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Beatles forums => Songs => Song Of The Week Series => Topic started by: nimrod on November 15, 2013, 12:15:43 AM

Title: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: nimrod on November 15, 2013, 12:15:43 AM
This has always been in my 'Top 10' of Beatle tracks, I loved it the first time I heard it. It sounds like a really good band.
Like other Beatle tracks, (like say Oh Darling) it sounds simple, till you try to arrange it and play it in a band situation, then you realize theres a lot to it in terms of time signatures and arrangements, not just some simple blues here. The song opens up with a sinister riff in D minor in 6/8 time !! but ends up in 4/4.
It is one of the last songs that the Beatles mixed as a group, on 20 August 1969.
I love Johns lead playing on this , his best imo and shows (like with Paul) that he could handle lead, in fact he puts a lot of soul into his playing on that break, I like how he plays exactly what he sings on the verses.
Of course Pauls Bass line throughout is monumental, he was in fine form in this period.
The final master lasted 8:04, but Lennon decided on a surprise ending. During the final edit with the guitars, drums and white noise climaxing to no end, he told recording engineer Geoff Emerick to "cut it right there" at the 7:44 mark, bringing the song to an abrupt end.

I once heard Robert Fripp say it was a big influence on his guitar textures and repeated riffs in King Crimson, I always thought like 'Red' by Crimson it could be played as an instrumental, these guys (although not King Crimson standard) do a fine instrumental version to show what I was thinking.

I Want You (She's So Heavy) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSIotIYHFPg#ws)



Personnel

John Lennon – lead and harmony vocals, lead guitar, Moog synthesizer
Paul McCartney – harmony vocals, bass guitar
George Harrison – harmony vocals, lead guitar
Ringo Starr – drums, congas, wind machine
Billy Preston – Hammond organ

PS, I really dig the Wind Machine !!
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: nimrod on November 15, 2013, 02:01:29 AM
This deserves to be in here;

The Beatles - I want you (she's so heavy) isolated bass & drums (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmtgYeJ5BBo#)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: nimrod on November 15, 2013, 02:05:01 AM
This is very tasty too;

The Beatles "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" - Tauk Cover (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ifn4mUae95A#ws)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: nimrod on November 15, 2013, 02:08:16 AM
love this one, very dark..

I Want You (She's So Heavy) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZMHfdKb5PM#)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Hello Goodbye on November 15, 2013, 04:07:04 AM
Great covers, Kev!  So much can be done with this song.  It's one of my favorites on Abbey Road.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Hello Goodbye on November 15, 2013, 04:08:44 AM
This deserves to be in here;

The Beatles - I want you (she's so heavy) isolated bass & drums ([url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmtgYeJ5BBo#[/url])



(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ytYQXwkshBU/T32z-ECuiVI/AAAAAAAAAOI/QPuVuDrivUA/s1600/road.png)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: nimrod on November 15, 2013, 05:59:34 AM
Great covers, Kev!  So much can be done with this song.  It's one of my favorites on Abbey Road.

Yes, I love this song, but Im guessing if it was on a Lennon solo album it wouldnt be half as good, the other guys put theyre mark on it and made it a real band track.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Klang on November 15, 2013, 12:54:11 PM

Blew me away when first released. The highlight of AR for me at the time.

I always felt the middle section/guitar solo had a Santana feel to it.

 :)

Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: blmeanie on November 15, 2013, 06:21:17 PM
I like it, like it a lot, but only some of the time.  It has to be heard when my mood accepts it.  If the mood isn't right the song annoys me and drones on and on.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: nimrod on November 15, 2013, 10:00:33 PM
Blew me away when first released. The highlight of AR for me at the time.

I always felt the middle section/guitar solo had a Santana feel to it.

 :)



Thats right klang, it goes from previous time sigs to a latin rhythm just for the guitar solo - giving it a bossa nova, Jazzy feel - clever eh, John got a very 'Jazz/Blues' tone from that hollow Casino of his, you can hear it a bit on his solo on get Back and Honey Pie as well.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: nimrod on November 15, 2013, 11:06:51 PM
From Alan Pollocks notes;

Style and Form
     "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" is one of their most unusual experiments with form, not to mention its characteristically odd phrase lengths and changes of meter. It seems a shame that its equally unusual long running time, abrupt ending, and especially its obsessively intense focus and over the top Primal Screaming affect tend to upstage and eclipse the creative novelty of the musical text.
     It's not quite a medley, rather more like two separate songs cinematically cross cut with each other. One provides the verses, while the other provides the intro, refrain, and extended outro.


Ive always thought that, this is a song of two songs, (as in Warm Gun) the intro & refrain (She's so.......Heavy.....) are both basically the same guitar 'pattern' (not really a riff) in 6/8, whilst the verses are a Blues (I, V, VII) with a Jazz inflection (even Bossa Nova on the guitar solo)
Its hard to know whether John wrote these at different times and then had the idea of forming one song with the two of them.

Interesting thought that each 'Blues' verse, starts on the minor V chord (not the I chord) but resolves on the I eventually.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Normandie on November 15, 2013, 11:45:34 PM
I like it, like it a lot, but only some of the time.  It has to be heard when my mood accepts it.  If the mood isn't right the song annoys me and drones on and on.

I was going to post almost the exact same thing! It is a fantastic song, but I do have to be in the "mood" for it, so to speak.

I know I've said this before, but I wish I could describe as specifically as you, Kevin, and other forum members, what I like so much about this song.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: nimrod on November 16, 2013, 12:21:28 AM

([url]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ytYQXwkshBU/T32z-ECuiVI/AAAAAAAAAOI/QPuVuDrivUA/s1600/road.png[/url])


haha Johns like the serious school teacher with the naughty kids behind :)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Hello Goodbye on November 16, 2013, 12:30:17 AM
It's time to post this vid again...


The Beatles: Rock Band Commercial Spot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-qt5szlQ_U#ws)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: tkitna on November 16, 2013, 12:34:12 AM
I hate this song and thats being kind. Its a definite skip on the album. If ever a song did nothing, this would be it. So long and monotonous. Just the same thing over and over. Cant stand it.

(http://www.reactiongifs.us/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/amateur_hour_anchorman.gif)

 ha2ha
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Hello Goodbye on November 16, 2013, 02:30:58 AM
                                                                                     (http://i55.tinypic.com/2uetjxf.jpg) 








 ;D   
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: nimrod on November 16, 2013, 02:34:38 AM
I hate this song and thats being kind. Its a definite skip on the album. If ever a song did nothing, this would be it. So long and monotonous. Just the same thing over and over. Cant stand it.



 ha2ha




(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8DS1f6G-2q4/UIdcz9R8QZI/AAAAAAAAEQc/MM23Lkq5nlE/s1600/picard+facepalm+meme+4chan+lol+wtf.jpg)



 ;D
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Hello Goodbye on November 16, 2013, 02:45:10 AM
OK.  Let's shred I Want You (She's So Heavy)...


Juliette - Amazing guitarist- I Want You (She's So Heavy) - The Beatles (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wg9GqvMWkg#)





You know, that was pretty good!
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Hello Goodbye on November 16, 2013, 02:58:48 AM
Sheeeyooot!  Even bluegrass bands here in the United States love playin' this song...


The Waybacks - I Want You (She's So Heavy) - Abbey Road cover - Merlefest 2010 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvN6AQz1YeM#)
The Waybacks   Merlefest  2010




(http://i48.tinypic.com/2rcq4v7.jpg)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Hello Goodbye on November 16, 2013, 03:14:02 AM
And The Waybacks did a great Abbey Road Medley too...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCBtV0yyLn4#t=338 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCBtV0yyLn4#t=338)


Waybacks - End of "The Medley" from Abbey Road Merlefest Hillside Album Hour 5-1-10 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9DMO8pjbMA#ws)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: tkitna on November 16, 2013, 04:08:15 AM


([url]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8DS1f6G-2q4/UIdcz9R8QZI/AAAAAAAAEQc/MM23Lkq5nlE/s1600/picard+facepalm+meme+4chan+lol+wtf.jpg[/url])



 ;D


(http://www.reactiongifs.us/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/sudden_realization_that_70s_show.gif)

I'm keeping an eye on you mister.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: nimrod on November 16, 2013, 09:33:28 AM
(https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/4140361216/hCA43B6D7/)



 ha2ha
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Hombre_de_ningun_lugar on November 16, 2013, 01:20:05 PM
It's a song to be appreciated by its musical values. From a songwriting point of view, it's very simplistic and repetitive, but you get something from it if you take care of its instrumental variations.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Brynjar on November 16, 2013, 09:26:34 PM
It's time to post this vid again...


The Beatles: Rock Band Commercial Spot ([url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-qt5szlQ_U#ws[/url])


Has to be said, this commercial is sooo good.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Hello Goodbye on November 17, 2013, 04:35:32 AM
Has to be said, this commercial is sooo good.


(http://www.feelnumb.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/the_beatles_abbey_road_album_cover_alternate_photo_paul_ringo.jpg)


Isn't it!?!    :D
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: nimrod on November 17, 2013, 08:57:49 AM
never seen that before :P
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: nimrod on November 17, 2013, 10:22:06 PM
It's a song to be appreciated by its musical values. From a songwriting point of view, it's very simplistic and repetitive, but you get something from it if you take care of its instrumental variations.

Thats good Hombre, of course melodically its not up there with Hey Jude or Something and lyrically its incredibly simplistic from the man who wrote Strawberry Fields & Walrus. But its interesting in other ways as you say Hombre, there are lots of quirky things going on in what is essentially a 'Blues' well really its only half a blues as the intro, refrain & outro are not a blues, so really only the verses are blues but even they are altered from the standard blues format, also I absolutely like the outro with its wall of guitars,(god knows how many overdubs) and the tension that the thing builds up, thats the thing I like the most is the tension building. The guitar 'tone' I like very much as well, no tinny Fenders here ;)
King Crimson & Radiohead have both 'borrowed' from this sound.
Id have done it differently though instead of cutting it off Id have increased the volume and then slowly decreased it to a fade like A Day In The LIfe final chord
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Hello Goodbye on November 17, 2013, 11:16:44 PM
never seen that before :P


That photo was taken by Linda McCartney, mate.  Previously unseen, Paul released it on his website a year and a half ago.

There are more photos from the Abbey Road cover photoshoot on this website:  http://www.feelnumb.com/2009/03/05/live-abbey-road-webcam-and-photos/ (http://www.feelnumb.com/2009/03/05/live-abbey-road-webcam-and-photos/)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: nimrod on November 17, 2013, 11:48:02 PM
Thanks Baz :)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Dcazz on November 18, 2013, 02:21:27 AM
This deserves to be in here;

The Beatles - I want you (she's so heavy) isolated bass & drums ([url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmtgYeJ5BBo#[/url])
One of my favorites, loud!
Do I hear an extended George solo in the background that was mixed out? I've never heard that before.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Hello Goodbye on November 18, 2013, 02:31:58 AM
One of my favorites, loud!
Do I hear an extended George solo in the background that was mixed out? I've never heard that before.

Dave, that was done with an audio editor, probably Audacity.  If played too loud, you might hear some other instruments bleeding through.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Dcazz on November 18, 2013, 01:41:15 PM
Dave, that was done with an audio editor, probably Audacity.  If played too loud, you might hear some other instruments bleeding through.
I see. I was going to listen to the Cirque version and see if the added guitar work matched the bleed through to see if it might have been part of the original mix.
As I understand it, John and George went into one of the other studios and did quite a few overdubs to get the massive sound on the fade out.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Hombre_de_ningun_lugar on November 19, 2013, 12:40:03 AM
Thats good Hombre, of course melodically its not up there with Hey Jude or Something and lyrically its incredibly simplistic from the man who wrote Strawberry Fields & Walrus.

Surely John thought how this song was going to be recorded even before writing its few words. Actually John was at a quite simplistic stage at this point, just think about his other two important contributions to Abbey Road: "Come Together" is clever word-play with great backing instrumental, but the sung melody is also repetitive with few variations; and the lyrics from "Because" are as simple as effective and beautiful. I believe John had a minimalistic mind at that point, that lasted at least until his under-produced Plastic Ono Band.

Id have done it differently though instead of cutting it off Id have increased the volume and then slowly decreased it to a fade like A Day In The LIfe final chord

I agree, never quite liked that abrupt ending. And the B-side ends with "Her Majesty" instead of the perfect "The End"... Thus, I think one of the few weak points of this fantastic album is how both sides are ended. But our Beatles were transgressors of the norms, weren't they?
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Hello Goodbye on November 19, 2013, 12:47:15 AM
I like the abrupt ending.  It made the listener take notice of the song when the LP first played.  As for me, I thought my stereo broke down! 

No matter what, that ending made people remember the song. 

See?  The song appears 43 years later as a thread in a Beatles Forum!
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Hombre_de_ningun_lugar on November 19, 2013, 12:59:03 AM
I like the abrupt ending.  It made the listener take notice of the song when the LP first played.  As for me, I thought my stereo broke down! 

No matter what, that ending made people remember the song. 

See?  The song appears 43 years later as a thread in a Beatles Forum!

That's a good result from an effect I don't like (still don't hate it).

The first time I listened to Abbey Road was on cassette, and when the A-side ended I thought that the tape I bought was uncompleted!
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: nimrod on November 19, 2013, 02:13:00 AM
This is a seemingly simple song but to play it well, and to give it the emotion in the vocal performance is not so simple

I think John tears his vocal chords when he sings - HEAVY...

Ripping apart your vocal chords was common with J & P, Ive seen tribute bands do Oh Darling without the raunchy screaming, I never clap, if you cant do it...then dont.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Hombre_de_ningun_lugar on November 19, 2013, 04:16:43 AM
This is a seemingly simple song but to play it well, and to give it the emotion in the vocal performance is not so simple

I think John tears his vocal chords when he sings - HEAVY...

Ripping apart your vocal chords was common with J & P, Ive seen tribute bands do Oh Darling without the raunchy screaming, I never clap, if you cant do it...then dont.

I agree, I like how John sings it, but the simplicity of the song is not a defect, is just how the song is and works very well in my opinion.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: nimrod on November 19, 2013, 07:27:47 AM
At the beginning when the song starts it reminds me of switching on a heavy machine, suddenly it rumbling alond with that Dm guitar figure...engrossing.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Ovi on November 19, 2013, 12:20:38 PM
Used to hate it for a long time, until I once sat down and truly listened to it. It's a mesmerizing song, full of emotion and as intense as anything on Plastic Ono Band. The way I see it, it's a song that captures the very essence of having an obsession, for better or for worse (and John should know as he was in the midst of two ones at the time - Yoko and heroin).
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Post by: Dcazz on November 19, 2013, 12:50:57 PM
At the beginning when the song starts it reminds me of switching on a heavy machine, suddenly it rumbling alond with that Dm guitar figure...engrossing.
Maybe part two is when he gets his fix!