and i love her

[billkilpatrick]

of all of them, i miss george the most:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdYlEtapd1w

... someone said the unique thing about george harrison's guitar solos is that - note for note - they are unforgettable.

[chasray]

When I was 10 years old for Christmas I got a Sears Silvertone transistor radio (1961). I remember Dion's "The Wanderer" that year. But my, wasn't the British Invasion in 1963 a breath of fresh air? IMHO
Thanks for the flash back.

[billkilpatrick]

a few years earlier ... but the first transistor radio i ever owned was bought at the local hardware store and was shaped like a rocket - two-toned, red and white. i had to stretch its wire antenna across the branches outside my bedroom - had a reception radius of about 5 miles (max.) and the tune i remember coming through the ear phone (singular) as i huddled under the blankets in the wee-wee hours of the morning was "dream lover" by bobby darin. total magic!

thank YOU for the flashback.

[Rick Lindstrom]

billkilpatrick-

I had one of those, and I believe it was a crystal radio. Earphone only, no speaker, no batteries- right? Little slider thing that you moved up and down carefully to tune it, and it was very sensitive to the placement of the antenna.

What memories........

Rick

[Mike Bunting]

Am I in the right thread?

[Mike Buesseler]

Ah! "Dream Lover"!!! What a great song! Bill, I'd LOVE to hear what you'll do with that one. I once had a friend who played a great finger-picking guitar version of that song...wish I'd learned it.

And yes, some of those old 'radios' were nothing more than a razor blade, a pin, some wire and an earphone. Simple times....(sigh.)

[Bruce Clausen]

The art of the eight-bar guitar solo. George was positively eloquent-- and that wasn't at all normal at the time. My favourites are on Baby's in Black and Nowhere Man. I met him once, when he came as a guest to a wedding where I was playing background music, flute and classical guitar. We swapped a few licks, and he said how he regretted never having learned to read music. What could I say? I tried to let him know he'd done OK without.

Nice job, Bill.

BC

[LKN2MYIS]

Bill -

Truly moving. Thank you.

[AlanN]

Some of his early solos were truly memorable. Like on the cover to Till There Was You, just great.

And, thanks Bill, for the trips down memory lane.

[journeybear]

Some of my favorite George Harrison playing is on the only instrumental The Beatles ever did, "Cry For A Shadow." It didn't make it onto an official Beatles release, but it was on an early album of them backing up Tony Sheridan, which also features a rave-up version of "My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean" (I kid you not). But on "Cry" George emulates the Duane Eddy style and takes it a step or two further, with some marvelous tremelo bar work and even a little feedback to get some ringing tones - years before that became more popular thanks to Hendrix, Clapton, and others. Brilliant, and also danceable!

[billkilpatrick]

... he didn't need no wah-wah ...

[Amandalyn]

George was my favorite too! He plays mandolin on his "Going Tropo" album

[billkilpatrick]

George was my favorite too! He plays mandolin on his "Going Tropo" album

new one on me, thanks. did a quick youtube search - i think it's an electric mandolin he's playing on the title piece "gone troppo:"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kKMbebuQTI

[journeybear]

new one on me, thanks. did a quick youtube search - i think it's an electric mandolin he's playing on the title piece "gone troppo:"

I listened to that, and couldn't be sure whether it was mandolin or 12-string, so I did a little google search, and George Harrison is indeed credited with playing mandolin on the album. Not only that, but his is the only mandolin credit on the album, so if it's on any other songs, it's played by him.

You know what that means, don't you? It means that Paul McCartney's "Dance Tonight" was NOT the first time mandolin appeared on a Beatle recording, but "Gone Troppo," in 1982, 25 years earlier!

Leave it to George, bless him!

[JimRichter]

Actually, as great as the early Harrison was, it is the post White Album Harrison that demonstrated the most lyrical guitar playing and is my favorite.

Case in point while with the Beatles: Abbey Road. The solo to Something is a study in lyrical non-cliche guitar playing. McCartney--who up to that time had demonstrated the most creative "modern" non-rockabilly derived guitar solos in Taxman and Good Morning--was thoroughly whooped by Harrison in the guitar battle at the end of the album.

I read Geoff Emerick's book awhile back and he made this observation regarding George's guitar playing. He said that George's deep study of sitar and eastern scales/rhythms unhinged his guitar playing. When he refocused himself on guitar, he approached it in a much different way. Much different than Carl Perkins. And, we cannot overlook the overpowering nature of the slide in his guitar playing.

As much as I love early George--the solo to Don't Bother Me is classic rock and roll--it is the guitar playing of Extra Texture, Somewhere in England, 33 1/3, Lennon's Imagine album (Lennon thought George's slide playing on How Do You Sleep? was probably some of the best guitar work George ever did) and, of course, all things must pass that get my heart a beating.

And, lest we forget, George did write a song called Wah Wah that shows a masterful use of Wah Wah, as did the very powerful tune In My Time of Dying.

From a big Harrison fan

Jim

[billkilpatrick]

well, that sent me scurrying to parts of the collection that are seldom reached - thanks.

... why don't we do it in the road ...

to me there's a distinction between when they were a band and when they become more of an orchestra. not to say one is better than the other but for songs one can play along with, i much prefer the former. "rubber soul" is my favorite.

on bbc news last night i heard that abbey road studios have digitally re-mastered all their early recordings, issuing them soon ... nostalgia, sure, but mostly it's just goood music - with melodies, i mean real melodies!! would you believe!?!

- bill*

[Gerry Cassidy]

Thanks, Bill. Very, very nice. I just sat down with my first 'Cup O' Joe' and gave it a listen. Really added a nice mood for the morning.

The Beatles are most definitely sacred musical ground for me. In so many ways. Watching their silly movies as child. Listening to song, after wonderful song as I lived my life.

A point I usually end up teaching my music students, or just bring up in general musical conversation: It's amazing to hear their influence on Rock N' Roll, and Pop musical history. Even in today's more Pop-oriented hit songs, you can find a lick, turnaround, or phrase that was first done by them.

Seriously, pick any tune that was a major, top billed hit since they came on the scene, late 60's, 70's, 80's... and even today, and listen to it closely. More often, than not, you will hear something they had already done before. It's like you had to use their influence as part of the formula for creating a "Hit".

Good, good stuff. Thanks again, Bill.

[AlanN]

And the harmonies were spooky good. I have the single 45 of Twist and Shout. The flip side is something called There Is A Place, strange little number, but John and Paul blended perfectly. And Paul could belt it out, a la Little Richard.

[Amandalyn]

When I heard that George played mandolin on "Gone Troppo", I got a copy of the re-released CD just to check it out. I thought there would be some cool mando licks but found nothing distinct. Like most of George's albums to me they are "over produced" by Jeff Lynne (?) I would have loved for George to have done an unplugged, or more simple acoustic type album before he passed. The tune on the Cd is 'Mystical One" that features mandolin and Joe Brown is also listed as playing mando on that one. The Cd has a bonus demo tarck of that tune- I'll have to go have another listen.
If you want to hear a wicked mandolin Beatles cover- check out "She's so Heavy' on Flinner, Grier & Phillips.

[Amandalyn]

you can hear 'Mystical One'here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4UB9F5HK_8

[journeybear]

Case in point: Abbey Road ... McCartney--who up to that time had demonstrated the most creative "modern" non-rockabilly derived guitar solos in Taxman and Good Morning--was thoroughly whooped by Harrison in the guitar battle at the end of the album.

Huh? I thought Harrison played lead guitar and McCartney played bass. Unless you have authoritative track-by-track analysis ... I'm confused ...

[Mike Bromley]

Case in point while with the Beatles: Abbey Road. The solo to Something is a study in lyrical non-cliche guitar playing. McCartney--who up to that time had demonstrated the most creative "modern" non-rockabilly derived guitar solos in Taxman and Good Morning--was thoroughly whooped by Harrison in the guitar battle at the end of the album.

Oh Yeah!

Amazing, here in Mando-Land, a discussion of George. And, I might add, despite its non-mando content, it illustrates the influence he had on many of us, that will leak out in our mandolin passion.

Stick around, it may show....

Huh? I thought Harrison played lead guitar and McCartney played bass. Unless you have authoritative track-by-track analysis ... I'm confused ...

Once Sir George Martin got after the lush multi-tracking found from Revolver onward, The Moptops weren't limited to their Ed Sullivan band makeup. Paul indeed played lead guitar on many songs, including Taxman & Good Morning. He was a master shredder with a Les Paul in the bridge pickup position.

[journeybear]

Once Sir George Martin got after the lush multi-tracking found from Revolver onward, The Moptops weren't limited to their Ed Sullivan band makeup. Paul indeed played lead guitar on many songs, including Taxman & Good Morning. He was a master shredder with a Les Paul in the bridge pickup position.

Really?!?!? I'm stunned. I knew John played lead a lot but not Paul. And "Taxman" is one of those songs ... I've always thought the solo was a stylistic breakthrough, a signature moment for George - very raga-rock. Especially since he wrote it, you'd think it'd be his baby all the way. Wow. I've based my conception of his style on stuff like this. This is really discombobulatin'!

Gotta just get one more thing in before I crawl back into bed and pull the covers over my head ... My favorite Harrissong - if not my favorite Beatles song, as it pops into my head most often - is "I Need You," his contribution to "Help!" Just a nice neat little tune, catchy melody, nifty bridge, snazzy understated drums by Ringo - all in all a delight, and vastly underrated and overlooked. George's volume pedal chords (I'm guessing - seems too quick to be done with the knob - but if it is, that's even more masterful) really seal the deal on this one - very smooth, subtle, almost dreamy, and get into the subconscious somehow and burrow in. There is no flashiness in this, yet its subtle grace and disarming control exemplify his mastery of the instrument.

Unless it's Paul doing it, of course ...

[Bruce Clausen]

One of the great things about seeing the Beatles live (August 1966) was to realise just how great they were as a four-piece band playing together on a stage for an audience. Sound was excellent too, in spite of a strong wind hitting them in the face (not to mention the screaming in the crowd). A fine concert by any standard. If I Needed Someone was on the program that night.

BC

[journeybear]

All right, I believe it. I found confirmation on the interweb at this site, which looks well-researched and thorough. Some of this I'd already known (songs written just by John or Paul, Clapton's lead work), a lot I didn't (didn't know Ringo had quit during recording sessions for The White Album), but seeing this compiled so neatly makes it credible. I'm just going to have to adapt to accommodate the information. I believe in truth and accuracy, so I must adjust my beliefs accordingly.

It just seems so odd that "Taxman," written and sung by George, would not feature him on lead. Also, since "Revolver" introduced the concept of "raga rock" to the world with "Within You Without You" (yes, sitar was used on "Rubber Soul's" "Norwegian Wood," but that's a folk song), it seems strange that this very raga-esque solo was not played by George. It's almost like Paul out-Georgeing George. And again on "Good Morning, Good Morning." I suppose they were under the influence of similar muses. I still don't get the reference to "the guitar battle at the end of the album," meaning "The End" from "Abbey Road" - I have yet to find a site saying this was anything other than George overdubbed - but we've probably done this to a turn.

Well, at least it can't be denied that George played mandolin on "Gone Troppo." That was clearly not played by Paul!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reference Library: List of Beatles Lists

A few years ago, I rekindled my interest in the Beatles. Hertsgaard's book helped, so did the enthusiasm of stepchildren.

I¹ve compiled a few of these Beatles lists. If you have some of your own to share, please post them. The books Beatlessongs and Revolution of the Head both list (with few disputes) who played what on what song.

Ten Beatles Songs in Which the Lead Guitar Is Played by Someone
Other than George
1. Taxman (Paul)
2. Ticket to Ride (Paul)
3. The Ballad of John and Yoko (John)
4. Get Back (John)
5. Birthday (John)
6. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Eric Clapton)
7. You Can't Do That (John)
8. Another Girl (Paul)
9. Back in the U.S.S.R. (Paul)
10. Good Morning, Good Morning (Paul)

Ten Beatles Songs and Who Played Keyboards
1. The Night Before (John-electric piano)
2. Your Mother Should Know (Paul-piano, John-organ)
3. Revolution (Nicky Hopkins-electric piano)
4. Let it Be (Paul-Piano, Billy Preston-electric piano and organ)
5. I¹m Looking Through You (Ringo-organ)
6. Here Comes the Sun (George-synthesizer)
7. I Want to Tell You (Paul-piano)
8. We Can Work It Out (John-harmonium)
9. Strawberry Fields Forever (Paul-mellotron)
10. A Day in the Life (Paul-piano; end piano chord, John, Paul, Ringo,
and Mal Evans)

Ten Beatles Songs in Which at Least One of the Beatles Does Not Appear
1. Eleanor Rigby
2. Yesterday
3. She's Leaving Home
4. Back in the U.S.S.R. (Ringo had quit the band)
5. Dear Prudence (See 4)
6. The Ballad of John and Yoko
7. Blackbird
8. Within You, Without You
9. Love to You
10. Julia

Ten Lennon-McCartney songs that John Definitely Wrote without Paul
1. You Can't Do That
2. A Hard Day's Night
3. Help
4. Ticket to Ride
5. Across the Universe
6. I Am the Walrus
7. Strawberry Fields Forever
8. Revolution (all versions)
9. Happiness Is a Warm Gun
10. She Said, She Said

Ten Lennon-McCartney songs that Paul Definitely Wrote without John
1. Eleanor Rigby
2. Yesterday
3. Get Back
4. I'm Looking Through You
5. Lady Madonna
6. Paperback Writer
7. Penny Lane
8. Your Mother Should Know
9. Let It Be
10. The Long and Winding Road

- Steve Charak