I’m so glad some of these long standing myths are finally being corrected by the 50 anniversary releases and by Peter Jackson. When you had a band that was almost every day in the studio and expected to produce an album a year and a couple of singles not on the album you can imagine the pressure these guys were under. Today’s artists produce an album every few years. Much of the white album sessions being difficult myth was invented by Geoff Emerick who to a fault could not take any sort of conflict. He was overly sensitive by a factor of 100. His book is nothing but how he felt attacked especially by John Lennon who clearly had an acerbic whit and nature. Even Freida Kelly had been the target of many of his unfiltered top of the head spewing but she laughed it off as did most people who understood him and his nature. But Emerick was unable to do that. Even as late as 2017 during the 50th pepper press interviews he gave an interview where he still hadn’t gotten over a jab John had said to him during a pepper session. He was still holding onto that hurt 50 years later. That even tainted his impression of the album. So Geoff left the white album session and passed on a myth of those sessions being particularly difficult. Sure Ringo left but Paul left during revolver and nothing is made of that because cameras were not present. I’m sure these guys had arguments all the time but they all got over it quite rapidly as did George during the Let it Be sessions. When you listen to the 50th white album outtakes you realize they were a tight band and playing together on most of the songs which was another myth that much of the album was individually recorded. Even on solo songs like Julia or I Will you hear John or Paul in the background encouraging the solo performance. I’m so glad this myth is finally put to rest as is the Let it Be myth thanks to Peter Jackson who showed a band who had many good moments.
Happiness is watching another Beatles demonstration video by Mike Pachelli! Thank you Mike for all of your hard work and keeping Beatles music alive and well! 👍👍
I think this song is a nice example of George's genius guitar playing. You've shown this on many songs, this is just the most recent example. He was never about taking over a song with a five minute long shredding solo that makes you forget what the hell the song is even about. His parts are (for the most part) seasoning, and highlights, that make the song special and make it sound the way it does, so uniquely "Beatle". If you listen to his parts in isolation, they don't sound like much, but mixed in with all the other parts and vocals, and they highlight just perfectly the tone of the song, such that you can't imagine the song without them. Sometimes, he was as much about what he didn't play than what he did. Some would say he just isn't that great a lead guitar, and admittedly, he's no Clapton or Hendrix (and he'd probably be the first to admit that, he was also the humble Beatle). But he was a musician at heart and knew what sounded good, and what would highlight the song the best. I think that's where his genius was, rather than being a maestro-shredder.
I doubt there is a finer RU-vid channel when it comes to learning Beatles songs as they should be played. You are my greatest point of reference when I want to know how to do it properly and I can’t thank you enough ❤
George's part is so clever. Its jarring, especially with the fuzz. It feels so disjointed, but as with all his parts, it sounds great and fits do well....✌️
Excellent work on eloquently explaining and performing the song Mike. You should make the charts available. You are a great teacher and magnificent player.
Perfect Mike , so much fun. I loved it on the White Album , no one mixed a do wah chorus with all the time signatures on the verses at that time. George gave the perfect fills and lead in his minimalist fashion . As a fifth-teen year old at the time, I did not get all the double entendres and sexual innuendo. Never gets olds, just like your covers and tutorials!
As a Beatle fan and guitarist for all my life your lessons are precious gifts. Thanks Mike. Happiness is A Warm Gun is one of John's absolute greatest songs. And the bands performance is stunning.
You have entered into a level of talent and ethic that I did not ever see would of happened when you played she loves you way long ago. You have truly given music listeners and Beatles enthusiasts a gift that is priceless.
I heard george talking about Johns songs having lots of time signature changes, clarifying that they were not from a musical perspective, just how he wanted it to sound.
What a great job you did on this as you do on all the Beatles songs but I have a special place in my heart for this particular song as it has so much meaning and it bring so many precious memories of better times, thank you Mike for yet another beautiful piece of Beatles history.
This one like Day Tripper has propelled you to the upper stratosphere! Both are so good the RU-vid robot can’t tell the difference. I love this level of detail you have shifted to. The harmony at the end with the bang-bang, shoot-shoot is over the top! Those sun glasses look so cool. Excellent added touch! Your grade is higher than a A+ on this one. Can’t wait for the next one.
Definitely you can see and hear the similar picking pattern of “Julia”, which seems like a segue into this song. Despite Lennon being influenced by Donovan and Dylan, he evolves and creates his own masterpiece compositions, coupled with his avant-garde lyrics for that era. And what can you say about Harrison? His contribution is genius as well. Who composed rock music like the Beatles relative to composition, playing, and lyrics? Maybe Pink Floyd in the 60’s as they became renown rivaled the Beatles in terms of uniqueness. But the Beatles to me were the leaders. Thank you Mike as always for such thoughtful and well done work, making these Beatles songs seem fresh and new once more.
When I think about the forthcoming Abbey Road Medley, I realize John was doing this - and perhaps always, cobbling bits & pieces of his songs together.
Such a great song, the part before the guitar solo is so cool, I wish they had done a second verse of the first part, build it up with back ground vocals or something. Then gone into the happiness is a warm gun part. Dropped the I need a fix and mother superior parts… but anyway great song.
Thanks Mike for a great lesson. I imagine it was hard work for the other three to get their heads around the time changes. Would you consider teaching The Ballad of John and Yoko next? Cheers
Me mind boggles at this video in bewilderment. You can never get enough of mike enthustiasm explanining and dissecting all the nuances buried in the mix. It is utterly unbelievable that after 50 odd years we are still discovering parts and intrincancies...the job done by the boys in each and every song is mesmerizing, specially in this absolute masterpiece with odd time signatures, tight bass and drums and innovative guitars and on top of that, you get those angelical cheeky shoobeedowaps while john rapping those lines...dang! What a helluva tune!
Great job Mike, it took the Beatles 70 takes and you did it 1, 😂 , great reproduction from fretless to fretted guitar, I never noticed that low voice background vocal at the end, I must go listen to
Wow! I was watching Anitques roadshow 2 days ago. They had this guitar - I had never known the Beatles used this, and never knew which song. The guy who had the guitar was given it by George. Apparently John owned it as well. Valuation was 300,000 pounds
WOW! What a lesson! Thank you Mike! (Is that too many exclamation marks?) Your meticulous and adroit breakdowns are sublime! (Oops! Another !!!) Appreciate the musical doors that you have opened through your passion for the Beatles. 🌴
One other interesting fact about this song was that its different sections inspired Radiohead to write their iconic song Paranoid Android, also I’ve found that the 3/8 part easier to count when thinking in 6/8 (since it works best for me) but 3 works as well. Great lesson as always Mike
It seems to me that George's solo distils much of what was happening in the rock guitar world at the time but without any indulgence or simply using clichés. Great breakdown as usual from Mike. These are both tutorials and quite serious musicological analysis.
pas facile du tout cette chanson complexe, taille pour la voix de John, mais le pont vous l avez extrêmement bien fait , très bon travail, j apprécie .
Very professional, as always. Can't wait till you get to the legendary Fuzz solo that sounds like a saxophone. I bet Mike really has a genuine fuzz effect set up. Edit: His Fuzz solo is Spot On 👍👍👍
