John

[Tman]

I have huge respect for John's songwriting talents (kind of another topic). Changing from major to minor in the same key during the same phrase (Nowhere Man yes there are conflicting tabs on this one), use of 7th's when many would use major, use of 5th's etc. I started to write seriously 5 years ago and yep Beatles are my biggest influence (along with anyone else born in England in the early and mid 1940s that played guitar). I find that if you analyze and think about writing too hard, it becomes a sterile endeavor.

 

I read an analysis of John Lennon's writing in a Hard Day's Night which he wrote in one day in response to a challenge by a movie studio to write a theme song for the movie that started out as Beatlemania and ended up as Hard Day's night. The analysis was written by a Berkelee School of music professor and available as a free download pdf. It's in depth of the song from the first (very famous G7sus4 with a D bass note) to the use of the G Mixolydian mode and how it all tied in to the mood of the song and how it is all genius- (it is, but all above my head).

 

I agree with the genius part but do people think that 20 something year old J.L. thought, "I think I'll start the song with some sort of semi dissonant chord then jump into root G Myxilodian to portray a guys tough day at work? I kinda think he probably just thought up a nice melody, fit some chords and then wrote about an off hand comment that a cabby said to Ringo. At least I hope so. I firmly believe that Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison had an innate intuition. Hell Paul says he can't even read music.

 

Then again the professors point was probably to say the what John did easily in one night works with scientific analysis after it all is said and done. So innate.

[flyingfrets]

He with Mccartney and Harrison harmonies are nothing but good.

 

Take another listen to "Because" and "Sun King" from Abbey Road (or the Anthologies - I believe those versions are completely A Capella).

 

Harmonies like those are unparalleled. And they weren't something they "grew into," or picked up as part of their expansive studio experimentation...they were there as early as "This Boy" in '63.

 

Lotta people (generally of a younger generation) think The Beatles were all hype. And they were hyped about as far as was possible from '62 - '64. The difference between them and the pretenders that followed was that The Beatles could, and did back up every word of that hype. They were absolutely "The Real Deal."

 

And as sad as the passing of George & the murder of John are, I observe the dates with solemn respect. But I prefer to celebrate the lives of these men, their contributions to music...and with gusto, the smile their music still brings to my face.

 

From providing the soundtrack to, setting the fashion trend for, and being the attitude & voice of a generation, to the genuine humor of four men with such divergent musical interests who were able to blend their styles and voices into the timeless music they left behind...those are worthy of celebration and observance. Remember them for who they were and what they stood for. I believe they would have felt that honored their memory far more than observing the dates and the ways they were taken away.

 

I doubt we'll ever see their like again. The world at large in the twenty-first century won't allow it. But what a ride it was...

[Tman]

He with Mccartney and Harrison harmonies are nothing but good.

Take another listen to "Because" and "Sun King" from Abbey Road (or the Anthologies - I believe those versions are completely A Capella).

 

Now that I see the quote about the Beatles harmonies that I said I realize I said it the wrong way. I didn't mean nothing but good, not great. I meant - nothing but goodness, awesomeness, perfection, not a speck of bad.

 

Sometimes, I'm a bit challenged.

 

Your post was outstanding.

[L8_4thesh0w]

And these guys were in the studio cutting their first demo of this song that same evening... written about something else altogether but fit so well with that tragic event.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIhF2jE3DVk John's death prompted them to release it as a single, against the label's advice.

 

There's some strange Karma in this effed-up world and so much insanity... like shedding the blood of someone dedicated to peace, trying to change the world.

[Jeffery Smith]

What sometimes surprises me is that some of my favorite songs written by Lennon were, to him, crap. He said that "And your bird can sing" a throwaway. I thought it was crazy enough to be genius. He said in a Playboy interview that the song he hated most was "It's only love", but that was the song that identified Rubber Soul for me in the day.

[charlie brown]

What sometimes surprises me is that some of my favorite songs written by Lennon were, to him, crap. He said that "And your bird can sing" a throwaway. I thought it was crazy enough to be genius. He said in a Playboy interview that the song he hated most was "It's only love", but that was the song that identified Rubber Soul for me in the day.

 

 

Well, IMHO, some of that, was just John being "John!" His 'toss away's" were often better than

other's who worked really hard on their songs. It was a gift, or "genius," whatever. And, he

loved "word play," and often loved playing with interviewers, as well. He and Dylan were a lot

alike, in that respect, seemingly.

 

CB

[cookieman15061]

I think by throw away John meant that they were not "personal" as so much of his writing was. They were written as part of the job called songwriting, often to keep up with Paul or meet a deadline.

 

It's pretty funny how much Beatles lore gets embellished through the years. Even the Beatles themselves couldn't remember it all the same way. The Anthology was a great example especially meeting Elvis.