Apologies for the fortnight hiatus. Between Blogspot evaporating the Jukebox of two weeks ago into Cyberspace and a four day sojourn to Hamburg, I've negated my Soul Kitchen duties. However, it was the long weekend in Hamburg which has helped shape this week's edition of The Jukebox.
Some 51 years ago, Liverpudlian businessman Allan Williams took John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Pete Best and Stuart Sutcliffe (and later, everybody's favourite Ringo Starr) to Hamburg in order for them to learn their craft as performers. Well, it worked for Derry and The Seniors, so why not for an aspiring group of Beatles?
Between August 1960 and December 1962, The Indra Club, The Kaiserkeller, The Top Ten and The Star Club became home for The Beatles, amid deportations, condom arson, personnel changes (Best and Sutcliffe of course not lasting the distance), an introduction to speed and of course, John performing wearing nothing more than his Y Fronts and a toilet seat. So, a pretty routine 26 months then. John's " I was born in Liverpool, but I grew up in Hamburg" quote couldn't have been more on the money.
So, with that in mind, the decision was made to devote this week's jukebox to the four men who did just as much for mop tops and moustaches as they did for British music.
You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
Help! wasn't just an outrageously brilliant film about a cult chasing Ringo to The Caribbean in order to murder him for being in possession of their sacrificial ring. It also brought us this gem. Forget mop top pop, this is pure Dylanesque folk. There's none of the 'wronged lover striking back' energy of a 'You Can't Do That', but rather, almost a heartbreaking acceptance that it's over. As Paul would later, very simply put "it's just basically John doing Dylan", and doing him rather bloody well it must be said. Plus, as an added bonus, George is hilariously cool (although, when wasn't he?) in the video.
Taxman
In this writer's humble opinion, George Harrison's finest Beatles moment ('Got My Mind Set on You' is of course his all time greatest moment). A bassline so cool Paul Weller decided to pilfer it 16 years later for The Jam's 'Start!' and a barrage of lyrics aimed firmly at the British Government and their ludicrous 'progressive tax' system. Funnily enough, this very same tax system led to the Stones upping sticks to the South of France and recording Exile on Main Street in '71, so maybe the taxman was good for something after all.
She Loves You
An obvious choice? Perhaps, but an essential one nonetheless. Young, idealistic rock and roll in it's rawest form. Out of all The Beatles early singles, 'She Loves You' must rank as the most influential. It was a veering away from the more lovey dovey sentimentality of 'From Me To You' and 'Love Me Do' and instead an eye cocked to something more dangerous. The establishment even chastised them for the use of the word 'yeah' for Christ sake. As exhiliarating a two minutes of music as you're ever likely to hear, it still has girls screaming almost 50 years later.
I Want You (She's So Heavy)
A far cry from their two minute howitzers in the early to mid sixties, this seven, count them, seven minute adventure is a musical experiment that could have only been born out of the late sixties and especially John's mammoth intake of all things narcotic. The tune rumbles along with an effortless swagger that renders any listener horizontal, such is it's lackadaisical nature. Forget shoegaze, this is very much stargaze music. Although this type of stargazing is best enjoyed with a kaleidoscope.
A Day In The Life
It'd be impossible to leave it out wouldn't it? Lennon and McCartney's undisputed masterpiece (although McCartney has credited it as being 80/20 John), there's very little to say that hasn't already been said. The most fitting of finale's to Sergeant Pepper's Loneley Heart's Club Band. A perfect end to a perfect album. I'll stop now, as I'm really not doing it justice.
Keep on Keepin' on,
Baia
X
Some 51 years ago, Liverpudlian businessman Allan Williams took John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Pete Best and Stuart Sutcliffe (and later, everybody's favourite Ringo Starr) to Hamburg in order for them to learn their craft as performers. Well, it worked for Derry and The Seniors, so why not for an aspiring group of Beatles?
Between August 1960 and December 1962, The Indra Club, The Kaiserkeller, The Top Ten and The Star Club became home for The Beatles, amid deportations, condom arson, personnel changes (Best and Sutcliffe of course not lasting the distance), an introduction to speed and of course, John performing wearing nothing more than his Y Fronts and a toilet seat. So, a pretty routine 26 months then. John's " I was born in Liverpool, but I grew up in Hamburg" quote couldn't have been more on the money.
So, with that in mind, the decision was made to devote this week's jukebox to the four men who did just as much for mop tops and moustaches as they did for British music.
You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
Help! wasn't just an outrageously brilliant film about a cult chasing Ringo to The Caribbean in order to murder him for being in possession of their sacrificial ring. It also brought us this gem. Forget mop top pop, this is pure Dylanesque folk. There's none of the 'wronged lover striking back' energy of a 'You Can't Do That', but rather, almost a heartbreaking acceptance that it's over. As Paul would later, very simply put "it's just basically John doing Dylan", and doing him rather bloody well it must be said. Plus, as an added bonus, George is hilariously cool (although, when wasn't he?) in the video.
Taxman
In this writer's humble opinion, George Harrison's finest Beatles moment ('Got My Mind Set on You' is of course his all time greatest moment). A bassline so cool Paul Weller decided to pilfer it 16 years later for The Jam's 'Start!' and a barrage of lyrics aimed firmly at the British Government and their ludicrous 'progressive tax' system. Funnily enough, this very same tax system led to the Stones upping sticks to the South of France and recording Exile on Main Street in '71, so maybe the taxman was good for something after all.
She Loves You
An obvious choice? Perhaps, but an essential one nonetheless. Young, idealistic rock and roll in it's rawest form. Out of all The Beatles early singles, 'She Loves You' must rank as the most influential. It was a veering away from the more lovey dovey sentimentality of 'From Me To You' and 'Love Me Do' and instead an eye cocked to something more dangerous. The establishment even chastised them for the use of the word 'yeah' for Christ sake. As exhiliarating a two minutes of music as you're ever likely to hear, it still has girls screaming almost 50 years later.
I Want You (She's So Heavy)
A far cry from their two minute howitzers in the early to mid sixties, this seven, count them, seven minute adventure is a musical experiment that could have only been born out of the late sixties and especially John's mammoth intake of all things narcotic. The tune rumbles along with an effortless swagger that renders any listener horizontal, such is it's lackadaisical nature. Forget shoegaze, this is very much stargaze music. Although this type of stargazing is best enjoyed with a kaleidoscope.
A Day In The Life
It'd be impossible to leave it out wouldn't it? Lennon and McCartney's undisputed masterpiece (although McCartney has credited it as being 80/20 John), there's very little to say that hasn't already been said. The most fitting of finale's to Sergeant Pepper's Loneley Heart's Club Band. A perfect end to a perfect album. I'll stop now, as I'm really not doing it justice.
Keep on Keepin' on,
Baia
X
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