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In this episode, Robert and Richard compare and contrast the approaches John and Paul took in the post-Beatles years to revisiting their musical roots. Songs include “Ain’t That A Shame” – “You Can’t Catch Me” – “Be My Baby” – “Lonesome Town.”
March 2016 is here and so is the Something About The Beatles 2016 calendar – get one of the last remaining copies in stock here and specially priced!
I think that Lennon’s voice sounded great in the 70’s. If anything, he might have lost a bit of power or stamina from not singing as much. The early Beatles were on the road and in the studio constantly. I do think his voice was starting to show signs of wear by the time that Double Fantasy came around. As you mentioned in the last episode, he didn’t look all that healthy in late 1980. Anyway, I was listening to Wings Over America recently, and Macca’s mid 70’s voice sounded incredible. He’d been on the road a fair amount, though. With regards to Rock ‘n Roll, I didn’t much like it when I was a teenager, but I love it now. Slippin’ and Slidin’ is one of my favorite Lennon solo tracks. Great show, guys!
With all due respect to you guys (and you are due a great deal), but on this podcast, and in others as well, there’s a bit too much Robert/Paul vs. Richard/John (is there NOTHING Paul’s done that Richard thinks equals or surpasses his beloved Lennon). Some of this if fine and adds some spice to the stew, but carried to the extremes, such partisanship detracts from my enjoyment of your exploration of THE BEATLES, as a band or each on their own. It’s as though you guys are continuing the feud (that occurred on multiple levels) of who is better: John or Paul.
For what it’s worth, I’d prefer it if you both admired both more equally and weren’t so predictably pro one and con the other.
But I realize it’s way too late for that.
Love,
Rick
Agree with Richard on John’s vocal on “You Can’t Catch Me”. I thought it was John’s most powerful on the LP. Whenever John sang a Chuck Berry song, he always gave it his all.
A fantastic show, guys. I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time. You guys were in top form – the barbs, the nasty asides, the astonishment at each other’s likes and dislikes. If there were John and Paul Rock ’em Sock ’em Robots, you guys would be them. Good points regarding the pros and cons of each Beatle’s post-Beatles productions of early rock ‘n’ roll songs. In general, I’d say, the cleaner and simpler, the better.
Aside from the released albums (Run Devil Run, Choba, Rock ‘n’ Roll), Lennon’s studio outtakes and McCartney soundchecks are loaded with oldies. Usually, straightforward rocking versions. You touched on this a bit, but these sources really drive home your points. And they’re fun to listen to. Honey Don’t in the middle of sessions for Isolation and God?
Really entertaining show. Listened to it a second time. Still laughing. Please Don’t Ever Change!
Nice show, though I couldn’t done without Richard trying to slag off Paul all the time. It’s not cute.
could’ve… bloody typos…
Nice one, gents. Your repartee is very amusing -nothing’s sacred. The Beatles’ BBC and Star Club work is far superior to the solo work. I am not a sax fan, and I think the main feature of English Rock ‘n’ Roll was the electric guitar replacing the saxophone on record. Sorry to say this: Chuck Berry needed an editor.
I’m sure you’ve figured this out, but “Sharing You” is a Bobby Vee song, sung by George.
Wonderful show! Is it too early to ask for all 56 hours (all video?) of Let It Be that Peter Jackson has gone thru?
Just wondering if that portion of “Return To Pepperland” you’ve played in the podcast was something downloaded from a certain ‘zone, Robert?!! Sounds like it might be one of the versions (and I uploaded quite a few) which I’d prepared and shared there in February 2020…!!! I managed to get the track (which sounded like a cassette dub) sounding crisper and cleaner (and seamlessly edited out the Nelson Mandela reference which made the track very dated).
As for “Carnival Of Light” being the precursor of “Revolution 9”, a case could be argued that the second half of “I Am The Walrus” is just as much a precursor, with John Lennon’s acid-drenched madness given some clear-headed guidance by George Martin. I don’t think Paul McCartney has staked a claim on being the brains behind that…!!!
Along with the Hamburg tapes, I’d like a recording of best takes (performance and audio quality wise) of every song they ever performed live on tour with no more than one performance of each song.
A nice clean copy of the 1964 Washington DC Coliseum concert would be nice. Maybe paired with something else. Enough to fill a disc with at least 60 minutes worth of programming.