If Magical Mystery Tour was the double EP set that should have been (and soon was) an album, then Yellow Submarine, the Beatles’ eleventh record, was the album that should have been an EP. With only four new songs and … Continue reading Album Spotlight: The Beatles—Yellow Submarine
Many Beatles albums exist outside of the context of the events that were happening in real life at the time of the work’s recording. Magical Mystery Tour, the group’s ninth album, is not one of those records. In order … Continue reading Album Spotlight: The Beatles—Magical Mystery Tour
The Beatles’ eighth album, released June 1st, 1967, is their most famous and had the greatest musical impact of any of their records. In the famed Summer of Love of that year, everyone—EVERYONE—was listening to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club … Continue reading Album Spotlight: The Beatles—Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Today was the 78th birthday of Sir Richard Starkey, formerly Richard Starkey, M.B.E., known to his family and close friends as Richy, known to the world as Ringo Starr. He acts, sings, and drums a little. Actually, he’s quite an … Continue reading Sir Richard Starkey Night Thread
Revolver, the Beatles’ seventh album, is their greatest overall achievement and the dividing line between their Early and Late periods of work. (You could also say it’s the peak of their Middle period if you wanted to divide their career … Continue reading Album Spotlight: The Beatles—Revolver
We all have our favorite musical acts, and many of those are famous enough to have Greatest Hits or Best Of collections. Usually, however, when I look at these, I turn up my nose at them. They’re often full of … Continue reading Even Better Than The Real Thing: Your Take on A Musical Act’s “Best Of”
If the Beatles had disbanded prior to the release of Rubber Soul, their sixth album, they would be remembered, if at all, as a talented pop group of the early Sixties with a tremendous amount of songwriting talent and innovation. … Continue reading Album Spotlight: The Beatles—Rubber Soul
Help! was rather a struggle for me to find a way into reviewing it. While trying to get a handle on what I wanted to say, I asked my twenty something son what he thought of it. “That’s my favorite … Continue reading Album Spotlight: The Beatles—Help!
There’s no denying that Beatles For Sale, the band’s fourth album, is a bit of a comedown from the first three. The exuberance of the earlier records is muted, and the overall tone is sadder and a bit cynical. In … Continue reading Album Spotlight: The Beatles — Beatles For Sale
With their third album, A Hard Day’s Night, the Beatles met the challenge of providing a film soundtrack for the first time, and despite the time they were putting in making the movie, the result is one of their finest. … Continue reading Album Spotlight: The Beatles—A Hard Day’s Night
One could be forgiven for expecting that the Beatles’ second record wouldn’t be as groundbreaking as their first. But the group avoided the dreaded sophomore slump with their album With the Beatles, released November 23, 1963. [footnote]Yes, the day JFK was … Continue reading Album Spotlight: The Beatles—With The Beatles
It was fifty-five years prior to this date of publication that the main recording session for the Beatles’ first album, Please Please Me, took place. As Mark Lewisohn, the Beatles’ foremost biographer, later wrote, there have scarcely been 585 more … Continue reading Album Spotlight: The Beatles—Please Please Me
I wrote this poem in 2007 for a contest. It won third place. Since I have a captive audience this Christmas Eve, I thought I’d share it. Have a wonderful day today even if you don’t celebrate the holiday. **************** … Continue reading Day Thread: The Santa Who Hated Christmas
I realized while undergoing enforced listening to Christmas music all day yesterday that Christmas songs go back a long way. I mean, do we ever listen to Bing Crosby or Burl Ives at any other time of year? I suspect … Continue reading Day Thread: Worst Christmas Song/Album That You Love
Christmastime is here again/Ain’t been round since you know when… —The Beatles Did you know that the Beatles recorded a Christmas album? They did. Unfortunately, it wasn’t filled with their covers of songs like Good King Wenceslas and Rudolph The … Continue reading Album Spotlight: The Beatles Christmas Album
Coarse, oily black hair untamed by any comb topped Harvey’s head. Horn-rimmed frames with window-glass lenses obscured his eyes. Three rolls of flesh nestled around his huge cheeks, and his five foot nine inch frame barely squeezed into his XXXL … Continue reading Check And Mate
Jesse’s phone beeped in the middle of Chapter 15, right at the most exciting and difficult part, of course. He stopped typing, scribbled a quick note on the pad beside the typewriter, and grabbed the phone. Chet. He broke into … Continue reading Seventeen Seconds
Summer, 1979. Paul McCartney is in his home studio in Scotland, perhaps depressed, admittedly discouraged. His musical group isn’t working out the way he’d like. Their last album hasn’t been well received by the critics. Perhaps it’s time to move … Continue reading Album Spotlight: Paul McCartney – McCartney II
My kids have spoiled a lot of music I used to love. For instance, once I was in the car and this popped up on my iPod: I turned it up, digging the groove, and my teenagers reacted with outraged … Continue reading Music: The Wake-Up Bomb: Songs You Now Hear Differently
Most of the music in my collection has one arrangement, one production and sound. Sometimes a particular piece may be performed live, but even then, the performing artist usually sticks close to the studio interpretation. If The Rolling Stones are … Continue reading We’re One, But We’re Not The Same: Artists Reinterpreting Their Work
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