Why did John dominate the Hard Day's Night album?
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Well, the last time I checked those songs of Lennon were written with McCartney... that's what it says on the album liners.... or CD notes or I-tunes, or whatever. Okay, now I am being a smart ass.... cos we know most of them were written by John. And fair enough to argue this was a John album. But, I think the most musically articulate song on the album was And I Love Her. Simply a brilliant song. Musically sublime. So many layers. The cleverest song on the album. And my favourite song, Can't Buy Me Love. And the hottest/rawest vocal being Paul's part in A Hard Day's Night. That's the part that sends the hairs up my neck (even though I am not that hirsute, so don't really have them) Things We Said Today in the top five for me. So, yes, I acknowledge it might be more John's influence on the "numbers" writing front, but I won't discount Paul's influence. In my view, he was foremost in the best songs of the album. Like I say, I love them both.
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toris:
Well, the last time I checked those songs of Lennon were written with McCartney... that's what it says on the album liners.... or CD notes or I-tunes, or whatever. Okay, now I am being a smart ass.... cos we know most of them were written by John. And fair enough to argue this was a John album. But, I think the most musically articulate song on the album was And I Love Her. Simply a brilliant song. Musically sublime. So many layers. The cleverest song on the album. And my favourite song, Can't Buy Me Love. And the hottest/rawest vocal being Paul's part in A Hard Day's Night. That's the part that sends the hairs up my neck (even though I am not that hirsute, so don't really have them) Things We Said Today in the top five for me. So, yes, I acknowledge it might be more John's influence on the "numbers" writing front, but I won't discount Paul's influence. In my view, he was foremost in the best songs of the album. Like I say, I love them both.
So, what you are saying is, you're a Paul McCartney fan!
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If I Fell is my favorite Beatles song (how much input Paul had into that, I don't know)
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IMO, Paul began his big time as a composer in 1966. Before that, he was a great artist but John was in a better moment. John declines a little in Revolver, and Paul's figure grows a lot.
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An interesting read is Beatlesongs by William J. Dowlding. The author attempts to analyze the Beatles' songs and attribute a percentage to each song as far as authorship using various sources. There are charts and diagrams looking at this aspect of their music. The author concluded that, in the end, Lennon came out ahead of McCartney as far as the amount of music composed for the Beatles. He attributed that to Lennon's strong output at the beginning and middle of the Beatles' career, saying John wrote more songs at first. Of course, Paul started to gain momentum and may have surpassed Lennon had the Beatles stayed together a few years longer. But that was not to be.
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WingsOfMacca:
IMO, Paul began his big time as a composer in 1966. Before that, he was a great artist but John was in a better moment. John declines a little in Revolver, and Paul's figure grows a lot.
Bingo my friend. I see it exactly the same way.
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RMartinez:
toris:
Well, the last time I checked those songs of Lennon were written with McCartney... that's what it says on the album liners.... or CD notes or I-tunes, or whatever. Okay, now I am being a smart ass.... cos we know most of them were written by John. And fair enough to argue this was a John album. But, I think the most musically articulate song on the album was And I Love Her. Simply a brilliant song. Musically sublime. So many layers. The cleverest song on the album. And my favourite song, Can't Buy Me Love. And the hottest/rawest vocal being Paul's part in A Hard Day's Night. That's the part that sends the hairs up my neck (even though I am not that hirsute, so don't really have them) Things We Said Today in the top five for me. So, yes, I acknowledge it might be more John's influence on the "numbers" writing front, but I won't discount Paul's influence. In my view, he was foremost in the best songs of the album. Like I say, I love them both.
So, what you are saying is, you're a Paul McCartney fan!
Sssh.... our little secret.
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toris:
RMartinez:
toris:
Well, the last time I checked those songs of Lennon were written with McCartney... that's what it says on the album liners.... or CD notes or I-tunes, or whatever. Okay, now I am being a smart ass.... cos we know most of them were written by John. And fair enough to argue this was a John album. But, I think the most musically articulate song on the album was And I Love Her. Simply a brilliant song. Musically sublime. So many layers. The cleverest song on the album. And my favourite song, Can't Buy Me Love. And the hottest/rawest vocal being Paul's part in A Hard Day's Night. That's the part that sends the hairs up my neck (even though I am not that hirsute, so don't really have them) Things We Said Today in the top five for me. So, yes, I acknowledge it might be more John's influence on the "numbers" writing front, but I won't discount Paul's influence. In my view, he was foremost in the best songs of the album. Like I say, I love them both.
So, what you are saying is, you're a Paul McCartney fan!
Sssh.... our little secret.
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favoritething:
Of course, it should be noted that overall Paul did much better in the U.S. than the U.K., with "Yesterday" also hitting #1, and even "I Saw Her Standing There" hit #14 as the B-side of "I Want To Hold Your Hand" in early '64, not to mention "P.S. I Love You" at #10 and "And I Love Her" at #12 and "She's A Woman" at #4. Come to think of it, maybe this partially explains why Paul tours so much here in the U.S. We had given him a lot more love on the charts than the Brits did!
hehe naughty i know you're only joking, but don't forget those songs weren't even released in the UK as singles, and that was down to the beatles choices themselves! It was the record company in the states that pretty much chose the single releases over there without the beatles input (early days at least)
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Eeee Cor Blimey:
favoritething:
Of course, it should be noted that overall Paul did much better in the U.S. than the U.K., with "Yesterday" also hitting #1, and even "I Saw Her Standing There" hit #14 as the B-side of "I Want To Hold Your Hand" in early '64, not to mention "P.S. I Love You" at #10 and "And I Love Her" at #12 and "She's A Woman" at #4. Come to think of it, maybe this partially explains why Paul tours so much here in the U.S. We had given him a lot more love on the charts than the Brits did!
hehe naughty i know you're only joking, but don't forget those songs weren't even released in the UK as singles, and that was down to the beatles choices themselves! It was the record company in the states that pretty much chose the single releases over there without the beatles input (early days at least)
Absolutely, yes. The U.S. labels dug into the catalogue and saw all these McCartney songs just begging to be released as singles, and the public ate them up. Plus he charmed the French with "Michelle" and the Australians with "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" as big hit singles.
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favoritething:
Eeee Cor Blimey:
favoritething:
Of course, it should be noted that overall Paul did much better in the U.S. than the U.K., with "Yesterday" also hitting #1, and even "I Saw Her Standing There" hit #14 as the B-side of "I Want To Hold Your Hand" in early '64, not to mention "P.S. I Love You" at #10 and "And I Love Her" at #12 and "She's A Woman" at #4. Come to think of it, maybe this partially explains why Paul tours so much here in the U.S. We had given him a lot more love on the charts than the Brits did!
hehe naughty i know you're only joking, but don't forget those songs weren't even released in the UK as singles, and that was down to the beatles choices themselves! It was the record company in the states that pretty much chose the single releases over there without the beatles input (early days at least)
Absolutely, yes. The U.S. labels dug into the catalogue and saw all these McCartney songs just begging to be released as singles, and the public ate them up. Plus he charmed the French with "Michelle" and the Australians with "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" as big hit singles.
France and Australia are sure getting a lot of McCartney shows!
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RMartinez:
favoritething:
Eeee Cor Blimey:
favoritething:
Of course, it should be noted that overall Paul did much better in the U.S. than the U.K., with "Yesterday" also hitting #1, and even "I Saw Her Standing There" hit #14 as the B-side of "I Want To Hold Your Hand" in early '64, not to mention "P.S. I Love You" at #10 and "And I Love Her" at #12 and "She's A Woman" at #4. Come to think of it, maybe this partially explains why Paul tours so much here in the U.S. We had given him a lot more love on the charts than the Brits did!
hehe naughty i know you're only joking, but don't forget those songs weren't even released in the UK as singles, and that was down to the beatles choices themselves! It was the record company in the states that pretty much chose the single releases over there without the beatles input (early days at least)
Absolutely, yes. The U.S. labels dug into the catalogue and saw all these McCartney songs just begging to be released as singles, and the public ate them up. Plus he charmed the French with "Michelle" and the Australians with "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" as big hit singles.
France and Australia are sure getting a lot of McCartney shows!
You guys are bringing back memories now! I think it was in the late 80's when they released the "Number Ones" in Australia.... from memory 23 of them.... it was a huge seller, the album, would've gone to number one. I very much recall Ob La Di being on there.... not my fave song.... but it ingrained in my head at the time it was a huge worldwide hit.... until later I realised it was just unique to here..... as I say, not my fave track.... although I appreciate it more as I get older.... still. would've preferred "Why Don't We Do it in the Road".
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toris:
RMartinez:
favoritething:
Absolutely, yes. The U.S. labels dug into the catalogue and saw all these McCartney songs just begging to be released as singles, and the public ate them up. Plus he charmed the French with "Michelle" and the Australians with "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" as big hit singles.
France and Australia are sure getting a lot of McCartney shows!
You guys are bringing back memories now! I think it was in the late 80's when they released the "Number Ones" in Australia.... from memory 23 of them.... it was a huge seller, the album, would've gone to number one. I very much recall Ob La Di being on there.... not my fave song.... but it ingrained in my head at the time it was a huge worldwide hit.... until later I realised it was just unique to here..... as I say, not my fave track.... although I appreciate it more as I get older.... still. would've preferred "Why Don't We Do it in the Road".
"...Road" would go viral these days! I've got that Australian "23 Number Ones" LP. It was cool with that bonus EP to get all the hits in one package, and I love the fact that "I Should Have Known Better" was #1 there.
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favoritething:
toris:
RMartinez:
favoritething:
Absolutely, yes. The U.S. labels dug into the catalogue and saw all these McCartney songs just begging to be released as singles, and the public ate them up. Plus he charmed the French with "Michelle" and the Australians with "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" as big hit singles.
France and Australia are sure getting a lot of McCartney shows!
You guys are bringing back memories now! I think it was in the late 80's when they released the "Number Ones" in Australia.... from memory 23 of them.... it was a huge seller, the album, would've gone to number one. I very much recall Ob La Di being on there.... not my fave song.... but it ingrained in my head at the time it was a huge worldwide hit.... until later I realised it was just unique to here..... as I say, not my fave track.... although I appreciate it more as I get older.... still. would've preferred "Why Don't We Do it in the Road".
"...Road" would go viral these days! I've got that Australian "23 Number Ones" LP. It was cool with that bonus EP to get all the hits in one package, and I love the fact that "I Should Have Known Better" was #1 there.
Don't remember getting any bonus EP! We were screwed again in Australia!..... Ha!... I gotta tell you, though.... but "Why Don't We Do it In the Road".... simply one of my favourite songs of Paul and the Beatles.... but the fact the Beatles could release different songs in different markets that still went to #1..... ahhh....what a band.
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If you have John Lennon trying to write most of the songs on an album, you let him.
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Brother John, Phil and Don
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liv4art:
Brother John, Phil and Don
Paul said "Brother John" in let em in is linda's brother John Eastman, but we're getting off topic
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John was considered the leader of the band at that time, wasn't he? Plus he looked more mature (not acted it, though!), more like a grown man than the other Fabs, which also suggested his leadership. And he started the Beatles initially, of course. Nevertheless, Macca really stands out too, on that wonderful album.
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SusyLuvsPaul:
John was considered the leader of the band at that time, wasn't he? Plus he looked more mature (not acted it, though!), more like a grown man than the other Fabs, which also suggested his leadership. And he started the Beatles initially, of course. Nevertheless, Macca really stands out too, on that wonderful album.
They all stand out. All four of them. But John wrote most of the songs on the LP.
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McCartney doesn't agree with John about the authorship of some songs of a Hard Day's night. And I Love her PAUL: "It was the first ballad I impressed myself with. It's got nice chords in it, 'Bright are the stars that shine, dark is the sky ...'I like the imagery of the stars and the sky. It was a love song really. The 'And' in the title was an important thing, 'And I Love Her', it came right out of left field, you were right up to speed the minute you heard it. The title comes in the second verse and it doesn't repeat. You would often go to town on the title, but this was almost an aside, 'Oh ... and I love you.' It still holds up and George played really good guitar on it. It worked very well. I'm not sure if John worked on that at all". John has claimed that the middle eight was his but Paul disputes this: PAUL: "The middle eight is mine. I would say that John probably helped with the middle eight, but he can't say 'It's mine'. I wrote this on my own. I can actually see Margaret Asher's upstairs drawing room. I remember playing it there, not writing it necessarily". Their music publisher Dic k James, who happened to be there during one of their earlier attempts at recording the song, confirms that the short middle eight ( "I love like ours...") was written by Paul and John, and not only John. "They were laying down the tracks and doing the melody lines of the song 'And I Love Her.' It was a very simple song and quite repetitive. George Martin and I looked at each other and the same thought sparked off in both our minds. It was proving to be, although plain and a warm and sympathetic song, just too repetitive with the same phrase of repeating. George Martin told the boys, 'Both Dic k and I feel that the song is just lacking in the middle. It's too repetitive and it needs something to break it up.' I think it was John who shouted, 'OK, let's have a tea break' and John and Paul went to the piano and, while Mal Evans was getting tea and some sandwiches, the boys worked at the piano. Within half an hour they wrote, there before our very eyes, a very constructive middle to a very commercial song. Although we know it isn't long, it's only a four-bar middle, nevertheless it was just the right ingredient to break up the over-repetitive effect of the original melody. The anthology 1 version doesnt have the middle, so the story of James is probably true. PAUL: "We wrote 'If I Fell' together but with the emphasis on John because he sang it. It was a nice harmony number, very much a ballad. We wrote 'I'm Happy Just to Dance with You' for George in the film. It was a bit of a formula song. We knew that in E if you went to an A-flat minor, you could always make a song with those chords; that change pretty much always excited you. This is one of these. Certainly 'Do You Want to Know a Secret' was. This one anyway was a straight co-written song for George. We wouldn't have actually wanted to sing it because it was a bit ... The ones that pandered to the fans in truth were our least favourite songs but they were good. They were good for the time. The nice thing about it was to actually pull a song off on a slim little premise like that. A simple little idea. It was song-writing practice. 'I'll Be Back' was co-written but it was largely John's idea" Richard Lester said he saw Paul and John finishing the title track in Twickeham. Paul said that he might helped on the middle. PAUL: 'John said, "I'll write it." And he did, he came back the next day with it. I think he might not have had all the words. I might have been in on that middle eight. Something like that would only have taken twenty minutes. That would have been plenty of time to run through it.' About the leadership of The Beatles Norman Smith (who was The Beatles recording engineer from Please Please Me through Rubber Soul) "I don?t want to take anything away from anyone, but production of the Beatles was very simple, because it was ready-made. Paul was a very great influence in terms of the production, especially in terms of George Harrison?s guitar solos and Ringo?s drumming. The truth of the matter is that, to the best of my memory, Paul had a great hand in practically all of the songs that we did, and Ringo would generally ask him what he should do. After all, Paul was no mean drummer himself, and he did play drums on a couple of things. It was almost like we had one producer in the control room and another producer down in the studio. There is no doubt at all that Paul was the main musical force. He was also that in terms of production as well. A lot of the time George Martin didn?t really have to do the things he did because Paul McCartney was around and could have done them equally well? most of the ideas came from Paul". Geoff Emerick: "Looking back on it now, it?s funny how most people thought John as the leader of the Beatles. It might have been his band in the beginning, and he might have assumed the leadership roles in their press conferences and public appearances, but throughout all the years I would work with them, it always seemed to me that Paul, the soft spoken bass player, was the real leader of the group, and that nothing got done unless he approved of it.? In my opinion, maybe John was the leader of the gang, the loudest guy of the crowd, and George and Ringo look up to him more, but in the studio and in ther live shows, Paul was the director. So both were the leaders in different ways. They were equals, that was the key of the success of their partnership. I suggest you read this: http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/06/the-power-of-two/372289/