On Favorite Beatles Songs

This weekend at Shore Leave, on Saturday evening at 5 o’clock, I’ll be moderating a panel on the Beatles. It’s an odd topic for a panel for science-fiction convention, and I admit I put it down on my list of suggested topics as a kind of a lark, and I still have no idea whatContinue reading “On Favorite Beatles Songs”

On Completing the 30 Day Song Challenge

A little more than a month ago, I began posting to Facebook and Twitter responses to the 30 Day Song Challenge. As I mentioned at the start of it, some friends of mine at work had been doing the challenge, one sent me the link to the “rules,” and I started answering the various questions.Continue reading “On Completing the 30 Day Song Challenge”

On The Beatles’ The Lord of the Rings

In 1963, when the Beatles agreed to make A Hard Day’s Night, the film, they signed a three-picture deal with United Artists. In 1964, they made A Hard Day’s Night. In 1965, Help! By and large, though, they didn’t like making films. Too much work. And so, when the idea was floated of an animatedContinue reading “On The Beatles’ The Lord of the Rings”

On You Never Give Me Your Money

Over the past twenty-odd years I’ve read a lot of Beatles books. My studies have ranged from Mark Lewisohn’s books on their recordings to biographies of the band like Philip Norman’s Shout! and Bob Spitz’s The Beatles to analysis of the music in Mark Hertzgaard’s A Day in the Life and Ian MacDonald’s Revolution inContinue reading “On You Never Give Me Your Money”

On an Album of George Harrison Covers

Monday morning, I was in a George Harrison mood. As anyone who’s known me for at least fifteen minutes knows, I am a Beatles fan. I’ve often said I couldn’t not be a Beatles fan; on the day I was born, George Harrison’s “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth”) was the #1 songContinue reading “On an Album of George Harrison Covers”

On the I Ching and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”

Two months ago, give or take, I was talking with a friend of mine about George Harrison. Specifically, I was sharing an interesting story about the composition of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” his song from The Beatles’ “White Album” on which Eric Clapton guested as lead guitarist. While I can’t recall the exact wordsContinue reading “On the I Ching and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps””