| 1.
Birthday |
SOUND
B+ |
MELODY
B |
RHYTHM
B+ |
ARRANGE
A- |
|
IMPRESSION
B+ |
PROFUNDITY
B+ |
ORIGINALITY
B+ |
PLAYABILITY
A+ |
This is a rock number after long time, and should be very
song for band performance. The used chords are three chords of
A major simply. It repeats a phrase by guitar or the bass simply
but it lets us know that this song is perfect, and has good structure.
I think that the Beatles have something special. Ringo plays
solo drums rarely for eight measures. Even though it is called
solo, he plays only eight beat pattern increasing the snare drum
note little by little, but it might be epoch-making. The shouted
vocal between the guitar rif is very cool.
|
| 2. Yer Blues |
SOUND
A |
MELODY
B |
RHYTHM
A- |
ARRANGE
A |
|
IMPRESSION
B |
PROFUNDITY
A |
ORIGINALITY
A- |
PLAYABILITY
A |
Slow blues style rock with grave feeling. The time signature
is 12/8, however it changes to 4/4, or the rhythm of the first
verse changes to shuffle in another verse, so the rhythm pattern
changes frequently. The guitar phrases in this song is very cool.
The guitar rif that played as obbligato is made up of fast chord
strumming and bending single tone, they are used in each measure
at the verse, so it is very characteristic sound. The guitar
solo has special structure that never heard before, the chord
strumming with triplet note in middle tone is used at the first
half of solo, but the sharp single tone with very high tone is
used at the latter half. This song should be a hard guitar number
that various guitar sounds are condensed.
|
| 3. Mother
Nature's Son |
SOUND
B |
MELODY
A- |
RHYTHM
C+ |
ARRANGE
B+ |
|
IMPRESSION
B |
PROFUNDITY
B |
ORIGINALITY
B |
PLAYABILITY
A+ |
Also this song is almost solo song by Paul just like Blackbird
or I Will. If I insist on saying, the arrangement with the brass
or timpani should be different from those songs. As for chord,
the suspended fourth chord is well used. The first chord is D
because of the key is D major and the first note is A. However,
the note from the 3rd beat of the measure that vocal begins is
B, but the chord from that beat is Dsus4 that does not include
note B. It is certain that using the chord G does not go well,
but continuing chord D is not so cool. I suppose that the chord
Dsus4 with note G in the chord D is specially used as an equivocal
chord. The vocal line at the chorus is unexpectedly by scat,
but it is very nice. I am always comforted by this scat.
|
| 4.
Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey |
SOUND
B- |
MELODY
C+ |
RHYTHM
A |
ARRANGE
B- |
|
IMPRESSION
C |
PROFUNDITY
B+ |
ORIGINALITY
B+ |
PLAYABILITY
A |
This song has a very long title, and does not have complete
lyric, so it seems that a part of lyric turns out the song title.
Regarding performance, the hand bell with 16th note rings noisily,
but this song is based upon a simple rock. However, the rhythm
pattern is so complex. If you feel the guitar or drum phrase
in the introduction begins with down stroke, you would miss the
beat at the verse. And the short break after the verse has a
measure of 3/4 time signature, so it is hard to catch the rhythm.
The rhythmical chord strumming or the smooth single tone rif
by the guitar is heard here and there, it has a cool arrangement.
If you perform this song, it would be getting into full swing.
|
| 5.
Sexy Sadie |
SOUND
A+ |
MELODY
A |
RHYTHM
B- |
ARRANGE
A |
|
IMPRESSION
B- |
PROFUNDITY
A- |
ORIGINALITY
A+ |
PLAYABILITY
A- |
My favorite song. The chord progression with tension feeling
and rug-time piano sound make an atmosphere peculiar to this
song. That chord progression is G->F#->Bm->C->D of
three measures in the verse, and then it repeats that chords.
When a chord changing G to F#, all the notes going down half
note make us tense feeling. But at the 3rd time of that chord
progression, the chords F->D7 are used instead of Bm. BTW,
the backing harmony such as "wow wow wow..." that begins
from the middle of the verse, or "Sexy Sadie, she's the
latest..." is very cool. You can hear the perfect vocal
harmony supporting main vocal.
|
| 6.
Helter Skelter |
SOUND
A |
MELODY
A- |
RHYTHM
B |
ARRANGE
A- |
|
IMPRESSION
B |
PROFUNDITY
A+ |
ORIGINALITY
A |
PLAYABILITY
A- |
This song is my favorite song too. I think this is the hardest
rock number of their songs. The distortion guitar sound starts
from high tone with slide, and goes to 16th note phrase with
note E and D in the introduction. The note D goes down by half
note but the vocal line goes up. Then the snare drum fades in,
after that it already comes to its first climax. And the backing
harmony behind Paul's shouted vocal is very heavy sound with
five parts harmonized vocal. Also the guitar and bass unison
phrase that goes down with 16th note from note G after the chorus
"Helter skelter..." is very cool as an obbligato. This
song was recorded for very long time but has been shortened when
edited. At the end of song, once it fades out, then it fades
in again. And it breaks at Ringo's shouted voice, then it fades
out immediately with guitar sound. I wish I could heard a whole
of this song.
|
| 7.
Long, Long, Long |
SOUND
B+ |
MELODY
A- |
RHYTHM
B+ |
ARRANGE
B |
|
IMPRESSION
B |
PROFUNDITY
B+ |
ORIGINALITY
B+ |
PLAYABILITY
A- |
This is a rare acoustic number with 3/4 time signature for
George's song. The long notes with the organ chord sound feel
gentle. The drum patterns are slight strange because the drums
are not always performed but very often. So the rhythm track
of this song is well-modulated by stressed drum pattern. The
sound is soft wholly, but is slight weird at the ending. They
say that the sound like jar is made by a wine bottle vibrated
by the speaker that sounds organ. And the snare roll, George's
weird vocal, and a strange sound just like something scrubbed
come, then it ends with toms suddenly. It is hard to understand
this ending.
|
| 8.
Revolution 1 |
SOUND
A- |
MELODY
A- |
RHYTHM
B+ |
ARRANGE
A |
|
IMPRESSION
A- |
PROFUNDITY
B+ |
ORIGINALITY
A- |
PLAYABILITY
A |
There is a song titled Revolution for a single disk, also
this song is same song as the single's but is different another
take. The tempo of this song is slower than the single's, and
has stronger acoustic sound. However, it feels the impression
that gathers various sounds because it has hard guitar sound,
brass sound, and also do-wap chorus. The coolest chord should
be E7(+9) playing with up strokes at the end of the introduction
just before the verse. Generally, this sharped 9th chord is exceptional
chord that exists both major 3rd tone and minor 3rd (sharped
9th) tone. In case of E7(+9), tone G#(3rd) and G(#9th) make strong
tension. If such a chord uses as dominant chord, it feels very
cool with jazzy flavor. BTW, they say that John sings this song
lying on the floor, I wonder what he thinks!
|
| 9.
Honey Pie |
SOUND
B |
MELODY
A- |
RHYTHM
B- |
ARRANGE
B+ |
|
IMPRESSION
B+ |
PROFUNDITY
B |
ORIGINALITY
B |
PLAYABILITY
A |
It is rare for the Beatles, this song is jazzy number featuring
clarinets. Also the drum pattern is swing style with brushes.
The chord progressions are almost based upon the two-five. For
example, the chord progression at the verse is G->Eb7->E7->A7->D9->G->Eb7->D7,
so the two-five is used from E7 through G one after another.
The chord progression G->Eb7 makes characteristic feeling
with its minor 3rd down. The chord Eb7 should be substitute chord
for going to next chord D7. BTW, a noise of an old analog disk
spinning and filtered voice are heard at the introduction. Today,
it is not rare to use such sounds as effects but is surprising
to have already tried that method in those days.
|
| 10.
Savoy Truffle |
SOUND
A+ |
MELODY
A- |
RHYTHM
A- |
ARRANGE
A+ |
|
IMPRESSION
B |
PROFUNDITY
A |
ORIGINALITY
A |
PLAYABILITY
A |
Composed by George. The hard brass section sounds are so cool.
This song has very complex structure. Regarding irregular meter,
if you feel 4/4 time signature with catching down beat from the
introduction, you would miss the beat at the verse. Again if
you catch down beat, then you would miss it at the 2nd verse.
So there must be a short measure of 7/8 time signature. Regarding
chord progression, it has major triad chord E->F#->A->G->B
from the verse "Cream tangerine...". The key of this
song is E major, so the chord F# and G are non-diatonic but they
are not temporary chord because they are used for two measures
each. And the drum play by Ringo is also cool. Especially, the
snare drum fill-in patterns with double 16th notes just after
break have very nice groove.
|
| 11.
Cry Baby Cry |
SOUND
C+ |
MELODY
B |
RHYTHM
C |
ARRANGE
B- |
|
IMPRESSION
B- |
PROFUNDITY
C+ |
ORIGINALITY
B- |
PLAYABILITY
A |
This song has no introduction. The main backing pattern is
performed by the acoustic guitar and the piano but the drum pattern
is so loud. Especially, the rhythm pattern at the 2nd verse should
be novel because the kick drum and opened hi hat are used at
2nd and 4th beat along vocal line. Moreover, the drum sound by
brushes can be heard, it is rare to over-dub the drum tracks
using sticks and brushes. The chord progression is not so complex.
From the verse "The king of Marigold ...", it has Em->EmM7->Em7->Em6->C,
so you can find that it has a typical cliche line.
|
| 12.
Revolution 9 |
SOUND
B- |
MELODY
C- |
RHYTHM
C- |
ARRANGE
C |
|
IMPRESSION
C- |
PROFUNDITY
A+ |
ORIGINALITY
A++ |
PLAYABILITY
C- |
Beam me up, Scotty! I do not know how I comment on this "song".
This must be a "music" to them but I do not think this
is a normal music. It seems that they had tried to make new song
style by cutting and pasting various sound samples. However,
if you listen carefully, you could find beautiful melody line
behind noise. The melody by piano at the introduction is used
here and there. It is mysterious that once I begin to listen
to this "song", I would be made to listen to the end.
The various sample phrases are studded and condensed, so I cannot
help expecting what phrase comes next. I think that this "song"
might have a kind of magic that does not make us feel taking
a very long time such as eight minutes and 21 seconds.
|
| 13.
Good Night |
SOUND
A- |
MELODY
A+ |
RHYTHM
C+ |
ARRANGE
A |
|
IMPRESSION
A |
PROFUNDITY
B+ |
ORIGINALITY
B+ |
PLAYABILITY
C+ |
After a difficult "song", then an elegant and graceful
lullaby comes. This may be the only song backing by full orchestra.
Ringo's vocal is also soft and is harmonized with the images
of this song. The arrangement is made by George Martin who is
good at classical music. The classical instruments such as piano,
celesta, and also choir by mixed chorus are used. Song itself
may be ordinary but who knows how the Beatles have composed and
recorded such a song. They have gotten all the method of performance
and recording, this album contains the results of their studies.
And this album title "THE BEATLES" says that who has
conquered many difficulties and has realized these dreams is
the Beatles themselves.
|
