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Only A Northern Song and Sgt Pepper
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2022 11:21 am
by Lon Chaney III
'Only A Northern Song' is one of George Harrison's best songs IMO. Although it was released in 1969 as part of the Yellow Submarine soundtrack album, it seems to have been "mainly recorded" (wiki) in February 1967 as part of the Sgt Pepper sessions. George Martin has spoken of his regret about dropping Penny Lane & Strawberry Fields from Pepper but I really do think that Northern Song deserves to be on there also, replacing any of the throwaways - Fixing a Hole, Good Morning Good Morning or Lovely Rita. Northern Song is one of the great 'psychedelic' Beatles songs and deserves to be grouped with the likes of the Pepper album and the MMT EP's.
Re: Only A Northern Song and Sgt Pepper
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2022 2:53 pm
by Kwai Chang
Concur!!!
Only A Northern Song should have replaced She's Leaving Home AND When I'm Sixty Four!
When in Lysergia, Do as the Sgt Peppers do!
Only A Northern Song is high-grade ore!
Psychedelic lyrics?
Left-Right...(Jab-Cross)
Within You And Without You...
Perhaps a supreme 1-2 punch...
possibly sabotaged!
KC
Re: Only A Northern Song and Sgt Pepper
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2022 4:48 pm
by Gringo557
Hey, I like Fixing A Hole!
Only A Northern Song is good but I wouldn't call it great. George Martin pulled George H. aside and let him know this was going to be a "big album" and could he come up with something stronger? That's when George brought in Within You Without You. Now that's a masterpiece if I ever heard one.
Not She's Leaving Home too!!! OMG, are you kidding? Indian flourishes in the strings, c'mon!
Re: Only A Northern Song and Sgt Pepper
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2022 5:08 pm
by ianbuckers
Lon Chaney III wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 11:21 am
'Only A Northern Song' is one of George Harrison's best songs IMO. Although it was released in 1969 as part of the Yellow Submarine soundtrack album, it seems to have been "mainly recorded" (wiki) in February 1967 as part of the Sgt Pepper sessions. George Martin has spoken of his regret about dropping Penny Lane & Strawberry Fields from Pepper but I really do think that Northern Song deserves to be on there also, replacing any of the throwaways - Fixing a Hole, Good Morning Good Morning or Lovely Rita. Northern Song is one of the great 'psychedelic' Beatles songs and deserves to be grouped with the likes of the Pepper album and the MMT EP's.
Always though 'Only A Northern Song' was a rather mediocre song...along with the other 3 tracks that were first released to us on Yellow Submarine.
Re: Only A Northern Song and Sgt Pepper
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2022 5:09 pm
by Gringo557
ianbuckers wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 5:08 pm
Lon Chaney III wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 11:21 am
'Only A Northern Song' is one of George Harrison's best songs IMO. Although it was released in 1969 as part of the Yellow Submarine soundtrack album, it seems to have been "mainly recorded" (wiki) in February 1967 as part of the Sgt Pepper sessions. George Martin has spoken of his regret about dropping Penny Lane & Strawberry Fields from Pepper but I really do think that Northern Song deserves to be on there also, replacing any of the throwaways - Fixing a Hole, Good Morning Good Morning or Lovely Rita. Northern Song is one of the great 'psychedelic' Beatles songs and deserves to be grouped with the likes of the Pepper album and the MMT EP's.
Always though 'Only A Northern Song' was a rather mediocre song...along with the other 3 tracks that were first released to us on Yellow Submarine.
Are you including or excluding "Hey Bulldog" ?
Re: Only A Northern Song and Sgt Pepper
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2022 5:18 pm
by ianbuckers
Gringo557 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 5:09 pm
ianbuckers wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 5:08 pm
Lon Chaney III wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 11:21 am
'Only A Northern Song' is one of George Harrison's best songs IMO. Although it was released in 1969 as part of the Yellow Submarine soundtrack album, it seems to have been "mainly recorded" (wiki) in February 1967 as part of the Sgt Pepper sessions. George Martin has spoken of his regret about dropping Penny Lane & Strawberry Fields from Pepper but I really do think that Northern Song deserves to be on there also, replacing any of the throwaways - Fixing a Hole, Good Morning Good Morning or Lovely Rita. Northern Song is one of the great 'psychedelic' Beatles songs and deserves to be grouped with the likes of the Pepper album and the MMT EP's.
Always though 'Only A Northern Song' was a rather mediocre song...along with the other 3 tracks that were first released to us on Yellow Submarine.
Are you including or excluding "Hey Bulldog" ?
Def including!
Re: Only A Northern Song and Sgt Pepper
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2022 9:22 pm
by Ziggy C
Even the Beatles' scraps are better than most of their contemporaries' scraps. Yellow Submarine was thrown together to make a soundtrack to accompany the feature. The Beatles recorded nothing specifically for it. As good as Northern Song is, and I think its a great song, it didn't make the cut for Pepper. I prefer the lineup of Pepper as it is.
Out of curiosity, though, what would an alternate playlist look like? How does it flow? What order would you place the songs if SFF, PL, and OANS were included and select others were dropped? It'd be interesting to play with this just 'cause we can.
Re: Only A Northern Song and Sgt Pepper
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2022 11:42 pm
by Lord Reith
I think it would have been better if John and Paul had taken it seriously. Instead, like with so many of George's songs up until the white album, they did a basic track and then just rattled off any old crap as an overdub. It was like, "let's get this over with as fast as possible".
I actually prefer the basic tracks on Anthology, without all the the 'freak out' silliness. That wasn't worthy of them. On J&P's songs, any freaking out was always carefully orchestrated and planned.
Re: Only A Northern Song and Sgt Pepper
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2022 12:39 am
by Ziggy C
Two George tracks which have grown on me over the years, which I find absolutely beautiful, and also untouched by the rattling off of crap overdubs from J&P,
Within You Without You
The Inner Light
Both beautiful songs. Neither with a hint of John or Paul (except as backing vox at the end of The Inner Light.)
Re: Only A Northern Song and Sgt Pepper
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2022 1:43 am
by unwantedman
Lord Reith wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 11:42 pm
I think it would have been better if John and Paul had taken it seriously. Instead, like with so many of George's songs up until the white album, they did a basic track and then just rattled off any old crap as an overdub. It was like, "let's get this over with as fast as possible".
I actually prefer the basic tracks on Anthology, without all the the 'freak out' silliness. That wasn't worthy of them. On J&P's songs, any freaking out was always carefully orchestrated and planned.
of course this is purely my own taste, but i enjoy only a northern song much more than the dire within you, without you. i'm with you LR, i like the stripped down version of northern song on anthology much more than the overdubbed released version.