Revolution 2009 will carry us from Revolution take 20, to the day that Carnival of Light finnaly appears (and we will all be disappointed). It takes Revolution into the 21st century, going places that even John L. dare not go. Chockful of deeper meaninings and unmeasurable wisdom, it is key to solving the mysteries that still surround the Beatles. Contains contributions (and only those) by: Beatles: Tomorrow Never Knows, For the Benefit of Mr Kite, A day in the Life, Lovely Rita, Strawberry Fiel...
Apr 06, 2009•8 min
George Harrison appears a man of extremes. On the one hand, he moans about having to pay taxes (Taxman), and not much later, he contemplates the meaning of Life, the Universe and Everything (The inner Light). Quite a journey, for a plumber from Liverpool. But what about the music, did it evolve as extreme as his lyrics ? Judge for yourself, and listen to this All Revealing retro-mix.
Apr 05, 2009•3 min
Ringo's greatest vocal performance ever, is so good, it could do well in an 'unplugged version'. Actually, Ringo did this in a duet with Sammy Davis junior; quite alright, but is now some time ago. So here's the 21st century version. Acoustic guitar(s), courtesy of Puerto Muerto.
Mar 24, 2009•3 min
Let me take you back, cause I'm going to the Hollywood Bowl. It is August 29, and the Beatles give their first performance of the '65 tour in Los Angeles. The Fabs are in great shape, and deliver an oustanding show, in spite of (or thanks to ?) the roaring crowd. Unfortuntaley, Paul's microphone does not work when the concert starts. The first song of the evening, Twist and Shout, has John on lead vocals, so the faulty microphone probably went unnoticed. However, the second song, She's A Woman, ...
Mar 15, 2009•3 min
"Love Me Do" was recorded by The Beatles on four different occasions with three different drummers: The Beatles first recorded it on 6 June 1962 with Pete Best on drums, as part of their EMI audition at Abbey Road Studios in London. By 4 September, Best had been replaced with Ringo Starr and on that day The Beatles with Starr recorded a version again at Abbey Road Studios. One week later, on 11 September, The Beatles returned to the same studio, and they made a recording of "Love Me Do" with ses...
Mar 14, 2009•3 min
Just for fun: the Karaoke-Beatles get some Help from the Beatles......
Mar 13, 2009•2 min
"Birthday' is a good old rocker on the White Album. It sort of evolved in the studio, with all four fabs contibuting their stuff. Was it the last track that was really a team effort by the Beatles ? Birthday is a rather simple song, but where are its roots, where did they find their inspiration ? In their childhood of course, when they played only rock and roll; Dizyy Miss Lizzy was a crowd pleaser for them, with John exploiting the sawdust in his voice. Put next to each other, Birthday and Dizz...
Mar 01, 2009•4 min
Please Please Me take 1 is "the one that got away". No recordings of the original Please Please Me survive, and it is likely that none ever existed. it is supposed to be significantly different from the released Please Please Me; George Martin claimed that he advised (demanded) that they speed it up. Lennon said he wrote it with Roy Orbison in mind; the Beatles toured with Orbison, and they repeatedly admitted that they admired his songwriting and singing. So Please Please Me was probably writte...
Feb 21, 2009•3 min
It was 40 years ago today (almost....) that the Beatles performed their Rooftop concert. Several songs were included on Let It Be, such as I've Got a Feeling". In fact, they performed this song twice, and the first perforamcne was used on the record. So, why not see what we can do with the 2nd perofmance of I've Got a Feeling ? I used the sound recordings of the cameras that filmed the conert: a camera on the rooftop, and another across the street. Added a monitor mix to give it more body, and y...
Feb 06, 2009•1 min
Happiness is a warm Gun is not a regular song, but a sequence of 3 or 4 songlettes. By chance or design, these fragments form a whole, that (for some) is more meaningful than any of its parts. The genius of Lennon at work ? Listening to Happiness IAWG, I realised that McCartney did something similar on the B-side of Abbey Road; the final this of Abbey Road is a sequence of songs, fitted tightly together, culminating in The End (where we find Meaning, just as is the last part of Happiness IAWG): ...
Jan 25, 2009•7 min
Not a remix, but a Unique Recording. date: New Years eve 2007 place: BBC Hootananny vocals; Paul McCartney electric bass: Paul McCartney grand piano: Jools Holland & the Jools Holland orchestra Play it loud !
Jan 15, 2009•3 min
To celebrate the 40th 'Birthday' of Sgt Pepper, the BBC invited various bands to record tracks from Sgt Pepper; in Abbey Road studios, using the original equipment (4 track analogue recorders) and staff (Geoff Emerick). Two doumentantaries of the recording sessions were broadcast on TV. I'm not sure if an official album was ever released of these covers. They are intersting cover versions, also thanks to the Geoff, who managed to re-create many of the typical sounds. Unfortunately, good old Geof...
Jan 13, 2009•3 min
Happiness is a Warm Gun appears to be a bit of a mixed bag, which seems to hang together for some reason. The meaning of most Lennon songs can be unravelled, just as I showed for his poetry. In this case, most will agree with a 'anatomical' intepreation of the 'gun' in the song. This also fits the "Mother superior jump the gun' refrain, since Lennon often referred to Yoko as 'Mother'. The first part is less easy to interpret, because of the interfence from others (Derek Taylor). I read somewhere...
Jan 11, 2009•57 min
This is the season for love, world peace, and what does it it all mean anyway. Obviously, we look for guidance in these matters, and who better to help us along than George Harrison ? George confessed to support all religions (or the major ones at least), and - indeed - Dear One could be appreciated by many of different faiths. This version is a bit more lush, but still solemn, than the original. Play it loud, play it often, and who knows what we can achieve......
Dec 22, 2008•5 min
Peter Sellers recorded She Loves You in a number of 'disguises'. Ranging form a Cockney version to the Irish Dentist. Here, we selected the 'German Version", because it combines well with the german version that the Beatles themselves did of She Loves You. Seller's German Version was not released in his lifetime, but can now be found on various compilations, all without music. Until today.......
Dec 03, 2008•2 min
Peter Sellers in a TV broadcast, performing A hard Days Night. It was a highlight of this "The Music of Lennon & McCartney' broadcast. In the show, there was only minimal accompaniment by a sew violins and choir. Here, we invoke the Beatles to help Peter Sellers out with his Hard Days Night. The vocals follow the version released on a record, with some outtakes included for good measure.
Nov 23, 2008•3 min
88 Fingers Louie formed in spring 1993, with the intention of playing sloppy, fun punk music for themselves. And they succeeded..... eexcept for their version of Help !, which is quite good. Lots of pace and power, straight through the middle. somehow, I feel John would have appreciated their style for this song.
Nov 16, 2008•2 min
Peter Sellers and the Beatles seem to have got along remarkebly well. Of course, they shared their producer (George Martin), made absurd films, and had a special sense of humour. Sellers was present in the studio when the Beatles recorded, on several occasions, and expresed a clear interest in recreational drugs on the 'Get Back' session tapes. Sellers covered a few Beatles songs, in his own comic style, but never recorded with help from the Beatles. Until today, that is.......
Nov 15, 2008•2 min
This is a little known take of what would later become "You Know My name". In this early version, The beatles experiment with a Soul version of the Lennon composition. Quickly put together, but still the inspiration for the Soul industry that would spring from it, and singers such as Eddy Floyd.....
Nov 14, 2008•3 min
Paul once called You Know My Name (Look Up the Number) his favourite Beatles song. Was he already dead after all ? It is certainly a mcCartney-esque track, harking back to the good old days when his father played the piano in a band..... In the version of BDJ productions, no actual Beatles were harmed. In fact, all instrumental tracks are form 'others', who shal remain nameless. But they are not chosen at random: all tracks somehow link to the Beatles. Do you know who they are, and how they rela...
Nov 07, 2008•5 min
The flipside of "Beautiful Mother", this track is - as we often find with Lennon-McCartney B-sides - a little masterpiece, albeit less commercial. John teamed up with Shuggie Otis (who is alive and touring) to record this track. Shuggie layed down the rythm tracks, and played keyboards (piano & organ) and also takes care of the stunning guitar solo. All that was left was Lennon's haunting vocals, to make this the best Billboard No 1 that never charted.
Oct 13, 2008•3 min
One of Lennon's great "I'm so Sorry for Myself" songs, perhaps inspired by the Primal Scream therapy that he subjected himself to. The original production was minimalistic, and can hardly be bettered. But it can be changed altogether..... A bit of pezzaz, some flutes, an organ, and three it is: a a beautiful production of mother. Begs the question: Julia or Yoko ?
Oct 04, 2008•5 min
Sleeping appears to have had a particular interest to Lennon. From "Close your eyes and I'll kiss you", "I'm only Sleeping", through to "No 9 Dream", sleeping was present in his songs. Why ? Hard to tell, but somewhow sleeping was associated to imagining, new thougths or insights for JL., rather than just resting. In 'Goodnight' we again are encouraged to sleep so we can have 'sweet dreams', rather than recover energy for the next day of hard work. And a beautiful song it is. Legend has it that ...
Sep 28, 2008•4 min
Revolution 9 is an enigmatic track, which captures the attention for 10 minutes or so. It is of interest because it is is different, rather then being of any musical value. Here, we attempt to do one better, by combining the lunacy and other Lennon quotes with a catchy tune. The backing track is from the LP (never released on CD) 'From the Workshop', by the Sandy Coast, who were world famous all over Voorburg in the seventies. Doesn't it capture the depth and profanity of Lennon's philosophy in ...
Sep 13, 2008•3 min
Some 4 to 5 live recordings of Yesterday survive, with largely varying sound quality. None of them are in Stereo; until today, that is ! For the first time, in glorious stereophonic sound (provided your turntable is equipped to reproduce stereo), and a little help from our friends at NHK, we present: Yesterday !
Aug 03, 2008•2 min
I'm pretty sure that Yesterday is the most often covered Beatles song. Can we still do something original with it, after more than 40 years of messing about by the worlds greatest singers/musicians ? That is the Challenge for the month of August. Could not do that alone, but - fortunately - had help from Robbie Williams. Sounds different when you hear it, just listen to it twice and you will not forget it ever..... And that is the point of Yesterday; cherish the memories, have some regrets, and ...
Aug 02, 2008•4 min
Here is a delciate rendition of Across the Universe, supported by the Doors (my other favourite group). Not bad for a last-minute entry in the July Remix-of-the-month challenge ? NB as a challenge to the experts, I included one bad edit in the mix. See if you can spot it!
Jul 30, 2008•5 min
In the way that Good Dog Nigel captures the essence of Lennon in a a poem, so does this track capture Lennon in Song; or at least I tried..... All that is important is here: peace, mother, and the man imself. Who could ask for more ?
Jul 27, 2008•5 min
Once upon a time - or maybe twice - there lived a young boy boy named BDJ. And he loved music, but he couldn't play. He BDJ grew up and a beard, and - one fine day - he spoke upon his friends and said: let's make music. And so they did, although they could not play. Unfortunately, their music ws recorded and preserved for posterity, though no one wanted to hear it. When BDJ's beard had turned grey and shaven off, he decied to enter the digital age and post his music in BDJ's Cellar of Remixes, t...
Jul 25, 2008•3 min
Many Beatles Songs can be performed in different styles, the Beatles themsleves tried out their tracks in vatious formats on occasion. In this way Strawberry Fields started as a mellow singalong, ending up as the galaxy-busting supernova of sound that we have come to know. Here, we go the other way with Hey Bulldog: from the rough and let's-do-it-now version that was released, to a more introvert interpretation, as suggested by Beatlegrass.
Jun 08, 2008•2 min
