BeatleBlog

I just heard the "Spectorized" version of "The Long and Winding Road" for the first time in ages.

For anyone who doesn't know, the "Let it Be" project was shelved for a year before the tapes were turned over to producer Phil Spector, who then gleaned an album from the tapes. For some unknown reason he felt it necessary to add full orchestration to both "The Long and Winding Road" and "Let it Be." For years these were the only versions available (apart from bootlegs, of course). The average person had only ever heard those versions because those were what played on radio.

A couple years ago "Let it Be.....Naked" was released. All the songs were remastered and the orchestration was removed. LIB and TLAWR were returned to their original state, as recorded by the Beatles. Now, more often than not (at least on the stations I listen to) you will hear the Naked version of either of these songs. It is also the album I listen to around home. I am not entirely sure where my original Let it Be album is, though it's around somewhere.

So this explains why it's been a while since I heard "The Long and Winding Road," Spectorized. I had honestly begun to forget what it sounded like, which gave me a bit of perspective. And from this perspective I now see what a travesty it was that he dressed the two songs up in that manner. There was absolutely NO need for any additional music and especially not a full orchestra. It just struck me that it sounds cheesy. Cheesy and overdone and common. It's like taking a Prime filet mignon and smothering it in mayonnaise and ketchup and mustard. That's fine if you have a weak song or weak singer that needs a little boost to draw focus away from the flaws. But there weren't any flaws in the two songs to begin with. The Naked versions, the authentic versions, are mainly Paul and the piano and very little else. And that is how they should be -- simple and clear and heartfelt, not scored like a Hollywood production.

Posted by Mary at 05:30 PM | Permalink

This is a video of a juggler. But not just your everyday, garden variety juggler. What is its relevance to this particular blog? Click and find out. I almost fell out of my chair.

http://s158645047.onlinehome.us/video_5290_10558.html?sid=5290&aid=10558Chris Bliss

Posted by Mary at 11:07 PM | Permalink

I got Flowers in the Dirt a couple weeks ago but am just now starting to listen to it in-depth.

So far the standout songs, to me, are My Brave Face (I adore this song), Rough Ride, You Want Her Too and This One.

Besides those, I am neutral on the rest of it. Well, with the exception of Don't Be Careless Love. I really don't like that song. I understand the premise and I think it's an interesting concept but I feel like the entire thing is ruined by a couple lines ("Saw your body rolled up in a rug/Chopped into two little pieces/By some thug") That bit is just BAD, in my opinion. Of all the ways he could've conveyed the worry felt by the singer, this was not the way he should've gone. Bad, bad stuff. It sounds like something a twelve-year-old would write, trying to be shocking. If one could remove that section and replace it with something else (or just smooth over the resulting hole) I would like the song very much. I understand that Elvis Costello helped him write this one but, for some reason, I have a feeling that part was all Paul.

Anyway, I'm enjoying listening to the four songs I mentioned to begin with and most of the others are growing on me. It takes a while. After all, Band on the Run left me cold the first few times I listened to it and now I'd have the CD surgically implanted in my skull if it was possible.

Posted by Mary at 03:03 PM | Permalink

I don't think I've ever mentioned before about Madalyn (who is not yet five-and-a-half) and the comments about John she makes occasionally.

A few weeks ago she and I were out to dinner and she was telling me about Abraham Lincoln, who she was learning about in school. She informed me that he'd been shot and died and I said, "Yes, just like John." We were finished with our meal at that point and as we walked out of the restaurant we conversed a little more about Lincoln and why the man shot him.

When we got to the lobby of the restaurant she stopped walking. I thought she was looking at one of the machines and turned around to tell her to get going. She was just standing there with a look on her face as though she was about to cry. I was surprised and asked, "What's wrong?" To which she replied: "I miss John." I said, "I know. I do, too" and gave her a hug and we continued on our way.

This isn't the first time she's said that. Usually it comes up while we are watching a Beatles video. The sentiment is never initiated by me; she is not seeing me looking sad and copying me. She comes up with it completely out of the blue.

It makes me happy and sad and concerned all at the same time. Happy that she loves John and remembers him....sad that it has to be this way; that all we can do is miss him.....and concerned about her sensitivity. Missing someone who died 20 years before you were born is a pretty abstract concept for a five-year-old. I'm afraid she inherited the sensitivity from me. It's a good trait to have, because it makes you empathetic and keeps you from being cruel, and yet it can cause a lot of problems and unnecessary angst. I worry that things will be tougher for her than most other people because she feels everything so much more. I'm proud of her, though.

Posted by Mary at 11:14 AM | Permalink

I was at the grocery store a couple days ago, looking for magazines to bring on the plane when I flew home from California. I glanced down at the bottom shelf and saw a very familiar and dear pair of eyes staring back at me. I pounced. It was a special edition of Life magazine: "Remembering John Lennon 25 Years Later." The cover photo makes me want to smile and cry all at the same time. I hadn't heard that they were putting that out so I'm glad I stumbled upon it. I'd highly recommend picking one up.

Posted by Mary at 02:27 PM | Permalink

Purchases necessary to my trip to Louisville, that is.

Earlier this week I was able to purchase the "Ultimate Ticket to Ride," which is the top shelf weekend pass to AROTR . With it I get admittance to 21 VIP concerts, preferred seating to the spotlight concerts (including my favorites, 1964: the Tribute), admittance to the midnight concert series in the hotel ballroom and access to a VIP room that will have art, additional vendors and other things. All that's left now is to book my hotel room (may or may not require the first night's payment as a deposit, so I'm waiting till later in the week to make sure we have money when I call) and get my plane ticket. This will all hopefully be done in the next ten days or so and then all I have to do is sit back, relax, work on losing some more weight, and watch the time fly by till the end of May.

When I went last year I was on a shoestring budget. I honestly don't know how we afforded for me to go at all. I had a limited amount of available funds and Robert couldn't really come up with anything more to put in the account. For meals I basically stuck to the Wendy's downtown, to which I could walk, and a few other cheap places within walking distance. I didn't want to spend a bunch of money on food and I sure as heck didn't want to waste a bunch taking a cab somewhere. This year, though, things have eased up a little. I can't go wild but I shouldn't have a problem getting spending money to take. So I think this year I will treat myself one night to a very nice dinner. I think there is a really nice restaurant within walking distance of the hotel but, if there isn't, I should be able to take a cab to one. Also on the agenda this year: Beatle boots! I gazed longingly at them last year, even tried some on, but the budget just couldn't stand it. I've given Robert notice, though, that those are first on my list this year, followed closely by more bootleg CDs. And, of course, more shirts for Madalyn. I brought her four shirts last year (two Beatles, two Paul McCartney) and she wears them all the time.

I have been to the AROTR website a number of times to look up various things. On the front page they have pictures from last year. Every time I see them I get downright giddy about going again. Have I mentioned I had fun last year? Just checking.

Posted by Mary at 02:11 PM | Permalink

Sometime this month a group of psychics are going to conduct a seance on pay-per-view to try to contact John. Apparently they will also be visiting various sites of importance from John's life, including the Dakota. (Advice to Yoko: have the boiling oil ready.)

I was trying to figure out exactly how this makes me feel. It goes without saying that I think it's a bunch of bunk and that any "contact" made will be manufactured for television. But there's more to it. Imagine you owned a beautiful statue, or any other art object. It sat in a place of honor in your home with a spotlight on it. Every day you looked at it and each time you were amazed by what you saw, thrilled that you posessed it and humbled by its beauty. It made you happy just to see it and know it was there. Then imagine that some people who had been shoveling manure with their bare hands came in and started pawing your statue, wiping their filthy hands all over it. Then they picked it up and started tossing it around in the air, laughing. Imagine all that, and that pretty well sums up how I feel about these people daring to try to associate themselves with John and make money off his memory. It makes me want to vomit.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Posted by Mary at 11:06 AM | Permalink

For anyone who's not up to speed: last summer we sold my beloved Toyota 4Runner because we needed part of the money to get caught up on our house payments. We had some money left over and two of the things purchased with it were my tickets to see Paul. Later in the year we decided we couldn't keep it up any longer and put the house on the market and moved to a rental. I am still without a car, 9 months later, and us having only one vehicle has caused us no end of trouble in the interim.

A couple weeks ago I was talking to Robert and I commented that it sucked that we had sold the car and caused ourselves all kinds of inconvenience when we ended up deciding to sell the house, anyway. Robert said, "Well, at least you got a trip to California out of it" (our trip of last summer was also financed by the car sale). At that moment it occurred to me that it was the reason I'd gotten to see Paul, too. I sat and thought about it; about all the trouble it's been, about how lousy it's turned out to be not having a car for three-quarters of a year, about having to bum rides off friends and feeling like a deadbeat, about the stress and aggravation and embarrassment, and you know what?

It was worth it. And I'd do it again.

Posted by Mary at 10:09 PM | Permalink

I'm still here, still Beatlemaniacal. I've just been really, really busy. I'm currently less than 3 days away from leaving for California so my mind is elsewhere at the moment. I have lots of time to sit and think when I'm in CA, though, so I'm sure there will be entries to come during my trip!

Posted by Mary at 02:32 PM | Permalink