Although it was not used in the original take, a 41 piece orchestra was eventually asked to play on the song "Day in the Life". The musicians were all asked to dress formally. Upon arrival to the recording session, in true Beatles fashion, each orchestra member was given a novelty costume to wear (false noses, party hats, gorilla-paw gloves). The orchestra was conducted by Paul McCartney, who told them to start with the lowest note of their instruments and gradually play to the highest.
As most know, the beginning half of the song was written by John Lennon and the second half written by Paul McCarty. In the first verse, John was inspired by a story he read in the Daily Mail newspaper. The line "Blew his mind out in the car." was taken from the story of Guinness heir Tara Browne dying when he smashed his lotus into a parked van. John clearly took some creative license in writing this lyric, as Tara Browne's death was in fact accidental.
The last verse is also taken from a newspaper headline. The lyric "4000 holes in Blackburn, Lancashire" was taken from the UK Daily Express, January 17, 1967 in a column called "Far And Near." John's friend Terry Doran was the one who completed John's line "Now they know how many holes it takes to fill..." Terry told him "fill the Albert Hall, John."
And so an epically beautiful song was written purely off the inspiration of newpaper headlines - it is said that this was something that Paul and John challenged each other to do - always with a competitive spirit those two!
I gotta say, I'm kind of into the whole sitting around the band looking too cool for school/bored out of their minds. Nowadays, if you get that close to the band you'll most likely go home deaf and blind from the blast of bass and booming overpowering lighting effects. Only Gayle McCormack could wear that cowboyish indian period piece sleeved shirt and get away with it -- maybe Janis Joplin too. Gotta love the way she dances too...kindof like she's trying to let you know that she likes the drugs when she's not performing.
Jackie Wilson "Baby Work It Out" Live 1964
Oh Jackie. Look at those moves. It has been told that when Michael Jackson was backstage singing with his brothers in The Jackson Five, he saw Jackie Wilson dancing and swinging his hips around and realized that he wanted to dance just like that -- and so he did...kindof sortof...minus all the crotch grabbing and moon walking...
I'd like to dance like/with Jackie Wilson.
Ike and Tina Turner "Proud Mary" Live
You HAVE to watch this video the whole way through...or at least until they all start dancing.
Tina's backup girls are probably the best backup singers/dancers to have, ever.
Look at those dresses! If I can even call them dresses...Look at those long tank tops!
Oh and um, check out the faces on Tina when she's "rolling, rolling, rolling on the reeeaavaaahh"
The Rolling Stones "Start Me Up" music video
I don't know what this says about me but this is how I learned to dance and surprisingly enough, it's won me quite the batch of ladies! Only Mick Jagger can get away with looking sexy in purple leotard and white gypsy pants. Prancing around like some kid who just learned to walk on a sugar high. Keith looks like he's been revived from the dead a few times. Ronnie looks like a drag queen, and Charlie looks like their father.
It ain’t no use in turnin’ on your light, babe
That light I never knowed
An’ it ain’t no use in turnin’ on your light, babe
I’m on the dark side of the road
I know, it's really not Friday -- though I wish it was....
Across The Universe was written one night by John Lennon after fighting with his then girlfriend, Cynthia. He's commented on the song saying that it just came over him in the middle of the night and couldn't get the tune out of his head. The words followed quickly, and so, the song was born. "Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup" is a metaphor for the way they were fighting that night. There was so much said that night, neither of them could keep up with the amount that was said.
February 1968 Alternate Take
Later released on Anthology 2 in 1996
"Jai Guru Deva Om" is a mantra Lennon used as the refrain which, in Sanskrit, means "Victory to the Guru." John had just taken his trip to India where he met with The Maharishi (who he later attempts to insult in his song Sexy Sadie -- see Diane's post). The mantra intended to sooth the mind in order to reach higher consciousness. I suppose he needed some way to come down after the right. "Om," used in any sort of meditation, was used to relate to the vibrations of the universe ---maaaaaan. far out maaaaaaaan. This was the first version of the song, recorded on February 4th of 1968. The track was simple, and included a rhythm track of acoustic guitar, percussion and the tambura. George overdubbed the beginning with his sitar and two teenage fans (thrilled) were grabbed off the street randomly to do the backup vocals.
Original 1968 recording (w/girls singing)
Wildlife version
There are a few versions of the song. The initial release was done in 1968 for the charity album "No One's Gonna Change Our World" for the World Wildlife Fund. Chirping birds and pond noises were used to reflect the wildlife theme of the album. George Martin finalized this version of the track by making it stereo and speeding up the tempo a bit. John and George hated this version.
After Abbey Road, which was supposed to be their last album, they broke up and subsequently released Let It Be. Early in January of 1970, Glyn Jones remixed the track omitting the girls vocals and the bird sound effects. This version was never made officially public because Jones's "Get Back" albums were never released. Spektor had a go at it in April of 1970, remixing the original track by slowing it down to it's original speed and adding orchestral and choral overdubs (taking out the birds and the girls). This is perhaps the most popular version of the song.
This song was also released by David Bowie on his album Young Americans where he played the guitar on the track and sang. Bowie, undoubtedly, was a huge Lennon fan.
Actually the lyrics go, "I was born in a crossfire hurricane" though I like to sing class 5 anyway...
This is a very popular misheard lyric.
As we all know by now, Irene (that bitch) is coming our way -- so get your candles out and flashlights and be sure to fill your bathtub (if you have one) with enough water to bath, flush, and drink with!
It's Friday and you know what that means -- well, you don't yet but now you will -- It's Beatle Fact Friday!!
Every friday we will be posting a new fact about the Beatles whether it be song meanings or just little known facts about the fab four.
Here it 'tis:
Paul McCartney composed the melody of "Yesterday" one evening in his room around the time when he was with Jane Asher. During the entire filming of "Help" he worked on fine tuning the song. Initially the lyrics went ""Scrambled Eggs, Oh my baby how I love your legs." Obviously, this was not acceptable to the other band mates. After debating whether or not the melody was already a song published by someone else, he changed the lyrics to "Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away." The song was officially released in the summer of 1965.
So today marks the 34th Anniversary of Elvis's death (if you didn't read the title of this post) and he's still raking in fresh new tears from fans of all ages -- even to this day!
Oh Elvis, maybe you're still alive somewhere -- eating and eating......and eating....hamburger hamburger hamburger ....if you are, please sing one more time for us? I just can't help...falling in love....with....you (the young you)
Recently, I made a mix and published it on 8tracks. Since then I've gotten "likes" and "followers" every day.
8tracks is a great website, similar to that of the late "muxtapes" (now just a picture of a tape). You upload songs from your computer either from your itunes library or from a program called 8tracks uploader (for mac) which allows you to upload previously made mixes from itunes by simply dragging and dropping in the appropriate field.
I have a series of mixes...the most popular one can be found HERE.
