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Of every head he's had the pleasure to know
And all the people that come and go
Stop and say hello
On the corner is a banker with a motorcar
The little children laugh at him behind his back
And the banker never wears a mac
In the pouring rain
Very strange
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes
There beneath the blue suburban skies
I sit and meanwhile back
In Penny Lane, there is a fireman with an hour glass
And in his pocket is a portrait of the Queen
He likes to keep his fire engine clean
It's a clean machine
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes
Four of fish and finger pies in summer
Meanwhile back
Behind the shelter in the middle of the roundabout
A pretty nurse is selling poppies from a tray
And though she feels as if she's in a play
She is anyway
In Penny Lane the barber shaves another customer
We see the banker sitting waiting for a trim
And then the fireman rushes in
From the pouring rain
Very strange
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes
There beneath the blue suburban skies
I sit and meanwhile back
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes
There beneath the blue suburban skies
Penny Lane
Do you know the pun behind the line?
Four of fish = four pennies of fish and chips
Finger pie = slang for fingering
A naughty reference, but so well put.
The Beatles were musical geniuses, no doubt, but fantastic lyricists too!
We'll keep your seat warm. You'll be back.
Will he (almost certainly a he) be missed?
Sure what about some Taylor Swift instead ! 😁
Yeah, they snuck in a lot of things that went unnoticed while everyone was going on about Lucy in the Sky, Fixing a Hole.
Paul's ability to churn out catchy, hook-laden pop gems was truly phenomenal.
Absolutely. His ability to communicate to a broad audience -- not just cool, counter-culture types -- was indeed phenomenal.
Paul's ability to churn out catchy, hook-laden pop gems was truly phenomenal.
The release date listed at the top is wrong on both accounts.
This single was released in Feb. of '67, and The Beatles 1 compilation album came out in Nov. of 2000.
Not sure where 1969 fits into all this...as Paul sings in the lyrics, "very strange".
Thanks for opening the kimono on this. You're a team player.
Everybody in my church loves this classic song...
You've heard of a 'game changer'? This is a 'station changer'... SO done with the Beatles...
Thanks for originating your phrase from that horribly tiresome cliché. At the end of the day, we're thinking outside the box, and going forward, with a grassroots movement that should bring about a paradigm shift, that will maximize leverage to 110%. I guess a lot of folks are "done with The Beatles" but I don't think you'll be put to death for it.
You've heard of a 'game changer'? This is a 'station changer'... SO done with the Beatles...
So apparently you love Bad Company and hate the Beatles. That is hilarious.
But c'mon Bill, get the album and year correct ........I guess with the quality service of RP, I hold you to a higher standard!!
Kinda depends on which album is in your (their) database, doesn't it..
But c'mon Bill, get the album and year correct ........I guess with the quality service of RP, I hold you to a higher standard!!
Still awesome. It's impossible to dislike this song.
False. I love the Beatles, but this is not one of my favourites.
Still awesome. It's impossible to dislike this song.
apd wrote:
Terrific story - and here he is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxO4nODCGD0
He told us that he'd been called to do the recording because the Beatles had seen him on TV as a soloist in the 2nd Brandenberg Concerto. In later years he said he'd sold the old battered pic-trumpet used on this recording for a tidy sum - something which seemed to amaze him.
I remember him as a very polite and quietly spoken old English gentleman, an inspiring teacher and an excellent musician.
I always turn this track up out of respect for him...
If you want biblical, slag Radiohead here —- the self appointed musos turn into a bunch if mental cases.
I personally love the majority of the stuff the Beatles did, but I'm not gonna throw any rocks.
:p
I stand corrected. Ringo was a Beatle on the final trips to Hamburg in the fall of 1962. Here are two photos from that time:
Ringo rocks
You've heard of a 'game changer'? This is a 'station changer'... SO done with the Beatles...
He told us that he'd been called to do the recording because the Beatles had seen him on TV as a soloist in the 2nd Brandenberg Concerto. In later years he said he'd sold the old battered pic-trumpet used on this recording for a tidy sum - something which seemed to amaze him.
I remember him as a very polite and quietly spoken old English gentleman, an inspiring teacher and an excellent musician.
I always turn this track up out of respect for him...
Terrific story - and here he is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxO4nODCGD0
He told us that he'd been called to do the recording because the Beatles had seen him on TV as a soloist in the 2nd Brandenberg Concerto. In later years he said he'd sold the old battered pic-trumpet used on this recording for a tidy sum - something which seemed to amaze him.
I remember him as a very polite and quietly spoken old English gentleman, an inspiring teacher and an excellent musician.
I always turn this track up out of respect for him...
"In Liverpool, the Merseybeat movement was gathering force. The band had its first recording session under Martin's direction at EMI Studios in London in June 1962. Martin complained to Epstein about Best's drumming and suggested the band use a session drummer in the studio. Instead, Best was replaced by Ringo Starr. Starr, who left Rory Storm and the Hurricanes to join the Beatles, had already performed with them in Best's occasional absence. Martin still hired session drummer Andy White for one session. White played on the single "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You". Released in October, "Love Me Do" was a top twenty UK hit, peaking at number seventeen on the chart. After a November studio session that yielded what would be their second single, "Please Please Me", they made their TV debut with a live performance on the regional news programme People and Places.
The band concluded their last Hamburg stint in December 1962.By now it had become the pattern that all four members contributed vocals, although Starr's restricted range meant he sang lead only rarely. " (in Wikipedia)
I stand corrected. Ringo was a Beatle on the final trips to Hamburg in the fall of 1962. Here are two photos from that time:
calypsus_1 wrote:
Beatles "Star Club" by ~JSaurer
©2008-2010 ~JSaurer
The Beatles at the "Star Club" Hamburg
Airbrush, water colours, coloured pencils, 1998
————————————————————————————————
That image is anachronistic (not to mention just plain horrible). Ringo never played with them in Hamburg, for example.
"In Liverpool, the Merseybeat movement was gathering force. The band had its first recording session under Martin's direction at EMI Studios in London in June 1962. Martin complained to Epstein about Best's drumming and suggested the band use a session drummer in the studio. Instead, Best was replaced by Ringo Starr. Starr, who left Rory Storm and the Hurricanes to join the Beatles, had already performed with them in Best's occasional absence. Martin still hired session drummer Andy White for one session. White played on the single "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You". Released in October, "Love Me Do" was a top twenty UK hit, peaking at number seventeen on the chart. After a November studio session that yielded what would be their second single, "Please Please Me", they made their TV debut with a live performance on the regional news programme People and Places.
The band concluded their last Hamburg stint in December 1962.By now it had become the pattern that all four members contributed vocals, although Starr's restricted range meant he sang lead only rarely. " (in Wikipedia)
Adventurous music backed with perfect pop, two magical 45s in a row. I have my original 45s framed on the wall of my home music room as proof they were the peak of the rock era.
Not to mess with your memories too much, but "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields" were actually recorded during the Sgt. Pepper's sessions. They ended up on the Magical Mystery Tour LP in America against the Beatles' wishes. (Magical Mystery Tour was a double-EP in the UK.)
Beatles "Star Club" by ~JSaurer
©2008-2010 ~JSaurer
The Beatles at the "Star Club" Hamburg
Airbrush, water colours, coloured pencils, 1998
That image is anachronistic (not to mention just plain horrible). Ringo never played with them in Hamburg, for example.
Here's what they actually looked like in Hamburg:
Beatles "Star Club" by ~JSaurer
©2008-2010 ~JSaurer
The Beatles at the "Star Club" Hamburg
Airbrush, water colours, coloured pencils, 1998
Where's the bleed through from the other track in the background?
Good ear. I think I read that the production of this "1" album involved cleaning up some of that (remastering?), but I don't know that for fact. What say the Beatologists out there?
I agree with the suggestions that this song was pop magic. This sort of song is what distinguished McCartney as a songwriter, IMHO.
He told us that he'd been called to do the recording because the Beatles had seen him on TV as a soloist in the 2nd Brandenberg Concerto. In later years he said he'd sold the old battered pic-trumpet used on this recording for a tidy sum - something which seemed to amaze him.
I remember him as a very polite and quietly spoken old English gentleman, an inspiring teacher and an excellent musician.
I always turn this track up out of respect for him...
Very cool. Thanks for relating the story. I'll think of it every time I hear Penny Lane now,
Adventurous music backed with perfect pop, two magical 45s in a row. I have my original 45s framed on the wall of my home music room as proof they were the peak of the rock era.
Pop perfection.
Yes, perfectly true!
Pop perfection.
Where's the bleed through from the other track in the background?
This and 'Strawberry Fields' were the first two songs recorded during what became the sessions for Sgt. Pepper. EMI asked for a new single from the boys and they handed over those two songs. How fantastic would the Sgt. Pepper album have been if it had included those 2 songs as originally intended?
"What's the best Beatles song, ever?"
it took me only a second.
Penny Lane.
"You know," he said after thinking for another second, "You're right."
I would have to agree.
He told us that he'd been called to do the recording because the Beatles had seen him on TV as a soloist in the 2nd Brandenberg Concerto. In later years he said he'd sold the old battered pic-trumpet used on this recording for a tidy sum - something which seemed to amaze him.
I remember him as a very polite and quietly spoken old English gentleman, an inspiring teacher and an excellent musician.
I always turn this track up out of respect for him...
Anybody who loves this song has to see this video featuring David Mason, who played the trumpet part, as mentioned by brother ntoll (click on the clapping smiley): .
He told us that he'd been called to do the recording because the Beatles had seen him on TV as a soloist in the 2nd Brandenberg Concerto. In later years he said he'd sold the old battered pic-trumpet used on this recording for a tidy sum - something which seemed to amaze him.
I remember him as a very polite and quietly spoken old English gentleman, an inspiring teacher and an excellent musician.
I always turn this track up out of respect for him...
Very cool! Thanks for the post.
I agree, except that it's more than just pop.
Back in the late 60's/early 70's, given their use of orchestral instruments, and experimental recording techniques (both evident on this song), the Beatles were considered to be a Progressive Rock group. In fact, though some disagree, many cite the Sgt. Pepper album as being the start of the Progressive Rock genre.
Hey, we all claim the same progenitors, I guess. When I think of Prog rock, it ain't The Beatles who come to mind, though.
Macca is on record as saying that The Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" influenced their direction with "Sgt. Pepper".
Who knew that Prog. rock had such a pedigree?
I agree, except that it's more than just pop.
Back in the late 60's/early 70's, given their use of orchestral instruments, and experimental recording techniques (both evident on this song), the Beatles were considered to be a Progressive Rock group. In fact, though some disagree, many cite the Sgt. Pepper album as being the start of the Progressive Rock genre.
He told us that he'd been called to do the recording because the Beatles had seen him on TV as a soloist in the 2nd Brandenberg Concerto. In later years he said he'd sold the old battered pic-trumpet used on this recording for a tidy sum - something which seemed to amaze him.
I remember him as a very polite and quietly spoken old English gentleman, an inspiring teacher and an excellent musician.
I always turn this track up out of respect for him...
I would prefer the original to Rufus, myself!
Sure, I was obsessed with this at age 5. This McCartney stuff sounds so dated now.
This song was made to sound dated when released. It's about nostalgia. Your criticism is actually a praise in this particular case.