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Read the original blog post2.34pm
3 August 2012
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Times I find it hard to say / With useless words getting in my way
8.58pm
18 November 2011
Offline It sounds like it’s Ringo on lead, with the other three doing 3 part harmony the “Bob-shoo-wop” and “Yeah, yeah, boys!” parts. John & George’s voices kind of blend together, but if you listen carefully, you can make out all 3. Live footage of them performing it confirms this.
3.17pm
3 August 2012
Offline Thanks a lot! I really wanted to find out and I think I can hear their harmony parts now.
Times I find it hard to say / With useless words getting in my way
5.36pm
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1 May 2011
Offline The entire solo section on this track has to be one of the most energetic in the entire Beatles catalogue, they are completely on it right from Ringo’s “Alright George”. The hollering cries, Ringo’s drums and George’s solo are incredible. Plus some of the guitar work during the track is so good to listen to.
There are a good few Beatles that I feel I should like but for whatever reason don’t. ‘Boys ‘ is one where I feel I shouldn’t like it yet get caught up in its pure rocking fun and really enjoy it.
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5.15pm
14 December 2009
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Heard the live Hollywood Bowl ’64 performance of the song just now, and noticed that Ringo plays the beat notably differently than he does in February ’63, choosing to stagger the heavy accents irregularly. (It’s almost akin to what Pete Best was trying out in “Love Me Do ” in fact.) It works very well, actually….interesting that Ringo would choose to deviate from a arrangement that worked fine on its own. (Other than “I Feel Fine ” being simplified out of necessity)
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RichardPaul: Yeah well… first of all, we’re bringing out a ‘Stamp Out Detroit’ campaign.
1.01am
7 November 2022
Offline Unless there’s a better video, I can’t find a 1964 video where I can tell what the bloody ‘ell Ringo is doing on the drums, there’s so much ambient noise and the recording is so inferior. Just by watching the motion of his sticks, however, I would guess it’s roughly the same as the 1963 album.
Example:
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2.43am
1 December 2009
Offline Sea Belt said
Unless there’s a better video, I can’t find a 1964 video where I can tell what the bloody ‘ell Ringo is doing on the drums, there’s so much ambient noise and the recording is so inferior. Just by watching the motion of his sticks, however, I would guess it’s roughly the same as the 1963 album
Not sure when that one was filmed, Sea Belt, but Ringo seems to be playing with the same irregular accents as at the Hollywood Bowl – like, in the original EMI take, he places two snare hits to coincide with the “BOP…” in the “bop shoo wop” bits, whereas in these live takes he spaces out the snare accents in between the “bop” and “shoo”. It’s like he’s playing “ONE two three FOUR FIVE six SEVEN eight” as opposed to the original, which is more “one two THREE FOUR five six SEVEN EIGHT”
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Sea Belt, RichardGEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
6.57am
7 November 2022
Offline @vonbon
I can’t hear what you’re hearing from that video — I wish I could!
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6.58pm
14 December 2009
Offline Haha, OK, maybe if I post the studio and Hollywood Bowl ones together, i’ll better at demonstrating what I’m talking about…give a listen to just the opening few seconds of each song (first few seconds *after* Paul’s spoken intro on the live one, obviously):
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7.45pm
1 December 2009
Offline …OK! So, both versions of the song begin with that introductory three-note bit, and then Ringo plays an eight-beat drum pattern, which he’ll repeat throughout the song. On the studio take, he’s hitting his snare for emphasis on every 3rd, 4th, and 7th beat. But at the Bowl, he limits his snare hits to the 4th and 7th beats alone, which makes the beat feel a little looser and eccentric. I hope
I find it an interesting and daring choice for Ringo, since it seems like that live variation would be slightly more mentally taxing to play (not that I play drums)
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Richard, Sea BeltGEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
4.25am
7 November 2022
Offline vonbontee said
…OK! So, both versions of the song begin with that introductory three-note bit, and then Ringo plays an eight-beat drum pattern, which he’ll repeat throughout the song. On the studio take, he’s hitting his snare for emphasis on every 3rd, 4th, and 7th beat. But at the Bowl, he limits his snare hits to the 4th and 7th beats alone, which makes the beat feel a little looser and eccentric. I hopeI find it an interesting and daring choice for Ringo, since it seems like that live variation would be slightly more mentally taxing to play (not that I play drums)
That one I can hear! Thanks! As a percussionist (not a drummer per se), that variation is very familiar to me, and to me it’s just a slight difference from the studio version, leaving out one of those 2 beats that come in quick succession, though even though it’s slight, it may have a markedly distinctive effect on the listener. I like both patterns, so I’m glad there are two versions to enjoy. Perhaps Ringo just thought “why don’t I vary it for the concert?”
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12.49pm
25 November 2024
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Good morning.
Daily Beatles Song Review Part 5/213: Boys
Third cover in a row. This is more of an album complaint but I do wish they spread the covers out more. Anyway, this song is Ringo’s first vocal performance on a record. Obviously, Ringo is not a fantastic vocalist, but I don’t think he’s a bad one either. He’s just… average, for a normal person, but below average for a professional singer. That being said, this is one of his weaker vocal performances in his Beatles career. I think he enunciates some words weirdly, but it doesn’t make the song bad by any means. The backing vocals from John, Paul, and George really elevate (arguably carry) the song. They are super energetic and make it sound more like the girl-group the song was originally performed by.
The strongest part of the song, though, is the instrumental. I think all four of them do great. One of Ringo’s best drum parts on Please Please Me , and George’s guitar solo (heralded with a call for George to play) is one of his best ones from the early years. The combo of Paul on bass and John on rhythm guitar also combines to create a background texture that is sort of evocative of the surf music that was popular at the time.
Score: 6/10.
Favorite cover of the song: Boys by Ex-Presidents Combo. It’s an ironic punk song, which are always fun.
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