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Read the original blog post5.35am
19 February 2013
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was just reading that this instrumental piece was going to be used as a prelude to “Don’t Pass Me By”
This is so funny. I love that song… but it is hilarious to picture “A Beginning” being a piece meant to introduce it. Granted the White Album is full of all kinds of crazy transitions. And even on “Let It Be” John (a decision I do not like) seems to try to make Let it Be less solemn feeling by sandwiching it with Maggie Maeand such (not sure if that is really true). So the idea of odd transitions is really not that odd for the Beatles. But still, the vibe from “A Beginning” in no way sets the listener up (even in an odd or sarcastic or intentionally weird way) for the ride that Ringo’s DPMB is going to take them on.
Now, I noticed in the song section of this site, someone observed that “A Beginning” may have been written before they said it was, and was on TYS movie. So therefore, it may be possible that the idea of it being an intro to DPMB makes little sense or was not true.
Yet, there is a quote here about it from Martin:
It was for John that I did an off-the-wall introduction, because we hadn’t a clue what to do with Ringo’s song. In the event, the intro was too bizarre for us to use, and the score was scrapped.
4.51pm
1 December 2009
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That whole thing has never made any sense to me either. “It was for John that I did an off-the-wall introduction” – what does that mean? Why would John request an orchestral introduction for a Ringo song he didn’t even play on?
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.
5.23pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline I’ve always wondered if it hasn’t been misidentified, as it was recorded at the same session (22 July 1968) as Good Night . I’ve wondered whether it might have been recorded as a possible intro to Good Night once the idea of a spoken intro was dropped.
"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
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The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
6.03pm
21 November 2012
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That sounds more plausible.
And then it would also make more sense as for why John would request an orchestral introduction, as he wrote Good Night .
However, I just listened to it again, and it doesn’t sound like it should be an introduction for Good Night . But then again, it doesn’t make sense as an introduction for DPMB either.
5.46am
11 September 2018
Offline I’ve always ‘known’ this was originally intended as part of Good Night so I can only assume I got that information from the Anthology 3 sleevenotes. I don’t have access to them though so I can’t verify my source.
It’s a nice piece, but I’ve never played it and Good Night (or Don’t Pass Me By ) back to back.
7.05am
14 June 2016
Offline I can see how it could segue into Don’t Pass Me By. Interesting idea, like an extended intro.
1.The Beatles 2.Sgt. Pepper 3.Abbey Road 4.Magical Mystery Tour 5.Rubber Soul 6.Revolver 7.Help! 8.Let It Be
9.A Hard Day’s Night 10.Please Please Me 11.Beatles For Sale 12.With The Beatles 13.Yellow Submarine
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9.13am
22 December 2013
Offline I use it as the intro to the entire ‘White Album ‘ suite for my playlist… this and the orchestral outro for the ‘Anthology 3 ‘ version of ‘Good Night ‘ make for perfect bookends, in my opinion, to the ‘White’ madness… it also kinda reverses the whole “good night” thing for the ending… instead it appears that ‘A Beginning’ is where one first drifts off to sleep and the jet landing for ‘Back In The U.S.S.R.’ is at the start of one crazy psychotic dream that seems to go on all night due to the collection’s vast size… the final fade out to ‘Good Night ‘ is when I’m thinking it’s time for a cup of coffee…:-)
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Timothy2.10pm
22 December 2013
Offline After now hearing ‘A Beginning’ preface ‘Don’t Pass Me By ‘ during the new ‘White Album ‘ release for the first time, it now kinda makes more sense to me than it did before… Remember how in older films when one enters a “flashback” scene? there was usually a musical interlude (that often featured a harp) which introduced it… well ‘A Beginning/Don’t Pass Me By ‘, whether it was John’s intent or not, now does this for me and I can’t seem to shake it… ‘Don’t Pass Me By ‘ was written back in 1964 (you can actually hear Paul sing it some during an interview down under when The Beatles first toured there and a reporter was asking about Ringo’s songwriting) and ‘A Beginning’ sends me back to ‘Ringo’s Theme (This Boy )’ whilest he’s walking around that beach all hungover in glorious black & white… the idea surprisingly works for me now… yes, a “flashback” to the ‘A Hard Day’s Night ‘ days when Ringo first wrote it…:-)
1.06pm
24 November 2020
Offline The music that was called “A Beginning” on Anthology 3 was used in the Yellow Submarine film. The sources I’m finding say the music was recorded by George Martin on 22 July, 1968, But the UK release date of the film was 17 July, 1968. How did the music get in the film after it was released? Does anyone have more accurate dates?
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Paul Prole4.59pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline Welcome to the Fab Forum, @DrummerMCMLXI, there is actually already a thread for this recording in the Songs section, so you may find a Mod moves this.
The most likely explanation is that they are two different recordings. A Beginning was first recorded as part of George Martin’s soundtrack sessions for the film earlier in the year, and when looking for a little orchestral link for Don’t Pass Me By , perhaps reminded of it by seeing the film premiere a few days earlier, thought it might work and re-recorded it.
The George Martin side of the soundtrack album was recorded in October 1968 because George thought they could be done better, which shows it was a soundtrack that George wasn’t done with when the film was released in July 1968.
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sigh butterfly, DrummerMCMLXI"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
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