Tis Better To Have Loved and Lost Than To Never Loved At All. Alfred Lord Tennyson – Part 8

To think, the Beatles incredible and clever creation on their eighth album materialized by the road manager requesting salt and pepper for his meal. That’s right, friends, Mal Evans, seated next to Paul on the 1966 return flight from America, simply requested the two spices for his onboard dinner, and McCartney thought he heard his large, mild-mannered friend say, “Sargent Pepper.” An easy thing to do while exhausted, and at that point, the imagination juices took off almost at the same rate as the aircraft. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band became the first ever concept album. Unfortunately, most tracks wander away from men and women falling in love, but I promise you, the musical treasures we pass over today (Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, Fixing A Hole, She’s Leaving Home, Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite, Within Without You, Good Morning Good Morning, Reprise, and A Day In The Life) shall receive their due respect and praise as soon as week fifteen completes this current unrequited love song series. After that my new series happily unfolds all the Beatles tunes about things irrelevant to boy/girl love. 

8^th LP – Sgt. Pepper     (Mutual Love / 4 vs. One-Sided Love / 0 )

Track 2 – With A Little Help From My Friends. I chose this song purely from the lyrics, “Would you believe in a love at first sight?” “Yes, I’m certain it happens all the time.” The wonderful act happened to me, and I’m a much better man for the blessing ever since. I grade this tune mutual love. Background Fun Facts: [As 1966 came close to an end, December 9^th launched a Beatles Oldies but Goodies LP direct from the vault of EMI, which triggered a mind blown rumor the lads had faltered on demand. News spread their musical reign vanished, washed up, dried out and had nothing more to give. Part of the gossip pointed blame toward all termination with touring. So, with the stick to their guns’ policy of no more concerts, the Beatles answered the call from Manager Brian Epstein and producer George Martin to write and record music for a new album. Enter Sgt. Pepper. Through months of hard work and sealed lips against the media, well-nigh every song was complete and fashioned around a decent arrangement, except for one, needed to spotlight drummer, Richie. Paul knew he had to whip up some playful ditty immersed in a children’s style chorus for Ringo that followed the fascination formula done so well on Yellow Submarine––and what a masterpiece he established. McCartney must have swallowed the concept of how “Less is More” because the melody of each verse took only five notes––a task Ringo appreciated to no end––huh, not counting the high closing note their percussionist fussed and complained about often that he couldn’t reach it without adding an awful strain to his already inferior and weak vocal. Well, as Paul’s grandfather in A Hard Day’s Night would say, “Poor little Richard, have you no natural resources of your own?”, Ringo dreaded every ounce of his effort to climb the melodic scale and belt out the horrendous top note. But he did it after great encouragement and a few tips from Paul. However, that high note wasn’t the first major complaint the shortest member with the deepest voice had over this song. Mr. Starr brought an even larger protest to the board room. His legitimate gripe was the outlandish, in his opinion, lyric, by which he asserted, was asking for assault and battery to his face, either on the stage or just out and about in public. You see, In the beginning, this clever song had the first verse sound off with a question. John liked Paul’s idea of having a question open the tune, and in reply to Paul’s inquiry, John let his tongue spill out the obvious people wish to do when they hear rubbish. Read the line Ringo refused to sing, (What would you think if I sang out of tune?  Would you throw rotten tomatoes at me?) Ringo remembers it as written, (What would you do if I sang out of tune, would you stand up and throw tomatoes at me.) The Beatles’ best film actor understood he wasn’t a singer and realized his featured tracks on previous albums had areas where they drifted off key. But he wasn’t keen on becoming an exposed target, based on a thought provoked invitation. Hence, the line was changed.

How did the title start with Bad Finger Boogie? Before Paul showed the melody to his composing partner, John had slightly damaged his forefinger and felt much too sore to play guitar or keyboard. After he had arrived at McCartney’s home, he used his middle finger to ka-plunk the melody on the piano Paul had taught him for Ringo to sing. It was at that point the awkward sensation and appearance in using the middle finger birthed the silly name. I can’t say how long John’s finger caused him pain, but I know that the last time he used his guitar was while recording Getting Better on March 9, 1967. Twenty days later the lads laid down ten takes inside the studio for Ringo’s, With A Little Help From My Friends, and the only instrument John played was the cowbell.

A final side note, sad as it is, this song happened to be little Sean’s favorite just before his famous father perished, gunned down at the Dakota in New York City. However, it’s by far my favorite Ringo lead vocal song, and when I perform the tune at restaurants or assisted living facilities, several individuals sing along and enjoy the happy-go-lucky feeling that dominates the room when played. I pray this simple fact brings a little comfort over John’s family members.

We all can benefit with a little help from our friends.]  (This article originally appeared in Mr. Maeder’s Beatlemaniac Blog on August 13, 2016)

Track 4 – Getting Better. This song was a hard decision, but since the singer admits he ‘USED’ to be cruel to his woman with physical abuse and kept her apart from things she loved, he realized he was mean so he changed and now is doing the best he can to treat her with kindness and respect. The line came from John, and he confessed it fit his shameful, inexcusable lifestyle first with Cynthia, and later over guilty regret, his reformed and devoted lifestyle with Yoko. So, I rate this song as mutual love.
Background Fun Facts: Written March 8, 1967. The title mirrored the first day of Spring while the sun made a rare visit to town. McCartney had plans to write another song for Sgt. Pepper and while waiting for John, Hunter Davies, author of the official biography, “The Beatles,” was spending a great deal of personal time alongside the famous musicians. The clear sky triggered a simple comment about the weather from Paul, “It’s Getting Better. The very same comment Jimmy Nicol uttered when asked by John and Paul how he was getting on after every concert he stood in for Ringo during Mr. Starr’s tonsillitis recovery.

Recorded on March 9 after two hours of teaching the song to George and Ringo then deciding which instruments to use. Paul chose his 64 Rickenbacker Bass, John picked the 65 Epiphone Casino ES-230TD, George strapped on his 61 Sonic Blue Fender Strap, and Ringo banged away on his 64 Ludwig Super Classic Black Oyster Pearl set. George Martin sat in plucking strings attached to a Steinway Baby Grand piano rather than pressing the keys. Next, the band played the song roughly ten times without vocals as a pre-rehearsal before committed to recording, although the tape machines were rolling all the while. It took seven takes until all felt pleased they had captured the rhythm track. Martin added more keyboard sounds using a Miniature Harpsichord plus a Hohner Pianet.  The next night, Harrison added the tamboura Indian instrument to the third verse while Ringo added taps with the hi-hat cymbals in all the verses. Paul replayed his bass part with much more reverb than before.  On March 21, overdubbing began with vocals, but because John had taken LSD, singing at this time resulted in a mess. Two days later, vocals shined with corresponding handclap accompaniment. Ringo included a conga drum bit, and Paul added another guitar sound. Released one month before my fifteenth birthday, I remember this song winning first place as to my favorite tune on the Pepper album on the pure premise of the guitar activity.

Track 8 – Within You Without You. A song that caters to sharing love with our fellow man, but not a romance type of love. Let’s move on.

Track 9 – When I’m Sixty-Four. A mutual love song by Paul based on the lyrical portrayal the singer questions his current lady love if she will STILL send him valentine’s cards, and STILL need him, STILL feed him when he’s sixty-four. Background Fun Facts: Written in 1956 as a tongue in cheek number, influenced by his father, fourteen- year-old Paul envisioned his new song had everything Frank Sinatra wanted in a brand new great little ditty. Recorded on Dec 6, 1966, by three Beatles in two takes for the rhythm track with John on guitar, Paul on bass, and Ringo behind the drums. Overdubs included Paul adding a piano. Two days later, Paul returned to the studio and recorded his lead vocal. On December 20, John, Paul, and George refined harmony parts and added them to the bridge while Ringo contributed orchestral bells onto the same bridge sections. Something was still needed to date the song around the roaring twenties. Paul confided in producer Martin that he wanted a real authentic rootie-tootie sound from the days of dear old dad, and George suggested clarinets. The next day two clarinets plus a bass clarinet added a great deal of nostalgic flavor playing the notes Martin put down on sheet music per McCartney’s guidance. In the end, Paul requested to have the final mix run a bit faster than normal so as to make his voice appear more youthful (compatible to how sounded in 1956).  

Track 10 – Lovely Rita. A mutual love song by Paul based on the lyric portrayal the singer hails. “nothing can come between him and Rita, plus she picks up the dinner tab, ha-ha. Background Fun Facts: Written February 1967. While in America, Paul heard traffic wardens were called meter maids, and to him, that conjured up sexual thoughts, such as a willing French-Maid, or a milkmaid, and because meter maids had official authorities, it became humorous to the famous songwriter. His first plan was to rhyme a female name with meter, and out came Rita. Back in the spring of 1967, the very first female ticket officer assigned to the St. John’s Wood area where Paul lived did give him a parking ticket. Her name was Meta Davies, however, ‘Lovely Rita’ initiated its recording and overdubs as early as February 23. The rhythm track consisted of John and George playing acoustic guitars, Paul on bass, and Ringo on drums. Take eight won. Next, Paul contributed his bass part while the other three slipped out the door and headed home. The next day, Paul laid down his lead vocal track, and for the following ten days,  the band concentrated on ‘Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.’  When everyone returned to Rita, on March 7, harmony vocals took shape plus some outrages humming by the four chaps using a comb lined with scratchy toilet paper as a mock kazoo. The final overdub, recorded on March 21, brought George Martin to the piano for some honky-tonk style melodies used in the instrumental solo after Harrison couldn’t come to an agreeable guitar part.  

A side note of personalized sharing. The first time I played Sgt. Pepper was inside my bedroom on a small portable record player, and because of two younger sisters, I always kept my door shut. As Lovely Rita closed in on the final twenty seconds or so, John repeats the word, “ahh, ahh, ahh,” some distance away from the microphone. I thought for sure those sounds came from my dad standing at the front of the hallway calling me, Don, Don, Don. I opened the door and questioned, “Did you call me?” Of course, both mom and dad assured they hadn’t.

How refreshing not one tune mentions heartbreak. And there you have Sgt. Pepper’s love songs released June 1, 1967. Documentation can verify the Beatles spent more than 400 hours inside the studio to bring us a masterpiece craft from their imagination. A far cry from the ten hours necessary to sew up their first released LP just four years earlier.

1967 was a grand year for me––I graduated from Jr. High School, sat in the Dodger’s Dugout for my birthday and got all the players autographs, and joined my dad’s band strictly to play rock songs for the patrons making decent easy money for a fifteen-year-old.

Next week, part 8 takes us all on the Magical Mystery Tour, don’t be late.