I have a cousin who is really into The Beatles, so I heard a bit of their music growing up. I never really cared for the most of the stuff I heard, but lately I have been revisiting some of their work, because a YouTube channel I follow is covering every Beatles album in order. I still don't like all of it, but I never do like everything a band or an artist produces. I thought that I should highlight a few of the ones I do like.
This song is notable because it doesn't make use of any of the usual rock-song instruments, but is only backed up by a string quartet.
This is "Eleanor Rigby" by The Beatles from their 1966 album Revolver.
I'm sure you've heard that Revolver is considered one of the best albums not just of theirs but best of all bands, all time. I'll say probably a bit too much opinion in there, but it's still a good album. The copy I listen to now is on the computer, like so many others. According to summary on Wikipedia, ""Revolver" is the seventh studio album by The Beatles, released on August 5, 1966. It is known for its innovative use of studio technology and is often regarded as one of the greatest albums in music history, marking the beginning of the band's psychedelic period."
ReplyDeleteIf you know Steve Martin's movie "The Jerk" - there's a scene in there where Steve's supposed to be a kid lying in bed and when he hears modern music, his feet start moving to the beat, without his control. It's like a reflex controlling his body.
That was me a few years before Revolver when I got my first AM radio and first heard the Beatles, when they first were crossing the Atlantic. Except for the lying in bed part. And I was more like 10 years old than he was in the movie.
The "innovative use of studio technology" was mostly Abbey Road Studios (then EMI London). It was one of the best, most technically advanced studios in the world at the time. There is a reason that when all of the reverb chambers were abandoned/destroyed in favor of electronics, Abbey Road's reverb chamber still exists. Though I don't know how much it gets used.
DeleteAbbey Road gave us Revolver, The White Album, Dark Side of the Moon, Animals, the first few albums from Alan Parsons and more.
They were a great band. I just don't like most of their early work.