Pet_Sounds

"Money can't buy everything."

"Someone must have told you that. You'd never think of such a platitude all by yourself. What can't it buy?"

"Oh, well, I don't know--not happiness or love, anyway."

"Generally it can. And when it can't, it can buy the most remarkable substitutes."

- Margaret Mitchell, Gone With the Wind

Ask anyone to name a song the Beatles covered, and chances are, you'll get the answer "Twist and Shout", the raucous closing track of the band's debut album, Please Please Me. What isn't so well known is that they recorded an equally powerful cover to finish their second album, With the Beatles.

John Lennon pulls his weight with any rock and roll vocalist, past or present, and his exceptional voice is showcased on "Money (That's What I Want)". The raw energy is incredible--keep in mind that the Beatles had been playing clubs for years. For about five seconds during the intro, the guitar and piano create some odd blend of sound that always reminds me of the organ lick that opens the Doors' "Light My Fire". It's there for a moment, then gone again. I've never seen it mentioned, so perhaps my ears are playing tricks on me. Who knows.

When reporters asked the Beatles, "When are you going to stop touring?", the answer by default was, "When we stop making money." An interesting comparison can be made between "Money" and the group's 1964 #1 hit, "Can't Buy Me Love".

Can't Buy Me Love:
"I'll give you all I've got to give
If you say you'll love me too
I may not have a lot to give
What I got I'll give to you
I don't care too much for money
Money can't buy me love…"

Money (That's What I Want):
"Money don't get everything it's true
What it don't get, I can't use
Give me money…"

"Your loving gives me a thrill
But your loving don't pay my bills
Give me money…"

Rather contradictory, no? But Paul McCartney said later that "[Can't Buy Me Love] should have been "Can Buy Me Love, actually."

One thing's for certain: whether or not you agree with its philosophy, "Money" is a song you'll be bobbing your head to.

__________________
Everybody's dying just to get the disease

Josef K

Eh, it's an incredible song but their version doesn't do much for me compared to the original. I'm looking forward to this project, though!

The Batlord

Agreed. The original was some great, raw rock'n'roll, but that was just tepid in comparison. I was kind of expecting that though. The Beatles were great at many things, but rocking out with their collective cock out wasn't really one of them.

__________________

Oriphiel

Gotta love Money! It's one of those songs that just can't be messed up. Any band from any genre can make a hit out of it. Just ask the Flying Lizards.

Anyway, The Beatles' version is surprisingly rough and heavy, isn't it? Kind of a shocker for those who are listening to the Beatles' second album, and aren't expecting it (although Roll Over Beethoven kinda primes them for it).

Pet_Sounds

Thanks, man.

Lennon's voice is what really carries their version for me. There aren't many others who can belt out rock and roll like that.

You know it's a rocker when an underground garage rock nut says it's surprisingly rough and heavy!

__________________
Everybody's dying just to get the disease

Pet_Sounds

It's a good sounding record that means nothing.

- John Lennon

During the White Album sessions, The Beatles were cutting a promotional film for their 1968 single, "Lady Madonna". John Lennon proposed that they perform a new track for the video instead. After all, the sound would be overdubbed, and since his latest song revolved around a piano riff as well, nobody would know the difference. Such was the genesis of "Hey Bulldog".

Unfortunately, it didn't make the album and wound up instead on Yellow Submarine, along with previously released material, orchestral soundtrack from the Yellow Submarine animated film, and three new filler tracks. As the best song on the album, it's continued to make Beatles lists as a token gesture.

Really though, it's got a fantastic performance from each individual Beatle. McCartney plays one of his best basslines, Lennon delivers his signature vocal with gusto on the chorus, and Harrison plays his best solo, bar none. Oh, and Ringo's drumming isn't too bad.

Despite Lennon's claim that "Hey Bulldog" means nothing, I find it one of the creepiest songs in The Beatles' discography, simply because the lines "Jack-knife, in your sweaty hands" and "Big man, walking in the park" make me think of some pedophile. But it's probably nonsense in the end.

According to sound engineer Geoff Emerick, "Hey Bulldog" was the last session in which all four Beatles worked happily as a unit. It was also the last session before Yoko Ono became a constant studio presence.

__________________
Everybody's dying just to get the disease

Pet_Sounds

Fiddling with my ghetto blaster's tuning… ah, there it is. Why are commercial breaks so bloody long? Ah, here comes the music…

Oh joy, it's the most overplayed song of all time, Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water". What a surprise. The chorus is pretty good, but I have no idea why the riff is so popular. Probably because it's easy to play on guitar.

Oh, now it's a traffic update.

And now another commercial break.

ZzZZzZzZZzZzzz

__________________
Everybody's dying just to get the disease

The Batlord

Cause it's heavy and catchy as ****, duh. This coming from a guy who thinks the Beatles can actually do old R&B songs justice. You ain't rock 'n' roll, dude.

__________________

Oriphiel

My local classic rock station does the same thing, only with the Steve Miller Band rather than Deep Purple.

Also, "Hey Bulldog" is a fantastic song! I grew up watching The Yellow Submarine, and that was always one of my favorite songs of the movie. Definitely one of the tracks that got me into rock 'n roll in the first place. I'm loving every song on the list so far!

Josef K

Speaking of which, I still need further justification for the "nobody sings rock'n'roll like John Lennon" argument - he isn't even the one who sings the Beatles' R&B/rock'n'roll stuff. There's a reason McCartney does "Helter Skelter", all the Little Richard covers, and "I'm Down".