartney harmony on any Beatles song. The very interesting Beatles fact is that Lennon believed this to be his first real ballad, as well as a precursor to his mellow "In My Life."

Lennon played acoustic rhythm guitar and sang the lead vocal with McCartney, who played bass; Harrison played lead guitar, and Starr played drums.

Polythene Pam

"Polythene Pam," a Lennon composition, was recorded with "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" as one song. Both songs were part of the montage of songs on side two of Abbey Road. It was recorded on July 25, 1969 at Abbey Road.

There are several interesting Beatles facts for "Polythene Pam." As a stand-alone number, it was originally recorded for the White Album but not included, although this original version may be heard on the Beatles Anthology CD set. Another fascinating fact is that part of the song was based on a real experience. Lennon claimed that while on tour in England in the early days of the Beatles, he met a man who brought him back to his apartment, where Lennon saw a woman dressed only in polythene (although he cites that she did not wear jackboots or kilts).

Lennon played acoustic guitar and lead guitars and sang the lead vocal; McCartney played bass and did harmony vocals (and some citations say he also shared in the lead guitar parts); Harrison played rhythm guitar, and Starr played maracas and drums.

Dear Prudence

"Dear Prudence" is a Lennon composition written during their stay in Rishikesh, India. The interesting Beatles fact is that is was written for Mia Farrow's sister Prudence, who stayed in her quarters (a hut) to meditate for such long periods of time that Lennon wrote "Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play."

The song was recorded on August 28, 1968 at Trident Studios, with overdubs added on August 29 and 30, and was issued on the White Album.

The distinctive guitar lead was actually overdubbed six times for volume and clarity.

Lennon played lead guitar and sang lead and backing vocals; McCartney played bass, piano, drums, flugelhorn, and did backing vocals; Harrison played acoustic guitar and also did backing vocals; Mal Evans played tambourine.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Concert for Bangladesh: The Album

The main Beatles fact for this LP is that the album was taped on August 1, 1971 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, the proceeds for the album intended for the refugees in Bangladesh following the 1970 cyclone that hit the country (and because of the murders committed during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War). The concert itself raised over $250,000, with later LP sales generating an additional $15 million. The money was held for years by the IRS since concert organizers had not filed for a tax-exempt status. Harrison was furious over this development, and the amount of money actually sent to Bangladesh years later was never precisely known.

The album was released in the U.S. shortly before Christmas, 1971 (Apple), and was released in the U.K. (Sony) right after New Year's, 1972. A re-edited CD version was released in 2005 on Apple/Rhino.

Two shows were performed at the Garden, one at noon, and the other at 7 p.m. Both were taped, but it was the evening show that was taped for theatrical release. Harrison was joined onstage by Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Leon Russell, Badfinger, Billy Preston, Ravi Shankar, and others. It was Ravi Shankar who originally brought the situation in Bangladesh to Harrison's attention.

The track listing is as follows:

Side One:

Intro with George Harrison
Bangla Dhun (Ravi Shankar)

Side Two

Wah-Wah
My Sweet Lord
Awaiting on You All
That's the Way God Planned It (Billy Preston)

Side Three

It Don't Come Easy (Ringo Starr)
Beware of Darkness (George Harrison, with Leon Russell)
Band introductions by George Harrison
While My Guitar Gently Weeps (George Harrison, with Eric Clapton playing lead guitar)

Side Four

Jumpin' Jack Flash/Young Blood Medley (Leon Russell and Don Preston)
Here Comes the Sun (George Harrison, with help from Badfinger on acoustic guitar)

Side Five

(All tracks performed by Bob Dylan, with backing from George Harrison, Leon Russell, and Ringo Starr)
A Hard Rain's A'Gonna Fall
It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry
Blowin' in the Wind
Mr. Tambourine Man
Just Like a Woman

Side Six

Something
Bangla-desh

Bonus Track on the 2005 re-master

Love Minus Zero/No Limit (a Bob Dylan rehearsal track)

The featured stars did the following instrumentation and vocals:

Vocals (Harrison, Dylan, Preston, Starr)
Guitar (Harrison, Clapton, Dylan, Badfinger)
Keyboards (Preston, Russell)
Harmonica (Dylan)
Sitar (Shankar)

Ravis Shankar's backing musicians included Kamala Chakravarty (tamboura), Ustad Ali Akbar Khan (sarod), and Ustad Alla Rakha (tabla).

Members of the backing band played the following instruments:

Rhythm/Acoustic guitars (Tom Evans, Pete Ham, Jesse Ed Davis, Don Preston)
Bass guitar (Klaus Voormann, Carl Radle)
Drums (Jim Keltner)
Tambourine (Mike Gibbins)

The horn section was comprised of the Hollywood Horns, featuring Allan Beutler, Chuck Findley, Jim Horn, Ollie Mitchell, Lou McCreary, and Jack Kelso.

Backing vocalists included Jo Green, Jeanie Green, Don Nix, Claudia Linnear, Dolores Hall, and Marlin Greene.

Post-production and mixing were handled at New York City's Record Plant, as well as A&M Studios in Los Angeles.

The Concert for Bangladesh won a Grammy in 1973 for Album of the Year.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Flaming Pie: The Album

Flaming Pie was a studio album released by Paul McCartney in 1997. He was not under contract to record anything at the time, but he decided after Beatles Anthology to go into the studio and apply the basics of rock and roll, recalling how the Beatles were a "tight rock and roll band." The songs received extremely positive reviews and are considered to be among McCartney's best solo efforts. It was released in the U.S. and the UK in May of 1997.

Interested in basic recording without elaborate production, McCartney worked with Jeff Lynne (formerly of ELO and the Traveling Wilburys), George Martin, Ringo Starr, Steve Miller, his son James McCartney (who plays lead guitar on "Heaven on a Sunday"), and others over a two-year period.

The track list is as follows for the CD:

The Song We Were Singing
The World Tonight
If You Wanna
Somedays
Young Boy
Calico Skies
Flaming Pie
Heaven on a Sunday
Used to be Bad
Souvenir
Little Willow
Really Love You
Beatiful Night
Great Day

One of the most interesting Beatles facts about Flaming Pie is that "Really Love You" marked the first time that McCartney ever collaborated with Ringo Starr in songwriting. Another interesting fact is that the phrase "Flaming Pie" refers to Lennon's explanation for how he came up with the name for the group, the Beatles. He told a journalist in 1961 that he had a vision of a man standing on a flaming pie, with the man saying that, "You are Beatles with an A."

The songs "Young Boy" and "The World Tonight" appeared in the Ivan Reitman film Father's Day in 1997.

Regarding instrumentation, McCartney did vocals and played bass, keyboards, drums, percussion, and harmonium; Linda McCartney added vocals; George Martin did orchestral arrangements; Steve Miller did guitar and vocals; Roy Carter played oboe; James McCartney played guitar; Chris Davis played sax; Jeff Lynne did vocals, guitar, and keyboards; John Pigneguy, Michael Thompson, and Rich Watkins played French horn; and Kevin Robinson played trumpet. Geogg Emerick was the sound engineer.

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Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Something

The most interesting Beatles fact about "Something" is that it is second only to McCartney's "Yesterday" in the number of times various cover versions have been recorded. The song was written by Harrison on the piano during the White Album sessions. Written for his wife Pattie Boyd, most fans believe that this Harrison song received its motivation from the opening line of Apple performer James Taylor's "Something in the Way She Moves."

The song was recorded on April 16, 1969, with overdubs added on July 11 and 16, and again on August 15. All four of the Beatles felt that it was the best track on the Abbey Road LP. It was the first A-side single Harrison had with the Beatles and was released as a single in the U.S. on October 6, 1969, and in the UK on October 31, 1969. Frank Sinatra thought it was the best Beatles song ever recorded.

Harrison played lead guitar, organ, and sings lead vocal. McCartney played bass and does a backing vocal. Lennon played lead guitar as well, and Starr played drums. McCartney and Starr do handclaps, and session musicians added strings.

Paperback Writer

The first Beatles fact for "Paperback Writer" is that it was released as a single in the UK on June 10, 1966, and in the U.S. on May 30, 1966.

It is a McCartney composition, although most agree that Lennon helped with a few lyrics. It was recorded at Abbey Road Studios on April 13, 1966, with an overdub added the following day. The song was sung in concert that year, although the Beatles would later say that performing the complex vocal harmonies (recorded in eight-track) did not work well onstage. A live performance of this song was taped at the Beatles concert in Japan at the Budokan.

The song is McCartney's answer to Lennon's "Day Tripper" in that it featured a prominent electric guitar riff at the opening and before each new chorus. It is a high-energy, electric guitar, rock and roll "rocker."

According to sound engineer Geoff Emerick, McCartney played a Rickenbacker bass, the sound of which was boosted by sending it through an amplifier used as a microphone. McCartney's riffs are very distinctive and easy to pick out. For short times, they are even played while no other instrument is being used.

McCartney played the Rick bass and handled the lead vocals, with backing vocals by John and George. George played lead with a Gibson SG, while Lennon played a Gretsch Nashville for rhythm. Starr was on drums.