Monday, February 28, 2011

The Beatles "This Boy", 1963



This is an amazing clip of George Harrison watching The Beatles perform "This Boy" 1in 1963.
"This Boy" was the B side to "I Want to Hold Your Hand".
Lennon said he was trying to capture the Smokey Robinson sound at Motown.
The chords are straight out of doo wop ( as were "Yes It Is")
The song is most associated with the one member of the band that did not contribute harmonies to the track: Ringo Starr.
George Martin cut an instrumental version of the tune for Ringo's silly solo scenes in "Hard Day's Night".
Nowhere near one of the great Beatle cuts but this moment is too good to pass up.
Especially as George talks about John's poor eyesight.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

#6 The Fall "Fit and Working Again" 1981



I'm fit and working again
And I feel like Alan Minter
I just ate eight sheets of blotting paper
And I tripped out on the Alka Seltzer

Alan Minter was the Middleweight title champ until he met Marvin Hagler at Wembley Arena in London. After the fight was stopped in three rounds, Minter's supporters caused a riot, throwing beer cans and glass into the ring and both boxers had to be ushered away by the police.

Prior to the fight, Minter made the blatantly racist statement on the BBC that "no black man is going to take my title away". He later retracted this statement and said he meant "no man" is going to take my title away. Previously, Hagler refused to shake Minter's hand, claiming "I don't touch white flesh."