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Post by Panther on Aug 29, 2015 6:19:00 GMT -5
Which BBC/live non-studio song do you most wish The Beatles had cut a studio recording of?
I would choose Chuck's "Memphis, Tennessee", which is just SUCH a great song on every front. Berry's original is slower and more emotional than The Beatles', but The Fabs' take on it gives it an extra rock'n'roll energy, more up-tempo, and with more emphasis on the riff (I think Paul once described learning it with John, and called it, "the all-time greatest riff ever!").
John's voice is always so sublime on Berry covers, and this would be no exception. I really wish they'd have cut this one instead of 'Til There Was You' or 'Mr Moonlight', for example, or put it on an E.P. as with the Long Tall Sally release.
Another song they really nailed (again, with John on lead) was "Lonesome Tears in my Eyes", but they never recorded it unfortunately -- although John did pinch some of the guitar parts for 'The Ballad of John and Yoko'. Another really nice one, vocal by George, was Eddie Fontaine's "Nothin' Shakin' (But the Leaves on the Trees)", although I can see where it might have seemed a bit twee on those first few LPs.
So, that's my choice. A lot of Beatle-nuts rate "Soldier of Love" as the song they should have cut at EMI. I like it, but I don't think it's as interesting as a lot of people do.
On the positive side, thank goodness they thought to do Buddy's "Words of Love" for Beatles For Sale! Is that a sublime take, or what...?
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Post by mikev on Aug 29, 2015 9:13:57 GMT -5
Which BBC/live non-studio song do you most wish The Beatles had cut a studio recording of? I would choose Chuck's " Memphis, Tennessee", which is just SUCH a great song on every front. Berry's original is slower and more emotional than The Beatles', but The Fabs' take on it gives it an extra rock'n'roll energy, more up-tempo, and with more emphasis on the riff (I think Paul once described learning it with John, and called it, "the all-time greatest riff ever!"). John's voice is always so sublime on Berry covers, and this would be no exception. I really wish they'd have cut this one instead of 'Til There Was You' or 'Mr Moonlight', for example, or put it on an E.P. as with the Long Tall Sally release. Another song they really nailed (again, with John on lead) was " Lonesome Tears in my Eyes", but they never recorded it unfortunately -- although John did pinch some of the guitar parts for 'The Ballad of John and Yoko'. Another really nice one, vocal by George, was Eddie Fontaine's " Nothin' Shakin' (But the Leaves on the Trees)", although I can see where it might have seemed a bit twee on those first few LPs. So, that's my choice. A lot of Beatle-nuts rate "Soldier of Love" as the song they should have cut at EMI. I like it, but I don't think it's as interesting as a lot of people do. On the positive side, thank goodness they thought to do Buddy's "Words of Love" for Beatles For Sale! Is that a sublime take, or what...? Don't forget Decca!
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Post by Panther on Aug 29, 2015 20:17:58 GMT -5
You know, I did forget that one because it sounds a bit crap (as do most of the performances) at the Decca audition...
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Post by vectisfabber on Aug 30, 2015 8:13:14 GMT -5
Soldier of Love, without doubt - great group performance and wonderful vocal. But Don't Ever Change. I'll Be On My Way, and Keep Your Hands Off My Baby are all contenders.
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kc
Beatle Freak
Posts: 1,085
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Post by kc on Aug 30, 2015 18:27:58 GMT -5
There are a number of songs/performances from the BBC album not otherwise recorded that I like. Sure, I wish we had quality recordings of A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues, Some Other Guy, Soldier Of Love, Lucille, Keep Your Hands Off My Baby, Sure To Fall, etc.
If they had wanted to, the Beatles could probably have expanded the Long Tall Sally EP concept into a full LP. You would think that if they had recorded a lot more covers in 1963/4 then these would have been released in some fashion. Maybe they would not have liked the idea from an artistic point of view. They might have been concerned about not being seen as a covers act, but the possibility was there. If they had only recorded another one or two songs, then, yes, they might have made better choices for inclusion on the extant albums than ‘Til There Was You, or Mr. Moonlight. On the other hand, I personally have always liked Paul’s performance on the former and the latter has eventually gained my appreciation.
Panther mentioned Chuck Berry and I would agree with him that John interpreted his songs very well. One of my favourite Berry numbers is Promised Land (I think it dates from late 1964). I would have loved to hear a Beatles studio version of that, even if it was not part of their BBC sets.
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Post by debjorgo on Aug 30, 2015 19:24:52 GMT -5
The best cover of Chuck Berry by the Beatles was Roll Over Beethoven, sung by George. Elvis did Chuck pretty good too, i.e. Promise Land.
My favorite BBC track was probably I'll Be On My Way. I don't think any other song would rate up there with their released recordings, i.e. 'Til There Was You and Mr. Moonlight.
Of all the songs Capitol had to choose from for their debut album, they picked 'Til There Was You. A better song than Hold Me Tight or Not a Second Time, in my opinion.
"Til There Was You is a skipper track for me now, but I had no problems with it at all back in 1964. But I think I probably liked How Much is That Doggie In the Window back them too, the Patti Page classic from a few years earlier.
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Post by Steve Marinucci on Aug 31, 2015 0:59:04 GMT -5
Soldier of Love, without doubt - great group performance and wonderful vocal. But Don't Ever Change. I'll Be On My Way, and Keep Your Hands Off My Baby are all contenders. I love SOL, too, but I'd also have to say "Clarabella."
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2015 4:59:19 GMT -5
I'm more than happy to have Till There Was You and Mr Moonlight as Beatles album tracks, i really like both of them. I think the guitar work in TTWY is fantastic.
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Post by John S. Damm on Aug 31, 2015 9:50:26 GMT -5
It is done by everyone early or late in their careers but I love The Beatles' BBC performance of "Johnny B. Goode" so I wish they did that one in the EMI studio proper. I could say "Carol" too.
As Panther and KC wrote, John could really cover Chuck Berry and be both respectful but also put his own Scouser stamp on it! The only time John ever let me down with Chuck Berry was the sickly, slowed-down "Sweet Little Sixteen" from John's RnR album! The Beatles' BBC version with the same man singing lead vocal kicks ass!
"Some Other Guy" for sure.
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Post by glenn1966 on Aug 31, 2015 18:47:53 GMT -5
I wish there was a quality recording of "A Picture Of You".
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Post by Panther on Aug 31, 2015 19:33:34 GMT -5
I wish there was a quality recording of "A Picture Of You". Good call! Isn't it the very first BBC broadcast (or the 2nd...?) when George sings that. It's the first time ever a large audience heard George's voice, and he knocks it out of the park with a wonderful vocal. I'm sure Joe Brown was listening... I think The Beatles would have covered and released "Some Other Guy", but The Big Three released theirs in March, 1963 (if Wiki is correct), and since the Fabs hadn't done it on Please Please Me, they were stuck being second if they cut it. The Beatles never wanted to be seen following other groups, so if someone else had done it and had a hit, they probably wouldn't bother. Likewise something like "Johnny B. Goode" -- as Joe says, every band in history covered it, so they were never going to release it. (John in particular seemed attached to "Some Other Guy" -- he loved it! I think there's some interview from the 70s where he says that no song since early rock had given him a charge like "Some Other Guy". It's a very "Liverpool-style" song, so I can see why those Merseyside groups like it, but... I've never really considered it such a great song. It's good, but for me, nothing very special.)
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