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Beatles forums => Songs => Topic started by: danielcelano on February 28, 2011, 12:48:49 AM

Title: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: danielcelano on February 28, 2011, 12:48:49 AM
Do you think that the longer version of Doctor Robert is floating around somewhere?
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: Hello Goodbye on February 28, 2011, 06:56:54 AM
Yes...my stereo Yesterday And Today vinyl LP has a long version of Doctor Robert.  It skips toward the end.   ;D

There might be a mix or a take that's a bit longer but I've never seen it released.  My Alternate Revolver CD has the US stereo mix at 2:16, the US mono mix at 2:16 and the UK mono mix at 2:14
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: Bobber on February 28, 2011, 09:12:15 AM
Yes...my stereo Yesterday And Today vinyl LP has a long version of Doctor Robert.  It skips toward the end.   ;D\

LOL!
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: danielcelano on February 28, 2011, 11:27:27 PM
I guess the US longer mono version of Doctor Robert shows John's "Herb" speech. But it's hard to hear because of a fadeout. Right, Bobber?

Yes...my stereo Yesterday And Today vinyl LP has a long version of Doctor Robert.  It skips toward the end.   ;D

There might be a mix or a take that's a bit longer but I've never seen it released.  My Alternate Revolver CD has the US stereo mix at 2:16, the US mono mix at 2:16 and the UK mono mix at 2:14
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: Hello Goodbye on March 01, 2011, 04:19:34 AM
Doctor Robert - The Beatles - US Mono Mix (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zdQklxxyGI#)
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: Bobber on March 01, 2011, 08:27:06 AM
I guess the US longer mono version of Doctor Robert shows John's "Herb" speech. But it's hard to hear because of a fadeout. Right, Bobber?


Whatever you want. I have never heard John's Herb speech to be honest.
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: peterbell1 on March 01, 2011, 12:48:47 PM
I can think of someone who has maybe had too much "herb"  ;)
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: Casbah on March 01, 2011, 11:22:51 PM
Longer, how? Do you mean the fadeout is longer?

Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: peterbell1 on March 02, 2011, 11:30:18 AM
Longer, how? Do you mean the fadeout is longer?



There were three songs on the original Yesterday ... and Today LP that were early mono mixes of Revolver songs - Dr Robert, And Your Bird Can Sing and I'm Only Sleeping. Capitol were keen to get Y&T released in June 1966 but only had seven songs that they could use. They were pushing EMI for three new songs so they could put out a 10-track album. So these three songs which had been recorded for Revolver were given a quick mix by EMI in London and sent to the US so that Capitol could release Y&T, but The Beatles would then spend a while longer perfecting the mixes that eventually came out on Revolver in the UK in August 1966 (as well as on subsequent reissues of Y&T plus the official CDs).

(When Revolver was released in the US it didn't include those three songs, all of which were Lennon songs, so John only had 2 songs on the US Revolver album.)

There are quite a few differences if you listen to the three songs closely. Dr Robert has a slightly longer fade-out on the US version and you can just make out John beginning to talk about something before the fade.
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: danielcelano on March 11, 2011, 09:11:39 PM
And what about the "well, well, well, parts"? They're mixed in differently because of extra percussion.
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: Hello Goodbye on March 12, 2011, 03:00:16 AM
There are quite a few differences if you listen to the three songs closely. Dr Robert has a slightly longer fade-out on the US version and you can just make out John beginning to talk about something before the fade.

I can hear that too.  I have to crank up the volume to hear it.
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: Hello Goodbye on March 15, 2011, 03:30:48 AM
Well, I listened to the US mono version I have on my iPod.  Turning up the volume during the fadout I heard John say "OK, Herb."

Cor, it's really there.    :)
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: Bobber on March 15, 2011, 08:19:56 AM
Well, I listened to the US mono version I have on my iPod.  Turning up the volume during the fadout I heard John say "OK, Herb."

Cor, it's really there.    :)

I believe you. So this is the infamous 'Herb Speech'. Impressive. ha2ha  Still I'm gonna have a listen myself.
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: Hello Goodbye on March 15, 2011, 02:29:05 PM
Right.  Two words, Cor.  Anyway it's on The Alternate Revolver CD...

(http://www12.speedyshare.com/search.php?im=http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/6735/thebeatlesthealternater.jpg)

(http://www12.speedyshare.com/search.php?im=http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/6735/thebeatlesthealternater.jpg)
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: danielcelano on March 16, 2011, 01:17:54 AM
I think I had an idea to do something with this loud volume.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=35W2EBQH (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=35W2EBQH)

Here it is. I used Audacity to make John's Herb speech louder. Do you guys like it or love it?
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: Hello Goodbye on March 16, 2011, 01:28:52 AM
You did a good job enhancing the fade-out, Daniel.  John's "OK, Herb" is quite clear.
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: peterbell1 on March 16, 2011, 10:39:25 AM
I think I had an idea to do something with this loud volume.

[url]http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QMRHBR2S[/url] ([url]http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QMRHBR2S[/url])

Here it is. I used Audacity to make John's Herb speech louder. Do you guys like it or love it?


Do you think he really says "OK, Herb"?
I'm not so sure. Would John really announce over the mic that he's off to smoke a joint, when George Martin is on film stating that the Beatles didn't use drugs in front of him and they used to try to hide it from him.
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: danielcelano on March 16, 2011, 10:18:34 PM
I think John says either "Okay Herb" or "Hey there".
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: Hello Goodbye on March 17, 2011, 04:16:38 AM
Someone in the studio was named Herb.
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: peterbell1 on March 17, 2011, 09:53:34 AM
Someone in the studio was named Herb.

I thought of that, but who at EMI was called "Herb" or "Herbert"?

I've also read that 43 seconds was edited out of the middle of Dr Robert somewhere.
The original recording was 2:56 but was edited down to 2:13.
Anyone know where in the song the edit was made, what was edited out, and why it was removed?

I also wonder why they decided to fade this song on the record when it seems to come to a proper stop if you listen to the Y&T version.
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: Bobber on March 17, 2011, 10:37:13 AM
I also wonder why they decided to fade this song on the record when it seems to come to a proper stop if you listen to the Y&T version.


We had a discussion on that topic some time ago: http://www.dmbeatles.com/forums/index.php?topic=4418.0 (http://www.dmbeatles.com/forums/index.php?topic=4418.0)
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: peterbell1 on March 17, 2011, 11:11:27 AM
We had a discussion on that topic some time ago: [url]http://www.dmbeatles.com/forums/index.php?topic=4418.0[/url] ([url]http://www.dmbeatles.com/forums/index.php?topic=4418.0[/url])


Thanks.

I wonder if it was because of John's "OK Herb" (or whatever it is) comment that they decided to do the fade.
If it really is John saying "OK - time for a joint" then you can see why they wouldn't want it on the record, and the comment comes very close to the end of the instruments so it was maybe too close for it to just be chopped off the end.

I need to have a proper listen to the track and listen for the edits where the 43 seconds was removed.
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: Hello Goodbye on March 17, 2011, 02:53:34 PM
Someone in the studio was named Herb.

I thought of that, but who at EMI was called "Herb" or "Herbert"?

I don't think the slang term "herb" was in common usage in 1966.  This is from Slang-Dictionary.com:

herb

Definition
noun

1. marihuana, herbal cannabis. This is probably the most common name for the drug in Caribbean use (usually pronounced ’erb). The word has been given special prominence since the early 1970s by reference to it (in popular songs and elsewhere) by Jamaican Rastafarians, for whom it is sacramental. White British cannabis smokers adopted the term as an alternative to the more commonplace grass, bush, etc. in the mid-1970s.

2. British  a street urchin. A rare shortening of Herbert, typically pronounced ’erb.

3. American  a dupe. This term, heard in the 1990s in street argot, is probably taken from the proper name supposedly denoting a quintessential ‘sucker’. (H)erbert is the British equivalent.
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: Gary910 on March 17, 2011, 05:12:09 PM
I thought of that, but who at EMI was called "Herb" or "Herbert"?



I would guess that it was a nickname for someone. John would do that.
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: nyfan(41) on March 18, 2011, 02:39:24 PM

3. American  a dupe. This term, heard in the 1990s in street argot, is probably taken from the proper name supposedly denoting a quintessential ‘sucker’. (H)erbert is the British equivalent.


i know that's not your quote HG - but i'm pretty sure kids in new york started to say that because of the burger king commercials
they had these ads called 'where's herb' and you used to get a discount if you went in to burger king and said 'im not herb'
1986 Burger King "I'm Not Herb" commercial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brfZx0NA-oM#)
1985 Burger King Herb ad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oE5dkTanms#)
Burger King - Herb Is Coming! (1986) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xdp7IXQNVU#)
i think they were trying to copy the success of the 'where's the beef' wendy's commercials . . but they weren't good ads
pretty soon 'herb' became the new slang for 'sucker' . . . but the slang meaning of a 'herb' is slightly different....like a nerd who cant dress who gets robbed and doesn't know the latest trends . . .kinda
-
-
as far as the song, i think in the 60s people said 'grass' and 'dope'.
gary910's explanation sounds likely 
-
-
thanks HG - i forgot all about those commercials till i read your post !  ha2ha
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: Hello Goodbye on March 18, 2011, 11:28:39 PM
Pot, weed, Mary Jane, smoke and reefer were other 60s terms nyfan.
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: danielcelano on April 02, 2011, 03:30:22 PM
I think it's because the 43 seconds were removed and replaced by a fade-out. However, a longer fade-out is heard on the Y&T version since we thought the length is 2:56, but apparently it's 2:16. Right, Peter?

I thought of that, but who at EMI was called "Herb" or "Herbert"?

I've also read that 43 seconds was edited out of the middle of Dr Robert somewhere.
The original recording was 2:56 but was edited down to 2:13.
Anyone know where in the song the edit was made, what was edited out, and why it was removed?

I also wonder why they decided to fade this song on the record when it seems to come to a proper stop if you listen to the Y&T version.
Title: Re: Doctor Robert - Longer Version
Post by: danielcelano on April 20, 2011, 12:03:24 PM
Since the 43 seconds of Doctor Robert that used to be 2:56 were removed from all versions and replaced by a fade-out, I think the edit is somewhere in this song.