Mus 354: The Beatles after the Beatles

lec. 3

-George releases single of my sweet lord and isnt it a pitty in US, George's first single and biggest as a solo artist climbing to number one charts. -Sued by the Chiffons for sounding like "hes so fine" -ordered to pay over a half a million dollars in penalties for "subconsciously plagiarizing" the chiffons song

April 1970

-Ringo overdubs drums in (a long and winding road, across the universe, i me mine) (with Phill Spector) Abbey Road Studio. He is the last Beatle to play at a Beatles recording session -Paul says in interview "we're all talking about peace and love but really, we're not feeling peaceful at all" - Headline on front page of Daily Mirror, "Paul is quitting the Beatles." - Paul publicly announces break-up of band... "I do not foresee a time when the Lennon & McCartney partnership will be active again in songwriting" -Apple press officer Derek Taylor "At the moment they seem to cramp each other styles." -Paul oppose the appointment of Klein and wanted to make his father-in-law John Eastman the bands manager. Alan Klein was chosen because he was known as being a ruthless businessman Who worked for his bands, Negotiated successful back royalties--The appointment of Klein will begin Paul's lawsuits against the band -"Let it Be" single reaches #1 in America -"McCartney" released in UK----- Paul recorded most of this album at his home studio in London finishing it off at professional studios, Featured songs he composed with the Beatles and new material (Teddy boy, man I was lonely, and I'm amazed)----- John says in reaction to Paul's album "it's a simple fact that he couldn't have it his own way. He used his sulk And God knows what. It's always been the same only know it's bigger because were bigger"

leading up to the end

-retrospective of events leading up to the end of the Beatles - some thought that it was because by 1967 Lennon and McCartney rarely wrote together here -The white album (aka the Beatles) from 1968 signaled the independence each member felt from the other--- showcased the individuality as songwriters and performers with the others appearing as side men on the majority of the song - The 1969 film and album Let it Be (unreleased until the 1970s) truly showed the band in disarray -After manager Brian Epstein's death in 1967, the group lost its rudder and the person each member could go to to talk about the others--Paul tried to leave the group, John became more detached from Paul and the Beatles and more interested in projects with Yoko ono, George wanted recognition from under the Lennon McCarthy shadow, -They did come together for Abby Road was their last great effort and their January of 1969 Apple rooftop performances their final live goodbye -John and Paul tension... Paul initiated legal actions to dissolve the group

Intro

-we will examine the music of John, Paul, George, and Ringo after of the Beatles 1970 break-up -mike shellans is instructor -emphasize the music of each ex-beatle as a solo artist and with various bands -events and people involved in each of their lives -how they did on the charts

Beaucoups of Blues

Acoustic guitar, pedal steel guitar, bass and drums setting up a country waltz Acoustic piano and harmonica join, along with great back-up vocals by the Jordanaires Pedal steel (smeary sounding) and lap steel (more twangy) guitars take a quick solo. Piano, harmonica and the Jordanaires singing vocal pads return before the title line the last 30 seconds are strong, with prominent back-up vocals and bluesy harmonica and steel guitars ending the song

April 1970

April, 1970: George flies to New York City to produce Billy Preston's album 'Encouraging Words" -He visits Apple's New York offices -Apple corp., LTD. was the Beatles' recording label and business arm - Billy Preston was on the Apple label and worked closely with George Ringo's busy too - Ringo's album Sentimental Journey is released in America and sells a half a million copies within two weeks, his first solo effort was recorded for "his mum", the album featured standard Jazz, Pop, and Big Band material such as "Night and Day", "Bye Bye Blackbird" and the title song Sentimental Journey John is different direction... -John and Yoko continue to work on art projects, leading to displays at the Fluxfest, they conclude 28 days of Scream therapy with Arthur Janov in London George meets up with Bob Dylan at his Greenwich Village home -at the end of the month John and Yoko fly to LA for more therapy at Arthur Janov's Primal Institute -Paul appears on cover of Rolling Stone in the U.S. with Jann Wenner as interviewer -George jams with Dylan at his home, recorded by Dylan and later bootlegged -George joins Dylan in a recording session for his album New Morning-- George not credited

May 1970

Deluxe box set of Let It Be released in U.K. -Richard Williams ends his in-depth Melody Maker review of Let it be with "the Beatles are dead- log live the Beatles" -Single of "the long and winding road" and "for you blue" is released in US, selling 1,200,000 copies within two days! McCartney has Sold over 1 million copies of its first four weeks of release -First public screening close friends at London pavilion - George: "there are scenes in it I like, the roof top concert that was good, but most of it makes me aggravated. I can't watch it because it was a particularly bad experience that we were having at that time... I don't like it" Let is be film opens in Britain at northern (Liverpool and Southern (London) venues -"And occasion for sadness. I felt that I was sitting at the deathbed of one of the greatest group talents ever to escape from the trivial treadmill of so much pop music.... so, I regret the passing Of an institution as I regret that this film should be judged as the most suitable hearse for that institution" BBC Radio One transmits a taped interview program with all four Beatles separately -Paul: "It's like a documentary.. it's a good film, its interesting" -George:" I can't stand to see but for other people who don't know really what we're about, Who like to go in and see our warts, its very good - Ringo simply refers to John as his "soul brother" And talks about Maureen, sentimental journey, and his future in acting - John: "I Have no idea if the Beatles will work together again or not. I Never really have it was always open. If somebody doesn't feel like it... That's it! It could be a rebirth or death. We'll see what is is. It'll probably be a rebirth" let it be has advanced orders in US of three million copies, the album reaches #1 on the U.K. Charts, but reviews are not good, the New Musical Express describes it as "a cardboard tombstone" and "a sad and tatty end to a musical fusion, McCartney also reaches #1 on US charts

George

George works with Phil Spector to begin recording the triple album, "all things must pass" -Most of the songs were written with the Beatles but never saw the light of day. This well produced album was a huge success, Musicians included Ringo, Eric Clapton, Peter Frampton and Phil Collins

late september

John joins Phil Spector at Abbey road studios to record songs for the "john Lennon/Plastic ono Band" album -John wrote these songs after going through primal scream therapy, Ringo and Klous Voorman, bassist, join John on songls such as "mother", "I found out", and "working class hero"

All things must pass

John: Personally, at home I wouldnt play that kind of music (about the McCartney album) I thought pauls was rubbish! I think he'll make a better one when hes frightented into it (on Beaucoups of blues) I wouldnt buy it you know. i didnt feel as embarrased as I did about his first record

Maybe I'm Amazed

Paul wrote this song for Linda (wife) back in 1969 and did not release it officially as a single until 1976. -Paul on vocals and three guitars, piano, bass and drums, and Linda joining Paul on back up vocals and overdubs. -Intro-solo piano and organ "pads"--sound sustain - Ascending chromatic scale (piano riff rises from lower to higher pitches) -Drums base and high held harmonies back up Paul's lead vocal "maybe I'm Amazed" Paul McCartney Album: McCartney -NEXT SECTION of the song, Paul's vocal returned in high register screaming fashion, electric guitar plays a bright "chopping" sound, the verse returns with heavy organ and wordless vocal in the background -Next.... guitar solos over the verse music, organ playing 'staccato" on every beat punctuate the ending, bass guitar ascends to higher register for ad-libs -Melody Maker magazine: "the best and worst of an extraordinary talent", "maybe i'm amazed" would have been a classic had it been included on say, Abbey Road", "man we was lonely" is sheer banality. its the worst example of his music-hall side."

Sunday, November 15, 1970

Paul, through his lawyers, files lawsuit against the other Beatles, and Apple in the high British courts to dissolve the Beatles

end of september

Ringo's Beaucoups of Blues released in U.K. Recorded in Nashville, with a "downright country" flavor, engineered by Elvis' guitarist, Scotty Moore. Featuring 21 of Nashville's finest country musicians songs included "coochy-coochy" and "wine, women, and loud happy songs" as well as the title track

end of may

let it be opens in America John and Yoko announce that NYC will become their new home Let it be and "the long and winding road" reach #1 in US Ringo records in Nashville for his "beaucoups of blues' album with Scotty Moore as engineer George's mother passes away Cynthia Lennon marries and Italian hotel man named Roberto Bassanini Apple closes its London press office Paul writes a letter to Melody Maker in response to others stating, "will the beatles get together again?:... no" Spiro Agnew publicly attacks the Beatles over references to drugs in their lyrics George appears with Ravi Shankar at the "'Festival of Arts of India concert

Friday Oct 9

on Johns 30th birthday he joins Georfe and Ringo in an open Abbey road studio where the other two beatles present him with their special recording "its Johnny's birthday" George and Phil Spector begin final remixes of "all things must pass"

My sweet lord

opens with strummed acoustic guitars and georges bottleneck slide-style electric guitar solo george sings the first verse oveer the guitars, bass and drums, "halleluiah" back-up vocals now enter at the end of each phrase George creates a transitional musical section here, it leads to a new key for the next part of the song, bright guitars and a repeating vocal line give momentum as the key shifts back to the intro music here as georges slide guitar solo returns over a fuller orchestral-sounding background pad -"hare krishna" back-up vocals enter in reference to the East Indian music and philosophies that George had explored and adopted -As George sings the first verse again a variant of Eastern religious lyrics and figures continue as back-up vocals

Working class hero

the song contains F word -brought up in and upper middle class home (others grew up truly working class), John always considered himself spokesman for the working class spent latter life involved in political and social justice causes The simple chorus is repetitive and effective music and chords do not change much from the verse, f word used, final choruses are sung even higher and in more strident fashion