Billy Preston, who the Beatles first met in Hamburg in the early 1960s when he was touring with Little Richard’s band, dropped by the studio to say “hello.” He was in London to take part in a BBC television program. He was invited to play piano and keys at this …
Read More »The Beatles – There’s A Place
Two Beatles songs, “There’s A Place” and “Money”, had, respectively, John on harmonica and George Martin on piano, an unforgettable and unmistakable base, in the studio recordings.However, The Beatles, live on the BBC, replaced these two bases for George on lead guitar with his Gretsch Country Gentleman. This guitar was …
Read More »John Lennon – Stand By Me
“Stand by Me” is a song originally recorded in 1961 by American singer-songwriter Ben E. King and written by him, along with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who used the pseudonym Elmo Glick. According to King, the title is derived from and was inspired by a number of “Spiritual” written …
Read More »The Beatles – Revolution
There were three ‘Revolutions’” John Lennon explained in 1971, “two songs and one abstract. I don’t know what you’d call it… musique concrète, loops and that, which was a picture of a revolution.”With the exception of the two world wars, 1968 was surely the most explosive and divisive year of …
Read More »The Beatles – I’m Happy Just To Dance With You
Also Paul disliked some Beatles songs. It’s difficult to pin down Sir Paul McCartney. The magnetic songwriter and serial creator, has never felt comfortable under the glaring eye of the media. Though he shows his face when promotional material is needed to bolster his latest release, he approaches them differently …
Read More »The Beatles – Tell Me Why
In “Tell Me Why”, A Hard Day’s Night album and film, 1964, John stands tall again with his vocals at the top of his register, sometimes on the verge of cracking. Even though the sting of bitterness is evident in his vocals, his performance vocally and on rhythm guitar (1962 …
Read More »The Beatles – I Want You (She’s So Heavy)
The lyrics to “I Want You ( She’s So Heavy)” which consist only of the repetition of the title and the information that desire is driving the singer crazy, was even cited on BBCTV’s current program 24 Hours as an example of the greatest banalities in pop music. John Lennon …
Read More »Monday 29 August 1966, The Beatles and Joan Baez
Monday 29 August 1966, The Beatles and Joan Baez (with sister Mimi Farina and Naomi Marcus, a10 year-old neighbor ) , doodling backstage at Candlestick Park – By Jim Marshall.
Read More »January 15, 1969. After George Harrison announced that he was leaving The Beatles
January 15, 1969. After George Harrison announced that he was leaving The Beatles and did not show up for the recording sessions on January 13, 14 or 15, the band held a meeting at Ringo Starr’s house, where they urged Harrison to return. George agreed to rejoin the band with …
Read More »On January 17, 1967, David Mason recorded for “Penny Lane”
In Paul’s 2021 Hulu documentary series “McCartney 3,2,1,” he relates about his insistence of including “an impossible high note” at the end of the piccolo trumpet solo: “David Mason turns to me and says, ‘Well, that’s officially out of the range of the piccolo trumpet even.’ And I kind of …
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