Log In
Register
Read the original blog post
3.08pm
13 November 2009
Offline
Ronnie Hanoi said:
I was actually thinking of doing I’ve Just Seen A Face today… at least starting on it. I really like doing this covers, I like the stay as close to the original as possible, while making subtle changes. If anyone’s got any other song ideas for me to do, let me know! I’d be happy to tackle anything!
How about Revolution 9 ?
10.22pm
24 January 2010
Offline Ronnie Hanoi said:
Hello, I’m Ronnie… this is my first post.
Speaking of this song, it’s always been one of my favorites. I remember my father showing me how to play this on guitar when I was first learning a long time ago. I actually just recently recorded a cover of it, with me playing all of the instruments and vocals. I put it up on youtube with a dumb little video I made for it. Let me know what you think!
Wow. Your voice is very good. Very talented indeed!
Anytime at all, all you gotta do is call, and I'll be there.
12.58am
13 June 2010
Offline I heard it being about Epstein, and that seems very possible, but a part of me thinks it’s not about Epstein, but really it most likely is.
P.S. I am a full support of homosexual rights, and didn’t mean for anything I said to be taken offensely in any way, shape, or form.
^Just being safe. 🙂
When I Twish And Shout, it makes the Girl say "What Goes On?", and than I say, "I do this Here, There and Everywhere", and than she finishes by saying "Honey Don't".
6.16am
4 June 2012
Offline I doubt very much that John had Brian in mind when he wrote YGTHYLA. Up to and including that point in his career, John wrote no songs that came close to dealing with social or political issues. For better or worse, John was very homophobic at this stage. To write a song about homosexual love would never had occurred to him during this period in his life. That’s not to say that the song can’t be applied to Brian’s situation, but John most likely had one of his affairs in mind when he wrote it (as he did with “Norwegian Wood “).
As for the questions John asked in “Baby You’re A Rich Man “, I believe you are correct. First, the questions: “How often have you been there?”; “What did you see when you were there?”; and “Now that you’ve found another key, what are you going to play?” Many of us who dropped acid in the 60’s (not the 70’s) did so in hope of gaining “enlightenment” or “cosmic consciousness” or some “other worldly” experience. The word “there”, as John used it in the song, refers to that altered state of consciousness one achieves while tripping. You can take my word for it or search drug slang of the 60’s.
If you look at a timeline of Brian’s life between 1966 and 1967, you’ll learn that Brian first dropped acid shortly before John wrote the lyrics for “One Of The Beautiful People”, the original title of his portion of BYARM. In effect, John was “welcoming” Brian to the world of psychedelics. Contrary to what some people believe, John did not hate the “Beautiful People” at that time. The term referred to anyone who had been changed in a positive way by use of LSD or other means, so John would have considered himself part of that group. Later, after the “Summer of Love” in 1967, both John and George became disillusioned by the so-called “hippie” movement which was overrun by people dropping acid for recreational purposes.
Much of what I’ve posted here can be Googled if you have the time and patience. Sadly, much information about this song was published in music magazines at that time which have not been archived on any websites.
Hope this helps.
12.45pm
26 March 2012
Offline TomMo said
I doubt very much that John had Brian in mind when he wrote YGTHYLA. Up to and including that point in his career, John wrote no songs that came close to dealing with social or political issues. For better or worse, John was very homophobic at this stage. To write a song about homosexual love would never had occurred to him during this period in his life. That’s not to say that the song can’t be applied to Brian’s situation, but John most likely had one of his affairs in mind when he wrote it (as he did with “Norwegian Wood “).
Very informed and interesting views 
I don’t think John was THAT homophobic by 1965 though. He obviously would have jeered at it a bit before he reformed his views on such things in later years, and I’m sure Brian would have had to put up with copious Lennonesque jibes, but if he was very homophobic he surely wouldn’t have tolerated Brian being a close friend and huge presence in his life. Also you say that he didn’t write any songs in that period which came close to social and political issues but they were certainly on the doorstep: I’d argue that “The Word ” and “Nowhere Man “, written in the same year, are his first songs which deal with such things. How do you know that some of his lyrics up to that point weren’t somewhat related to these topics, just on a far more subtle level? Remember at that time he was heavily influenced as a songwriter by Dylan’s often political output, and when the Beatles met Elvis in 1965 John’s hackles were reportedly raised when Elvis stated that he supported the Vietnam War.
SHUT UP - Paulie's talkin'
3.34pm
1 December 2009
Offline
Actually, Dylan really didn’t do much “political” stuff at all…
GEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
3.52pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline 
I think the stories grow legs from when people learn that John battered Bob Wooler for making insinuations at someone’s birthday party, and there are stories of John calling Brian Epstein all kinds of names (too cruel to write here). However there is also the other side where John was comfortable enough around Brian to go to Spain for a holiday together (where nothing happened despite the rumours) and they were close friends. John had a heck of a lot of respect for Brian and gave him the credit for managing them as can be seen from when he said The Beatles were done for after Brian died – altho Brian had his flaws and made some pretty poor business deals. Brian was the one they could all go to and state their opinions and be neutral, something that was lost when Paul took the lead.
John could be very warm and loving as well as being very hard and cruel, the same as nearly everyone on the planet.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
4.05pm
26 March 2012
Offline vonbontee said
Actually, Dylan really didn’t do much “political” stuff at all…
How is that true? A good deal of Dylan’s early work was comprised of politically-oriented “protest songs” regarding civil rights and opposing “warmongering” leaders. “Masters of War,” “Blowin’ in the Wind”, “The Times They Are A-Changing”, “A Hard Rain ‘s Gonna Fall”, “Maggie’s Farm”, “Oxford Town”, “Talkin’ World War III Blues”, “Bob Dylan’s Dream”, “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll”, “Only A Pawn in Their Game” are all songs geared towards social and political change, and countless other ones contain reference to such things.
SHUT UP - Paulie's talkin'
4.43pm
1 December 2009
Offline Most of his political stuff was done within a very narrow time frame of a 50-year recording career. He recorded LOTS of political songs circa 1963-4…and only the very occasional one (like “George Jackson” or “Hurricane”) ever since.
GEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
5.44pm
26 March 2012
Offline vonbontee said
Most of his political stuff was done within a very narrow time frame of a 50-year recording career. He recorded LOTS of political songs circa 1963-4…and only the very occasional one (like “George Jackson” or “Hurricane”) ever since.
Agreed, but the narrow time frame you pointed out was the period which would have influenced John’s songwriting in 1965, which was my original point.
SHUT UP - Paulie's talkin'
7.55pm
31 March 2008
Offline
I saw Dylan in London in 1990 – it was possibly the first concert I went to. In the concert programme there was a lengthy interview in which he repeatedly denied that any of his songs was political, though he eventually conceded that Masters Of War was. Obviously that’s not entirely the case, but it’s true that the majority of his career hasn’t been even slightly political.
Can buy me love! Please consider supporting the Beatles Bible on Amazon
Or buy my paperback/ebook! Riding So High – The Beatles and Drugs
Don't miss The Bowie Bible – now live!
5.24pm
1 December 2009
Offline How did I not know about the cover version of this song by The Silkie until just now?? I mean, I knew that a band called The Silkie recorded their own version, but practically everything else in this paragraph I’ve only learned in the last half-hour:
The group were helped by John Lennon , Paul McCartney and George Harrison to record their cover version of “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away ” on 9 August 1965 at the IBC Studios at around the same time as The Beatles’ own version was released on their album Help ! The song charted in the UK at # 28 and also reached # 10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in the same year.[1] Lennon produced, McCartney played the guitar and Harrison kept time by tapping his guitar and also playing the tambourine. When the recording was completed, Lennon was so pleased with it that he played it over the phone to Brian Epstein and told him that they had just recorded a Number 1 hit.
Produced by John Lennon ! (Was this the first outside production job by a Beatle??) Paul on guitar and George on percussion – a peculiar division of instruments that doesn’t occur on any Beatles recording that I can think of offhand. And I had no idea the song was such a substantial hit – I’ve never heard it myself, which is pretty strange except for that fact that it doesn’t appear to have charted at all in Canada. (Which, considering that it was a UK and USA hit, is a whole different kind of strange.) But still, I can’t believe I’ve never even heard it on oldies radio…
Anyways, nothing earth-shattering here, just my amazement that I never knew this stuff until a half-hour ago. A guy thinks he really knows his Beatles trivia, then discovers that there’s always more to learn!
GEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
5.58pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline
The Silkie version is an interesting version.
Did chart in Canada vonbontee. Debuted on the CHUM chart in Nov 1965, peaked at #12 & charted for 9 weeks
The following people thank Ron Nasty for this post:
vonbontee"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
9.31pm
17 January 2013
Offline BeatleMark said
Hmm, that’s a good one! Almost thought you were sarcastic for a moment.I don’t know if John had Brian somewhat in mind while writing this song. Back then, homosexual attractions were not considered the same sensation as “love” and therefore did not have the widespread (mostly liberal atheistic american influence) appeal as the sickness does today.
I don’t know if John had Brian somewhat in mind while writing this song. Back then, homosexual attractions were not considered the same sensation as “love” and therefore did not have the widespread (mostly liberal atheistic american influence) appeal as the sickness does today. Wait wait wait.. hold the phone… are you actually calling homosexuality a sickness??! It makes me sick that we still have to read that kind of dribble in 2013! So sad, the way some people’s minds still work. It’s funny because on Facebook yesterday some narrow minded hillbilly (from my hometown, so glad I moved away years ago) was making rude anti-gay comments about Anderson Cooper (on a mutual friends wall). So tired of it. 
The following people thank LongHairedLady for this post:
vonbontee"Please don't bring your banjo back, I know where it's been.. I wasn't hardly gone a day, when it became the scene.. Banjos! Banjos! All the time, I can't forget that tune.. and if I ever see another banjo, I'm going out and buy a big balloon!"
10.59pm
18 November 2011
Offline I recently discovered that Billy Preston was also a homosexual, and he was one of the only outside musicians who got to play on their records.
Yes, John sang “Baby you’re a rich fag Jew” but I think that he was only doing so to rib Epstein, I don’t think any of them had actual problems with gay folks.
11.23pm
1 November 2012
Offline Joe said
I saw Dylan in London in 1990 – it was possibly the first concert I went to. In the concert programme there was a lengthy interview in which he repeatedly denied that any of his songs was political, though he eventually conceded that Masters Of War was. Obviously that’s not entirely the case, but it’s true that the majority of his career hasn’t been even slightly political.
Dylan was always cagey about his “art”. I think he has been disingenuous, stemming from his phobia about “labels” and being “put into a box”. In my experience, it’s the individuals who are most afraid of labels who actually indulge in it the most.
Dylan is obviously a flaming Leftie. For him to affect some kind of transcendent non-committal above the fray is typical of his arrogance.
Faded flowers, wait in a jar, till the evening is complete... complete... complete... complete...
11.25pm
26 March 2012
Offline Funny Paper said
Joe said
I saw Dylan in London in 1990 – it was possibly the first concert I went to. In the concert programme there was a lengthy interview in which he repeatedly denied that any of his songs was political, though he eventually conceded that Masters Of War was. Obviously that’s not entirely the case, but it’s true that the majority of his career hasn’t been even slightly political.Dylan was always cagey about his “art”. I think he has been disingenuous, stemming from his phobia about “labels” and being “put into a box”. In my experience, it’s the individuals who are most afraid of labels who actually indulge in it the most.
All of this I agree with- but I find it impossible to let it get in the way of his music. Dylan at his peak is incredible, a marvellous poet, and it’s no wonder he managed to become the “spokesman for a generation.”
SHUT UP - Paulie's talkin'
2.19am
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline RunForYourLife said
I recently discovered that Billy Preston was also a homosexual, and he was one of the only outside musicians who got to play on their records.Yes, John sang “Baby you’re a rich fag Jew” but I think that he was only doing so to rib Epstein, I don’t think any of them had actual problems with gay folks.
Well they were very close to Brian so i doubt it. Pauls said it was more intrigue than anything else and John said more or less the same thing – non-sexual intrigue before the rumours begin that all 5 had ‘sleep-overs’. Plus they hung out a lot with Billy Preston and it wouldt be that surprising if some big artists of the time of the time were gay but it never was revealed at the time.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
2.44am
1 November 2012
Offline Ben Ramon said
Funny Paper said
Joe said
I saw Dylan in London in 1990 – it was possibly the first concert I went to. In the concert programme there was a lengthy interview in which he repeatedly denied that any of his songs was political, though he eventually conceded that Masters Of War was. Obviously that’s not entirely the case, but it’s true that the majority of his career hasn’t been even slightly political.Dylan was always cagey about his “art”. I think he has been disingenuous, stemming from his phobia about “labels” and being “put into a box”. In my experience, it’s the individuals who are most afraid of labels who actually indulge in it the most.
All of this I agree with- but I find it impossible to let it get in the way of his music. Dylan at his peak is incredible, a marvellous poet, and it’s no wonder he managed to become the “spokesman for a generation.”
I agree — that’s why I’m glad Dylan, unlike some other celebrities (Bono being the most egregious), doesn’t make a big ostentatious deal about “saving the world”.
Faded flowers, wait in a jar, till the evening is complete... complete... complete... complete...
3.26pm
21 November 2012
Offline Wow, didn’t know Billy Preston was gay. Not that it really matters, of course. Byt wow, you learn a lot from this forum.
I’ve never really thought YGTHYLA was about Brian though.
Oh and I don’t like that cover at all. The high voice is giving me migraine.
1 Guest(s)
