I'm a Beatles geek. Ask me anything.

[elperromagico]

[Ruffhowse]

1. What Beatles song was named after Paul McCartney's dog?

[elperromagico]

4. "Martha, My Dear"

[Ruffhowse]

7. Damn, that was fast. Good one.

[Book Lover]

2. What do you think of the upcoming

Adventures of Super Ringo?

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/eo/20050127/en_celeb_eo/15792

[elperromagico]

9. Sounds interesting, but I would prefer Ringo to do an animated version

of "Shining Time Station" instead. :D

[Book Lover]

34. That *would* be cool

I was wondering, though, for this superhero thing, would Paul McCartney be his archnemesis, or would they team up to fight crime?...

[elperromagico]

44. Paul could spend hours ordering Ringo around,

telling him exactly how to be a superhero. Ringo could then storm off in a rage, and Paul could say "Well, I'll just do it meself."

[tridim]

3. Oasis was not the "next Beatles"

Not even close. Do you agree that there will never be a "next Beatles"? IMO they will always stand alone in music history.

[elperromagico]

8. Like most long-lasting musical phenomenons,

there will never be another Beatles.

[liberalpragmatist]

112. As a big Oasis fan...

...they never held a candle to the beatles. nor will any other group. They simply cannot be equaled in terms of their influence and their mass popularity. No group will ever again be as popular I believe because musical tastes have so fragmented since the '60s. Moreover, I highly doubt that US corporate radio will let anything adventurous like the Beatles be on the radio.

[freein NC]

154. I agree 100%

[LoZoccolo]

190. If Oasis had been the "next Beatles"...

...they would have only been as popular as the Beatles in the 90s, but you and I both know that Oasis was more popular than the Beatles in the 90s (international megastars). They were over twice as popular than the Beatles as I described in the Terence Trent D'Arby formula in another post.

[politicaholic]

5. Which heaven did George Harrison believe he was going to?

[elperromagico]

12. Considering his spiritual beliefs, I believe he thought he was going to

be reincarnated. After he'd achieved perfection, he would go to Nirvana.

If that's not the answer, you've stumped me.

[trof]

6. Do you know my son-in-law?

Are you him?
;-)

[elperromagico]

37. Not yet.

;)

[dbt]

10. How many holes does it take to fill the Albert Hall?

Where do they come from, what size are they and how do they know?

:smoke:
Semolina Pilchard

[elperromagico]

38. 4,000 holes in Blackburn, Lancashire. They're potholes.

The city of Blackburn counted them, for some reason.

[GalleryGod]

11. Ringo's given Name?

:shrug:

[elperromagico]

15. Richard Starkey.

[Richardo]

16. Richard Starkey

Even I know that one.

[Darknyte7]

13. Who have the Beatles credited as their musical influences? eom

[elperromagico]

20. Motown... in particular Smokey Robinson. Also Buddy Holly,

Elvis, Little Richard, Carl Perkins, Arthur Alexander, et cetera ad infinitum.

And of course, they paid attention to their contemporaries, such as Dylan, the Lovin' Spoonful, the Mamas and the Papas, et cetera.

And... Paul and later John were interested in the experimental music of people like Stockhausen and Berio.

[go west young man]

167. Your forgetting a very important one...

Skiffle artist Lonnie Donegan who sang the song "my old mans a dustman". He heavily influenced John.

[elperromagico]

179. Another major early influence.

Thanks. :D

[tridim]

14. Was "Lucy In the Sky" really a drawing by John's son?

Or was it a thinly veiled reference to LSD? And if so, why did John 'twist the truth' about it so often? Wasn't LSD legal back then?

[elperromagico]

22. It was a painting by Julian of his schoolmate Lucy.

I believe it was auctioned at Sotheby's a few years back.

[shadowknows69]

208. ...and it was about LSD

if you've ever taken it. and then listened to it. you'd know it. :hippie:

[B Calm]

17. Was it Paul or Ringo who gave Lady Madonna the Love Potion

Number Nine on the Long Winding Road near Penny Lane?

[elperromagico]

27. Neither. It was the Maharishi.

[johnnie]

18. Who played the guitar solo for Taxman?

[elperromagico]

21. Paul McCartney.

[johnnie]

23. OK, then you are a geek

I am also, but I know many people who say they are and refuse to believe Paul played that. I don't know why..it sounds just like him.

[immoderate]

19. What's the story on "You Know My Name"?

Who did the sax part?

--IMM

[elperromagico]

24. John saw a phonebook with the words, "Know the name? Look up the number"

The sax was played by Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones, and was recorded in 1967. The song wasn't released until 1970, though, as the B-side of "Let It Be."

[immoderate]

78. Thanks. Love that song.

--IMM

[FredScuttle]

25. Who is the fifth Beatle?

a) Billy Preston
b) Murray the K
c) George Martin
d) Yoko Ono

[tridim]

30. Apu!

:P

[elperromagico]

36. This is sort of a trick question.

Billy Preston is the only one of those four to be credited alongside the Beatles as a performer (the "Get Back" single is credited to "The Beatles with Billy Preston), Murray the K was the self-proclaimed fifth Beatle, George Martin has been called the fifth Beatle because of his strong contributions to their music, and Yoko was ever present after 1968 (even appearing on the cover of the single "The Ballad of John and Yoko").

But I say it's Neil Aspinall. ;)

[FredScuttle]

49. Correct on all counts

sorry for the trickery

[Zuni]

166. neil toured and played with them

but George Martin is more responsible for their music than anyone except for John, Paul and George and I would say his influence might be greater than Ringo's

[elperromagico]

177. I don't think Neil actually played with them.

He did stand in for George - who had a cold - during rehearsals for The Ed Sullivan Show, but all he did was stand there holding George's guitar.

And he did play the tamboura on a few of the Beatles' Indian-flavored tracks, but that's not a particularly difficult instrument to play. Mal Evans even played on a Beatles song ("You Won't See Me"), but all he did was hold down an A on the organ during the fadeout.

But yes, I agree with you that George Martin's role was hugely important, at first as a shaper of the Beatles' songs and later as an interpreter of their more complex musical ideas.

[Lavender Brown]

26. What's John's middle name?

[elperromagico]

29. Prior to 1969, it was just Winston.

In 1969, John had the name "Ono" added by deed poll. He went by either "John Ono Lennon" or "John Winston Ono Lennon" from that point on.

[Lavender Brown]

54. So it was a trick question and I didn't even know it

:D

[louis-t]

35. winston

[Beaverhausen]

28. Original Title of "Yesterday" was?

I'm sure you know this one!

[elperromagico]

31. "Scrambled Eggs,"

with lyrics along the lines of "Scrambled eggs, oh my baby how I love your legs"

[tridim]

32. Even I know that one..

and I'm not a full on Beatles geek.

[louis-t]

33. scrambled eggs

[Darknyte7]

39. What was the historical significance of...

the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album?

[elperromagico]

40. What a broad question.

[Darknyte7]

45. I'm giving you some room to work...

;-)

[elperromagico]

55. Long story short, it was an attempt to match "Pet Sounds."

That was certainly Paul's biggest influence, and Paul was the force behind that album.

And of course, they were all on acid at the time...

[louis-t]

58. you are certainly more eloquent than I

and I'm a slow typist, too.

[louis-t]

41. It was Paul's answer to

'Pet Sounds'

[ronnykmarshall]

42. What do you hear when ....

you play "I Am the Walrus" backwards?

[louis-t]

46. "I am very bored"

or: bldll jadlior snfffbxl llssdkrto ooooofffbbtkgm zzznep

[elperromagico]

47. A lot of slurping.

[ronnykmarshall]

43. Why was Paul the only one

bare foot on the "Abby Road" album cover?

[louis-t]

48. "it was a hot day" -Paul

[tridim]

50. Because he was a damn dirty hippy

Either that or he died and they found a body double who had the exact same talent and voice as Paul and replaced him. :tinfoilhat:

[Debbi801]

107. LOL. And his name was William Campbell.

[louis-t]

52. why was Paul the only one wearing a black carnation?

[louis-t]

56. "ran out of white ones" -Ringo

[elperromagico]

53. He had been wearing sandals, and decided to take them off.

The "Paul is Dead" answer would be that the Beatles were acting out a macabre scene, wherein John was the preacher, George was the gravedigger, and Ringo was the undertaker.

Paul, of course, was the corpse - after all, corpses are supposed to be frequently buried without shoes on...

But I don't buy that. It was a hot day, so he took his sandals off.

[El Fuego]

51. Who was Magic Alex?

[elperromagico]

57. Magic Alex was a huckster with a rather limited electronic skill.

The Beatles, in particular John, thought he was brilliant - he'd made some device that flashed lights constantly, perfect for tripping.

So the Beatles put him in charge of Apple Electronics, and charged him with building them a new studio.

Alex promised a 92 track facility. It never materialized.

Alex promised them a sonic wall that would eliminate the need for baffles around Ringo's drum kit. It never materialized.

In other words, he promised a lot of things. They never materialized.

[UrbScotty]

59. Do we all live in a Yellow Submarine? (nt)

[elperromagico]

60. Not any more. You need a boarding pass these days,

and they're expensive.

[lpbk2713]

61. When did their first USA tour make a stop in Memphis?

(I was there)

[elperromagico]

62. Would have to have been 1964, wouldn't it?

[lpbk2713]

68. I had to look it up to be honest........ 08-19-66

I knew it was in the summer of 66. And I apologize, it was their third USA tour.

Link: http://www.rarebeatles.com/photopg7/photopg7.htm

[elperromagico]

70. Ahh, yes. That was around the time of the "Jesus" controversy.

They received death threats in Memphis, IIRC. Was the KKK there?

[Dzimbowicz]

63. Wow!

Your level of knowledge is amazing!

:yourock:

[elperromagico]

64. I read a lot of books when I was younger,

back when I was a Beatles nut. Now I'm just a fan, but I retained most of the knowledge.

Thanks. :D

[catbert836]

65. Which famous historical person did John announce to

the band and producers that he was the reincarnation of after a large dose of acid?

[elperromagico]

66. Jesus Christ.

[catbert836]

67. Wow! You're good!

Congratulations! :yourock:

[catbert836]

69. Which was the only Beatles solo album that all 4 played on?

You're gonna get this one easy.

[elperromagico]

71. Ringo (1973), though they never all played together.

[6000eliot]

72. Who arranged the string quartet

that played on "Eleanor Rigby?"

[elperromagico]

73. George Martin. And it's a double-string quartet,

or an octet, depending on one's preference. :D

[6000eliot]

74. You caught my trick question with ease.

[gfr4656]

75. why are they called the beatles?

[catbert836]

76. Even I know that one!

A man in a flaming pie told them: "From now on, you shall be the Beatles, with an a".

[elperromagico]

77. It was inspired by Buddy Holly and the Crickets.

John - and Stuart Sutcliffe, I believe - thought that the name had a double meaning (both the bugs and the game), though the Texas-born Crickets didn't know about the English game of cricket.

So they wanted something similar. Beatles; when you hear it, you think of the bugs... when you read it, you think of beat music.

Either that, or John saw a man on a flaming pie who said, "You are Beatles with an A." And they are.

[Love Bug]

176. I thought it was from a movie with Marlon Brando

where he was part of a motorcycle gang called the Beatles, as in the "Beat" generation.

[elperromagico]

184. The Beetles in that movie ("The Wild One") were women.

It was an influence, but John often cited The Crickets as more of an influence.

I suspect that John and Stu (who very much copied Brando's style) heard the name Beetles in the film and John - with his fondness for puns and with the "pun" Crickets in mind - turned it into Beatles.

So "The Wild One" was an influence, as Paul later said... but they didn't realize until years later that the Beetles in the film were actually women.

[mrbassman03]

79. Oooh, a drug one...

Who gave The Beatles LSD for the first time? And what did they go do?

also...

Who got them high for the first time?

[elperromagico]

83. The Beatles had a dentist who slipped LSD into their coffee in '65.

Actually, only John and George. He told them, "I advise you not to leave." Thinking they were in for an orgy, they and their wives promptly left. They went, I believe, to the Ad Lib club in London. You can imagine what kind of fun that was.

Ringo took acid a short time later. Paul didn't take it until early '67, when John accidentally took a tab of acid instead of an aspirin. Paul dropped acid so that John wouldn't be alone in his experience.

Meanwhile, Bob Dylan first introduced the Beatles to pot.

[FarLeftRage]

80. Who was Prudence?

In the song "Dear Prudence", who was John singing about?

[elperromagico]

84. Mia Farrow's sister, who was at the Maharishi's meditiation retreat

in Rishikesh.

She spent so much time in her room meditating that she entered a sort of catatonic state. So the Beatles sang to her. The song was born from that.

[FarLeftRage]

88. Damn!

You know your Beatles' trivia...

[El Fuego]

81. What was John's published book of doodling and jokey poems called?

[elperromagico]

85. "In His Own Write." The follow-up was called "A Spaniard in the Works."

[El Fuego]

92. Damn you're good!

[Lady Effingbroke]

82. What business was Brian Epstein in before he became manager of the Beatles

?

[elperromagico]

86. He owned a record store within walking distance of the Cavern Club.

The Epstein family was also, I believe, big in the furniture business.

[RetroLounge]

87. Why do the beatles sound so derivative

of Oasis?

:D

RL

[elperromagico]

89. Because John and Paul invented a time machine,

went forward in time specifically to attend an Oasis concert, and then scrupulously copied the sound back in the 60s.

[RetroLounge]

91. I knew it!

Damn thieves...

RL

[sendero]

90. Did the Beatles...

... "manufacture" the "Paul is Dead" hoax on purpose?

[elperromagico]

93. I don't believe they manufactured it any more than they told Manson

that a race war called Helter Skelter was coming down fast.

[RetroLounge]

94. What exactly made Sadie so Sexy?

RL

[elperromagico]

96. I don't know, but they gave her everything they owned

just to sit at her table.

[El Fuego]

95. Opinion question: Do you think the ballad of John and Yoko was

prophetic of John's death? "They way that they're going, they're gonna crucify me."

I always thought so.

[elperromagico]

97. I've always felt the whispered line "shoot me" in "Come Together"

was more prophetic...

Lennon liked to push envelopes; I think the chorus of "Ballad" is an attempt to piss off all the people who got so angry about his "bigger than Jesus" comment.

And remember that there were times in the late 60s when John, under the influence of certain chemicals, did actually believe he was Jesus.

[GalleryGod]

98. "Dear Prudence" referred to what celeb's Sister?

:silly: EZ,also:dunce:

[elperromagico]

100. Mia Farrow. See reply #84.

[RetroLounge]

99. Why do I think that "I'm So Tired" is a brilliant song?

RL

[elperromagico]

101. Because it is. Great Lennon vocal.

[nytemare]

102. Where does the blackbird fly? n/t

[elperromagico]

103. Into the light of the dark black night.

[louis-t]

104. Man, I left here 1 1/2 hours ago

an' yer still at it! OK, I'm caught up now.

[elperromagico]

105. I actually took about a half-hour break.

I'm going to take a longer one now. :D

[Hardrada]

109. So who actually was the Walrus?

[elperromagico]

121. According to John in the song "Glass Onion,"

the Walrus was Paul.

But I believe it's John as the Walrus on the Magical Mystery Tour cover.

[Hardrada]

110. Which Beatle's nickname was "Boogaloo?"

And are the lyrics to the song about this anywhere available?

[elperromagico]

122. Are you referring to the Ringo Starr song "Back Off Boogaloo"?

[Hardrada]

133. Yeah, that's the one.

I heard it back in 1973 or so and haven't heard it since. It was referring to some kind of InterBeatle hassle. I'll have to locate the lyrics to try to figure out what was up.

[elperromagico]

141. Well, Paul's nickname was allegedly Boogaloo,

but Ringo has claimed that the song is actually about Marc Bolan of T-Rex fame.

[RetroLounge]

106. What the heck is "One After 909" anyhow?

RL

[elperromagico]

116. That's a train reference.

Consider the lyrics:

"Pick up my bags
Run to the station
Railman says
You've got the wrong location, yeah

"Pick up my bags
Run right home
Then I find
I got the number wrong"

So either it's the wrong train because of time (her train is the train that leaves after 9:09) or her train is the one that leaves after the one numbered 909.

[rug]

108. In what hospital was Sean Lennon born?

[elperromagico]

119. You've stumped me. I don't know,

though it was likely in NYC.

[rug]

196. You're right

New York Hospital on York Avenue and 70th Street. It's now called New York Presbyterian after it merged with Columbia Presbyterian. I was a ward clerk on the maternity ward at the time.

[Carla in Ca]

111. I'd like your opinion

on something that happened not too long ago. What do you think of Paul revising writing credits on some songs from Lennon/McCartney to McCartney/Lennon?
Personally, I think Paul was a cad to do it.

Also, why do you think only Paul was knighted by the Queen, not all four? Another reason to think Paul a cad is that he accepted the solo honor.

Thanks

[St. Jarvitude]

114. Ringo is a MBE

Yes, I know it's not the same as being a "knight", but I sure as hell wouldn't mind being one. It's nothing to complain about. Oh, and George is one too.

Sadly, I don't think Lennon lived long enough to be knighted.

Plus, there is an (unfortunate) perception by many mainstream people that Paul basically was the Beatles, mostly because he was the charismatic pretty boy in the band's early stages.

And again, sadly, the public often thinks of many McCartney hits when they think "Beatles"... Yesterday, Hey Jude, Eleanor Rigby, Let It Be, The Long And Winding Road... many of John's works were left mostly unappreciated by the teeming masses. I think often John's subject material went over many peoples' heads, whereas Paul's music was very easily accessible and certainly had a top layer that was fairly easy to understand... subtle nuances aside).

[elperromagico]

127. On their first album, actually, the credits read "McCartney/Lennon."

It was forever after "Lennon/McCartney."

On the one hand, McCartney has a point. Some of those songs were written almost exclusively by him, and others were written almost exclusively by John.

But on the other hand, it's not like it makes a difference. Paul's not going to make more money from having top billing. And it's rewriting history. Lennon/McCartney is the songwriting team, not McCartney/Lennon.

I say leave the credit as it is.

I think Paul's knighthood is mainly due to his charitable work, and for his efforts to create a music school in Liverpool. Why the other three didn't receive knighthoods, I don't know. If Mick Jagger or Elton John can have one, why not Ringo or George or John?

As for Paul's decision to accept, well... more power to him, I guess.

[fishwax]

128. The justification that I heard from him

was that the lyrics or titles were being printed (particularly in electronic resources, which reward brevity) with the credits shortened to just Lennon. The McCartney was dropped off. In the same interview, he said that he only wanted to change the credit for specific songs which John had no input on and which Paul was really proud of, particularly Yesterday.

So it wasn't so much (he said) that he wanted to exclude John from his writing credit as that he didn't want his name to be excluded. When I first heard the interview I thought it a rather silly explanation, but in the time since I have actually seen (can't recall where, dammit) various beatles songs being credited just Lennon. I was, of course, shocked and appalled.

[elperromagico]

131. Most people who know the Beatles know that some songs

are John songs, some are Paul songs, and some are John and Paul songs.

Of course Paul is proud of a song like "Yesterday" - he has every right on Earth to be. But it's not like anybody's going to start thinking that McCartney never wrote anything. And it's not like he's going to lose royalty checks.

So I just don't see the ultimate point. Lennon/McCartney has worked for 40+ years.

[fishwax]

132. but not everyone "knows" the beatles

and first generation knowledge of the band has only a few decades left on the earth. So if future generations (and I do think the beatles will have beethoven-type longevity) were to get their information from sources that abrogated the credit as a few sources already have, mccartney's name might be lost or marginalized.

I think it was npr's Fresh Air that I heard that interview, but I could be wrong. And I really wish I could remember where I'd seen the "Lennon" credits sans McCartney.

That said, I still agree its a silly idea, and I don't entirely buy the long view in the interest of immortality that Paul was appealing to. I think matters of more immediate pride seemed to have a lot to do with it. Besides, now look like McCartney/Lennon wrote Yesterday, Long and Winding Road, etc., while Lennon/McCartney wrote the other 95% of the catalogue. As "Lennon/McCartney" they were larger than the sum of their parts, a legendary creative entity through which they were able to channel and absorb the talents and intersts of the other. Making the credit reversible diminishes that to a very high degree.

[liberalpragmatist]

113. What was the b-side to Paperback Writer?

It's my favorite song, that's what...

what is it?

[elperromagico]

117. Rain.

[6000eliot]

115. Who played the drums

on the single version of "Love Me Do?"

[elperromagico]

118. The initial pressing featured Ringo,

but this version was replaced in all later issues by the version on which Andy White plays.

[6000eliot]

120. You're good

Does Andy White have any other Beatles connections? What did Ringo play on the AW version?

[elperromagico]

124. Andy White played on "P. S. I Love You" as well.

Ringo played tambourine on the Andy White version of "Love Me Do," I believe.

[Spiffarino]

123. How do you find America?

?

[elperromagico]

125. Turn left at Greenland.

[Spiffarino]

126. Indeed!

:D:thumbsup:

[Ivan Sputnik]

129. What song did Tiny Tim sing

on a Beatles Christmas record?

[elperromagico]

130. "Nowhere Man"

[jpgray]

134. What does John yell when he messes up the backing vocal in "Hey Jude"?

:)

[elperromagico]

135. I believe there's a profanity involved, probably "fuck."

[jpgray]

136. "Fucking hell!"--close enough

It's right at 2:58 or so.

[elperromagico]

138. I know there's a spot where Paul is singing a verse,

and there's a faint voice in the background singing, "Let it out and let it in." It fits musically, but it doesn't appear anywhere else. Then there's what sounds like a profanity. Is that what you're referring to?

On edit: I've just listened to it again. They're two different spots. The "fuckin' hell" comes when John is harmonizing with Paul during the last verse.

[Skittles]

137. which Beatles song reminds Skittles of her beloved Brit grandfather

who used to ride upstairs on the double-deckers so he could smoke

[elperromagico]

139. "A Day In The Life"

[Skittles]

140. yes INDEED!

LOL, my grandmother never let me go upstairs, she said that's where all the "RIFF RAFF" were. HELLO!!! :D

[Swamp Rat]

142. Beatles fan checking in!

Listening to Beatles-A-Rama on iTunes. :)

[elperromagico]

145. Hello there!

Enjoy the music. :hi:

[Swamp Rat]

146. I first realized I could read on my own when looking at the back of the

Sgt. Pepper's album... decades ago. I have loved the Beatles since I was born. :D

:hi:

[Borgnine]

143. Where did Paul vacation in November of 1966?

[elperromagico]

144. Kenya?

And didn't he come back with a cookie duster?

[Borgnine]

150. Correct.

He also seemed to lose a lot of weight during the trip, which I think helped fuel the Paul is dead rumors, because he really did look like a different person afterwards.

[Duncan Grant]

147. Magical Mystery Tour

M. D. & Co.

Have you heard of the conspriracy? :tinfoilhat:

[elperromagico]

148. Umm... no.

You'll have to specify.

[Duncan Grant]

149. It would probably help if I said, "M & D Co.".

Sorry, I got it wrong! It's M & D Co. not M. D. & Co. (It's been years since I've seen the photo insert to "Magical Mystery Tour".)

Part of the story:

There's a 24 page photo insert as part of the original album art for "Magical Mystery Tour." Look for a photo of John Lennon under (?) or near a sign with "M & D Co..." - I think it was in black and white but I can't remember. MMT was released on December 8, 1967.

[Borgnine]

151. Ah, yes.

I'd answer the riddle, but that would defeat the purpose of the post if I did it.

I will say that before "M & D Co." it says "The best way to go is..."

[Duncan Grant]

152. "Creepy coincidences for $500 please Alex"

That would be it, Borgnine. I Googled but couldn't find the album art anywhere. :shrug:

[last_texas_dem]

153. Middle names of George and Ringo

I ask you only 'cause I consider myself to be a minor-league Beatles geek and have never heard/seen the middle names of George or Ringo and wondered if you might know. I always wondered if perhaps they didn't even have them 'cause I figured I would have run across them at some point.

BTW, you're awesome with your Beatles trivia!

[elperromagico]

168. In one book - only one - George's middle name was listed

as Harold. But everywhere else, he has no listed middle name. So I'll go with the majority and say he didn't have a middle name.

I don't believe Ringo (or Richard Starkey) ever had one.

John's, of course, is Winston (later Winston Ono).

Paul's, of course, is Paul. ;)

[lpbk2713]

155. No doubt in my mind.

I'm convinced Magic Dog is the resident Beatles guru.

[elperromagico]

169. Thank you. You have a lucky face.

:D

[ProfessorGAC]

156. I'm A Beatles Geek, Too

How many of their albums do i have?

(This should be easy.)
The Professor

[DelawareValleyDem]

159. All of them

[ProfessorGAC]

160. Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding!

Now answer the hard question!
The Professor

[DelawareValleyDem]

161. pan-diatonic clusters and Aeolian cadences?

:shrug:

[ProfessorGAC]

164. Very Good! A+!

The classical snobs suddenly realized that with the sophistication of the structure, The Beatles were more than pop song writers. The shift between major and minor motifs were something that were very unique at the time, and the way the minor moods fit with the lyric impressed them quite a lot.

IIRC, the London Times music critic gave the whole album a rave review and stated something to the effect of "The Beatles have become a musical, not just cultural force."
The Professor

[ProfessorGAC]

157. A Real Question, Now

Why was Nowhere Man the song that gained The Beatles their first recognition among the musical intelligentia?
The Professor

[elperromagico]

170. Because people could interpret the lyrics to be about politics.

Duh. :P

[ProfessorGAC]

180. Nope!

The OP got the right answer.
The Professor

[elperromagico]

182. When you ask for an opinion,

don't be surprised if the opinion doesn't match yours. :D

[ProfessorGAC]

183. I Didn't Ask For An Opinion

The OP asked for Beatles questions. I gave him one. It was a question looking for a specific answer. He got the right one. Who peed in your oatmeal?
The Professor

[elperromagico]

185. Hi, I'm elperromagico. I am the OP,

in case you hadn't noticed.

And yes, I agree that the Mann quote about Aeolian cadences is a better representation of why the musical intelligentsia fell in love with the Fabs.

Problem is, that quote about "Aeolian cadences" was written about "Not A Second Time" from the album With the Beatles, not about "Nowhere Man."

Feel free to piss in my cornflakes. I eat Cheerios. :hi:

[ProfessorGAC]

186. That's Not Correct

I've got the analyses written for Downbeat and for the London Times at home. They are detailed musical analyses of the song Nowhere Man.

Besides, i still wasn't asking for an opinion. Sorry i forgot who the OP was. That's my fault.

But, i've got the reprints in a binder for the stuff that wasn't in any of the other Beatles books i have. The Downbeat analysis is EXTREMELY detailed, and the cadences are described in detail. The split diatonic usage and the modal changes are mentioned at least three times in the London Times review/analysis.

Really, really, the question was about Nowhere Man and the answer i was looking for is really based upon that song.
The Professor

[elperromagico]

187. The famous quote about "Aeolian cadences" was written in 1963

by William Mann, music critic for the Times. I'll quote it for you and provide a link:

http://jolomo.net/music/william_mann.html

"Harmonic interest is typical of their quicker songs too, and one gets the impression that they think simultaneously of harmony and melody, so firmly are the major tonic sevenths and ninths built into their tunes, and the flat-submediant key-switches, so natural is the Aeolian cadence at the end of 'Not A Second Time'..."

Lennon himself said that this article by Mann started the "intellectual bit" about the Beatles.

I have no doubt that you have similar articles about "Nowhere Man," but those articles could not have been written before this one unless the writers were psychics, because "Nowhere Man" wasn't issued - on the album Rubber Soul - until 1965.

[ProfessorGAC]

191. Then, I Stand Corrected

I didn't know that about Not A Second Time! Rubber Soul is my favorite album so i knew when it was released and all, but i've never seen that article by Mann. Now, i have to get a copy.
The Professor

[elperromagico]

192. Well, we're all learning here.

Now I want to see those articles about "Nowhere Man." :D

[ProfessorGAC]

193. I Don't Have A Scanner, But. . .

. . .i'm sure i know someone who does. If i can get them scanned, i'll send you a PM and get an email address.
The Professor

[elperromagico]

194. Thanks.

:hi:

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

198. Speaking of Cornflakes...

Lennon got the idea for "Good Morning Good Morning" from a Cornflakes commerical that came on the television.

From this Beatles geek (me) to you.

:)

[LTR]

158. Which Beatles didn't play on "The Ballad of John and Yoko"?

:shrug:

[edbermac]

162. I know that...George/Ringo...TBOJAY was Paul and John...

[elperromagico]

172. George was out of town. Ringo was filming "The Magic Christian," IIRC.

John wanted to record the song immediately, so he recruited Paul to play drums. Together, they laid down a basic track of drums (Paul), acoustic guitar (John), and lead vocal (John).

From there, Paul overdubbed bass, a backing vocal, piano, and percussion (maracas, I believe). John overdubbed two lead guitars (playing in harmony) and thumps on the back of his acoustic guitar.

There's a funny moment in the session tapes when Paul makes a drumming error. John says something like, "A bit faster, Ringo." "OK, George," Paul replies.

[edbermac]

163. I challenge you to a duel...

I think I know just as much about the Beatles as you...if you have a REALLY TOUGH question, send me a PM and I'll try to answer it!

[elperromagico]

175. Maybe later. Not now; I have a headache.

:P

[edbermac]

178. Okay...FYI here is a list of Beatle books I have at home...

Beatles Anthology, Shout!, Beatle! by Pete Best, The Love You Make, The Beatles Live!, The Beatles Abbey Road Sessions, Tell Me Why, Lennon, Blackbird the McCartney bio, and a few others I can't recall; so I've just about got all Beatle trivia covered...en guarde!

[elperromagico]

181. I've read most of those books and a few others.

But I still have a headache. :D

[barb162]

165. do you have a lot of memorabilia

[elperromagico]

173. Practically none. Mainly books and CDs.

[NamVetsWeeLass]

171. I didn't read far enough down, but has anyone

inquired to the identity of your favorite Beatle? Mine is and always will be John Lennon. I do throw a side note in there that I think Paul needed him as much as he needed Paul. I love them all, but my favorite is Lennon.

[elperromagico]

174. I'll rank them in order.

1. George
2. John
3. Ringo
4. Paul

Paul's fourth place is not intended as an insult. He's a brilliant singer, a great songwriter, and a superb musician. And he's by no means a distant fourth.

But something about him has always rubbed me the wrong way - probably his shoddy treatment of George and Ringo, two musicians who were by no means untalented hacks.

[LoZoccolo]

188. Why won't Paul cover an Oasis song? n/t

[elperromagico]

189. Because he's been covering them for the last 40+ years,

obviously. :P

[Ivan Sputnik]

195. Name four women

who can be heard singing on Beatle songs (not counting choral groups).

[elperromagico]

197. Here are four:

Yoko Ono (on "Birthday" and "Bungalow Bill"),
Pattie Harrison (on "Birthday"),
Lizzie Bravo (on "Across the Universe"),
Gayleen Pease (on "Across the Universe").

Also, Linda McCartney appears on one mix of "Let It Be," but all she sings are "aahs," so I suppose that's a chorus vocal.

Forgive the lateness of my reply; I've been out of town since Friday.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

199. I didn't realize it at the time I bought the book,

but apparently the Beatles were pissed that Peter Brown wrote a tell-all ("The Love You Make"). I guess they looked at him as a traitor. Also, Geoffrey Giuliano writes a lot of "Beatles" books, and he's not well-respected among Beatles fans. He's thought of as an opportunist, a stalker of sorts and not exactly "truthful."

[elperromagico]

200. No matter how little they think of Giuliano,

it can't possibly match the loathing for Albert Goldman, who wrote a book that completely trashed John Lennon.

Giuliano's books are pretty shoddy in general. I haven't read one of them in years, but I recall a huge number of his "facts" being completely wrong, and some of his material just being cut seemingly out of whole cloth.

George once said that Giuliano knew more about him than he (George) did. I don't think it was intended as a compliment...

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

202. Oh yeah, "The Lives of John Lennon" by Goldman, right?

I refused to buy that book. Should have called it "The Lies about John Lennon."

[elperromagico]

203. That's the one.

[H2O Man]

201. Who did George say was

"the best drummer the Beatles ever had"?

[elperromagico]

204. Don't know, but George did call Ringo "the best backbeat in the business."

John, when asked if Ringo was the best drummer in the world, said "He's not even the best drummer in the Beatles!"

[LSdemocrat]

205. So what's the real meaning behind the song "Norwegian Wood"?

Is it about John having an affair, a fun song about arson, or something else entirely?

[Borgnine]

206. Okay... riddle me this...

What organization does the uniform that Paul wears in one scene of Magical Mystery Tour (where he's sitting behind the desk) belong to?

[tuvor]

207. Why didn't they end Hey Jude about ten minutes sooner?

"Na na na nanananahhhh, nanananahhhhhhhh, hey Jude." After a couple of times YOU GET THE IDEA!

I'll bet it was some inside joke.

So, why was it?

[shadowknows69]

209. so DJ's had a chance to go catch a smoke

at least that's when I used to head outside. Freebird always good too. You could go to a movie during Inna gadda da vida.

[Tuttle]

210. where did the Millenium Remasters come from?

Tut-tut

[Tuttle]

211. Alright! I stumped the Beatles geek!

n/t

Tut-tut