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In this episode, Robert and Richard di
Songs include: “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away,” “Baby You’re A Rich Man,” “America” and “Your Mother Should Know.”
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I loved the alternate take of You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away starting your show.
You wondered the source of how this song got associated with Brian Epstein.
It was in the Beatles Anthology video.
That is absolutely correct, Roger – thanks for pointing that out. But I knew that, in my head at least, the association went back further. Having now looked into it, I see that the assertion was first made by bisexual singer/songwriter/activist Tom Robinson, back in the ’80s. He didn’t mean it as a flat out fact; just an opinion. But apparently the public seems pretty uncritically accepting of this, so the connection has stuck.
But as I said in the show: John Lennon himself never said this, and I’m sure he would’ve at some point, had it been true.
Did Nicholas Shaffner make the possible connection in Beatles Forever? Or perhaps Philip Norman in Shout! as you suggested? I seem to remember thinking the song was about Brian as far back as the late ’70s or early ’80s.
And can you tell I just discovered your podcast and am making my way through them chronologically? 😀
I agree. The first and only time I saw that song associated with Brian was in the Beatles Anthology, and I’ve never heard any of the Beatles comment on the association. I appreciate how the anthology simply presents it without explanation, as though its ‘obvious,’ but it may be a magical coincidence that it applies to Brian in retrospect.
It actually appeared in the 1980’s Beatles story video narrated by Malcolm MacDowell .
The Sexual Offences Act 1967 received royal assent on 27 July 1967. So in Brian’s lifetime (just).
Yes – I used to think that the big irony was that the Sexual Offences Act 1967 received royal assent in September 1967, a month after Brian’s death, but in reality, it occurred a month prior to his death.
It’s really interesting how many myths about The Beatles have been disproven via newly unearthed information and documents, as well as personally handwritten notes revealing who played what.
40 minutes into your show, you mention that the Beatles wanted no association with Robert Stigwood – Mark’s ‘Tune In’ reveals that they’d had a bad experience on a personal visit to promote ‘Love Me Do’ at Stigwoods office that produced ‘Pop Weekly’ magazine. Stigwood said he was too busy to meet them, which was remembered by Paul 10 years later in an interview with Melody Maker.
Excellent – thanks Jordan! I knew there was a reason, but couldn’t recall off the top of my head at the time we taped.
Top show as usual boys. ‘America’ was interesting but awful & only marginally worse than ‘Rich Man’ which has always been in my bottom 10 tracks. Roll on No.18.
another brilliant podcast you are fast becoming my favourite Beatles podcast and am already looking forward to the next one!
I actually hear “Baby, you’re a rich fag jew” at the end of the song, just before the wow-yeah … but probably because I grew up knowing that and because English is not my first language, but I never took it as an insult, I always considered it as a “Beatle-clue” … just like some of the many voices you can hear in the Sgt.Pepper, it doesn’t matter what they say, it’s just all about spotting them.
Please, don’t see my comment as an instigation to argue, it’s 100% my opinion.
I did forget to say something earlier.
One of the stories behind “Baby, you’re a rich fag jew” is that Epsteind, on behalf of the fabs, used to keep most of their money “safe”, he used to give them just a small part, in terms of cash. If they wanted something (a new house, a new car etc.) they asked him to do the purchase, but lots of that money it was kept almost secret. We all know that brian was a gambler, and we don’t know what he actually doing with the Beatles money behind their backs.
Possibly paul and John knew/heard about some big losses but didn’t particularly mind, but they couldn’t keep all the anger inside. One of their ways to confide was to sing it indirectly, just like Sexy Saddie for the Maharishi.
I’m a guy, and sentimentally is not a subject I like to dwell on, but I like how, in this podcast, it is stressed that Brian actually cared about the Beatles as people. Managers see their clients as dollar signs and just smack of pretentious BS, but Brian actually, genuinely believed in their talent.
>Studies Brian Epstein
>Still mispronounces his name. *shudder*
Blimey, never have so many comments missed the actual point of this discussion. Brian Epstein, for all his faults ( which were many) was an actual genius.
What an enjoyable interview.learned things about the Beatles I never knew before.interesting to,know I want to,hold your hand was such a difficult song to,play and it was intetesting to learn about the 12 string guitar,bass.ive always been fascinated by the Beatles and the Fab Faux is the epitome of professionalism.they are the most,multi talented group,of musicians I,can think,of.a plethora of talent.this was a very interesting,learning interview
Well done.vety informative
Thank you.👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Fantastic show! I could listen to the discussion and musical breakdown of Beatle songs for another 8 hours straight.Thanks!
Thank You Girl – B side of From Me To Me.
I mean From Me To YOU.