I didn't think it was even possible to simultaneously play both the ascending string notes and descending guitar chords of a song as obscure as "I am the Walrus" on guitar until Mr. Pachelli showed us how it's done. From an avid Beatles fan who thought he know how to play this song on guitar, I say thank you Mike for explaining the idiosyncrasies of how to correctly play it. Bravo!! (or should I say "Goo Goo Ga Joob!)
It has to be said, no other pop song comes close to this in its complexity and absolute brilliance. Mike,. to do this on guitar is a masterclass in itself. I have been in awe of this song from the very first day it was released, as the B side to "Hello Goodbye" Lennon pointed this out and sneered at the fact. Of course the song was far too complex for the public to absorb at this time.I love the ascending and descending chords you did at the end .This is an absolutely fantastic breakdown and lesson of a true masterpiece.Thank you so much Mike.
If I had to choose just one song of the extensive catalogue of The Beatles songs I'd choose "I Am The Walrus". An outstanding and mind blowing masterpiece. No matter how many times you've listened to it... It always leaves you 😲. The incredible genius of John Lennon reached its top here and that is really a lot to say, isn't it? Extraordinary job Mike, absolutely amazing. I enjoyed your lesson very very much. Congratulations.
@@MPfrance is that really what George played for the studio version? Maybe I’m nit listening well enough but due to the guitar being somewhat buried I can never make it out.
You´ve got to remember that John´s chord changes (sometimes - as in this song) were "complicated" though his melodies were very simple, sort of one-note runs, very much like J. S. Bach, who also did the same. He (John) did lovely, melodious songs too of course, but was a man who composed how he felt at the moment. Brilliant! As an aside: I was born in 1954, and when l first heard "I am the Walrus" it scared me somehow as a 13 year old. Led Zeppelin´s "Kashmir" did the same too some years later. It is though one of my all time favourite Beatles song now and l love to play it on my guitar to wow my friends. Cheers Mike!
A song like I am the Walrus shows us just how much imagination and mastery the Beatles had when composing their music. This is no simple 3 chord song...it is a profusion of ideas all carefully crafted together and this is why the Beatles music stands out even to this day. Thank you for this amazing breakdown.
im 72 ,cant play guitar at all ,I have loved "WALRUS" because of the sounds without knowing why,it is just a beautiful enigmatic ,song that moves me .I know appreciate what a genious John was with help from your video, many thanks
Excellent demo. Far more, really, than a "demo." For you are teaching us Beatleology from the inside out. It's obvious that you are a serious student of The Beatles. I learned chord voicings that I only thought I knew. The structure of the song is idiosyncratic at minimum. "I Am the Walrus" is in a class all its own and stands the test of time. Thank you, so much, Mike Pacelli. (That chord climb at the end was something else. Never seen anyone attempt it on guitar before. And it works.
Bravo, outstanding playing and teaching! Am a massive Beatles fan for 57 years and you've given me the inside track to some of the most creative music ever written and played. Thank you for sharing your gift!
I had to stop the final play through because it’s a complete wonderment how Lennon even dreamed this whole song up!! The chord structure alone is mind boggling and to put it all together.. right 3 songs into one great one..Thanks Mike for the absolute tear down!! I’m still pondering ..how did John figure this out..amazing
I love this breakdown. A perfect dose of music theory application combined with unbridled enthusiasm. Thanks, man! I really dig what you're laying down.
I love this guys obvious love & enthusiasm for the Beatles. The Beatles blew me away, still do after all these years. I was 8 years old when Love Me Do hit the charts. They changed the everything. Mikes videos are so good, cant get enough. Peace and Love.
Awesome. That was a pretty fantastic forensic analysis Mike. You just proved that John Lennon was truly a genius. It’s apparent that all of the Beatles songs that truly moved music in a revolutionary direction were all of Lennon’s songs. Cheers
I've been playing this for so many years and it sounded right. Well, it was "right", but you showing how to get the orchestral sound is fantastic!! Thank's Mike!!
John Lennon was quoted in an interview saying he was irritated Hello Goodbye got the A Side and I am the Walrus got put on the B side because he felt his was the better song. There has been plenty hello goodbye type songs already and walrus was pushing new boundaries.
My dad bought my first Beatles single She Loves You. We sat in front of our "hi fi" and listened to it over and over. The B side too - I'll Get You. Love these videos. I'm now 69 years old.
The descending chords played with the ascending notes up to 28 minutes - absolutely brilliant Mike, how you morphed the two parts together on the guitar I don't know, but bravo!
Cool beans! Brought tears to my eyes as I remember when this came out on the radio back in the day of the (Beatles) life. Thanks for doing all the Beatles music. Best group of all time who grew up with them!
Mike, that was simply incredible. You dissected this masterpiece and put it back together (convincingly!). It's nearly as good as the original. Thank you.
This is the BEST lesson on the Beatles I have ever seen in my life... THANK YOU for taking the time and sharing your talent. Lennon would be proud of someone like you Again THANK YOU
It always gets me to see such enthusiasm still, to this day, for the most phenomenal band/event, of our lifetime... It's a bone chilling song that seems to come from another dimension. One of the greatest.. It was a pleasure watching you do such a great job playing it. Great way to play the ending, too...
I believe humans exist in extended dimensions not just the 3 we know and 4th Time. I have heard people say the song just wrote itself meaning it was like it always existed when I wrote it or it came to me in a dream. I have woken up listening to music from my TV or bedroom Mac Mini and that music felt so different when I had fully woken up. I must of been listening to it in a very different way or perceiving it very differently compared to being fully awaken. Paul says some melodies came to him when he was asleep. I'm learning meditation these days to relearn how to find quiet within for health but also to see if I find new creativity also.
This is amazing. I stumbled across your video for I feel fine and now I’m hooked and picking up my guitar again learning and playing these wonderful songs I always meant to learn but never got around to. Thank you Mike!
In this Beatles fan opinion...Mike, you've outdone yourself. You know how much my wife and I like you as a guy, well as a guitarist I think that your fab. But being able to first figure out this amazing song probably took you forever. Then, as you are such a great guy who shares these things, you put it in line and taught it to the world. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
What a great lesson. You also tell us why the song is structured as it is and how it was created. I enjoy your Beatles knowledge, your great playing the way you break down structure and appreciate your enthusiasm. This is a really crazy song and nobody else on TH-cam would try this. Kudos sir. The ending chords you played were like running towards a cliff. But you nailed it.
Oh please stop :-) ... In /68 I went downtown to our best Guitar shop to lease my first electric. Knew very little, but a used Epiphone caught my eye and I ended up with it (later bought and just traded in a few years back). It was two models down from the Casino, which I could have had for about $20 more at the time... "that close" ... lol!
Wow, I had forgotten what an amazing song this is.. Never realized it was so intricate. After a superb lesson like this, take a break, or to put it another way: "Sit you down, father, rest you!"
Incredible song, top of the mountain! You've given me chord voicings to master. Besides his musical genius Lennon had a sense of humor. He expressed dismay that he could walk down any street and hear people sing or whistle Paul's songs. But he never heard anyone singing I am the Walrus! He is the James Joyce of rock/pop music. Like Joyce's Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, seminal works for writers, Walrus may have the most inventive structure/sounds of any rock song by anyone. Thanks for a tremendous lesson. Very thorough!
This is just fantastic. Like Mike Pachelli's other video lessons, it combines really solid, easy to follow instruction, with a deep appreciation for the song. This is a great sounding guitar arrangement of an epic song that doesn't feature much guitar. I've always wanted to play it. What a resource! The chord arrangement for the outro is just terrific, both as a how to and as an appreciation of the original arrangement.
One of the greatest songs ever made! I am going to watch this and learn the song, I always faked it but now I want to learn and give it justice. This song blows me away every single time I listen to it, John Lennon at his creative best. What a song!
Jeez, Mike. Sometimes when you're playing "I Am the Walrus," you disappear and become the Beatles. Thank you for the splendid lesson! Your conclusion of the song was sublime.
There was something magical going on at the end when you played the entire song, Mike. I could imagine the orchestra with John on piano. Thank you for another excellent lesson.
Jeez, gotta the Beatles credit for being able to remember the chord changes during their recording sessions. The music of the 60's had so much more experimentation than what was recorded afterwards with a few noted exceptions like Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, ELP's Pirates, or some of the side long songs by Yes and later Rush. This was a great lesson with plenty of usable tips thrown in for good measure. Thanks!
Mike, If this was the Beatles best song, this is your best video. This is also my number 1 favorite Beatles song, followed by Can't Buy Me Love. Lots of comments below about your enthusiasm -- this is what life should be all about, no? Passion. The Beatles had it. So do you and me.
Yeh! I’m a life long Beatles fan and guitarist and you have just shown me this song for the first time il appreciate this song a little more from now on and hear it with new ears! Great tutorial 👍
Absolutely The Most Difficult Song Ever. And So Easy for Them & You. One of my Favorites also since I was 10 years old. Amazing THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR LESSONS ❤️ Cheers 🍻
Wow nicely done version thanks for making my Saturday morning more enjoyable. I will never be able to play it like you do but I sure did enjoy the interesting chords and awesome sounds, I may have to break out my old Beatles albums for a listen.
That was an odyssey into another musical dimension! Never even crossed my mind to jump down the Walrus's "Rabbit Hole". Quite satisfying sojourn you took me on...Thanx!
I just love this lesson- always come back to it every few weeks just to admire the song. Well done, as are all of your analysis Mike, of the beatles..BB, Jimi - its a complete review of everything in proper context, and in a very detailed musical and historical manner Thanks so much.
Jackel did one of my favorite covers of this song. Hard rock version with les pauls, etc. Thanks Mike for your insights into John Lennon's creativity. He is my favorite Beatle with his guitar rhythms and numerous riffs on the guitar and piano (Imagine,etc). Genius. Paul a close second.
yeah, that's the Epiphone from the rooftop show that JL always played in the BEATLES mid-late 60's period, except this one's a lot newer .this is outstanding. thanx MP.
What a brilliant lesson of this song that I've loved since I was a kid. Now at 46 I can finally play. So structured, enthusiastic and fun to watch. You sir are an excellent teacher!
We never hear those chords so distinctively as you make them so clear to us here. It really makes us appreciate the Beatles genius even more. How can ego's soar so high, yet, they never ever showed any sign within their personalities that they were egotistical. Genius. And four of them together! Imagine our world if they never came along. After 50 years, i still can't comprehend their magic.
My Dad got me my first guitar on Christmas, 1963, and when the Beatles came to America 2 months later, I was hypnotized for sure. In 1968 I bought a used, but mint condition Gibson ES-330 TDC, just like your Epi. I love all styles of music, but the Beatles are the "toppermost of the poppermost" for me. I'll be watching all your videos. You're great.
Woh, the end is cray cray. I feel like I am inside out. I have no real hope of playing a Beatles' song, but I love listening and watching to you break them down.
Canaan Albright - OF COURSE you could play any Beatles song you desire. It's just a matter of taking things real slow and not putting too much pressure on yourself or having a time frame that you 'think' you need to achieve something by. Simply learn a few bars - practice it VERY slowly until you get those. Then add a few more bars and repeat the process no matter how long it takes.
You have beautifully played and explained why the Beatles we're so incredibly good, and that's just the guitar part, they had such great voices, we're very charismatic and humourous beating the press at their own game, and how many incredible songs that we're totally ground breaking and heart shaking ! You are good man and I agree that this was their greatest song, other worldly (Straight out of Alice in wonderland, I'm so glad she took that biscuit ! )
To Roy de'Alwis - a really great comment. This song, I Am The Walrus, is a towering masterpiece. I am totally in awe of it. I almost can't believe it exists.
That is amazing, I'm still discovering incredible facts about the Beatles to this day. At this time 50 years on we can still say with certainty that they we're truly an extraordinary talented group that touched the hearts of people in a way that no one has since or likely to !
Mike just discovered you have to say, you are an exceptional teacher. You keep everything very clear and to the point making it easy. Thanks Keep on Rockin'
Congrats for your really nice job! I always loved The Beatles and your lessons makes me more and more amazed with the rich details in every songs. As a piano student who plays a little of guitar, wish you success. Keep doing this beautiful work.
Mike, agree with you this song is unbelievable and like with most of the Beatles songs, I never get tired of listening to them! Thanks for another brilliant video tutorial. You are also magnificent!
John Lennon was a unique individual. I see many comments about how he was a weak musician and therefore not great. But when you listen the songs he wrote you realise what a creative genius he was.
hohaia rangi Guy was amazing. And one of the song best writers in history. I think he's the best honestly. Then you look at the instrumentals he wrote and you realize how brilliant he really was.
@@el34glo59 yeah. I've always thought his 'Plastic Ono Band' was his finest hour as an artist who used music. but you're right .it took a lot of YouTubing really, for me to learn what magic he had in him musically. some of his musical ideas in the Imagine(album) period were really a pleasure to hear. from the breakup til' about '72 he did some good work.'Jealous guy', 'love' ',hold on'.to name 3 .in the film IMAGINE (ironically I never loved the song) you can hear bits of genius in that studio. he did indeed, prove that Paul wasn't the BEATLES. but McCartney is another genius.
I guarantee you that *every* single person who would say such a thing doesn't know f#$k all about music, and it's always those types that feel they have to teach YOU about it. (Why is it so hard for the laziest, least accomplished people to simply face what they are and shut up?) Lennon was not even remotely a "weak" musician. On the contrary, he was absolutely phenomenal. But because he didn't write symphonies or play a guitar like Yngwie Malmsteen, these poser critics have to try to pretend to know something. They absolutely don't get it. Music is infinitely complex. It is, by definition, art, and there are no rules. I've been a musician for a long time, and I've always been the most amazed by the people who can write brilliant and beautiful songs and make them seem simple. It is MUCH harder to do that than it is to write something fancy and contrived. Lennon was an utter genius in this regard. (And ironically, THIS song doesn't even really fit that mold, in that it is by no means "simple".)
Tony M Since when was Paul The Beatles? If anything, John is the Beatles, he formed the band, he ended the band, he made the most revolutionary songs by far! He was the artistic genius. Paul was the pop master and the versatile instrumentalist. But it’s Lennon’s chords/songs/lyrics that pushed the Beatles into the future even more than Macca’s beautiful pop melodies
Some of them chords. Geez the Beatles must have been on the verge of progressive rock. My mind boggles at how anyone could sit down and say hey guys I have a song and this is how it goes. Lennon was one of a kind. And to think so was each member of the Beatles. Fantastic band and producer George Martin. Thanks for posting and great work by the way.
Masterful teaching of my too favorite all time song. I had the original single in 1967 with Hello Goodbye on what I considered the B side. The Walrus was A for me. I was 9 years old, and my mother checked my arms for needle marks because I would play the song over and over (I took up guitar because of Lennon at this point) and she thought I must have been on drugs (never was.) The two best songs in the whole Beatles catalogue, which can never be matched, is I am the Walrus and A Day in the Life, both mainly penned by John with some collaborative help from Paul on A Day in the Life. I was lucky enough to hear these songs over the radio when they were first released, bought the records and albums. There will never be anything like it again, and this song is The Beatles at their zenith. George Martin agreed, and said his favorite songs were John's, because of the invention. All of their songs were beyond the reach of others, but these particular songs (Strawberry Fields, Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite) set them apart from everyone else at that time, and IMHO were the essence of The Beatles.
You’re doing a great job Mike, not only at your teaching Beatles guitar, but for your enthusiasm, and your explanations of why this band was so incredible and unique. You are a gifted guitarist (I’ve been playing since the early ‘60s) but you are a very astute scholar of the band. I am enjoying your playing, and your intuitive method of breaking down the complexities to the fundamentals of their gifts, which we were lucky enough to have known in real time.
Thanks very much for those nice words. I appreciate it. If you'd be so kind - please have a listen to my music at www.MikePachelli.com I've released 18 albums in a variety of genres and they all have a bit of Beatles influence. I appreciate your support!
I didn't think it was even possible to simultaneously play both the ascending string notes and descending guitar chords of a song as obscure as "I am the Walrus" on guitar until Mr. Pachelli showed us how it's done. From an avid Beatles fan who thought he know how to play this song on guitar, I say thank you Mike for explaining the idiosyncrasies of how to correctly play it. Bravo!! (or should I say "Goo Goo Ga Joob!)
Doug Stambaugh - thanks for the kudos - I appreciate it! And yea - a good shouting of Goo goo g'joob does a body good!!
Nice one Mike
This guy is an incredible teacher. A+++
I agree and I love the fact that he genuinely seems to love what he's doing.
This song is the perfect balance of songwriting and studio experimentation and the Beatles are unmatched in both.
16 chords in one song. What a musical mind/intelligence John had/has.
It has to be said, no other pop song comes close to this in its complexity and absolute brilliance. Mike,. to do this on guitar is a masterclass in itself. I have been in awe of this song from the very first day it was released, as the B side to "Hello Goodbye" Lennon pointed this out and sneered at the fact. Of course the song was far too complex for the public to absorb at this time.I love the ascending and descending chords you did at the end .This is an absolutely fantastic breakdown and lesson of a true masterpiece.Thank you so much Mike.
I watched the whole video and I don't even really want to play the song, just enjoyed the info and this mans enthusiasm!
Samuel Feynman Tribute page I agree! I don't really play guitar but I do however transfer his information to piano!
Yeah, Mike could not be accused of being low energy when it come to "the boys" :-) ... love it!
@@michael52250 all of their songs are his favourite song
@@chetruane hard to chose, ya know
Ha! I was thinking the same thing....
If I had to choose just one song of the extensive catalogue of The Beatles songs I'd choose "I Am The Walrus".
An outstanding and mind blowing masterpiece. No matter how many times you've listened to it... It always leaves you 😲.
The incredible genius of John Lennon reached its top here and that is really a lot to say, isn't it?
Extraordinary job Mike, absolutely amazing. I enjoyed your lesson very very much. Congratulations.
And it was a B side to Hello Goodbye, a mediocre song at best
The tone you get on that Casino: 🥰. Even just hitting the chords in your chord breakdown, good Lord.
Mike plays it in full @29:35..... I've listened to a gazillion songs on TH-cam. I don't think I've *ever* enjoyed one more. Thank you MIKE !!!
Wow - very kind words indeed. Thanks!!
Agreed 100%. I keep coming back to this!
@@MPfrance is that really what George played for the studio version? Maybe I’m nit listening well enough but due to the guitar being somewhat buried I can never make it out.
So. Damn. Coo.
You´ve got to remember that John´s chord changes (sometimes - as in this song) were "complicated" though his melodies were very simple, sort of one-note runs, very much like J. S. Bach, who also did the same. He (John) did lovely, melodious songs too of course, but was a man who composed how he felt at the moment. Brilliant! As an aside: I was born in 1954, and when l first heard "I am the Walrus" it scared me somehow as a 13 year old. Led Zeppelin´s "Kashmir" did the same too some years later. It is though one of my all time favourite Beatles song now and l love to play it on my guitar to wow my friends. Cheers Mike!
That is freaking Incredible! Beatles! KickAss!!
Pachelli is awesome. I never tire of his teaching. His library is desert island material..
A song like I am the Walrus shows us just how much imagination and mastery the Beatles had when composing their music. This is no simple 3 chord song...it is a profusion of ideas all carefully crafted together and this is why the Beatles music stands out even to this day. Thank you for this amazing breakdown.
ABSOLUTELY!! It's my fave song by the lads.
im 72 ,cant play guitar at all ,I have loved "WALRUS" because of the sounds without knowing why,it is just a beautiful enigmatic ,song that moves me .I know appreciate what a genious John was with help from your video, many thanks
Excellent demo. Far more, really, than a "demo." For you are teaching us Beatleology from the inside out. It's obvious that you are a serious student of The Beatles. I learned chord voicings that I only thought I knew. The structure of the song is idiosyncratic at minimum. "I Am the Walrus" is in a class all its own and stands the test of time. Thank you, so much, Mike Pacelli. (That chord climb at the end was something else. Never seen anyone attempt it on guitar before. And it works.
Bravo, outstanding playing and teaching! Am a massive Beatles fan for 57 years and you've given me the inside track to some of the most creative music ever written and played. Thank you for sharing your gift!
I had to stop the final play through because it’s a complete wonderment how Lennon even dreamed this whole song up!! The chord structure alone is mind boggling and to put it all together.. right 3 songs into one great one..Thanks Mike for the absolute tear down!! I’m still pondering ..how did John figure this out..amazing
Just fabulous Mike, you have the knack of bringing all the Beatles tunes to life again!
Again?
I love this breakdown. A perfect dose of music theory application combined with unbridled enthusiasm. Thanks, man! I really dig what you're laying down.
Glad it was helpful!
Last year when my daughter got married at the dinner afterward I had the dj play this as my favorite song! Thanks Mike!
Having just recently found Mr. Pachelli I am blown away by the huge collection of my favorites already broken down into lessons...priceless
The best teacher ever!
I love this guys obvious love & enthusiasm for the Beatles. The Beatles blew me away, still do after all these years. I was 8 years old when Love Me Do hit the charts. They changed the everything. Mikes videos are so good, cant get enough. Peace and Love.
I agree with you Mike. It is my FAVORITE Beatle song.
Awesome. That was a pretty fantastic forensic analysis Mike. You just proved that John Lennon was truly a genius. It’s apparent that all of the Beatles songs that truly moved music in a revolutionary direction were all of Lennon’s songs. Cheers
In every album ,Lennon songs are a step ahead of the rest of the band
Dear Mike Pachelli, its just great how you are teaching, performing and living! this song. Thanks a lot!
I've been playing this for so many years and it sounded right. Well, it was "right", but you showing how to get the orchestral sound is fantastic!! Thank's Mike!!
John Lennon was quoted in an interview saying he was irritated Hello Goodbye got the A Side and I am the Walrus got put on the B side because he felt his was the better song. There has been plenty hello goodbye type songs already and walrus was pushing new boundaries.
My dad bought my first Beatles single She Loves You. We sat in front of our "hi fi" and listened to it over and over. The B side too - I'll Get You. Love these videos. I'm now 69 years old.
The descending chords played with the ascending notes up to 28 minutes - absolutely brilliant Mike, how you morphed the two parts together on the guitar I don't know, but bravo!
Cool beans! Brought tears to my eyes as I remember when this came out on the radio back in the day of the (Beatles) life. Thanks for doing all the Beatles music. Best group of all time who grew up with them!
Mike, that was simply incredible. You dissected this masterpiece and put it back together (convincingly!). It's nearly as good as the original. Thank you.
The genus of Mike for Pachelli for breaking this down and putting it back together!
This is the BEST lesson on the Beatles I have ever seen in my life... THANK YOU for taking the time and sharing your talent.
Lennon would be proud of someone like you
Again THANK YOU
Thank you - HIGH praise indeed and I'm humbled by your kind words!
It always gets me to see such enthusiasm still, to this day, for the most phenomenal band/event, of our lifetime...
It's a bone chilling song that seems to come from another dimension. One of the greatest..
It was a pleasure watching you do such a great job playing it. Great way to play the ending, too...
To Tony S - a great comment. It does seem to come from another dimension .. in fact it probably actually does.
I believe humans exist in extended dimensions not just the 3 we know and 4th Time. I have heard people say the song just wrote itself meaning it was like it always existed when I wrote it or it came to me in a dream. I have woken up listening to music from my TV or bedroom Mac Mini and that music felt so different when I had fully woken up. I must of been listening to it in a very different way or perceiving it very differently compared to being fully awaken. Paul says some melodies came to him when he was asleep. I'm learning meditation these days to relearn how to find quiet within for health but also to see if I find new creativity also.
I still got and play the 45 mop form Apple records. It fired me up as I would dress up for Midget Football League.
This is amazing. I stumbled across your video for I feel fine and now I’m hooked and picking up my guitar again learning and playing these wonderful songs I always meant to learn but never got around to. Thank you Mike!
Breathtakingly brilliant Mike 👏👏👏
and that’s what sets them apart from even the greats
In this Beatles fan opinion...Mike, you've outdone yourself. You know how much my wife and I like you as a guy, well as a guitarist I think that your fab. But being able to first figure out this amazing song probably took you forever. Then, as you are such a great guy who shares these things, you put it in line and taught it to the world. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Jay - You're most welcome!
KEEP IT COMING MIKE...YOU'RE A TRUE BADSSS..THANK THE HELL OUTTA YA
.
Hauntingly cool chord progressions. Thanks for unlocking it for us.
Im sad I was born after the Beatles but just as glad I was born after! Genius deconstructed by Mr. Pachelli, thank you.
What a great lesson. You also tell us why the song is structured as it is and how it was created. I enjoy your Beatles knowledge, your great playing the way you break down structure and appreciate your enthusiasm. This is a really crazy song and nobody else on TH-cam would try this. Kudos sir. The ending chords you played were like running towards a cliff. But you nailed it.
Thank you. I've always loved this song and the ending STILL blows my mind!
Mike Pachelli. Mike is that a real 1965 Epiphonoe Casino old Vintage Guitar like John Lennon's?
Oh please stop :-) ... In /68 I went downtown to our best Guitar shop to lease my first electric. Knew very little, but a used Epiphone caught my eye and I ended up with it (later bought and just traded in a few years back). It was two models down from the Casino, which I could have had for about $20 more at the time... "that close" ... lol!
Wow, I had forgotten what an amazing song this is.. Never realized it was so intricate. After a superb lesson like this, take a break, or to put it another way: "Sit you down, father, rest you!"
Great tag to the post!
Incredible song, top of the mountain! You've given me chord voicings to master. Besides his musical genius Lennon had a sense of humor. He expressed dismay that he could walk down any street and hear people sing or whistle Paul's songs. But he never heard anyone singing I am the Walrus! He is the James Joyce of rock/pop music. Like Joyce's Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, seminal works for writers, Walrus may have the most inventive structure/sounds of any rock song by anyone. Thanks for a tremendous lesson. Very thorough!
You're a great teacher and you choose a genius song.
This song is incredible and the lesson is off the charts fantastic.
This is just fantastic. Like Mike Pachelli's other video lessons, it combines really solid, easy to follow instruction, with a deep appreciation for the song. This is a great sounding guitar arrangement of an epic song that doesn't feature much guitar. I've always wanted to play it. What a resource! The chord arrangement for the outro is just terrific, both as a how to and as an appreciation of the original arrangement.
Wow, thanks!
God bless you Mike, you have my dedication for a lifetime! Keep the sharing!
One of the greatest songs ever made! I am going to watch this and learn the song, I always faked it but now I want to learn and give it justice. This song blows me away every single time I listen to it, John Lennon at his creative best. What a song!
7:36 is the single most wholesome thing on the internet
These videos feel so old school. Bob Ross vibes, I dig it.
the worst thing about Mike's videos is that they all end. too much fun for him and us.
Happy Chords....
Yesss
This must be the Best Beatles turorial ive seen...even explained the songs history. Im impressed!
i'm blown away -
Great job Mike. No one understands the Beatles music better than you!
Thanks Mike, a REAL guitar lesson...Much obliged, keep up the good work...I seriously love the Epiphone Casino now
Thanks SO much and yea - me too! The Epi is FAB!!!
Jeez, Mike. Sometimes when you're playing "I Am the Walrus," you disappear and become the Beatles. Thank you for the splendid lesson! Your conclusion
of the song was sublime.
There was something magical going on at the end when you played the entire song, Mike. I could imagine the orchestra with John on piano. Thank you for another excellent lesson.
You look like John 😀....fantastic teacher well done
Really does here. Hah!
'67 model
Jeez, gotta the Beatles credit for being able to remember the chord changes during their recording sessions.
The music of the 60's had so much more experimentation than what was recorded afterwards with a few noted exceptions like Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, ELP's Pirates, or some of the side long songs by Yes and later Rush.
This was a great lesson with plenty of usable tips thrown in for good measure. Thanks!
You forgot Pink Floyd
Mike, If this was the Beatles best song, this is your best video. This is also my number 1 favorite Beatles song, followed by Can't Buy Me Love. Lots of comments below about your enthusiasm -- this is what life should be all about, no? Passion. The Beatles had it. So do you and me.
Yeh! I’m a life long Beatles fan and guitarist and you have just shown me this song for the first time il appreciate this song a little more from now on and hear it with new ears! Great tutorial 👍
Absolutely The Most Difficult Song Ever. And So Easy for Them & You. One of my Favorites also since I was 10 years old. Amazing THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR LESSONS ❤️ Cheers 🍻
Mike, you made me like this masterpiece even more!
Wow nicely done version thanks for making my Saturday morning more enjoyable. I will never be able to play it like you do but I sure did enjoy the interesting chords and awesome sounds, I may have to break out my old Beatles albums for a listen.
I've learned so much about the intricacies of the Beatles' songs. I was close but Mike is spot on.
Thank you so much Mike I’m having a blast Lennon and George Martin were absolute geniuses. So cool
That was an odyssey into another musical dimension! Never even crossed my mind to jump down the Walrus's "Rabbit Hole". Quite satisfying sojourn you took me on...Thanx!
This guy is really has a talent for teaching. It doesn't hurt that he's also and excellent musician.
I just love this lesson- always come back to it every few weeks just to admire the song. Well done, as are all of your analysis Mike, of the beatles..BB, Jimi - its a complete review of everything in proper context, and in a very detailed musical and historical manner Thanks so much.
Jackel did one of my favorite covers of this song. Hard rock version with les pauls, etc. Thanks Mike for your insights into John Lennon's creativity. He is my favorite Beatle with his guitar rhythms and numerous riffs on the guitar and piano (Imagine,etc). Genius. Paul a close second.
Thanks Mike! I can't play a lick, but I keep watching your videos over and over to better appreciate what I'm listening to. It works wonders!!
Fantastic lesson. The song is pure Lennon genius and you illuminated the chords and their voicing expertly.
yeah, that's the Epiphone from the rooftop show that JL always played in the BEATLES mid-late 60's period, except this one's a lot newer .this is outstanding. thanx MP.
He bought it in '65 (I think) and used it as his guitar of choice from Revolver on. :)
That outro, though... That's just showing off, Mike. Thank you!
This is majestic... thank you..thank you
Mark - Glad you liked it! It's my all-time fave Beatles' song.
What a brilliant lesson of this song that I've loved since I was a kid. Now at 46 I can finally play. So structured, enthusiastic and fun to watch. You sir are an excellent teacher!
Totally blown away, speechless! Long live The Walrus!
We never hear those chords so distinctively as you make them so clear to us here. It really makes us appreciate the Beatles genius even more. How can ego's soar so high, yet, they never ever showed any sign within their personalities that they were egotistical. Genius. And four of them together! Imagine our world if they never came along. After 50 years, i still can't comprehend their magic.
Thanks for the kudos Patrick and I couldn't agree with you more! The world would be a MUCH less colorful place if there hadn't been the lads...
Mike, fabulous work, man!! Lennon genius, yeah! Please deconstruct John''s guitar in "Dear Prudence", which is another gem! Again, great job.
My Dad got me my first guitar on Christmas, 1963, and when the Beatles came to America 2 months later, I was hypnotized for sure. In 1968 I bought a used, but mint condition Gibson ES-330 TDC, just like your Epi. I love all styles of music, but the Beatles are the "toppermost of the poppermost" for me. I'll be watching all your videos. You're great.
Good ears man. Nice job on those voicings at the end in particular.
Bravo Mike! Excellent job on one off my all time favorite JOHN SONGS too!!!!!! Thanks!
Woh, the end is cray cray. I feel like I am inside out. I have no real hope of playing a Beatles' song, but I love listening and watching to you break them down.
Canaan Albright - OF COURSE you could play any Beatles song you desire. It's just a matter of taking things real slow and not putting too much pressure on yourself or having a time frame that you 'think' you need to achieve something by. Simply learn a few bars - practice it VERY slowly until you get those. Then add a few more bars and repeat the process no matter how long it takes.
FANTASTIC!
Another great lesson Mike. This song is my fave..so much going on. Lyrically Across the universe is another great piece of John's work.
You have beautifully played and explained why the Beatles we're so incredibly good, and that's just the guitar part, they had such great voices, we're very charismatic and humourous beating the press at their own game, and how many incredible songs that we're totally ground breaking and heart shaking ! You are good man and I agree that this was their greatest song, other worldly (Straight out of Alice in wonderland, I'm so glad she took that biscuit ! )
To Roy de'Alwis - a really great comment. This song, I Am The Walrus, is a towering masterpiece. I am totally in awe of it. I almost can't believe it exists.
I feel the same way about Strawberry fields forever !
That is amazing, I'm still discovering incredible facts about the Beatles to this day. At this time 50 years on we can still say with certainty that they we're truly an extraordinary talented group that touched the hearts of people in a way that no one has since or likely to !
Yes I am aware but I have all the albums !
Excellent. Thanks.
Brilliant-One of my favourite all time songs as well
Great job,,,, again man.BRAVO.
Thank you! Cheers!
omg there are more than one greatest love songs that have ever been written and performed!!!
Mike, you love and appreciate the Fab Four as much as I do...thanks so much!!!
Mike just discovered you have to say, you are an exceptional teacher. You keep everything very clear and to the point making it easy. Thanks Keep on Rockin'
Thanks Albert. That's very kind of you to say!
Mike Pachelli is The Walrus!!! Great job egg-man!!!
It's a fantastic tune. I get chills also playing it.
Congrats for your really nice job! I always loved The Beatles and your lessons makes me more and more amazed with the rich details in every songs. As a piano student who plays a little of guitar, wish you success. Keep doing this beautiful work.
Mike, agree with you this song is unbelievable and like with most of the Beatles songs, I never get tired of listening to them! Thanks for another brilliant video tutorial. You are also magnificent!
Thanks for your very kind words. I appreciate it!!
John Lennon was a unique individual. I see many comments about how he was a weak musician and therefore not great. But when you listen the songs he wrote you realise what a creative genius he was.
hohaia rangi Guy was amazing. And one of the song best writers in history. I think he's the best honestly. Then you look at the instrumentals he wrote and you realize how brilliant he really was.
Those ppl are idiots, plain and simple.
@@el34glo59 yeah. I've always thought his 'Plastic Ono Band' was his finest hour as an artist who used music. but you're right .it took a lot of YouTubing really, for me to learn what magic he had in him musically. some of his musical ideas in the Imagine(album) period were really a pleasure to hear. from the breakup til' about '72 he did some good work.'Jealous guy', 'love' ',hold on'.to name 3 .in the film IMAGINE (ironically I never loved the song) you can hear bits of genius in that studio. he did indeed, prove that Paul wasn't the BEATLES. but McCartney is another genius.
I guarantee you that *every* single person who would say such a thing doesn't know f#$k all about music, and it's always those types that feel they have to teach YOU about it. (Why is it so hard for the laziest, least accomplished people to simply face what they are and shut up?)
Lennon was not even remotely a "weak" musician. On the contrary, he was absolutely phenomenal. But because he didn't write symphonies or play a guitar like Yngwie Malmsteen, these poser critics have to try to pretend to know something. They absolutely don't get it. Music is infinitely complex. It is, by definition, art, and there are no rules. I've been a musician for a long time, and I've always been the most amazed by the people who can write brilliant and beautiful songs and make them seem simple. It is MUCH harder to do that than it is to write something fancy and contrived. Lennon was an utter genius in this regard. (And ironically, THIS song doesn't even really fit that mold, in that it is by no means "simple".)
Tony M Since when was Paul The Beatles? If anything, John is the Beatles, he formed the band, he ended the band, he made the most revolutionary songs by far! He was the artistic genius. Paul was the pop master and the versatile instrumentalist. But it’s Lennon’s chords/songs/lyrics that pushed the Beatles into the future even more than Macca’s beautiful pop melodies
Man, that sounds so good !! I love the Beatles.
Some of them chords. Geez the Beatles must have been on the verge of progressive rock. My mind boggles at how anyone could sit down and say hey guys I have a song and this is how it goes. Lennon was one of a kind. And to think so was each member of the Beatles. Fantastic band and producer George Martin. Thanks for posting and great work by the way.
Masterful teaching of my too favorite all time song. I had the original single in 1967 with Hello Goodbye on what I considered the B side. The Walrus was A for me. I was 9 years old, and my mother checked my arms for needle marks because I would play the song over and over (I took up guitar because of Lennon at this point) and she thought I must have been on drugs (never was.) The two best songs in the whole Beatles catalogue, which can never be matched, is I am the Walrus and A Day in the Life, both mainly penned by John with some collaborative help from Paul on A Day in the Life. I was lucky enough to hear these songs over the radio when they were first released, bought the records and albums. There will never be anything like it again, and this song is The Beatles at their zenith. George Martin agreed, and said his favorite songs were John's, because of the invention. All of their songs were beyond the reach of others, but these particular songs (Strawberry Fields, Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite) set them apart from everyone else at that time, and IMHO were the essence of The Beatles.
I totally agree with you. And my mom thought the same about me when I listened to "I am the Walrus" over and over again.
You’re doing a great job Mike, not only at your teaching Beatles guitar, but for your enthusiasm, and your explanations of why this band was so incredible and unique. You are a gifted guitarist (I’ve been playing since the early ‘60s) but you are a very astute scholar of the band. I am enjoying your playing, and your intuitive method of breaking down the complexities to the fundamentals of their gifts, which we were lucky enough to have known in real time.
Thanks very much for those nice words. I appreciate it. If you'd be so kind - please have a listen to my music at www.MikePachelli.com
I've released 18 albums in a variety of genres and they all have a bit of Beatles influence. I appreciate your support!