Below is the cover of "Real Love" that Adam Sandler contributed to the Funny People soundtrack. No one, I hope, will be surprised to find that it's a lesser song than the original. That's obvious enough. At the same time, it doesn't by any means cheapen John's work; Sandler isn't goofing off here. His version is serious and has something of an emotive kick. That sweet and affecting voice arouses sympathy with ease, and the lyric itself is just so touching. Furthermore, he makes small changes to the song, which is sometimes better than passively aping the original. He trades in the guitar solo for a whistling section and adds a bridge with new lines. All told, it works reasonably well. Even if a Beatles original and a Beatles cover are typically worlds apart, new interpretations like Sandler's don't have to be without merit.
Update: See here.
(If the video is removed, go here.)
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Another Paul interview
This one comes from the Boston Herald.
Excerpt:
Q: The Web has been buzzing, thanks mostly to info from unreliable sources, that you’re retiring. Any truth at all to those rumors?
A: I was thinking this morning that it was five years ago that this same rumor went around. All I can say is that I’m not retiring. It’s like, “Paul is dead.” “No, I’m not,” is all I could say. I did talk about retirement in one sentence in one story and only to say, “No way Jose.” But someone must have only read part of that one sentence. As long as people want to come and hear me, I’ll probably be doing this. It’s just so easy to star rumors. Wanna start one now?
Q: Um, sure, let me think for a minute.
A: How about Stevie Wonder is moving to Alaska?
Excerpt:
Q: The Web has been buzzing, thanks mostly to info from unreliable sources, that you’re retiring. Any truth at all to those rumors?
A: I was thinking this morning that it was five years ago that this same rumor went around. All I can say is that I’m not retiring. It’s like, “Paul is dead.” “No, I’m not,” is all I could say. I did talk about retirement in one sentence in one story and only to say, “No way Jose.” But someone must have only read part of that one sentence. As long as people want to come and hear me, I’ll probably be doing this. It’s just so easy to star rumors. Wanna start one now?
Q: Um, sure, let me think for a minute.
A: How about Stevie Wonder is moving to Alaska?
Monday, August 3, 2009
"Problems Plague Paul McCartney Concert"
From the WaPo:
It was a hard day's night for many Paul McCartney fans who saw the Beatles legend perform at FedEx Field on Saturday night.
Traffic delays of more than two hours forced the concert to start more than an hour late so people could get to their seats.
Cars backed up in parking lots for several hours after the show, too.
Washington Redskins spokesman Zack Bolno says the team apologizes to fans for the inconvenience.
There were also problems inside FedEx. Water had been turned off to parts of the stadium, leaving no working toilets or sinks and causing sewage backups. Bolno says a blocked pipe caused the problems and was fixed within 25 minutes.
Bolno says much of the crowd of 50,000-plus was unfamiliar with the stadium, and most used only one of its five entrances.
It was a hard day's night for many Paul McCartney fans who saw the Beatles legend perform at FedEx Field on Saturday night.
Traffic delays of more than two hours forced the concert to start more than an hour late so people could get to their seats.
Cars backed up in parking lots for several hours after the show, too.
Washington Redskins spokesman Zack Bolno says the team apologizes to fans for the inconvenience.
There were also problems inside FedEx. Water had been turned off to parts of the stadium, leaving no working toilets or sinks and causing sewage backups. Bolno says a blocked pipe caused the problems and was fixed within 25 minutes.
Bolno says much of the crowd of 50,000-plus was unfamiliar with the stadium, and most used only one of its five entrances.
"Twist and Shout"
The Beatles' version of "Twist and Shout" is one of the most sheerly joyous songs in pop music history. When its exuberant sounds hop, skip, and strut through my head, I often find myself reduced to laughter, the laughter of euphoria. Though I'm sure many experience this, it's still hard to explain. The song just always feels so fresh and electric, so right and true. It showcases the passion, swagger, and verve that gave rock 'n' roll such spellbinding appeal in the first place. It's a sonic orgasm; it's instant gratification; and it's the thrilling entry that closes out The Beatles' superb debut Please Please Me.
"Twist and Shout" is also the last song that The Beatles recorded during their ten-hour session for the album. It's a critical detail. As the famous story goes, John was battling a cold at the time and, despite medicating a bit, couldn't expect to deliver a clean vocal on all of his songs. George Martin was aware that the lead part for "Twist and Shout" would be especially taxing on the young man in his ill state. But he knew he couldn't allow John's voice to weaken too early in the session. So he delayed that particular recording until the very end, at which point John would basically have one chance to lay down a usable track. Any further attempts (and one did occur) would prove too much.
That vocal- raucous but vivid, straining but purposeful- sets "Twist and Shout" aflame. It's the heart and soul of the song. It's the reason why "Twist and Shout" is giddily life-affirming rather than merely exciting. John didn't think he could sing the part, and to our immense benefit, the end result sort of confirms this suspicion. For those two-plus minutes, his voice is rough and disheveled, only just getting by. Without losing those qualities, it's also energetic and triumphant; rarely has a singer sounded so alive. A crisp and lucid vocal simply would not have produced the same magic. And it's all in the service of boy-to-girl banter like: "Come on and twist a little closer now/And let me know that you're mine." For such flirty, saccharine sentiments, John seems to be putting everything on the line.
Of course, the other three Beatles aren't absent from the song. They are all involved and very in the moment. Paul and George memorably supply the backup vocals with their harmonized repetitions of John's pleas ("shake it a-baby," the chorus, etc.). The same three also contribute to the steady buildup of "aaahs" on the bridge, which climaxes with an eruption of delirious screams and exclamations. Everything goes wildly into flight. It's almost as if The Beatles were imitating the raw hysteria that they elicited from their fans (though Beatlemania hadn't fully taken off yet). Musically, "Twist and Shout" plays like a controlled firecracker of a song. The guitar parts jab and cut with precision while Ringo keeps the rhythm snappy. It is at once rather routine and also iconic.
Though "Twist and Shout" was written by Phil Medley and Bert Burns, recorded first by the Top Notes, and popularized by the Isley Brothers, The Beatles were the band to make a vital force out of the song. In their hands, it's nothing short of glorious. At weddings, in movies, on an iPod, and over the radio waves, "Twist and Shout" is a song that delivers the joy of pop music in its most sublime and unmistakable form.
(If the video is removed, go here.)
"Twist and Shout" is also the last song that The Beatles recorded during their ten-hour session for the album. It's a critical detail. As the famous story goes, John was battling a cold at the time and, despite medicating a bit, couldn't expect to deliver a clean vocal on all of his songs. George Martin was aware that the lead part for "Twist and Shout" would be especially taxing on the young man in his ill state. But he knew he couldn't allow John's voice to weaken too early in the session. So he delayed that particular recording until the very end, at which point John would basically have one chance to lay down a usable track. Any further attempts (and one did occur) would prove too much.
That vocal- raucous but vivid, straining but purposeful- sets "Twist and Shout" aflame. It's the heart and soul of the song. It's the reason why "Twist and Shout" is giddily life-affirming rather than merely exciting. John didn't think he could sing the part, and to our immense benefit, the end result sort of confirms this suspicion. For those two-plus minutes, his voice is rough and disheveled, only just getting by. Without losing those qualities, it's also energetic and triumphant; rarely has a singer sounded so alive. A crisp and lucid vocal simply would not have produced the same magic. And it's all in the service of boy-to-girl banter like: "Come on and twist a little closer now/And let me know that you're mine." For such flirty, saccharine sentiments, John seems to be putting everything on the line.
Of course, the other three Beatles aren't absent from the song. They are all involved and very in the moment. Paul and George memorably supply the backup vocals with their harmonized repetitions of John's pleas ("shake it a-baby," the chorus, etc.). The same three also contribute to the steady buildup of "aaahs" on the bridge, which climaxes with an eruption of delirious screams and exclamations. Everything goes wildly into flight. It's almost as if The Beatles were imitating the raw hysteria that they elicited from their fans (though Beatlemania hadn't fully taken off yet). Musically, "Twist and Shout" plays like a controlled firecracker of a song. The guitar parts jab and cut with precision while Ringo keeps the rhythm snappy. It is at once rather routine and also iconic.
Though "Twist and Shout" was written by Phil Medley and Bert Burns, recorded first by the Top Notes, and popularized by the Isley Brothers, The Beatles were the band to make a vital force out of the song. In their hands, it's nothing short of glorious. At weddings, in movies, on an iPod, and over the radio waves, "Twist and Shout" is a song that delivers the joy of pop music in its most sublime and unmistakable form.
(If the video is removed, go here.)
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Sunday potpourri
The Boston Globe previews Paul's upcoming shows at Fenway Park.
The soundtrack for Funny People features a song each by John, Paul, and Ringo as solo artists plus Adam Sandler's cover of "Real Love."
"The Beatles are the Latest Victims of Zombiemania."
The fifth installment of Rock Band-rival Guitar Hero will be released on September 1st of this year, a mere eight days before The Beatles' game hits stores.
The soundtrack for Funny People features a song each by John, Paul, and Ringo as solo artists plus Adam Sandler's cover of "Real Love."
"The Beatles are the Latest Victims of Zombiemania."
The fifth installment of Rock Band-rival Guitar Hero will be released on September 1st of this year, a mere eight days before The Beatles' game hits stores.
Review of last night's show
In this review, Baltimore Sun reporter Sam Sessa writes glowingly of Paul's performance at FedEx Field.
Excerpt:
Age be damned, McCartney still has the boyish charm that won him legions of fans in the '60s. He bowed deeply and held up his bass guitar after nearly every song -- something that would seem gratuitous coming from most other musicians. But seeing McCartney do it, you couldn't help but smile. He's just so likable.
Excerpt:
Age be damned, McCartney still has the boyish charm that won him legions of fans in the '60s. He bowed deeply and held up his bass guitar after nearly every song -- something that would seem gratuitous coming from most other musicians. But seeing McCartney do it, you couldn't help but smile. He's just so likable.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Re: Paul to retire?
Here's the WaPo-Paul interview that Steve Marinucci mentioned in his article about the Beatle (not likely) retiring.
Excerpt:
For an official senior citizen -- impossibly, he's now 67 -- McCartney looks remarkably youthful. He's slim, almost slight, and truth be told, could even stand a few more pounds. The famously cherubic face is fleshier and lined just enough to remind you that McCartney isn't 21 anymore. The tousled hair is a flat brown. This is reassuring; who wants a Beatle, particularly the doe-eyed, ever-boyish Paul, to seem old or even to age at all?
The even better news is that McCartney's voice remains as strong and supple as it was in his youth, even in this, his 50th year of performing. Critics generally applauded the vocals and writing on his last album, "Electric Arguments," released last year under his Fireman alter ego. But McCartney is a revelation in concert. He plays straight through for about 2 1/2 hours each night, offering more than 30 tunes from his vast catalog. The set list ranges from such sweetly sung classics as "Blackbird" and the inevitable "Yesterday" to the frantic, voice-shredding chestnut "I'm Down." (On this day, even his sound check is a mini-concert, featuring a dozen or more songs, including a lovely version of "Midnight Special.")
Excerpt:
For an official senior citizen -- impossibly, he's now 67 -- McCartney looks remarkably youthful. He's slim, almost slight, and truth be told, could even stand a few more pounds. The famously cherubic face is fleshier and lined just enough to remind you that McCartney isn't 21 anymore. The tousled hair is a flat brown. This is reassuring; who wants a Beatle, particularly the doe-eyed, ever-boyish Paul, to seem old or even to age at all?
The even better news is that McCartney's voice remains as strong and supple as it was in his youth, even in this, his 50th year of performing. Critics generally applauded the vocals and writing on his last album, "Electric Arguments," released last year under his Fireman alter ego. But McCartney is a revelation in concert. He plays straight through for about 2 1/2 hours each night, offering more than 30 tunes from his vast catalog. The set list ranges from such sweetly sung classics as "Blackbird" and the inevitable "Yesterday" to the frantic, voice-shredding chestnut "I'm Down." (On this day, even his sound check is a mini-concert, featuring a dozen or more songs, including a lovely version of "Midnight Special.")
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