Category Archives: So how’s band camp?

I’ll See You In My Dreams

OK, here’s an early post. Bill is singing the National Anthem at Madison Square Garden tonight before the WNBA NY Liberty game. I’m heading out shortly and might post later, but if I don’t….

Inspired by Popdose as well as a few other articles and blogs I’ve decided to follow their lead and do a posting on my favorite (not so famous) Beatles songs. So either read on or roll your eyes, it’s entirely up to you.

The ball is in your court and my words are on the page… or rather screen.

One After 909- Let It Be. Great songs from their early days, recorded then and re-recorded in 1969. Almost a sloppy take, but it sounds like a lot of fun. This song has been popping into my head a lot lately, but having written that it probably won’t anymore.

She’s A Woman- Past Masters Vol 1. I actually prefer the reverb version that came out in the US on Beatles 65. A really fun song to play, pretty simple. A great rocker of a song.

Old Brown Shoe- Past Masters Vol 2. The B-side to The Ballad of John & Yoko. I love this song, perfect pop. Great middle eight. George was definitely coming into his own on this one. I just love this song.

With A Little Help From My Friends- Sgt. Pepper. Yay Ringo makes the list! Of course it’s a Lennon & McCartney song written especially for Richie. Very simple and written for Ringo’s range. Don’t throw tomatoes, just stand up and walk out on him if he sings out of key.

I’ll Be Back- A Hard Day’s Night. A Lennon song, he wasn’t entirely pleased with it, at least in one interview, but he was known for vacillating on his opinions as we all do. Last song on A Hard Day’s Night, nice way to finish the album. Another song I enjoy playing on the guitar.

You Won’t See Me- Rubber Soul. Another great pop song from, let’s face it, the best pop band ever. Even Anne Murray couldn’t damage this song. Great lyrics, great backing vocals.

I Want to Tell You- Revolver One of three George tracks from Revolver and my personal favorite of those three. I think the Fabs were at their most together on this album and they all gave their best on each track, with this one standing out.

Boys- Please Please Me A cover for Ringo to sing. Sounds like a lot of fun going on with the bop shoo bops. Had to change the pronouns though of course.

Rain- Past Masters 2 B-Side to Paperback Writer. I’m pretty sure this is when they first started using backwards tapes in the mix. Pop psychedelia from 1966, also a great video, with the four of them looking so cool.

Things We Said Today- A Hard Day’s Night A song from Paul for Jane Asher? Maybe. Pretty mature for a 22 year old. Great opening guitar hook, downbeat. Always reminded me of gypsies.

For You Blue- Let It Be Another George song, not his best but included here. I sometimes play Kansas City on guitar and a few people asked me if the songs is ‘Because you’re sweet & lovely’ meaning this song. Similar chords perhaps or maybe it’s just the way I play it.

If You’ve Got Trouble- Anthology 2 Give the drummer some! Written I believe for Help, but not used. A throwaway song but another fun track, especially when Ringo says, ‘Oh rock on anybody!’.

Tomorrow Never Knows- Revolver
Last song on my favorite Beatle album. I sometimes wonder how much this track freaked out the teenagers who heard it for the first time. It might have been misunderstood back then, or even hated but it certainly has gained a lot of cool creditability as time went on.

Here There & Everywhere- Revolver
This is the song that Paul definitely wrote about Jane Asher. I first heard it on the Love Songs compilation in the late 1970’s. A truly beautiful song, great harmonies.

Here Comes the Sun- Abbey Road
Like someone wrote on another blog or article, is there a better song that ever started a side two of an album? Legendarily written when George played hooky from an Apple Corps meeting. I don’t think John was in on the session.

What Goes On- Rubber Soul
The only Beatle song credited to Lennon/McCartney/Starkey. Not the best but not the worst either. Good Carl Perkins like guitar from George.

A Day in the Life- Sgt Pepper Still a fantastic track, the ending to Sgt Pepper, simply amazing and thrilling. Even watching the video or short film of the orchestra recording is a gas. 42 years later it still raises goosebumps.

There are other songs as well, It’s All Too Much & Hey Bulldog from Yellow Submarine, You Can’t Do That from A Hard Day’s Night, Lovely Rita from Sgt. Pepper, I Need You from Help, Revolution 1 from the White Album. I could go on you know, but I won’t.

Last night Bill and I watched the last hour of the Concert for George from 2002 after the daily dose of Lawn Hors d’œuvre.

It’s a very good video despite Eric Clapton being around. I enjoyed it even more than previous times I’ve watched it. It ends with George’s buddy, Joe Brown playing a ukelele and singing I’ll See You in My Dreams.

I woke up this morning with that song in my head. A nice yet sad song.

And here’s Bill…

Da Doo Ron Ron

Well it’s a later posting than usual and I am sure you have all been sitting on pins and needles and with bated breath.

That must be an uncomfortable position for all concerned. Sitting next to someone who’s on pins and needles with breath that is bated.

Bill was up and out around 7:00 this morning. I just lay there. What am I supposed to do, get up and see him out the door? Nah, me lying there totally disoriented is the way to go for me.

I did get out of bed earlier than usual. 8:30! I showered and shaved and had some cereal and coffee in that order.

Got a text from Bill that Senator Ted Kennedy died. Everyone knew it was coming, especially Ted. True he fucked up in a major major major way, and would never forget it or be allowed to forget it.

I think that Ted Kennedy did the unexpected and poured his energies into making this nation a great country for all. Especially the downtrodden, the shunned and the loathed.

I was surprised to find some people remembering only the bad things, but I guess it was like when my father died, all I could remember was the shit he put me through. Oddly enough that’s about all I could remember about my father.

Of course when I saw a comment about Ted Kennedy that I didn’t agree with I spoke up which further opened the can of worms. I was just glad I had my cereal before embarking on a diet of worms.

I was glad and thankful that Senator Kennedy was able to make life easier for LGBT people, and also hopeful that a torch has been passed to a new generation who will help the fight for equal rights for LGBT people.

But until then know nothing/do nothing people like Rush Limbaugh, Michelle Bachmann, Maggie Gallagher will do their best to maintain their status quo on the necks of the oppressed.

Christian compassion like that can only be found under rocks.

For Bill and myself, a lion has passed. For others, a spoiled rich man who got away with murder, even though the Kopechne family never said anything like that, at least not publicly.

I was planning on going to the Metropolitan Museum with Harpy but he bagged it, being hungover and whining about the temperature supposed to go up to 90 degrees. Maybe Friday.

I decided to head into the office to take care of something and to smooth the waters for Greg Stevens since Vivek seems to be showing his true colors. Greg is on vacation and I needed to take care of that so it wouldn’t explode on his face when he returned.

I’m so loyal.

Also lined up a chance to get some Cafe Press T-shirts on the weekend so the office visit worked out well for me.

I had a pass for the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) so I decided to go there on my own. It’s not my favorite museum but it was free and it actually turned out to be one of the better times I’ve ever had at MoMA.

There was a surrealist sculpture show which was as entertaining as I would have expected it to be, as well as a Punk Rock exhibition and of course the usual Warhol, Johns, Rauschenberg, and Pollock works that I always like to visit.

Then a quick bus ride home and out the door again to have dinner with Casey Chasm and the missus at McSwells. Casey and the missus are fleeing Hoboken on Saturday and it’s off to the land of maple syrup for them.

I’m sure they will do well, they’ve both have good heads on their shoulders and the missus has an extra one in her uterus which will be debuting in a week or two. The missus had that glow about her and I think everything will be alright.

Casey, the missus and I met up with Bill at 14th and Washington where he got off the bus. The four of us walked down Washington Street in a light summer rain, just chatting.

The missus invited Bill and me up for a visit somewhere down the line and as we parted ways at 10th and Washington, Casey gave the same invite. So that might be something to look forward to in the future.

And also Rest in Peace Ellie Greenwich.

The work begins anew, the hope rises again and the dream lives on.
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David Wojnarowicz

David Wojnarowicz


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Chicago 7

Chicago 7


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Malcolm X


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Lew Alcindor

Lew Alcindor


Picasso

Picasso


Diego Rivera

Diego Rivera


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Man Ray

Man Ray


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Never mind the Pollocks

Never mind the Pollocks


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Joseph Beuys

Joseph Beuys


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Andy's Gold Marilyn

Andy's Gold Marilyn