My thoughts on songs 1 - 10

Initially, I almost dismissed this as a cliché choice for my favorite song, but after countless listens, it undeniably holds that title.

From the very first notes, John's vocal resonates with an exquisitely eerie echo, a quality that permeates the entire introduction. Paul's piano fills are a masterclass in subtlety – never overstated, yet perfectly playful and delightfully off-kilter. The drums, understated at first, meld seamlessly into the mood, a testament to Ringo's brilliance.

I particularly adore the way John pronounces "film" at the 1:13 mark. Then, around 1:30, his vocals subtly shift to the left channel, maintaining that captivating "off-balance" feel. The build-up at 1:44 begins with a stark emptiness, as violins echo John's voice, with only Paul's simple bass line hinting at the grandeur to come.

At 1:53, the full orchestra sweeps in. I can almost picture Paul persuading each musician, "Don't listen to your colleagues – just start at your lowest note and end at your highest!" I've always wondered if they could hear Mal Evans counting to twenty, or if these session musicians were even "hip" to the Beatles or merely earning a day's pay. The infamous twenty-count was a constant topic of debate among my friends and me back then. They doubted its existence, and I could never quite pinpoint the timing well enough to prove it until the CD versions finally revealed it clearly. (I hope they've heard it by now too!) After the orchestral crescendo, we're left with the lingering echo, the persistent piano, and Paul's bass line dropping a full octave.

And then, the alarm clock! It's genius, but what is Paul saying at 2:18? Is he initiating a "one" countdown, or did he simply make an early entrance? His muffled, echo-less voice offers a striking contrast to John's, a sound I've never heard from Paul before or since. I once considered it a flaw in the recording, but now it feels perfectly placed – one of those beautiful mistakes that elevate a song.

John's simulated out-of-breath chant at 2:33, following Paul's "he's late," is quintessential John. I love the sharp "t" Paul delivers in "flat" at 2:40. And is that John in the background at 2:42 with some kind of "eke," followed by another comment at 2:45, seemingly about the "smoke" Paul is singing about? John's heavily echoed "aahhs" then embark on a fascinating journey, starting in the right channel, moving quickly to the front and center, fading left, returning to center, and finally drifting right. Everything in this song feels deliciously asymmetrical.

The loud horns jolt us out of the break, yet we're surprisingly left with only piano, bass, and drums – no acoustic guitar for a few measures. The song's mood shifts to a more upbeat tempo, though I used to think it was faster. Ringo truly leads the way with his brilliant drumming, perfectly complemented by the subtle maracas, which was George's sole contribution to the track.

Every time I hear John sing "now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall," I can't help but wonder if he's actually thinking "assholes"... And have you ever heard the version where John counts in with a glum "Sugar Gum Ferry, Sugar Gum Ferry"? Or the song's ending with that tape loop of recurring noises and vocal non-sequiturs? I'm genuinely grateful those weren't on the versions I cherished for the first two decades of listening.   
 

This song captures John at his most profoundly introspective, grappling with anxieties about being too fat, too rich, too insecure – simply, too everything. I often wonder what its raw, initial form sounded like; was it a slow, somber ballad? It's fascinating how many of his greatest (in my humble opinion) compositions share a similar chord progression, moving from G to B minor to E minor, much like "A Day in the Life." I suspect B minor might have been his favored chord, as it recurs throughout his seminal works, appearing in "HELP!", "Across the Universe," and, of course, "A Day in the Life."

Allow me to share a few random thoughts on why this song strikes me as so compelling, progressive, groundbreaking, and ultimately, so good. Was there ever a popular song before this where the vocal echo, the very thought itself, preceded the sung line? Or a pop song that delved so deeply into introspection? Despite its upbeat tempo, the weighty emotions expressed here are unmistakable. And was there ever a pop song with such a startling, immediate beginning?

Focusing on the lyrics, John tells a profoundly moving story, a desperate cry for assistance. Yet, what I find remarkable is how the song's energetic pace subtly masks this raw emotion, almost dismissing the notion that a man is bearing such a heavy burden. The sheer courage it must have taken for him to sing these words is immense, but that vulnerability was one of the many qualities that defined John.

I've heard John express disappointment with the final version of "HELP!" Oh, to imagine this song re-recorded in 1969 – what would John have wanted it to sound like? I get the distinct impression Paul must have been taken aback by John's unnerving audacity in writing something so intensely personal. In that sense, I believe the raw emotion embedded in this song profoundly influenced the subsequent evolution of both Paul's and John's songwriting. This was arguably the first pop song to declare that it was not only permissible but powerful to write about truly personal thoughts – deeply personal thoughts, almost a precursor to "Everybody's Got Something to Hide 'cept for Me and My Monkey."

It also stands as proof of John's ability to craft a hit "on demand," demonstrating that "A Hard Day's Night" was no mere fluke. They desperately needed a title song to kick off the movie (and title it, thankfully preventing "Eight Arms to Hold You!" – a title I'm sure John found utterly mortifying, as the Beatles were clearly above that!).

This also feels like a song notably devoid of Paul's typical melodic influence. His only discernible contribution is the background harmony. In essence, "HELP!" marked the beginning of the era where John and Paul's songwriting became increasingly separate. Paul never seemed to give this song its proper due. Even George acknowledged the innovative background vocals, but Paul's admiration seemed more for the song's inherent structure. Yet, ironically, I believe "HELP!" is the singular song that truly launched the next (and arguably best) phase of Beatles compositions. I almost feel a twinge of embarrassment imagining Paul writing "Another Girl" while John was pouring his soul into "HELP!"  

The Abbey Road medley. Ah, it begins with "You Never Give Me Your Money," ushered in by a quiet, almost apologetic, and wonderfully understated piano. Paul's bass immediately asserts itself as a lead instrument, a hallmark of his melodic style, and this is a prime example. The double stops on the bass, a technique rarely heard from him since "Norwegian Wood" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand," add a distinctive touch. My favorite bass run, a truly exquisite moment, arrives at the 45-second mark. We then segue into the magnificent harmony of the second verse, before a powerful descent at 1:08 propels us into the rock section. John's megaphone-like voice emerges, initially confined to the right speaker, embodying Paul's longing for that "magic feeling" of having nowhere to go – a clear sign of his weariness with constant demands. The simplicity here is striking, and the "ahs" that follow evoke an almost underwater quality, reminiscent of "Octopus's Garden." The Beatles had truly perfected their "ahs" by this point, making them sound utterly effortless. John's contribution of "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, all good children go to heaven" fits so perfectly, serving the simple lyrical longing for a life unburdened by obligations, just making rhymes for the sheer joy of sound. They were clearly fed up at this stage of their career, yearning for the simple existence of creative freedom. A really nice lead guitar emerges near the end; I've always wondered who played it. And then... the crickets, the delicate bells, and the crescendoing cymbal usher in "Sun King."

"Sun King" continues with that lead, melodic bass, beautifully interwoven with John's signature chords. Again, it’s remarkably simple yet so meticulously detailed that it feels utterly complete. And then, at 53 seconds, the "ahhs" return. Did John borrow that lyrical idea from "Here Comes the Sun," or was it coincidence? I often ponder George's presence on these tracks. The drum sound near the end feels a bit flat as we transition into "Mean Mr. Mustard," and I think it could have been improved.

"Mean Mr. Mustard" provides perhaps the finest use of the Moog synthesizer in the entire medley, echoing the bass line with eerie precision. Yet, arguably my favorite moment in the entire medley is the harmony on the second verse, beginning around 35 seconds in. Paul's harmony is surprisingly louder than John's lead, and it works – it commands attention, pulling the listener in with an irresistible force. The abrupt, almost jarring end leads us into the harsh, even slightly sloppy, acoustic guitar that kicks off "Polythene Pam." It's a bit of a throwaway song, but it finds its perfect place here. The background "ahs" are a nice touch, perhaps indicating George's presence. There's also a questionable, somewhat redundant lead guitar part that doesn't add much but fills the space; again, is that George? John clearly revels in this song, reveling in silly "yeah, yeah, yeahs" and exclaiming "listen to that now, oh, look out here she comes."

And then, seamlessly, "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window" begins, though I always wonder why it starts with the tail end of the "Polythene Pam" lead. The magnificent "ahs" once again inject vitality into the track. Ringo's drums sound slightly better here – I wonder if he still had the cloth over the toms, as in "Let It Be"? They truly could have achieved a superior drum sound throughout this era. Where was Geoff Emerick when you needed him!  

 A somewhat starling beginning, right to the point.  Immediately, this song sounds different, is that a melatrone in the background?  Pretty much a Paul only song up until the refrain when it's all John.  What stunning difference between the two parts of the song.  Paul sounds sincere, sweet, insistent, clear in voice.  John sounds like the devil in comparison, ever doubtful, and sounding a bit scolding in telling "her" that life is short you fool.  There never seemed to be an easy transition during this refrain.  The end of the last line is a bit awkward, they had to do something and this does work.  This must have given Ringo fits until it was worked out.  I have to point out that this song has one of the weakest bass lines that Paul has ever written.  He tended to do very little work on the bass lines on the songs he wrote in the earlier days and here is that thought at it's most apparent.  This is more of an acoustic guitar and tambourine song.

Having said all this, why is it my fourth favorite Beatles song?  Well, to start with the lyrics are amazing.  Pretty simple and to the point but what a terrific melodic verse.  In a sense, it's very bare and the song holds up with the acoustic guitar and the tamborine.  It seems to me that the tamborine makes the song.  I guess George wasn't given any opening to add something.  or maybe that's him on the acoustic, but my guess is that it's John.  I say this because of the clever strumming at the 1:09 mark.  He had to do something other than just strum it straight.... John did stuff like this on "She's A Woman" (at the 1:25 mark) and "Roll Over Beethoven" (at the 2:09 mark) to name a couple times he just had to do something different.  So I guess this songs ranks so high because of the crafting of these thoughts (both Paul's and John's) together.  The story is pretty simple and the song gets it all out in 2 minutes and 16 seconds.  There's not a thought that they missed.  So it's a beautifully crafted complete pop song that is catchy at the same time. 

 This is the best poem that John ever wrote.  And then he turned it in to a song.  If I knew more about the poem language of metaphors, similes, whodingers, syncopation and such I could go into detail here.  I just know that it's a brilliant poem.  My favorite line is about a restless wind inside a letterbox.  That image is precious.  Let me name all the phrases in this song that floor me....  endless rain into a paper cup, slither while they slip away, pools of sorrow, waves of joy, drifting, possessing, caressing...just about the entire song is full of images that astound.  Dancing broken light, thoughts meandering (in a letterbox for god's sake)....across the universe.  The only thing that stops this from being at the top of my list is the chorus.  Can you imagine if John came up with something other than the mantra chant, Jai Guru De Va....  Something that could bring this song to the public.  The mantra chant forces this song to keep it's place in the very distant background of Beatles songs.  It couldn't become mainstream with the somewhat downbeat chorus of "nothings gonna change my world"....and then to top it off the somewhat controversial meditation angle.  It seemed a bit hippy like to introduce an Maharishi chant at the time and that's the only reason this in not as popular as John's later "Imagine".  I know that there are a few versions of this song...birds at the beginning and such, but none seem to really nail it.  I don't really like the wa-wa guitar or the angelic chorus, or the horrible bass line at the end ot the song.  I don't suspect that Paul had anything to do with this song and I thinks that's a shame.  The arrangement could have been worked on to make this even better and I think Paul could have helped.  I get the feeling that the two of them really had very little interaction during this period.  They wrote separately and it shows.  None-the-less, this is a brilliant song/poem that deserves more recognition.

Across The Universe....take two update (today's date 12-9-14).  (Check that anniversary date in JL history)  So now that I've learned the technique of Transcendental Meditation, I need to amend my original interpretation of this song.  The chorus...Jai Guru Dev...is a tribute to the founder of the TM movement.  It was the Guru Dev that taught Marish Maheshi sp? to learn and teach TM.  So it's not a mantra at all.  It's John's tribute to the founder of the TM school.  Not enough has been written about John and TM so I'm reticent to go so far as saying this is a tribute but it's clear to me that John is saying something about meditation.  My TM teacher pointed out (just tonight) that the phrase "Nothing's gonna change my world" could literally mean that "nothing", as the subject of the sentence, could mean that the nothing, or the "awareness", that sometimes comes (and goes) briefly during meditation could be praise by John that the somewhat fleeting magical moment has been a huge (positive) change to His world.  The rest of the song now seems to be full of meditation references..."thoughts meander", "limitless undying love" etc..  I'm somewhat blown away by the beauty of this song as a tribute to TM.  Now that I've learned to meditate, I am even more amazed at the ability of John's lyrics to describe some of his experiences during meditation.  So my original interpretation of this song as somewhat downbeat has been turned 180 degrees.  This song may go down as the best song ever written!  I may need to revisit this song again.... 

  Pure power in a pop song.  John was right when he said this song was one of the early "heavy" songs.  Not just by the Beatles, but by anyone.  The simple but catchy "A" chord rife starts and then Ringo gets us going with a nice, really fast tom roll.  Of course the drums initially make the song interesting and I guess we have to thank Paul for telling Ringo what to do.  Paul may have suggested something but Ringo perfected it.  One of the things that doesn't get talked about with regards to the early to mid Beatles songs is the balance and mix of the overall recording.  Listen to the transition lead guitar part (played by Paul) and the drums how they quiet down during the verse.  In fact the whole mix is outstanding.  It seems to quiet down and emphasize the vocals yet it remains heavy at the same time.  It's a heavy pop song...the first of it's kind.  The harmonies are spectacular which by now is expected.  The little ad libs like John at the 1:40 and 2:30 mark keep the song seeming off the cuff and very natural, spontaneous.  John's vocal is terrific.  The song breaks down at the 2:45 mark into somewhat of a weak ending.  I chalk this up to them being pressed to finish the song and it's the best they came up with.  It's the only way that we know this song now so it's not as if it doesn't sound good but in retrospect, it does seem a bit weak.  I think the pressure was to finish and move on. 

 The bassline and drums hit you first.  It's a really simple bass line but boy is it effective.  John of course has an awesome sound on his vocal.  The echo makes the song different.  We've never heard the echo like this before.  There's no low end on the vocal and it works great.  I don't know if I can recite the words to this song....it's probably the only Beatles song that I might not know all the words.  That by itself is different.  In fact I think one of the things that made the Beatles so popular is that ALL of their words are clearly understood and articulated.

So my feeling is that Paul decided to rally the troops to make Abbey Road and John thought he'd like to write about it.  The Come Together chorus is just that...a rally to get everyone to....well, come together....over John, not Paul.  I think the song is autobiographical.  John is describing himself in many of the lines.  That's a theme that John visited often...."I'm a Loser", "I'm So Tired", "Nowhere Man", "Help";  most of his best were about himself and I think Come Together is largely about himself.  I love the understated and distorted guitar sound.  It's not very loud or prominent but so perfect.  The breaths on the bridge remind me of what he did on "Girl".  John used his voice as an instrument often.  The lead must have been John's although I don't know that for a fact.  I can't see or hear George on this track at all.  Ringo's drums sound much better on this track.  He must have gotten rid of the towels. 

 Another John composition that tells an interesting, simple story with wit.  Everyone should hear the evolution of this song on the anthology disc.  Take one is upbeat with a heavy drum driving the song...it's awful.   On take two, we finally hear the drums take a back seat to the beautiful chord progression and harmonic lyric.  At the end of this take John announces "well we finally found out what to do....it's good".  I couldn't agree more.  It's good.  The final version that is.

I wonder if this really happened to John?  Did he go to a girls house and ring the bell only to get no reply.  Did the girl really "peep" through the window and did he really see this.  It's almost too good to be true so I got to believe that it really didn't really happen.  John paints a picture of a perfectly believable story and brings it to life.  

Again, Paul's harmony is wonderful...he has a really high range.  I love the way the hand claps drive the song during the chorus only to have the drums settle down to the mellow verse.  This song is very similar to "I'm A Loser" in the arrangement and feel...an acoustic guitar accompanied by great harmonies and thoughtful drums telling a compelling story.
 

 So Mia Farrow's sister Prudence (as of 12-9-14 living and teaching TM on Florida's panhandle)  stayed in her room while they were all in India learning to meditate.  She never hung out with the Beatles and immediately returned to her room every night.  John wrote this song for her.   John was always writing songs and thank god for that.  I always wonder that he recorded maybe one fifth of what he wrote and I'd love to hear some of what never made it to tape.  Paul probably left much unrecorded and between the two of them we could have another 4 or 5 medleys.  (Recently, Paul seems to be recording too much....he needs the guidance of fab friends and producers to limit his recording sessions).

So here we have Paul on drums and bass.  The bass line is wonderful....and heavy.  The bass is one of the things that puts this song so high on my list.  You can always tell when Paul plays the drums because his snare sound is so different from Ringo's.  Paul hits the snare with the tip of the stick while Ringo almost hits the rim and the skin at the same time.  Nonetheless, this is one of Paul's best drumming we've ever heard....besides the snare difference the rest of his drumming is Ringo like and that's good.  In fact it seems to me that Paul even uses the ride symbol as a crash at the end of each verse.  Now that is very Ringo!!

While in India, John was taught to fingerpick by Donovan and he uses it on this song but picking on the electric Casio guitar is a bit different than what he was taught.  I like it, it's different.  So one of the great things about the Beatles is that very rarely did they just duplicate the sound or instrumentation of a previous recording.  Every song seemed to introduce something new to the equation and here we have John fingerpicking on an electric guitar no less.  This song starts somewhat mellow but immediately becomes heavy at the 44 second mark as the bass really kicks in.  Take away the bass and this song remains mellow and relatively quiet.  Paul deserves much credit on this point.  He doesn't add much in the way of vocals but kills it on the drums and bass.  George's lead fillers are nice and I'm glad he was able to contribute.  This album (The Beatles) was so fractured in that most of the songs seems to be a solo effort, I'm glad to hear contributions from all three.
 

  Another introspective John song.  (There seems to be a pattern to what I like).  So clearly John is singing about himself as he often did.  We have really nice harmony on this song and the rythm of bass and drums is pretty much a throw away.  The lead guitar is really nice.  John and George playing the lead in unisome on their fender guitars to get the best punch out of it.  I absolutely admire the harmonic on the last note of the lead.  Again we have something to this song that is totally unique and different.  It's funny how something as simple as that note can propel this song up my list.

John is confident on this introspective song.  He's okay saying he's a Nowhere Man because he knows it's not true.  There's a bit of "look at me, I'm so confident that I can call myself a Nowhere Man".  He rhymes "listen" with "missing" and it works brilliantly.  It sounds natural, not like some of his earlier rhymes which were definately contrived....remember "It Won't Be Long" when he rhymed 'fun' with 'own'.  In the same song he rhymes 'know' with 'more' but at the time it was fine even though it was a stretch.

One other thing about Nowhere Man.... It's one of the best songs to use the stereo and pan to the left or right channel.  I get such a kick out of hearing just the lead vocal or just the instruments... this stereo listening works best on Rubber Soul as I'm sure you've all discovered by now.