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The very best parts of the best Beatle songs
You also might title this post “How to listen to The Beatles.” Here are the best parts, in no particular order:
1. The violins/voices warm-up to Sgt. Pepper.
2. The George/John background vocals to “You Won’t See Me.”
3. The sounds during the fade out section of “You Never Give Me Your Money.” This is perhaps my #1 pick.
4. The total, sudden silence at the end of “I Want You “She’s So Heavy.” Radio stations and streaming services don’t get this one right.
5. The drums/bass collision, combined with backward tape on the vocal, at the end of “Rain.”
6. The short Indian drone segment in one of the latter choruses of “She’s Leaving Home.” Starts at about 2:57.
7. The airiness/breathing aspect of “Long Long Long.” Not George’s very best song, but still notable for its acoustic properties.
8. Paul’s brief “return to the womb” piano and vocal close to “Cry, Baby, Cry.”
9. The parts of “Blue Jay Way” (starts about 3:44) and “I am the Walrus” (1:59) when the normal music stops and a bunch of sounds, including cello and also some “acoustic-electric” sounds, come together in a crescendo. Try also Paul’s much later “Cosmically Conscious,” originally written in 1968 and obviously so (how?). The cacophony and fade at the end of “All You Need is Love” is the best part of that (very good) song!
10. All of “Strawberry Fields Forever,” which apparently was produced so as to be in two different keys at the same time.
In an earlier post, I suggested that to understand the Beach Boys and their sound world you should listen carefully to “Vegetables” on a high-quality sound system. Figure out that sound world, and then apply that understanding to the rest of your Beach Boys listening. Well, here are my comparable tips for The Beatles.
NSW Premier's Literary Awards shortlists
They've announced the shortlists for this year's NSW Premier's Literary Awards, "the richest and longest running state-based literary awards in Australia"; see also the more convenient run-down of all the shortlisted titles in all ten categories at Books + Publishing.
The winners will be announced 16 May.