One of the joys for me in my days of working in a thrift store was the wonderful CDs that would be donated for us to resell--a lot of them were shit, but sometimes you'd get utterly amazing, like managing to get this week's featured album (and at the same time, Rubber Soul--yowza!). Needless to say, I quickly snatched it up for moi, and thankfully I did--I was not familiar with this week's featured tune and it quickly became an all-time fave.
This will be the third time I've written about the Beatles (could--and probably should--be a lot more considering I'm 507 songs into this project), with the previous posts linked inside the parentheses (song and album). I've also written one post about a single by each of the Fab Four: John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Say! what a lot of Beatles posts there are (thanks, Dr. Seuss). Other than that, I've done a Greatest Beatles Facts bio, and there's not much an amateur rock critic can add to their story that hasn't been said or written better by many much more talented rock and roll writers than me.
"Here, There and Everywhere" was the fifth song on side one of the Beatles rather whirlingly (couldn't come up with an adverb for "gun"...) entitled Revolver. The song was not released as a single (somewhat surprisingly, though I'm sure it's much easier in retrospect), while the album, in a not so stunning turn of events, reached number one in the U.S. and the U.K., as well as in the five other nations Wikipedia was so kind to list (somehow it peaked at #14 in Norway--apparently not nearly enough cool kids in Norway).
Fun Fact: McCartney has cited as his inspiration for this week's tune the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows," I already mentioned this in my post for "God Only Knows" but since my half-assed research was really half-assed this week, it'll have to do.
McCartney, Lennon, and Beatles producer George Martin have all said that "Here, There and Everywhere" ranks as one of their favorite Beatles tunes...and who am I to question their choices. Like the (just) aforementioned "God Only Knows," this week's song is truly one of the great love ballads ever, and in a testament to just how great the Beatles were, it never really feels like a love ballad, just a brilliant piece of pop music condensed into two minutes and twenty-four seconds. And it says every bit as much about the human condition as the one thousand and umpteen pages of David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest(not that I've ever waded my way through that morass). Written for one time McCartney love interest Jane Asher, the song has simple lyrics, smoothly sweet vocals from McCartney, a tasty melody, and the backing "oohs" throughout (which I just discovered while doing my prep this week) are to absolutely die for. One of those songs for which you give thanks that you existed long enough to hear it....
Lyric Sheet: "Here, making each day of the year/Changing my life with a wave of her hand/Nobody can deny that there's something there..."
For the second straight week, my introduction to the featured song came via a cover version, this time a band you may have heard of--the Beatles. I actually thought it was a solo effort from Ringo Starr (who did eventually release a duet version with Buck Owens in 1988), but the Beatles loved the song and recorded it in 1965. And their version led me to seek out the original....
Buck Owens was born in Sherman, Texas in 1929 and took a somewhat roundabout way to stardom. A self taught musician (guitar, mandolin, horns, and drums) Owens worked on his father's farm, as a radio personality, and as a truck driver after he started making music in 1945, before he finally hit the big time in 1959 with his first top forty country hit. In 1963 he had his first number one hit and would record 21 more during his heyday. Sadly, Owens best friend and guitarist, Don Rich, died in a motorcycle accident in 1974, and Owens freely admitted that neither he nor his musical career were ever the same afterward. Nonetheless, Owens would go on to have a major success with the country variety show Hee Haw, and was also inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, as well as the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. For his career, Owens released 39 studio albums, 9 live albums, 16 compilations, and 97 singles. Regular readers (both of you) may remember a shout out to Owens for an earlier Friday Night Jukebox post for Dwight Yoakam's "Streets of Bakersfield." Buck Owens passed away in 2006 from a heart attack in his sleep, just hours after what would become his final performance.
"Act Naturally" was released as a single only in 1963. It would go on to become the first #1 hit on the Hot Country Singles Chart of Owens' career.
Fun Fact: The Beatles version was released in 1965 and rose to #47 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also originally released as a single only, and was paired with "Yesterday." While most folks would have assumed (myself included) that "Yesterday" was the A-side, it was actually "Act Naturally." Another in a long line of instances giving credence to the old maxim, "The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray...."
In "Act Naturally," Owens sings the plaintive tale of a man who says he could be a movie star if they put him in a movie about a man who's sad and lonely because all he'd have to do is...act naturally. Owens captures the best of what makes a good country single--it's short (2:17), simple (a heartbroken lad), and heartfelt (Owens' vocals nail it). Owens' longtime band, the Buckaroos, provide a nice backdrop, and a nice steel guitar break from Don Rich just adds to the songs nuance. In the end, it's a reminder of how special country music can be when it's at its best--and Buck Owens and the Buckaroos have done the genre proud with this one.
Lyric Sheet: "We'll make a scene about a man that's sad and lonely/And begging down upon his bended knee/I'll play the part but I won't need rehearsing/All I have to do is act naturally..."
Enjoy:
Taxing the Wealthy Is Good Politics for the Democratic Party
In which our hero tries and fails miserably to convey the essence of one of rock and roll's greatest albums from one of rock and roll's greatest bands in his birthday inspired once a year album review. Hell, even the album cover is one of the most memorable in rock's history....
Already wrote a bio of the Beatles and each of its members--just going to cut to the quick of synopsizing each song on Abbey Road(all seventeen of them):
Come Together--With its ominous musical overtones, "Come Together" opens the album and sets the standard for all the songs to come. Staccato guitar, a pulsating bass drum, and the rattlesnake cymbals make for a stunning intro . The gibberish lyrics just add to its charm. Favorite Line: "He say I know you, you know me/One thing I can tell you is you got to be free..."
Something--Just to give you an idea, 200 artists have done a cover version of this one (only "Yesterday" has more covers of a Beatles song). Yeah, it's a little on the sappy side, but it has a lovely melody, heartfelt lyrics, heartfelt vocals, and a nice guitar solo. An excellent effort from George Harrison--one of the greatest love songs ever written. Favorite Line: "Something in the way she knows/And all I have to do is think of her..."
Maxwell's Silver Hammer--Serial killing with an upbeat tempo. Not the best on the album or in Paul McCartney's career. Still better than anything Styx or REO Speedwagon ever did, though. Favorite Line: "Joan was quizzical, studied pataphysical/Science in the home..."
Oh! Darling--A raucous piece of barroom rock and roll. Essentially a 'baby please don't leave me" song. McCartney does his best to sound like he warmed up his voice by smoking three packs of cigarettes and drinking a fifty of whiskey--it works well enough. No one would ever confuse it with one of the Beatles' best, but a listenable effort. Favorite Line: "When you told me/You didn't need me anymore/Well you know I nearly broke down and cried..."
Octopus's Garden--Did you know that octopuses collect items from the ocean floor and build gardens from them? Me, either, but learning new things is one of the perks of Friday Night Jukebox. Ringo Starr wrote this one and performs the vocals. As novelty efforts go, it's not quite "Yellow Submarine," but it's still a cut above. Considered by many to be a great children's song. Quirky and lovable, just like Ringo. Favorite Line: "We would be warm below the storm/In our little hideaway beneath the waves..."
I Want You (She's so Heavy)--A nearly eight minute love song from John Lennon to Yoko Ono. Considered by some to be a precursor to heavy metal. Not your usual Beatles fare, but it works tremendously well. The lyrics are simple, the construction of the song is not. Lots of feedback over a foreboding guitar, while the drums accentuate the somber tone. One of those songs that make you realize why the Beatles were (and are) one of the most influential bands ever. Favorite Line: "I want you/I want you so bad/It's driving me mad..."
Here Comes the Sun--And out of the darkness comes one of the most hopeful, both musically and lyrically, songs ever written. The second gem on the album penned and sung by George Harrison, The light at the end of the tunnel, the end of the rainbow--it's the easing of your struggles and the peace you had hoped for coming over the horizon. The opening acoustic guitar is instantly recognizable and utterly unforgettable. Favorite Line: "Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter/Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here..."
Because--Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison all harmonize on this one, the first time all three would share lead vocals. Not only that, they did some fancy studio wizardry to make it sound as if it were nine voices. While the nature of this song is very different, like "I Want You (She's so Heavy)" this is another signature song for the Beatles which makes you realize why they're often considered to be the greatest band of all-time. Favorite Line: "Love is old, love is new/Love is all, love is you..."
You Never Give Me Your Money--The first song of an eight song medley (though this one sounds like it's three songs in one). Listening to the Beatles juxtapose all three sections is a joy--ballad to a bit of a rocker to a sing song pop song. Some think McCartney wrote this one believing Abbey Road would be the Beatles last album. Favorite Line: "You never give me your money/You only give me your funny paper..."
Sun King--The second song of the medley, and the second song where Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison harmonize the lead vocals. This one's a lot of lovely instrumental and a few lyrics, including a mix of romance languages at the end which Lennon admitted later was just the Beatles goofing around. Favorite Line: Everybody's laughing/Everybody's happy/Here comes the sun king..."
Mean Mr. Mustard--Lennon wrote a song about a real life miser who supposedly hid his money so well he couldn't spend it because he couldn't find it, to continue the medley. It only last one minute six seconds, but as with the best art a lot is packed into that short time. Almost has a whimsical quality, and I always liked it because I found it to be so catchy. The mention of the miser's sister Pam is a lead in to the next song. Favorite Line: "Saving up to buy some clothes/Keeps a ten-bob note up his nose/Such a mean old man..."
Polythene Pam--This Lennon penned ditty is the fourth song of the medley. Like the previous tune, extremely short and extremely catchy (from small things big things come). Supposedly about sex with a woman wrapped in polythene--which Lennon may or may not have been part of. Favorite Line: "Get a dose of her in jackboot and kilts/She's killer-diller when she's dressed to the hilt..."
She Came in Through the Bathroom Window--Number five. Based on a true story of a fan who used a a ladder to climb through the bathroom window of McCartney's home. She promptly let some friends in and they stole a handful of items. Another short catchy song. Maybe a theme? Favorite Line: "Sunday's on the phone to Monday/Tuesday's on the phone to me..."
Golden Slumbers--The last three songs of the medley are as close to godliness as rock and roll can get, and this one is a lovely lullaby. A beautiful plea to to a sleepy child to stop crying and let a peaceful sleep bring her a happy awakening. McCartney absolutely nails the vocal. Favorite Line: "Once there was a way to get back homeward/Once there was a way to get back home..."
Carry That Weight--Another song written by McCartney anticipating the end of their time together. The phrase "carry that weight" is an acknowledgment that all of them would carry the weight forever of being in the Beatles. A rare song as the chorus features all four Beatles harmonizing. An uplifting exhortation. Favorite Line: "Boy, you're gonna carry that weight/Carry that weight a long time..."
The End--A stellar drum solo from Ringo Starr, stupendous guitar solos in order from McCartney, Harrison, and Lennon, and perhaps the greatest single line ever written in a rock and roll song completes the last time the Beatles would be in the studio together. A masterful ending to a master work. Favorite Line: "And in the end/The love you take/Is equal to the love/You make..."
Her Majesty--Just to add the cherry on top, the Beatles added this novelty ode to Queen Elizabeth as a hidden track (on the original release). Twenty-six seconds of lighthearted fun to send us all home happy. Favorite Line: "I wanna tell her that I love her a lot/But I gotta get a belly full of wine..."
Enjoy a masterpiece:
It Was an Insurrection--the Blood of Those Killed on January 6th Is on Republican Hands
Sappy story: I was single for many years after my first marriage ended, and whenever it seemed hopeless that love would enter my life again...I'd play this week's tune. Even sappier, the song's main theme, that life is a gamble and you never know when something or someone special will enter your life...most certainly came true with my life. I'd say it's embarrassing, but the Beautiful Girl and I are eighteen years down the road now and it seems to be working out just fine....
For the fourth straight week I'm going to note that the artist biography will be short because what else could I possibly add about Ringo Starr that hasn't already been written--and then proceed to write a lengthy paragraph about his life anyway. Of all the Beatles, Ringo was the one that probably would have been voted least likely to have much success as a solo artist, but he's fifty years down the road and has frankly had a hell of a solo career. Like each of his fellow Beatles, he's a two time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and is widely considered one of the five best rock and roll drummers of all-time. He still tours regularly (well, when there's not a pandemic anyway) with his Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band group, which features any number of rock and roll veterans (Joe Walsh, Peter Frampton, Bill Preston, Bonnie Raitt, and Clarence Clemons to name but a very few). Starr has won an Academy Award and Grammy Awards with his fellow Beatles, but in a first, he is the only Beatle to be nominated for an Emmy (Daytime Emmy for Shining Time Station,a Thomas the Tank Engine spin-off). For his solo career, Starr has released 20 studio albums (with two top ten LPs), nine albums with his All-Starr Band, and 44 singles (with two #1's and six more top ten hits). He celebrated his eightieth birthday earlier this year with a virtual concert.
Fun Fact: Starr has been knighted, but he was given the honor by his real name, so he is Sir Richard Starkey instead of Sir Ringo Starr. And I'm probably the only person on the planet who finds that interesting....
"You Never Know" was released in 1991 on the soundtrack to the mildly entertaining film, Curly Sue. Neither the song or the album came anywhere near the Billboard charts.
As with "Watching the Wheels" by John Lennon from a few weeks back, "You Never Know" is not Starr's best single, but it's my personal favorite and so the rest of y'all are going to have to suffer with my choice. As noted above, the song is an ode to keeping your eyes open for that four leaf clover that's going to change your life, and Starr sings it with all the happy-go-lucky charm that he can muster. Both the music and the lyrics have a whimsical quality to them which fits with a song about keeping the dice rolling because that 7 might just hit on your next roll. In the end, it's a sweet slice of pop music pie sung by a man who's seen his share of both the best and the worst of what life has to offer--and who knows that the rainbow is always just a rainstorm away.
Lyric Sheet: "I never saw exactly where the road would lead me/One day I woke to find somebody needs me/I thought I'd taken luck as far as it would go/But then again you never know..."
It's a bit hard to believe that 232 posts into Friday Night Jukebox and I'm just getting to the first tune featuring arguably the greatest band in the history of rock and roll...but that's one of the problems when a band has so many good songs. Too hard to choose just one. Which is probably why I went with one of their lesser known songs, but one that has all the pop sensibilities that emaycee so deeply loves....
Yeah, I'm going to recap The Beatles relatively short, often tumultuous, and yet hugely consequential career in a paragraph--name one other band where you can reel off the band members' first names (John, Paul, George, and Ringo) and everyone knows who you're talking about. So I'll just recite a number of fun facts. The Beatles have sold over 800 million records and are the all-time best selling music artist in history (this means that approximately one out of every ten people on the entire planet has bought a Beatles record). Their twenty #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 is still a record, and they still have more #1 albums in the U.K. (15) than any other artist. They won seven Grammy Awards and an Academy Award. They had five albums in the top 14 of Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest LP's of all time (Dylan had two and no other artist managed more than one in the first fourteen), and were listed as one of Time magazine's most influential people of the twentieth century. Not only was the band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but through the years each individual member has been selected as well. Of their thirteen core studio albums (some had different titles and song selections in the U.S.), eleven went to number one in the U.K. and twelve went to number one in the U.S. Whew...and that's just barely scratching the surface.
"I Will" was released on their album The Beatles (usually called "The White Album" for its stark white cover) in 1968. It was not released as a single, as none of the songs on the album were released as singles (though many received much airplay on album oriented radio stations). Surprisingly enough, The White Album was not well-received critically when it was first released, though as time passed more came to consider it as one of their best (it was #10 on the Rolling Stone list noted above).
One minute, forty-six seconds. That's how long "I Will" lasts, and Paul McCartney is still able to pack a whole lot of punches into such a short piece. There are few people in pop music who can create a melody better than Paul McCartney once could, and there aren't many who can sing so sweetly, either--and he does both to perfection in this little ditty. Though I've never been able to figure out if the song is written for a lover or only one hoped for, it's still a nice jaunt down Pop Music Lane. McCartney has a boucy little guitar jangle, the drums complement both the vocals and the melody exquisitely (and are played by John Lennon), and Ringo Starr puts the cherry on top with his bongo playing. You might also hear a hint of bass guitar--guess again! McCartney actually does that with his voice--a man of too many talents. It took McCartney 67 takes to get the song the way he wanted it, and his finished product is a piece of pop heaven from one of the greatest bands to ever grace our world.
Lyric Sheet: "And when at last I find you/Your song will fill the air/Sing it loud so I can hear you/Make it easy to be near you..."
The average American gets paid just enough so he doesn't quit his job, and works just hard enough so he doesn't get fired.
"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross." Source unknown
Uncle emaycee Wants You For the Coming Class War! Enlist today....
Capitalism: Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you can exploit his labor, become filthy rich, and keep the poor bastard living paycheck to paycheck for the rest of his life.
