Classic Rock Bottom

ROCKOLLECTIONS: BEATLE JOHN LENNON ON THE BBC, AND MORE

We move on to John Lennon in our annual remembrance of the lives of two men who were a part of something that probably will never happen again, the phenomenon that was the Beatles.
Dec.8th is the 30th anniversary of John's death, just astonishing to me, where has the time gone?
I won't bore you again with my personal memories of that night, but it was a shocker.
John is 30 years gone...for most of us, that's almost twice as long as he was an active, significant part of our lives!
And he would have turned 70 on Oct.9th, same birthday as his son, Sean.
I'll cherry pick some more from those delightful 1963 BBC Sessions, highlighting John, from Pop Go The Beatles.
There is a real fun moment in here regarding George Martin's non-appearance on the show, and the Beatles need for the piano part Martin played on A Hard Day's Night.
I'll take you back for some more Roots Rock too.
Then some dialogue simply between a father and a son, but with a cute surprise in its content.
Followed by a Lennon song that for me, always makes me think how unprepared I was for their losses.
I'll end with a seasonal song, but more intimate with just John and Yoko- not the version with the children's chorus you are used to hearing.
What can I say? I miss those two guys and wish they were still around.
But when you think about it, it's all perspective.
Including their solo careers, they left us with a vast library of great music.
So, are the Beatles now half empty or half full?
And given the joy they provided in my life and so many others lives, does it even matter?

Here's the link to a celebration of a life, at WLSO.FM:

http://wlso.fm/wordpress/archives/1886


Mike

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Comment by Mike Pell on December 11, 2010 at 5:36pm
RJ,
Well honestly there was much much more music to pick from with John.
Back during those sessions in 1963, George mainly sang backup and played guitar.
They didn't do any songs he wrote, and Lennon/McCartney were the dominant force.
Johnny boy could sing, and he loved that old Rock & Roll!
Yeah, wasn't that something with A Hard Days Night?
They just had to PROVE they were playing live, lol!
They were just simply the BEST, at everything...listen to the harmonies on the Beatle song Because!
Hahahahahaha...even bands that aren't Kiss.
Ok, I have it filed away for Paul & Ringo.
Done Paul a few times, never a show just with Ringo, that would be interesting.
And because of all I have by him would probably take 2 shows.
Thanks as always RJ, good to hear from you my friend,
Mike
Comment by Mike Pell on December 11, 2010 at 5:22pm
Scott,
That song I played, Nobody Told Me, isn't on that Power to the People collection, is it?
The banter is so much fun on those BBC seesions, you can't help but laugh along.
John had a great wit, but George could be his equal.
The "Quiet Beatle" could be extremely funny.
I am planning a few intermittent shows about the Beatles and their covers of other people's songs.
American Rock & Roll was very important in their development.
Gee, I didn't bother to notice how they ended the songs with the same chord.
I'm sharp like that, lol!
Yeah, isn't that just like a kid, his fave is not one of his father's, but Paul?
I am sure they loved each other, having spent so much time together in such an odd situation how could they not?
Thanks for listening and writing, I really appreciate that,
Mike
Comment by RJhog (Admin) on December 10, 2010 at 2:15pm

Mike, I must say that I enjoyed the Lennon section better than the Harrison section (not that I didn't enjoy that, I just liked Lennon better). 

 

The best cover on this show, to me, was You've Really Got A Hold On Me.  I always hear Beatles fans talk about how well Lennon could sing, and you can really hear that in this song. 

 

I thoroughly enjoyed Hard Days Night.  It's funny, 'cause I was thinking all the way through that it sounded just like the studio version, but not because I thought there was any shenanigans going on, I just thought to myself how incredibly good they sound.  And those harmonies come shining through on this version. 

 

Lastly, I agree with Scott that the back and forth banter is priceless.  I love that kind of stuff, even from band's that aren't Kiss.

 

Great show!

 

P.S.  I'm sorry, one more thing.  I agree with Niels that a Paul and Ringo show would be sweet!

Comment by Scott on December 10, 2010 at 8:57am

Just picked p his remastered hits collection titled "Power to the People".  So Ive been primed for this show, so to speak...  Great great stuff!

 

So interesting to hear them play the old standards.  But its most interesting to hear them banter back and forth.  I'm willing to bet this is a persona more so than himself truly.  Don't you think?  Love his wit though!  Love the Hard Days Night story, that was news to me!

 

Your shows have really emphasized the American influence on them, I guess I never realized it was that strong of an influence.  Kinda puts a twist on the British Invasion thing!

 

That chord they end the songs with is very interesting.  Seems like they wrote very creatively and complex songs but ended them all with the same chord.  hahahaha...

 

Hi favorite Beatles song was written by Paul?  Didn't he blast Paul in song saying he hadn't done anything since Yesterday?  hahahaha...  They really did love and respect each other, they just had too to get that kind of output.

 

Nice touch including Happy Christmas!!!

Comment by Mike Pell on December 10, 2010 at 7:09am
Niels,
Thank you in return for the awesome praise, it's always good to hear somebody thinks you got it right.
John did a great vocal on Sweet Little Sixteen, all the Chuck ones in fact.
Funny thing, I played Nobody Told Me in order to get the message across that I and others were unprepared for those deaths,but as I was listening to it, I too realized that it's one of my favorite Lennon songs- what a rocker!
I have a lot of unusual Beatle things, so I thought I'd play Happy Christmas without those brats on it, lol!
Send me an email at mikepell321@aol.com, and I'll send you the song.
Those of us old enough to remember will never forget what we were doing that Monday night Dec.8, 1980.
There was an Islander game on TV that night, and I'll always take hockey over football.
I had a friend over to watch the game and drink beer.
Another friend called me on the phone to tell me John had been shot.
I immediately put WNEW-FM on the stereo, and Vin Scelsa was playing Springsteen's Jungleland.
Hearing that, I just KNEW he was dead!
Oh man, 20 MINUTES separate you and your daughter?
That's so close I would still celebrate them together- just wait 20 minutes, lol!
And isn't that strange, 35 years, just like John & Sean!
I keep telling people, over the more than 12 years I have been doing the show, and long before I put them on the computer, I have done so many artists, some more than once.
That's the case with Paul.
But maybe you are right, perhaps it is time for one like those for Paul, using the BBC & other things.
If anything, I have been thinking about Ringo.
Do you know how many RARE Ringo things there are out there?
Thanks again for listening and writing and approving of what I did/do,
Mike
Comment by Niels (Mod) on December 9, 2010 at 4:52am
I forget to add: I WISH you would make a similar show "about" McCartney?! I know he's not gone, but there must be some reason for a show like that??!!
Comment by Niels (Mod) on December 9, 2010 at 4:49am
Thank you for an AWESOME show!!

Even though Paul is my favorite beatle, I LOVE Lennon!! What a great cover of Chuck Berry's "Sweet little sixteen". What a voice Lennon had!!
And "Days like these" or what it's called is a GREAT number. I have heard it many times, but I just realized, that it's one of my favorite Lennon solo-songs.
And you just got me in the right christmas-spirit!! "War is over" is not only my favorite chritmas-song, it's one of my favorite songs at all!! Where did you get that version without the children?? I allways gets very emotional, when I hear that song around christmas. I never forget, where I was, when I heard that Lennon was shot: At home, getting ready for school, and then suddenly heard the bad news on the radio the mornig of the 8th december 1980.

By the way, my daughter was 20 min. "late", or else me and she would have shared birhtday with 35 years "difference", just like John and Shaun.

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