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Final Beatles Song


DixonHur

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14 hours ago, MaxHorn said:

It's really quite beautiful. I got choked up when the classic Harrison guitar solo came in, and then was maybe even more amazed when I later found out that it's McCartney playing the solo as a tribute to George. 

What's the source that Paul did the solo?  

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It's a pretty tune, but I don't think its worthy of being a Beatles song. Not much to the lyrics, doesn't really go anywhere like a real Beatle's song might, even one of the not as great ones.

I think it's fine that they did it. Why not? It's good that they got the best they could out of John's demo to share with fans. The production is nice, it's a good display of the tech that it required, but artistically, it ain't all that. It's not great writing. But it doesn't really suck. It's another rarity type thing for Beatles enthusiasts. They took a little unfinished demo and make it sound nice, but that's about it. I'm glad to have heard it. 

 

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It's a pretty tune, but I don't think its worthy of being a Beatles song. Not much to the lyrics, doesn't really go anywhere like a real Beatle's song might, even one of the not as great ones.
I think it's fine that they did it. Why not? It's good that they got the best they could out of John's demo to share with fans. The production is nice, it's a good display of the tech that it required, but artistically, it ain't all that. It's not great writing. But it doesn't really suck. It's another rarity type thing for Beatles enthusiasts. They took a little unfinished demo and make it sound nice, but that's about it. I'm glad to have heard it. 
 

This is pretty spot on. It would be a b side or buried in side 2 of an album back in the day. And while it’s nice to hear Paul say the other two would’ve been all for it…I’m skeptical.

It really strikes me as a love letter by the remaining two to their lost friends and put a bow on their legacy. Or will always be said that they left it all on the table for their fans. There’s literally nothing more - new at least - for them to give.
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24 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Most bands would kill to write a song that good.  For The Beatles, it's a B-side.  LOL.

I'm glad they put it out, even though I'm not a huge Beatles fan, and it's not their best work.  It's nostalgic.

So I was in the shower this morning (no pics) and my playist pulled up "I'm Only Sleeping."  To me, that's a stellar track.  I love it.  It's not the usual teen romance fluff for lyrics, the chord progression is interesting, and the recording itself is innovative with the backwards guitar solo.  Yet it's still not a single and is probably a "second" tier Beatles song by any measure.  Granted, second tier for The Beatles is mostly unobtainable for most bands out there.  I don't think "Now and Then" reaches "I'm Only Sleeping" stature.  And it's definitely nostalgic.  Anyhow, I'm thinking we're agreeing here, just some thoughts that wiggled loose this morning.  It's my last chance to obsess over a new Beatles record, so I'm taking it.

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4 hours ago, Chad Fuck said:


This is pretty spot on. It would be a b side or buried in side 2 of an album back in the day. And while it’s nice to hear Paul say the other two would’ve been all for it…I’m skeptical.

It really strikes me as a love letter by the remaining two to their lost friends and put a bow on their legacy. Or will always be said that they left it all on the table for their fans. There’s literally nothing more - new at least - for them to give.

I recently saw a Paul interview from decades ago where he was talking about this song. He said it was mostly George that really wasn't into it, after they had done the other two. I think he was probably being reminded of what it was like for him to work with Paul. I think Paul would have kept going, despite the tech issues. 

As far as John, he would probably be for anything that put him back into the spotlight, but maybe not as much others monkeying around with his post-Beatles tune. So it's hard to say. Ringo is always just glad to be asked to contribute. 

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3 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Has Ringo recorded with Paul much (or any) over the past few decades?  Seems like a missed opportunity, he's such an iconic drummer.

https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/paul-mccartney-ringo-starr-dolly-parton-beatles-chart-first-let-it-be-1235402344/

Not a whole lot, but there's a list (not sure if exhaustive) in this article.  

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2 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Has Ringo recorded with Paul much (or any) over the past few decades?  Seems like a missed opportunity, he's such an iconic drummer.

Ringo contributed to several McCartney songs over the years. But it was mostly spot duty for a song or two on an album. He would  throw him a bone now and then when the time was right.

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2 minutes ago, DougO said:

I recently saw a Paul interview from decades ago where he was talking about this song. He said it was mostly George that really wasn't into it, after they had done the other two. I think he was probably being reminded of what it was like for him to work with Paul. I think Paul would have kept going, despite the tech issues. 

As far as John, he would probably be for anything that put him back into the spotlight, but maybe not as much others monkeying around with his post-Beatles tune. So it's hard to say. Ringo is always just glad to be asked to contribute. 

I agree with all of this.  I remember an article shortly after the 95 recordings were released where GH said this one was "rubbish."  But I'm not sure if he meant the quality or the recording or the tune itself.  Further, my sense of George as a person is that he was never the warm, friendly Beatle, and had a tendency to come off a bit curt regarding the Beatles, especially as the late 80s gave way to the 90s.  He was not one for nostalgia.  There's also a bit of video from the 95 recordings where the three are there playing a bit of something (a Sun track, perhaps Elvis, I can't recall) and when it's done he just gets up and says, "Well that's enough nostalgia for me, I'm out."  Or words to that effect.  

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I think George never really got over his inferiority complex with Paul and John, but particularly with working with Paul. I think its one of the reasons he sought out collaborations with other iconic artists to compensate. George probably was a genuinely warm and open guy, but remained a bit prickly with Paul when it came to working together. 

But the version of the recording back in the 90s, or whenever it was, probably was rubbish as far as being able to make it worth trying to release it. 

I don't think Paul was quite the dictator that he has been perceived, but I can see why it seemed that way to George and others who were just tired of going through the same exhaustive stuff, nitpicking and constant tweaking of a particular song that the others didn't really care so much about.

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On 11/5/2023 at 9:23 AM, jimmyjazz said:

Has Ringo recorded with Paul much (or any) over the past few decades?  Seems like a missed opportunity, he's such an iconic drummer.

Iconic?  Oh boy.  He's the greatest to ever do it.  "Iconic" is putting it mildly. 

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On 11/4/2023 at 10:42 PM, DougO said:

It's a pretty tune, but I don't think its worthy of being a Beatles song. Not much to the lyrics, doesn't really go anywhere like a real Beatle's song might, even one of the not as great ones.

I think it's fine that they did it. Why not? It's good that they got the best they could out of John's demo to share with fans. The production is nice, it's a good display of the tech that it required, but artistically, it ain't all that. It's not great writing. But it doesn't really suck. It's another rarity type thing for Beatles enthusiasts. They took a little unfinished demo and make it sound nice, but that's about it. I'm glad to have heard it. 

 

 

8 hours ago, tbone_ said:

I agree with Dougo’s take but also figure it likely would have been better if John had finished it. My take is this was just a sketch.

I don’t think that it sounds like a Beatles song at all. 

It very much sounds like it belongs with John’s solo stuff from the mid-to-late ‘70s, but not good enough to make the cut.

It is slow and a bit of a downer.. and I can’t remember the words right now. It just seems like a mess that would be abandoned because it’s kind of meh.

I can understand the excitement and nostalgic hope that people who grew up with The Beatles (or who are familiar with every deep track on ever album + all of the solo albums that followed their dissolution) may have regarding the release of this song, but it kind of feels like work to listen to. 

It’s not catchy nor does it build up to an overwhelming resolve. It just feels like an idea that was fleshed out for the fans rather than because there was anything magical about the song. 

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It sounds to me like John was more into the chord progression, which is very nice, and the lyrics are just first thought stuff to see what the song would sound like. I don't know how long he worked on it, but it seems very early stage thought. They aren't the final lyrics of a brilliant songwriter. They don't even really hold up to John's weaker efforts that well. 

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