Studio sessions
20 April 1966
21 April 1966
22 April 1966
27 April 1966
16 May 1966
21 June 1966
The Beatles' first direct hit on a specific cultural target. George's song is particularly acrid in its hatred of the high taxes in England; John and Paul match his bile by, respectively, calling government leaders Harold Wilson and Edward Heath out by name and providing a blistering guitar solo that has no match in the Beatles' canon. Is the opening count a parody of "I Saw Her Standing There?" You decide.
Studio sessions
28 April 1966
29 April 1966
6 June 1966
22 June 1966
One of Paul's masterpieces, if not the best of the lot. A chilling character study of wasted lives that was so effectively dark Studs Turkel praised it. Scored by George Martin from Paul's ideas, modeled in part after Vivaldi's "Four Seasons". The main character's name was a compilation of Eleanor Brown, an actress in "Help!", and a name Paul saw on a shop. (The original name of the Father was McCartney, subsequently changed.) John made one important contribution, suggesting that the original meeting of Eleanor and the Father at the end should be of a darker nature. Indeed it is.
Studio sessions
27 April 1966
29 April 1966
5 May 1966
6 May 1966
12 May 1966
20 May 1966
6 June 1966
A good example of John Vs. The World. Some think this is specifically about John's marijuana use, which would indeed make him sleepy, but it's really just a metaphor for the artistic mind vs. the practical one. Anyone who makes songs like this should be allowed to sleep in if they like. The first use of backwards guitar effects in recorded music.
Studio sessions
11 April 1966
13 April 1966
16 May 1966
21 June 1966
Original title: Granny Smith
Harrison's first and best Indian raga song. Socially aware and sour, as per the norm: "They'll screw you in the ground". Furthermore, "they'll fill you in with all their sins". An early expression of George's spiritual stance. There's some disagreement about the backing musicians on this track. Is George playing that sitar?
Studio sessions
14 June 1966
16 June 1966
17 June 1966
21 June 1966
Definitely one of Paul's loveliest ballads, written as a direct homage to the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows" (dig those harmonies). A personal favorite of John's, giving the lie to the old saw that John hated Paul's romantic ballads.
Studio sessions
26 May 1966
1 June 1966
2 June 1966
3 June 1966
22 June 1966
Paul's contribution to Ringo on this album, it was specifically written as a children's song, one that would withstand the test of time. It works wonderfully, specifically the sound effects (created by John and Paul blowing bubbles and moving a washcloth around in a tub of water). Donovan came up with the "Skies of blue and seas of green" phrase, and many notables sing on the chorus, including Stones alumni Brian Jones and Marianne Faithfull.
Studio sessions
21 June 1966
22 June 1966
Certainly the trickiest time signature of any Beatles song, wrapped as it is around an inscrutable transcript of a conversation between John and Peter Fonda. Fonda had said, during an LSD trip, "I know what it's like to be dead." The phrase intrigued John so much he built the song around it.
Studio sessions
8 June 1966
9 June 1966
22 June 1966
Another Paul tribute, this time to the feel-good sound of the Lovin' Spoonful (dig that barrelhouse piano). This is muscially and lyrically reminiscent of the Spoonful's "Daydream", giving the lie to those who say that the Beatles influenced everyone else in the Sixties. They did, but as this song proves, it wasn't a one-way street.
An early example of John's politics bleeding through his pop sensibility. He later said he hated it, called it a throwaway; I'm willing to bet that's because John wouldn't "be 'round" for someone as shallow and materialistic as this character. Fantastic harmonies and double-tracked George guitar riffs.
Studio sessions
9 May 1966
16 May 1966
19 May 1966
6 June 1966
21 June 1966
Something different from Paul. A portrait of domesticity that's far from blissful; a baroque piece set off by Alan Civil's proper but oh-so-sad French horn. It's my belief that Paul talks about himself in songs like this. He was certainly going through romantic troubles at the time. And he hasn't written a single song like this since the day he met Linda.
Studio sessions
17 April 1966
19 April 1966
12 May 1966
20 May 1966
21 June 1966
This song sounds nice, and has a cynicism which is typical of John (all about a real doctor who pushed pills to the rich and famous, including John himself). Other than that, and the interesting, choral-style bridge, it's fairly unremarkable, however.
Studio sessions
2 June 1966
3 June 1966
6 June 1966
21 June 1966
Original Title: Laxton's Superb
Another fine song from George, who was coming into his own very quickly. It's often thought of as slight, but the contrast between the sections is expertly done, and there may be more weight to it than you think, especially if you believe the rumors that it's about a groupie. (He'll make you maybe next time around.)
Studio sessions
7 April 1966
8 April 1966
11 April 1966
25 April 1966
18 May 1966
17 June 1966
20 June 1966
22 June 1966
An ode to pot, apparently, disguised as a love song and yet another attempt by the Cute One to reproduce a certain style (in this case, Motown). Magnificent, with Paul wailing soulfully over God's own brass section.
Studio sessions
6 April 1966
7 April 1966
22 April 1966
27 April 1966
16 May 1966
6 June 1966
22 June 1966
Original Title: Mark I
A major leap away from pop convention, this song announces the final death of convention in general. The words are from the Tibetan book of the dead, and John originally wanted to have the sound of hundreds of monks chanting in the background. Instead, the Fabs went home and recorded various snippets of things, which were altered strangely to form the effects heard here. (The "seagulls" are actually Paul's laughter.) Ringo's finest off-kilter drumbeat, and maybe his most historic one, as the Chemical Brothers recently paid their own respects to it with the hit "Setting Sun". The original demo shows how close the song was to techno in the first place. Techno? In 1966? Maybe they WERE gods, after all.
