Saturday, May 30, 2009

Dear Prudence by The Beatles – ***

First released: 1968

A lovely Lennon song from the "White Album" about Prudence Farrow (Mia's sister). I'm not usually big on cover versions, but I really like the version by Siouxsie and the Banshees as well. It is also used for 2006's "Love".

Dear One by George Harrison – ***

First released: 1976

If George released this on any other album, it would probably be a wispy ballad, but since "33 1/3" is his funkiest album, even the ballads have an R&B groove. Great stuff!

Dear John by John Lennon – **

First released: 1998

Possibly the last song John ever recorded in a demo version released on 1998’s "The John Lennon Anthology".

Dear Friend by Paul McCartney – **

First released: 1971

Paul's early response to John's "How Do You Sleep?" and in my opinion, better than "Let Me Roll It" as a response. It's not much of a song and at six minutes, goes on far too long on "Wild Life".

Dear Boy by Paul McCartney – ***

First released: 1971

Some great Paul and Linda harmonies highlight this bouncy autobiographical number from "Ram" that John again took as being about him.

Dead Giveaway by Ringo Starr – **

First released: 1981

Since Ringo was ultra-sensitive about what he released in the wake of Lennon’s death, it is somewhat surprising that this track made the final cut on his "Stop and Smell the Roses" album. Ringo co-wrote it with Ron Wood of The Rolling Stones.

Daytime Nighttime Suffering by Paul McCartney – ***

First released: 1979

I don't know about the rest of the country, but when this song came out as the b-side of "Goodnight Tonight", it got just as much airplay on KFRC (San Francisco) as the a-side did. It's really a groovy track from Paul and I was saddened when it was left off of the upcoming "Back to the Egg". It's on there now as a CD bonus track, and on 2001’s "Wingspan".

Daybreak by Harry Nilsson – ***

First released: 1974

Nilsson tune that Ringo performs on and appears on the picture sleeve of and in the movie of "Son of Dracula".

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Day Tripper by The Beatles – ****

First released: 1965

That bass line is sooooo coool and so memorable. Later it appeared on 1973's "1962-1966". It first appeared on CD on "Past Masters, Volume Two" in 1988. It's also on 2000's "1".

Day The World Gets ‘Round, The by George Harrison – ***

First released: 1973

"Living in the Material World" definitely had its share of ballads, but as most of them are beautiful and not over-orchestrated, they make for pleasant listening. I wonder if a George Harrison ballad compilation would sell?

Day in the Life, A by The Beatles – ****

First released: 1967

How did they manage to come up with this one? This is one of the greatest songs of all time! It originally fades in from the "Sgt. Pepper Reprise". It’s on the "Imagine: John Lennon" soundtrack from 1988 without this "Sgt. Pepper" intro and on "1967-1970". A demo version appears on 1996's "Anthology 2" comprised of pieces from a number of different takes. It is also used for 2006's "Love".

Day After Day by Badfinger - ****

First released: 1971

George produces and plays on this Badfinger classic which was a hit single and also on their album "Straight Up".

David Frost Show, The by David Frost - **

First released: 1998

David Frost’s introduction to John Lennon’s appearance on his show in 1971 appears on CD for the first time on "The John Lennon Anthology".

"Daumier’s Law" (feature) by Paul McCartney - ***

First released: 1992

Animated short in which Paul composed the film soundtrack.

Darkroom by Paul McCartney – **

First released: 1980

"Got a place, we can go, lights are low, let me show you to my darkroom". For some reason, I really like the lyric to this song from "McCartney II". Otherwise, it’s kind of choppy.

Dark Sweet Lady by George Harrison - ***

First released: 1979

Another ode to George’s second wife, Olivia. Some cool instrumentation rounds out this song from the "George Harrison" album.

Friday, May 15, 2009

"Dark Horse" by George Harrison – **

First released: 1974

Poor George. He finally decided to tour for the first time since leaving The Beatles, but wore out his voice rehearsing. He then went ahead and released this album with a very hoarse voice. I always held out that George would possibly go back and re-record cleaner vocals and reissue this the way it should have been, but his death in 2001 ended those hopes. Even if the vocals were re-recorded, the songs aren’t much on the album save for the title track. A very disappointing release especially in light of the fact that all of George’s cohorts were releasing quality albums at this time. The CD version came out in 1991.

Dark Horse by George Harrison – ***

First released: 1974

"Dark Horse" the song is the best song from "Dark Horse" the album. Strangely, there are other unreleased takes in existence where George’s voice doesn’t sound so hoarse. I don’t know why he didn’t release that version, but the version we got isn’t too bad, especially in comparison to the rest of the album. The track also was a moderate hit single and made an appearance on "The Best of George Harrison". Also performed on George Harrison’s "Live in Japan" album and tour in 1991 in much better voice.

Danny Boy by The Beatles – **

First released: 1970

Lennon adlib tacked onto the end of "One After 909" on "Let it Be".

Dance Tonight by Paul McCartney – ***

First released: 2007

The first single off of Paul’s "Memory Almost Full" album. I guess singles are not listened to anymore as the picture disc I purchased had the same song on both sides. It's kind of a silly song, but very catchy. The video's pretty good too, with cameos by Natalie Portman. A live version performed at Amoeba Records was released as the b-side of the "Ever Present Past" single. Another live version appears on the "Memory Almost Full Deluxe Edition" from 2007.

Dance ‘til We’re High by Paul McCartney – ***

First Released: 2008

Probably the most commercial of the tracks off the latest Fireman opus. With this album, Paul gets a little more edgy than in recent times.

Dance the Do by Paul McCartney – (NR)

Unreleased.

Paul McCartney song given to his brother Mike in 1975. It is unknown whether there is a Paul version. I haven't heard it.

Cut Across Shorty by Paul McCartney – (NR)

Unreleased.

Unreleased track meant for McCartney's "Choba B CCCP" in 1988, but left off.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Cumberland Gap by Paul McCartney – **

Unreleased.

The Quarrymen used to play this way back when and later McCartney used it as a soundcheck song during the 1989-1990 tour.

Cuff Link by Paul McCartney – **

First released: 1978

The instrumental half of "Backwards Traveller" that doesn't seem to go anywhere (pun intended). I kind of wish "Traveller" were longer from Paul's "London Town" and the b-side of "With a Little Luck".

Cuddle Up by The Beatles – *

Unreleased.

More useless rambling by Paul during the 1969 “Get Back” sessions.

Crying, Waiting, Hoping by The Beatles – ***

First released: 1981

One of the many tracks The Beatles performed at their failed Decca audition in 1962. Buddy Holly wrote and performed the original. Later, The Beatles performed it on the radio and that version was released on 1994's "Live at the BBC".

Crying by George Harrison – (NR)

Unreleased.

George recorded this unreleased track in early 1968.

Cryin’ by Ringo Starr – **

First released: 1976

This song (sort of) proves that Ringo was starting to write better songs that John, George and Paul, especially when you compare it to their contributions on "Ringo’s Rotogravure".

Cry For a Shadow by The Beatles – ***

First released: 1964

A snappy instrumental tune credited to Lennon and Harrison of all people and one of two Tony Sheridan tracks that didn’t feature Sheridan on vocals. It has been included in various formats over the years, but the proper version is on "Anthology 1" from 1995. It was also a single b-side to "Why".

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Cry Baby Cry by John Lennon – ****

First released: 1968

Little Lennon gem hidden on the fourth side of the "White Album". The basic riff from this song is the basis for Tom Petty's "Into the Great Wide Open". A demo version is included on "Anthology 3" in 1996. It is also used for 2006's "Love" with the subtitle "(Transition)".

Crossroads Theme by Paul McCartney – ***

First released: 1975

Paul tacked on his version of this popular British soap opera on "Venus and Mars". It was so well-received that eventually they used his version as the real version. The song was composed by Tony Hatch.

Crippled Inside by John Lennon – ****

First released: 1971

More autobiographical stuff from Lennon’s "Imagine", and more of Lennon’s best work. I can’t think of anything better. It’s also on 1990’s "Lennon".

Crinsk Dee Night by The Beatles – ***

First released: 1994

Nonsensical Beatles speech before The Beatles perform "A Hard Day's Night" on the radio in 1964. This later appeared on "Live at the BBC".

Crimble Medley by The Beatles – ****

Unreleased.

A quick medley of The Beatles first five big hits ("Love Me Do", "Please Please Me", "From Me To You", "She Loves You", and "I Want To Hold Your Hand") coupled with Christmas messages and the inevitable Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It predates The Beatles Christmas records, but was probably the impetus in getting The Beatles to start recording the annual greeting. It originally aired on December 17,1963.

Crazy Feet by The Beatles – *

Unreleased.

Paul messing about for a couple seconds during the 1969 “Get Back” sessions.

Crawl of the Wild by Paul McCartney – (NR)

Unreleased.

Unreleased McCartney song dating from 1975. I don't think I've heard this one.