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Beatles forums => Songs => Song Of The Week Series => Topic started by: Hello Goodbye on May 22, 2015, 09:15:37 PM

Title: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Hello Goodbye on May 22, 2015, 09:15:37 PM
What You're Doing


(http://i60.tinypic.com/2mhalbk.jpg)



The Beatles' first two albums featured a number of songs by "Girl Groups" such as The Shirelles (Boys and Baby It's You), The Cookies (Chains), The Marvelettes (Please Mr. Postman) and The Donays (Devil In His Heart).  For their third album, Beatles For Sale, The Beatles chose to cover their male rock n' roll idols.  But they paid tribute to the Girl Groups with this particular song.



http://youtu.be/2g_FD_sYazk (http://youtu.be/2g_FD_sYazk)


The distinctive drum introduction, said to have been incorporated by the insistence of Paul McCartney, is a direct reference to The Ronettes #2 debut hit Be My Baby from the previous year.  What You're Doing even reprises the drum solo once again towards the end of the song just as The Ronettes did.


We wrote this one in Atlantic City.  It's not that Atlantic City is particularly inspiring, it's just that we happened to have a day off the tour there.

                       Paul McCartney    1964 Interview



'What You're Doing' was a bit of a filler.  I think it was a little more mine than John's, but I don't have a very clear recollection so to be on the safe side I'd put it as 50-50.  It doesn't sound like an idea that I remember John offering, so it sounds like a way to get a song started, some of them are just that.  "Hey, what'cha doing?"  You sometimes start a song and hope the best bit will arrive by the time you get to the chorus...but sometimes that's all you get, and I suspect this was one of them.  Maybe it's a better recording than it is a song, some of them are.  Sometimes a good recording would enhance the song.

                       Paul McCartney    Many Years From Now



On 29 September 1963, The Beatles entered EMI Studio Two at 2:30 PM.  They spent the first four hours recording Every Little Thing and I Don't Want To Spoil The Party.  After a short break for supper, they worked further on I Don't Want To Spoil The Party.  At 9:45 PM they began recording the rhythm track for What You're Doing.  They recorded seven takes by 10:45 PM.  Five additional takes were recorded the next day with Take 11 deemed best...


http://youtu.be/aRT76hgsSOA (http://youtu.be/aRT76hgsSOA)


With the final deadline for recording the album being 26 October 1964, The Beatles entered EMI Studio Two on that day to record the last two songs for the album.  After being present for some mono and stereo mixing sessions, they first recorded Ringo's contribution to the album, Honey Don't, from 4:30 to 6:30 PM.  After an hour break, they started from scratch on What You're Doing recording Takes 13-19.  Take 19 was their best.  Paul then double-tracked his vocals and overdubbed the piano part.  The recording was complete by 9:00 PM...


http://youtu.be/fo-hoeCuyig (http://youtu.be/fo-hoeCuyig)





Song written - 30 August-1 September 1964

Paul McCartney - Lead Vocals, Bass Guitar (1963 Hofner 500/1), Piano (1905 Steinway Vertegrand upright)
John Lennon - Rhythm Guitar (1964 Gibson J-160E), Harmony Vocals
George Harrison - Lead Guitar (1963 Rickenbacker 360-12), Harmony Vocals
Ringo Starr - Drums (1964 Ludwig Super Classic Black Oyster Pearl)



Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Klang on May 23, 2015, 12:32:58 AM

Nice tune.

 :)

Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: nimrod on May 23, 2015, 12:55:28 AM
I never knew about the 'Be My Baby' intro Barry.

Not really much else to say about this track, as Paul says, not a great song but a very nice song to listen too, well recorded (although George's solo is a bit out of time in parts), its a moody introspective peice, and one of the reasons Ive always rated BFS as an album is its introspectiveness (if thats a word)  :)
Tracks like this and No Reply, Im A Loser, IDWTSTP & Every Little Thing gave the album a mood I liked, a mood not garnered on the previous albums

Interesting they dropped John's lower harmony (evident on take 11) on the verse's and just went for double tracked Paul.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Moogmodule on May 23, 2015, 02:17:58 AM
As filler goes I've always quite liked this one. Nothing great but put together well and has some nice moments.  Paul's voice sounds good on it. Beatles for Sale has grown in my estimation over the years. I find it a nice album to put on. Although I'm not that keen on Mr Moonlight or Rock and Roll music, the rest I'm more than happy to listen to anytime.

Maybe it's the introspectatiousness for me too Kev  ;D
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: nimrod on May 23, 2015, 02:23:42 AM
As filler goes I've always quite liked this one. Nothing great but put together well and has some nice moments.  Paul's voice sounds good on it. Beatles for Sale has grown in my estimation over the years. I find it a nice album to put on. Although I'm not that keen on Mr Moonlight or Rock and Roll music, the rest I'm more than happy to listen to anytime.

Maybe it's the introspectatiousness for me too Kev  ;D

Yes I always skip those 2 tracks

manitestations of introspectiveness should never be underestimated  ;)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: nimrod on May 23, 2015, 03:57:07 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7Yl8G7IbG4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7Yl8G7IbG4)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Hello Goodbye on May 23, 2015, 03:59:31 AM
I never knew about the 'Be My Baby' intro Barry.


Kev, Billy Joel used that same drum intro and a reprise near the end in Say Goodbye To Hollywood...


http://youtu.be/47PtUvHIQpk (http://youtu.be/47PtUvHIQpk)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Hello Goodbye on May 23, 2015, 04:04:48 AM
[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7Yl8G7IbG4[/url] ([url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7Yl8G7IbG4[/url])


And there's the incomplete Take 5!
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Hello Goodbye on May 23, 2015, 04:09:35 AM
Although I'm not that keen on Mr Moonlight or Rock and Roll music...

Yes I always skip those 2 tracks

Wait!  I love Mr. Moonlight!
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Moogmodule on May 23, 2015, 06:24:44 AM
[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7Yl8G7IbG4[/url] ([url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7Yl8G7IbG4[/url])


It's interesting to hear that take. Maybe having John doing the harmony wouldn't have suited for the whole song. But maybe having it at a few points would have been cool.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: nimrod on May 23, 2015, 07:14:55 AM
Wait!  I love Mr. Moonlight!

Ive heard a rumour about that before  ;D
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: oldbrownshoe on May 23, 2015, 08:36:38 AM
From my favourite LP, this is a little gem of a song. I always see it hand-in-hand with 'Every Little Thing' for some reason.
The Beatles Monthly Poll of 1983 had it in a criminally low position, no. 179!!! and tied with 'Dig A Pony', 'I Wanna Be Your Man' and 'Chains', with just 26 votes.
What were they thinking?!
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: stevie on May 23, 2015, 11:48:19 AM
The photo looks wrong for the sesh this song is from. Guessing it's from 1963. The lads hair is too short for late 64
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: tkitna on May 23, 2015, 02:09:31 PM
A perplexing song to me because its down right awful, but yet I don't mind it.  The drum sound sucks and George graces us with one of the worst guitar solos in the history of popular music, but its catchy enough that I can live with it.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Hello Goodbye on May 23, 2015, 09:59:38 PM
I guess you even like it a little, Todd.   ;)

George was playing his Rickenbacker 360-12 like this...


http://youtu.be/VzppzkkoFmk (http://youtu.be/VzppzkkoFmk)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Hello Goodbye on May 23, 2015, 10:46:49 PM
And, of course, there was a Beatles cartoon by the same name...


http://youtu.be/XV6mSFL-JRA (http://youtu.be/XV6mSFL-JRA)



 ;D
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: nimrod on May 24, 2015, 12:10:44 AM
A perplexing song to me because its down right awful, but yet I don't mind it.  The drum sound sucks and George graces us with one of the worst guitar solos in the history of popular music, but its catchy enough that I can live with it.

are we sure its George Todd?

Ive seen pictures of this session where Paul is playing Johns Rickenbacker
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Hello Goodbye on May 24, 2015, 01:04:40 AM
(http://i61.tinypic.com/8zmr5z.jpg)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Moogmodule on May 24, 2015, 01:15:02 AM
are we sure its George Todd?

Ive seen pictures of this session where Paul is playing Johns Rickenbacker

It sounds like a george style solo of the era. That finger picked feel. He certainly did a lot better examples of this type though (like All My Loving). It sounds pretty tossed off. I don't mind the structure of it but it isn't well executed.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: nimrod on May 24, 2015, 01:27:04 AM
It sounds like a george style solo of the era. That finger picked feel. He certainly did a lot better examples of this type though (like All My Loving). It sounds pretty tossed off. I don't mind the structure of it but it isn't well executed.

I actually love the solo, its tasteful imo, and I love the tone

Just the timings a bit off
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Hello Goodbye on May 24, 2015, 01:41:16 AM
If The Beatles performed What You're Doing on tour, it would have been a lot like this...


http://youtu.be/Fjctl4cCKHM (http://youtu.be/Fjctl4cCKHM)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Hello Goodbye on May 24, 2015, 01:51:16 AM
The photo looks wrong for the sesh this song is from. Guessing it's from 1963. The lads hair is too short for late 64


Or early 1964.  Anyway, here they are at The White House Sub Shop in Atlantic City a month before the recording session...



(http://blogs.suntimes.com/hoekstra/Beatles%20.jpg)


Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Hello Goodbye on May 24, 2015, 03:46:14 AM
From my favourite LP, this is a little gem of a song. I always see it hand-in-hand with 'Every Little Thing' for some reason.


For me Every Little Thing, I Don't Want To Spoil The Party and What You're Doing are a very pleasant seven straight minutes on Side 2 of the LP.  I like this song very much and it was one of the first Beatles songs I played when I bought my Rickenbacker 360-12 C63 three years ago...


(http://i46.tinypic.com/ka0c9j.jpg)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: nimrod on May 24, 2015, 04:17:06 AM
She's a beauty Baz  ;)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Hello Goodbye on May 24, 2015, 05:43:37 AM
I love that guitar, Kev.  You know by now that favorite artists influence my choice of guitars.  I bought a Guild JF30-12 in 1994 when I saw this...


http://youtu.be/9YHIRGYlLlU (http://youtu.be/9YHIRGYlLlU)


That's such a sweet guitar!




Question had a major impact on many of us 45 years ago...


http://youtu.be/-wDHvmCVRxU (http://youtu.be/-wDHvmCVRxU)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Hello Goodbye on May 24, 2015, 05:51:07 AM
It's nice having you back here, Kev.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: nimrod on May 24, 2015, 09:32:37 AM
It's nice having you back here, Kev.

Nice to be back Baz   glassesslip
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: nimrod on May 24, 2015, 11:32:06 PM
I just listened to this a few times with headphones and Id forgotten how the first word of each verse is harmonised, this leads to a certain 'anxious' feeling to the verses, theres no chorus so only the bridge sections relieve that feel (Ive been waiting...etc)

The guitar solo has that tension also with the piano played hard in the lower bass note section.

And of course there is a wonderful melisma on the word 'Me'
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Hello Goodbye on May 25, 2015, 03:23:48 AM
(http://i42.tinypic.com/k97yiq.jpg)

There's more here than meets the eye.

Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Klang on May 25, 2015, 08:48:11 PM

Yes, Kevin, nice to see you back. I like what you said about George's solo. I gave this song a closer listen on the cans, too, and I think the solo's fine. Not complex or too busy, but just about right. If anything, I think the piano part clashes with it a bit and should have been pulled back in the mix.

Anyway, I think it's one of the best tunes on the album.

 :)

Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: tkitna on May 25, 2015, 11:31:07 PM
This is ironic because I listened to the song last night while having a few beers and the guitar solo is horrendous.  Its one of those solo's that if you were in a high school garage band, you would have stopped the song and asked the guitar player WTF he was doing and to do it over again.  Hard to believe the Beatles allowed it to stay on the tape at the time. 

Oh well, different strokes for different folks I suppose.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: nimrod on May 26, 2015, 12:10:54 AM
This is ironic because I listened to the song last night while having a few beers and the guitar solo is horrendous.  Its one of those solo's that if you were in a high school garage band, you would have stopped the song and asked the guitar player WTF he was doing and to do it over again.  Hard to believe the Beatles allowed it to stay on the tape at the time. 

Oh well, different strokes for different folks I suppose.

Hi Todd
I think I remember reading you have similar feelings to the McCartney album, for me its his best  ;D

Things in music to me dont need to be perfect but just have to take me somewhere, I really like what George did, its kind of minimalist but tasteful, his timing at the end is a bit out but I dont mind that at all, I think it suits the sombre angst ridden feel of the song, and I love the rick tone.

I just watched the film Whiplash about an ambitious drummer, the music school he went to demanded absolute perfection, music imo isnt always about perfection (well ok maybe classical is)  ;)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Mr Mustard on May 26, 2015, 02:08:23 AM
First things first... genuinely chuffed to see nimrod back here where he belongs!  :)

As for the song... one of the best things on "Beatles For Sale", beaten only in my opinion by the sublime "Every Little Thing" with which I (like obs) always link it. It's got that wonderfully sombre, morose texture that infuses the whole album and balances the musical palate following the undiluted joy of "A Hard Day's Night".

That brooding, heartbeat drum grabs me right from the word go. George's selfish, tangled solo, the darkly descending piano and Paul's plaintive, heartfelt vocal seal the deal. It's a cracker with a delicious "gathering storm" feel about it and is by and large woefully underrated, which is why it's prominence on the "Love" soundtrack is, for me, the highlight... love it, love it, LOVE it!!
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: tkitna on May 26, 2015, 04:34:22 AM
Hi Todd
I think I remember reading you have similar feelings to the McCartney album, for me its his best  ;D

Hey Kev.  McCartney isn't awful to me, its just amateurish as a whole and thin compared to others like RAM and Band On The Run.  No biggie.

Quote
Things in music to me dont need to be perfect but just have to take me somewhere, I really like what George did, its kind of minimalist but tasteful, his timing at the end is a bit out but I dont mind that at all, I think it suits the sombre angst ridden feel of the song, and I love the rick tone.

Its all cool.  The solo has the exact opposite effect on me.  I absolutely hate the tone of the guitar on that solo.  Its a screechy, nails on the chalkboard sound to me.  I feel it was very poorly executed also, but it is what it is.  Glad you like it, but I cant join you on this one.

Quote
I just watched the film Whiplash about an ambitious drummer, the music school he went to demanded absolute perfection, music imo isnt always about perfection (well ok maybe classical is)  ;)

My son and I watched Whiplash and laughed at it.  Nobody is going to sit there and play anything as fast as they can for hours on end just because some teacher wants to be an a**hole.  That movie played out like an after school special.  It was way over the top.  The only positives my son and I took away from that movie was the work and practice the kid put in and the music score was nice.  We were both disappointed to say the least.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: tkitna on May 26, 2015, 04:40:23 AM
As for the song... one of the best things on "Beatles For Sale", beaten only in my opinion by the sublime "Every Little Thing" with which I (like obs) always link it.

Hey Mr.M, glad you dig this song.  I was just peeking at 'Beatles For Sale' and figured out that I like 3 tunes and the rest are either neutral or pretty bad.  I love 'I'm A Loser' and 'Every Little Thing' and then really like 'Eight Days A Week'.  Other then those, its pretty much a stinker of an album.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Moogmodule on May 26, 2015, 07:47:09 AM

Its all cool.  The solo has the exact opposite effect on me.  I absolutely hate the tone of the guitar on that solo.  Its a screechy, nails on the chalkboard sound to me.  I feel it was very poorly executed also, but it is what it is.  Glad you like it, but I cant join you on this one.


Yeah I've got to admit the guitar tone on this one doesn't do it for me either. It's one of the examples to me of that scratchy/plunky guitar tone I disliked on some early Beatle records.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: nimrod on May 26, 2015, 10:00:51 AM
First things first... genuinely chuffed to see nimrod back here where he belongs!  :)



thanks Mr M
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Dcazz on May 26, 2015, 12:36:31 PM
I always liked this song enough. For late 64 it takes the boy-girl theme on a different road. I like the flow of the song and the instruments give you some thing to follow. I especially like John shouting the first word of each verse. It's one of their work songs with some different things thrown in.
I've always considered this period between AHDN and Help/Rubber Soul a experimental period where they were using up their cover songs and trying new things with their arrangements. It didn't always work perfectly but there are some really good ones that brought them to a more sophisticated sound that Help and RS have.
This period reminds me of the good songs on Let It Be that led up to the great songs on Abbey Road
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: stevie on May 26, 2015, 09:49:16 PM
Hey Mr.M, glad you dig this song.  I was just peeking at 'Beatles For Sale' and figured out that I like 3 tunes and the rest are either neutral or pretty bad.  I love 'I'm A Loser' and 'Every Little Thing' and then really like 'Eight Days A Week'.  Other then those, its pretty much a stinker of an album.

You don't like No Reply, Todd?  Easily the best song on the album for me.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Hello Goodbye on May 26, 2015, 10:46:07 PM

I've always considered this period between AHDN and Help/Rubber Soul a experimental period where they were using up their cover songs and trying new things with their arrangements. It didn't always work perfectly but there are some really good ones that brought them to a more sophisticated sound that Help and RS have.


(http://i60.tinypic.com/vyw9l2.jpg)

(http://i59.tinypic.com/10zzgo0.jpg)

(http://i59.tinypic.com/2arih5.jpg)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: tkitna on May 26, 2015, 11:35:49 PM
You don't like No Reply, Todd?  Easily the best song on the album for me.

'No Reply' isn't bad, but its never been a favorite of mine.  It probably is a standout on that album, but its only an average tune in my Beatle world.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: nimrod on May 26, 2015, 11:47:44 PM
'No Reply' isn't bad, but its never been a favorite of mine.  It probably is a standout on that album, but its only an average tune in my Beatle world.

I love No Reply, for me it has the greatest ever bit of John & Paul singing together in the bridge;

'If I were you....Id realise that I.....Love you more....Than any other guy.....etc

makes the hairs on my neck stand up its so good.

What an opener.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Hello Goodbye on May 27, 2015, 01:23:16 AM
I saw the light...I saw the light

I nearly died...I nearly died

That song has the same effect on me, Kev.  It was all vocals, that song.  No lead guitar, just John and George playing rhythm with some harmony rhythm by George.  And a simple bassline by Paul.

They never performed it on tour or even at the BBC.  Too bad, really.  I would have liked to see them do it.  It might have gone something like this...



http://youtu.be/k_H8Bs6wszA (http://youtu.be/k_H8Bs6wszA)


http://youtu.be/WBRsekZCqjs (http://youtu.be/WBRsekZCqjs)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Moogmodule on May 27, 2015, 05:36:39 AM
Love No Reply.  I think it might have even made my shortlist for a Beatle top 10. It's one I remember from a very early age too. So perhaps the John Paul voice thing just imprinted on me from toddler stage.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: nimrod on May 27, 2015, 08:26:16 AM
Love No Reply.  I think it might have even made my shortlist for a Beatle top 10. It's one I remember from a very early age too. So perhaps the John Paul voice thing just imprinted on me from toddler stage.


I think 3 or my top 10 Beatle tracks are on BFS

Its a very special album for me as my parents bought it for me the christmas it came out, in a way it was my first ever LP

I loved it and still do, it always comes low down when Beatle albums are ranked by fans but its probably my favourite
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: stevie on May 27, 2015, 09:24:19 AM
Love singing along with NR up full bore especially the middle bit.

Beatles For Sale has always been considered the 'weakest' of their albums. But when you consider their schedule in 1964 it's no wonder they were a bit underdone when they recorded it.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Moogmodule on May 27, 2015, 10:00:10 AM
Love singing along with NR up full bore especially the middle bit.

Beatles For Sale has always been considered the 'weakest' of their albums. But when you consider their schedule in 1964 it's no wonder they were a bit underdone when they recorded it.

I think it was mainly underdone because of the rush of covers they did to finish it. They recorded seven songs in a day. Five of which were covers. The earlier recorded originals were pretty strong I reckon.

Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Dcazz on May 27, 2015, 12:25:43 PM
 :)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Hello Goodbye on May 27, 2015, 07:14:30 PM
I love No Reply, for me it has the greatest ever bit of John & Paul singing together in the bridge

It's a bossa nova, don'tcha know.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Kevin on May 27, 2015, 07:52:45 PM
I think it was mainly underdone because of the rush of covers they did to finish it. They recorded seven songs in a day. Five of which were covers. The earlier recorded originals were pretty strong I reckon.
Like most people I really like the originals. The acoustic, introspective country feel is very pleasing after the high octane shrill of a Hard Days Night.
It could have been so good, but the album is ruined for me by the covers. I did some quick checking, and the average age of the covers on Please Please Me was one year, with nothing more than two years old. By With The Beatles that age had slipped to four years, but four of the six were still from the sixties.
But by Beatles For Sale the age had dropped to seven years, with only one song from the sixties. For whatever reason they had to include covers, I think that in what was a fast changing music scene these old chestnuts just didn't belong on a 1964 album by a hip and happening band. If they had to do covers then fine, but did they have nothing more contempory? A lazy option, even for a band hard pressed for time.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Mr Mustard on May 27, 2015, 11:42:33 PM
Like most people I really like the originals. The acoustic, introspective country feel is very pleasing after the high octane shrill of a Hard Days Night.
It could have been so good, but the album is ruined for me by the covers. I did some quick checking, and the average age of the covers on Please Please Me was one year, with nothing more than two years old. By With The Beatles that age had slipped to four years, but four of the six were still from the sixties.
But by Beatles For Sale the age had dropped to seven years, with only one song from the sixties. For whatever reason they had to include covers, I think that in what was a fast changing music scene these old chestnuts just didn't belong on a 1964 album by a hip and happening band. If they had to do covers then fine, but did they have nothing more contempory? A lazy option, even for a band hard pressed for time.

Super post Kevin, you've pretty much nailed it for me (one caveat: nothing "shrill" - which I take to be a pejorative description - about "A Hard Day's Night"...."joyous" would be a more apposite adjective methinks). Hasty cover version padding and deadline pressures notwithstanding it's the sheer plunge in energy which has given "Beatles For Sale" such a bad rap down the years I think.

I have always found it easy to slice "Beatles For Sale" in half between the very good, bordering on great, tracks and the frankly (by Beatle standards) disposable. Surprise surprise, the forgettable half comprises nearly all those painfully dated (a point you made well which is rarely mentioned) cover versions. The one exception for me is the gorgeous "Words Of Love", but then we all know Buddy was ahead of his time, and John and Paul in such close harmony rarely misses the mark anyway.

Replace side two of "Help!" with the best seven from "Beatles For Sale" and you would have the most consistently excellent album they never made.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: stevie on May 28, 2015, 03:32:22 AM
I like your last point MM - most of side 2 of Help seems more 'outdated' than the covers on BFS.

I mean...Dizzy Miss Lizzy? You gotta be kidding me. Is the reason it's the final song is because they knew people would turn it off after Yesterday?  Lol
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Moogmodule on May 28, 2015, 05:23:02 AM
Words of Love is a nice cover. It could stay.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Bobber on May 28, 2015, 08:47:10 AM
They outgrew the covers. Their own compositions and covers are in balance on PPM and WTB. There weren't any covers on A Hard Days Night and I believe it should have stayed like that on the following albums. The quality of their own work improved where the covers just remained to be covers. Mr Moonlight (sorry Barry), Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby, Rock And Roll Music, Honey Don't..... They can all be missed on Beatles For Sale in my opinion. I love each and every own composition on the album.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Normandie on May 28, 2015, 02:28:01 PM
I mean...Dizzy Miss Lizzy? You gotta be kidding me. Is the reason it's the final song is because they knew people would turn it off after Yesterday?  Lol

 ha2ha
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: oldbrownshoe on May 28, 2015, 03:31:25 PM
It's good to hear the generally positive attitude towards 'Beatles For Sale'.
In the UK the concurrent 45 was 'I Feel Fine' and 'She's A Woman' so, in theory, they could have put out a 10 track all-original LP, another two songs needed to bring it up to the usual 12 or so songs on a UK LP in the mid-60s.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Dcazz on May 28, 2015, 04:43:41 PM
Thinking about it, my guess is that they didn't have enough songs written after their 64 tours and with Christmas coming up they recorded a ton of their covers to fill the album out!
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: oldbrownshoe on May 28, 2015, 05:36:44 PM
And a Christmas 45 would probably have been top of the list.
In 1966, they tried to get 'Strawberry Fields Forever' out before the end of the year, and I've always thought the ending of it has a slightly Christmas feel.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Kevin on May 28, 2015, 08:21:42 PM
Thinking about it, my guess is that they didn't have enough songs written after their 64 tours and with Christmas coming up they recorded a ton of their covers to fill the album out!

But if you take A Hard Days Night as an aberration - a special project brought about by the movie - then Beatles For Sale is in the same tried and true format of the previous albums. At the time of With The Beatles they had songs coming out of their ears - they were giving the things away - but still released an album half full of covers.
So it may well be that they were just returning to their normal format and were not driven by a lack of originals. It's just how they made "normal" Beatle albums in those days.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Moogmodule on May 28, 2015, 09:07:44 PM
And a Christmas 45 would probably have been top of the list.
In 1966, they tried to get 'Strawberry Fields Forever' out before the end of the year, and I've always thought the ending of it has a slightly Christmas feel.

You must have interesting Christmases OBS  ;)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Moogmodule on May 28, 2015, 09:09:23 PM
But if you take A Hard Days Night as an aberration - a special project brought about by the movie - then Beatles For Sale is in the same tried and true format of the previous albums. At the time of With The Beatles they had songs coming out of their ears - they were giving the things away - but still released an album half full of covers.
So it may well be that they were just returning to their normal format and were not driven by a lack of originals. It's just how they made "normal" Beatle albums in those days.

That's a good point.  And even in the next album they finished with Dizzy Miss Lizzy. Which was like they were going back to the screaming Lennon cover finish from PPM and WTB.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: nimrod on May 28, 2015, 09:40:07 PM
I like your last point MM - most of side 2 of Help seems more 'outdated' than the covers on BFS.

I mean...Dizzy Miss Lizzy? You gotta be kidding me. Is the reason it's the final song is because they knew people would turn it off after Yesterday?  Lol

My take on this is that they very much enjoyed covering songs that they admired, they had spent years playing tons of covers ans obviously had fun playing/singing them, maybe an album of all originals in the early days seemed a tad boring to them.

I think they handpicked certain favourites and wanted to record them.

In its day Dizzy Miss Lizzy was superb, we all loved it at college, it didnt matter it wasnt theirs.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: KelMar on May 28, 2015, 09:50:23 PM
In its day Dizzy Miss Lizzy was superb, we all loved it at college, it didnt matter it wasnt theirs.

Lots of John screams in that one. I love those! Oww!
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Normandie on June 02, 2015, 12:43:36 AM
Lots of John screams in that one. I love those! Oww!

I'll have to give that one a listen again! It's one of the very few songs I almost always skip.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: KelMar on June 02, 2015, 04:30:48 AM
I'll have to give that one a listen again! It's one of the very few songs I almost always skip.


It really is a worth another try Kathy. I agree that it's kind of out of place on HELP! but it really is a great cover. The original by Larry Williams is really cool too, IMO.

http://youtu.be/pgYWvMJjFBg (http://youtu.be/pgYWvMJjFBg)
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Dcazz on June 02, 2015, 01:30:38 PM
I always liked it! A real rocker! On Help it's out of place but in the USA we got it on Beatles VI so it fit into the last of the cover albums.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Normandie on June 02, 2015, 08:06:15 PM


You guys are right; I gave the song another listen and can definitely appreciate it now. I must have been skipping it for years (tsk tsk!). Just love how John does those "Ows!" What a voice.

I like the original, too -- thanks for posting that, Kelley!

I was just thinking...back to the original thread title: I've never really cared too much for "What You're Doing," either, but now maybe I should carefully re-listen.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Ovi on June 11, 2015, 08:55:00 AM
I just watched the film Whiplash about an ambitious drummer, the music school he went to demanded absolute perfection, music imo isnt always about perfection (well ok maybe classical is)  ;)

My son and I watched Whiplash and laughed at it.  Nobody is going to sit there and play anything as fast as they can for hours on end just because some teacher wants to be an a**hole.  That movie played out like an after school special.  It was way over the top.  The only positives my son and I took away from that movie was the work and practice the kid put in and the music score was nice.  We were both disappointed to say the least.

I thought it was rather accurate...I would expect that sort of stuff happening in prestigious music universities. I agree that music isn't about perfection and absolute technical proficiency, but it probably is treated like that when taught and the movie was right in portraying it like that, for better or for worse.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Normandie on August 24, 2015, 09:42:13 PM
Lots of John screams in that one. I love those! Oww!

After giving it another listen back in late May, when this topic came up, I've gotten rather addicted to Dizzy Miss Lizzy. They are great vocals (in my uneducated opinion) by John.
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: KelMar on August 24, 2015, 10:57:34 PM
^^^
Ooo BABY! I just love John.  icon_love
Title: Re: Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Post by: Hello Goodbye on January 19, 2024, 07:01:40 AM
Let's make believe it's late 1964...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjctl4cCKHM# (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjctl4cCKHM#)