Always pegged you as a McCartney guy, George - melody over overt emotion, and all that. (Not to say that Lennon wasn't one of the melodic greats...) Even from your old review of Ram it's easy to tell you absolutely 'get' Paul and his myriad gifts and eccentricities!
Brilliant review as always. The song v. song was an inspired way to make it a really fun and surprisingly intense read.
I just bought my own copy of this record last summer.Everybody had a copy so I would just borrow it. Most of them were pretty scratched up but I liked side two the best. I first heard this stuff on late night FM radio and it was like nothing I had ever heard before. They would mix in Instant Karma and Cold Turkey to further confuse things
Also for the prosecution: in terms of outperforming heavy rockers Helter Skelter simply fails. Purple Haze and Sunshine of your Love rock harder. However taken for what it is - a pop song disguised as a hardrocker with some protopunk elements - it succeeds.
Martha my Dear is clearly not about sheepdogs but Jane Asher just another one of Paul's jokey hidden messages , hidden in this case with good reason . Hold your head up you silly girl look what you've done , look for a bit of what is all around you silly girl , we were meant to be for each other silly girl , couldn't call it Jane my Dear but he did want her on a lead ?
An album this brilliant deserves this equally brilliant review. The thematic pairings perfectly capture the personal tension that vibrates through the album. Well goddamn done!
Sure, John "wins" this record (8:3 by my reckoning) but Paul still comes off as the hero for balancing the acidic ravings of John, better than John himself was able to do during that period.
Always pegged you as a McCartney guy, George - melody over overt emotion, and all that. (Not to say that Lennon wasn't one of the melodic greats...) Even from your old review of Ram it's easy to tell you absolutely 'get' Paul and his myriad gifts and eccentricities!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant review as always. The song v. song was an inspired way to make it a really fun and surprisingly intense read.
I think your Beatles reviews have been best the third time around to some degree. MAYBE.
ReplyDeleteI just bought my own copy of this record last summer.Everybody had a copy so I would just borrow it. Most of them were pretty scratched up but I liked side two the best. I first heard this stuff on late night FM radio and it was like nothing I had ever heard before. They would mix in Instant Karma and Cold Turkey to further confuse things
ReplyDeleteI cannot ever listen to "Martha My Dear" again without thinking of that infamous scene from Batman v Superman.
ReplyDeleteAlso for the prosecution: in terms of outperforming heavy rockers Helter Skelter simply fails. Purple Haze and Sunshine of your Love rock harder. However taken for what it is - a pop song disguised as a hardrocker with some protopunk elements - it succeeds.
ReplyDeleteMartha my Dear is clearly not about sheepdogs but Jane Asher just another one of Paul's jokey hidden messages , hidden in this case with good reason . Hold your head up you silly girl look what you've done , look for a bit of what is all around you silly girl , we were meant to be for each other silly girl , couldn't call it Jane my Dear but he did want her on a lead ?
ReplyDeleteExactly. If I'm allowed a single CD to a desert island, it's Revolver. But if I'm allowed an "album", it's the White Album.
ReplyDeletehttp://everybodysdummy.blogspot.com/2008/05/beatles-13-beatles.html
An album this brilliant deserves this equally brilliant review. The thematic pairings perfectly capture the personal tension that vibrates through the album. Well goddamn done!
ReplyDeleteSure, John "wins" this record (8:3 by my reckoning) but Paul still comes off as the hero for balancing the acidic ravings of John, better than John himself was able to do during that period.
Great review!
ReplyDeleteTime to tackle the Ramones debut again.
Cheers!