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George Martin Howlers
19 March 2011
3.44pm
MarkoS
Ireland
The Indra
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I have a feeling this could be a contentious issue but here goes- In retrospect were some of George Martins touches a tad heavy handed? I have two cases in point, first 'In My Life 's piano break ( a nice piece from George Harrison would have been perfect) which, in my opinion, is too formal and dates the song significantly and , similarly, in “Not A Second Time ” where the clunky piano solo appears out of place, 'aeolian cadences' and all!

Let me stress that I believe George Martin to be the fifth Beatle and his contributions were absolutely essential to the group but, like everyone else he's only human and makes mistakes like everyone else. What do you all think?george-martin

19 March 2011
4.24pm
mr. Sun king coming together
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If the piano solos and everything else he may have screwed up with were so bad, how come they approved of the songs? He's A genius, and those two parts Exemplify his genius.

*9*

As if it matters how a man falls down.'

'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.

19 March 2011
5.00pm
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kedame
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I couldn't imagine In My Life without that piano solo. I think he added just the right touches at just the right points. I heartgeorge-martin.

"You can manicure a cat but can you caticure a man?"

John Lennon- Skywriting by Word of Mouth

19 March 2011
5.53pm
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MeanMrsMustard
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MarkoS said:

 'In My Life 's piano break, in my opinion, is too formal and dates the song significantly.

I don't think a guitar solo (I'm assuming that's what you meant by a piece by George Harrison ) would have been “perfect” for the song. I think the GM piano bit is a better touch, and it gives a timeless feel to the song. 

If I seem to act unkind, it's only me, it's not my mind that is confusing things.

19 March 2011
9.00pm
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GniknuS
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In My Life wouldn't be In My Life without that solo.

His intro to You Like Me Too Much is my least favorite contribution of his, although that's my least favorite Beatles song so it's not all George's fault. george-martin

I like his solo in Piggies a lot. I do kind of wish they would have given him an oboe part in some song, maybe they could have had a nasty oboe solo to end Bungalow Bill rather than just the repetition that ends the song. It could have been like the end of Hide Your Love Away…too bad.

I sat on a rug, biding my time, drinking her wine

19 March 2011
9.47pm
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mithveaen
Sitarday's room
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MarkoS said:

first 'In My Life 's piano break ( a nice piece from George Harrison would have been perfect) which, in my opinion, is too formal and dates the song significantly

I disagree with you about the “dated” sound of the piano solo. I think it makes it timeless. Check this.

 

 

And then in the moment I was going to say “A guitar solo?” I thought “mhh why not?” and I went to youtube to search it. I found this gem. It would have worked.

 

 

And I found this.

 

 

And then something hit me. The piano solo is IMHO perfect. But what makes this song timeless is the melody. It's beautiful and it has that yearning feeling for the past that you have when you have lived so long, or lost so much.

Here comes the sun….. Scoobie-doobie……

Something in the way she moves…..attracts me like a cauliflower…

Bop. Bop, cat bop. Go, Johnny, Go.

Beware of Darkness… 

19 March 2011
11.52pm
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PennyLane
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george-martin can do no wrong. I want to hug him.

*17* the universe wants to hug him too

Well we all shine on like the moon, the stars, and the sun.

20 March 2011
12.07am
mr. Sun king coming together
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I found a list online of the top music producers, and george-martin was #1. It said because he transformed the Beatles from 4 scruffy lads from Liverpool n to the Beatles.

As if it matters how a man falls down.'

'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.

20 March 2011
12.08am
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Nigel the good dog
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kedame said:

I couldn't imagine In My Life without that piano solo. I think he added just the right touches at just the right points. I heartgeorge-martin.

Same. I think that piano solo makes the song even better, if that is possible.

My mind is far away, off in Pepperland…
I'm a girl, don't be confused by my name.
20 March 2011
12.10am
mr. Sun king coming together
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Nigel the good dog said:

kedame said:

I couldn't imagine In My Life without that piano solo. I think he added just the right touches at just the right points. I heartgeorge-martin.

Same. I think that piano solo makes the song even better, if that is possible.

Have you heard it in the isolated rockband Multi Tracks? It adds a beauty to the whole song, especially the solo.

As if it matters how a man falls down.'

'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.

20 March 2011
1.17am
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skye
AZ
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Considering the subject matter of In My Life , isn't “dated” appropriate?

 

 

Ad hoc, ad loc, and quid pro quo! So little time! So much to know!

20 March 2011
11.52am
MattGeorgeUK
Guernsey
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A couple of points I noticed from 'Revolution in the Head – The Beatles Records and the Sixties' by Ian MacDonald

 

Long Tall Sally – the piano backing is straight and doesnt fit in with the swung feel of the song.

Slow Down – The piano backing drops out briefly at one point

Day Tripper – start of third verse it cuts out in one channel

Ye Blues – funny edit that moves abruptly to drums in the outtro

 

I'm sure I'll ifnd more on futher reading. However these are minor blips. Martin is a genius and there is not a Beatle-song I actively dislike

I would love to reply to you all personally but I just haven't enough pens!

 

We hope you've enjoyed listening to our records, as much as we've enjoyed melting them!

20 March 2011
12.02pm
MarkoS
Ireland
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I hope I haven't upset anyone with this topic I was just wondering how other Beatle fans felt about it. No one else could have produced the Beatles, George was just incredible and the vast majority of the recordings have not aged at all, which says more than I ever can!heartgeorge-martinheart 

20 March 2011
12.55pm
mr. Sun king coming together
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Look, the Beatles had final veto on all songs. If these parts were so bad, they would have vetoed that take and remade it (see Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da).

As if it matters how a man falls down.'

'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.

20 March 2011
2.25pm
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mithveaen
Sitarday's room
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mr. Sun king coming together said:

I found a list online of the top music producers, and george-martin was #1. It said because he transformed the Beatles from 4 scruffy lads from Liverpool n to the Beatles.

And I think that's the best description of him. a-hard-days-night-paul-5

 

Edit : I realized something: The solos of guitar I posted are the same solo of piano, but in guitar. Ah silly Mith a-hard-days-night-paul-4

Here comes the sun….. Scoobie-doobie……

Something in the way she moves…..attracts me like a cauliflower…

Bop. Bop, cat bop. Go, Johnny, Go.

Beware of Darkness… 

20 March 2011
4.44pm
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Inner Light
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George Martin is a genius. In my opinion, the songs would never have been the same without him. He gave them a mature direction and was always willing to work with all four of them during the recording and mastering of all their songs. Between Martin and Epstein, they were able to take these scruffy lads and mold them into a most unique band. 

My only complain against Martin is that I felt he was too hard on Harrison. 

The further one travels, the less one knows

20 March 2011
5.58pm
mr. Sun king coming together
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Inner Light said:

My only complain against Martin is that I felt he was too hard on Harrison. 

Something he admitted was wrong.

As if it matters how a man falls down.'

'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.

20 March 2011
6.02pm
MarkoS
Ireland
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That's quite true Inner Light, I believe it was an open secret that G.M. did not rate George's songs as highly as L and M's.

20 March 2011
9.10pm
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The Walrus
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I think the piano goes nicely in A Day In The Life .

I think the Drive My Car piano part needs a bit more zest, though I wouldn't call it a howler, and besides, Macca played it. I think it would sound better with Preston playing it.

I told her I didn’t 

21 March 2011
12.18am
mr. Sun king coming together
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Paul played the ADITL Piano.
*17*

As if it matters how a man falls down.'

'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.

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