Different takes on "A Taste of Honey"

Here's the once popular instrumental by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass:



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The first vocal version, performed by Lenny Welch in 1962:



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A very enjoyable cover by the Hollies:



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And finally, an adult-contemporary interpretation by Patricia Barber:



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Monday potpourri

A chronicle of the legendary meeting between Elvis and The Beatles.

The inspiration behind "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" has fallen very ill.

An event to commemorate the 40th anniversary of The Beatles' iconic crossing of Abbey Road.

Are the Fabs still the biggest rock band in the world? They do move a ton of units (P.S. I dig the Kids in the Hall clip).

The creation of "The Beatles: Rock Band"

An informative article on how the unlikely video game came into being.

"A Taste of Honey" live in Hamburg

Embedding disabled at youtube. Here's the link.

"A Taste of Honey"

"A Taste of Honey" is probably the least essential track on Please Please Me. It's a rather flimsy pop standard from the early 1960s that hasn't aged well and likely found its way onto The Beatles' debut because, at the time, an instrumental version was relatively popular, the boys needed songs, and this was one they knew. It's possible I'm wrong, but I strain to find what might have attracted The Beatles to this song, separate from the facts above. For the most part, it's dull and plodding, a sluggish trot that doesn't offer much in the way of melodic or rhythmic appeal. From a technical standpoint, Paul handles the lead vocal without any difficulty. But he just seems to be going through the motions. And overall, there's little happening sonically.

More importantly, there's something about The Beatles' execution that gives "Honey" a tone which my modern ears find uneven and a bit awkward. The lyric centers on a guy yearning for the sweet sensation ("a taste of honey") that he experiences when kissing a certain girl. Not surprising for early '60s pop. It's far from a serious song but The Beatles don't accentuate much of its potential silliness. Or maybe they do with one part, only unknowingly. The silliness I mention comes mainly from the repeated and sometimes melodramatic use of the word "honey." I understand that, as employed, it's a convenient proxy for feelings of physical pleasure (however innocent or otherwise). That's obvious enough. But in this case, it also lends a frivolous quality to the proceedings. How can you take a song seriously when the lead singer is earnestly vowing to return for a taste of that irresistible "honey," while at the same time, little else about the song seems consciously humorous? The rest is pretty straightforward, in fact. If The Beatles had done more to emphasize "Honey's" ironic side (i.e. by adding a colorful guitar section or a more playful vocal- anything to liven and loosen things up), then maybe it wouldn't have struck me as such a misfire. Without any of that, without more evidence of a comic intent, it's hard to interpret the one silly part- the hammed-up use of "honey"- as a willful attempt at humor. As is (and aided by my 21st century sensibilities), the various parts of "A Taste of Honey" don't add up.

Thankfully, the two tracks that follow "A Taste of Honey" and conclude Please Please Me are both unmissable classics: "There's a Place" and "Twist and Shout."



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"The Beatles: Rock Band" song list (incomplete)

The songs that have been confirmed thus far as part of the game are: "Day Tripper," "I Am the Walrus," "Back in the USSR," "Taxman," "Here Comes the Sun," "Octopus's Garden," "I Feel Fine," "Get Back," and "All You Need Is Love."

In December, I wrote a lengthy post in which I voiced my skepticism about the game but also mentioned the songs I thought might suit the format. Let's see how they stack up against what we now know (I apologize if this seems like an indulgent exercise):

1) "Day Tripper"- I was for it.
2) "I Am the Walrus"- For it, but only because I thought it would be fun to perform vocally.
3) "Back in the USSR"- For it.
4) "Taxman"- For it.
5) "Here Comes the Sun"- I didn't suggest this song and I'll stand by that.
6) "Octopus's Garden"- Didn't suggest and probably still wouldn't; a bit ho-hum.
7) "I Feel Fine"- Didn't suggest, but I'm more open to this one.
8) "Get Back" - For it, but not wholeheartedly.
9) "All You Need Is Love"- Didn't suggest, but I'm interested to see it in action.

To be sure, my picks were fairly obvious. But overall, not too bad. Apparently, the game will feature 45 songs plus full albums for download, the first one being Abbey Road. Bravo. I'm very curious to find out what lesser-known Beatles tunes made the cut. You can achieve quite a variety with 45 songs at your disposal.

More buildup to "The Beatles: Rock Band" release

Earlier this morning, Paul and Ringo were in LA at a Microsoft press conference to promote "The Beatles: Rock Band," which is set for release in September. The event was a prelude to this week's Electronic Entertainment Expo. Rolling Stone has more.

Also, here's a trailer for the game and footage of a demo being played.