Last night I was, for reasons that shall remain undisclosed, literally kicking myself and calling myself a ‘fool’. And as I did so, perhaps it was the kicking and head smacking, a number of songs with ‘Fool’ in the title came to mind. Me, myself, and I pondered a few, such as Elvis Presley’s “Fools Rush In”, The Doobie Brothers “What a Fool Believes”, and Sammy Davis Jr.’s “What Kind of Fool Am I”. But, for reasons unknown to me, myself chose this one, the Beatles’ “Fool On The Hill”.
Written and sung by Paul McCartney, it was released in 1967. I find it interesting that a year later Sérgio Mendes & Brasil ’66 recorded the song and their version fared much better than the one by The Beatles. While I like Sérgio Mendes’ music, I much prefer The Beatles’ version of this particular song. Nonetheless, I shall play both and let you guys choose your favourite.
The story, according to Alistair Taylor’s book, Yesterday, goes …
An event which prompted this song happened when Paul was walking his dog, Martha, on Primrose Hill one morning. As he watched the sun rise, he noticed that Martha was missing. Paul turned around to look for his dog, and there a man stood, who appeared on the hill without making a sound. The gentleman was dressed respectably, in a belted raincoat. Paul knew this man had not been there seconds earlier as he had looked in that direction for Martha. Paul and the stranger exchanged a greeting, and this man then spoke of what a beautiful view it was from the top of this hill that overlooked London. Within a few seconds, Paul looked around again, and the man was gone. He had vanished as he had appeared.
A couple of the music critics really did not like this song at all …
“Possibilities in this song outweigh its substance—it’s the most unworthy Beatles standard since ‘Michelle.'” — Tim Riley, NPR contributor
“… shows signs of becoming a favorite of the Simon & Garfunkel crowd and the transcendental meditators, who deserve it. A callow rendering of the outcast-visionary theme, it may be the worst song the Beatles have ever recorded.” — Robert Christgau, Esquire magazine
The Fool on the Hill The Beatles
Day after day, alone on a hill
The man with the foolish grin is sitting perfectly still
Nobody wants to know him
They can see that he’s just a fool
But he never gives an answer
But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning round
His head in a cloud
The man with a foolish grin is talking perfectly loud
But nobody wants to hear him
They can see that he’s just a fool
But he never gives an answer
But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning round
But nobody wants to know him
They can see that he’s just a fool
But he never gives an answer
But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning round
But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning round
Back in 2020, I played this song as part of a Beatles’ Week that I did at David’s suggestion. Tonight it is not part of a week-long thing, but just one that I felt like playing for no particular reason! George Harrison, sometimes referred to as the “quiet Beatle”, was greatly underappreciated, I think. Most of us gravitated toward Paul and John, and of course Ringo was always good for a bit of admiration, but many didn’t even notice George, who was immensely talented!
Day #4 of Beatles’ Week …
This was the only song written by George Harrison released as a single by The Beatles. Harrison wrote this during a break while they were working on The White Album. It was not recorded in time for the album, so Harrison gave this to Joe Cocker, but Cocker didn’t release it until after The Beatles did.
This seemed to be inspired by Harrison’s wife, Pattie, but he claimed he did not have anyone in mind when he wrote it. In her 2007 book Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me, Pattie Boyd wrote:
“George wrote a song called ‘Something.’ He told me in a matter-of-fact way that he had written it for me. I thought it was beautiful and it turned out to be the most successful song he ever wrote, with more than 150 cover versions. George’s favorite version was the one by James Brown. Mine was the one by George Harrison, which he played to me in our kitchen. But, in fact, by then our relationship was in trouble. Since a trip to the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram in India in 1968, George had become obsessive about meditation. He was also sometimes withdrawn and depressed.”
Harrison came up with the title and the first line after listening to a James Taylor song called Something In The Way She Moves.
There are over 200 cover versions of this song on record, making it The Beatles’ 2nd most covered song, after Yesterday, which has … wait for it … over 1,600!!! The question here becomes, is there anyone who hasn’t covered Yesterday?
Frank Sinatra called this “The greatest love song ever written.” He often performed it in the ’70s. High praise indeed!
The video is from the promotional clip for Something that was shot in late October 1969, not long after Lennon privately announced that he was leaving the band. By this time, the individual Beatles had grown apart and so the film consisted of separate clips of each Beatle walking around his home, accompanied by his wife, edited together. The four segments were edited and compiled into a single film clip by Neil Aspinall.
Something The Beatles
Something in the way she moves
Attracts me like no other lover
Something in the way she woos me
I don’t want to leave her now
You know I believe and how
Somewhere in her smile she knows
That I don’t need no other lover
Something in her style that shows me
Don’t want to leave her now
You know I believe and how
You’re asking me will my love grow
I don’t know, I don’t know
You stick around, now it may show
I don’t know, I don’t know
Something in the way she knows
And all I have to do is think of her
Something in the things she shows me
I don’t want to leave her now
You know I believe and how
Songwriter(s) George Harrison Producer(s) George Martin
I strongly considered another redux tonight, for it is late, I am tired, and I still have 70 or so comments awaiting my response. But, it seems that’s all I’ve done lately — redux, redux, redux! I’m starting to sound like a … wait for it … broken record! Anyway, Clive mentioned this as one of his favourite Beatles’ tunes a few days ago, so … this one’s for you, Clive!
From my old standby Songfacts …
Paul McCartney wrote this about his girlfriend, an actress named Jane Asher. They split for good in 1968.
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The Beatles recorded this specifically for release as a single at two quick sessions while they were making the Rubber Soul album in October 1965. When it was released as a single backed with “Day Tripper,” debate raged over which was the A-side. Most pop groups put B-sides on their singles that were far inferior, but The Beatles often came out with 45s containing two great songs.
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John Lennon sang the “life is very short” part (which he also wrote); McCartney sang the rest. (Prophetic?)
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Now here’s something I did NOT know!!!
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Stevie Wonder covered this on his 1970 album Signed, Sealed and Delivered. His version, which hit US #13, plays during the end credits of the 2005 movie Kicking And Screaming.
In 2014, Wonder performed the song on the CBS special The Beatles: The Night That Changed America, which aired exactly 50 years after the group first performed on the Ed Sullivan Show. Wonder introduced the song by saying that he first heard it when he was 15 years old. “It had a nice thing to it, but I said, Someday I’m going to do it again, with a little more funky thing with it,” Wonder said when he introduced the song.
WHOA … be still my heart … I must go in search of!
In England, a cover by a soundalike group was used in commercials for Hewlett-Packard.
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The only time The Beatles played this live was on their final British tour in November/December 1965. McCartney didn’t perform the song until 1991, when he played it on his 1991 MTV Unplugged appearance. On his 2002 Back In The US tour, McCartney played a solo version on his acoustic guitar.
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We Can Work It Out
Song by The Beatles
Try to see it my way
Do I have to keep on talking ’til I can’t go on?
While you see it your way
Run the risk of knowing that our love may soon be gone
We can work it out
We can work it out
.
Think of what you’re saying
You can get it wrong and still you think that it’s alright
Think of what I’m saying
We can work it out and get it straight, or say good night
We can work it out
We can work it out
.
Life is very short, and there’s no time
For fussing and fighting, my friend
I have always thought that it’s a crime
So, I will ask you once again
Try to see it my way
Only time will tell if I am right or I am wrong
While you see it your way
There’s a chance that we might fall apart before too long
We can work it out
We can work it out
.
Life is very short, and there’s no time
For fussing and fighting, my friend
I have always thought that it’s a crime
So I will ask you once again
Try to see it my way
Only time will tell if I am right or I am wrong
While you see it your way
There’s a chance that we might fall apart before too long
We can work it out
We can work it out
This comment from rawgod inspired me to play this song tonight:
“I had the opportunity as a teenager and young adult to hear a lot of very great music. Not every song, but a lot of them have special memories tied to them. This is why a lot of your posts take me on musical journeys. In my life a lot of songs were tied together for reasons I cannot remember anymore, but when I hear one I need to hear others.”
I was not quite 13 years old when The Beatles made their U.S. debut on The Ed Sullivan Show on 23 February 1964.
Frankly, I was not all that impressed. BUT … my parents hated them on sight, so that was good enough reason for me to become an instant fan! (Yes, I was a brat even back then!) Though not a huge fan, they had a number of songs that definitely ranked among my favourites. Probably my #1 favourite is Blackbird, both for the tune and the meaning behind the lyrics. So, tonight I decided on another that was among my faves, In My Life.
Released on the 1965 album Rubber Soul, this song is an autobiographical song about John Lennon’s life. He wrote most of the lyrics after being asked why a book he wrote, In His Own Write, revealed more about him than his songs did.
The lyrics about friends refer to Stu Sutcliffe, an early Beatle and great friend of John’s who died in 1962, and another friend named Pete Shotton. Lennon also thought of his Aunt Mimi and wife Cynthia, as well as other friends. One of the most beautiful Beatles songs, John called it “A little piece of art work.”
There is controversy over how involved McCartney was in writing this song. Lennon claimed in later interviews that he wrote the whole thing, while McCartney claimed it was an equal collaboration. In 2018, a Harvard statistician pegged it as a Lennon composition.
This was voted the best song of all time by a panel of songwriters in a 2000 Mojo magazine poll. The panelists included McCartney, Brian Wilson, Lamont Dozier, and Carole King.
In My Life The Beatles
There are places I’ll remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life, I’ve loved them all
But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new
Though I know I’ll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I’ll often stop and think about them
In my life, I love you more
Though I know I’ll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I’ll often stop and think about them
In my life, I love you more
In my life– I love you more
I had a song in mind for tonight, but once I read the lyrics I changed my mind. But all is not lost! Our friend Keith has a unique talent for planting earworms that take root and fill the empty spaces (of which there are many) in my head! In a comment on my music post yesterday (Imagine) he mentioned this song, and thankfully it was a good earworm, for I’ve only played this once before here and that was three years ago. This is another like “Eve of Destruction” and “Imagine” that is timeless and even more relevant today than when it was first recorded. Thanks, Keith!!!
Yesterday, I re-blogged David Prosser’s post about a philosophy of humanity called Ubuntu. A short time later, a fellow-blogger asked me to look at her post, and this video was on it. The connection between this song and David’s post struck me almost like a lightening bolt, and I knew I had my music post for tonight.
The original goal of this song was to combine the love of all nations displaying the possibility of hope and peace as a common denominator in the world. This was played at Party at the Palace, a British music concert and celebration held in London in 2002. Artists, including Paul McCartney, Joe Cocker, Rod Stewart, Tony Bennett, Ozzy Osbourne, Queen, and many more contributed to this extravaganza. The song is originally a Beatles’ classic that in and of itself is quite meaningful …
The Beatles played this for the first time on the “Our World” project, the first worldwide TV special. Broadcast in 24 countries on June 25, 1967, the show was six hours long and featured music from 6 continents, with The Beatles representing Britain.
The concept of the song was born out of a request to bring a song that was going to be understood by people of all nations. The writing began in late May of 1967, with John and Paul working on separate songs. It was decided that John’s “All You Need Is Love” was the better choice because of its easy to understand message of love and peace. The song was easy to play, the words easy to remember and it encompassed the feeling of the world’s youth during that period.
Joining in 2002 at the Buckingham Palace Garden, the stars of the generation gather to spread the message of hope, peace and unity to London, England.
Ubuntu … the philosophy that we are all connected, the idea of humanity, and this song about love … put it together, and then ask yourself what is keeping us from living in this world?
All You Need Is Love The Beatles, et al
Love, love, love
Love, love, love
Love, love, love
There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done
Nothing you can sing that can’t be sung
Nothing you can say, but you can learn how to play the game
It’s easy
Nothing you can make that can’t be made
No one you can save that can’t be saved
Nothing you can do, but you can learn how to be you in time
It’s easy
All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
There’s nothing you can know that isn’t known
Nothing you can see that isn’t shown
There’s nowhere you can be that isn’t where you’re meant to be
It’s easy
All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
All you need is love (all together now)
All you need is love (everybody)
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
Love is all you need
(Love is all you need)
Love is all you need
(Love is all you need)
Love is all you need
(Love is all you need)
Love is all you need
(Love is all you need)
Love is all you need
(Love is all you need)
Love is all you need
(Love is all you need)
Love is all you need
(Love is all you need)
Love is all you need
(Love is all you need)
Love is all you need
(Love is all you need)
Love is all you need
(Love is all you need)
Love is all you need
(Love is all you need)
(Love is all you need)
(Love is all you need)
(Love is all you need)
Yesterday
(Love is all you need)
Oh
Love is all you need
Love is all you need
Oh yeah
Love is all you need
(She love you, yeah, yeah, yeah)
(She love you, yeah, yeah, yeah)
(Love is all you need)
(Love is all you need)
I might have skipped my music post today, for I am behind on almost everything and not feeling quite up to snuff, but yesterday afternoon my friend Jerry texted me and said he had a music suggestion for me. With some trepidation, for Jerry and I rarely like the same music, I read on and much to my surprise he was recommending this song … one of my all-time favourites, which … on further thought, Jerry should know … hmmmmm … maybe he sensed I needed some of my man, Stevie Wonder at the moment, eh? Sneaky, Jerry … very sneaky! Anyway, yes it’s a redux, but it’s still a damn fine song, and I haven’t played it since 2020!
Paul McCartney wrote this song, saying that the message was “that people of all types could live together.” He liked the piano analogy, since you can play using just the white keys or just the black keys, but to make great music, you have to combine them. So true.
McCartney started recording this as a solo effort, but then got the idea to do it as a duet with Stevie Wonder. A demo made its way to Wonder, and he agreed to record it, standing wholeheartedly behind the message in the song. It was issued as a single and appeared on McCartney’s 1982 album Tug Of War.
This was Stevie Wonder’s first #1 single in the UK. His only other was I Just Called To Say I Love You in 1984.
Listen to the words, feel the camaraderie between these two men, feel the love … share the love, spread the love. Love knows no colour boundaries, and neither should we.
Ebony & Ivory Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder
Ebony and ivory
Live together in perfect harmony
Side by side on my piano keyboard
Oh Lord, why don’t we?
We all know
That people are the same wherever you go
There is good and bad in everyone
When we learn to live, we learn to give each other
What we need to survive
Together alive
Ebony and ivory
Live together in perfect harmony
Side by side on my piano keyboard
Oh Lord, why don’t we?
We all know
That people are the same wherever you go
There is good and bad, mmm, in everyone
We learn to live when we learn to give each other
What we need to survive
Together alive
Ebony and ivory
Live together in perfect harmony
Side by side on my piano keyboard
Oh Lord, why don’t we?
Side by side on my piano keyboard
Oh Lord, why don’t we?
Oooooh-la-la-la … Oooooh-la-la-la … Ooo 💥 Oh … oh … here you are! Sorry, I was wrapped up in the music, singing Oooooh-la-la-la … it grabs you, y’know? Anyway, today’s song is an ‘oldie but goodie’ by none other than The Beatles from waaaayyyy back in 1965.
Paul McCartney wrote this about his tumultuous five-year relationship with the actress Jane Asher. He wrote it one night after she had walked out. Up to this point, McCartney wrote lots of “silly love songs.” You Won’t See Me was a departure lyrically, as the song was more personal and mature, and also a little bitter, which reflects how he felt about his relationship with Jane Asher.
This was recorded in two takes. In their early years, The Beatles did so many live shows that they had no trouble recording quickly. What I did not know was that the melody for the Chicago hit Saturday In The Park is based on this song.
You Won’t See Me
The Beatles
When I call you up
Your line’s engaged
I have had enough
So act your age
We have lost the time
That was so hard to find
And I will lose my mind
If you want see me
(You won’t see me)
You won’t see me
(You won’t see me)
.
I don’t know why you (Ooh-ooh, La la-la)
Should want to hide (Ooh-ooh, La la-la)
But I can’t get through (Ooh-ooh, La la-la)
My hands are tied (Ooh-ooh, La la-la)
I won’t want to stay (Ooh-ooh, La la-la)
I don’t have much to say (Ooh-ooh, La la-la)
But I’d get turned away (Ooh-ooh, La la-la)
And you won’t see me
(You won’t see me)
You won’t see me
.
Time after time
You refuse to even listen
.
I wouldn’t mind
If I knew what I was missing (no, I wouldn’t, no, I wouldn’t)
.
Though the days are few (Ooooh, La la-la)
They’re filled with tears (Ooooh, La la-la)
And since I lost you (Ooooh, La la-la)
It feels like years (Ooooh, La la-la)
Yes, it seems so long (Ooooh, La la-la)
Girl, since you’ve been gone (Ooooh, La la-la)
And I just can’ go on (Ooooh, La la-la)
If you want see me
.
You won’t see me
(You won’t see me)
.
Time after time
You refuse to even listen
I wouldn’t mind
If I knew what I was missing (no, I wouldn’t, no, I wouldn’t)
.
Though the days are few (Ooooh, La la-la)
They’re filled with tears (Ooooh, La la-la)
And since I lost you (Ooooh, La la-la)
It feels like years (Ooooh, La la-la)
Yes, it seems so long (Ooooh, La la-la)
Girl, since you’ve been gone (Ooooh, La la-la)
And I just can’ go on (Ooooh, La la-la)
.
If you want see me
(You won’t see me)
You won’t see me
(You won’t see me)
Yeah!
Ooooh la la-la
.
Ooooh la la-la
Ooooh la la-la
.
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Lennon John Winston / Mccartney Paul James
I have reduxed this one every year since I first played it in … I think 2018. It carries a message that we all need to hear from time to time. Right now, all over the world, troubles abound. Thinking of Ukraine and Ukrainians at the moment, with their struggles to save their country from an evil wanna-be emperor. Climate change is bringing disastrous effects to people around the globe, to food and water supplies, and the list goes on. Here in the U.S., we are grieving for the lives lost over the past month in multiple mass shootings, especially the lives of 19 children lost in a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Our politicians are playing the already massive divide, further dividing us and some are attempting to subjugate the people of the U.S. to a dictatorial leader. People all over the globe are suffering in one way or another, and so tonight I play this one for everyone, to remind us that … we all share this planet, that we must come together, find ways to mend our fences, to overcome our differences.
One of the times I played this, our friend John Howell provided a tidbit that I wasn’t aware of at the time …
“I loved the Michael Jackson comment to all the stars that were in studio for the “We are the World” recording session. He said that egos were to be left at the door and that anyone who had a problem with that would be driven home…by Stevie Wonder.”
I don’t imagine too many egos were on display after that!!!
This song … it is what we need today … and every day. Please listen and enjoy.
Hello my friends. With a heavy heart tonight, I was not going to do a music post, but two special people convinced me, without realizing that they had a thing to do with it, to do one … and this one in particular. I shall explain …
A few nights ago, I was chatting via email with our friend Ellen, and she noted that while sometimes one doesn’t feel that they have a song in their heart, they should … sing anyway! Tonight, I felt as if I had no song in my heart, and really, I just wanted to go to bed. But, somewhere in my head, I heard Ellen saying, “C’mon, Filosofa … sing anyway!”
This was a benefit single for victims of famine in Africa. It raised over $60 Million, which was distributed to Ethiopia, Sudan, and other impoverished countries.
Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie wrote this song, and Quincy Jones produced it. This talented trio was perfect for the job: Quincy Jones was the hottest producer around, and his Rolodex (what would now be a contact list) was filled with the biggest names in music; Richie had written songs that went to #1 on the Hot 100 each of the previous seven years (“We Are The World” made it eight); Michael Jackson had the biggest album of 1984 with Thriller (produced by Jones) and was the biggest star in the world.
The USA For Africa project began as an idea calypso singer Harry Belafonte had for a benefit concert featuring black musicians. In late December 1984, looking for artists to participate, Belafonte called Ken Kragen, who managed an impressive roster of talent, including Lionel Richie. Kragen convinced Belafonte that they could raise more money and make a bigger impact with an original song; Belafonte agreed and Richie came on board to help.
Kragen asked Quincy Jones to produce, and Jones enlisted Michael Jackson. Richie got Stevie Wonder involved, and from there, word got out and many members of the music industry signed on to help. The project from conception to recording took about a month.
This all-star charity single was inspired by Band Aid, the British group Bob Geldof put together the year before to record Do They Know It’s Christmas?. Band Aid, which included Bono, Phil Collins, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, and Sting, served as a template, showing how a disparate group of famous artists could come together in one day to record a song.
The stars who sang solos were, in order, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Kenny Rogers, James Ingram, Billy Joel, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Willie Nelson, Al Jarreau, Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry, Daryl Hall, Michael Jackson (again), Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper, and Kim Carnes. Bob Dylan and Ray Charles were also featured on the song and given close-ups in the video.
Harry Belafonte, who had the original idea for the project, was in the chorus but didn’t get a solo, joining Bette Midler, Smokey Robinson, The Pointer Sisters, LaToya Jackson, Bob Geldof, Sheila E., and Waylon Jennings as backing singers.
Quincy Jones was responsible for managing the egos of all the stars. It went very smoothly considering some very famous people did not get to sing a line. Most of the singers knew Jones personally and respected his wishes that they check their egos at the door.
Just goes to show what we can accomplish when people of all sorts come together for a common cause. I think … though the cause is different … this song has just as much meaning for our world today as it did when it was released in 1985, some 34 years ago, don’t you?
We Are the World U.S.A. for Africa
There comes a time
When we heed a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
Oh, and it’s time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all
We can’t go on
Pretending day-by-day
That someone, somewhere soon make a change
We’re all a part of God’s great big family
And the truth, you know, love is all we need
We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let’s start giving
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day, just you and me
Oh, send them your heart
So they know that someone cares
And their lives will be stronger and free
As God has shown us by turning stones to bread
And so we all must lend a helping hand
We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let’s start giving
Oh, there’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day, just you and me
When you’re down and out, there seems no hope at all
But if you just believe there’s no way we can fall
Well, well, well, well let us realize
Oh, that a change can only come
When we stand together as one, yeah, yeah, yeah
We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let’s start giving
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day, just you and me
We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let’s start giving
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day, just you and me
We are the world (are the world)
We are the children (are the children)
We are the ones who’ll make a brighter day, so let’s start giving (so let’s start giving)
There is a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day, just you and me
Oh, let me hear you!
We are the world (we are the world)
We are the children (said we are the children)
We are the ones who’ll make a brighter day so let start giving (so let’s start giving)
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day, just you and me, come on now, let me hear you
We are the world (we are the world)
We are the children (we are the children)
We are the ones who’ll make a brighter day so let’s start giving (so let’s start giving)
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day, just you and me, yeah
We are the world (we are the world)
We are the children (we are the children)
We are the ones who’ll make a brighter day so let’s start giving (so let’s start giving)
There’s a choice we’re making
And we’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day, just you and me
We are the world (are the world)
We are the children (are the children)
We are the ones who’ll make a brighter day so let’s start giving (so let’s start giving)
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day, just you and me
We are the world, we are the world (are the world)
We are the children, yes sir (are the children)
We are the ones that make a brighter day so let’s start giving (so let’s start giving)
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day, just you and me, ooh-hoo!
We are the world (dear God) (are the world)
We are the children (are the children)
We are the ones that make a brighter day so let’s start giving (all right, can you hear what I’m saying?)
There’s a choice we’re making, we’re saving our own lives
Yesterday when I played Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel, two readers mentioned this song in comments as being similarly comforting in trying times such as we are going through today. I have played it only once before, in 2019, so I figured it’s time for a redux!
At the time of its release in 1970, this Beatles tune had the highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100, beginning its chart run at #6. It was written and sung by Paul McCartney and was their final single before McCartney announced his departure from the band.
McCartney said he had the idea of Let It Be after he had a dream about his mother during the tense period surrounding the sessions for The Beatles aka the White Album in 1968. According to McCartney, the song’s reference to “Mother Mary” was not biblical. McCartney explained that his mother – who died of cancer when he was fourteen – was the inspiration for the “Mother Mary” lyric. He later said: “It was great to visit with her again. I felt very blessed to have that dream. So that got me writing ‘Let It Be’.” He also said in a later interview about the dream that his mother had told him, “It will be all right, just let it be.”
Now here’s something I didn’t know. According to Songfacts …
The Beatles weren’t the first to release this song – Aretha Franklin was. The Queen of Soul recorded it in December 1969, and it was released on her album This Girl’s In Love With You in January 1970, two months before The Beatles released their version (she also covered The Beatles “Eleanor Rigby” on that album).
Aretha recorded it with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, who were a group of musicians that owned their own studio in Alabama, but would travel to New York to record with Aretha. David Hood, who was their bass player, told us that Paul McCartney sent demos of the song to Atlantic Records (Franklin’s label) and to the Muscle Shoals musicians. Said Hood, “I kick myself for not grabbing that demo. Because I think they probably dropped it in the garbage. Our version was different. We changed it a little bit from his demo, where their version is different from that demo and from Aretha’s version, as well. Just slightly, but little things.”
A few other bits of trivia:
Sesame Street used this with the title changed to “Letter B.” The lyrics were changed to list words that begin with B.
The album had the largest initial sales in US record history up to that time: 3.7 million advance orders.
This was the first Beatles song released in The Soviet Union. The single made it there in 1972.
This song was played at Linda McCartney’s funeral.
John Legend and Alicia keys performed this song on the tribute special The Beatles: The Night That Changed America, which aired in 2014 exactly 50 years after the group made their famous appearance on Ed Sullivan Show. Legend introduced it as “a song that has comforted generations with its beauty and its message.”
Something else I didn’t know comes from The Vintage News site …
In July 1966 the Beatles toured the Philippines and unintentionally snubbed First Lady Imelda Marcos. Accustomed to high praise if not worship, she invited the group to attend a breakfast reception at the Presidential Palace in Manila, expecting the group to attend without hesitation. When the Beatles were presented with the invitation, however, they asked their manager, Brian Epstein, to politely decline it on behalf of the group, with an explanation that it had never been their policy to accept such “official” invitations.
Soon after, the band realized that the Marcos regime had rarely heard “no” from anyone–and there would be consequences. Imelda Marcos was infuriated when she found out that her grand planned party of 200 guests would not include the Beatles as special guests. Interestingly enough, the Philippine television and radio stations broadcast the snub. Shortly after, all of the Beatles security police suddenly disappeared. Epstein called for an interview, trying to make an apology on Chanel 5 at the Manila Hotel. But when his interview was about to be aired, the state-controlled channel blacked out.
Let It Be The Beatles
When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be
And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree
There will be an answer, let it be
For though they may be parted, there is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
There will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be
And when the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me
Shine until tomorrow, let it be
I wake up to the sound of music, Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be
There will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be
I seem to post this one about once a year, probably because I love the song, and because of the deeper meaning of the song. But this year, I am adding a video by Paul McCartney that I came across and found fascinating. He talks about the origins of the song, how it all started with a bit of Bach, believe it or not, and he even includes a short clip by David Crosby telling how Crosby, Stills and Nash came to do a version of Blackbird! I hope you’ll enjoy seeing Paul McCartney give us extra info about the song and how it came to be!
Paul McCartney wrote this about the civil rights struggle for African-Americans after reading about race riots in the US. He penned it in his kitchen in Scotland not long after Little Rock Nine, when the federal courts forced the racial desegregation of the Arkansas capital’s school system.“I was sitting around with my acoustic guitar and I’d heard about the civil rights troubles that were happening in the ’60s in Alabama, Mississippi, Little Rock in particular,” he told GQ. “I just thought it would be really good if I could write something that if it ever reached any of the people going through those problems, it might give them a little bit of hope. So, I wrote ‘Blackbird.'”
McCartney with two of the Little Rock Nine
Blackbird Paul McCartney
Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise
Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to be free
Black-bird fly
Black-bird fly, into the light of a dark black night
Black-bird fly
Black-bird fly, into the light of a dark black night
Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise
you were only waiting for this moment to arise
you were only waiting for this moment to arise
Released on the 1965 album Rubber Soul, this song is an autobiographical song about John Lennon’s life. He wrote most of the lyrics after being asked why a book he wrote, In His Own Write, revealed more about him than his songs did.
Paul McCartney wrote this song, saying that the message was “that people of all types could live together.” He liked the piano analogy, since you can play using just the white keys or just the black keys, but to make great music, you have to combine them. So true.
“I was sitting around with my acoustic guitar and I’d heard about the civil rights troubles that were happening in the ’60s in Alabama, Mississippi, Little Rock in particular,” he told GQ. “I just thought it would be really good if I could write something that if it ever reached any of the people going through those problems, it might give them a little bit of hope. So, I wrote ‘Blackbird.'”
Filosofa's Word 