Category: Giveaways

Beatles Giveaways, Part 23: "Goodbye"

6/18/2014

The 23rd song credited Lennon/McCartney but recorded by artists other than the Beatles was Paul McCartney's "Goodbye". Paul recorded a demo featuring his singing and guitar playing in February 1969.

The demo was then given to Mary Hopkin to record in the studio, which was done on March 1 and 2 of the same year. Hopkin sings and plays acoustic guitar, while McCartney adds bass, "body percussion" (thigh slaps), and overdubs the guitar introduction and solo. Backing vocals and additional instruments were added, too. Macca also produced the recording, which was commercially released on 28 March 1969.

Hopkin eventually regretted the recording, admitting to Goldmine in 2007, "Although I’m flattered that Paul wrote 'Goodbye' especially for me, it was, I believe, a step in the wrong direction for me. I’m so grateful that he chose 'Those Were The Days' as my first single. I think 'Those Were The Days', being originally a Ukrainian folk song, has a timeless quality, but 'Goodbye' is set firmly in the sixties pop era."

Beatles Giveaways, Part 22: "Sour Milk Sea"

2/14/2014

The first George Harrison giveaway, "Sour Milk Sea" was recorded by Jackie Lomax in June 1968, and released on 26 August of the same year.

This version of the song features Harrison playing rhythm guitar, Eric Clapton playing lead, and Nicky Hopkins on keyboards. Harrison also functioned as producer for the track.

The Beatles themselves recorded a demo of "Sour Milk Sea" as part of the Escher Demos, suggesting consideration for inclusion on The White Album.

Beatles Giveaways, Part 21: "Thingumybob"

2/13/2014

Paul McCartney, having grown up with a father who played in a band, was partial to British brass band music. He wrote a brass-band-like film score with George Martin for "The Family Way" in 1966, and two years later composed "Thingumybob" as the theme song for the television series of the same name. The Black Dyke Mills Band recorded the tune on 30 June 1968, and released it as a single on 26 August 1968.

The Beatles themselves never recorded "Thingumybob" in any form.

Interesting, the B-side of "Thingumybob" was the same brass band's recording of "Yellow Submarine".

Confusingly, the order appears to have been swapped by the US releases (pictures of which are above) - meaning that "Thingumybob" was the B-side and "Yellow Sub" the A-side on the US release. The original UK released, however, featured "Thingumybob" as the A-side and "Yellow Sub" as the B-side, as confirmed by Apple's own website:
http://www.jpgr.co.uk/col_apple4.html

Beatles Giveaways, Part 20: "Step Inside Love"

2/7/2014

"Step Inside Love" was written by Paul McCartney for Cilla Black to use as the theme song for her TV series, Cilla, in early 1968. The two made a demo together, with McCartney playing a solo acoustic guitar and Black singing (and responding to commentary by the songwriter).

Black's official version was released on 8 March 1968.

A version of the song was released on The Beatles Anthology 3 (Disc 2, track 23), a recording made at EMI Studios on 16 September 1968 (so well after Black's recording) that features Paul's vocals and a distinctly latin-flavored beat. It is also followed by a Lennon comment about "Los Paranoias", on which Paul then improvises. The phrase "los paranoias" would be used in "Sun King" off Abbey Road.

Beatles Giveaways, Part 19: "Catcall"

1/5/2014

Perhaps inspired by Cilla Black's jazzy rendition of "It's For You", Paul McCartney gave the song "Catcall" to The Chris Barber [Jazz] Band, whose recording was released on 20 October 1967.

The only recording of the Beatles performing the song (called "Catswalk"?) is from the Cavern Club. I have to admit some degree of skepticism over this recording, however. It may well be authentic, but I have my suspicions.

Beatles Giveaways, Part 18: "Woman"

1/3/2014

In response to criticism that the overwhelming popularity of Lennon/McCartney songs was the product of their names instead of their songwriting abilities, Paul McCartney wrote the tune "Woman" under the name Bernard Webb (A. Smith in the United States), and gave the song to Peter and Gordon, whose recording was released 10 January 1966. The test failed, however, as the author's true identity was discovered shortly after the song's release.

The Beatles never recorded the song in any form.

Beatles Giveaways, Part 17: "That Means a Lot"

1/1/2014

Originally planned to be included on the Beatles' album Help!, "That Means a Lot" was instead given to P.J. Proby, whose recording was released 17 September 1965 or 7 April 1965 (I'm uncertain which is the correct date).

The Beatles' attempt to record the song was included in The Beatles Anthology (Anthology 2, Disc 1, Track 6).

Beatles Giveaways, Part 16: "I Don't Want to See You Again"

12/28/2013

Peter & Gordon followed up their first Lennon/McCartney song, "World Without Love", with this one, released 9 September 1964.

The Beatles themselves never made a recording of "I Don't Want to See You Again".

Beatles Giveaways, Part 15: "It's For You"

12/27/2013

Cilla Black followed up her first Lennon/McCartney recording, "Love of the Loved", with this one, released 31 July 1964.

Paul McCartney recorded a demo, however I have been unable to locate any such recording.

Beatles Giveaways, Part 14: "From a Window"

12/26/2013

Having recorded and released three previous Lennon/McCartney numbers ("I'll Be On My Way", "I Call Your Name", and "Bad to Me"), Bill J. Kramer and the Dakotas released this fourth and final one on 17 July 1964 (some sources say 22 August 1964 - I'm not 100% sure which is right, but perhaps one was UK and one was US).

As far as I can tell, the Beatles themselves never made any recording of the song.