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2.37pm
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1 May 2011
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William Shears Campbell said
I used to like “Free As A Bird” more than this one, but as I listened to it more and matured my tastes, I realized that this was the superior Threetles song. It’s such a great sweet lyrical masterpiece by John.
I’m the same. Was no doubt influenced by ‘FAAB’ being the huge reunion return and getting swept away with it all, plus never really liking the ‘RL’ mix; it always felt a little more flimsy. That was thankfully fixed with the ‘1+’ remix and now this is far better. It may also help that it was a more complete demo.
The lyrics for this are fantastic and was obviously something John liked considering he kept going back to it.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
8.10pm
14 June 2016
Offline If I had to choose I side with John’s demo. But the solo in the Beatles version is AMAZING. So much atmosphere and feeling in both.
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12.26pm
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15 February 2015
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I’ve always preferred this one. The melody just appeals to me more, and it’s a very sweet, clear song.
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1.10pm
26 January 2017
Offline The delicate falsetto on the prechorus gets me everytime. Its such a tender moment, paid off with a simple chorus, “its real live, its reeeal”
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4.58am
2 May 2013
Offline Unfortunately Jeff Lynne was very much the wrong choice of producer because he makes everything sound like ELO regardless of who it is. I know John said something complementary about ELO being what The Beatles would sound like if they were still going and I know the cassette isn’t exactly the best recording, but the speeding up is inexplicable and makes John sound like a chipmunk. The arrangement is too syrupy as well. If there was ever a tune Giles could have a go at making more like his dad’s work this is the one that would benefit the most given advances in technology since the 90’s.
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meanmistermustard, Beatlebug6.01am
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1 May 2011
Offline Old Soak said
Unfortunately Jeff Lynne was very much the wrong choice of producer because he makes everything sound like ELO regardless of who it is. I know John said something complementary about ELO being what The Beatles would sound like if they were still going and I know the cassette isn’t exactly the best recording, but the speeding up is inexplicable and makes John sound like a chipmunk. The arrangement is too syrupy as well. If there was ever a tune Giles could have a go at making more like his dad’s work this is the one that would benefit the most given advances in technology since the 90’s.
Yip. I’ve never been a fan of Jeff Lynne’s as everything sounds exactly the same (and so much is so boring).
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
8.18pm
30 May 2018
Offline Love both songs.”Free As A Bird ” and “Real Love “
And i find in both of them solo guitar is just..celestial !!!!
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QuarryMan, William Shears Campbell6.24pm
12 May 2015
Offline I confess to getting a bit teary listening to ‘real love’. In the video at 3:20 the hug between Paul and George (so obviously heartfelt) really gets to me.
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Richard, Beatlebug11.32am
25 August 2021
Offline I certainly love all of John’s solo versions of the song (as one person said, he clearly really liked it a lot since he kept returning to it and doing various demos and versions of it, compared to how he gave up with “Free As A Bird “), and they’re all quite moving.
But the Anthology version is every bit a Beatles song, and I adore it so much. It’s also the perfect song to use as the very last Beatles recording. It sums up the band in every way possible, what they truly were about, and I honestly think doing “Now And Then ” or “Grow Old With Me ” would have been a huge anticlimax that robs this track of the feeling it conjures. So I’m glad they quit while they were ahead.
I like both the Anthology mixes of this and “Free As A Bird “, as well as the 1+ mixes. They’re all equally great versions, and I’m grateful that they exist at all. And I’m especially grateful for the video, and seeing how much Paul, George and Ringo were clicking together, and demonstrating for the world the fact that they were truly friends at this point, with so much love for each other.
My dad bought the Anthology CDs on each day they all came out, and while he focused a lot more on all the outtakes, he definitely gushed over “Real Love ,” and said “I think it’s the better song, a real Beatles song, compared to the other one.”
Shame the press didn’t see it that way, and a lot of books written slag either one song or both. I don’t know why they had to take an ax to them each chance they got.
Might have something to do with the fact that this was when the posthumous duets concept began, with Natalie Cole and Hank Williams, Jr., the tribute video of Lisa Marie Presley duetting with Elvis on “Don’t Cry Daddy” at the 20th anniversary of his death, the post-crash Lynyrd Skynyrd doing “Travelin’ Man” to have Johnny Van Zant duet with Ronnie, and probably the proverbial biscuit, Queen doing Made In Heaven at the same time as Anthology.
(Seriously, a lot of people attacking that album actually said, “At least the surviving Beatles had the grace to only deflower two John Lennon recordings; Queen has no shame and built an entire album of posthumous vocals of Freddie Mercury.”)
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Ahhh Girl, Rube6.16am
30 December 2022
Offline This song just makes me think about John in a happy way. The music video is so perfect I almost cry. The vocals are beautiful on it too, I think it’s George singing correct me if I’m wrong
8.52am
6 May 2018
Offline Neely said
This song just makes me think about John in a happy way. The music video is so perfect I almost cry. The vocals are beautiful on it too, I think it’s George singing correct me if I’m wrong
John is the main vocalist, with backing vocals by Paul, George, Ringo and Jeff Lynne.
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RubeAnd in the end
The love you take is equal to the love you make
