Entertainment For Lively Minds
Rocky Raccoon - The Defence
"I have to say that one of the great things about the Beatles is the number of great songs they left off their albums (I mean Hey Bulldog is certainly better than Rocky Raccoon?)"
walker182 - 2 June 2010 - 6:53am
Rocky Raccoon is an easy hate target and I don't get it. It's a good song. There, I said it. In print. On the ever reliable internet. I like Rocky Raccoon. Although not necessarily a massive triumph melodically, lyrically it's got something. Something that is oddly rare in the world of music. It has a story. A well structured story that has a start, middle and end. And the jokes (there is more than one) are amusing even on repeat listens.
I have to admit that I imagine Disney style cartoon animals playing out this Western story (I'm pretty certain I use less drugs than McCartney).
The song is not a dud. Or an embarrassment. It's a vital track on the album and anyone who cuts it from a single disc White Album edit is a fool. The songs it's sandwich between (Piggies and Don't Pass Me By) are low points on that album so maybe it's guilt by association?
PS Maxwell's Silver Hammer is also a good song. There I said it. I draw the line at Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da which gets old very quickly.
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Yes
Though no to "Piggies". I really like that song. Have no idea why. It just appeals to my oblique tendencies I think.
But "Ob-la-di-ob-la-dull" is probably one of the most grating songs of all time, let alone just most annoying Beatles song.
"Rocky Raccoon" was also twisted into weird, Aphex Twin aping shapes by Mr Brian Burton thus:
AND I like "Revolution 9", as there are many hilarious bits in it. Don't take it seriously, its only an 8 minute long bit of fun...
If Piggies was
by another band I might like it more. It's authentically and nastily misanthropic which isn't what you listen to The Beatles for. I see merit in it and the heavily compressed production is intriguing. It's just not a natural fit for the band. It belongs on a nihilistic metal album (Nine Inch Nails have two songs with pig references in the titles on The Downward Spiral which is where Piggies would fit so much better).
Revolution 9's problem isn't the idea of it, but the execution. It really needs more interesting, more out there samples on the tape loops. And maybe some fragments of piano melody or something to come in and out wouldn't do any harm. As it is, it's a bunch of boring samples mixed together without any clear signs of inspiration. It remains unripped to MP3.
It's the bloody White Album!
The best bit of the whole HJH Anthology is when Macca thinks about whether The White Album should have been a single instead of a double and snaps out of cogitation to go "you know what, it's the bloody Beatles White Album" or words to that effect.
It's worth seeking out the bootlegs of Rocky Raccoon being recorded as each take has a different preamble as Macca revises the writing with each pass.
And I like ObLaDiObLaDa: As a positive commentary on Commonwealth immigration and as the Beatles only ska number (excepting the ska-moment in You Know My Name) it hits the spot. Plus the little one loves it. "Arm! Leg!" etc
Ska #3
There is another, earlier HJH bluebeat / ska moment - in 'I Call Your Name' at about 1.12.
As per Lennon: “The Beatles made an attempt at ‘ska’ - the middle - the solo on ‘I Call Your Name’ was ‘ska’ - deliberate and conscious.”
I like the White Album.
All of it pretty much, apart from Revolution 9 and Wild Honey Pie. I like all the other songs - even the little sketches and doodles because they have that "Beatles Charm" blah blah blah...
Rocky Raccoon is actually one of my favourite songs on the album.
As for Piggies, it's a George Harrison song isn't it? If so, the misanthropic lyrics have always been a favourite of his, right from "Don't Bother Me".
Wild Honey Pie
Only makes sense when finished off by Pixies.
Cheers LOUDspeaker!
"Her name was Magill, and she called herself Lil, but everyone knew her as Nancy"
It makes me smile everytime.
Apologies...
...I only said that it was'nt as good as "Hey Bulldog" (which is one of my favourite HJH numbers)...
I am an ardent defender of the White Album's double album status and I like pretty much everything on it (even Ob-la-di, which I think gets bad press because there are so many music snobs who aren't comfortable with happy music). I think Paul McCartney's defence on the Anthology series went something along the lines of "shut up, its the White Album". However, there are songs that we connect with more than others and while I'd agree that Rocky Raccoon adds something to the album in terms of its lyrics, its melody and arrangement are not among the Beatles best...
On the other hand, I've never understood why Piggies gets so much stick. Perhaps in this case the melody and arrangement are seen by some to be let down by the slightly embittered lyrics (but that never did Taxman any harm)? IMHO, Piggies has an intriguing arrangment and I've always quite liked the slightly sarcastic tone of GH's vocal combined with the Orwellian tones of the words..
I like Rocky Racoon
and its streets ahead of Lennon's attempt at something similar, the tiresome 'Bungalow Bill' *runs away*
My sister
couldn't afford the White Album when it came out, so she split the costs with another economically challenged girl, took a pair of scissors to it's spine and they got one half each.
The half that ended up in our household was side 3-4, and I never got to hear the other half until I bought it as a teenager.
And I've never really been able to connect emotionally to that half of the album. It's not that the songs are worse ( but they are ;-D ), I just can't love it because it's not the White Album that I grew up with.
As a child I used to lie down on the floor in between the speakers, close my eyes and listen to Revolution 9 with great joy, a habit that recieved odd looks and headshakes from my older brother.
I can't say I listen to it often these days, and I can't judge the quality of it objectively; but whenever I do hear it I feel comforted. It's kind of like sounds remembered from the womb for me...
I was with you all the way, LOUDspeaker
until you bought up Maxwell's Silver Hammer. That song is like a festering boil on the face of a gorgeous woman. I've conducted a complete excision biopsy of it from my iPod, and the patient is making an excellent recovery. When the lab results come in I'll let you know which vile pathogen was responsible (early tests indicate infection with a pure strain of 'music hall' with a weaker strain of 'Moog').
another Rocky lover here...
Rocky Raccoon makes me smile, I just love it.
I have happy memories of barrelling along, at stupid-o'clock in the morning, arm in arm with a mate, singing it at the top of our voices (apologies to anyone who actually had to suffer hearing us doing that).
FWIW, I'm not a fan of Maxwell's Silver Hammer - ugly, misogynist little song. I can also live without "Piggies" (it's the lyrics...) and the tiresome Bungalow Bill. But aside from that, the White Album's pretty much all gold.
It's definitely in my top 5 albums...
I listened to The White Album again.
In the past whenever I've published my opinions like this I always seemed to get a lot of peoples backs up. Relax, these are just broadstroke one or two sentence impressions.
Disc 1
1. Back In The USSR (5 out of 5 stars)
Great rocking pop song.
2. Dear Prudence (5 stars)
Very pretty.
3. Glass Onion (5 stars)
Feels musically and lyrically dense so plenty to chew on.
4. Ob La Di Ob La Da (2 stars)
Not terrible but you have to be in the mood or it as it's a little too twee and jaunty.
5. Wild Honey Pie (4 stars)
I have no issues with this silly piece of short fun, in fact I like it.
6. The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill (4 stars)
A good song, and the line about taking his mum with him in case of accidents is very funny.
7. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (4 stars)
Okay if a bit bloated and pompous sounding. I'm not overly impressed with it and consider it to be a little overrated.
8. Happiness Is A Warm Gun (5 stars)
Excellent ambitious prog-rock disguised as pop.
9. Martha My Dear (4 stars)
Very nice though close to being high quality filler.
10. I'm So Tired (5 stars)
Great song.
11. Blackbird (3 stars)
It's alright, I neither like or dislike it. The tweeting bird samples used to annoy me, but now I have no problems with them.
12. Piggies (2 stars)
It's authentically and nastily misanthropic which isn't what you listen to The Beatles for. It's just not a natural fit for the band. Also musically it's no more than okay at best.
13. Rocky Raccoon (5 stars)
Although maybe not a massive triumph melodically, lyrically it's got something. Something that is oddly rare in the world of music - it has a story. A well structured story that has a start, middle and end. And the jokes (there is more than one) are amusing even on repeat listens.
14. Don't Pass Me By (3 stars)
Harmless Ringo sung filler.
15. Why Don't We Do It In The Road (5 stars)
Brilliant experimental track. Supremely melodic.
16. I Will (3 stars)
It's okay.
17. Julia (3 stars)
It's okay if a bit plodding.
Disc 2
1. Birthday (5 stars)
Good rocking pop song.
2. Yer Blues (5 stars)
A really good, though not necessarily successful, attempt at a heavy song of torment and soul searching.
3. Mother Nature's Son (5 stars)
Very pleasant rustic acoustic folk-song.
4. Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey (5 stars)
Excellent up-tempo pop song.
5. Sexy Sadie (5 stars)
Very melodic. A great song.
6. Helter Skelter (5 stars)
A good, very entertaining attempt at early heavy metal. Although good, and was covered brilliantly by Siousxie and the Banshees, it's of no particularly great merit beyond the heaviness.
7. Long Long Long (2 stars)
A waste of disc space. So bland I struggle to remember it.
8. Revolution 1 (4 stars)
Decent pop song disguised as a protest folk-song. I'm not overly impressed with it and consider it to be a little overrated.
9. Honey Pie (4 stars)
Amusing and charming piece of old fashioned music hall silliness. I love the little Tannoy voice effect used on McCartney's vocals.
10. Savoy Truffle (3 stars)
Mediocre lyrics and music.
11. Cry Baby Cry (3 stars)
Some decent surreal lyrics, but overall rather so-so.
12. Revolution 9 (1 star)
The problem isn't the idea of it, but the execution. It really needs more interesting, more out there samples on the tape loops. And maybe some fragments of piano melody or something to come in and out of the mix wouldn't do any harm. As it is, it's a bunch of boring samples mixed together without any clear signs of inspiration Only a madman would put this sound collage on their iPod.
13. Good Night (2 stars)
Banal soft track that's only tolerable because it closes the album on an appropriate note (Smashing Pumpkins liked the idea so much they did it twice on their own double album, with similarly banal results).
FYI My one disc edit. Not that the album really needs or benefits from having more than just Revolution 9 removed from it as all the other tracks have something to offer.
1. Back In The USSR
2. Dear Prudence
3. Glass Onion
5. Wild Honey Pie
6. Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill, The
7. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
8. Happiness Is A Warm Gun
10. I'm So Tired
13. Rocky Raccoon
15. Why Don't We Do It In The Road
1. Birthday
2. Yer Blues
3. Mother Nature's Son
4. Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey
5. Sexy Sadie
6. Helter Skelter
8. Revolution 1
Yes, yes, yes and yes.
No No No and No
Julia and Blackbird are outstanding songs, and Long Long Long is fantastic - almost ambient... while Goodnight is the best choice available to close the album
I think this tracklisting is far too "rock" orientated. I must admit there are some fine rockers on this album (Helter Skelter, Monkey and USSR) but if we are going to edit the album down the balance of styles would need to be maintained and Yer Blues and Birthday would have to be sacrificed...
Long Long Long
is the best track on the entire album, and ipso facto one of the best things the HJH ever committed to tape.
And I'm not having a White Album without I Will.
By the way if is this a 45 minute vinyl single album I think - in 1968 - more pruning would have been required.
Okay I've cut two songs.
1. Birthday
and
8. Revolution 1
5. Wild Honey Pie can go if need be but it's only about a minute long.
1. Back In The USSR
2. Dear Prudence
3. Glass Onion
5. Wild Honey Pie
6. Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill, The
7. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
8. Happiness Is A Warm Gun
10. I'm So Tired
13. Rocky Raccoon
15. Why Don't We Do It In The Road
2. Yer Blues
3. Mother Nature's Son
4. Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey
5. Sexy Sadie
6. Helter Skelter
In my defence the original albums are both about 47 minutes long if I remember correctly. Also to balance out the rockist nature of my list you can shuffle the song order about to create more contrast.
..and what about Martha My Dear...
...one of the most joyful creations McCartney ever conjured up and definately one of the 5 best songs on the album...
This is just the sort of pointlessness
the internet was made for.
The 15 track White Album (in mono obviously) should be ...
Back In The USSR
Dear Prudence
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Happiness Is A Warm Gun
Martha My Dear
I'm So Tired
Blackbird
Birthday
Cry Baby Cry
Helter Skelter
I Will
Julia
Sexy Sadie
Revolution 1 (Take 20)
Long Long Long
That's more like it...
...though there needs to be space for Mother Nature's Son and Monkey gets the nod over Birthday in my books (a 16 tracker would be permitted considering that the original first disc had 17 tracks)
Ob-la-di
Like an awful lot of people, I came to regard this as a 'put a cup of tea on moment' on the White Album (except when I was driving), but then I remembered the sheer joy of hearing it when I was 13 and have come to love it for what it is again. Incidentally, Revolution 9 didn't make my iPod either. Is there anybody out there who has it on their iPod?
I do!
Not that I listen to it that often, admittedly...
Ditto.
I have it three times; I've listened to it once since I put it on iTunes. If I'm listening to the album though, I wont skip it.