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7.52am
9 March 2017
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Thomas Edison once said that genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. If we use this when referring to a song, it means that the key to making a good song is one percent lyrics and 99 percent melody. When I listen to a Beatles song, I like the lyrics but I also care about the melody and chord structure, I want a good guitar part, a good bass part, great drums, and beautiful 3 part harmonies, and then we can think about the lyrics.
Drive My Car has most of that stuff, Paul’s Epiphone leads are great, George’s Fender rhythm guitar is doubling Paul’s sweet bassline, something that would later be repeated on later songs such as Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da and While My Guitar Gently Weeps , Ringo’s drums are nothing to brag about but they have a nice feel to them, and the 3 part harmonies are definitely there, it’s just that the lyrics are a bit off.
As for how you feel, I feel the same way with The Beatles, it’s my favorite Beatles album but also contains my least favorite Beatles song.
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9.33am
18 April 2013
Offline Thomas Edison stole from other inventors.
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Dark Overlord"If you're ever in the shit, grab my tit.” —Paul McCartney
9.53am
9 March 2017
Offline That explains why he believes that no inspiration in needed when inventing something.
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9.58am
26 January 2017
Offline meanmistermustard said
We are very different here @Dark Overlord.‘Drive My Car ‘, ‘I’m Looking Thru You’, ‘Nowhere Man ‘ and ‘Think For Yourself ‘ are the weakest songs on the album for me.
I do like the use of the word “opaque” in ‘TFY’ however and the false start on the U.S. ‘I’m Looking Thru You’ is worth hunting down – or just look for take 4.
Take 4 sounds so similar to the UK album. How come you like one and not the other?
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10.03am
9 March 2017
Offline His favorite part of Looking Through You seems to be the false start, which is weird but ok. It reminds me of how I don’t like the mono version of Helter Skelter because they cut out the outro, which is one of my favorite parts of the song.
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11.06am
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1 May 2011
Offline I didn’t say I liked take 4 but not the UK version. I said the false start, which is on the US mix, at least makes it a bit more interesting but if searching for the false start you could hunt down take 4 or the US as it’s on both.
‘Drive My Car ‘ is a joke song but a pretty lame joke that never gets any better. The only note of interest is when Paul deviates with his vocal in the third verse.
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11.36am
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20 August 2013
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I think Drive My Car has clever lyrics.
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3.31am
26 January 2017
Offline Ahhh Girl said
I think Drive My Car has clever lyrics.
Ehh I disagree. As I said ‘I’ve found a driver and that’s a start’ makes me cringe and the rest isn’t much better. It could have been a killer song if not for the lyrics, like Rocky Raccoon which has a gorgeous melody and guitar part just seems too goofy to be truly great.
I've been up on the mountain, and I've seen his wondrous grace,
I've sat there on the barstool and I've looked him in the face.
He seemed a little haggard, but it did not slow him down,
he was humming to the neon of the universal sound.
9.00am
9 March 2017
Offline I like when The Beatles make goofy songs, especially after Rubber Soul , with songs like I Am The Walrus and Maxwell’s Silver Hammer .
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9.18am
26 January 2017
Offline Dark Overlord said
I like when The Beatles make goofy songs, especially after Rubber Soul , with songs like I Am The Walrus and Maxwell’s Silver Hammer .
I don’t consider I Am The Walrus to be goofy in that sense.. that is full on 1967 psychedelic weirdness, and is absolutely brilliant. For what it is, MSH is very well arranged and manages to be catchy and entertaining but I would enjoy it more with serious lyrics.
I've been up on the mountain, and I've seen his wondrous grace,
I've sat there on the barstool and I've looked him in the face.
He seemed a little haggard, but it did not slow him down,
he was humming to the neon of the universal sound.
9.19am
26 January 2017
Offline I do, however, enjoy the jazzy piano in DMC.
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Ahhh GirlI've been up on the mountain, and I've seen his wondrous grace,
I've sat there on the barstool and I've looked him in the face.
He seemed a little haggard, but it did not slow him down,
he was humming to the neon of the universal sound.
12.15pm
9 March 2017
Offline QuarryMan said
I don’t consider I Am The Walrus to be goofy in that sense.. that is full on 1967 psychedelic weirdness, and is absolutely brilliant. For what it is, MSH is very well arranged and manages to be catchy and entertaining but I would enjoy it more with serious lyrics.
I think of I Am The Walrus as a children’s rock song with some stupid goofy animal costumes, I’m surprised The Wiggles didn’t cover this song.
As for Maxwell’s Silver Hammer , I think the off color lyrics is what makes it such a great song, who else can make a happy and upbeat song about killing people.
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3.21pm
26 January 2017
Offline Dark Overlord said
I think of I Am The Walrus as a children’s rock song with some stupid goofy animal costumes, I’m surprised The Wiggles didn’t cover this song.
As for Maxwell’s Silver Hammer , I think the off color lyrics is what makes it such a great song, who else can make a happy and upbeat song about killing people.
I would have said IATW is far too pyschedelic to be considered a children’s song. Mind, Lucy In The Sky is one of my fondest memories from childhood.
I've been up on the mountain, and I've seen his wondrous grace,
I've sat there on the barstool and I've looked him in the face.
He seemed a little haggard, but it did not slow him down,
he was humming to the neon of the universal sound.
4.37pm
9 March 2017
Offline I think of I Am The Walrus as a children’s song because the music video has 4 grown men playing in walrus costumes, pretty stupid and childish if you ask me.
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11.10pm
15 March 2017
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Has it ever been explained where the idea for the animal costumes in the I Am The Walrus performance in Magical Mystery Tour came from?
I understand the Walrus but I have never know where the other animals came from.
I assume they have just been some costumes that were available for when they filmed that sequence.
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8.23am
26 January 2017
Offline I think it would creep out a lot of children, especially the cellos. Not exactly easy listening.
I've been up on the mountain, and I've seen his wondrous grace,
I've sat there on the barstool and I've looked him in the face.
He seemed a little haggard, but it did not slow him down,
he was humming to the neon of the universal sound.
8.24am
26 January 2017
Offline Plus the line about letting your knickers down was censored on radio at the time, so I doubt it was considered PG enough for children.
I've been up on the mountain, and I've seen his wondrous grace,
I've sat there on the barstool and I've looked him in the face.
He seemed a little haggard, but it did not slow him down,
he was humming to the neon of the universal sound.
8.54am
14 June 2016
Offline I Am The Walrus is at the top of my Rubber Soul song rankings too!
Yes I’m being sarcastic!
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9.55am
26 January 2017
Offline We were discussing the goofy lyrics to Drive My Car and it somehow led on to I Am The Walrus .
The following people thank QuarryMan for this post:
William Shears CampbellI've been up on the mountain, and I've seen his wondrous grace,
I've sat there on the barstool and I've looked him in the face.
He seemed a little haggard, but it did not slow him down,
he was humming to the neon of the universal sound.
3.53pm
12 April 2017
Offline QuarryMan said
Wow! My opinion on this topic has changed quite a lot. I have recently compiled my own version of Rubber Soul (without The Word , Drive My Car , Run For Your Life or What Goes On but adding Day Tripper and We Can Work It Out ) and I’m hoping to burn it onto a CD soon.1. In My Life – my favorite song of all time. The wistful lyrics, the unusual chord sequence, the baroque piano solo.
2. If I Needed Someone – This song is thoroughly unappreciated, it seems to me to be George’s first great song.
3. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) – I’m not actually too fond of this as I’ve heard it too much but it’s a fantastic tune.
4. Michelle /Girl – Happy, @Ahh Girl ? These are similar plus I love them equally so they’re tied.
5. Nowhere Man – Still don’t understand how @meanmistermustard doesn’t like this one, and prefers the travesty that is What Goes On .
6. I’m Looking Through You – a messy recording but that can’t take away from the genius of the song.
7. Wait – An easy listening one I’m quite fond of.
8. I’m Looking Through You – just a great overall song.
9. Think For Yourself – unfortunately, the bass is the only thing I really like here.
10.The Word – not a bad song, just not as interesting.
This is where I start to dislike the songs.
11. Drive My Car – Could have been okay if not for the lyrics.
12. Run For Your Life – John did this better on You Can’t Do That .
13. What Goes On – The all time worst Beatles song. Sorry, @meanmistermustard 🙂
Kind of a shame that the last three songs on my list suck because the other eleven are truly fantastic.
I’m kinda laughing ’cause you accidentally skipped You Won’t See Me & listed I’m Looking Through You twice. Any preference between Michelle & Girl since you posted this? Considering this is your 2nd listing, I’m wondering if maybe you’d rank them totally different now than either of those times.
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