The Beatles, If I Needed Someone

Posted in The Beatles on June 20th, 2012 by Willie

“If I Needed Someone” written by George Harrison in 1965, is one of my all time favorite songs.  George was listening to the Byrds, especially Roger McGuinn’s “The Bells of Rhymeny,” which George based his guitar riff on.  Like all great artists, the Beatles stole from other great artists, but what was special about them was how honest and appreciative they were of the source inspirations.  Before the song was released, George sent Roger a recording of the song and a note extolling the influence McGuinn had on George in that era.  The Beatles made few, if any, enemies of their contemporaries in their era.  The song is a gorgeous effort by George, fully fitting in the Rubber Soul vibe of heavy harmony and folk rock psychedelia.  I also like the bizarre message that the lyrics paint.  George is saying to a potential girlfriend that he would date her in a minute if he wasn’t already in love, but please, leave your phone number in case something happens.  Its kind of a dicey, yet honest admission from an international rock star who happened to be married.  For me though, the song’s greatest attribute is the full throated three part harmony courtesy of John, Paul, and George.  It’s powerful and wistful at the same time, and there is something tragically nostalgic in the sound of it, much like John and Paul’s “In My Life.”  The video below was made by the fantastic youtube uploader named Beatles Mirko, who finds and assembles some of the best Beatles clips on the internet, so thanks to him for cobbling together this nice video featuring performances of the song from their legendary Tokyo concert.

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The Black Keys, She Said She Said

Posted in The Beatles, The Black Keys, Youtube Favs on November 28th, 2011 by Willie

The Black Keys are guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney.  Together they have forged a highly successful blues rock revivalist band that are the darlings of the upper tiers of the indie rock world.  I’ve always like them, but have not extensively combed through their catalog.  Perhaps I’ve finally found a reason to.  The reason comes in the form of their cover of the Beatles “She Said, She Said,” from their debut album The Big Come Up.  The original Beatles song, from Revolver, is about one of John’s most infamous LSD trips.  In 1966, he was tripping in LA with the rest of the Beatles, the Byrds, and Peter Fonda.  Fonda, tweaking out, began to obsessively tell a story about how he nearly died as a boy, and couldn’t stop saying, “I know what its like to be dead.”  John, understandably freaked out by Fonda’s dark ramblings, promptly wrote a song, and changed Fonda into a girl to fit the Beatle songwriting mold.  Though, by 1966, the Beatle mold now included feedback, acid drenched distorted guitars, and glorious swirling psychedelic harmonies.  The song was a progressive leap forward for the Beatles, and for rock and roll as a whole.  36 years later, the Black Keys took that song, a song that was still in mid leap mind you, and gave it a real throwback treatment, turning it into a hip 60s blues club rocker.  I love the Black Keys version, as it gives the song a grungy and gritty makeover and reveals the essence of the song’s fantastic pop melody.  Because it is so fantastic, I’m giving you two versions, the unofficial music video, and a cool live performance.  Check em out.

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The Byrds, Turn, Turn, Turn

Posted in The Byrds, Youtube Favs on October 22nd, 2011 by Willie

It’s one of those famous songs where nobody can remember the full title.  Officially its, “Turn, Turn, Turn (to Everything There is a Season.)”  Written by Pete Seeger in the 50s, and cribbed  almost entirely from a Bible verse, “Turn, Turn, Turn,” was one of the Byrds earlier hits coming out in 1965 along with their electric version of “Mr. Tamborine Man.”  What made the Byrds so cool was that up until they hit the scene, aspiring rock bands did covers of 50s rock and other professional standards.  The Byrds were busy covering the likes of Seeger and Dylan, acoustic based folk, but electrified it to help launch the budding psychedelic revolution.  Musically, the Byrds were heavily influenced by the Beatles, and vice versa, especially when the Beatles came to LA to drop acid with them and swap guitar tones.  The best thing about “Turn, Turn, Turn” besides its nostolgic feel and beautiful haromoies, is that subtle and lilting opening guitar line, which just taps into a spirit of peaceful energy that is at once completly memorable and iconic of the 60s.  I don’t know, this song is very cliched and overplayed, but sometimes even the most repeated songs come back to you and startle you at moments, reminding you of their power and beauty.  Enjoy.

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Lucinda Williams, Drunken Angel

Posted in Lucinda Williams, Youtube Favs on March 24th, 2011 by Willie

Part 22 of my youtube countdown features the modern legend Lucinda Williams and her miraculous Byrds-esque folk jam, Drunken Angel.  This song, about dead country singer Blaze Foley, is like the greatest song Tom Petty never wrote.  It’s one of those beautiful syncopated guitar pop gems with a gorgeous melody and wonderfully sung lyrics from Lucinda.  This is just one of those songs where I can’t help but hit the replay button over and over, and you will too, enjoy.

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