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Song Of The Week - Hello Goodbye

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Hello Goodbye:
Hello Goodbye





Hello Goodbye was one of my songs.  There are Geminian influences here I think:  the twins.  It's such a deep theme in the universe, duality – man woman, black white, ebony ivory, high low, right wrong, up down, hello goodbye – that it was a very easy song to write.  It's just a song of duality, with me advocating the more positive.  "You say goodbye, I say hello…You say stop, I say go."  I was advocating the more positive side of the duality, and I still do to this day.
           Paul McCartney   Many Years From Now


One evening in August 1967, Paul McCartney had Brian Epstein’s personal assistant Alistair Taylor over for drinks at his Cavendish Avenue home.  Paul explained to him that it was quite easy to write a song.  To demonstrate, Paul asked him to sit down at the old hand-carved harmoniim he had in his dining room.  Paul was seated at the bass end and Alistair Taylor at the treble end.  Paul said "What I want you to do is hit any note, any note at all.  Don't worry about what ones; just hit notes with both hands, as you feel like it.  I'll do the same this end, and I'm going to shout out a word, and I want you to shout out the opposite word.  That's all, and then we'll write a song."  Paul shouted "black" and Alistair shouted "white."  "Come."  "Go."  "Hello."  Goodbye."  "There you go," said Paul, "we've got a song!"

On 2 October 1967, The Beatles entered EMI Studio Two at 10:00 PM to begin recording Paul’s new composition Hello Goodbye.  After first creating a mono mix of their previously recorded song Your Mother Should Know, they began recording the rhythm track for this new composition which was named Hello Hello at this point.  The rhythm track consisted of Paul on piano, John on organ, Ringo on drums and George on tambourine...


Hello Goodbye - The Beatles - Early Take.


Fourteen attempts were made of the rhythm track, the final take (Take 14) being deemed the best.  The arrangement was fully decided upon right from the beginning, especially evident by the presence of the reprise ending, nicknamed the “Maori Finale,” even on the first take.  The session ended at 2:30 AM.

Vocal and instrumental overdubs were done on 19 October beginning at 7:00 PM and ending at 3:30 AM.  Viola overdubs were added on 20 October.  Paul overdubbed his bass guitar on 25 October and final tape reductions were made on 1 November.  The song was renamed Hello Goodbye on that day too...


Hello, Goodbye by The Beatles (2009 remastered MONO mix!)




Paul McCartney -  Lead Vocals, Piano (Hamburg Steinway Baby Grand), Bass (1964 Rickenbacker 4001 S), conga drums
John Lennon -  Organ (Hammond B-3), Piano (Hamburg Steinway Baby Grand), Background Vocals, handclaps
George Harrison -  Lead Guitar (1961 Sonic Blue Fender Stratocaster), tambourine, Background Vocals, handclaps
Ringo Starr -  Drums (1964 Ludwig Super Classic Black Oyster Pearl), maracas
Ken Essex - Viola
Leo Birnbaum - Viola










Klang:

One of my faves from that period. So upbeat and cheerful. Just right as a pick-me-up.

 :)

Moogmodule:
The repetitive words always made this sound a bit thrown together for me. But the music and arrangement are bright and cheery and it's hard not to enjoy it. It does tend to get referenced by non Beatle fans when they want to slag them off. So Paul made a bit of an easy target here.

blmeanie:
I enjoy it every time I hear it.  Paired with Lady Madonna and you have two monstrous Paul upbeat songs.  Fun.

KelMar:

--- Quote from: Moogmodule on April 20, 2015, 11:37:32 PM --- It does tend to get referenced by non Beatle fans when they want to slag them off.

--- End quote ---


I saw a comment on a Facebook page once regarding this song. The person said they hated it and that it sounded like a song from Barney and Friends (a kid's show on public television). I replied "them's fightin' words!". I've always liked this song but seeing the promo video during the Anthology broadcast made me really like it. I wondered if I'd ever see that magnificent bit of cinematography again. Little did I know...

The Beatles - Hello Goodbye [HIGH QUALITY]

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