Something About the Beatles

Evergreen Podcasts
  • 4.5 (375)
  • Music History
  • Updated Monthly

Hosted by award-winning author Robert Rodriguez, Something About The Beatles is an intelligent but entertaining examination of The Beatles' music and career. Smart, funny and surprising - just like the Fab Four.

  1. 5d ago

    334: A Hard Day's Night Deconstructed

    The opening chord of "A Hard Day's Night" is one of the most famous sounds in rock history. Musicians still argue about what it is. In this deep dive into the Beatles' A Hard Day's Night album, we break down the chord note by note: John Lennon's and George Harrison's guitars, Paul McCartney's bass and George Martin's piano. You'll hear how the chord works in G major, what George Harrison said about it, and how the Beatles reused the same voicing elsewhere. We also look at Harrison's Rickenbacker 12-string, the songwriting and arranging choices behind "Things We Said Today," "And I Love Her," "If I Fell" and "Can't Buy Me Love," and why simple ideas made the Beatles' music so lasting. In this episode: The history and theory of the “A Hard Day's Night” opening chord How the guitars, bass and piano combine to make that sound Other songs that use the same or similar chord voicings Why the Rickenbacker 12-string shaped the Beatles' sound Lennon and McCartney's songwriting, harmony and vocal choices in “If I Fell”  Raw-track listening and an odd quirk in the "Can't Buy Me Love" recording Practical tips for playing along: use the melody and chord tones to embellish a song Reworking Beatles songs live, from "Things We Said Today" to "Tomorrow Never Knows" The hidden ties between “And I Love Her” and “The Honeymoon Song”  Chapters 00:00 Welcome and why this album still matters 08:01 Reinventing "Things We Said Today" live 09:26 About the RPM Beatles course 10:14 The Hard Day's Night opening chord: introduction 13:37 George Harrison on the chord, and what the chord is 19:03 George Martin's piano part 24:12 Other songs with the same chord 31:31 The 12-string guitar and "Ticket to Ride" 36:50 Simple building blocks, and why they work 46:23 McCartney's contributions and the "Paul McCartney After the Beatles" book 57:32 Haunting harmonies, key changes and vocals 1:16:53 "Can't Buy Me Love" and the raw track 1:25:37 "And I Love Her" and the "Honeymoon Song" connection 1:37:30 Harrison's melodic solos and a wrap-up of tips Beatles class: six Mondays, 5:30 PM ET, starting November 2. Details and signup: https://www.rpm-school.com/  New episodes: subscribe to Something About The Beatles and turn on notifications. Something About The Beatles is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first year with DistroKid by signing up http://distrokid.com/vip/satb #Beatles #AHardDaysNight #BeatlesPodcast #MusicTheory #GeorgeMartin #TheFabFaux Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  2. Sep 22

    333: LenOno '72

    There were two John and Yoko documentaries produced in the last year that covered their political activism during their first year in New York, culminating in the pair of One To One concerts in August 1972. The first was a documentary detailing the context with the shows in the background; the other placed the show front and center. Author Erika White (Meat The Beatles!) and podcaster Gary Wenstrup (Classic Rock Album Olympics) join me in a discussion of the films One To One: John and Yoko and Power To The People. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  3. Aug 29

    332: Candlestick at 60 with Naomi Marcus

    Sixty years ago, The Beatles took their final bow before a paid audience in San Francisco. The occasion was auspicious because they knew this was it: they made sure it was recorded (by Tony Barrow) and photographed (by Jim Marshall). Among the well-wishers in attendance was Joan Baez, who brought her sisters and an 11 year-old friend. This is Naomi's story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  4. Aug 22

    331: Full Cyrkle with Don Dannemann

    To anyone familiar with '60s Top 40 music, The Cyrkle remain a fond memory, notable for their two hits, 1966's "Red Rubber Ball," a Paul Simon co-write, and "Turn Down Day," an exquisite piece of sunshine pop. They also possess a couple of other distinctions, being the only US act managed by Brian Epstein as well as being one of the supporting acts on The Beatles' final tour, sixty years ago. Don Dannemann was/is their lead singer. Along with his musical partner Tom Dawes, through talent and luck the group managed to hitch the ride of lifetime, making the transition from fans to traveling companions during the most challenging phase of The Beatles' live career. After the hits stopped, both Dan and Tom pivoted into careers in the jingle industry, providing a further soundtrack for those of a certain age. Don has got the stories to tell as a witness to history at a time when popular music was evolving fast. Through happy circumstance, The Cyrkle are back, having recorded a new collection of songs and can be seen in live shows around the country. Visit their website for updates and their YouTube channel for loads of video, past and present.  https://thecyrkle.com/  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQf7trwEd-VZdyJjiPdupJw   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  5. Jul 27

    330: Working For The Beatles with Merle Frimark

    Imagine having our world rocked by The Beatles as a 1st-gen fan living in New York City. You are a budding musician yourself, and with every release, they inspire you as they advance their art. You see them live - twice - the first time at a renowned event caught on film. One day, deciding to check out something you've heard, you knock on a door downtown and get invited in to interview for a job, working for them. Before you know it, you are swept up into their world, mentored by Derek Taylor and getting to know Mal Evans, Peter Brown, and becoming lifelong friends with Freda Kelly. Tommy Smothers takes an interest in you and guides you toward a career that sustains you ever on after The Beatles split up. But it is the one day in July 1969 where Derek secures you an invitation to witness the band at work on Abbey Road that might be the sweetest moment of all, as you spend time as a fly on the wall, with your camera in hand, as the greatest entertainment phenomenon of the 20th century works on their final collective project.  If you are Merle Frimark, this was your life, and you are here to tell the rest of us all about it.  Check out Merle's articles here:https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/aug/24/from-sorting-fan-mail-to-seeing-abbey-road-being-made-my-life-as-a-teenage-beatles-employee  https://www.culturesonar.com/looking-back-at-beatlemania-in-the-us-60-years/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  6. Jul 6

    329: A Hard Day's Night Re-Examined with Samira Ahmed

    Sixty two years ago, The Beatles cinematic debut arrived , putting the world on notice that their charm and talents were adaptable to virtually any medium. A Hard Day's Night, directed by Richard Lester, has gone down in film history as "the Citizen Kane of jukebox musicals," a stunning work as fresh and captivating as the day it was premiered, and yet it was done on a small budget with novices as the film's leads, with no certainty whatsoever that anyone would be interested in them by years' end. Thankfully, the joy that the group projected has continued on into the 21st century with new fans being coined daily. But what is it about this film that has made it so evergreen? UK journalist (and 2nd gen fan) Samira Ahmed took a deep dive into a film she loved and what she uncovered about the making of this project uncovered much more than the sum of its collective talents. A Hard Day's Night continues to charm because of a perfect storm of timing, talent and standards set by all the parties involved. Her book for the British Film Institute shines light on what was intended as a quickie cash-in that far outstripped the studio's goals. Checkout our conversation and her book - no matter how many times you've seen this film, you'll never experience it the same way again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  7. Jun 25

    328: Meat - The Beatles with Erika White

    On March 25, 1966, photographer Robert Whitaker - a surrealist - took The Beatles into his studio to capture a concept piece he called "A Somnamulant Adventure," envisioned as a triptych commentary on the group's fame. But the project slid away from him when one frame, depicting The Beatles with slabs of meat and doll parts, was sent to the US for Capitol to use on their latest compilation album. The blowback was fierce and Whitaker never got to complete his work, but the so-called "butcher cover" became an interesting piece of folklore (and collectible), the first of many controversies for the group that year. Beatles scholar Erika White details the entire history of not just the shoot, but Whitaker's association with The Beatles, as well as the path that made the group amenable to his concept and what the repercussions were in her forthcoming book, Meat The Beatles: The Butcher Cover - The Complete, Untold Story of the Fab Four's Most Controversial Album Artwork. This episode sponsored by DistroKid. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  8. Jun 10

    327: Jim Marshall's Beatles with Amelia Davis

    Jim Marshall remains one of the most esteemed photographers of the rock era, with iconic images of all the greats to his credit, as well as legends of jazz and some remarkable street photography. He was the subject of the 2019 documentary, Show Me The Picture: The Jim Marshall Story, and his work continues to be familiar to plenty of people who weren't around at the time these photos were new. His documentation of The Beatles' final concert, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco sixty years ago, depicted the band both onstage and backstage. He was there at their request, because they trusted him to capture the moment like an insider. Marshall's art caught the group during their final moments of one era, poised to set off into an unknown future where greater triumphs awaited. Amelia Davis worked alongside Marshall and manages his legacy today. In The Beatles by Jim Marshall: Live at Candlestick Park 1966, she has curated a collection showing not only that last show but other captivating work by Marshall, demonstrating why he was so esteemed by the band and why his work maintains the power to inspire today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Hosts & Guests

4.5
out of 5
375 Ratings

About

Hosted by award-winning author Robert Rodriguez, Something About The Beatles is an intelligent but entertaining examination of The Beatles' music and career. Smart, funny and surprising - just like the Fab Four.

Information

  • Creator
    Evergreen Podcasts
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    237
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Parading Press
  • Show Website
    Something About the Beatles

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