MH68 Final

Hey Jude

Beatles single, 1968 -Song about coping with loss, bad times, etc -Meant to comfort Julian Lennon? -Very long for a single (7 minutes) -Na, Na, Na: meant to be a sing along, but also is one place where their experience with meditation shows up in their music (repeating with other people: experience of meditation) -recorded for TV special: hundreds of people join in near the end, showing diversity

Carry That Weight

Beatles, Abbey Road, 1968 -First section in C-major -Second section: Musical interlude that shadows -"You Never Give Me Your Money" (A-minor) -Back to C-major and original style of song in section 3

She Came in Through the Bathroom Window

Beatles, Abbey Road, 1968 -Not actually about Yoko Ono, no matter what Gould says -Lines that echo "Lady Madonna" -Includes a short character sketch (2x) -Followed by silence (no silence after other songs) → to reset the listener?

Back in the USA

Chuck Berry- 1959 -inspired back in the USSR - released in 1959, became a Top 40 hit, The Beatles could have used this as inspiration to their song "Back in the U.S.S.R" in their White Album

Instant Karma (We All Shine On)

John Ono Lennon, 1970 -● Written and recorded on the same day ● Inspired by John's trip to India, where he was introduced to the idea of karma -produced by Phil Spector -used wall of sound

Get Back

Let It Be, 1970 -album arranged by Phil Spector; Paul hated what he did to the songs - named after the "Get Back" sessions -performed at the Beatles last live performance on the roof of their building

Surfin Safari

The Beach Boys, 1962 -Notion of teen freedom and CA surf culture - very marketable → Capital changed their name to the Beach Boys -People in other parts of the world invited into the Beach Boys fantasy world -written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love; released as a single on June 1962; -peaked at number fourteen on Billboard's Hot 100;

God Only Knows

The Beach Boys, 1966 (Pet Sounds?) -Opens with harpsichord and sleigh bells (not traditional rock instruments) -Voices used as texture and instrumentation -Medieval "canon" style (layering of voices) at the end -Declared the greatest pop song ever written by Paul

Julia

The Beatles, 1968, The White Album -song written by John about his mother, some think that lyrics could also be referring to Yoko Ono ● Utilized finger-plucking guitar technique, characteristic of folk songs

Blackbird

The Beatles, 1968, The White Album -● Song written by Paul, refers to the African American civil rights movement in the US ● Utilized finger-plucking guitar technique, characteristic of folk songs

Louie Louie

The Kingsmen, 1963 -simple 12 bar blues by another British group - similar simplicity of can't buy me love -rhythm and blues song written by Richard Berry in 1959 but became a hit with the cover of The Kingsmen in 1963

Be My Baby

The Ronettes, 1963 -produced by Phil Spector (who married a member of The Ronettes, Ronnie Bennett), - -used "wall of sound" technique

back in the USSR

The beatles-1968 -influenced by the beach boys song "california girls" -title was inspired by chuck berrys "back in the usa" -Things were tense when they were working on this album, and Ringo walked out during recording, briefly quitting the band. Paul McCartney played drums in his place. -criticized because it sounded like the Beatles were supporting Communism or taking the Cold War tensions lightly

All Together Now

Yellow Submarine, 1969 ● Childrens sing along type song ● In yellow submarine movie ● Beatles sang it in the live action scene of the Yellow Submarine movie

here comes the sun

abby road-1969 -George Harrison wrote this -The music begins on the left channel and gradually moves to the right as Harrison's vocal begins -John Lennon did not play on this. -"Sun, sun, sun: here it comes": meditative mantra? -Guitar sounds like sunshine// guitar continues the melody after each verse -features a moog synthesizer

something

abby road-1969 -Harrison wrote this during a break while they were working on The White Album. -This is the only song on the Beatles 1 album that was not a #1 hit on its own in the US or UK. -covered by Elvis and Sinatra; Sinatra said it was his favorite "Lennon-McCartney song", though it was written by George -"Something in the way she moves" → line taken from another artist but added a new melody

The end

abby road-1969 -It is the last lyric on the last album they recorded. Let It Be was the last album they released, but it was recorded earlier. -Lennon, McCartney and Harrison took turns doing guitar solos -On this song, you can hear the only drum solo Ringo Starr ever performed as a Beatle. -This ends with a 30-piece orchestra -Part of the medley on the second side of Abbey Road

mean mr. mustard

abby road-1969 -John Lennon wrote most of this when he was in India -The Beatles recorded this as one song with "Sun King." - It's part of a suite of songs at the end of Abbey Road (the medley) -Song in duple meter, switches to triple meter

Sun king

abby road-1969 -John Lennon wrote this song. -At one point the title was "Here Comes the Sun King."; meant to spoof "Here Comes the Sun" -There is a foreign part in the song written in spanish and italian that does not actually mean anything (the sun king is so magnificent and awe-inspiring but when he actually talks it is meaningless) -Moog effects, guitars → relation to "Because" -Vocals in harmony like the in "Because" -part of the medley on the second side of Abbey Road

polythene pam

abby road-1969 -Lennon sang this in a thick Liverpool accent. -Originally intended for The White Album -part of the medley on the second side of Abbey Road -Yeah yeah yeah from She Loves You ● part of ending melody; ends with Lennon sardonically singing a string of "yeah, yeah, yeah's".

her majesty

abby road-1969 -This is the shortest Beatles song. It is 23 seconds long. -McCartney recorded this before the other Beatles arrived in the studio. -last song on abby road album

you never give me your money

abby road-1969 -This song is about The Beatles' business problems. -manager Brian Epstein died in 1967, they were burdened with handling their own finances, which became a source of tension in the band. -part of the medley on the second side of Abbey Road -written by Paul -Three distinct fragments distinguished by their different timbres

golden slumbers

abby road-1969 -This song was based on a 17th century poem -Paul McCartney wrote this on his stepsister's piano. -It was the last album The Beatles recorded, although it was released before Let It Be. -part of the medley on the second side of Abbey Road

because

abby road-1969 -This was the first use of a Moog synthesizer on any recording. -The vocals are a 3-part harmony by Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison that was overdubbed twice, creating a 9-part harmony. -song that shows off the Beatles' musical and vocal abilities the most -written by John -open ending ● represents the most intricate and rhapsodic blend of Beatles sounds on record. Set like Beethoven's sonata in C sharp minor.

help!

help- 1965 -title of beatles second movie -Along with "Yesterday," this is one of two Beatles US #1 hits with just one word in the title. -George Harrison played a 12-string guitar on this track. -- even though it was for a spoof film, the lyrics are meaningful and reflect how John was feeling at the time - capitalizing on Beatles fame ( a Beatle is feeling like this) - sounds as though John is calling for help, and George and Paul are embracing him (instances where background sing the line before the lead sings it) - recorded on four track recorder, bouncing down to add more layers

you've got to hide your love away

help-1965 -It was rumored that this was the first gay rock song, a message to Beatles manager Brian Epstein, who was gay -Session musicians played flutes. It was the first time outsiders played on a Beatles record. -Lennon's friend Pete Shotton came up with the "Hey"s in the chorus. -First of their song since 1962 to feature a session musician -

Ive just seen a face

help-1965 -Primarily written by Paul McCartney, the working title of this song was "Auntie Gin's Theme" because Paul McCartney's Aunt Gin liked it. -Ringo gets to play the maracas on this number. -In the US, "I've Just Seen a Face" was held back to be released on the Rubber Soul album -A song from Help!; that capital put on Rubber Soul to make people think it was a folk rock album (was popular at the time) -Acoustic lead and rhythm guitar with harmonies make it sound folk-y -Composed by Paul in the music room at Jane's Asher parents house on Wimpole Street, London ● One of the few Beatles song without the bass guitar ● Many internal rimes that create a breathless feeling

yesterday

help-1965 -This is the most covered pop song of all time, with over 3,000 versions recorded according to The Guinness Book Of World Records -Rated #1 pop song by MTV and Rolling Stone magazine in 2000 -A string quartet was brought in to play on this track (played without vibrato on Paul's request) -kept the rhyme simple but with sophisticated organization (interlock of the rhymes, sound, and meaning) -Paul's first solo song

the long and winding road

let it be- 1970 -One of the last Beatles songs, Paul McCartney wrote this based on tensions within the band -The Beatles performed this in the movie Let It Be -This was the only Beatles song where John Lennon played bass -produced by Phil Spector using his wall of sound -Paul hated the arrangement; would later remake all of the Let It Be songs in the way he would have originally liked them

magical mystery tour

magical mystery tour-1967 -A "Magical Mystery Tour" was a bus trip to an unknown destination. They were popular in England at the time. -The carnival barker at the beginning is Paul McCartney. -very few lyrics; title song of the film -magical introduction to the film and album

I am the walrus

magical mystery tour-1967 -John was throwing together nonsense lyrics to mess with the heads of scholars trying to dissect The Beatles songs -Lennon got the idea for the oblique lyrics when he received a letter from a student who explained that his English teacher was having the class analyze Beatles songs. -This was released as the B-side to "Hello Goodbye," -inspired by the children's poem "The Walrus and the Carpenter" which John liked for its cleverness

your mother should know

magical mystery tour-1967 -This was used in the last scene of the movie Magical Mystery Tour, where the four Beatles dance in tuxedos. - Paul McCartney wrote this -The vocals are on the left channel for the first verse, move to the right for the second, then back to the left for the third -appeared in the Magical Mystery Tour movie and in the end they all get together and start singing this song.

respect

otis redding-1965 -became popular with Aretha Franklin's rendition in 1967 - inspiration for the Beatles' song "Drive My Car" -Beatles liked the hard bass -Ringo copies drummer "ratatat" bit as a tribute

eleanor rigby

revolver-1966 -Paul McCartney wrote most of this song. -A string section scored by Beatles producer George Martin consisting of four violins, two violas and two cellos were used in recording. -Instead of a story from start to finish (folk music), little snapshots of Eleanor's lonely life (and death) ● In the movie Yellow Submarine ● Double string quartet: 4 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos

Yellow submarine

revolver-1966 -Paul McCartney wrote this one. -Paul purposely used short words in the lyrics because he wanted kids to pick it up early and sing along. -This was used as the B-side of "Eleanor Rigby." ● in the movie Yellow Submarine + sung by Ringo Starr (lead vocals) -showed how Beatles began going overboard with the studio effects they could use -brought in friends to sound like party people -brought in a real brass band to play when "and the band begins to play" -all sounds made in studio (used metal bathtub and water to make ocean wave noises,etc)

And your bird can sing

revolver-1966 -The double-tracked guitar solo rates in at #69 on the "100 Greatest Guitar Solos" list done by Rolling Stone magazine. -"Bird" is British slang for "Girl." ● Cryptic lyrics (bird = slang for girl) ● Alternates between single voice and harmony

tomorrow never knows

revolver-1966 -The title came from an expression Ringo Starr used. -John Lennon wrote this, and described it as "my first psychedelic song. -This used 16 tape loops. -Techniques: artificial double tracking, vari-speed, loops, sounds played in reverse, non-musical sounds like seagulls ● Instruments: sitar, tambura, electric guitar, drums, mellotron, etc. ● Quotes the book The Psychedelic Experience by Leary: "turn off your mind, relax, float downstream"

girl

rubber soul-1965 -John Lennon: "This was about a dream girl." His wife Cynthia thought this song might have been about her. -As a joke, George Harrison and Paul McCartney repeated "tit" on the backing vocals. -Playing with the contrast between major and minor (verses in minor, refrain in relative major) - breathing in noise was rumored to be a reference to smoking weed - The last song recorded for Rubber Soul ● Backdrop vocals influenced by the Beach boys -

In my life

rubber soul-1965 -This is an autobiographical song about John Lennon's life (considered it his first "real major piece of work") -The Beatles left a hole for the instrumental break when they recorded this. Producer George Martin filled it in the next morning by playing a piano solo and speeding up the tape to make it sound like a harpsichord. -Voices changing like a kaleidoscope throughout verse -possible reference to Stu Sutcliffe (some are dead and some are living)

Norwegian wood

rubber soul-1965 -This was the first pop song to use a sitar -Ringo played the finger cymbals. - Ravi Shankar inspired George Harrison to incorporate the sitar into the song, which made psychedelic rock mainstream -showed evolving nature of Beatles' music writing, as included a narrative

drive my car

rubber soul-1965 -three voices sung in harmony with very close pitches to sound like a car horn -Bass and guitar played together to make sound more prominent - inspired by Otis Redding's "Respect" ● Shift from simple love song to storytelling = folk influence

a day in the life

sgt peppers-1967 -A 41-piece orchestra played on this song. -This was recorded in three sessions: First the basic track, then the orchestra, then the last note was dubbed in. -McCartney contributed the line "I'd love to turn you on." -loud orchestra playing out of turn with each other but all starting and ending at the same note -● John sings verses, Paul sings the bridge (reinforces the two different textures) ● pianissimo to fortissimo: orchestral crescendos and glissandi (biggest orchestra used by Beatles)

being for the benefit of mr. kite

sgt peppers-1967 -George Harrison and Ringo Starr played harmonicas on this song - It also featured a steam organ, which was taken from old tapes. -John wrote the song from an old circus poster advertisement he found in an antique shop -instrumentation gives the feel of a circus -includes a waltz section ("And of course henry the horse dances the waltz") ● mention of Pablo Fanque, a circus owner ● Instruments: calliope ● Meter change from duple to triple (bridge)

sgt. peppers lonely heart club band

sgt peppers-1967 -The album was heavily produced and took 129 days and about 700 hours to complete. -The crowd noise was dubbed in. The Beatles had stopped touring by then -Paul McCartney wrote this and sang lead. ● lyrics sum up the idea of the album (a "show" by a fictitious band) ● Name inspired by San Fran rock bands and old British brass bands

lucy in the sky with diamonds

sgt peppers-1967 -This was banned by the BBC (British Broadcasting Company) for what they thought were drug references. -This song is very distinctive musically: It's in three different keys and uses two different beats. ● Inspired by a drawing made by John's son Julian, but many thought it was about LSD (initials) ● Alternates between triple meter (verse & bridge) and duple meter (chorus) ● Prominent bass with interesting patterns (sometimes on down beats, every beat, twice per beat,etc.) -Alice in Wonderland inspo -lyrics misconstrued by listeners --> inspired the deliberately confusing nature of I Am the Walrus

with a little help from my friends

sgt. peppers-1967 - Beatles drummer Ringo Starr sang lead -This was one of the very last songs John Lennon and Paul McCartney sat down and wrote together in a true collaboration. -This hit #1 on the UK chart three times ● Call-and-response format, Ringo and the others alternate between caller and responder

fixing a hole

sgt. peppers-1967 -Paul McCartney wrote this after fixing the roof on his farm in Scotland. -The takes in this new studio - Regent Sound Studio -● Harpsichord intro ● Alternates between major (bridge) and minor (verse)

day tripper

single-1965 -John Lennon's lyrics were his first overt reference to LSD in a Beatles song -Lennon wrote this after their record company demanded a new single. - "day tripper" = a slang term for someone who failed to fully embrace the hippy lifestyle, a reference to the drug-based counterculture/LSD, written by Lennon-McCartney, ------vocals by John, Paul, and George

I'm down

single-1965 -Paul McCartney wrote this in the style of Little Richard. -The Beatles used this as their closing number on 1965 North American and UK tours, and 1966 World tour. -This was used as the B-side of "Help!" - lead vocals by Paul with John and George background vocals; -instrumentation - guitars, bass, drums, bongos, organ; -features call-and-response format and some improv at the end

we can work it out

single-1965 -Paul wrote verses, John wrote Middle 8, George had the idea to put the Middle 8 as a waltz -Contrast within and between the two sections (Paul's writing and John's) -A promotional film - one of the first music videos (John was making Paul laugh as they were pretending to play instruments; this was later made illegal for musicians to do and had to create real music videos or actually play) -John Lennon sang the "life is very short" part (which he also wrote); McCartney sang the rest.

paperback writer

single-1966 -The first #1 hit for The Beatles that was not about love. -The B-side to this single was John Lennon's "Rain." -Ringo's bass drum was emphasized on this track. A microphone was placed an inch away to make it boom. - Paul challenged himself to write a song with only one chord and almost succeeds (all in G7 except when it says "paperback writer" for the second time_; -boosted bass guitar; -first music video that's not the artists performing in a studio; -features French children's song "Freres Jacques" in the background

rain

single-1966 -This was the first song to use a tape played backwards -This was released as the B-side of "Paperback Writer." -Ringo Starr has said this is his best drumming on a Beatles song. -lead singer: John; - first psychedelic pop song! (explores LSD-influenced feelings), - used backwards vocals for the first time (coda), - some verses are longer than they should be, features vars-speed, -multi-tracked vocals and Indian style singing (refrain)

hello, goodbye

single-1967 -A side to "I am the Walrus" -Paul McCartney wrote this. -John Lennon hated the song. -simple song with complicated arrangement/instrumentation - first release after the death of Brian Epstein -simple meaning: two people disagree, but patterns of sounds (rhymes and vowel sounds) in the lyric are more interesting than what they mean

Baby you're a rich man

single-1967 -Mick Jagger sang backup. -This was released as the B-side of "All You Need Is Love." -Lennon played clavioline and piano on the song and George Harrison played tambourine. - has instruments such as clavioline and maracas, - it was the first song recorded specifically for the animated film Yellow Submarine

strawberry fields forever

single-1967 -Strawberry Field was a Salvation Army home in Liverpool where John Lennon used to go -This was the first Beatles single to break their long-running streak of #1 hits in the UK -First release to not go directly to number one since "Love Me Do" - delicate folk song style - tried out different arrangements and sounds -flute setting of the mellotron ○ final solo fades out and returns with the words "Cranberry sauce" because they liked the way it sounded ○ introduces new instruments - mellotron, svarmandal, timpani + trumpets, cellos

all you need is love

single-1967 -The chorus is only one note, and the song is in a rare 7/4 tempo. -The Beatles played this for the first time on the "Our World" project, the first worldwide TV special -john lennon wrote this as a part of the anti-war movement -starts with the French national anthem -shows optimism of the summer of love -includes reference to "She Loves You" and two other pieces by Bach at the ending

penny lane

single-1967 -paul mcartney wrote this song -it is named after the street he grew up on near johns house -The trumpet part was added after the rest of the song was finished. -lyrics show the thought process and musings of a child -old music to signify that it is a memory piece

California Girls

the beach boys- 1965 -inspried beatles to write about girls in the UK in the song Back in the USSR -The introduction to the Beach Boys' 1965 single "California Girls" was purportedly the first piece of music he composed after taking LSD -The chorus utilizes the kind of overlapping, contrapuntal harmony that the Beatles would borrow for "Paperback Writer." -Comes out around the time of Rubber Soul -Opens with a lot of different aural layers -Voices and instruments creating the soundscape (voices included in the texture; not just instruments) -Beatles album inspired Brian Wilson, started calling other Beach Boy members in separately to record vocals/instruments instead of recording together

good vibrations

the beach boys-1966 -Brian loved Elvis, Little Richard, and especially Chuck Berry (was inspired by same people as the beatles) -Released as a single after Pet Sounds -Wants to create a complete soundscape by layering different sounds and tracks (like the Beatles were doing in Revolver) -Use of the theremin and cellos in chorus -Complete texture change with third section (Middle 8) -layered sounds like The Beatles did, instrumentation included theremin, cello, bass harmonica

mr. tambourine man

the byrds-1965 -written by bob dylan 1965 -idea that listeners get to decide what it means -use one verse and the chorus to make it into a pop song -the Byrds decided to use electronic instruments (traditionally not used in folk songs) -popularized folk rock genre