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Robert and Richard delve into a career-spanning array of Beatle isolated vocals, illustrating the distinct and unique sound they possessed up until the very end. Also: a chat with New York Times journalist Allan Kozinn, author of the newly published e-book, Got That Something: How The Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand” Changed Everything.
Hello.
I love the show!
Any chance of it being available on iTunes?
Thank you!,
Esmirelda
Here you go! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/something-about-the-beatles/id756151885
“You Won’t See Me” starts at 120 bpm and ends up at 113 bpm. Alan J. Pollack theorized, considering Ringo’s status as a human metronome, that it was Paul’s piano playing on the basic track that dragged the tempo down.
Are you saying the drums weren’t on the basic track and were added later?
Oh no, I *think* — at least, here at work without my copies of Lewisohn handy! 😀 — the basic track was played live, with Paul on piano, and Ringo following his lead on the tempo, since the piano part was a little bit more complicated than what Paul was used to playing at the time. I think… now I need to read Pollack’s analysis on that track again!
…and evidently Pollack is NOT where I read the 120-to-113 tempo thing. Recording The Beatles, maybe? Sorry… I usually have my sources documented better.
Fantastic podcast. Aren’t we (the fans) lucky to be able to listen to a band with such strong vocals?
One thing I missed, though, was on the ‘To Know Her…’ section. I think it would have been good to mention that unlike on most Beatles songs, Paul actually sings the lowest harmony on that one whereas George takes the high one. Very uncharacteristic, but it worked beautifully. That song is one my my (if not the) favourite John vocals as well.
The Crickets never sang back-up. The backing vocals on Buddy Holly records were done by one of two groups-The Picks or The Roses.
Thanks for a fantastic, funny and insightful podcast, I just started listening to it, and have a lot of catching up to do.
One track that’s always bothered me is “Yes It Is”. The harmonies are really intricate and well-arranged (I actually suspect George Martin had a hand in that), and the song – and Lennon’s lead vocal in the bridge section – is really remarkable. However, I can hardly listen to it anyway, because they sing so flat and out of key. I don’t really know why they and George Martin let that pass the quality control filter, maybe it’s because Lennon viewed it as a throwaway.