Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
2022 FBG, 172 to 1 Beatles Countdown 1-25 lists... And 173 to 1 Countdown from 1-64 lists! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Zegras11
- Start date
Shaft41
Footballguy
Zegras11
Footballguy
It Won’t Be Long
2022 Ranking: 99
2022 Lists: 6
2022 Points: 38
Ranked Highest by: @rockaction (17) OTB_Lifer (17) @Eephus (18) @Encyclopedia Brown (23) @prosopis (24)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: 92T/1/19
Getz: First song with six voters, but not one in the Top 15. Six votes and no first timers!
Krista4
My 2019 ranking: 76
2019 write-up:
It Won't Be Long (With the Beatles, 1963)
Like "Any Time At All," this one starts with urgent solo shouts from John, but in this case the backing vocals jump in quickly to add some "yeah yeah yeah"s reminiscent of a less joyous "She Loves You." Like "Please Please Me," the song featured some wordplay that Paul identified as the highlight of the songwriting, with the double meaning of "be long until I belong to you." This song was intended to be the Beatles next single after the recorded-but-not-yet-released "She Loves You," but it ended up losing out to "I Want to Hold Your Hand." Nothing to be ashamed of there.
Love that blast start here, and I'm a sucker for a good call-and-response, so love the "yeah" "yeah" back and forth that follows. The descending chords in the bridge(s) make me swoon. This song perfectly fit the bill of the "potboiler" that George Martin always wanted to start an album. I initially had this marked in my third tier and noted it was "messy," but over the course of this project it kept moving up the list once I realized that the messiness was part of the point. The urgency, the messiness, the excitement combined with a smidge of terror...it all sums up the best and worst of relationships.
Mr. krista: "This song really rocks. That’s a burner of an opening track. It just rips. What the #### else do you want from a rock song."
Suggested cover: If you don't like Richard Thompson, you're dead to me.
2022 Supplement: Great song to sing with your cats. They really kill the “yeah yeah”s on the chorus.
Guido Merkins
It Won’t Be Long kicked off the Beatles second album called With The Beatles in 1964. It had a lot of “yeahs” in it, similar to She Loves You. It sort of explodes out of the speakers at the beginning, so it makes a great album opener. The chorus is kind of a call and response thing with John saying “it won’t be long” and George and Paul responding with “yeah.”
The cool parts of this song is the wordplay of “it won’t be long till I belong to you.” Kind of like the double use of “please” in Please Please Me. I also love the descending guitar that George does at the end with the harmonies on top.
I like the song a lot, but I would have to say it’s one of the weaker album openers for the Beatles. Of course, when I Saw Her Standing There, A Hard Day’s Night, Back in the USSR, and Come Together are some of the other choices, that is understandable. If the Beatles had put singles on this album, it would have been opened by She Loves You, probably, and since they couldn’t do that, they wrote something similar. It only speaks to the majesty of She Loves You that It Won’t Be Long would be inferior. But it’s still a great song.
2022 Ranking: 99
2022 Lists: 6
2022 Points: 38
Ranked Highest by: @rockaction (17) OTB_Lifer (17) @Eephus (18) @Encyclopedia Brown (23) @prosopis (24)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: 92T/1/19
Getz: First song with six voters, but not one in the Top 15. Six votes and no first timers!
Krista4
My 2019 ranking: 76
2019 write-up:
It Won't Be Long (With the Beatles, 1963)
Like "Any Time At All," this one starts with urgent solo shouts from John, but in this case the backing vocals jump in quickly to add some "yeah yeah yeah"s reminiscent of a less joyous "She Loves You." Like "Please Please Me," the song featured some wordplay that Paul identified as the highlight of the songwriting, with the double meaning of "be long until I belong to you." This song was intended to be the Beatles next single after the recorded-but-not-yet-released "She Loves You," but it ended up losing out to "I Want to Hold Your Hand." Nothing to be ashamed of there.
Love that blast start here, and I'm a sucker for a good call-and-response, so love the "yeah" "yeah" back and forth that follows. The descending chords in the bridge(s) make me swoon. This song perfectly fit the bill of the "potboiler" that George Martin always wanted to start an album. I initially had this marked in my third tier and noted it was "messy," but over the course of this project it kept moving up the list once I realized that the messiness was part of the point. The urgency, the messiness, the excitement combined with a smidge of terror...it all sums up the best and worst of relationships.
Mr. krista: "This song really rocks. That’s a burner of an opening track. It just rips. What the #### else do you want from a rock song."
Suggested cover: If you don't like Richard Thompson, you're dead to me.
2022 Supplement: Great song to sing with your cats. They really kill the “yeah yeah”s on the chorus.
Guido Merkins
It Won’t Be Long kicked off the Beatles second album called With The Beatles in 1964. It had a lot of “yeahs” in it, similar to She Loves You. It sort of explodes out of the speakers at the beginning, so it makes a great album opener. The chorus is kind of a call and response thing with John saying “it won’t be long” and George and Paul responding with “yeah.”
The cool parts of this song is the wordplay of “it won’t be long till I belong to you.” Kind of like the double use of “please” in Please Please Me. I also love the descending guitar that George does at the end with the harmonies on top.
I like the song a lot, but I would have to say it’s one of the weaker album openers for the Beatles. Of course, when I Saw Her Standing There, A Hard Day’s Night, Back in the USSR, and Come Together are some of the other choices, that is understandable. If the Beatles had put singles on this album, it would have been opened by She Loves You, probably, and since they couldn’t do that, they wrote something similar. It only speaks to the majesty of She Loves You that It Won’t Be Long would be inferior. But it’s still a great song.
wikkidpissah
Footballguy
This is one of the occasions i revel over my great good luck to have been born at a time which has allowed me to see/hear EVERYTHING in media for its first go-round. No idea what i'd think of this in retrospect, but it was pure delight encountering it freshly as a lad. One of the first instances where i opened myself past stereotypes to try and understand another culture.
The PBS special on the recording of Sgt Pepper has an excellent segment on George integrating the Taals - the evolving 10+ beat Indian rhythm patterns (IIRC, WY,WY is in Dhamar) - with Western music.
the only song i dont remember hearing before k4's Beatlfication of the FFA.
this reminds me of writing plays/screenplays. there is always a point where you have to take the audience off the hook of where you're trying to drag them with some kind of tension-relieving non-sequitir without losing them by the time you bring em back. i'm guessing they needed an "end of act 1" and Lennon trusted his psyche to provide him one if he got weird enough. LOVE that ####!
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Last edited by a moderator:
Zegras11
Footballguy
Chalk Rankings Top 10. #99 = 74 pts. each Sponsored by: COLD Strawberry Pop Tarts
1 --Krista (Sharon)---427.5
2 --OTB_Lifer---418
3 --anarchy99---372
4 --Krista (Worth)---282.5
5 --Krista (Rob)---266.5
6 --Encyclopedia Brown---266.5
7 --Wrighteous Ray(Hub)---236
8 --rockaction---223
9 --Krista (TJ/Michael)---214.5
10 --fatguyinalttlecoat---205
1 --Krista (Sharon)---427.5
2 --OTB_Lifer---418
3 --anarchy99---372
4 --Krista (Worth)---282.5
5 --Krista (Rob)---266.5
6 --Encyclopedia Brown---266.5
7 --Wrighteous Ray(Hub)---236
8 --rockaction---223
9 --Krista (TJ/Michael)---214.5
10 --fatguyinalttlecoat---205
Shaft41
Footballguy
Is it even possible to not sing along with the harmonies at the end of this song as you play an imaginary descending bassline?
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
#93 overall
It Won't Be Long
With The Beatles - 1963 (#3 of 14)
composer - Lennon
lead vocals - Lennon
WTB has only 4 songs in my Top 100. Only MMT & YS with 2 each have fewer. Yet I never tire of listening to it straight through, and this song is a big reason. Love the call and response - it’s a banger.
Left:
lead guitar
rhythm guitar
bass
drums
Center:
[none]
Right:
vocals
The middle 8 is used twice, lasting 8 measures and 14 or 15 seconds each time, totaling 22.1% (29/131) of the song's duration. Of the Beatles first 36 original songs, 30 employ at least one middle 8.
FORMAL STRUCTURE
"It Won't Be Long"
Chorus 0:00-0:15
Verse 1 0:15-0:28
Chorus 0:28-0:42
Middle 8 0:42-0:56
Verse 2 0:56-1:09
Chorus 1:09-1:23
Middle 8 1:23-1:38
Verse 3 1:38-1:51
Chorus 1:51-2:00
Coda (independent) 2:00-2:11
On Please Please Me, every single song had an introduction. The very first track on With the Beatles breaks the pattern: instead of an intro, the song launches straight into the chorus. The coda uses material entirely independent from the rest of the song.
Last edited by a moderator:
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
Some mid round sleeper picks per their ADP:
99 It Won't Be Long
101 Mr. Kite
107 Because
112 I'm Happy Just to Dance With You
114 All I've Got To Do
99 It Won't Be Long
101 Mr. Kite
107 Because
112 I'm Happy Just to Dance With You
114 All I've Got To Do
krista4
Footballguy
I think it would be easy to chart what time I did a write-up based on the amount of effort put in. I'm going to peg this one between 10-11 pm.
Zegras11
Footballguy
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
"Great song to sing with your cats"
It won't be long, yeah
'Til I'll be feeding you...
It won't be long, yeah
'Til I'll be feeding you...
Zegras11
Footballguy
Fixing a Hole
2022 Ranking: 98
2022 Lists: 4
2022 Points: 39
Ranked Highest by: @PIK95 (14) @Uruk-Hai (14) @Anarchy99 (14) @zamboni (23)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: 69/2/37
Getz: A’99 becomes the first to have 10 songs posted and retakes the Chalk lead. Fixing drops 29 spots from 2019. What is up with three of the four ranking this #14? And again, no first timers…Where are you people? Show your faces!
Krista4
My 2019 ranking: 108
2019 write-up:
Fixing A Hole (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967)
Credit to @Godsbrother for this being as high as it is. I'd always thought this was one of my least favorites, bottom 30-40, but then I noticed that he hyped it in a thread or two as underrated, so I thought I should give it a shot. Now when I play it, I can't get it out of my head, in a good way. Maybe as more time goes by it will climb even higher.
See what I did there? "Higher" in a post on a song about pot?
Oh yeah, back to the song. It's about pot. It's about Paul wanting to be free to experiment, to let his mind wander and not be constrained. Maybe to include stuff other than pot, but definitely including pot. And I think that's one of the most admirable qualities about Paul: for all the criticism I've given to many of the vaudeville songs, his experimentation into different types of music well exceeded the others', both during the time of the Beatles and thereafter. He can simply do it all, and even if we don't appreciate the results of his forays into certain genres, I think all his attempts are well-meaning and based on a genuine love for and interest in them. I can't imagine what it would be like to have a mind that brilliant.
Also, he sure did look dreamy in that "Hey Jude" video.
Oh yeah (again), back to the song (again). I might mention chord progressions too often, but these are fascinating and move through minor/major in a way that complements the lyrics beautifully. The lilt of the vocal moving into a more urgent sound along with the guitar, culminating in the blast of "why they don't get in my door," is sublime, as is the guitar work itself. The song shows off Paul's incredible vocal range not just in terms of the notes but the emotion. The harpsichord forming part of the rhythm section is a brilliant touch.
Fun story about the session for this song: a guy showed up at Paul's front door and when Paul asked who he was, he said he was Jesus. Wait, I'll let Paul tell it. "This guy said, 'I'm Jesus Christ.' I said, 'Oop,' slightly shocked. I said, 'Well, you'd better come in then.' I thought, 'Well, it probably isn't. But if he is, I'm not going to be the one to turn him away.' So I gave him a cup of tea and we just chatted...We used to get a lot of people who were maybe insecure or going through emotional breakdowns or whatever. So I said, 'I've got to go to a session but if you promise to be very quiet and just sit in a corner, you can come.' So he did, he came to the session and he did sit very quietly and I never saw him after that. I introduced him to the guys. They said, 'Who's this?' I said, 'He's Jesus Christ.'"
Mr. krista: "I don’t know. I don’t like it. It doesn’t go anywhere. Just plods along. Made totally in the studio rather than the product of songwriting. Seems like a high-dea."
Suggested covers: I dunno about this vocal, but The Fray. Love it or hate it version from Electric Würms (count me as hate it).
2022 Supplement: I’ve gone back to being more meh on this one in the ensuing three years. In addition to saying over the years that it was about pot, Paul has described this as being an ode to the metaphysical idea of a hole and the creative process: “Before I write a song, there’s a black hole and then I get my guitar or piano and fill it in.” When complete, he’s filled in the black hole with a colorful landscape. He has also said it was about LSD in that, around the time of writing it, he had had his first experiences with the drug and had a physical reaction thereafter: “When I closed my eyes, instead of there being blackness there was a little blue hole. It was as if something needed patching.” He has said others thought it was about heroin. And finally, he has said that when he wrote it he was living on his own in his new London home, and the whole world of home improvements had just started to hit his life.
So take your pick. This is about pot, heroin, LSD, the creative process, and/or carpentry.
Guido Merkins
In 1967, people were always looking for hidden meanings in songs, specifically about drugs. So, you have the word “fixing” in a song, it must be a heroin, right? Paul has said that heroin had nothing to do with the song, but has given alternative explanations over the years about pot, fixing himself so he can be artistic and about the people who would hang around outside his house. So not sure what the truth is. Could be all of the above.
On Side One of the Sgt Pepper album, Fixing A Hole starts off with a harpsichord intro, which I think was the first time the Beatles used an actual harpsichord. Like most of Pepper, Paul’s bass is front and center, almost a lead instrument. George also really lets it rip on the guitar solo, maybe one of the only time George contributed much guitar on the Sgt Pepper album.
The song uses the old Beatles trick of switching between major and minor for verses and choruses, a trick they had been doing since the A Hard Day’s Night album. This is a song I have always liked very much, but I think it’s a deep cut that most people haven’t discovered yet.
2022 Ranking: 98
2022 Lists: 4
2022 Points: 39
Ranked Highest by: @PIK95 (14) @Uruk-Hai (14) @Anarchy99 (14) @zamboni (23)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: 69/2/37
Getz: A’99 becomes the first to have 10 songs posted and retakes the Chalk lead. Fixing drops 29 spots from 2019. What is up with three of the four ranking this #14? And again, no first timers…Where are you people? Show your faces!
Krista4
My 2019 ranking: 108
2019 write-up:
Fixing A Hole (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967)
Credit to @Godsbrother for this being as high as it is. I'd always thought this was one of my least favorites, bottom 30-40, but then I noticed that he hyped it in a thread or two as underrated, so I thought I should give it a shot. Now when I play it, I can't get it out of my head, in a good way. Maybe as more time goes by it will climb even higher.
See what I did there? "Higher" in a post on a song about pot?
Oh yeah, back to the song. It's about pot. It's about Paul wanting to be free to experiment, to let his mind wander and not be constrained. Maybe to include stuff other than pot, but definitely including pot. And I think that's one of the most admirable qualities about Paul: for all the criticism I've given to many of the vaudeville songs, his experimentation into different types of music well exceeded the others', both during the time of the Beatles and thereafter. He can simply do it all, and even if we don't appreciate the results of his forays into certain genres, I think all his attempts are well-meaning and based on a genuine love for and interest in them. I can't imagine what it would be like to have a mind that brilliant.
Also, he sure did look dreamy in that "Hey Jude" video.
Oh yeah (again), back to the song (again). I might mention chord progressions too often, but these are fascinating and move through minor/major in a way that complements the lyrics beautifully. The lilt of the vocal moving into a more urgent sound along with the guitar, culminating in the blast of "why they don't get in my door," is sublime, as is the guitar work itself. The song shows off Paul's incredible vocal range not just in terms of the notes but the emotion. The harpsichord forming part of the rhythm section is a brilliant touch.
Fun story about the session for this song: a guy showed up at Paul's front door and when Paul asked who he was, he said he was Jesus. Wait, I'll let Paul tell it. "This guy said, 'I'm Jesus Christ.' I said, 'Oop,' slightly shocked. I said, 'Well, you'd better come in then.' I thought, 'Well, it probably isn't. But if he is, I'm not going to be the one to turn him away.' So I gave him a cup of tea and we just chatted...We used to get a lot of people who were maybe insecure or going through emotional breakdowns or whatever. So I said, 'I've got to go to a session but if you promise to be very quiet and just sit in a corner, you can come.' So he did, he came to the session and he did sit very quietly and I never saw him after that. I introduced him to the guys. They said, 'Who's this?' I said, 'He's Jesus Christ.'"
Mr. krista: "I don’t know. I don’t like it. It doesn’t go anywhere. Just plods along. Made totally in the studio rather than the product of songwriting. Seems like a high-dea."
Suggested covers: I dunno about this vocal, but The Fray. Love it or hate it version from Electric Würms (count me as hate it).
2022 Supplement: I’ve gone back to being more meh on this one in the ensuing three years. In addition to saying over the years that it was about pot, Paul has described this as being an ode to the metaphysical idea of a hole and the creative process: “Before I write a song, there’s a black hole and then I get my guitar or piano and fill it in.” When complete, he’s filled in the black hole with a colorful landscape. He has also said it was about LSD in that, around the time of writing it, he had had his first experiences with the drug and had a physical reaction thereafter: “When I closed my eyes, instead of there being blackness there was a little blue hole. It was as if something needed patching.” He has said others thought it was about heroin. And finally, he has said that when he wrote it he was living on his own in his new London home, and the whole world of home improvements had just started to hit his life.
So take your pick. This is about pot, heroin, LSD, the creative process, and/or carpentry.
Guido Merkins
In 1967, people were always looking for hidden meanings in songs, specifically about drugs. So, you have the word “fixing” in a song, it must be a heroin, right? Paul has said that heroin had nothing to do with the song, but has given alternative explanations over the years about pot, fixing himself so he can be artistic and about the people who would hang around outside his house. So not sure what the truth is. Could be all of the above.
On Side One of the Sgt Pepper album, Fixing A Hole starts off with a harpsichord intro, which I think was the first time the Beatles used an actual harpsichord. Like most of Pepper, Paul’s bass is front and center, almost a lead instrument. George also really lets it rip on the guitar solo, maybe one of the only time George contributed much guitar on the Sgt Pepper album.
The song uses the old Beatles trick of switching between major and minor for verses and choruses, a trick they had been doing since the A Hard Day’s Night album. This is a song I have always liked very much, but I think it’s a deep cut that most people haven’t discovered yet.
DocHolliday
Footballguy
Mr Kite is another Beatles song that I love and never skip. It’s not a top 25 or even top 50 Beatles song but I probably like it more than most and maybe even more than I should.
Zegras11
Footballguy
Chalk Rankings Top 10. #98 = 75 pts. each Sponsored by: COLD Strawberry Pop Tarts
1 --anarchy99---447
2 --Krista (Sharon)---427.5
3 --OTB_Lifer---418
4 --Krista (Worth)---282.5
5 --Krista (Rob)---266.5
6 --Encyclopedia Brown---266.5
7 --Wrighteous Ray(Hub)---236
8 --rockaction---223
9 --Krista (TJ/Michael)---214.5
10 --fatguyinalttlecoat---205
1 --anarchy99---447
2 --Krista (Sharon)---427.5
3 --OTB_Lifer---418
4 --Krista (Worth)---282.5
5 --Krista (Rob)---266.5
6 --Encyclopedia Brown---266.5
7 --Wrighteous Ray(Hub)---236
8 --rockaction---223
9 --Krista (TJ/Michael)---214.5
10 --fatguyinalttlecoat---205
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Not making this up - recently watched a clip where Macca said it was about Beatlemania fans
dude is trolling
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Presumably I was in a Pepper mood when I ranked this - thought it was 175th or worse on my 1-206
Fixing A Hole
#119 overall
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 1967 (7th of 13)
composer - McCartney
lead vocals - McCartney
Formal structure
"Fixing a Hole"
Intro (verse) 0:00-0:06*
Verse 1 0:06-0:25
Verse 2 0:25-0:42
Middle 8 0:42-0:59
Verse 3 0:59-1:16
Solo (verse) 1:16-1:33
Middle 8 1:33-1:50
Verse 4 1:50-2:06
Coda (verse) 2:06-2:36
Verses 1 and 2 are contiguous (as was the case in [1] "Love Me Do", [7] "Do You Want to Know a Secret", [8] "Misery", [9b] "Anna (Go To Him)", [9c] "Boys", [9d] "Chains", [9f] Twist and Shout, [10] "From Me To You", [13e] "Till There Was You", [17] "Little Child", [19] "Not a Second Time", [23] "Can't Buy Me Love", [25] "And I Love Her", [26] "I Should Have Known Better", [28] "If I Fell'', [29] "I'm Happy Just to Dance With You", [31] "A Hard Day's Night", [31b] "Matchbox", [32] "I'll Cry Instead", [35] "Things We Said Today", [40] "I Don't Want To Spoil the Party", [41] "What You're Doing", [42] "No Reply", [43] "Eight Days a Week", [44] "She's a Woman", [44b] "Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey", [46d] "Words of Love", [47] "Ticket to Ride", [49] "I Need You", [50] "Yes It Is", [51] "The Night Before", [52] "You Like Me Too Much", [54] "Tell Me What You See", 56b] "Dizzy Miss Lizzy", [56c] "Bad Boy", [57] "I've Just Seen a Face", [59] "Yesterday", [66] "If I Needed Someone", [68] "We Can Work it Out", [71] "Michelle", [77] "Tomorrow Never Knows", [80] "Paperback Writer", [82] "Doctor Robert", [84] "Taxman", [88] "Yellow Submarine", [89] "I Want To Tell You", [92] "She Said She Said", [95] "Penny Lane", and [96] "A Day in the Life").
The solo is an iteration of the verse, just with the solo guitar replacing the vocals. Additionally, both the introduction and coda are based on verse. This shows that "Fixing a Hole" is very heavily based on the verse (7 of the 9 sections are verse-based). The only contrast to the verse are the two middle 8s (which is, of course, the whole point of middle 8s).
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
The Wild Ones
Lee Marvin & Marlon Brando did not inspire the name of the band, but what a great scene.
Lee Marvin & Marlon Brando did not inspire the name of the band, but what a great scene.
Zegras11
Footballguy
I’m Down
2022 Ranking: 97
2022 Lists: 5
2022 Points: 39
Ranked Highest by: @MAC_32 (6) @wikkidpissah (19) @Wrighteous Ray (20) @Anarchy99 (22)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: 127T/1/7
Getz: Did much better in 2022! No newbies again…. A'99 song #11 and a huge Chalk lead.
Krista4
My 2019 ranking: 126
2019 write-up:.
I'm Down (single, 1965)
Mr. krista: "Yeah, that’s great. Just a super-fun song. It makes sense that teenagers like the Beastie Boys would want to cover it. [Me: Why?] Because it’s a super-fun song. Dudes being dudes type song."
Suggested cover: The aforementioned Beastie Boys.
For years I assume both of these [Editor’s Note: in 2019 I grouped this with “Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey”] were covers of Little Richard songs; turns out only the latter was and that "I'm Down" was the greatest Little Richard song not recorded by Little Richard. "I'm Down" was recorded the same day as "Yesterday" and "I've Just Seen a Face" - just a demonstration of Paul's incredible range and versatility. Geoff Emerick described the recording session for the "Kansas City" medley: "...they really cut loose on it, playing with a confidence and a sheer, innocent joy that was positively infectious. I knew from that minute onward that it was going to be a great session." That session, by the way, then turned to Mr. Moonlight, I Feel Fine, I’ll Follow The Sun, Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby, Rock And Roll Music, and Words Of Love, as well as the finishing touches on Eight Days a Week. Not a bad workday.
John gets enormous credit for his "Twist and Shout" shredding vocal, but I'll put these two underappreciated vocals by Paul up against that one. He even sounds amazing in the live version of "I'm Down" as the finale of the 1965 Shea Stadium concert, though the highlight for me of that video is John and George cracking up over John's Jerry Lee Lewis style keyboard playing, elbows and all. Unlike John's delicate songs of insecurity, these laments by Paul makes it seem like he's just going to scream his way out of his sadness, and the songs sounds like they're on the verge of blowing apart at any moment, held together only by Ringo's steady beat. They're both great fun. The appreciation Paul had for Little Richard was mutual: "I've never heard that sound from English musicians before. Honestly, if I hadn't seen them with my own eyes I'd have thought they were a colored group from back home."
2022 Supplement: I just started writing about that Shea Stadium performance and then saw I had linked and written about it three years ago. I really should read my posts. So, since we’ve covered that, I’ll instead share some of what Paul has written about the song, to give a flavor of the creative process: “In the course of writing that first verse, you’ve pretty much established everything that’s going on. You just elaborate on that. Also, when you’re shouting a rock and roll song, you want to be immediate; you don’t want to get too fancy. … One of the great things about rock and roll and blues if that it’s very economical. In the first verse you find your little rhyming pattern, and then normally you stick to that in your rhyming pattern. It’s going to be a three-minute song; there’s no time to be fancy.” Paul might have been “down” in this song, but his shouting was still top notch. Some of his inspiration might have come from John, who as Paul recalled came down form the control room and encouraged him when he felt like he wasn’t doing good enough: “Comes out the top of your head, remember?”, whispered John.
2022 Mr. krista Supplement: I’m pretty sure compared to John Lennon that Paul’s down is so mildly unpleasant that it wouldn’t even register. John is “I’m so lonely, I could die.” Paul is like “I’ve been better.” The lyrics are kinda selfish. Like “How can you laugh when you know I’m down.” You know, Paul, people gotta live their lives.
Guido Merkins
Out of all the Beatles, Paul was the one most impressed with Little Richard and could channel Richard’s hysterical delivery. So, Paul wanted to write his own Little Richard song, so that’s how he came up with I’m Down.
The intro is very similar to Long Tall Sally with Paul coming in screaming at the top of his lungs. Ringo doing his usual great job of drumming, George and John sharing the solo, with George on guitar and John on electric organ.
It’s a pretty straight forward I-!V-V chord progression throughout. Notable is that this song so effectively channeled Little Richard that it replaced Long Tall Sally in the Beatles stage show. Most notably is the performance in 1965 at Shea Stadium that closed the show had John, in Ringo’s words “cracking up” and jumping around and playing the organ with his elbows. John described it as “doing Jerry Lee Lewis because he felt naked without his guitar.” The other Beatles very much were amused by John antics as it helped the break the tension of 65,000 people screaming at them.
Only the Beatles could do a perfect Little Richard imitation and basically throw it away by sticking it on the B side of the Help single. Other artists make an entire career from that song.
2022 Ranking: 97
2022 Lists: 5
2022 Points: 39
Ranked Highest by: @MAC_32 (6) @wikkidpissah (19) @Wrighteous Ray (20) @Anarchy99 (22)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: 127T/1/7
Getz: Did much better in 2022! No newbies again…. A'99 song #11 and a huge Chalk lead.
Krista4
My 2019 ranking: 126
2019 write-up:.
I'm Down (single, 1965)
Mr. krista: "Yeah, that’s great. Just a super-fun song. It makes sense that teenagers like the Beastie Boys would want to cover it. [Me: Why?] Because it’s a super-fun song. Dudes being dudes type song."
Suggested cover: The aforementioned Beastie Boys.
For years I assume both of these [Editor’s Note: in 2019 I grouped this with “Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey”] were covers of Little Richard songs; turns out only the latter was and that "I'm Down" was the greatest Little Richard song not recorded by Little Richard. "I'm Down" was recorded the same day as "Yesterday" and "I've Just Seen a Face" - just a demonstration of Paul's incredible range and versatility. Geoff Emerick described the recording session for the "Kansas City" medley: "...they really cut loose on it, playing with a confidence and a sheer, innocent joy that was positively infectious. I knew from that minute onward that it was going to be a great session." That session, by the way, then turned to Mr. Moonlight, I Feel Fine, I’ll Follow The Sun, Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby, Rock And Roll Music, and Words Of Love, as well as the finishing touches on Eight Days a Week. Not a bad workday.
John gets enormous credit for his "Twist and Shout" shredding vocal, but I'll put these two underappreciated vocals by Paul up against that one. He even sounds amazing in the live version of "I'm Down" as the finale of the 1965 Shea Stadium concert, though the highlight for me of that video is John and George cracking up over John's Jerry Lee Lewis style keyboard playing, elbows and all. Unlike John's delicate songs of insecurity, these laments by Paul makes it seem like he's just going to scream his way out of his sadness, and the songs sounds like they're on the verge of blowing apart at any moment, held together only by Ringo's steady beat. They're both great fun. The appreciation Paul had for Little Richard was mutual: "I've never heard that sound from English musicians before. Honestly, if I hadn't seen them with my own eyes I'd have thought they were a colored group from back home."
2022 Supplement: I just started writing about that Shea Stadium performance and then saw I had linked and written about it three years ago. I really should read my posts. So, since we’ve covered that, I’ll instead share some of what Paul has written about the song, to give a flavor of the creative process: “In the course of writing that first verse, you’ve pretty much established everything that’s going on. You just elaborate on that. Also, when you’re shouting a rock and roll song, you want to be immediate; you don’t want to get too fancy. … One of the great things about rock and roll and blues if that it’s very economical. In the first verse you find your little rhyming pattern, and then normally you stick to that in your rhyming pattern. It’s going to be a three-minute song; there’s no time to be fancy.” Paul might have been “down” in this song, but his shouting was still top notch. Some of his inspiration might have come from John, who as Paul recalled came down form the control room and encouraged him when he felt like he wasn’t doing good enough: “Comes out the top of your head, remember?”, whispered John.
2022 Mr. krista Supplement: I’m pretty sure compared to John Lennon that Paul’s down is so mildly unpleasant that it wouldn’t even register. John is “I’m so lonely, I could die.” Paul is like “I’ve been better.” The lyrics are kinda selfish. Like “How can you laugh when you know I’m down.” You know, Paul, people gotta live their lives.
Guido Merkins
Out of all the Beatles, Paul was the one most impressed with Little Richard and could channel Richard’s hysterical delivery. So, Paul wanted to write his own Little Richard song, so that’s how he came up with I’m Down.
The intro is very similar to Long Tall Sally with Paul coming in screaming at the top of his lungs. Ringo doing his usual great job of drumming, George and John sharing the solo, with George on guitar and John on electric organ.
It’s a pretty straight forward I-!V-V chord progression throughout. Notable is that this song so effectively channeled Little Richard that it replaced Long Tall Sally in the Beatles stage show. Most notably is the performance in 1965 at Shea Stadium that closed the show had John, in Ringo’s words “cracking up” and jumping around and playing the organ with his elbows. John described it as “doing Jerry Lee Lewis because he felt naked without his guitar.” The other Beatles very much were amused by John antics as it helped the break the tension of 65,000 people screaming at them.
Only the Beatles could do a perfect Little Richard imitation and basically throw it away by sticking it on the B side of the Help single. Other artists make an entire career from that song.
Zegras11
Footballguy
Chalk Rankings Top 10. #97 = 76 pts. each Sponsored by: COLD Strawberry Pop Tarts
1 --anarchy99---523
2 --Krista (Sharon)---427.5
3 --OTB_Lifer---418
4 --Krista (Worth)---282.5
5 --Wrighteous Ray---273.5
6 --Krista (Rob)---266.5
7 --Encyclopedia Brown---266.5
8 --Mac32---258
9 --Wrighteous Ray(Hub)---236
10 --rockaction---223
1 --anarchy99---523
2 --Krista (Sharon)---427.5
3 --OTB_Lifer---418
4 --Krista (Worth)---282.5
5 --Wrighteous Ray---273.5
6 --Krista (Rob)---266.5
7 --Encyclopedia Brown---266.5
8 --Mac32---258
9 --Wrighteous Ray(Hub)---236
10 --rockaction---223
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
#79 overall in my rankings
15th highest single
I'm Down 1965
composer - McCartney
lead vocals - McCartney
Formal structure of [58] "I'm Down":
Verse 1 0:00-0:06*
Chorus 0:06-0:21*
Verse 2 0:21-0:27
Chorus 0:27-0:41
Solo 1 0:41-0:59*
Verse 3 0:59-1:06
Chorus 1:06-1:19
Solo 2 1:19-1:36*
Chorus 1:36-1:55
Chorus 1:55-2:12
Chorus/Coda 2:12-2:32*
Begins with verse, like [15] "All My Loving", [19] "Not a Second Time", [29b] "Long Tall Sally", [42] "No Reply", and [46b] "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby".
Dual solos, like [29b] "Long Tall Sally", [38] "I'm a Loser", [46b] "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby", [46e] "Honey Don't", and [56b] "Dizzy Miss Lizzy".
Verse and chorus combine to form a 12 bar blues pattern (though the chorus is extended through repetition of the final two measures, so it's actually a 14 bar blues).
The final chorus fades out, and thus functions as a coda.
27 songs recorded and released by the Beatles usea 12 bar blues progression or something comparable. Of those 27, 15 were original compositions and 12 were covers.
[58] "I'm Down" (1965)
G major
G G G G
C C G G
C C D7 G D7 G
Perhaps following the example of [46c] "Rock and Roll Music", "I'm Down" turns the 12 bar blues into a 14 bar blues by repeating the final two measures of the pattern.
The Beatles used the 12 bar blues much more in their early years than in the later years. To help illustrate that, here are the total number of songs using the 12 bar blues or something comparable by year.
1963: 5
1964: 9
1965: 6
1966: 0
1967: 1
1968: 4
1969: 1
1970: 2
_______________
One of my favorite things about this exercise has been realized how varied Macca’s vocals are. I think of him more of as a saccharine crooner but he can shred with anybody.
Great banger of a song.
Last edited by a moderator:
krista4
Footballguy
For those who like the covers and/or Paul's rocker vocals, and if you weren't in my solo Beatles thread, I highly recommend checking out his 1999 album Run Devil Run, which contains covers of this type plus two rocking originals in the same style. I wrote it up together with a tribute to Linda in that thread.
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
I'm impressed that this is from 1965. The sound is like something from much later.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lOWrScjXMRE
Last edited by a moderator:
Zegras11
Footballguy
Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey
2022 Ranking: 96
2022 Lists: 6
2022 Points: 42
Ranked Highest by: @neal cassady (9) @DaVinci (19) @Pip's Invitation (20) @Oliver Humanzee (21) @Murph (24)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: 101/4/16
Getz: fyi... Devin = mr krista = oliver humanzee. Five songs today, and just OH as the only one with his first song to be posted.
Krista4
My 2019 ranking: 52
2019 write-up:
Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey (White Album, 1968)
Last-minute downgrade out of the top 50; if I downgrade "Drive My Car" for the lyrics, I have to do the same here. The lyrics are dumb. Really dumb. But that's probably not what bothers some people most about this song. There's a significant love/hate element here; yes, it's that firemen's bell. For me, it what takes the song waaaaay up in my rankings. I mean, remember, I'm a person who's a sucker for cowbell, so if you kick that up a few notches to an outrageously loud firemen's bell. Heaven!
The story is that John and George were playing so incredibly loud that Paul gave up on the bass part and stood next to Ringo playing that bell as loud as he could, so much so that he had to take breaks after each take to rest his sore shoulders. Geoff Emerick called the result "raucous and unpleasant"; I call it bliss. Poor Emerick with his delicate ears ended up with a headache after the session, while I'd give my left arm to have been there during the violent frenzy. I'm not going to deconstruct this one because I don't care about anything but that this ####### rocks. Hard.
C'mon, c'mon!!!
Mr. krista: "Great song. Mint jam. Love the 16th or 32nd notes on the ride cymbal. Like the half-time/double-time breakdown. Slows down and builds tension on the “take it easy” part. [Plays it on his leg.]"
Suggested cover: The Feelies
2022 Supplement: Knowing I’d unfairly downgraded this song out of my top 50 in 2019, I re-auditioned it this year and saw it come in just off this year’s list at #31. Yeah, yeah, another one where perceived peer pressure got in my way. John was at the top of his game again both in his vocal and in his guitar work, whether inspired by the maharishi’s words (George’s story) or his new relationship with Yoko (John’s version). If you don’t love this one, then you’re…well, probably normal. Other than whoever voted it in their top 25, not many people love it more than I do, and I get it. There’s something not just about the song itself, though, but about the joy with which they performed it, that does it for me. Given what we’ve been told about the White Album sessions, the excitement in this one overjoys me because it seemed to overjoy them. Plus, this is an all-time favorite for playing anonymously on TouchTunes at a bar to leave the people playing country music struck by shock and awe.
And now for something completely different, listen to the Esher demo version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzEJKh1Fq3o So Dylan-y. It’s OK to admit how much you miss the firemen’s bell.
Guido Merkins
The White Album was a return to a more rock and roll sound for the Beatles. John especially wanted to go back to more of a guitar driven sound. Some of the Beatles rawest guitar driven songs are on the White Album and Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey is one of them.
George lost interest in the guitar at some point for the sitar. Maybe because he realized he would never be a great sitarist, he started focusing on the guitar again. This rebirth resulted in far rawer and louder guitar playing, perhaps by listening to his friend Eric Clapton, he realized he had to change. Much to his credit, he did exactly that. Monkey featured some of the loudest, rawest guitar in the Beatles catalog.
What do the lyrics mean. John claimed that it was inspired by things the Maharishi would say like “come on is such a joy” and “everybody’s got something to hide.” Later in life, John claimed it was about he and Yoko being in love and others around them being uncomfortable, but since the song was written before John and Yoko actually got together, I’m not sure. I tend to agree more with George’s story.
In any event, Monkey is another great rocker on Side 3 of the White Album where they put most of the harder rocking songs.
2022 Ranking: 96
2022 Lists: 6
2022 Points: 42
Ranked Highest by: @neal cassady (9) @DaVinci (19) @Pip's Invitation (20) @Oliver Humanzee (21) @Murph (24)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: 101/4/16
Getz: fyi... Devin = mr krista = oliver humanzee. Five songs today, and just OH as the only one with his first song to be posted.
Krista4
My 2019 ranking: 52
2019 write-up:
Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey (White Album, 1968)
Last-minute downgrade out of the top 50; if I downgrade "Drive My Car" for the lyrics, I have to do the same here. The lyrics are dumb. Really dumb. But that's probably not what bothers some people most about this song. There's a significant love/hate element here; yes, it's that firemen's bell. For me, it what takes the song waaaaay up in my rankings. I mean, remember, I'm a person who's a sucker for cowbell, so if you kick that up a few notches to an outrageously loud firemen's bell. Heaven!
The story is that John and George were playing so incredibly loud that Paul gave up on the bass part and stood next to Ringo playing that bell as loud as he could, so much so that he had to take breaks after each take to rest his sore shoulders. Geoff Emerick called the result "raucous and unpleasant"; I call it bliss. Poor Emerick with his delicate ears ended up with a headache after the session, while I'd give my left arm to have been there during the violent frenzy. I'm not going to deconstruct this one because I don't care about anything but that this ####### rocks. Hard.
C'mon, c'mon!!!
Mr. krista: "Great song. Mint jam. Love the 16th or 32nd notes on the ride cymbal. Like the half-time/double-time breakdown. Slows down and builds tension on the “take it easy” part. [Plays it on his leg.]"
Suggested cover: The Feelies
2022 Supplement: Knowing I’d unfairly downgraded this song out of my top 50 in 2019, I re-auditioned it this year and saw it come in just off this year’s list at #31. Yeah, yeah, another one where perceived peer pressure got in my way. John was at the top of his game again both in his vocal and in his guitar work, whether inspired by the maharishi’s words (George’s story) or his new relationship with Yoko (John’s version). If you don’t love this one, then you’re…well, probably normal. Other than whoever voted it in their top 25, not many people love it more than I do, and I get it. There’s something not just about the song itself, though, but about the joy with which they performed it, that does it for me. Given what we’ve been told about the White Album sessions, the excitement in this one overjoys me because it seemed to overjoy them. Plus, this is an all-time favorite for playing anonymously on TouchTunes at a bar to leave the people playing country music struck by shock and awe.
And now for something completely different, listen to the Esher demo version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzEJKh1Fq3o So Dylan-y. It’s OK to admit how much you miss the firemen’s bell.
Guido Merkins
The White Album was a return to a more rock and roll sound for the Beatles. John especially wanted to go back to more of a guitar driven sound. Some of the Beatles rawest guitar driven songs are on the White Album and Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey is one of them.
George lost interest in the guitar at some point for the sitar. Maybe because he realized he would never be a great sitarist, he started focusing on the guitar again. This rebirth resulted in far rawer and louder guitar playing, perhaps by listening to his friend Eric Clapton, he realized he had to change. Much to his credit, he did exactly that. Monkey featured some of the loudest, rawest guitar in the Beatles catalog.
What do the lyrics mean. John claimed that it was inspired by things the Maharishi would say like “come on is such a joy” and “everybody’s got something to hide.” Later in life, John claimed it was about he and Yoko being in love and others around them being uncomfortable, but since the song was written before John and Yoko actually got together, I’m not sure. I tend to agree more with George’s story.
In any event, Monkey is another great rocker on Side 3 of the White Album where they put most of the harder rocking songs.
krista4
Footballguy
Last edited by a moderator:
krista4
Footballguy
On this date in 1970, the Ed Sullivan show was themed "The Beatles Songbook, a tribute to the Beatles." Here's the line-up, with clips where I could find them:
Dionne Warwick - "We Can Work It Out."
Peggy Lee - "Something" and "Maxwell's Silver Hammer."
Paul McCartney (on tape), Dionne Warwick, Peggy Lee sing "Yesterday."
Duke Ellington and his orchestra perform a Beatles medley: "She Loves You," "All My Loving," "Eleanor Rigby," "She's Leaving Home," "Norwegian Wood" and "Ticket To Ride."
Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme sing "Fool on the Hill." - sorry I couldn't find, @Getzlaf15
The Peter Gennaro Dancers perform a "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" production number (with Gennaro wearing a Sgt. Pepper's costume).
Jim Henson's Muppets - "Octopus's Garden" skit.
In film clips from the movie "Let It Be," The Beatles perform "Let It Be" and "Two of Us." Promo
Dionne Warwick - "We Can Work It Out."
Peggy Lee - "Something" and "Maxwell's Silver Hammer."
Paul McCartney (on tape), Dionne Warwick, Peggy Lee sing "Yesterday."
Duke Ellington and his orchestra perform a Beatles medley: "She Loves You," "All My Loving," "Eleanor Rigby," "She's Leaving Home," "Norwegian Wood" and "Ticket To Ride."
Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme sing "Fool on the Hill." - sorry I couldn't find, @Getzlaf15
The Peter Gennaro Dancers perform a "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" production number (with Gennaro wearing a Sgt. Pepper's costume).
Jim Henson's Muppets - "Octopus's Garden" skit.
In film clips from the movie "Let It Be," The Beatles perform "Let It Be" and "Two of Us." Promo
Zegras11
Footballguy
That's ok ...
You can replace it with this:
Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 - The Fool On The Hill (1968)
@Binky The Doormat above is another I grew up with and a parents fave. This is hilarious hearing this. I think it explains why I like the song. I'm going to use Krista's mom's mulligan and put it back on my list.
Last edited by a moderator:
Zegras11
Footballguy
krista4
Footballguy
Me too! Wasn't that fantastic?
I'm really bummed I couldn't find this one, though: The Peter Gennaro Dancers perform a "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" production number (with Gennaro wearing a Sgt. Pepper's costume).
Zegras11
Footballguy
Until tonight, because it sounds so different, I never equated the above version with The Beatles version.
My parents played the Mendes version hundreds of times on our big ###, nine foot long system when I was growing up.
Last edited by a moderator:
Binky The Doormat
Footballguy
major part of our living room set up for years
ETA: that album also had Simon & Garfunkel's "Scarborough Fair"
"...parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme"
Last edited by a moderator:
simey
Footballguy
I spotted Johnny Hodges in it.
He died the same year as that performance from a heart attack at a dentist's office. He's one of my favorites. He had such a beautiful tone.
simey
Footballguy
Nice. My maternal grandparents had a console that looked almost just like this. Maw Maw still had it in her house when my mom and uncle sold it, and she moved in with my parents. That was around 2011, I think. The man who bought my grandmother's house asked my mom and uncle if that console could stay with house, and they said sure. I'm not sure if the TV in it still worked, but the record player did. Maw Maw had modernized to a flat screen TV (which sat on top of the console) the last several years she lived in her house. She was so excited when she and Doc bought that flat screen TV. She thought they were living in high cotton.
lardonastick
Footballguy
Zegras11
Footballguy
Yep, that's what we had also. Turntable on the right. AM/FM tuner of the left. Not on a stand. All the way to the ground.
Last edited by a moderator:
krista4
Footballguy
@Getzlaf15, could we get a list just of people who haven't had a song selected yet?
I think my friend Doug could end up high (Binky, low - or maybe everybody, low? I don't know how it works) on the chalk scale. Considering he is my best music buddy, I expected his list to be more intriguing, but it came in really standard.
It's always funny to see what people think in these terms. Some want to be chalky, but some see it as a badge of honor not to be.
I think my friend Doug could end up high (Binky, low - or maybe everybody, low? I don't know how it works) on the chalk scale. Considering he is my best music buddy, I expected his list to be more intriguing, but it came in really standard.
It's always funny to see what people think in these terms. Some want to be chalky, but some see it as a badge of honor not to be.
Last edited by a moderator:
krista4
Footballguy
Last edited by a moderator:
Zegras11
Footballguy
55 -- GuidoMerkins--0
56 --WorrieKing---0
57 --WhoKnew---0
58 --Westerberg---0
59 --turnjose7---0
60 --Tom Hagen---0
61 --shuke---0
62 --pecorino---0
63 --Krista4---0
64 --Krista (Doug)---0
65 --jamny---0
66 --Iluv80s---0
67 --ekbeats---0
68 --Dr Octupus---0
69 --DocHoliday---0
70 --Oliver Humanzee(Dad)---0
71 --Bobby Layne---0
shuke
Black Ice Skeptic
We still have almost 100 songs left. I don't find that too chalky yet. Also, I don't know the entire Beatles catalog nearly as well as I know Zeppelin's.
Zegras11
Footballguy
yeah, kinda of amazing that I've already posted 77 songs and that's five more than what's been posted in the Zep thread.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
The intro is more teen-idol stuff than British Invasion. So is much of the rest of it. Cromulent at best.
My first memories of this come from the Stars on 45 medley, which hit #1 in summer 1981 and consisted of faithful recreations of snippets of songs, mostly Beatles tunes, joined together with a common beat. I had likely come across Drive My Car, We Can Work It Out and Nowhere Man before, but this may have been the first time I encountered No Reply, I'll Be Back, I Should Have Known Better, You're Gonna Lose That Girl, and this one. That's literally the only reason why I was familiar with this one before getting the entire catalog on CD.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Really not much of a dip in quality between this one and their megahits of the time. I love how it comes charging out of the gate. It rocks and has a great melody, what more do you really want out of this kind of music?
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
As with much of Pepper, the best parts of this one are the melody and the bass sound. Paul really did create little stories on his bass throughout the whole album. You could play me just the isolated bass tracks of Pepper and I'd dig the hell out of it. The keening guitar sounds that seem to come out of nowhere are another selling point for me.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
My rank: 32
A song so powerful that even Yes rocked it out. B-sides had greater status back then compared to now, but still, it's insane that the Beatles relegated this song that way. Paul took his Little Richard homage as far as it could go and helped forge where energetic music would go for the next 5 years. It's weird that a song about being down gives me such joy, but there you go. Of course it made my 90-minute cassette.
Similar threads
- Locked
