My Sonicbond publishing exploits continue apace. I now have written 7 books for this publisher:
Roy Harper
Roy Harper: Every Album, Every Song (On Track): Amazon.co.uk: Opher Goodwin: 9781789521306: Books
Captain Beefheart
Captain Beefheart On Track: Every Album, Every Song : Opher Goodwin: Amazon.co.uk: Books
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan 1962 to 1970 On Track (Decades) : Opher Goodwin: Amazon.co.uk: Books
Phil Ochs
Phil Ochs On Track: Every Album, Every Song: Amazon.co.uk: Opher Goodwin: 9781789523263: Books
Neil Young
Neil Young 1963 to 1970: Every Album, Every Song: Amazon.co.uk: Opher Goodwin: 9781789522983: Books
Bob Dylan
Beatles
The Beatles: White Album – Rock Classics: Amazon.co.uk: Opher Goodwin: 9781789523331: Books
I have just completed the first draft for the Beatles White Album and cut this section. I didn’t want to waste it though so I thought I’d put it out on here!
Singles
Hey Jude/Revolution
At the end of July, halfway through recording the White Album, they set about producing their single in line with contractual obligations. They selected Paul’s ‘Hey Jude’ following a lively debate. John wanted ‘Revolution 1’ with ‘Revolution 9’ as the B-side. He found himself vetoed.
‘Hey Jude’ reflects the perilous state of affairs the Beatles were in. Paul wrote it on the way to visit Cynthia and Julian following John leaving them for Yoko. It was originally ‘Hey Jules’. The song was intended to cheer Julian up following the loss of his father but the lyrics seem broader than that. John thought they were directed at him and Yoko, There are also lines that seem to reflect Paul talking to himself following his split with Jane Asher and his new relationship with Francie Schwartz.
The song was the first to be recorded at Trident Studios and the Beatles were delighted with the flexibility the 8-track console brought to the recording process. To add ambience to the studio Mal Evans brought in a number of marijuana plants!
Following rehearsals in which Paul had major arguments with George about his guitar part, George took himself off to the control room with George Martin. The three Beatles created the basic track in four takes and the recording was filmed. They then overdubbed vocals, bass, orchestra, claps and guitar over the next day.
The song is piano based, around the chords F, C and B. It consists of three minutes of verse/bridge followed by an extended four minute coda based around the chords F, E and B. The seven minute length was extremely unusual for a single. Richard Harris had a similar length hit song with ‘MacCarthur Park’ but Paul was worried that it might not receive radio play. John reassured him: ‘They will if it’s us.’
In line with their usual policy they did not include the single on the album.
John insisted that the newly recorded hard rock version of ‘Revolution’ was released as the B-side.
Ringo, who had walked out on the band, returned just in time to participate in the promo film for the release of the single.