YOU CAN'T DO THAT

This one in particular is so good I have to keep reminding myself it's not The Beatles.


Most of the songs were written by Neil Innes of The Bonzos, and they had a very special relationship with The Beatles including playing on Magical Mystery Tour

I usually listen to the French radio station "Radio Nostalgie" (via satellite and/web).
This evening, I heard a son in French, which sounded somehow familiar, but I had to look it up. And since there's a youtube video online ... it's good for a laugh ...

From The Guardian

For full story and links (to youtube videos as well) see above.

I tuned into the Billboard awards a couple of times and was transfixed by Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips battering a cymbal to the tune of Lucy.
Strange days indeed!

Good stuff Walter

In the early and mid 60s, Paul McCartney dated the British actress Jane Asher. Her brother was half of the recording duo Peter and Gordon. Paul gave this song, "A World Without Love," to her brother Peter and it went to number one, although it wasn't known that he was the composer for many years. Here are some Spanish guys doing a pretty good cover.

Great song and Peter Asher was Linda Ronstadt's producer and I think he made her a star.

I can't remember, when and exactly where I saw Peter & Gordon.

But I found this tour program and wonder, if the Overlanders played 'Michelle' as a Rolling Stones support act.

Here's another good cover of "World Without Love." The Beatles several times gave away songs which then made other groups' careers.

Paul McCartney as one of the background revelers on this record of 1966 (and cheering at the end of the song). And perhaps Ringo on the drums.

The Beatles could do outlandish, too

I had forgotten their forays into German. How were they received in Germany?

Germany was as Beatle-manic as any other country in the world. Indeed, parts of Germany were Beatle-manic well before the rest of the world because the Beatles started their carreer as a live band in a dump called the Star Club in Hamburg (1960--1962) . Obviously, not as many people knew and listened to them at the time, but those who did frequent the Star Club were raving.

I just checked YouTube, and it turns out that someone had the good sense to tape some of their performances. The recordings are of atrocious quality; they feature barely any original songs,the band's playing is still unbalanced and quite unrefined. And yet, it's unmistakeably the Beatles. Here is the first of thirteen parts on YouTube:

The Beatles played in various clubs in Hamburg during the period from August 1960 to December 1962.
When we were at the Reeperbahn on a school trip in 1963, the Starclub already was a Beatles pilgrimage station.

Personally, I thought the German lyrics to be stupid (as did anyone else of my school friends). But since I'd been a Stones fan ...

The Beatles, 1960 at the Kaiserkeller in Hamburg

1961 at the Top Ten in Hamburg

Danke Walter

These guys WERE funny!

Cha-cha boom!


The song entered The Beatles’ repertoire in 1961, remaining in it for around a year. It was often hammed up by McCartney, who adopted a suitable Latino vocal style in a light-hearted display of his singing versatility.

The group first recorded Besame Mucho at their ill-fated Decca audition on 1 January 1962; a live version was taped 12 months later on New Year’s Eve at Hamburg’s Star-Club.