playlist oct. 28thguitar, paul on bass and backing vocals, john rhythm guitar, pete best on drums....

PLAYLIST OCT. 28TH 2012

The Beatles – Ain’t She Sweet - 22 June 1961

Recording session with Tony Sheridan, but this time John on lead vocal. George on lead guitar, Paul on bass and backing vocals, John rhythm guitar, Pete Best on drums.

The Beatles – Besame Mucho - June 1962 The romantic ballad was written in 1940 by Mexican songwriter Consuelo Velázquez, and first recorded by Emilio Tuero. The title translates as 'kiss me a lot'.

The Beatles – Three Cool Cats – Anthology I (George)

The Beatles at their Decca Audition of 1st January 1962. This session was held at the Broadhurst Gardens, West Hampstead studio's of Decca records in London,

less than two miles from Abbey Road

The Beatles – One After 909 - 5th March 1963

Takes 4 and 5 edited into one master take.

The Beatles - I’ll Be Back - A Hard Day’s Night (Lennon-McCartney)

Lead vocal: John Recorded in 16 takes on June 1, 1964. “I'll Be Back” was written mostly by John Lennon, and was a reworking of the chords to Del Shannon's 1961 hit “Runaway.” Beatles fans in

America would have to wait five months to hear this exquisite Beatles song, one of Lennon finest compositions, because Capitol Records held it off their “Something New”

album and released it on “Beatles ‘65” in December 1964. On U.S. album:

Beatles ‘65 - Capitol LP

The Beatles - Things We Said Today - A Hard Day’s Night

(Lennon-McCartney) Lead vocal: Paul

Written in May 1964 on board a yacht called Happy Days during Paul McCartney's holiday in the Virgin Islands with his girlfriend Jane Asher, plus Ringo Starr and his future wife Maureen. Recorded in three takes on June 2, 1964. In his 1980 interview with Playboy magazine John Lennon remembered this being one of Paul’s better songs. McCartney double tracked his vocals. John Lennon's piano part was meant to be omitted from the final mix, but lack of separation between instruments meant that its sound leaked into other microphones during recording. As a result it can be heard on the released version. The b-side of the UK “A Hard Day’s Night” single.

On U.S. album: Something New - Capitol LP

The Beatles - You Won’t See Me - Rubber Soul (Lennon-McCartney)

Lead vocal: Paul Written entirely by Paul. Recorded in two takes on November 11, 1965, at the final

recording session for the “Rubber Soul” album. The song is notable for Paul’s melodic bass line, something new to rock and roll. Paul: “It was very Motown-flavored. It's got a James Jamerson feel. He was the Motown bass player, he was fabulous, the guy who

did all those great melodic bass lines. It was him, me and Brian Wilson who were doing melodic bass lines at that time.” Beatles roadie Mal Evans is credited on the album’s

back cover with playing Hammond organ on this track, but it is inaudible in the final mix. On U.S. album:

Rubber Soul - Capitol LP

The Beatles - Got To Get You Into My Life – Revolver


Another Paul McCartney solo composition, Paul called this stand out track “an ode to pot, like someone else might write an ode to chocolate or a good claret (wine).” Work

began on the song on April 7, 1966, and this early alternate version can be heard on the “Anthology 2” album. It was the second song recorded for the “Revolver” album. The

Beatles returned to the song the next day with an improved arrangement that included John and George on fuzz guitars. On May 18 they revisited the song again, devoting a

full 12-hour session to rework and complete the song. To give the song its Motown feel, five outside musicians were brought in to add brass and saxophones. An additional dual guitar overdub was added on June 17. “Got To Get You Into My Life” was the opening

song performed on the final Wings tour in 1979. On U.S. album:

Revolver - Capitol LP

The Beatles - I’ll Cry Instead - A Hard Day’s Night (Lennon-McCartney)

Lead vocal: John A country-influenced Lennon-McCartney rocker recorded on June 1, 1964. John Lennon

says that he wrote it for “A Hard Day’s Night,” but the film’s director, Richard Lester, didn’t like it and replaced it at the last minute with “Can’t Buy Me Love.” The decision to cut “I’ll Cry Instead” from the film was so last minute that the American soundtrack LP, which had been rush-released by United Artists Records, included “I’ll Cry Instead” in its

song line-up. Released as a single in the U.S. on July 20, 1964. On U.S. album:

A Hard Day’s Night - United Artists LP Something New - Capitol LP

The Beatles - Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby - Beatles For Sale

(Perkins) Lead vocal: George

The second Carl Perkins cover song used for “Beatles For Sale,” “Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby” had been a part of the Beatles’ early stage show. George Harrison provides

the lead vocal, his only lead vocal contribution on “Beatles For Sale.” Recorded in just one take on October 18, 1964. The song is notable for its heavy use of vocal echo.

Harrison performed this song live throughout the 1965 tours. On U.S. album:

Beatles ‘65 - Capitol LP

Wings – Name And Address – London Town ‘78

Considered a tribute to Elvis Presley, who had died on August 16th, 1977. This song was actually written and recorded before the King of Rock and Roll died

The Beatles - Run For Your Life - Rubber Soul (Lennon-McCartney)

Lead vocal: John The first song completed when sessions for “Rubber Soul” began on October 12, 1965. John Lennon lifted the opening line (“I’d rather see you dead little girl than to be with

another man”) from “Baby Let’s Play House,” popularized by Elvis Presley. On U.S. album:

Rubber Soul - Capitol LP

The Beatles - Doctor Robert - Revolver

(Lennon-McCartney) Lead vocal: John

John’s song about a doctor that dispenses pills and other comfort to his clients was rumored to be about Dr. Robert Freymann of New York, who ran a discreet clinic on Manhattan's East 78th Street. The good doctor had a reputation for giving vitamin B-12 injections containing large doses of amphetamines, mainly to well-heeled New Yorkers. But both John and Paul have denied that is the source of the lyrics. Paul: “The song was

a joke about this fellow who cured everyone of everything with all these pills and tranquilizers. He just kept New York high.” John: “‘Doctor Robert’ was another of mine. Mainly about drugs and pills. It was about myself: I was the one that carried all the pills on tour and always have done. Well, in the early days. Later on the roadies did it, and we just kept them in our pockets loose, in case of trouble.” Originally clocking in at nearly three minutes, the song was cut to 2:13 for its official release. The backing track was recorded in seven takes on April 17, 1966. Overdubs included Paul on piano, John on harmonium, and George on maracas. “Doctor Robert” was one of three songs issued in America six weeks prior to their official release in the UK. American and Canadian Beatles fans heard “I’m Only Sleeping,” “And Your Bird Can Sing,” and “Doctor Robert” first on Capitol Records’ “Yesterday And Today” album, issued June 20, 1966. The rest of the world had to wait until the first week of August for them to appear on the “Revolver” LP.

On U.S. album:

Ringo -‐ $15.00 Draw – Beucoups Of Blues

George Harrison – I Live For You - All Things Must Pass ‘70 (Remaster 2001)

A pleasant track in the vein of “Behind That Locked Door,” and bears a striking resemblance to Dylan’s “Lay Lady Lay.”

The Beatles - Blue Jay Way - Magical Mystery Tour (EP) (Harrison)

Lead vocal: George Written by George Harrison on August 1, 1967 while vacationing in a rented house in the Hollywood Hills above Los Angeles. The story is essentially the same as the lyrics imply. On a foggy night in L.A., George sat at his rented house waiting for friends to

arrive, but the maze of thin and winding streets and the thick fog rolling in got the best of them and they became lost. George: “I’d rented a house in Los Angeles on – Blue Jay

Way, and I’d arrived there from England. I was waiting around for Derek and Joan Taylor who were then living in L.A. I was very tired after the flight and the time change

and I stared writing, playing a little electric organ that was in the house. It had gotten foggy and they couldn’t find the house for some time. The mood is slightly Indian.”

Following the release of the song on the “Magical Mystery Tour” LP in America, the City of Los Angeles got so tired of having to replace stolen “Blue Jay Way” street signs that it

had the street name painted on walls along the street’s route. The backing track was recorded in one take on September 6, 1967.

On U.S. album: Magical Mystery Tour - Capitol LP

The Beatles - I Am The Walrus - Magical Mystery Tour (EP)


The Beatles’ sixteenth single release for EMI’s Parlophone label. John Lennon pushed to have his “I Am The Walrus” as the A-side of the coupling with

Paul’s “Hello, Goodbye,” but his song was deemed too unconventional and less commercial than Paul’s catchy tune. The title is inspired by the Walrus and the

Carpenter from Lewis Carroll’s “Through The Looking Glass.” Lennon described his lyrics as purposely being Dylan-esque. In his 1980 Playboy interview he explained, “In those days I was writing obscurely, a la Dylan, never saying what you mean, but giving the

impression of something.” The “I Am The Walrus” session is notable because it was the first Beatles recording session following the untimely death of their manager, Brian

Epstein. Ironically, Epstein had stopped by the last time the Beatles were recording (for

“Your Mother Should Know” at Chappell Recording Studios on August 23, 1967). He was found dead on August 27, aged just 32. All four Beatles met at Paul’s St. John’s Wood

house on September 1 to discuss how they should proceed. Among other business matters, it was decided that they would press on with the “Magical Mystery Tour” project, temporarily postponing a planned visit to India to study Transcendental

Meditation. The basic rhythm track was recorded in a six-hour session beginning at 7:00 p.m. on September 5, 1967. Sixteen takes were attempted, only five of them were complete run-throughs. Starting the next day overdubs were added to create John

Lennon’s textured masterpiece. Specifically, additional bass from Paul, more drums from Ringo and John’s memorable lead vocal on Sept. 6, and a 16-piece orchestra under the direction of George Martin, and 16 members of the Mike Sammes Singers, a large group of vocalists who did much session and television work, that brought the “Ho-ho-ho, hee-hee-hee, ha-ha-ha” section to life, in separate sessions on Sept. 27. Issued November

24, 1967 in the UK and November 27, 1967 in the U.S. On U.S. album:

Magical Mystery Tour - Capitol LP

The Beatles - Only A Northern Song - Yellow Submarine (Harrison)

Lead vocal: George Originally recorded for the “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album, producer

George Martin felt the song was not good enough for inclusion and ask George Harrison to go back to the drawing board. Harrison came up with “Within You, Without You” and the rejected track was saved as the first of four “new songs” the band was obligated to

deliver for the “Yellow Submarine” animated film project. Northern Songs Ltd is the song publishing company that licenses and collects royalties for the increasingly lucrative

Lennon-McCartney song catalog. At the time, the company also handled Harrison and Starkey’s songwriting output. In 1967, the company was 50% owned by music executive

Dick James, and 50% owned by John, Paul and Brian Epstein’s NEMS Enterprises Ltd. So, in a case of art imitating life, George’s “Only A Northern Song” actually is a Northern song. The lyrics are directed at the company’s majority owner Dick James. Nine takes were recorded of the backing track on February 13, 1967, four being complete run-

throughs. The line-up was Harrison on organ, Lennon on piano, McCartney on bass and Starr on drums. Two lead vocals were recorded the following night. The Beatles

returned to the song on April 20, 1967, adding vocals, bass guitar, a trumpet and glockenspiel.

The Beatles - Baby, You’re A Rich Man - Non-LP track


The Beatles’ fifteenth single release for EMI’s Parlophone label. The Beatles were contractually obligated to deliver four new songs for inclusion in the

“Yellow Submarine” animated film project. “Baby, You’re A Rich Man” was the first song recorded especially for that project. Earlier in the year, George Harrison’s initial offering for the “Sgt. Pepper” album, “Only A Northern Song,” had been rejected for that album

and was now being earmarked for use in the “Yellow Submarine” animated film. But with the rush-release of “All You Need Is Love” as a single following the “Our World” world television transmission on June 25, 1967, a B-side was needed. George Martin chose “Baby, You’re A Rich Man,” effectively removing it from consideration for the

“Yellow Submarine” feature film. “Baby, You’re A Rich Man” was, in fact, two separate songs (John’s “One Of The Beautiful People” and Paul’s “Baby, You’re A Rich Man”) that

the composers combined to make into one song. Recording took place at Olympic Studios on May 11, 1967, and the song was completed in 12 takes. It is the first Beatles song to be recorded and mixed for record outside of Abbey Road. Surprisingly, the “All

You Need is Love”/“Baby, You’re A Rich Man” single is the first instance of George Martin being given credit on the record label as producer on a Parlophone Beatles single.

Mick Jagger attended the session and may have participated in the backing vocals at the end of the song. Issued July 7, 1967 in the UK and July 17, 1967 in the U.S.

On U.S. album: Magical Mystery Tour - Capitol LP

HR II

The Beatles - Back In The U.S.S.R. - The Beatles


Written while in India, Paul’s “Back In The U.S.S.R.” is based on Chuck Berry’s 1959 hit “Back In The U.S.A.,” but was written to mimic the classic sound of the Beach Boys. Beach Boys lead singer Mike Love was on the Transcendental Meditation sojourn in

India with the Beatles in the spring of 1968 and as McCartney was working on his new song, Love suggested the lyrics about Ukraine and Moscow girls, similar to his lyrics in “California Girls.” Recording began on August 22, 1968, and it was during this session that Ringo Starr officially quit the band. His departure was blamed on a disagreement with Paul over his drumming. Ringo flew to the Mediterranean to spend time on actor Peter Sellers’ yacht. It was there that he wrote “Octopus’s Garden.” On September 3, Ringo returned to the studio to find his drum kit smothered in flowers. Ringo: “I felt

tired and discouraged … took a week’s holiday, and when I came back to work

everything was all right again.” But Ringo added, “Paul is the greatest bass guitar player in the world. But he is also very determined; he goes on and on to see if he can get his own way. While that may be a virtue, it did mean that musical disagreements inevitably

arose from time to time.”

To keep the sessions moving forward in Ringo’s absence, the other members, but primarily Paul, played drums on several songs. The rhythm track for “Back In the

U.S.S.R.” was completed in five takes. Through the use of composite pieces the three remaining Beatles can be heard playing multiple instruments at the same time on the song. For “Back In The U.S.S.R.” John, Paul and George each played bass guitar, and both Paul and George playing lead guitar on the track. According to Paul, he sang the song in his “Jerry Lee Lewis voice.” His lead vocal, the Beach Boys style backing vocals

by John and George, and handclaps were added on the bridge on August 23. The sound of the airplane taking off and landing that starts and finishes the song is taken from the vast collection of sound effects in the Abbey Road tape library. Specifically, “Volume 17:

Jet and Piston Engine Aeroplane.”

The Beatles - Dear Prudence - The Beatles (Lennon-McCartney)

Lead vocal: John Recorded at Trident Studios’ eight-track recording facilities on August 28, 29, and 30,

1968. Ringo Starr had quit the band temporarily and the three remaining Beatles moved forward with sessions for the new album. John Lennon’s “Dear Prudence” features Paul

McCartney on drums. The guitar picking which opens and runs through the song is supplied by John on his Epiphone Casino. The finger-picking style was taught to him by folk singer Donovan earlier in the year while they were in India. George Harrison plays his Gibson Les Paul guitar and overdubbed a distorted Fender Telecaster lead guitar

part. In addition to his drumming, Paul plays his Rickenbacker bass guitar, provides the piano track and a very short burst of flugelhorn. John wrote the song in Rishikesh, India, for Prudence Farrow, sister of the actress Mia Farrow, who had cordoned herself off in a hut to meditate for hours on end. Lennon’s song was a plea for her to take a break from

her excessive meditation and join the others on the trip.

The Dirty Mac – Yer Blues – Rolling Stones R’n’R Circus -‐ Dec. `68

The Beatles - Get Back - album version - Let It Be


Paul’s “Get Back” had been rehearsed and reworked throughout the January 1969 sessions, including over 30 takes of the song on January 27, 1969. Among those over 30 takes was the master take of the song, but it did not include the familiar coda at the end heard on the single. That coda would be recorded the following day and edited on to the

January 27 master. For the album version, Phil Spector used the same January 27 “single” master performance, but added modifications to give the impression the song

was recorded during the rooftop concert. Spector’s album version begins with the instrumental and vocal warm-ups from the January 27 performance as well as some sound recorded on the rooftop on January 30. At the end of the song, instead of the

familiar January 28 coda, he cuts to the end of the rooftop performance, with what EMI engineers described in their notes as “cricket applause” and Paul saying, “Thanks, Mo”

(to Ringo’s wife Maureen for clapping the loudest), and Lennon’s famous quote: “I’d like to say thank you on behalf of the group and ourselves. I hope we passed the audition.”

The Beatles - I’ve Got A Feeling - Let It Be

(Lennon-McCartney)

Lead vocal: Paul and John In compiling the soundtrack to the “Let It Be” film, producer Phil Spector had no time to

sift through the hours of music the Beatles had recorded at the end of January 1969. Instead, he relied on two versions mixed by Glyn Johns. He also screened a print of the movie. Spector had four different Glyn Johns mixes of “I’ve Got A Feeling” to consider: an incomplete January 22 run-through, a more polished take recorded on January 27, and two performances of the song from the rooftop concert on January 30, 1969. On

March 23, 1970, Spector remixed the January 27 take and the first of the rooftop performances, but when banding the final album, he chose the first rooftop performance

for inclusion.

“I’ve Got A Feeling” is the compilation of two separate songs, Paul’s “I’ve Got A Feeling” and John’s “Everybody Had A Hard Year.” Lennon’s song had been demoed during

rehearsals for “The White Album” in May 1968, but was not used for that project. Paul’s song was a new composition inspired by his soon-to-be wife Linda Eastman. Musically,

the two songs were a perfect fit, so McCartney and Lennon combined them, working out the arrangement at Paul’s Cavendish Avenue home. The version of “I’ve Got A Feeling” on “Let It Be… Naked” includes a composite edit of the two rooftop performances. One

version, from January 23, 1969, was included on the ”Anthology 3” album.

The Beatles - Oh! Darling - Abbey Road


Paul’s “Oh! Darling” had been run-through a few times during the “Get Back” sessions, but the first proper recording was at Abbey Road Studios on April 20, 1969. The backing track was recorded in 26 takes with Paul on Rickenbacker bass, John on piano, George

on Telecaster through a Leslie speaker and Ringo on drums. Paul’s lead vocal was

recorded on April 26, but he was not happy with it. The band moved on to other songs. Paul would return to “Oh! Darling” in mid-July. He wanted to record his lead vocal in one single take when his voice was most gravelly. Engineer Alan Parsons: “Perhaps my main memory of the “Abbey Road” sessions is of Paul coming into Studio Three at two o’clock or 2:30 each afternoon, on his own, to do the vocal on ‘Oh! Darling.’ That was a feature

of the “Abbey Road” sessions. You rarely saw all four Beatles together. It was either John or Paul or George working on their various things, perhaps only getting together to her something back. But Paul came in several days running to do the lead vocal on ‘Oh! Darling.’ He’d come in, sing it and say, ‘No, that’s not it, I’ll try it again tomorrow.’ He only tried it once per day, I suppose he wanted to capture a certain rawness which

could only be done once before his voice changed. I remember him saying ‘five years ago I could have done this in a flash,’ referring, I suppose, to the days of ‘Long Tall

Sally’ and ‘Kansas City.’” McCartney made lead vocal attempts on July 17, 18, 22, and 23, and his July 23 lead vocal appears on the finished master. On August 8, Paul

overdubbed lead guitar and tambourine. Paul, John and George added backing vocals on August 11.

The Beatles - I Want You (She’s So Heavy) - Abbey Road

(Lennon-McCartney)

Lead vocal: John The Beatles, with Billy Preston on keyboards, and with Glyn Johns as producer, recorded

35 takes at Trident Studios on February 22, 1969. From that session, take 9 was the best for the early part of the song, take 20 had the best middle eight, and take 32 was the best for the rest. The three “best” sections were edited into one all-encompassing

master take. On April 18, at Abbey Road Studios, without Preston, and with Chris Thomas producing, John and George overdubbed layers of guitar parts onto the Trident “best” take, and a reduction mixdown was made, called “take 1.” Overdubs were added

onto that. More overdubs followed on April 20. Fast forward to August 8. Now with George Martin producing, John overdubs sounds from the white noise generator of

Harrison’s Moog synthesizer which produced the swirling, gale-force wind effect for the last three minutes of the song, and Ringo adds more drums (mostly crash cymbals). To complicate things, the group has been adding overdubs to two different master tapes of the song, so the best of each master is edited together to create the final album version

of the song. The final album master has “take 1” for the first 4:37 and the original Trident tape for the remaining 3:07. The final album master of John’s sprawling song

ran 8:04, but John opted for a surprise ending. Engineer Alan Parsons: “We were putting the final touches to that side of the LP and we were listening to the mix. John said, ‘There! Cut the tape.’ Geoff [Emerick] cut the tape and that was it. End of side one.” At 7:44 it is second only to the sound collage/clip compilation “Revolution 9” as the longest Beatles track. It was the last song to be mixed for inclusion on the “Abbey

Road” album. This final mixing date, August 20, 1969, is significant in Beatles history - it is the last time all four Beatles were together in a recording studio

EP’s

I Want To Hold Your Hand b/w I Saw Her Standing There

26th December 1963 Side A:

Highest chart position (A-side): Billboard) #1; Cashbox) #1; Record World) #1

It stayed top for 7 weeks (from 1st February 1964)

This is the single that broke the Beatles in the States. Capitol had finally cottoned onto the fact that the Beatles were going to be something special, but only after being bullied

into it by Brian and EMI. He regaled the tales of Beatlemania in the UK and that was enough to convince them. But getting the band onto the label was only half the battle.

Brian was mindful of the pathetic dents that other acts had made on the American charts, and insisted that Capitol spend at least $40,000 promoting the song. This was an

absolutely obscene amount of money for the time (the highest that they’d ever spent on a campaign up to that point was $5,000) – even Rolf Harris could have hit number one with forty grand to spend. Backed-up by the largest ad campaign in the history of pop music,

the song could hardly fail.

Can’t Buy Me Love b/w You Can’t Do That

(front cover) (back cover) US single:

Capitol 5150 MONO Release date: 16th March 1964

Side A: Highest chart position (A-side):

Billboard) #1; Cashbox) #1; Record World) #1 It stayed top for 5 weeks (from 4th April 1964)

The Can’t Buy Me Love single nearly didn’t happen in the States, because Capitol wanted to release Roll Over Beethoven b/w Please Mr. Postman. This had already sold a bucket-load in Canada, and imported copies were sitting pretty at #68 in the Billboard chart. But

George Martin suggested that they wait a little while longer for the new material. His decision proved to be a wise one, because Can’t Buy Me Love went on to have advance

orders of 1.7 million copies – a new record!

A Hard Day’s Night b/w Things We Said Today

(front cover) (back cover)

US single: Capitol 5222 MONO

Release date: 13th July 1964 Side A:


It stayed top for 2 weeks (from 1st August 1964) Weeks in chart (A-side):

13 (from 18th July 1964) Highest chart position (B-side):

Billboard) #53; Cashbox) #43; Record World) didn’t enter The A Hard Day’s Night movie was a bit of an embarrassment for Capitol

because when the film contract was originally drawn up in 1963, they still couldn’t give a toss about the Beatles’ product. Vee-Jay had just seen their first two singles flop out of sight, and the idea of wasting a load of money on some shit-arse British band made the

Capitol big-wigs laugh out loud. So EMI signed the rights over to the film’s distributors – United Artists. By the time the movie came out in ‘64, however, the picture had changed dramatically. The Beatles were now the hottest property in showbiz, and United Artists

had the rights to the soundtrack.

And I Love Her b/w If I Fell


Capitol 5235 MONO Release date: 20th July 1964


Weeks in chart (A-side): 9 (from 25th July 1964)

Highest chart position (B-side): Billboard) #53; Cashbox) #64; Record World) #59

Weeks in chart (B-side): 9 (from 1st August 1964)

The last soundtrack single from A Hard Day’s Night was And I Love Her b/w If I Fell. (The only song from the movie not to appear on a single was Tell Me Why.) The cover

shows the same Dezo Hoffmann shot that appears on the Four By The Beatles EP.

Matchbox b/w Slow Down


Capitol 5255 MONO Release date: 24th August 1964


Weeks in chart (A-side): 8 (from 5th September 1964)


Weeks in chart (B-side): 7 (from 5th September 1964)

With no new product to sell, Capitol decided to pull something old off the Something New LP. Ringo was far-and-away the most popular Beatle in the States, so he was treated to his first-ever A-side (and he got one more A and a couple of B’s as well before the end

of the decade. Imagine how George must have felt!)

I Feel Fine b/w She’s A Woman



Release date: 23rd November 1964 Highest chart position (A-side):

Billboard) #1; Cashbox) #1; Record World) #1 It stayed top for 3 weeks (from 26th December 1964)

Weeks in chart (A-side): 11 (from 5th December 1964)


Weeks in chart (B-side): 9 (from 5th December 1964)

Sales figures: after 1 week – over 1 million; Certified Gold on the 31st December 1964

This sold a million copies in the first week. The cover shows a gig at the Las Vegas Convention Center, in August ‘64.

Eight Days A Week b/w I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party



Release date: 15th February 1965 Highest chart position (A-side):

Billboard) #1; Cashbox) #1; Record World) #1 It stayed top for 2 weeks (from 13th March 1965)

Weeks in chart (A-side): 10 (from 20th February 1965)

Highest chart position (B-side): B-side: Billboard) #39; Cashbox) #83; Record World) didn’t enter

Weeks in chart (B-side): 6 (from 20th February 1965)

Sales figures: over 1 million; Certified Gold on the 16th September 1965

When Capitol compiled Beatles ‘65, they only used eight of the fourteen songs on offer from Beatles For Sale. They held the rest back for Beatles VI and this single. It knocked The Temptations’ My Girl off the top, and was dethroned by The Supremes’ Stop! In The

Name Of Love two weeks later.

Nowhere Man b/w What Goes On


Capitol 5587 MONO

Release date: 15th February 1966 Highest chart position (A-side):

Billboard) #3; Cashbox) #2; Record World #1 Weeks in chart (A-side):

9 (from 5th March 1966) Highest chart position (B-side):

Billboard) #81; Cashbox) didn’t enter; Record World) #99 Weeks in chart (B-side):

2 (from 12th March 1966) Sales figures:

after 8 days – ¾ million; after 5 weeks – over 1 million; Certified Gold on the 1st April 1966

This was kept off the top spot by Sgt. Barry Sandler’s The Ballad Of The Green Berets and the Rolling Stones’ classic 19th Nervous Breakdown.

The photo was nicked from the back of Beatles For Sale, and was re-used on Capitol’s The Early Beatles LP. The early pressings credit What Goes On to ‘John Lennon – Paul McCartney’, but should have read ‘Lennon-McCartney-Starr’. (Ringo waited four years to get a composer credit, and then got scrubbed off the label!) Later pressings corrected

the mistake, but because there are relatively few of the correct ones around, they are actually worth more than the originals!

The Beatles - The Ballad Of John And Yoko - Non-LP track (Lennon-McCartney)

Lead vocal: John The Beatles’ twentieth single release for EMI, and third on the Apple Records

label.

The first Beatles single issued in stereo in the UK, it is also the very first stereo single issued by EMI. The “Get Back” single had been released in stereo in America by Capitol. Recorded on April 14, 1969, by just John and Paul, the song was completed that day.

George was on vacation and Ringo was still filming the Peter Sellers’ comedy “The Magic Christian.” Producer George Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick, who had distanced themselves from the group because of the constant bickering amongst the group

members, were back on board behind the recording console. The single was a complete surprise to Beatles fans. They had waited a long seven months for the group to follow-up “Hey Jude” with “Get Back” and now just over a month came another new Beatles record. The rhythm track was perfected in 11 takes (four complete) with Paul playing

drums while John played acoustic guitar and sang the lead vocal. The duo was in good spirits during the day-long session. Prior to take four John said to drummer Paul “Go a

bit faster, Ringo!” and Paul replied “OK, George!” Overdubs featured Paul on bass guitar, piano, backing vocal and maracas, and John on two lead guitar parts and

percussive thumping on the back of an acoustic guitar. The song recounts the chaos surrounding John and Yoko’s getting married. Lennon had encountered visa problems because of his November 1968 drug conviction which made his movement from one

country to another very difficult. As an example, he was not allowed to enter the United States at this time so the couple’s second “Bed-In” was staged in Montreal, about an

hour north of the U.S. border in Canada.

John knew the song’s controversial chorus was going to cause problems, particularly coming from the man who three years earlier had claimed the Beatles were “more

popular than Jesus.”

Christ! You know it ain’t easy You know how hard it can be

The way things are going They’re gonna crucify me

On U.S. album:

Hey Jude - Capitol LP (1970)

John – Oh Yoko! – Imagine `71

John – I’m Losing You – Double Fantasy`80

The Beatles - Don't Let Me Down – Single/Past Masters

Recorded Jan. 28th 1969 Apple Studio’s Recorded Jan. 27th (LP) and single Jan. 28th 1969

Released as a single in UK April 11, 1969 And in the USA May 5th 1969.

The Beatles 1st STEREO single in the USA

flip of “Get Back”…John’s 3rd B-side in a row Written for Yoko Ono.

The Beatles - Old Brown Shoe - Non-LP B-Side

(Harrison)

Lead vocal: George On February 25, 1969, his 26th birthday, George Harrison went to Abbey Road Studios

and recorded elaborate eight-track demos of three of his latest compositions: “Old Brown Shoe,” “Something,” and “All Things Must Pass.” All three of the demos recorded this day can be found on the “Anthology 3” album. “Old Brown Shoe” had made a brief appearance near the end of the “Get Back” sessions with a few run-through/rehearsals

on January 28, 1969. The full band revisited the song for a proper recording on April 16, 1969. The rhythm track was finished in four takes, with George on lead guitar, Paul on jangle piano, John on rhythm guitar (which would be erased in favor of a Hammond

organ part played by George on April 18), and Ringo on drums. Overdubs included bass guitar, lead guitar, and backing vocals by John and Paul. In his book, “I Me Mine,”

George said, “I started the chord sequences on piano, which I don’t really play, and then began writing ideas for the words from various opposites… Again, it’s the duality of things - yes no, up down, left right, right wrong, etc.” Released as the flip side of “The Ballad Of John And Yoko” in the UK on May 30, 1969, while the “Get Back” single was topping the charts. The single was issued by Capitol Records in the U.S. on June 4,

1969. On U.S. album:

Hey Jude - Capitol LP (1970)

The Beatles - Taxman - Revolver

(Harrison) Lead vocal: George

Completed in 11 takes on April 21, 1966. Written by George when he started realizing the majority of his money was going to the British government in the form of taxes. George went to John Lennon for some help with the lyrics, and Lennon was especially pleased with his line “Now my advice for those who die: declare the pennies on your eyes.” Featuring a nice lead guitar solo by Paul on his Epiphone Casino. The ‘pennies’ lyrical reference derives from Greek mythology – it is the payment to Charon (the ferryman of the underworld) to ferry the deceased to their destination in the underworld. To pay the ferryman, the deceased person's relatives place a coin on each eye of the deceased. The Mr. Wilson and Mr. Heath mentioned in the song were real people. Harold Wilson was the Prime Minister and Edward Heath was head of the opposition party at the time the song was recorded. It is the first time a George Harrison composition opens a British Beatles album.

On U.S. album: Revolver - Capitol LP

The Beatles - Savoy Truffle - The Beatles (Harrison)

Lead vocal: George George took his inspiration for his fourth song on the “White Album” from a box of

chocolates, specifically a Mackintosh’s Good News double centre chocolate assortment box, said by George to be Eric Clapton’s favorite brand. Most of the candies mentioned

by George in the song came from the specific candies found in the box. Confections such as Creme Tangerine, Montelimart, Ginger Sling, Coffee Dessert and Savoy Truffle

were part of the assortment. Cool Cherry Cream and Coconut Fudge were Harrison creations. When George sings “But you’ll have to have them all pulled out after the Savoy Truffle,” it is a warning to his friend Eric Clapton that he will have to have his

decaying teeth pulled out. After some rehearsal, the backing track was recorded in one take on October 3, 1968, at Trident Studios. With George playing electric piano, Paul on

Rickenbacker bass, John on Epiphone Casino electric guitar and Ringo on drums. Harrison’s lead vocal was recorded at Trident Studios on October 5. Chris Thomas’ score

for saxophones (distorted at Harrison’s request) was recorded at Abbey Road on October 11. The final overdubs for “Savoy Truffle” on October 14 were also the last

instruments recorded during the “White Album” sessions: organ, tambourine, bongos, and George playing a lead guitar part on his Fender Telecaster. This is the third of four

Harrison songs on the “White Album” that John Lennon does not appear on

George Harrison – Any Road – Brainwashed ‘02 Composed in 1988 during the filming of a video for his album Cloud 9, Any Road would be George’s last single. It was nominated for Grammy Award in 2004 for

Best Male Pop Performance.

The Beatles - I Need You - Help!

(Harrison) Lead vocal: George

Recorded in five takes on February 15, 1965, the first day of recording for what was to become the “Help!” album, with overdubs completed the next day. It is the second

original George Harrison song to be recorded by the Beatles. Harrison wrote “I Need You” for his future wife, Pattie Boyd. The track is notable for the first use on a Beatles

record of what is now known as a “wah-wah pedal.” George achieved this by playing his 12-string Rickenbacker through a foot-controlled volume pedal. Ringo provides cowbell

percussion. On U.S. album:

Help! - Capitol LP

Ringo Starr set I’m The Greatest – RINGO

The Beatles - Yellow Submarine - Revolver

(Lennon-McCartney) Lead vocal: Ringo

The Beatles’ thirteenth single release for EMI’s Parlophone label. One of The Beatles’ most innovative creations to date, a children’s sing-along, was written mostly by Paul with assistance from John for Ringo’s vocal contribution to the “Revolver” album. The track would later be used as the title song of the group’s animated film project, which was released in 1968 in the UK. Pop singer Donovan helped Paul with the lyrics, coming up with the memorable line, “Sky of blue, sea of green.” Although at the time of its release it was rumored to be about drugs, McCartney denied this, saying, “I knew ‘Yellow Submarine’ would get connotations, but it really was a children’s song in the key of Ringo.” The basic rhythm track was recorded in four takes on May 26, 1966. The session is notable in Beatles recording history because producer George Martin had taken ill with food poisoning and his future wife, Judy, manned the console to capture all of the action in his absence. Lead and background vocals where

then added. Six days later, on June 1, with Martin back at the helm, recording resumed. On this date Lennon added his shout out (“Full speed ahead Mr. Boatswain, full speed ahead”), additional backing vocals, and sound effects, including bells, whistles, crashing waves, clinking glasses, etc., were superimposed. Participating in the backing vocals along with George Martin and the four Beatles were guests including Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones, Pattie Harrison, and band assistants Neil Aspinall and Mal Evans. The song was issued as a double-A side single, paired with “Eleanor Rigby.” This strayed purposely from The Beatles’ usual release pattern. Generally they would not issue songs from an LP as single sides. But John and Paul had tired of other artists recording their album tracks and having chart hits with them, so this time out The Beatles opted to have the hit single version of two of their album tracks. The “Yellow Submarine”/”Eleanor Rigby” single, issued simultaneously with the “Revolver” album, marked the first time the band issued LP songs on a single in Britain. In the U.S., the single sold a remarkable 1.2 million copies in the first month of release, and became the group’s 21st gold record. This is the first time a Ringo Starr lead vocal had appeared on the A-side of a Beatles single.

On U.S. album: Revolver - Capitol LP

Yellow Submarine - Capitol LP

Ringo – Early 1970 – Photograph Best Of Ringo – Yer 16 -‐ Photograph Best Of

Money… Shout… Nuthin Shakin… From Us to You

playlist oct. 28thguitar, paul on bass and backing vocals, john rhythm guitar, pete best on drums....

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