A course of music and discussion created for Front Range Forum Fall 2024.

Notes and Play List by Tim Van Schmidt

Session 8- 1970

1970

By early 1970, The Beatles were done- the world just didn’t know it yet.

There was one final recording session in January for the forthcoming “Let It Be” album, then titled “Get Back”- Harrison’s tune “I Me Mine”- and Lennon didn’t make it to that one. But after that, it was all over but the crying- over business matters.

Everyone was getting anxious about doing their own projects and all four musicians released solo albums in 1970.

McCartney announced the dissolution of The Beatles just a week before his first solo album- “McCartney”- came out. That particular record is telling- McCartney didn’t need a band in the studio anymore- he played all of the instruments himself on “McCartney.”

A month later and the “Let It Be” album and the movie were released, capping The Beatles’ catalog with some tracks that, despite the controversies over management and direction, offered some fresh energy and some good songs.

It didn’t help. McCartney formally filed paperwork to legally dissolve The Beatles on the last day of 1970.

Hey Jude

Whereas the band was on the outs, the commercial machinery marketing The Beatles was still in motion.

A case in point is the 1970 “Hey Jude” album release.

This was a Capitol Records “master plan” compilation of singles and B-sides that were great songs, but had not fit onto albums up to this point. It was initially only released in the US in February. Perhaps it became a question of now or never.

The single of the song “Revolution” on “Hey Jude”- as opposed to the slower, softer and more heavily laden version on “The White Album”- is a rocker, kick started by in-your-face guitar and Lennon’s rock and roll “war cry.”

But “Revolution” was a “war cry” for peace and it expressed the shocking sentiment that we’re not all on the same page about what a “revolution” is. Lennon promotes change, but it starts with who and what you are to get real results. That said, it’s also always great to hear things’ll be “alright.” “Revolution” is ultimately positive as well as being thought provoking.

Play List:  1970 Revolution- The Beatles (Hey Jude)

“Lady Madonna” is a boogie-woogie rocker that draws another vivid Beatles character sketch. There’s a story here and despite the upbeat music, it sounds dire with all those babies on “the run.” It’s interesting there’s a prominent sax solo- like the old rock and roll records.

Play List:  1970 Lady Madonna- The Beatles (Hey Jude)

I don’t really remember the famous Ed Sullivan TV shows that helped break The Beatles into the American market- just vaguely. But I sure remember seeing The Beatles perform “Hey Jude” years later.

I saw it on the Smothers Brothers Show, who broadcast a film of The Beatles performing the tune surrounded by audience members during a taping on the David Frost Show in the UK. I didn’t know or even care where the film came from- I was just in awe of all those people getting to hang around and sing along with The Beatles on stage, like one big happy family.

The song “Hey Jude” has a storied past, written allegedly for John Lennon’s son Julian during a rough patch. It was originally released in 1968 and was the first tune The Beatles recorded on an eight-track unit.

When it was a hit single, I remember riding in the family car in Phoenix and my ears always pricked up when “Hey Jude” came on the radio. It was always a guess whether it was going to be the “long version” or the “short version.”

Play List:  1970 Hey Jude- The Beatles (Hey Jude)

Let It Be

There was a time when I would have claimed that “Let It Be” was my favorite Beatles album. It was kind of a mess when compared to the mastery of “Sgt. Pepper’s” or “Abbey Road.” But still, I found it fresh and kind of exciting. And maybe it was just my time as a teenager to dig that record.

It has been documented that part of the “Let It Be” project was about going out to perform the new Beatles songs live and in concert.

The studio sessions were infamous for the infighting that occurred- the subject of a lot of the “Let It Be” film release- and that helped to finally break up the group. But some of the resulting tracks, if The Beatles were looking for a live sound, fill the bill.

Some of the tracks were even recorded during the storied last Beatles live performance, the legendary rooftop event in London.

The Beatles had been discussing where to do their concert appearance for the project- haggling over even international locations- but ended up lugging all their gear up onto the roof of their own building to play a short set before being unplugged by the police. It was short, but satisfying for a Beatles fan to see- via the finale to the “Let It Be” movie- the four musicians playing together as a real band.

The opening tune on the “Let It Be” album, “Two of Us,” is bright and positive. Lennon and McCartney harmonize like the old days- dare I say like the Everly Brothers? The whole thing is propelled by a nice, soft thumping beat.

Two of Us- The Beatles (Let It Be)

In case there was any doubt that The Beatles could still go into outer space- they do, literally. “Across the Universe” is a shimmering, easy going piece of psychedelia. Listen to the dizzying number of instruments that weave in and out of the mix.

Alluring yet mysterious lyrics flow here, once again, not so much to make sense but to move with the music. Still, the message “nothing’s going to change my world” resonates just as the music jangles and soars.

Play List:  1970 Across the Universe- The Beatles (Let It Be)

Leave it to Harrison to contribute a song which goes right for social commentary. Or maybe it’s more like “human commentary”- the bottom line in “I, Me, Mine” seems to be that selfishness is a human trait. And here is Harrison calling that out in hopes we can find some new kind of understanding.

Musically, the song cooks first at a simmer, then becomes steamroller rock. “I Me Mine” moves up and down dramatically, just like human integrity.

Play List:  1970 I Me Mine- The Beatles (Let It Be)

There are some pretty big swings in the kinds of tracks on “Let It Be,” making it perhaps a little uneven as a record. The super big production number that is “The Long and Winding Road” gives way to a more intimate kind of musical fun with Harrison’s nimble tune “For You Blue.” It’s a tuneful trifle that has a certain upbeat ragtime blues feel to it- like an old fashioned show tune. That’s Lennon doing the slide guitar solo, rumored to have been played with a cigarette lighter.

1970 For You Blue- The Beatles (Let It Be)

Finally, the solemn anthem and album title song “Let It Be” centers everything in a light far beyond the crazy world of pop music. Once again, The Beatles produced another song that will survive for its emotion and message. That is George Harrison contributing that passionate and beefy guitar work. Meanwhile Starr provides a repeating off beat that somehow feels comforting, like a heartbeat.

Play List:  1970 Let It Be- The Beatles (Let It Be)

The Long and Winding Road

I remember the first time I heard “The Long and Winding Road.” I was at a Shakey’s Pizza in the San Fernando Valley in California, sipping on a root beer when the song came on over the restaurant radio.

This is The Beatles? I asked myself. But the plaintive melody and the swelling emotion of the tune worked its magic as I listened. I felt moved- right there in a pizza parlor.

I didn’t know that McCartney had partially left The Beatles because he didn’t like what producer Phil Spector did with his song- adding an orchestra and a choir. That wasn’t what mattered to me, sitting on that bench- it was just something melodic, majestic and fully sentimental that caught my ear.

“The Long and Winding Road,” like “In My Life,” was meant to stick around. I think McCartney was right- the orchestra and choir are distracting.

Play List:  1970 The Long and Winding Road- The Beatles (Let It Be)

We’re going to put the question of whether the additional orchestra and choir parts are necessary to the test by playing the version of “The Long and Winding Road” on the “Let It Be Naked” release, which re-mastered the song without the fluff. Which do you prefer?

The Long and Winding Road- The Beatles (Let It Be Naked)

Rooftop Concert

Before we play the entire rooftop concert from the “Let It Be” movie, I’d like to comment on two tracks in particular:

Like “Two of Us,” there’s an extra rugged quality in “I’ve Got a Feeling.” McCartney lets loose vocally and the guitar work is up front and aggressive. Lennon’s lyrical bridge calms things down for a moment, but the fuzzy, buzz tone guitar brings things back up, underscored by the crisscrossing melody lines- showcasing McCartney and Lennon working together again. It’s one of the strongest new songs on the “Let It Be” project.

I’ve Got a Feeling- The Beatles (Let It Be)

Of course, rocker “Get Back” is a gem from the rooftop concert- in fact there are two versions. Here’s a detail- Billy Preston appears on the label of the single version, one of only two musicians to have shared the credits with The Beatles, the other one being Tony Sheridan. That’s a tasty keyboard solo. Ringo has this thing on track with his rolling train rhythm- it’s cool, The Beatles were rocking together.

Play List:  1970 Get Back- The Beatles (Let It Be)

The Rooftop Concert MP4

Finally

And so, I ask a question: can “we” the people who experienced The Beatles as we lived our lives, “let it be?”

The answer to the “let it be” question is no. The Beatles became an indelible part of the popular culture- worldwide- and they are just a part of the world that has not faded. Their influence may even be bigger than ever.

As a culture, we still love The Beatles and the commercial machine behind the legend has continued to churn. There have been countless alternate mixes and compilations that have continually fed the desire for more Beatles music- even if it is old music re-produced in a new way. Re-mastered, remixed, reordered, redundant?

Or how about “new” music that is technologically created- like the 2023 novelty release “Now and Then” featuring unused John Lennon and George Harrison tracks as the root for a final “Beatles” recording? It is a pretty great production as a video, splicing Beatles of different ages- including the elderly McCartney and Starr- into the picture. It’s a video worthy of the rambunctious early Beatles.

The Beatles certainly didn’t “let it be” as individual artists. The four Beatles made a mountain of solo releases over their lifetimes- and we’re still counting. Both McCartney and Starr continue to release music.

No, The Beatles are here to stay. Somehow, some way, their music will continue playing.

Those tiny voices I heard with my transistor radio glued to my ear when I was seven were hardly audible, yet they came in loud and clear. And in the 21st century, they’re still singing in someone’s ear right now.

A course of music and discussion created for Front Range Forum Fall 2024.

Notes and Play List by Tim Van Schmidt

Session 7- 1969

1969

While The Beatles had been busy recording edgy, even experimental, new stuff, showcased in 1968’s double album release “The Beatles,” their previous music was taking on a life of its own elsewhere.

Bands like The Bearcuts were copying them. The Hollyridge Strings were dabbing them with syrup. The Baroque Beatles Book dared to present The Beatles to a classical music listening audience. And in 1969, Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops gave The Beatles the full orchestra treatment. It’s easy listening music, but the strings in particular push that nice “And I Love Her” melody up front, building up to a full blast by the horns.

This is so far away from “Yer Blues” and “Helter Skelter.”

Play List: 1969 Arthur Fiedler and Boston Pops Play The Beatles- And I Love Her

Yellow Submarine

Not all was lost after The Beatles’ critical shellacking over the “Magical Mystery Tour” television special in 1967. In July 1968, another “Beatles” film project was released based on their upbeat and imaginative song “Yellow Submarine,” originally released in Europe on the “Revolver” LP. The movie was critically acclaimed for its colorful artwork and its peace-loving message. The soundtrack album, featuring six Beatles songs, was released in January 1969.

But besides the Beatles songs and a very brief moment with the four members of the band mugging around at the end of the film, the “Yellow Submarine” movie didn’t benefit much from the actual involvement in the project by The Beatles. After the “Magical Mystery Tour” flop, it could also be said that maybe the film benefitted from their lack of involvement.

“Yellow Submarine” was seen as a means to fulfill contractual obligations to United Artists and was directed by George Dunning, who had been involved with the Beatles cartoon series. But “Yellow Submarine” was much more “trippy” and would appeal to more mature fans than the TV series did. The film would become a popular “midnight movie” for years to come.

While “Yellow Submarine” seemed to be pure Beatles, it wasn’t. The voices of John, Paul, George and Ringo were actors aping their vocal intonations. The glib jokes and puns were allegedly written by a Liverpool poet.

Still, “Yellow Submarine” is an ambitious and watchable movie even more than 50 years later. A lot of it has to do with the artwork and especially the “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” sequence is mesmerizing.

With “Yellow Submarine,” the transformation of The Beatles into mythological characters that started with “Sgt. Pepper’s” was now complete. They could make a Beatles movie- an entertaining one- without using the real people. This is a very primitive version of what is now AI character creation.

As for the song itself, Starr was the perfect choice to sing “Yellow Submarine”- his everyman voice just worked. And once again, I saw this magic in play at Starr’s Denver show in 2023. The entire room was happily singing along to this funny, children’s song.

I have also sung the song with my young grandsons.

The record is an inoffensive, imaginative recording. Listen for all of the sound effects and voices used to help illustrate the song, turning this into a gently uplifting movie in itself.

Play List: 1969 Yellow Submarine- The Beatles (1966 Revolver, 1969 Yellow Submarine)

“Yellow Submarine,” as a soundtrack album, was not considered a true Beatles release. They were working on that.

The Beatles began 1969 by recording an album and shooting a film simultaneously. The material they were recording would be released in 1970 as “Let It Be,” the same name as the feature film that came out of the footage shot during their studio time.

According to all accounts- and to the evidence in the “Let It Be” movie, then later in the “Get Back” streaming specials- these were not happy times for The Beatles. They were disagreeing on music. They were disagreeing on direction. They were disagreeing on business. And their girlfriends were becoming a strong part of the equation.

The “Let It Be” project, wrought with emotional and artistic tension, became the final coda for the group. But not before The Beatles managed to record one last excellent album- “Abbey Road.” It ended up being released in 1969 before “Let It Be” was finished.

On “Abbey Road,” The Beatles once again showed their mastery of various musical genres, from hard rock to show tunes to an all ages romp to pop songs. It’s just a collection of fine tracks, much more disciplined and honed compared to what’s on “The White Album.” They dispensed with the self indulgent experiments and focused on making a good record. Once again, the construction of the album leant itself to continuous listening, similar to the pacing of “Sgt. Pepper’s,” without leaning so heavily on the mythmaking.

But wait- just look at the cover of “Abbey Road.” The Beatles are photographed crossing the road, each dressed in a different kind of outfit. Is Harrison a gravedigger in his work clothes? Is Starr a preacher in a black suit? And is Lennon an angel dressed in white? And what about “McCartney”- why is he barefoot, like he’s going to be buried or something? And that license plate on the VW in the background says “28IF”- did McCartney really die before he turned 28?

Such was The Beatles mythology in 1969- an urban legend that McCartney had been killed in an auto accident, supported by “evidence” deliberately planted by the group over several years and on several albums.

Is all the “evidence” just happenstance, or were The Beatles really smart enough to pull off this major hoax? So much for not leaning on mythology to keep things exciting.

“Abbey Road” opens with Lennon’s dark, simmering, medium tempo rocker “Come Together.” It’s good to hear that Lennon’s lyrical wit had not disappeared. Once again- what’s he saying? And again, it doesn’t matter if you just let the groove take over.

I saw an excellent version of “Come Together” performed live by Joe Cocker at Red Rocks, after he had contributed a recording of the tune to the soundtrack of the 2007 feature film “Across the Universe.”

Much of the artwork in upcoming videos came from “The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics 2,” edited by Alan Aldridge and containing all new quotes, art and lyrics.

Come Together- The Beatles (Abbey Road)

With a stately resolve George Harrison’s “Something” builds into a pretty emotional climax. It starts out calm, even and collected, but finally appeals with passion to that smoldering love. The strings arrangement is superfluous here because the song is already fine.

Play List: 1969 Something- The Beatles (Abbey Road)

“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is kind of a twisted little show tune. It’s misleading, the happy go lucky music juxtaposed to the fact that these little lyrical vignettes are about murder, plain and simple.

Maxwell’s Silver Hammer- The Beatles (Abbey Road)

Lennon’s raging love song for his wife, “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” is short on lyrics, but builds up a thick wall of electricity in its intensity. The smooth, fluid guitar solo helps calm things down a little at one point, but then the song just keeps rising and falling, finally stepping over an electric edge that just keeps circulating like a storm. It’s an epic recording.

Play List: 1969 I Want You (She’s So Heavy)- The Beatles (Abbey Road)

Once again, Harrison produces one of the best songs in the batch with “Here Comes the Sun,” this one simpler and more delicate than “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” And yes, that is a Moog synthesizer in the mix, one of the earliest uses of the instrument. The Moog also appears in the mixes for “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer,” “I Want You (She’s So Heavy),” and “Because.”

“Here Comes the Sun” truly invites celebration. I get it- my early years were spent in Illinois, where you waited for that springtime sun to warm things up. And what a glorious day it was when that happened. Plus, who doesn’t want to be assured that “it’s alright.”

Play List: 1969 Here Comes the Sun- The Beatles (Abbey Road)

And now begins one of the shiniest moments of The Beatles’ career- the great medley that winds up “Abbey Road” with a dizzying display of recording craftsmanship.

Apparently there were a number of Beatles song nuggets circulating that were skillfully spliced together into a tour de force of mixing and musical movement. It all starts with the songwriting skills of The Beatles. While this medley is perhaps made up of snippets of songs, they each remain memorable in and of themselves. That they are all part of an awesome musical progression that would cap The Beatles’ time as a band makes them all the more special.

It all starts with the lullaby-like opening of “You Never Give Me Your Money” but gets funky soon enough, propelled by some honky tonk piano, then piercing electric guitar. Finally, McCartney just rocks out. That’s all in one piece. The whole thing sounds like a medley in itself.

You Never Give Me Your Money- The Beatles (Abbey Road)

After the workout that is “You Never Give Me Your Money,” “Sun King” is soothing and shimmering. These are outstanding layers of vocal harmonies, even for The Beatles. The foreign language here is a smooth garbled mix of Italian and Spanish that just flows with the syrupy music. It’s another one of Lennon’s lyrical jokes.

Sun King- The Beatles (Abbey Road)

Like the hammer killer in “Maxwell,” Mean Mr. Mustard is a vivid character, and very unsavory. The Beatles still couldn’t resist poking fun at society in general.

Mean Mr. Mustard- The Beatles (Abbey Road)

And then boom- it’s all about Pam. That’s a great guitar solo after this gets underway and it propels things right into…

Polythene Pam- The Beatles (Abbey Road)

…some kind of hip slice of life.

She Came in Through the Bathroom Window- The Beatles (Abbey Road)

“Golden Slumbers” then brings it back down to a lullaby, but it eventually swells up with emotion again, this music not staying in any one place for long…then

Golden Slumbers- The Beatles (Abbey Road)

…it swings through a quick rousing sing-along by a chorus of men …horns bring back “You Never Give Me Your Money”…it goes back to the chorus…then

Carry That Weight- The Beatles (Abbey Road)

…things shift into a higher gear…Starr’s great and effective drum solo is irresistible, accented by guitar and wailing vocals. The Beatles still remembered how to rock.

But finally it is a sincere message that resonates the best- that “the love you take is equal to the love you make.” If this was the last line The Beatles uttered- and there’s a case for that, other than that little snippet “Her Majesty” at the very tail of the record– it was a good one.

The End- The Beatles (Abbey Road)

A course of music and discussion created for Front Range Forum Fall 2024.

Notes and Play List by Tim Van Schmidt

Session 6- 1968

1968

In 1968, The Beatles were looking for a direction- personally and as a band.

After creating their masterpiece album, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” in 1967, then “Magical Mystery Tour,” it was unclear where the group was going in the future.

Part of the confusion came with the news that The Beatles’ successful manager, Brian Epstein, died in August 1967. The band was already trying new directions and had received the news of Epstein’s death while on a retreat with Indian guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

In early 1968, the group and their entourage all decamped to India to undergo a three month “course” facilitated by the guru. As a result of their experiences, there was a creative bloom of songwriting. That would be the lasting legacy of their time in India as the guru, his teachings and even the food did not agree with the members of The Beatles. Accusations of sexual misconduct by the guru played a large part in their desire to move on.

The other major move by The Beatles in 1968 was the establishment of a self-generated business venture called Apple Corps. Without the guidance of a business man like Epstein, The Beatles took business into their own hands and bled money as they backed various projects and hired friends for positions perhaps better left to real professionals.

The White Album

Once again, the time spent in India paid off artistically, if not philosophically. The music that came from the group’s India experiment became the material for their 1968 double album release, “The Beatles” or as it is better known as “The White Album.” It was the first release on the new Apple Records label- and it sold millions of copies immediately upon being released in November 1968.

But something had happened to this happy-go-lucky group of loveable mop tops. While “The White Album” was a Beatles album, it was more of a showcase for each individual member, their tunes clearly distinct from one another. The Beatles were no longer a band as such, but more of an artistic conglomerate.

I clearly remember the release of “The White Album.” My oldest brother got the album for Christmas- one of the original releases with “The Beatles” embossed on the cover and a release serial number. Little did we know it, but those four nice color photos that were distributed with the album would say it all- they weren’t band portraits, but individual head shots.

But the strongest memory of “The White Album” came from being in the school band. One of the kids in the band got the album for Hanukah and brought it in to show our bandleader, who turned around and played the entire album for us as a holiday treat. No teacher had ever done that before in any of my other classes- thank you Mr. Shore- and it was eye-opening music.

For example, leave it to The Beatles to open an album with something controversial by bringing up the big bear in the room. That is, a song about living and loving in the USSR. “Back in the USSR” has a clever lyrical conceit- mentioning balalaikas and comrades.

This wasn’t Chuck Berry’s “Back in the U.S.A.” and it certainly wasn’t the Beach Boys’ “Surfin’ USA,” although there are certainly musical references to perhaps The Beatles’ biggest rivals on the charts in “USSR.” In many ways, it’s a big production parody. Whatever, it’s a rocker.

As an aside, I wanted to report that I learned something about this song just recently. Not having ever really studied the lyrics, I always thought that one line in the song went “on the way the paperback was on my knee”- I thought the guy was having trouble sleeping and had to read to keep amused. The real lyric though is about the “paper bag” being on his knee- namely the air sick bag. Now I get it when he says he had a “dreadful” flight- and I can even relate to that more than trying to read on a plane.

This is an example about how memory- especially when pop music is involved- can be tricky.

Play List:  Back in the USSR- The Beatles (The Beatles-White Album)

The Beatles had not yet abandoned experimenting with the psychedelic sound. “Dear Prudence” starts out intimate, but finally reaches for the skies in a flurry of sound. One of the interesting details about this recording is the way that Starr’s drum parts are recorded- you are practically inside that snare drum, it’s heavy on the treble part of the sound, so it really snaps, and the cymbals resonate with a bright flash.

Play List:  Dear Prudence- The Beatles (The Beatles-White Album)

As deep a recording as “Dear Prudence” is, “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” is just as light- it’s a sing-along. It’s more of just a fun dance hall tune- the keyboards sound just like a saloon piano. All throughout the song, there’s all kinds of laughter, adding to the festive feel of the song. But buried in the lyrics toward the end, there is some sexual orientation shape-shifting going on when Desmond puts on his makeup and “she” is a singer in the band.

Play List:  Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da- The Beatles (The Beatles-White Album)

It would be up to George Harrison to produce the most exciting track on “The White Album.” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” is a serious and riveting recording. Starr’s work on the high-hat cymbal helps underscore the rhythm in the beginning and layers of electric guitars create a thick environment for Harrison to muse about the fate of humanity. And that is one intense guitar solo- by guest artist Eric Clapton.

FYI- check out the popular YouTube video of a super group consisting of Tom Petty, Steve Winwood, Jeff Lynne and featuring Prince on just a scorching guitar solo, playing “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” at a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame gig. It’s an awesome cover.

Play List:   While My Guitar Gently Weeps- The Beatles (The Beatles-White Album)

“Happiness is a Warm Gun” is another one of those copyright prohibited songs from The Beatles’ catalog- and perhaps for good reason. It doesn’t make sense and it just doesn’t feel good- needing a fix and a gun. Who is Mother Superior? You may not want to know.

By the time the band gets to the chorus- voices raised in harmony while a rant describes the security of owning a firearm- you know you can’t take this seriously. It’s perhaps a hard-edged parody, but it is still ill advised. Like the snide tone of another tune on “The White Album,” George Harrison’s “Piggies,” the world has enough of that kind of stuff already.

Just the title “Happiness is a Warm Gun” could be misconstrued to be an endorsement of guns.

Happiness is a Warm Gun- The Beatles (The Beatles-White Album)

“Blackbird” is just the kind of balm the world needs in the face of war, anger and aggression. It’s a beautifully simple and soothing song to listen to. Once again, it’s an extra fine vocal performance by McCartney- warm and intimate. And the rhythm is carried by that bright acoustic guitar and some soft little pitty pats as a rhythm track. Love those bird calls.

Recently covered by Beyonce, “Blackbird” received 2024 media attention for being a comment about racial issues.

Play List:  Blackbird- The Beatles (The Beatles-White Album)

The Beatles had also not abandoned storytelling. “Rocky Racoon” is a cowboy movie, gritty and unsavory. The men are angry, women are fickle, jealousy is rampant and the doctor is drunk. There’s that saloon piano sound again and a little bit of harmonica, appropriate for a Wild West story. And who could guess that the most positive thing in the song would be that Gideon’s Bible?

Rocky Racoon- The Beatles (The Beatles-White Album)

“Don’t Pass Me By” is Starr’s turn. Despite the jaunty tempo, there’s something going sideways here. Someone hasn’t arrived when expected and then there’s that line about a car crash.

Hmmm, now wait, maybe that was the crash McCartney was killed in. Was Paul dead? After all, elsewhere on “The White Album,” on “Glass Onion,” Lennon sings “Well, here’s another clue for you all/The walrus was Paul.” The Walrus was dressed in a black suit! Probably just coincidence…

The fluid fiddle lines coming in and out of the mix on “Don’t Pass Me By” helps put this tune into solid country territory. Starr’s drums are once again recorded with an emphasis on the snappier sounds of the snare drum, offset by the pumping keyboards part.

Don’t Pass Me By- The Beatles (The Beatles-White Album)

Like “Blackbird,” “Julia” comes on like a balm. It’s an intimate, soothing love song with an oblique story to tell.

Julia- The Beatles (The Beatles-White Album)

The Beatles also still knew how to make a snappy single. “Birthday” may have not been a single release, but it is an effective recording doing everything right for an upbeat rock record. In a short amount of time- under three minutes- “Birthday” is a celebration that is very much electric- and certainly invites partying of the most raucous kind. That alone has given the song staying power over the years.

Starr’s simple yet very effective drum break helps build the tension up, in your face guitars rock while McCartney roughs his vocals up- ala Little Richard.

Birthday- The Beatles (The Beatles-White Album)

As much of a celebration as “Birthday” is, “Yer Blues” is as dark. It’s about pain and hits some strident tones. And how heinous- it gets so bad that Lennon- clearly the songwriter- comes to “even hate my rock and roll.” That first guitar solo is Lennon- the one that digs hard into the chording- and the second piercing brittle solo is Harrison. Listen for a lyrical reference to “Dylan’s Mr. Jones.”

Yer Blues- The Beatles (The Beatles-White Album)

McCartney can be tapped for writing some of the perhaps “lighter” material The Beatles recorded- especially heavy in melody, less strident in tempo and maybe lighter in the lyric department.

But there is nothing “light” about “Helter Skelter.” It’s right in your face with no holds barred heavy rock. It gets frenzied and aggressive, but just keeps plodding forward; it disintegrates, then returns in an intense electric flourish- tuning be damned. The Beatles went out on the edge with this one- apparently producing blisters.

“Helter Skelter” became particularly infamous in 1969 with its connection to the Charles Manson murders.

Helter Skelter- The Beatles (The Beatles-White Album)

“Revolution 1” is a slower version than the incendiary single release The Beatles put out in 1968, but it gets forceful in its own way. It’s a pretty big production, complete with horns and “shooby doo wah” vocals. It also takes the emphasis away from the words, somewhat blunting their meaning.

Revolution 1- The Beatles (The Beatles-White Album)

“Honey Pie” is in another world altogether- it’s a show tune, complete with retro orchestra parts. It’s truly the antithesis of “Helter Skelter” in its corn and relative innocence.

Honey Pie- The Beatles (The Beatles-White Album)

The fallout from “The White Album” was mixed. In some ways, this was a brilliant extension of The Beatles, delving deep into the personalities- as reflected by their songs- of each member. In other ways, it was a little sad because a group who often did things right- in a very big way in most cases- was clearly drifting apart. The songs on “The White Album” were challenging and rich, but they also signaled a kind of self-indulgence that spelled future doom for the band.

“Revolution 9” is perhaps the most self-indulgent track The Beatles ever produced. It’s not so much music as sound art and begs the question: why? It is a trailblazing track- dispensing with pop music altogether in favor of waves of found sound, backward tracks, random voices and instruments.

If this reflects a part of the drug experience, it is that part when the euphoria and wonder had given way to the chaos of the universe. It is the “musical” equivalent of the room starting to spin after just a little too much partying.

In some ways, this was one way The Beatles signaled their fans to back off in terms of their expectations of the group. There’s nothing about this that is connected to pop music- kind of like thumbing their noses at it all. If The Beatles wanted to make and release inscrutable sound art, they could do so, plain and simple.

Revolution 9- The Beatles (The Beatles-White Album)

A course of music and discussion created for Front Range Forum Fall 2024.

Notes and Play List by Tim Van Schmidt

Session 5- 1967

1967

There will always be superstars.

Contrary to what most celebrity stories try to infer, being a star- or superstars as The Beatles became- is not purely a result of the work of the artist.

Yes, artists may have talent, drive, ambition and desire, but if the commercial machinery set up to take advantage of stardom doesn’t pick them to be a star, chances are they won’t be. And there are always stars- it is what the entertainment industry in general sells consumers. If one artist doesn’t become a star, another one will.

The Beatles alone did not make their international stardom happen. But what is important here is what they did with it.

“Rubber Soul” in 1965 signaled a more focused style of songwriting and studio savviness. “Revolver” in 1966 showed what the group could do to test the outer limits of exactly what was a pop song, using flavorful combinations of sounds and epic lyrical flights of fancy.

In 1967, no band was more popular or generally respected as The Beatles and they responded by recording some of the most groundbreaking work of their career. Lucky for the music industry, if you promote the right artists, they will deliver.

Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

No longer touring, the writing and recording processes became everything for The Beatles in 1967 and that cleared the way for them to create their landmark album “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”

It’s a landmark because nobody in the rock music scene at that time had yet created a perfect album. That is, a full collection of songs that flowed along into each other, keeping the listener engaged throughout (especially if they were on LSD- that’s a joke, or maybe not…)

“Sgt. Pepper’s” was the album that made everybody else want to make albums. Even the photo shoot for the cover of “Sgt. Pepper’s” was in itself a storied event.

“Sgt. Pepper’s” wasn’t a “masterpiece” necessarily because the songs were thematically related, but because the recording artists knew exactly how to manipulate various forms of music to entertain and maintain the attention of the average rock music listener.

Like good DJs, The Beatles knew when to play a fast one, then a slow one, then a medium tempo one, a ragtime one here, a rocker there, some spaced-out psychedelic music and then some cinematic playmaking there. “Sgt Pepper’s” wasn’t just a collection of songs, it was a musical journey.

Since The Beatles weren’t playing out live anymore, it’s interesting that the album starts out with the introduction of a live band. But the stage was in your head and while the band was The Beatles, they were now mythical characters- and they arrived at Mount Olympus ready to rock.

Play List: “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”- (Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band)

What’s also interesting about the “Sgt Pepper’s” song is that when the lyrics introduce the singer, they hail “Billy Shears.” Is that just the random name for Ringo Starr’s alter ego in the following song- or is it the name of a Paul McCartney look alike slipped into the band because the real Paul McCartney was dead? Naw, that couldn’t be…

Ringo Starr was given the lead vocal for “With a Little Help From My Friends” and it was quite a gift. The song became one of the more meaningful Beatles songs over time largely thanks to the message even just the title conveys.

In 2023, I saw Starr perform the famous tune in Denver. It was the grand finale of an evening that covered Starr’s collection of Beatles songs. Everybody in the place knew the words and it was a massive, feel-good sing-along. That song has had real staying power.

BTW- besides the definitive version of “With a Little Help From My Friends” by The Beatles, I would recommend also listening to the version by Joe Cocker on the 1970 “Woodstock” soundtrack album- he reinvents it and intensifies it into an epic recording.

Play List: “With a Little Help From My Friends”- (Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band)

How could you listen to the “psychedelic” classic “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” and not think of drugs? I mean, listen to it- do these words or the music sound anything close to everyday normal?

The story goes it was inspired by a children’s drawing, but then again, the lyrics do contract down to LSD…In any case, the song did not conjure up the world as we know it, but as it was seen through rainbow colored glasses.

That was a big part of the appeal of “psychedelic” music- it was from someplace entirely different than everyday business. It was from someplace entirely different than standard pop music. It was curiously beautiful, strange and exciting all at once- kind of like an epic science fiction movie.

Another version of this song that I got to see performed live was by Elton John, with his classic big band- full lights and full energy included. John had recorded a version of the song in 1974 with a guest appearance by John Lennon and it hit number one. This was during a time when you were likely to hear an Elton John record on the radio anytime you turned it on. I saw John in Tempe, Arizona in 1975 and, in concert, “Lucy” was magnificent.

Play List: “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds”- (Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band)

The upbeat nature of the song “Getting Better” hardly overshadows the admissions that are included here. The lyrics outright admit domestic abuse and while the narrator has been changing his “scene,” the facts still remain. Despite the grand music, is this a person who can be trusted?

“Getting Better” is interesting in that this song is one of the several B-sides and other undesirable Beatles tunes that are not allowed to be used on YouTube. Another one is “Run For Your Life” from the “Rubber Soul” album- a song Lennon has said he hated. It’s an out-and-out threat of domestic abuse, even homicide.

These songs could be viewed as confronting certain misogynist attitudes, maybe mirroring attitudes that were prevalent in the day, but they still dive into dangerous territory from the modern perspective. Today, these songs probably wouldn’t get written, recorded or released. They certainly won’t be spread on YouTube even if they are part of The Beatles’ original catalog.

“Getting Better”- (Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band)

What, a Beatles track that starts out with a harp? Like “Eleanor Rigby,” “She’s Leaving Home” is another cinematic track telling the story of a young woman striking off to find her own future, leaving her elderly parents behind. This one is not as dark or poignant as “Eleanor Rigby” but tells a compelling story anyway.

This is not an uncommon story for young people then or even young people now, so the melancholy tone and the ultimate result- the woman finding a new direction while the parents break down in sorrow- still resonates today.

“She’s Leaving Home”- (Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band)

Meanwhile, back in Inner Space, George Harrison’s “Within You Without You” brings Indian folk music- filtered through the experience of English rockers- to the cornucopia of ear-catching sounds on “Sgt Pepper’s.”

Now, the sound of the sitar, tablas and other Indian instruments had come to represent experiences during drug trips and a lot of that had to do with their use in Beatles tracks.

Certainly, Indian sounding music had been a part of the drug exploration that was going on- drugs helping listeners to open up and appreciate otherwise foreign forms of music. But it is important to point out that traditional Indian music is complex and exacting and something entirely different from pop music and especially the drug culture.

“Within You Without You” breaks ground by framing the entire song in Indian musical traditions as well as with lyrics that try to find a spiritual center.  Harrison’s song was not just another trippy tune. In it, he ponders life’s meaning, asking what is truth, and how love could help save the world. These were deeper questions than the general themes of romance that pop music generally stuck with.

This is not really a surprise- The Beatles famously followed the guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi for a short time in 1967 and 1968, exploring Eastern philosophies.

Play List: “Within You Without You”- (Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band)

The next song on “Sgt Pepper’s,” “When I’m Sixty-Four” is something totally different. It’s a jaunty show tune, mellowed by the sound of a clarinet and a wry look at aging and longtime relationships.

This was something the youth movement of the 1960s did not particularly want to confront- growing old. If anything, the wild, frantic pace of most music of the day made it look like young people were running away from, not embracing maturity.

So here come The Beatles with a song that paints a picture of aging that may be a little sad in terms of what people end of settling for- compared to the whirling excitement of the contemporary culture- but is also heartwarming because it sounds really nice that partners take care of each other especially after the glow of youth has worn off. Can anyone here relate to this?

“When I’m Sixty-Four” inspired a brand new milestone for aging. At 16, you get your driver’s license. At 21 you can drink. Especially during the Sixties, at 30 you were no longer a kid- and maybe not worthy of trust- and at 40, a lot of the shine of youth is in the rear view mirror, so you hang up the black crepe paper.

At 64, you’re more clearly looking into the abyss while hopefully counting your blessings. I remember when I turned 64, I had to play the song, and I don’t think that was an original idea on my part.

“When I’m Sixty-Four”- (Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band)

Finally, “Sgt. Pepper’s” closes with “A Day in the Life,” another psychedelic era waking daydream. The arrangement of the song gets big, with a full orchestra weighing in- and it became famous for that mesmerizing ascending crescendo, achieving an effect worthy of any of the great classical composers.

But what’s this in the song about someone who dies in a car crash? Is that another reference to Paul McCartney being dead? No, it couldn’t be…

The musical bridge in the song- about the guy getting up for work in the morning- sounds like an entirely different song, suggesting Lennon’s dreamy verses were fused with a peppy McCartney melody in a kind of precursor to the tour de force medley recording on “Abbey Road’  later on.

BTW- “Sgt. Pepper’s” was the first rock record to win a Grammy for “Album of the Year.” If you listen intently to that final, massive chord stuck on the piano, turned up real loud, you can hear the creak of the piano stool right near the end.

Play List: “A Day in the Life”- (Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band)

Magical Mystery Tour

If “Sgt Pepper’s” was a musical journey, “Magical Mystery Tour” was its logical successor. The album was part of a larger concept that included filming a television special about a wild and crazy bus tour with a bunch of wild and crazy people- including The Beatles. But this wasn’t “wild and crazy” like “A Hard Day’s Night” was, this was wild and crazy as seen through the lens of 1960s experimental filmmaking gone wrong.

The television special bombed- The Beatles’ first film flop- and it truly has quite a bit of “rubbish” in it, as one critic put it. However, the “I Am the Walrus” and “Blue Jay Way” sequences are reasonable precursors to the modern music video even while couched in a bunch of half-baked filler.

One particular scene of note features the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band performing the song “Death Cab for Cutie,” spiced up with the antics of a professional stripper. The whole thing winds up with a big floor show piece to the tune “Your Mother Should Know.”

The music from “Magical Mystery Tour” was originally released as a two disk set of 45s, with six songs, packaged in a hard cover book format. The “Magical Mystery Tour” LP that was later released included the tunes recorded for the TV special with the addition of several recent singles. As a result, the “Magical Mystery Tour” album feels somewhat uneven when compared to the artistic success of “Sgt. Pepper’s.”

Still a lot of the recordings on “Magical Mystery Tour” just shimmer. It isn’t “Sgt Pepper’s,” it’s something else again, like finding a box full of silver coins.

Play List: “Magical Mystery Tour”- (Magical Mystery Tour)

Like “Nowhere Man”, “The Fool on the Hill” makes a social comment by describing a character who is not in step with the world. In fact, that is a little bit of the point- the “fool on the hill” is taking the time to appreciate his environment. Others may brand him a fool, but that doesn’t stop him from finding peace and beauty in the world.

Also like the Nowhere Man, the Fool on the Hill is not fleshed out- he could be anyone- and that begs the question- am I like that? Listen for the strong recorder and penny whistle parts in this arrangement.

Play List: “The Fool on the Hill”- (Magical Mystery Tour)

The relative coolness of “The Fool on the Hill” finds an instant juxtaposition with the peppy tune “Hello, Goodbye.” Like “Eight Days a Week,” “Hello, Goodbye” is based on a simple lyrical conceit- as basic as saying yes and no. While perhaps framed as comments about an uneven romantic relationship, “Hello, Goodbye” can also be read to challenge the rejection of new ideas and new ways of thinking.

Play List: “Hello, Goodbye”- (Magical Mystery Tour)

“Strawberry Fields Forever” is another strange gem. Again, the question comes up- what are these lyrics talking about? Maybe the answer is not so much “what” as “where.” Is “Strawberry Fields Forever” about a place? Maybe it’s a place in the mind. The song certainly is an exotic musical destination. Starr’s drumming in particularly drives the tune.

And wait a minute- at the very end of the recording, after the music gets turned backwards, does someone really say “I buried Paul?” No, it must be someone saying “cranberry sauce” like Lennon claimed.

And what about the “Magical Mystery Tour” album cover and booklet? Why is McCartney sitting at a desk with a sign that reads “I Was?” Is George Harrison sitting in a photo depicting a traffic accident scene? And why do the other Beatles have red flowers on their white tuxes, but McCartney has a black one? And who exactly is the walrus, dressed in black on the cover while the other “animals” are dressed in white? These are very compelling questions.

Play List: “Strawberry Fields Forever”- (Magical Mystery Tour)

“Penny Lane” is a bright and cheerful piece, again with cinematic qualities. You can really imagine some of these characters that pop in and out of the barber shop. It’s an idealized small town scene, with some sunshine peeking around the edges of the rain clouds. That’s a “piccolo trumpet” doing that impossibly high horn solo in the recording.

Play List: “Penny Lane”- (Magical Mystery Tour)

The timing was perfect. 1967 was “the summer of love” and not just because The Beatles said so in their rousing group sing-along “All You Need is Love.” The mantra of “love” was widespread regardless.

But when The Beatles talked- or sang as it were- young people listened and adopted the song as a generational anthem. Just the phrase- “All You Need is Love”- was meaningful in itself and has resonated to the present day. I saw a bumper sticker recently that said exactly that.

This is a good time to check in on the suspicion Peter, Paul and Mary levied against The Beatles- that they had the word “love” to sell you- in their 1967 single “I Dig Rock and Roll Music.” Indeed, “love” had become even a bigger “product” since The Beatles were writing those teenage love songs in the early 1960s. Were they part of, or even leaders, of a cultural movement or were they taking advantage of that movement?

Whatever the true answer to that question is could be debated, but the power of “All You Need is Love” is in its inclusiveness- it invites participation. It also echoes in the head and it’s not such a bad message to be playing there.

I have always thought it sad to hear the “she loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah” lyrics at the very end- the last time it would be sung by those boys. In just a few years, The Beatles went far beyond “yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Play List: “All You Need is Love”- (Magical Mystery Tour)

Now comes one of my favorite Beatles tracks of all time. The reason goes back to the “Revolver” album and the tune “Tomorrow Never Knows.” In the last session, I claimed that the track was especially alluring because it was something no one had ever heard before. The same is true for “I Am the Walrus.” It is a riveting recording.

This montage of musical sounds, found sounds, voices and nonsensical lyrics ties the creativity of 1967 all together into one brilliant daydream of rock.

What does it mean? Good luck figuring that out. In fact, don’t even try. Just let the flow of words and the jolting images pop out of the thick aural background and experience the song for what it is- a work of sound sculpture; a one and only piece of art.

Play List: “I Am the Walrus”- (Magical Mystery Tour)

A course of music and discussion created for Front Range Forum Fall 2024.

Notes and Play List by Tim Van Schmidt

Session 4- 1966

1966

It takes all kinds to make the world go around. That’s the lesson from this first tune in today’s session as the “cultural appropriation” of The Beatles’ music continued in 1966.

In 1964, the Bearcuts tried to become a carbon copy and, in 1965, the Baroque Beatles Book applied some true creativity to the music. In 1966, The Beatles’ music was turned into easy listening music by the Hollyridge Strings, an outfit that was making a nice cottage industry out of slathering syrup all over their songs by releasing several albums of Beatles covers.

What I mean by “easy listening” music is a style of record production that specifically takes all the rough edges off of the original song. No jangly guitars, beating drums or wailing vocals- just nice smooth arrangements you put on in the background and easily forget about. Call it “elevator” music or “muzak” or “grocery store” music, or whatever, it is music content to be more or less ignored.

It’s no surprise that The Beatles’ music could be adapted for an easy listening audience- they wrote melodies that were instantly recognizable and thoroughly memorable and that’s a big part of the work done right there. The rest is up to the arrangers. Here is The Hollyridge Strings’ version of “The Night Before.”

Play List: “The Night Before”- Hollyridge Strings (New Beatles Songbook)

Beatles singles were continuing to be released even as the shift toward producing LP albums was in full swing. “Paperback Writer” is a bright, energetic rocker that benefits greatly from the halt in the rhythm- to allow the vocals to build up the intensity of the “paperback writer” hook. The recurring guitar line then comes back in to kick start things back into gear.

FYI: A “hook” is a fragment of lyrics, maybe just a few words, or a distinctive instrumental figure that especially catches the listener’s ear. In this case, it is the repetition of the phrase “paperback writer.” How many times does it appear in the recording?

From this point on, a lot of the MP4s that I made for “The Creative Arc of The Beatles” include artwork from “The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics,” an ambitious project challenging a diverse selection of artists to visually depict one of The Beatles’ songs. The book was edited by Alan Aldridge, published by Dell in 1972, and I’ve used some artwork, lyrics and Beatles comments from the book to augment the songs.

Watch for John Lennon’s paperback book, “The Writing Beatle,” towards the end of this video- he was truly a paperback writer…kind of.

Play List: “Paperback Writer”

The first US album release of 1966 was “Yesterday and Today,” again collecting together stray singles, B sides and tracks left off of European releases for the American market- like the namesake tune here. “Yesterday” was originally released on the “Help!” LP in England, but became the headliner on “Yesterday and Today” in the US.

The album “Yesterday and Today” became controversial over the cover artwork. The initial release of the album featured The Beatles grinning in butcher coats with raw meat and dismembered baby dolls decorating the scene. The cover went into production- and was even distributed- but was recalled to be replaced by the more familiar image of The Beatles posing around a trunk.

The amazing thing was that Capitol Records pasted the new album artwork directly on top of the original “butcher” scene and created one of the most sought after of all Beatles collector’s items. Most of the records released in 1966 had just the new cover, but a few had both and it became a “holy grail” type goal to find one, steam off the top image to reveal the kind of shocking artwork underneath.

I found two of these collectibles in the mid-1970s in Santa Barbara, California. One was in the collection of a girlfriend in college. I pointed it out and she let me steam it, but she kept the final product. Then, a few months later, I found a copy at the Santa Barbara Swap Meet- and purchased it for 20 cents. I also steamed this one- and didn’t do a great job- but it’s mine.

No matter when “Yesterday” was originally released, it is an excellent recording. McCartney has a beautiful voice and it is a beautiful song- again dispelling the idea that The Beatles weren’t serious songwriters. The string arrangement goes a long way to lift the song up. Was this even pop music anymore? And why do the strings in “Yesterday” seem more artistic than those in the Hollyridge Strings’ music?

“Yesterday”- (Yesterday…and Today)

Almost like comic relief, Ringo Starr’s feature moment on “Yesterday and Today” is truly cinematic. The character in the jaunty “Act Naturally” even claims he’s going to be in the movies. Talk about country influences- the song was first a hit for Buck Owens in 1963 and has that skiffle feel.

“Act Naturally”- (Yesterday…and Today)

Talk about uneven. Album releases like “Yesterday and Today” ignored the idea of a sculpted album release. This next track is so shiny and clean compared to the country corn of “Act Naturally.”

There’s a good message here- about working things out and trying to find something to agree on. In a relationship, that can be tricky.

The other message in “We Can Work It Out”- “life is very short”- comes on strong and recalls the intention of “Nowhere Man” to wake listeners up.

Musically, the accordion gives the tune a unique flavor for a pop record. The Beatles- and George Martin- knew what they were doing using a diversity of musical sounds to spice things up.

Play List: “We Can Work It Out”- (Yesterday…and Today)

“Day Tripper” is another rocker- and another tune that questions the loyalty of a mate. The tambourine figures prominently in the mix again, but it is the repeating guitar riff that makes the song pop.

Play List: “Day Tripper”- (Yesterday…and Today)

Now, back to the new Beatles output. In 1966, the new music by the band was the album “Revolver.” Where “Rubber Soul” signaled a sea change for The Beatles, “Revolver” had them sailing far and wide- distancing themselves from the “She Loves You” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand” days to find new musical territory.

Some of that new territory was politics. George Harrison’s song “Taxman” is more than just social comment, it’s political, even naming some of the politicians of the day. And the tune is none too subtle either.

Besides the fact that it is difficult to write a listenable song about taxes, the instrumental element that stands out on “Taxman” is the “psychedelic” guitar break.

“Psychedelic” initially refers to the experience of taking psychedelic drugs, but it also refers to a particular musical style that mimics the intensity of a drug experience by enhancing the intensity of the sound with electric instruments, particularly a guitar. These elements come on strong and “Revolver” is singed all the way around with psychedelic touches.

Play List: “Taxman”- (Revolver)

From psychedelia to chamber music- “Eleanor Rigby” is a movie in itself, creating characters and situations with lyrical panache. It’s a tragedy, operatic in nature perhaps. Again, strings are featured prominently in this recording and the question comes up again- is this pop music or an art song?

Play List: “Eleanor Rigby”- (Revolver)

As dark as “Eleanor Rigby” is, “Good Day Sunshine” is certainly bright. It’s a trifle, really- even sounding like an old time vaudeville stage tune, the roll of the piano offsetting the vocal refrain.

“Good Day Sunshine”- (Revolver)

Then, “Revolver” dips back into psychedelia with “Tomorrow Never Knows.” No, not just psychedelia, but even further out somehow- out in outer space. This is a new type of recording- all electric, all composed in a studio, blending treated tracks to achieve a sound no one else had created yet, much less made a song out of. It’s enchanting, mesmerizing and draws you into a whole other world for three minutes.

I saw John Lennon’s son Sean Lennon perform this song twice- once at Red Rocks and once at the Boulder Theater. Lennon was recording and touring with Les Claypool in a group called the Claypool Lennon Delirium. Especially at Red Rocks, it was a little like hearing John perform and amazing to hear played live in the 21st Century.

Play List: “Tomorrow Never Knows”- (Revolver)

1966 would be another pivotal year in The Beatles’ career in that the decision was made to stop touring. The Beatles’ final live concert was held in August 1966 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

It’s no wonder they decided to quit- there seemed to be chaos everywhere they went. When visiting the Philippines in 1966, The Beatles started a riot when they turned down an invitation to a state event. They had to use bad equipment, inadequate for playing ever bigger venues. And then there was that damn screaming from their fans- overpowering everything.

It begs a question- if The Beatles could have had all the modern technology that artists like Taylor Swift have today, wouldn’t they have been great in concert?

In 1966, it wasn’t so great- even if they were trying out groundbreaking monitor systems on stage. Added to this, the group was recording more complicated material that was not so easy to reproduce on stage.

The next two recordings come from an album I collected in the 1970s, “The Beatles Live On Stage in Japan,” boasting “the finest live Beatle album in existence.” The next line is telling- “Stolen from Brian Epstein’s personal library.”

For “The Creative Arc of The Beatles,” I simply recorded each side of the record, to give a feel of a real live show.  The “finest” quality here does not particularly live up to the “At the Hollywood Bowl” recordings which were released some years after I collected the Japan record. However, this is a pretty good document of what The Beatles sounded like at the end of their touring career- it comes from a 10 day tour of West Germany, Japan and Philippines, June 24-July 4- a little less than two months before the final show on August 29 in San Francisco.

The tunes on Side One are:

Rock and Roll Music

She is a Woman

If I Needed Someone

Day Tripper

Baby’s in Black

I Feel Fine

Here’re some blow-by-blow notes:

Crowd noise…old reliable Chuck Berry tune…then a professional move- the band kicks right into “She is a Woman” and immediately turns the flame higher. McCartney does his best to be a rabble rouser in this one…then he tries to communicate with the crowd…Harrison’s turn at the mike. Unfortunately his voice on “If I Needed Someone” is a little flat. The harmony vocals are there, even impressive, but Harrison’s are a little spotty…John speaks, even indulges in some gibberish…The familiar guitar riff goes a long way towards launching “Day Tripper,” but it isn’t until intense vocal break in the song that things catch fire…An interesting shift to the country flavored “Baby’s in Black”- nice attempt at maintaining those great harmony vocals- but I’m not sure the band is all on the same page throughout…Finally, they do a pretty good job of replicating “I Feel Fine.”

The music on both of these recordings is augmented by images from The Beatles’ 1964 tour booklet. Keep a sharp eye out for the handwritten notes on some of the pages- the teenage owner of the book wrote the set list and the exact times of The Beatles show they saw on September 6, 1964.

The Beatles Live On Stage in Japan- Side One

The tunes on Side Two

Yesterday

I Wanna Be Your Man

Nowhere Man

Paperback Writer

I’m Down

Blow-by-blow notes:

Harrison introduces “Yesterday.” This is an interesting recording because the original was done without the band- just McCartney and George Martin. This version indicates what the group would have done with it had they all been involved…Now Starr’s moment with a revved-up Hamburg-like version of “I Wanna Be Your Man,” more relying on energy than musical exactness. There is a brief slide guitar solo buried in there somewhere…Lennon again, introducing “Nowhere Man.” This highlights the fact that The Beatles’ songs were getting more textured, something exciting when working in the studio, but challenging to reproduce on stage. It’s great to hear this song played live- but did they succeed musically?…”Paperback Writer” puts the event back on track and this version features some real rocking. The band does a great job at weaving in the more or less complicated harmony lines of the original. So what if the lead vocal gets buried a little- that’s show business…McCartney: gotta go…McCartney pulls out his shredded rock and roll voice- a product of listening to Little Richard?- and for just a second, The Beatles are those four fellows who started as a rock and roll cover band on the nightclub stages of Hamburg and Liverpool. Sound be damned- let’s have some fun.

Play List: The Beatles Live On Stage in Japan Side Two

A course of music and discussion created for Front Range Forum Fall 2024.

Notes and Play List by Tim Van Schmidt

Session 3- 1965

1965

England knew they had something good going with the success of The Beatles. They were, along with many of the other “British Invasion” groups that also found success, England’s biggest cultural export of the 20th Century. Queen Elizabeth II recognized that when she awarded all four Beatles membership to the Order of the British Empire (MBE), an honor usually reserved for military and civic leaders. Of course, this created a controversy.

And it was from one extreme to another for the group in 1965. On the one hand, they were being honored by the British monarchy and on the other they were being “honored” as characters in the first Saturday morning cartoon show to be based on real people.

Meanwhile, the rip-offs of The Beatles’ music- like The Bearcuts’ version of “She Loves You”- continued in 1965. Were they rip offs, or were they inspired music?

The versatility of The Beatles music- especially their gift for distinctive melodies- leant itself to reinterpretation in a number of ways.

The first tune of this session is one of those reinterpretations- a combination of The Beatles songs “Hide Your Love Away” and “Ticket to Ride,” recorded in a Baroque classical music style from “The Baroque Beatles Book” album. It’s not too bad- it maintains a peppy tempo and they handle the basic repetition of the verse-chorus-verse-chorus format with some inventive arranging.

Play List: “Hide Your Love Away-Ticket to Ride”- Baroque Beatles Book

There are some more savory Everly Brothers style vocal harmonies in this next tune, and more than a little country flavor. “Baby’s in Black” comes from “Beatles ’65,” which was actually released in December 1964 just in time for holiday gift-giving.

“Baby’s in Black”- (Beatles ‘65)

“I Feel Fine” is next and it begins with a little bit of guitar feedback, but my money is on Ringo Starr’s flavorful drumming for what makes this tune cook.

Play List: “I Feel Fine”- (Beatles ’65)

“I’m a Loser” is a new sign that The Beatles were maturing as songwriters. This song creates a character who tells his story. He’s down-and-out and not exactly someone you would expect to hear about from worldwide superstars. This recalls the poor fellow who lost his love in the Everly Brothers’ “Bye Bye Love.” Add in some nice thick harmonica and some country flavored guitar work for musical spice.

“I’m a Loser”- (Beatles ’65)

Just as the “rip offs” of Beatles music continued, so did the commercial squeeze for extra album releases. Enter the next 1965 album release, “The Early Beatles,” a Capitol Records release that caught them up to date on the tunes originally released on the Vee-Jay Records album, “Introducing…The Beatles.”

One fairly tuneful gem on “The Early Beatles” is “Do You Want to Know a Secret” that plays with some light Latin rhythms and some doo wop style vocal accents. A couple of questions come up: Does the romantic intent of this song sound sincere? Were Peter, Paul and Mary right about The Beatles shoveling out love songs to keep selling?

“Do You Want to Know a Secret”- (The Early Beatles)

This next song comes from “Beatles VI,” the next 1965 Beatles album released in America- and it surprised me. “Bad Boy” is a Larry Williams song that talks up the rock and roll bad boy image and I realized that I had never listened to it before. I thought I had heard everything by The Beatles but apparently not. Even I, a self-taught Beatles expert, have more to learn. While “Bad Boy” is also not the most convincing song, I think it appeals to The Beatles’ sense that they were, at the core, rock and rollers.

“Bad Boy”- (Beatles VI)

Here’s the other Larry Williams song The Beatles recorded- “Dizzy Miss Lizzie”- that was also released on “Beatles VI.” It gives Lennon license to torch his voice at key times. It sounds just like something they would play to whip up the crowd when they were on stage in Hamburg. It was also the last cover song The Beatles included on an album.

“Dizzy Miss Lizzie”- (Beatles VI)

Meanwhile, “Beatles VI” also featured “Eight Days a Week,” a shiny pop single masterpiece with an easy tempo and some key close harmonies. The title is clever. It calls to mind one of the endearing parts of country music- that extra turn of a phrase that sticks in the memory.

Play List: “Eight Days a Week”- (Beatles VI)

Then there was touring. The Beatles were back on tour in 1965 and they were including more of their own tunes in the set list. Their biggest show would be the famous Shea Stadium concert in New York. Back at the Hollywood Bowl, The Beatles played a pretty great version of “A Hard Day’s Night”- not necessarily an easy one to pull off on stage. The performance is right on and they make some good synched in vocal harmonies.

“A Hard Day’s Night”- (At the Hollywood Bowl)

The Beatles movies were working their magic. Their new movie in 1965 was “Help”- a comedy spy spoof. Here’s an exciting version of the title song from the Hollywood Bowl recordings. Listen to Lennon kind of crack up towards the end of the track, I would guess at all the screaming.

“Help”- (At the Hollywood Bowl)

In preparing for “The Creative Arc of The Beatles” I encountered some difficulty in recording Beatles tracks directly from the vinyl. Vinyl is supposed to be better, but maybe not with my recording gear.

I’m going to play my “first take” of the next track, “Ticket to Ride,” which inadvertently mutes a part of the music, especially the rhythm guitar parts. However, I thought I would include it because it offers the opportunity to hear just how close and synched in the harmony vocals are, especially when not overshadowed by the guitar.

Play List: “Ticket to Ride”- (Help) Vinyl

Here’s the digital version which features all of the tracks. It sounds that much fuller and more balanced in general.

Play List: “Ticket to Ride”- (Help) Digital

Like “I’m a Loser”, the next song reveals more insecurity and introspection by the narrator. Musically, one of the strongest elements on “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away” is the addition of a tambourine as the main time keeper- it’s simple and very effective, especially given the more acoustic nature of the song. The lead vocals sound a lot like Bob Dylan- after all, they did meet the previous year and The Beatles were musical sponges. There’s an inventive woodwinds finale on this tune, no doubt thanks to George Martin.

Play List: “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away”- (Help)

“Help” is another interesting song, like “I’m a Loser”  and “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away,” in that the “protagonist” admits some kind of personal weakness. However, the music is anything but weak. Here the jangle of the acoustic guitar helps propel things while electric guitar lines come in and out. This is an excellent example of expert “mixing.”

In big time recording, music is usually made in pieces- the guitar part is recorded separately from the vocal part which is recorded separately from the drums and so on. “Mixing” is the part of the project that brings those “tracks” into a finely balanced total sound- and offers the opportunity to make sounds come in and out of the “mix.” While the music may sound seamless, it is actually made up of lots of pieces, manipulated by the engineers and producers.

In the old days, like when The Beatles were recording their stuff, they used big thick magnetic tape on which they could record over and over again, multiple times. Now mixing is a lot about putting together layers of digital files.

FYI- The word “tracks” is used here to identify the various elements of recording that are mixed together, but it is also used elsewhere to talk about the bands of music on a vinyl album, each song being a “track” on the album.

Play List: “Help”- (Help)

Almost universally, The Beatles’ next album from 1965, “Rubber Soul,” is acknowledged as a breakthrough for the group. The songwriting makes a leap of quality and the recording project starts approaching art. But then again, there are lyrics like “Beep Beep, Beep Beep, Yeah”- at this point who else could get away with that? Listen for a nice slide guitar solo by Harrison on “Drive My Car.”

Play List: “Drive My Car”- (Rubber Soul)

So let’s talk about drugs. According to legend, The Beatles experienced LSD for the first time in 1965- allegedly slipped into their coffee at a dinner party. Marijuana also became a regular thing for The Beatles during their creative process. This might partially explain the sudden leap of artistic intent in their music. While drugs were an artificial means, they nonetheless were a source of inspiration, allowing a more intense focus inwards- a good place to go for artists of any kind.

Still, the drug use was not a widely accepted practice yet. The Beatles met one of their main influences- Elvis Presley- while on tour in 1965 and later he would call out the band for drug use and “anti-Americanism.”

The next track is another mini movie song- the “narrator” weaves a story about a relationship by revealing his girlfriend’s character. It can be a subject for conversation about how this ends up- it’s none too kind in a way.

The instrumental break here highlights the fact that the recording studio was becoming The Beatles’ main aesthetic palette. George Martin certainly had a lot to do with that. These would have been exciting times in the recording studio, the ideas flying.

Play List: “Girl”- (Rubber Soul)

Next is an often-covered song, a lot because its heartfelt lyrics are seriously truthful, melancholy and sentimental. “In My Life” erases a lot of the question of just how sincere The Beatles were as artists. This was not teeny-bopper stuff, but a serious introspection that can only come from living and learning. This was not aimed at teenage girls, but was something that could touch a much broader range of ages and musical tastes. It’s a song meant to stick around.

Listen for the harpsichord-sounding break, definitely another Martin touch. Only three years earlier, The Beatles certainly weren’t making music with a harpsichord.

Play List: “In My Life”- (Rubber Soul)

It’s back to romance with the next track. “Michelle” has a nice easy tempo, it’s melodic, the use of French lyrics makes it a little more exotic, and there are gorgeous layers of backing vocals. Let’s also say that McCartney’s lead vocal track is a showcase of pop singing- he’s got a beautiful voice. It’s not so much about lyrics here, it’s about the performance.

Play List: “Michelle”- (Rubber Soul)

There’s more cinematic-like storyline in the next piece- apparently about a one night hook up. It’s not entirely explicit, but believable enough.

The big groundbreaking element in the “Norwegian Wood” recording is the use of the sitar, chiming in the background and featured in the instrumental response to the vocals. It’s also another great spread of the tracks. Perhaps it’s no longer necessary to point that out. The Beatles’ music from here on out would continue to use top-notch technology to enhance their songs.

Play List: “Norwegian Wood”- (Rubber Soul)

The final track for this session is perhaps the first Beatles tune that could be tagged for social consciousness. “Nowhere Man” is aimed at social conditions, how people run their lives and how they see others. The song reflects some youth culture wisdom- challenging perhaps older and less active people to wake up and live a little. “Nowhere Man” goes beyond introspection, turning the lens around to analyze others. Again, there are nice chunks of backup vocals here, heavily layered.

Play List: “Nowhere Man”- (Rubber Soul)

A course of music and discussion created for Front Range Forum Fall 2024.

Notes and Play List by Tim Van Schmidt

Session 2: 1963-1964

1963

Here are some personal questions to begin this session with:

Where were you in 1963?

Or

What is your first memory of The Beatles?

I was 7 years old in 1963 and living in a small town in northern Illinois. Harvard called itself “The Milk Center of the World,” located some 60 miles to the west of Chicago.

My first memory of The Beatles comes from a little sneaking around late at night. My two brothers and I all shared one bedroom and one night, after they had fallen asleep, I dared to turn on my little transistor radio to listen to music. I had my ear glued to the little radio’s speaker and had the volume turned down to almost nothing in fear of getting caught. The radio was tuned to the big Midwestern radio station in Chicago, WLS. Then “She Loves You” came on and I remember feeling like I was really experiencing something new and lively- while everyone else was sleeping.

The Record Release Mess

The third song that The Beatles recorded with George Martin in 1962 was “Please Please Me,” which became their first hit of 1963.

Now, here is where tracing The Beatles’ song history gets dicey. What was happening in the United Kingdom and Europe in terms of releases by The Beatles in 1963 was not what was going on in the United States. The Beatles just weren’t cooking as fast in America as they were at home.

In England, The Beatles released multiple singles and two albums in 1963. In the United States, there were only singles, released at first by a myriad of record companies. The big fish, Capitol Records, was slow to get on board with The Beatles and the band’s first American releases were not particularly coordinated. That would soon change, though, when the money started rolling in.

This was the first problem I had preparing for this course- unraveling the complex details of Beatles record releases worldwide. Finally, I decided to base “The Creative Arc of The Beatles” on how the records were experienced in the U.S., despite the fact that things started out differently on their home turf.

The Singles

In the 1950s and early 1960s, the predominant music product that was being purchased was the “45”- a 7 inch 45 RPM vinyl record that generally had one song on each side. “Singles” as they were called at the time were also the main form used by radio stations- when radio was still a literally hands-on industry.

Radio and singles were the driving forces of the music industry in 1963, while long playing albums, or LPs- at 33 1/3 RPM- were just starting to be more than just Broadway soundtracks, jazz or collections of pop hit singles.

Television also had a huge impact on the success of commercial music. Then there were concerts and personal appearances that helped attract more media attention besides selling tickets and stoking up the fans.

The pop music cycle then went something like this- acquire a good song (not everybody was a songwriter yet), record a single, get it played on the radio, get television exposure, go out touring, and release an album later on if the artist was lucky enough to have more than one hit.

One admirable part of singles production was that each “A side” of a 45- the piece intended to be the hit- were usually artworks in themselves. With songs clocking in usually at under three minutes, there was no time to waste- and artists really didn’t know if they would ever get to record again. So the songs had to be catchy and the performances had to be convincing.

The Beatles churned out lots of singles with so many of them becoming hits that just about everything they released sold well. The more they sold, the more they got to record and The Beatles became masters of singles production. Interestingly, only a few years later they were also groundbreakers when the emphasis turned to recording full LPs instead of just singles.

Here’s that first single of 1963, “Please Please Me”. Notice the tune features a strong harmonica part as a kind of signature sound, like “Love Me Do.” The perspective in this song is kind of unique for pop music- one of a lover trying to light a fire under his partner, challenging her to equal his “love”- and it’s a little aggressive. This is recorded from the original Vee-Jay single.

Play List: “Please Please Me”

That harmonica sound appears again in the introduction of the next tune- “From Me To You.” Also, listen for the little “oooooo” vocal accents thrown in a couple of times. That’s another signature sound of the early Beatles records.

Play List: “From Me to You”

There are more touches of harmonica in the next song, “Thank You Girl,” a definite “B-side.” It’s really kind of a dumb song, perhaps trying to answer a particularly baffling question: what does a teenage girl want to hear? Notice the little bit of studio trickery at the end of the recording-. There’s some extra reverb, or echo enhancement, on the vocals. Still, the tune didn’t make it into later Beatles collections.

“Thank You Girl”

Next is the tune I stayed up late to hear in 1963. It, of course, features the new Beatles signature sound- the “yeah, yeah, yeah” refrain, echoed by a short guitar strum- as well as that little “oooo.” The song comes from another different perspective- a guy telling his buddy to wake up to what he has.  This one originally came out on the Swan label. Notice the message on the label: “Don’t Drop Out.”

By this time, in preparing for “The Creative Arc of The Beatles,” I figured out that making files from the original 45s did not offer the best quality sound, so from here on, whenever I could, I used digital versions of the songs, many of the recordings coming from the great four CD set “The Beatles 1962-1966” and “The Beatles 1967-1970.”

Play List: “She Loves You“

“I’ll Get You” is another Beatles “B side.” There’s some more harmonica in there and the vocal hook, “oh yeah,” is perhaps another version of the “yeah, yeah, yeah” refrain. And it’s another dumb song. This one also did not appear in the greatest hits package. It illustrates that The Beatles didn’t hit home runs all of the time.

“I’ll Get You”

Next is the big hit- next to “She Loves You”- that brought The Beatles international success- “I Want To Hold Your Hand.” Another simple yet effective sound effect here is the use of hand claps to emphasize the rhythm. The picture sleeve for the single has an interesting detail- McCartney is holding a cigarette in his hand (not his girlfriend’s hand.) I’m not sure that photo would be used today.

Play List: “I Want to Hold Your Hand”

Next is what seems to be another nod to primarily vocal music, offset by the electric guitar strumming. “This Boy” is not rock and roll, illustrating The Beatles had it in mind to spread their sound out wider. Besides, every set needs a slow dance tune.

Play List: “This Boy”

Now, in case anyone thought The Beatles were no longer a rock and roll band- here’s that great Chuck Berry tune The Beatles were speeding through during their Hamburg sets. The guitar introduction is a little awkward in the beginning but there’s a pretty good solo by the time this thing gets rolling.

Play List: “Roll Over Beethoven”

While The Beatles were writing some of their own tunes, they were also leaning on cover tunes to help meet the demand for new music. The next recording is a cover of the 1961 Marvelettes hit, “Please Mr. Postman.”

“Please, Mr. Postman”

Next is the single version of “I Saw Her Standing There” and it’s not too far off of the version on the Hamburg record. Once again, here’s a tune that underscores that The Beatles knew how to rock.

As a kid, one of the first 45s I bought was “I Want to Hold Your Hand” with “I Saw Her Standing There” on the flip side. I played that side nonstop- it was just fun. And truthfully, I had no interest in holding any girl’s hand at that point, but dancing was something I could understand.

Here the vocal signature “ooooh” works a lot like the “ooooo” on previous records showcasing that The Beatles had certainly developed themselves a nice little bag of tricks. This tune cooks- it even has a decent guitar solo, a little bit of Little Richard-like vocals, and the squeezed emphasis on the word “mine” just adds to the musical tension.

Play List: “I Saw Her Standing There”

1964

1964 started off in January with the release of the first Beatles album in the United States- “Introducing…The Beatles” on the Vee-Jay Records label. This would pre-date the first Capitol Records album, “Meet The Beatles,” by a little more than a week. From that point onwards, Capitol had the monopoly on US releases.

By this time, everybody wanted a piece of The Beatles. That included copycat bands trying to make a buck off of the band’s intense popularity. Here’s a version of “She Loves You” by “The Bearcuts.” It’s a pretty close reading of the song, but a real fan can hear there’s something not quite right about it. Even if the track was “Recorded in London, England” like the cover advertises, it’s kind of flat and lacks that certain energy The Beatles were so good at providing.

Play List: “She Loves You”- The Bearcuts

Media attention was also at a peak in 1964- everybody wanted to interview The Beatles while they were on tour, including LA DJ Tom Clay.

There’s a story that goes along with this next recording- a 45 release of Clay’s interview. Clay not only covered The Beatles when they were in town, but also promoted his own Beatles fan club called the IBBB- The International Beatle Booster Boobie Club. On-air, he encouraged listeners to send in $1 for which he promised to send club material and “personal items of The Beatles.” Apparently not many received personal items, but some received such items as used tissues and cigarette butts. The money came in and the story goes that Clay skipped town with the cash and took up DJing elsewhere.

Here’s Clay interviewing Starr and Harrison about their fame.

Play List: Selection from Beatles Interview by Tom Clay

In the short time that The Beatles had been on the scene, a Beatles mythology was quickly developing around the four “mop tops,” as they were sometimes called. The Beatles mythology also included two very important figures, the first being the band’s savvy manager Brian Epstein.

Epstein had been compelled to seek out The Beatles after requests for their records started coming in to his family’s record shop in Liverpool. According to the mythology, he saw their potential right away, cleaned them up and started shopping them around.

In 1964, along with all the album releases that were going to inundate the record buying public, Capitol Records also released a double album titled “The Beatles’ Story,” which aimed at defining The Beatles mythology with “a narrative and musical biography of Beatlemania.”

Here’s the “narrative” on Epstein from that two record set:

Play List: Brian Epstein (The Beatles Story)

The other half of The Beatles’ indispensible team, according to “The Beatles’ Story,” is producer George Martin, credited with helping craft the group’s successful recordings. This narrative on Martin also includes the additional idea that Capitol Records, with their “master plan” for marketing The Beatles, were also part of the band’s success story.

Play List: George Martin (The Beatles Story)

Still, despite the creative boon commercial success brought, when The Beatles were on tour- and when they weren’t recording, they were touring- they were still playing cover tunes. Here’s the original recording of a song the group often included in their live show- The Shirelles’ 1960 hit “Boys.”

Play List: “Boys”- The Shirelles 1960

The Beatles took “Boys” and made it a feature moment for Starr in their live shows, with Ringo taking over lead vocals while still handling the drum kit.

The next recording comes from “At the Hollywood Bowl,” released originally in 1977, featuring tracks from shows in 1964 and 1965. The recordings were made initially to be a Beatles live album, but the quality was deemed insufficient at the time and was initially shelved. It later came out more as a document of The Beatles on stage than as an official release. The recordings are certainly better than the ones on the “Live in Hamburg” album. Here’s Ringo performing “Boys.”

“Boys” (At the Hollywood Bowl)

Next is a Beatles original from that “At the Hollywood Bowl” album. “Things We Said Today” is an interesting recording in that it is not one of their top hits and is even a little sedate in comparison to something like “I Saw Her Standing There.” There are times as the song progresses on the recording that the screaming dies down and you can actually hear the performers. But then every time McCartney interjects an energetic “hey” into the mix, the girls burst out screaming anyway. Still, this tune is a signal that The Beatles were turning to a more complicated and richer type of songwriting.

“Things We Said Today” (At the Hollywood Bowl)

Finally, Capitol Records’ “master plan” kicked off in 1964 with “Meet The Beatles,” the record most people in America knew as their first album. The cover features that iconic black and white photo of the four, their faces popping out of the dark background, their left side still in the shadows.

There’re a lot “yeahs” in this next tune from “Meet The Beatles.” The chorus in “It Won’t Be Long” works a classic call and response conceit. There’s even a little trademark “oooo” at the end of the track.

“It Won’t Be Long” (Meet the Beatles)

The next track from “Meet The Beatles” showcases The Beatles’ ability to craft an ear-worm worthy melody- it just sticks with you. “All My Loving” also features a funky, country-style guitar break and some strong Everly Brothers style vocal harmonies come on strong for the song’s finale.

Play List: “All My Loving” (Meet the Beatles)

Next is another cover song, this one included on “The Beatles’ Second Album.” “Money (That’s What I Want)” was the first hit single released by Tamla Records in 1959, originally performed by Barrett Strong.

This Beatles track is included here because it is an aggressive piece of work and has an attitude that could certainly be described as cynical. And this particular cut may very well play into Peter, Paul and Mary’s take on the commercial avariciousness of The Beatles. Somehow it stands out as not really being in line with the relatively clean, romantic and fun image The Beatles mythology was promoting. If you want to hear a really harrowing version of this tune, listen to Lennon perform the song again on his “Live Peace in Toronto” album from 1969.

“Money (That’s What I Want)” (Second Album)

So, what else can you do with wildly popular musicians like The Beatles? Why, put them on the silver screen, of course. This is what happened with Elvis Presley in the 1950s- as soon as his records broke nationally, he started making movies. Although The Beatles seemed to be breaking that mold- they didn’t really need to make movies to enhance their popularity- but then again, why not?

It stands to reason that entertainers would consider the jump to movies as the ultimate step- movie stars had been the most popular celebrities in the world for decades. Musicians, while popular, had not yet achieved celebrity status of that magnitude yet- that is until Elvis came along, then The Beatles.

Musicians had an extra added allure, especially once rock and roll was established. That is, that fans could actually go to a concert and see and hear their favorites play live. This was something new and beyond the Mount Olympus type standing movie stars enjoyed.

1964 saw the release of not only a mountain of records but also The Beatles’ first feature film, “A Hard Day’s Night.” It was a mock-documentary about the way The Beatles handled their intense popularity. It was a comedy, in keeping with the goofy and flippant image The Beatles fostered, especially during press conferences.

Here’s the title song- a rocker that starts out with a strong guitar chord, then steamrolls along mightily. Listen to that fine receding guitar part at the end, adding a touch of class.

And ooops- the soundtrack album for “A Hard Day’s Night” was released on the United Artists label, who had been savvy enough to sign The Beatles to a movie/soundtrack contract while Capitol was still asleep at the switch. This was certainly a glitch in Capitol’s “master plan.”

Play List: “A Hard Day’s Night” (A Hard Day’s Night)

Next from the “A Hard Day’s Night” soundtrack album is another anomaly in The Beatles’ songbook in 1964. “And I Love Her” has a nice, easy tempo, a rising and falling melody, an acoustic guitar solo and a melancholy feel- resolving in the last moment with a major chord.

Play List: “And I Love Her” (A Hard Day’s Night)

Now, perhaps the next “Hard Day’s” tune is an antidote to the cynicism of “Money (That’s What I Want).” “Can’t Buy Me Love” is a rock romp based on a simple lyrical conceit. But where the lyrics do not surprise, the music is upbeat and bright, and includes some rock out vocal and guitar work.

Play List: “Can’t Buy Me Love” (A Hard Day’s Night)

Here’s what was happening with Capitol Records’ master plan for marketing The Beatles- they were leaving tunes off of American releases from the British and European album collections, then turning around and making new albums from the leftovers.

That’s what the 1964 “Something New” album collection was- a concoction of the most commercial kind. To fill it up, Capitol even resurrected The Beatles’ German version of “I Want To Hold Your Hand”- a true oddity for English speaking fans. It’s so familiar yet so strange. Here it is to conclude this session of “The Creative Arc of The Beatles,” “Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand.” At the end of the video, watch for scenes from The Beatles’ 1964 visit to Red Rocks, collected this year from venue historical displays.

“Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand” (Something New)

A course of music and discussion created for Front Range Forum Fall 2024.

Notes and Play List by Tim Van Schmidt

Session 1: Introduction, The Beatles Before

Introduction

Facilitator Tim Van Schmidt has been a longtime Northern Colorado music journalist and photographer. He wrote a weekly “In Concert” column for The Coloradoan for 13 years and was the co-founder of Scene Magazine. Schmidt wrote for many regional newspapers including Fort Collins’ Forum and various entertainment publications. Most recently he wrote a weekly Recommended column for North Forty News and has been a regular contributor to The Blues Blast, a weekly blues digest published by the High Plains Blues Society. Schmidt also maintains six websites and has a successful YouTube channel. As a photographer, he has photographed hundreds of Colorado bands as well as big stars like Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Grateful Dead and many more. Born in Illinois, Schmidt spent much of his life in the western US, making Fort Collins and Colorado his home in 1980. He is also a fervent Beatles fan.

“The Creative Arc of The Beatles” class is centered around Beatles music from 1963-1970- from the release of their first album (in England), “Please Please Me,” to the final album by the band, “Let It Be.” But as with every story, so much happened before and after those dates that the course focus must be flexible…

The Elephant in the Room

Before getting to The Beatles’ music, let’s address a big subject about the band. That is, the fact that “The Beatles” wasn’t just a music group, but it was also a huge and powerful commercial machine. The commercial aspect of the group goes a long way in explaining their popularity.

Yes, The Beatles- John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr- were young, exuberant, talented and attractive but their success was also due to the fact that a number of interests were convinced they could make money off of them.

Investors weren’t wrong- the timing was just perfect for a band of four teen idols- and they did make a lot of money. That kind of money also demanded media attention which helped intensify the whole deal. It all started with those four musicians, but snowballed into an international phenomenon partly thanks to commercial investment.

Sadly, business issues also had a lot to do with the breakup of the group.

And let’s also say that not everyone liked The Beatles. They were the subjects of boycotts, bannings, burnings and protests as their press coverage sometimes went sour and their popularity seemed to uncomfortably supplant established cultural trends.

One musical genre that especially felt the seismic shift The Beatles created was Folk Music. All you have to do is to turn to the venerable folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary to get a bead on what happened.

Folk considered itself a smart and thought provoking music- and had been enjoying some popularity in the years leading up to The Beatles’ explosion. The Beatles were so much more elemental, wildly appealing to a much younger audience, and the snark from folkies- or maybe envy- is unmistakable in PP and M’s 1967 release “I Dig Rock and Roll Music,” making fun of The Beatles and other pop stars of the day including the Mamas and the Papas and Donovan.

Here’s what the lyrics say about The Beatles: “…and when the Beatles tell you, they’ve got a word love to sell you, they mean exactly what they say.”

Play List: Peter, Paul and Mary “I Dig Rock and Roll Music”

It’s ironic that “I Dig Rock and Roll Music” came out the same year The Beatles released their pop album masterpiece “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The Beatles had become groundbreaking songwriters and recording artists and Peter, Paul and Mary were already behind the times.

It’s true- The Beatles was a business and their success spurred cultural blowbacks. Their music also went to places no one had gone to before or even since. That’s the part of The Beatles career that is of concern here from this point on- the “creative arc” of The Beatles. It’s the music that matters.

The Beatles Before

1956

John Lennon started his first band in high school in 1956. Here’s what was going on in 1956:

Skiffle

Lonnie Donegan had a major hit in England in 1956 with his “skiffle” version of the Leadbelly tune “Rock Island Line.” Skiffle music was a mixture of American country, blues and folk influences, played on a mixture of acoustic instruments- whatever was available. This included the guitar and the skiffle craze helped to not only boost the sales of guitars in England but also inspired thousands of skiffle groups- scrounging up whatever instruments they could- like John Lennon’s high school group, The Quarrymen.

The significance of skiffle music cannot be underplayed- the attitude that you could make music with easily acquired instruments was powerful.

To give you the flavor of skiffle music, here’s the 1957 version of “Rock Island Line” by American country artist Johnny Cash- which sounds a lot like Donegan’s hit and includes some extra lyrics as well. It’s recorded from an original Sun Records 45:

Play List: Johnny Cash- “Rock Island Line”

Rock and Roll

A bigger bomb dropped in 1956 than skiffle music- rock and roll. The year began with the January release of Elvis Presley’s debut hit on a major label, “Heartbreak Hotel,” and continued as many of the seminal artists of the rock and roll era broke out into the record charts.

That included the great Little Richard, known as one of the wildest performers of the time, his voice rough and ready and his songs- maybe a little irreverent- revved up and full of energy. Here’s Little Richard doing his 1956 hit “Long Tall Sally,” also recorded from the original 45:

Play List: Little Richard “Long Tall Sally”

Paul McCartney joined John Lennon’s group in 1957 and his friend George Harrison joined in 1958. Other people dropped out. Other people came on including bassist and artist Stu Sutcliffe and drummer Pete Best. The group went through various name changes, until finally settling on The Beatles. Sutcliffe, who was the first to suggest a version of The Beatles’ name, dropped out and Ringo Starr joined The Beatles in 1962, replacing Best on drums.

A seminal part of their experience as a young band was to play residencies at night clubs in Hamburg, Germany, thanks to a connection between their native Liverpool and Hamburg promoters. This began in 1960 and at this point, The Beatles was a cover band- playing every song they could learn while doing multiple sets a day in Germany.

Rock and roll was, of course, the order of the day. And naturally, the young musicians played the stuff that turned them on, like Little Richard’s “Long Tall Sally.”

Here’s what The Beatles did with Little Richard’s song.

This recording comes from an album I collected when I traveled through Hamburg in the summer of 1977. It’s a collection of 1962 recordings by a rock and roll fan that took his “personal tape recorder” into the Hamburg clubs and recorded several bands including The Beatles. I carried this record in my backpack all across Europe and back to get it home to my collection. While these are very rough recordings, they are an important document of the early Beatles.

Play List: The Beatles “Long Tall Sally” Live in Hamburg

Another 1956 hit The Beatles were playing in Hamburg in 1962 was Gene Vincent’s “Be Bop a Lula.”

Play List: The Beatles “Be Bop a Lula” Live in Hamburg

“Be Bop a Lula” apparently was an important tune to John Lennon. He recorded the song to lead off his 1975 album “Rock ‘n’ Roll,” a tribute collection of rock and roll oldies The Beatles no doubt were playing in Hamburg.  This recording is clean and perfect- and it still rocks.

I once interviewed a bass player who recorded with Lennon on these sessions and he told me that Lennon was the ultimate professional- apparently there was no messing around at his sessions.

Play List: John Lennon “Be Bop a Lula”

And you cannot talk about the rock and roll explosion that was 1956 without including the true king of rock and roll- Chuck Berry. Berry had it all covered- writing catchy songs, playing a stinging guitar and working the world as a performer. Here’s Chuck Berry’s seminal 1956 hit “Roll Over Beethoven.”

Play List: Chuck Berry “Roll Over Beethoven”

Here’s how The Beatles played the tune in Hamburg in 1962

Play List: The Beatles “Roll Over Beethoven” Live in Hamburg

1956 was a powerful year for music and the artists that followed in the next few years would figure prominently in the foundation of The Beatles’ music.

Perhaps one of the most influential duos of the time was the Everly Brothers- uniquely suited to give the young Beatles inspiration. One of the signature sounds of the Everly Brothers were their savory, close vocal harmonies.  Lennon and McCartney were in the process of developing a similar kind of vocal interplay as they began writing their own songs together.

Here are two examples of music by the Everly Brothers, again recorded from the original 45s, “Bye Bye Love” from 1957 and “Wake Up Little Susie” from 1958. Listen to those great vocal harmonies.

Play List: The Everly Brothers “Bye Bye Love”, “Wake Up Little Susie”

Playing their butts off in Hamburg helped shape The Beatles into a cohesive musical unit. Their first real experience in the recording studio came when the group was hired to back British guitarist Tony Sheridan- also a musician working in the Hamburg scene- both in the studio and on tour. In June 1961, they recorded several tunes with Sheridan, including “My Bonnie,” which became a hit in Germany.

In his auto-biography, “A Cellarful of Noise,”  The Beatles’ super manager Brian Epstein credits this record as his introduction to The Beatles. In 1961, he was working in the family record store in Liverpool when a young man came in and asked for “My Bonnie”- a record from Germany by a new group, The Beatles.

Tony Sheridan and The Beatles “My Bonnie”

That’s right, this “My Bonnie” is the old folk song by the same name, but with rock and roll applied. This indicates something about the modus operandi of the young rock and rollers of the early 1960s. They could play any song, really, as long as it was fast and wild.

Here’s another one of those songs- Sheridan’s take on “The Saints.” It’s not hard to tell who Sheridan was trying to sound like in the beginning of the track.

Tony Sheridan and The Beatles “The Saints”

Back in Hamburg, The Beatles were still learning and playing a diversity of music. Here’s McCartney taking the lead on a Ray Charles song.

Play List: The Beatles “Halleluja I Love Her So”

But added to learning every song they could to fill out their sets, The Beatles were also beginning to write their own songs- and daring to perform them on stage right next to the popular songs of the day. Here’s another cut from Hamburg- McCartney again taking lead on their classic, “I Saw Her Standing There,” perhaps one of the best recordings on the album.

Play List: “I Saw Her Standing There”

Finally, in 1962, The Beatles got a recording contract- after first being rejected by Decca Records because “guitar groups were on their way out.” But before getting to The Beatles’ first single, here’s another reminder of the great vocal harmonies of the Everly Brothers.

Play List: Everly Brothers “Til I Kissed You”

From the very start of their studio career, with the recording of “Love Me Do” and two other songs in 1962, The Beatles worked with producer George Martin. Here’s the first single by that team- released originally in the United States on the Tollie Records label. Notice that the harmonica is a prominent sound here- more so than the guitars- simple yet very effective.

Play List: “Love Me Do”

Here’s the flip side to that first single to close out today’s session. It’s a sweet little innocuous tune, employing some group vocal interplay- multiple voices emphasizing certain words as the melody progresses- maybe something learned from doo wop vocal group records?

“P.S. I Love You”