“He wasn’t particularly quiet; he just didn’t demand to be heard.” So said Paul Simon following George Harrison’s passing, and it’s a quote that always stuck with me for close to two decades now.
As a former super-shy kid who admittedly still struggles with that sometimes, it was pretty easy for me to relate to the so-called “quiet Beatle.” George didn’t Continue reading “#149: I Want to Tell You”
The earliest days of this blog produced a great rivalry that kept readers on the edge of their seats, biting their nails, pulling out their hair, and losing their lunches. I’m referring of course to the Great Carl Perkins vs. Larry Williams War of 2016, which historians consider Continue reading “#150: Bad Boy”
Before George Harrison dedicated large chunks of his solo albums to songs about his devotion to the Almighty, he wrote some biting lyrics chastising those who worship a different power, the almighty dollar. “Taxman” is his most famous financial finger-pointing, but “Piggies” may be Continue reading “#151: Piggies”
Listen here, cowboy, I’ve got a bone to pick with country music. Several in fact. I’m all for jokes like, “A horse walked into a bar. The bartender asked, ‘Why the long face?'” but I draw the line at actually giving beer to horses. Also, there are approximately 750 award shows devoted specifically to country music annually. This is an excessive and not at all hyperbolic number. And country music artists are by far the most Continue reading “#152: What Goes On”
Lennon and McCartney, you have some explaining to do. Continue reading “#153: And I Love Her”
I used to really dislike this song for some reason, and in retrospect, I don’t understand why. Maybe it blended in with a lot of their earlier output, and if push comes to shove, I’d probably rank With the Beatles as my least favorite album, so that’s working against it too. But it’s not a bad song by any means. It’s got those glorious harmonies I can’t praise enough and perhaps most impressively, Continue reading “#154: All I’ve Got to Do”
After making a cameo appearance in Abbey Road‘s previous song, “Mean Mr. Mustard,” the sister of that title character gets her own track, and it’s a doozy. The three jarringly sharp guitar chords that kick off “Polythene Pam” are a pretty good indication that this song isn’t Continue reading “#155: Polythene Pam”
“Yellow Submarine” is one of the first Beatles songs everybody hears as a kid, but I can’t say I have any sentimental attachment to it. I mean, I appreciate the kooky visuals and singalong aspect, but it’s Continue reading “#156: Yellow Submarine”
Nothing can ruin a good song faster than bad lyrics. That’s a fact. For all the claims that it’s all about the music, or that a certain vocalist could sing the phone book and it would still be compelling, one lame lyric will Continue reading “#157: She’s a Woman”
On the surface, “Savoy Truffle” is kind of a novelty song. George Harrison lists off a bunch of fancy candy varieties in a gentle ribbing of his pal Eric Clapton, a chocoholic/problem dental patient. George had a habit of poking fun at Eric’s foibles in song, like when he recorded an awful cover of Continue reading “#158: Savoy Truffle”
Anthony Cusumano 