Listen to Naughty Juice on Spotify or check out their TH-cam channel: open.spotify.com/artist/6n7nkpNHM2PV8CWTyr6280?si=CZNC_1uARliR5XofSXZ9pQ 🎸😊 📍NOTE: Shortly after upload I cut out a small part of this video about 'A Day In The Life' being banned by the BBC because I wrongly suggested that it was banned due to sex references, when in fact it was supposed drug references that got the song banned. Sorry for any confusion caused.
Well the BBC nearly banned the Kinks "Lola" in 1970 - not because of the transgender/cross-dressing theme but because of the reference to Coca Cola... All was OK though after they changed it to 'cherry-cola' for the UK market, keeping the BBC censors happy and free of violations of its charter to refrain from advertising commercial products. The 'other' thing however was a 'whooosh' moment for the censors with the meaning of the fun and catchy song apparently going right over their heads - as it did for most of us back them, I will admit. 😀
Hearing this version, I am rreminded just how incredibly inventive and brilliant a bass player McCartney is. Almost 60 years on, the bass parts still surprise and delight.
“Filling in the spaces” with virtuosic drum fills, never competing with the vocals, and not driving the song forward in a way that would be inappropriate for the mood.
As Howard Goodall said, "With Sgt Pepper, The Beatles changed all music everywhere forever", or something like that. He was talking about how they saved classical music from the dead end of just playing black marks on white paper or death of music random sounds and Cage's silence. With A Day In The Life, they brought together classical orchestra note readers, with musique concrête plus a story plus pop mass entertainment music hall. Noise could be part of harmony, and the masses could accommodate noise. Astonishing achievement such that the closing piano chord resonates today - everywhere
Every time I listen to this song I got goosebumps. I remember the first time I heard it, it was like a new world of music appreciation opened up for me. Magical.
Paul going upstairs in the bus to have a smoke, is reminder that you used to be allowed to smoke (tobacco) upstairs in double decker buses. Indeed London buses had their upstairs roofs painted a horrible yellow colour to hide stains from the smoke 😁
@ghost mall Don't think you dashed upstairs in bus on way to school (UK school secondary school age 11 to 16) after late night listening to music. I had to write a punishment essay on EEC Common Market when I failed to dodge a prefect when I was a bit late for chapel about 1970. I'd listen to John Peel to midnight, then dream through next morning chapel propped up on the pillar at the end of the row - you could be punished for dozing off completely. Song is very literally true to real life of tens of thousands of UK schoolboys
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Just want to say, your channel is the most useful channel of this type that I have seen, you know, musical theory, analysis, subjects of interest. It is an education to go though your videos.
I watch and don't even play piano! I am an intermediate fingerstyle guitar player, but I learn more about music theory and how it all relates much better watching these videos than any actual lesson on it. I love these videos.
never heard the song.. but with your explanations and musical advice.... one of my favorite songs and now in my daily music playlist.. gladful to have you on TH-cam. You`re Videos since those Chord Progression Vids are absolutely fantastic. :)
This song has been voted the number-one rock song ever by Rolling Stone Magazine, among others. What a masterpiece. You have to wonder how they pulled it off.
John Lennon's section is one of his best melodies - really nicely put together with a sense of mystery and longing. Have to say that although it does give the song a bit of a lift, I'm not so keen on Paul's section as it lacks any real substance, depth or direction (apart from slipping around the circle of 5ths).
I disagree, Rick. I think that Paul's section allows the dreamer to wake up to his mundane existence before slipping back into his dream state again on the bus, this time more surreal than before, with the absurdity and emptiness of holes filling the Albert Hall being about his own life. His dream is trying to turn him on.
In case no one has mentioned this, here is one of my favorite tidbits about this song.... Lennon's spectacles... After revolver, Lennon was in a film called "how i won the war" based on a book written by lennon. The film was a flop. The third verse of "a day in the life was specifically about this. "I saw a film today oh boy The english army had just won the war The crowd of people turned away But i just had to look Having read the book" It was during the making of this film that john was given a pair of glasses, standard military issue, the round ones. The glasses never came off.
The crescendo was Lennons idea, here part of the book: It was Lennon’s idea to have the orchestra engage in “a tremendous build-up, from nothing up to something absolutely like the end of the world
Could you do an "analyze" of the genius song by the recently passing away of Burt Bacharach, " Alfie". So clever. You are genius in your own right my friend, as well. Keep bringing it.
Hi David. Depeche Mode's latest single Ghosts Again uses I II vii iii, which I find really interesting.Twenty One by the Cranberries has a similar progression. Would love to hear your thoughts on that progression and why it's so distinctive.
Oh God. The comments section is turning again into a crazy John vs Paul debate. Lennon's part set the tone of the whole song. Paul's sections worked to take the song into unexpected twists and turns. John started off with a psychedelic surrealistic view on a day's events - Paul crashes it back to the suburban working class realism for a few seconds. Paul's section would never stand on its own. Lennon's sections on its own would've lacked tension and release. Ringo was brilliant in pacing the song dynamically. That's why the partnership worked.
0:27 That's not entirely correct, in the first time, like hamburgo and with the first UK and world tours (like Paris, or USA), they often write together, perhaps not all the song but they definitely "present" the songs to each other, open to recieve feedback from each other. So, is kinda a gray line where is the "boarder" between partnerships on that songs.
On your first statement…I do think a lot if not most of the Lennon-McCARTNEY up until 1968 had significant contributions on songs each of them had started alone even in the GET BACK doc early 1969 we see collaboration going on in real time…Harrison probably had contributions on certain songs too. Thanks.
I am a little disappointed, that it wasn't mentioned, that if you hear this song on vinyl, using a completely manual record player, allowing the pick up to stay in the final groove, not lifting up, you will hear a small tune repeated 33 times pr. minute.
Are we sure the opening is in G major rather than e minor? By the time it gets to the first "I'd love to turn you on" definitely sounds like e minor to me anyway--G is no longer the tonal center by then, to my ear
You could argue that it switches from G major to E minor at some point, but really, those two keys are two sides of the same coin, so there isn't much need to split hairs 😊😊
@@DavidBennettPiano Good point! Ordinarily I'd agree, but in this particular case, if we are in e minor by "I'd love to turn you on" then we get the BIGGEST PICARDY THIRD CHORD EVER at the end of the song....
Paul co-wrote after the first verse as John corroborated. Paul specifically contributed the “I’d love to turn you on line.” Paul’s idea for the avant-garde orchestral swirl. Then there’s Paul’s middle 8. Paul also did the ahhs which can be heard when you listen to the isolated vocals without effects. Also people involved has said it’s Paul and the ahhs track has Paul’s name on it. All that plus his other instrumental contributions of bass and piano make it 50/50
Obviously it's Paul - it's actually impossible to be John! Why it shouldn't be John: It's Paul's part, end of story. No need for John to sing lead on Paul's part in Paul's dream. That's also why we only see PAUL during this part in the official video to ADITL. No John AT ALL - but he returns right when HIS part, the last verse, starts. They were finished recording John's vocals for ADITL 2 weeks before and just returned for recording Paul's part on February 3rd. John NEVER sang this part when he had the chance to. Also, note the position of the voices in the stereo-picture: John is on the right, Paul on the left. The "aaah" start on Paul's side and move over to cue John's return. Why it couldn't be John: Since -- in contrast to Emerick's fairy-tale - there is absolutely no cut between the "dream" and the "aaah", it must be still the same lead singer, Paul. You can even hear him take a breath between the "dream" and the "aaah" on the isolated vocal track. Since John is doing his trademark NASAL high falsetto in the background AT THE SAME TIME it's impossible for him to also do the lead aaah. Also, the lead aaah doesn't sound like John AT ALL. It's a chest voice that would have been too high for him to do. Please name a single example where John sings like that - I bet you can't! With Paul you only have to go as far as "Lovely Rita" to find a very similar example. There are many experts who very thoroughly listened to all the actual reels and went through all the paperwork and wrote very highly praised books, like Kevin Ryan and Brian Kehew (from the book "Recording the Beatles", p. 444): "Though many have understandably attributed this vocal to John Lennon in the past, isolation of the vocal reveals it to be Paul. As the part progresses, his voice takes on a more nasal tone; this, in combination with an application of Repeat Echo similar to that already applied to John's, does much to give an impression of it being Lennon." Or John C. Winn, who actually pointed out all the little differences between every single mix ever made of any Beatles song: (from the book "That magic feeling - The Beatles' recorded legacy, p. 86): "Paul then corrected his vocal blunder by taping a new vocal on track 2, also adding some soaring "aahs" over the circle-of-fifths segment that linked back to the final verse". And of course Sam Okell, who did the freaking Sgt. Pepper's REMIX: "Paul's main vocal track is in stereo, because we gave it some spread with the Waves S1 Stereo Imaging plug-in, so it has a different sound than John's lead. We also split off two little bits to be able to pan them left and right. His fourth vocal track is the 'aaah' section, and below it is an 'Aah delay' aux track." "Inside Sgt. Pepper's": Sound On Sound. SOS Publications Group. 26 October 2021
Lennon's phrasing and melody is so unique and mysterious in some sort of way that it instantly makes you love this song. However, it would become very dull if McCartney didn't come in with his cheerful bit, so it's a perfect blend of 'auras'
@@JoaoGabriel-lk9cv when you have a fantastic idea, but don't know a way to compliment it with another equally good section, repetition often ruins the greatness of your original idea. It's like having your favourite food every single day, you'll eventually get fed up
@ghost mall I sometime feel that way, but the contrast between both parts (both stylistic and musically) really enhances the transition from one to the other. Sometimes it's good to have a strange section in a song just to make the following more powerful. Pink Floyd's echoes is a great example of that: the middle section with all the sea noices is unsettling and seems out of place or unnecessary, but as soon as the keyboards get in again, satisfaction now takes over your mind
@ghost mall wrong. And it's not cheery. It's a panic dash to get out and get to school. The stuff of real life that we wake up to from more mystical dreams and swirling griefs of an acquaintance killed in a car crash of their own fault. The snap into the now makes the whole thing genius
The “I love to turn you on” line didn’t get the song banned by the BBC because they thought it was sexual but because they thought it was a drug reference.
@@brun4775 No worries! I've just cut out the section where I mention the BBC banning (although the edit will take a few hours to take effect). Thanks again for bringing it to my attention.
@ghost mall from the song’s Wikipedia page: McCartney said about the line "I'd love to turn you on", which concludes both verse sections: "This was the time of Tim Leary's 'Turn on, tune in, drop out' and we wrote, 'I'd love to turn you on.' John and I gave each other a knowing look: 'Uh-huh, it's a drug song. You know that, don't you?'"
I’ll never forget hearing this for the first time. I was 24, aware of The Beatles of course but more interested in different genres. My friend had a record player and suggested we try SPLHCB, I was a bit skeptical, wondering would this old music fit the scene for our pre lockdown catch up. My god, from first track to last, I was spellbound. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, A Day In The Life began and Johns dreamy lyric floated through from the speaker and enchanted me… I couldn’t believe the depth and beauty of what I was listening to. My shock turned to happy awe when McCartneys cheerful dreamlike rendition poured through, and when Lennons voice returned after the dream state noise I felt something no other song made me feel before. On the final crescendo build up, I was nearly shaking and when the last deafening note was played, I felt a tear fall from my eye. Me and my friend both stunned, speechless and quite literally in shock. I didn’t know what I just heard but I knew it was the work of cosmic genius. The next day I went on Spotify and began to explore this band I once ignorantly cast off as “cheesy oldies” It was the start of the most beautiful journey of my life. This was a week before the first COVID lockdown in March of 2020 here in Dublin, Ireland. I never looked back.
I know someone will get triggered at what I'm about to say but when the Beatles broke up I really thought it was the right time. I grew up with the Beatles, had every one of their albums and had experienced their development from Love me Do right through to Abbey Road, but when they started coming out with mediocre stuff like "Obladi oblada" I realised that they were past their best. Had they stayed together I'm pretty sure that they would have reached that point of being "has beens" Personally I think the stuff that McCartney produced on his later projects was far better than we would have got from the Beatles if they'd stayed together.
One of the greatest album closing tracks, if not the best. Definitely goes on my top of the Beatles songs with Strawberry Fields forever, While my guitar gently weeps and I want you (she's so heavy)
"Sergeant Peppers," the "first concept album." Strange being that didn't even have a concept tying it together other than the opening track and the reprise. Just one of those ideas that Paul threw out there that John went along with enough to humor him. And as usual, somehow Paul's promotion of it as such, stuck. The reprise of the opening track coming BEFORE the closing track. You'd think that people would get the hint.
They have so many ''most ambitious'' IMO. Strawberry Fields Forever, Tomorrow Never Knows, Abbey Road Medley (if you count it), I Am The Walrus, Happiness Is a Warm Gun...the list goes on.
When I was a kid, I listened to a lot of classical music and loved suites. Paul McCartney wrote a few suites after the Beatles, Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey, Band on the run. Only a few rock bands kept writing suites, ELP, Yes, then that spirit was lost with all this contemporary shit, 4 chords and no arrangements. One of the reasons why the Beatles are still a beacon in popular music is they wrote some sophisticated stuff. But when you look to a classical piece, I arranged Peer Gynt for kids, I was stunned by the number of modulations (tonality changes) in the 1st part. And of course, Bach can use the twelve notes in a single bar ! By the time the Beatles were active, people were still used to hear classical music, and songs written by educated people. That's why the Fab four could experience a little. I'm not sure young people accustomed to four chords could understand them today.
Has remained my favourite song ever since the first time I heard it. It single-handedly changed my life. I always point toward this song as an example of Ringo's drumming brilliance, too.
The photo at 3'54" isn't of Paul conducting an orchestra at all! It's actually of him conducting Black Dyke Mills Band during the recording of 'Thingumybob' (a TV Signature Tune). The two people on the far left are Roy Newsome (Black Dyke's Conductor) and next to him is Geoffrey Brand (an eminent Brass Band 'expert'. The recording was made in Saltaire, near Bradford on 30th June, 1968. Paul conducted the Band a bit but admitted he wasn't too good! He also brought along 'Martha' , his Old English Sheepdog! How do I know all this? I was there; it was an an amazing day! (Paul's father was a trumpeter in a band too!)
I checked all the comments first to make sure no-one already touched on this, but the following is my favorite aspect of the song in many ways: John is the subconscious voice, or the dream voice if you will. However, you don't realize this until Paul sings 'Woke up' and you feel like you have just woken up from a dream, as the rhythm, tone and singing feels more present in the bridge compared to the ethereal nature of the verses. It is very much like being jolted awake. Then, Paul finishes with '...and I went into a dream' and the song segues back to John's subconscious/dream voice. Even the lyrics of the subconscious/dream voice are more hazy and dreamlike, whereas Paul sings about what he is actually doing, with more mundane lyrics about a regular day until he falls back asleep on the bus and re-enters the dream world. You may argue that the Beatles did not intend this (I would argue that they very much did) but the effect is absolute genius. If you have not listened to it like this before, I would very much recommend it!
Often neglected in mention is the incredibly sensitive, aware drumming on this track. Ringo fills and emphasizes what is going on incredibly well. He returns to traditional rock drumming for the Paul section, then back to the much more interesting fills and jogs for the rest of the tune. Stunning work Mr. Starkey.
Not to sound harsh, but this one is a bit redundant. The actual content how they wrote the parts of the song is quite small. The rest is a mixture of another analysis of the song and showing off your replica recording.
I will always be interested in stories about this song, and this was a great synopsis. "A Day in the Life" represents a teenage "awakening" to me, about the possibilities of expression and experience, and where music could go, breaking into my small world.
If I remember my Beatles history correctly, the line "I'd love to turn you on" was controversial because it was considered to be an incitement to take drugs, rather than a reference to sexual arousal. Funny how times change!
John reads a newspaper short and riffs on it to create a spellbinding melody with lyrics that center that poor dude who gave it up at age 21. Paul remembers how he came close to missing the bus to school, quickly gathered his things (at 20 Forthlin Road, Liverpool) and ran some 200 yards to the bus stop. Like the best writers of any genre, these guys turned the dross of everyday life into art. ... Well, a fatal collision is not actually dross, but the point is made.
Hi David, from Sydney! As a lad, I was keyboard player in a band called 'Total Fire Band,' and we used to play this song to end our sets. I always enjoyed recreating the huge orchestra crescendo on my ARP Quadra.
OMG I was just thinking about contacting you about doing more Beatles stuff and this pops up! You are fantastic David and when the Beatles are involved you are at your best!
It's always eye (or ear)-opening when you deconstruct the Beatles -- since I was so young when Sgt. Pepper (et al) came out, the music is stored in a very unexamined way and it takes on whole new dimensions through your analysis -- many thanks ❤
Finally you did the video about this song 😍😍 I wish you made this tipe of videos about some other very interesting songs. Perhaps Stairway to heaven, with all its rhythmic craziness during the solo?
I just saw someone call The Beatles "primitive" and I just can't wrap my head around the sheer mass of ignorance and insanity that would require. Like, was their baseline for "sophisticated" progressive technical death metal in a hundred different meters, written in the Bohlen-Pierce scale?
So many brilliant parts to this song, but my favorite has to be the part right after Paul's verse (5:20) Such a unique chord progression and bassline, topped with -John's- Paul's ethereal "Ahhhh" vocals
@ghost mall Yes, I've seen that video. I can't remember what he said, but I do remember him showing Giles Martin saying that John sang them. Which kind of annoyed me, lol.
@@michaelhays We could solve this by asking Paul or Ringo who sang that bloody thing... Such speculation is maddening, it was John, unless both Paul and Ringo agree it wasn't.
It wasn't the "I'd love to turn you on" that triggered the ban it, it was: "Found my way upstairs and had a smoke And somebody spoke and I went into a dream" which implied smoking something other than tobacco. Silly of course, as I've always taken this to be Paul remembering hurrying to college in his younger days. Upstairs on the bus during rush hour there was always a fog of cigarettes back then, so much for the Good Old Days, but anything more exotic wasn't tolerated.
Interesting. For close to fifty years my impression was that he got to the job and made his way upstairs. Today is the first time I've realized that upstairs refers to the top deck of a bus. (Where I live that's not the common arrangement.)
I absolutely love a day in the life one of the best songs ever and I love the orchestration build up and even that final piano chord which is a fantastic way to end the album Sergeant Pepper.
The last piano chord in "A Day in the Life" was recorded by constantly increasing the recording level; that's why the song really ends with electronic noise from the recording equipment drowning out the piano.
David, once again, you're absolutely brilliant! I was a 14yo Cali boy when this came out, and I was stunned as I played it over and over on our Magnavox hifi. I get goosebumps all over again as you guide us along with your wonderful insights. You've put a big smile on my face to start the day!
I was so looking forward to you doing this David. And, as usual, your analysis is both compelling and expertly done. Many thanks for all your work. Looking like a million subs is within your grasp - a magnificent achievement, and well-earned.
Listen to Naughty Juice on Spotify or check out their TH-cam channel: open.spotify.com/artist/6n7nkpNHM2PV8CWTyr6280?si=CZNC_1uARliR5XofSXZ9pQ 🎸😊
📍NOTE: Shortly after upload I cut out a small part of this video about 'A Day In The Life' being banned by the BBC because I wrongly suggested that it was banned due to sex references, when in fact it was supposed drug references that got the song banned. Sorry for any confusion caused.
❤❤
Well the BBC nearly banned the Kinks "Lola" in 1970 - not because of the transgender/cross-dressing theme but because of the reference to Coca Cola... All was OK though after they changed it to 'cherry-cola' for the UK market, keeping the BBC censors happy and free of violations of its charter to refrain from advertising commercial products. The 'other' thing however was a 'whooosh' moment for the censors with the meaning of the fun and catchy song apparently going right over their heads - as it did for most of us back them, I will admit. 😀
Naughty Juice's music is actually really good but their cover art is pure trash. Idk why they didnt like, put actual cover art on it lol
I noticed your personal violin in the "disastrous" crescendo!
Hearing this version, I am rreminded just how incredibly inventive and brilliant a bass player McCartney is. Almost 60 years on, the bass parts still surprise and delight.
Ringo’s beautiful, light drumming touch on this track should never be overlooked
“Filling in the spaces” with virtuosic drum fills, never competing with the vocals, and not driving the song forward in a way that would be inappropriate for the mood.
And here we are 56 years later. The song is still incredible!
yeah right, it sucks!
@@vxi6423 How does it suck
@@througheverything 😂
@@vxi6423 happily, it doesn't need your approval to be fabulous.
@@vxi6423 You alright?
As Howard Goodall said, "With Sgt Pepper, The Beatles changed all music everywhere forever", or something like that. He was talking about how they saved classical music from the dead end of just playing black marks on white paper or death of music random sounds and Cage's silence. With A Day In The Life, they brought together classical orchestra note readers, with musique concrête plus a story plus pop mass entertainment music hall. Noise could be part of harmony, and the masses could accommodate noise. Astonishing achievement such that the closing piano chord resonates today - everywhere
"A day in the life"..... My favorite, incredible tune. I get chills every time I hear it.
Every time I listen to this song I got goosebumps. I remember the first time I heard it, it was like a new world of music appreciation opened up for me. Magical.
It must also be acknowledged how Ringo's completely esoteric drum track adds to the song.
Don’t forget the brilliance of Ringo’s drum fills, one of his best contributions
Ringo may have the only drummer capable of what was needed to accomplish what the others wanted.
Paul going upstairs in the bus to have a smoke, is reminder that you used to be allowed to smoke (tobacco) upstairs in double decker buses. Indeed London buses had their upstairs roofs painted a horrible yellow colour to hide stains from the smoke 😁
@ghost mall Don't think you dashed upstairs in bus on way to school (UK school secondary school age 11 to 16) after late night listening to music.
I had to write a punishment essay on EEC Common Market when I failed to dodge a prefect when I was a bit late for chapel about 1970. I'd listen to John Peel to midnight, then dream through next morning chapel propped up on the pillar at the end of the row - you could be punished for dozing off completely. Song is very literally true to real life of tens of thousands of UK schoolboys
Finally, a video worth watching today. You have outdid my most wild expectations here. ☮️
Thanks!
I like how even though you hired that one guy to record the vocals to your recreation of a day in a life, but you still used the original vocal track
LOVE all this! Bravo young sir. 🌱
Thank you to Naughty Juice for sponsoring this video. Check them out on Spotify or TH-cam: open.spotify.com/artist/6n7nkpNHM2PV8CWTyr6280?si=CZNC_1uARliR5XofSXZ9pQ www.youtube.com/@naughtyjuice7676 🎸😊
Some of Ringo's finest drum-work as well.
Just want to say, your channel is the most useful channel of this type that I have seen, you know, musical theory, analysis, subjects of interest. It is an education to go though your videos.
I watch and don't even play piano! I am an intermediate fingerstyle guitar player, but I learn more about music theory and how it all relates much better watching these videos than any actual lesson on it. I love these videos.
it's nice to see an actual band as a sponsor, for a change! very cool video
It’s an honor to be part of one of David’s videos, especially a Beatles one (as I’m a absolute Beatles nut)
never heard the song.. but with your explanations and musical advice.... one of my favorite songs and now in my daily music playlist.. gladful to have you on TH-cam. You`re Videos since those Chord Progression Vids are absolutely fantastic. :)
That middle is so satisfying how it resolves back to G major.
Again, your analysis enriches my enjoyment of the song. Thanks!
Nobody has came close to what the Beatles did. I'd loved to have been around at the time to witness their genius in the making.
And even more astonishing - all four came from the same unremarkable town.
@@SelectCircle Brutal.
This song has been voted the number-one rock song ever by Rolling Stone Magazine, among others. What a masterpiece. You have to wonder how they pulled it off.
John Lennon's section is one of his best melodies - really nicely put together with a sense of mystery and longing. Have to say that although it does give the song a bit of a lift, I'm not so keen on Paul's section as it lacks any real substance, depth or direction (apart from slipping around the circle of 5ths).
I disagree, Rick. I think that Paul's section allows the dreamer to wake up to his mundane existence before slipping back into his dream state again on the bus, this time more surreal than before, with the absurdity and emptiness of holes filling the Albert Hall being about his own life. His dream is trying to turn him on.
Progressive rock started here.
Ringo's contribution was also noteworthy.
Wow fab breakdown of how written, put down...for me seeing John's handwriting is so special 🙏 ✌️
Beautiful!
In case no one has mentioned this, here is one of my favorite tidbits about this song....
Lennon's spectacles...
After revolver, Lennon was in a film called "how i won the war" based on a book written by lennon.
The film was a flop.
The third verse of "a day in the life was specifically about this.
"I saw a film today oh boy
The english army had just won the war
The crowd of people turned away
But i just had to look
Having read the book"
It was during the making of this film that john was given a pair of glasses, standard military issue, the round ones.
The glasses never came off.
Love your analysis. Thanks David.
The crescendo was Lennons idea, here part of the book:
It was Lennon’s idea to have the orchestra engage in “a tremendous build-up, from nothing up to something absolutely like the end of the world
That Am chord in the beginning is a minor add 9 (play the B string open). Big difference!
Could you do an "analyze" of the genius song by the recently passing away of Burt Bacharach, " Alfie". So clever. You are genius in your own right my friend, as well. Keep bringing it.
I hear that piano chord and instantly start singing "Na na na nana na na..."
Richie´s drum fills though. 🥁
Hi David. Depeche Mode's latest single Ghosts Again uses I II vii iii, which I find really interesting.Twenty One by the Cranberries has a similar progression. Would love to hear your thoughts on that progression and why it's so distinctive.
2:01 I think they play more of an Asus2 chord than Am
This is probably the only "use" of Karl-Heinz Stockhausen's "work"...
Oh God. The comments section is turning again into a crazy John vs Paul debate. Lennon's part set the tone of the whole song. Paul's sections worked to take the song into unexpected twists and turns. John started off with a psychedelic surrealistic view on a day's events - Paul crashes it back to the suburban working class realism for a few seconds. Paul's section would never stand on its own. Lennon's sections on its own would've lacked tension and release. Ringo was brilliant in pacing the song dynamically. That's why the partnership worked.
0:27 That's not entirely correct, in the first time, like hamburgo and with the first UK and world tours (like Paris, or USA), they often write together, perhaps not all the song but they definitely "present" the songs to each other, open to recieve feedback from each other. So, is kinda a gray line where is the "boarder" between partnerships on that songs.
The best Lennon/McCartney song. Wish they actually wrote more song like this but at least the handful we have are perfect
On your first statement…I do think a lot if not most of the Lennon-McCARTNEY up until 1968 had significant contributions on songs each of them had started alone even in the GET BACK doc early 1969 we see collaboration going on in real time…Harrison probably had contributions on certain songs too. Thanks.
I shoulda known better but I was kinda hoping this would’ve been on Revolution 9 lol
Also the Beatles greatest song!
I am a little disappointed, that it wasn't mentioned, that if you hear this song on vinyl, using a completely manual record player, allowing the pick up to stay in the final groove, not lifting up, you will hear a small tune repeated 33 times pr. minute.
Are we sure the opening is in G major rather than e minor? By the time it gets to the first "I'd love to turn you on" definitely sounds like e minor to me anyway--G is no longer the tonal center by then, to my ear
You could argue that it switches from G major to E minor at some point, but really, those two keys are two sides of the same coin, so there isn't much need to split hairs 😊😊
@@DavidBennettPiano Good point! Ordinarily I'd agree, but in this particular case, if we are in e minor by "I'd love to turn you on" then we get the BIGGEST PICARDY THIRD CHORD EVER at the end of the song....
I believe Paul and John (if not George and Ringo) actually knew Tara Browne.
Actually, Tara was a good friend of Paul. John certainly knew him too.
2:54 WRONG.....Buddy Holly did this 10 years before in True Love Ways
Their best song is Tomorrow Never Knows.
can't see how it's a 50-50 contribution when it's John's idea and Paul helped out
Paul co-wrote after the first verse as John corroborated. Paul specifically contributed the “I’d love to turn you on line.” Paul’s idea for the avant-garde orchestral swirl. Then there’s Paul’s middle 8. Paul also did the ahhs which can be heard when you listen to the isolated vocals without effects. Also people involved has said it’s Paul and the ahhs track has Paul’s name on it. All that plus his other instrumental contributions of bass and piano make it 50/50
Agreed, it's nowhere near 50:50.
It's more like Paul 65% and John 25%, the rest is Ringo and George Martin.
"A Day In the Life" = 70% Lennon - 30 % McCartney
5:26 who sings the Aahs in this part?
Like for John
Comment for Paul
Obviously it's Paul - it's actually impossible to be John!
Why it shouldn't be John:
It's Paul's part, end of story. No need for John to sing lead on Paul's part in Paul's dream.
That's also why we only see PAUL during this part in the official video to ADITL. No John AT ALL - but he returns right when HIS part, the last verse, starts.
They were finished recording John's vocals for ADITL 2 weeks before and just returned for recording Paul's part on February 3rd. John NEVER sang this part when he had the chance to.
Also, note the position of the voices in the stereo-picture: John is on the right, Paul on the left. The "aaah" start on Paul's side and move over to cue John's return.
Why it couldn't be John:
Since -- in contrast to Emerick's fairy-tale - there is absolutely no cut between the "dream" and the "aaah", it must be still the same lead singer, Paul. You can even hear him take a breath between the "dream" and the "aaah" on the isolated vocal track.
Since John is doing his trademark NASAL high falsetto in the background AT THE SAME TIME it's impossible for him to also do the lead aaah.
Also, the lead aaah doesn't sound like John AT ALL.
It's a chest voice that would have been too high for him to do. Please name a single example where John sings like that - I bet you can't!
With Paul you only have to go as far as "Lovely Rita" to find a very similar example.
There are many experts who very thoroughly listened to all the actual reels and went through all the paperwork and wrote very highly praised books, like Kevin Ryan and Brian Kehew (from the book "Recording the Beatles", p. 444): "Though many have understandably attributed this vocal to John Lennon in the past, isolation of the vocal reveals it to be Paul. As the part progresses, his voice takes on a more nasal tone; this, in combination with an application of Repeat Echo similar to that already applied to John's, does much to give an impression of it being Lennon."
Or John C. Winn, who actually pointed out all the little differences between every single mix ever made of any Beatles song: (from the book "That magic feeling - The Beatles' recorded legacy, p. 86): "Paul then corrected his vocal blunder by taping a new vocal on track 2, also adding some soaring "aahs" over the circle-of-fifths segment that linked back to the final verse".
And of course Sam Okell, who did the freaking Sgt. Pepper's REMIX: "Paul's main vocal track is in stereo, because we gave it some spread with the Waves S1 Stereo Imaging plug-in, so it has a different sound than John's lead. We also split off two little bits to be able to pan them left and right. His fourth vocal track is the 'aaah' section, and below it is an 'Aah delay' aux track." "Inside Sgt. Pepper's": Sound On Sound. SOS Publications Group. 26 October 2021
@@gutgolf74 I know you think it’s Paul, I just want a larger sample of who thinks what
Multiple pianos simultaneously hitting the last chord courtesy of Sir George Martin.
Well, it was Paul's idea - George Martin only played ONE of the pianos!
Well I wasn't there but pretty sure GM was the producer.
@@ColKurtzknew Of course.
But why give him credit for an idea that came from Paul?
But this song is a Lennon vision, As stated in other sources.
It's 65% Paul, get real.
Lennon's phrasing and melody is so unique and mysterious in some sort of way that it instantly makes you love this song. However, it would become very dull if McCartney didn't come in with his cheerful bit, so it's a perfect blend of 'auras'
Dull?
You are absolutely fucking wrong LMAO
@@JoaoGabriel-lk9cv when you have a fantastic idea, but don't know a way to compliment it with another equally good section, repetition often ruins the greatness of your original idea. It's like having your favourite food every single day, you'll eventually get fed up
@ghost mall I sometime feel that way, but the contrast between both parts (both stylistic and musically) really enhances the transition from one to the other. Sometimes it's good to have a strange section in a song just to make the following more powerful. Pink Floyd's echoes is a great example of that: the middle section with all the sea noices is unsettling and seems out of place or unnecessary, but as soon as the keyboards get in again, satisfaction now takes over your mind
@ghost mall wrong. And it's not cheery. It's a panic dash to get out and get to school. The stuff of real life that we wake up to from more mystical dreams and swirling griefs of an acquaintance killed in a car crash of their own fault. The snap into the now makes the whole thing genius
The “I love to turn you on” line didn’t get the song banned by the BBC because they thought it was sexual but because they thought it was a drug reference.
True! That’s my mistake. Thanks for the correction 🙂 I've now cut out the mistake.
Good old BBC. Still doing their thing!
@@DavidBennettPiano Great video by the way. I should have said that in my original comment.
@@brun4775 No worries! I've just cut out the section where I mention the BBC banning (although the edit will take a few hours to take effect). Thanks again for bringing it to my attention.
@ghost mall from the song’s Wikipedia page: McCartney said about the line "I'd love to turn you on", which concludes both verse sections: "This was the time of Tim Leary's 'Turn on, tune in, drop out' and we wrote, 'I'd love to turn you on.' John and I gave each other a knowing look: 'Uh-huh, it's a drug song. You know that, don't you?'"
I’ll never forget hearing this for the first time.
I was 24, aware of The Beatles of course but more interested in different genres. My friend had a record player and suggested we try SPLHCB, I was a bit skeptical, wondering would this old music fit the scene for our pre lockdown catch up.
My god, from first track to last, I was spellbound. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, A Day In The Life began and Johns dreamy lyric floated through from the speaker and enchanted me… I couldn’t believe the depth and beauty of what I was listening to. My shock turned to happy awe when McCartneys cheerful dreamlike rendition poured through, and when Lennons voice returned after the dream state noise I felt something no other song made me feel before.
On the final crescendo build up, I was nearly shaking and when the last deafening note was played, I felt a tear fall from my eye. Me and my friend both stunned, speechless and quite literally in shock.
I didn’t know what I just heard but I knew it was the work of cosmic genius. The next day I went on Spotify and began to explore this band I once ignorantly cast off as “cheesy oldies” It was the start of the most beautiful journey of my life. This was a week before the first COVID lockdown in March of 2020 here in Dublin, Ireland.
I never looked back.
It's my job to recommend "a night at the opera" by queen, to you in the event you've never heard it.
Welcome to Enlightenment
I know someone will get triggered at what I'm about to say but when the Beatles broke up I really thought it was the right time. I grew up with the Beatles, had every one of their albums and had experienced their development from Love me Do right through to Abbey Road, but when they started coming out with mediocre stuff like "Obladi oblada" I realised that they were past their best. Had they stayed together I'm pretty sure that they would have reached that point of being "has beens"
Personally I think the stuff that McCartney produced on his later projects was far better than we would have got from the Beatles if they'd stayed together.
One of the greatest album closing tracks, if not the best. Definitely goes on my top of the Beatles songs with Strawberry Fields forever, While my guitar gently weeps and I want you (she's so heavy)
SHE'S SO HEAVYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
"Sergeant Peppers," the "first concept album." Strange being that didn't even have a concept tying it together other than the opening track and the reprise. Just one of those ideas that Paul threw out there that John went along with enough to humor him. And as usual, somehow Paul's promotion of it as such, stuck. The reprise of the opening track coming BEFORE the closing track. You'd think that people would get the hint.
I Want You (She’s So Heavy) is very special for me too. In my opinion it is so unique and underrated. One of the best.
They have so many ''most ambitious'' IMO.
Strawberry Fields Forever, Tomorrow Never Knows, Abbey Road Medley (if you count it), I Am The Walrus, Happiness Is a Warm Gun...the list goes on.
Who asked for your opinion?
@@Homer-je1pz oh bb boi. What's the matter? Daddy didn't buy you a Switch?
That attitude will get you nowhere son.
When I was a kid, I listened to a lot of classical music and loved suites. Paul McCartney wrote a few suites after the Beatles, Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey, Band on the run.
Only a few rock bands kept writing suites, ELP, Yes, then that spirit was lost with all this contemporary shit, 4 chords and no arrangements.
One of the reasons why the Beatles are still a beacon in popular music is they wrote some sophisticated stuff. But when you look to a classical piece, I arranged Peer Gynt for kids, I was stunned by the number of modulations (tonality changes) in the 1st part.
And of course, Bach can use the twelve notes in a single bar !
By the time the Beatles were active, people were still used to hear classical music, and songs written by educated people. That's why the Fab four could experience a little.
I'm not sure young people accustomed to four chords could understand them today.
all John songs (if you don't count it)
Has remained my favourite song ever since the first time I heard it. It single-handedly changed my life.
I always point toward this song as an example of Ringo's drumming brilliance, too.
Same. This song changed my life.
The photo at 3'54" isn't of Paul conducting an orchestra at all! It's actually of him conducting Black Dyke Mills Band during the recording of 'Thingumybob' (a TV Signature Tune). The two people on the far left are Roy Newsome (Black Dyke's Conductor) and next to him is Geoffrey Brand (an eminent Brass Band 'expert'. The recording was made in Saltaire, near Bradford on 30th June, 1968. Paul conducted the Band a bit but admitted he wasn't too good! He also brought along 'Martha' , his Old English Sheepdog! How do I know all this? I was there; it was an an amazing day! (Paul's father was a trumpeter in a band too!)
I checked all the comments first to make sure no-one already touched on this, but the following is my favorite aspect of the song in many ways:
John is the subconscious voice, or the dream voice if you will. However, you don't realize this until Paul sings 'Woke up' and you feel like you have just woken up from a dream, as the rhythm, tone and singing feels more present in the bridge compared to the ethereal nature of the verses. It is very much like being jolted awake. Then, Paul finishes with '...and I went into a dream' and the song segues back to John's subconscious/dream voice. Even the lyrics of the subconscious/dream voice are more hazy and dreamlike, whereas Paul sings about what he is actually doing, with more mundane lyrics about a regular day until he falls back asleep on the bus and re-enters the dream world.
You may argue that the Beatles did not intend this (I would argue that they very much did) but the effect is absolute genius. If you have not listened to it like this before, I would very much recommend it!
Intriguing insight.
😂
I love this!
Paul does the ahhhs
@@ewest14 Good point - same concept applies though, just Paul "falling asleep" and segueing into Lennon's dream voice.
An amazing song. I love Lennon's strumming pattern. Watching a lot of videos I realize he had a unique approach to rhythm guitar.
Mike Pachelli has several videos explaining The Beatles’s techniques, including John’s original strumming patters and harmonic creativity.
Often neglected in mention is the incredibly sensitive, aware drumming on this track. Ringo fills and emphasizes what is going on incredibly well. He returns to traditional rock drumming for the Paul section, then back to the much more interesting fills and jogs for the rest of the tune. Stunning work Mr. Starkey.
Not to sound harsh, but this one is a bit redundant. The actual content how they wrote the parts of the song is quite small. The rest is a mixture of another analysis of the song and showing off your replica recording.
I will always be interested in stories about this song, and this was a great synopsis. "A Day in the Life" represents a teenage "awakening" to me, about the possibilities of expression and experience, and where music could go, breaking into my small world.
If I remember my Beatles history correctly, the line "I'd love to turn you on" was controversial because it was considered to be an incitement to take drugs, rather than a reference to sexual arousal. Funny how times change!
This was the first song heard by each of my three children. I wanted them to start life inspired by the best song ever written. It worked.
Cool!
June 6, 2023
The key change works because the crescendo starts on E minor and ends with E Major which really gives the ending an extra “uplifting” feel.
I fell in love with the noise crescendo orchestra between both parts the first time I heard the original song
John reads a newspaper short and riffs on it to create a spellbinding melody with lyrics that center that poor dude who gave it up at age 21. Paul remembers how he came close to missing the bus to school, quickly gathered his things (at 20 Forthlin Road, Liverpool) and ran some 200 yards to the bus stop. Like the best writers of any genre, these guys turned the dross of everyday life into art. ... Well, a fatal collision is not actually dross, but the point is made.
Hi David, from Sydney! As a lad, I was keyboard player in a band called 'Total Fire Band,' and we used to play this song to end our sets. I always enjoyed recreating the huge orchestra crescendo on my ARP Quadra.
OMG I was just thinking about contacting you about doing more Beatles stuff and this pops up! You are fantastic David and when the Beatles are involved you are at your best!
I'd never thought about John's verses being of different lengths but once you pointed it out it's obvious. Cool.
It's always eye (or ear)-opening when you deconstruct the Beatles -- since I was so young when Sgt. Pepper (et al) came out, the music is stored in a very unexamined way and it takes on whole new dimensions through your analysis -- many thanks ❤
6:00 that clock analogy is brilliant, having this visualization really gives an interesting insight
Finally you did the video about this song 😍😍 I wish you made this tipe of videos about some other very interesting songs. Perhaps Stairway to heaven, with all its rhythmic craziness during the solo?
I just saw someone call The Beatles "primitive" and I just can't wrap my head around the sheer mass of ignorance and insanity that would require.
Like, was their baseline for "sophisticated" progressive technical death metal in a hundred different meters, written in the Bohlen-Pierce scale?
It’s cool how when John’s section come back, it’s now swung, whereas it was straight at the beginning of the song.
So many brilliant parts to this song, but my favorite has to be the part right after Paul's verse (5:20)
Such a unique chord progression and bassline, topped with -John's- Paul's ethereal "Ahhhh" vocals
Just waiting for someone to argue about who sang the 'ahh's again.
@ghost mall Yes, I've seen that video. I can't remember what he said, but I do remember him showing Giles Martin saying that John sang them. Which kind of annoyed me, lol.
It’s Paul singing the ahhhs, not John.
@@wgb01001 Wow, right you are! All this time I had no idea 😅
@@michaelhays We could solve this by asking Paul or Ringo who sang that bloody thing...
Such speculation is maddening, it was John, unless both Paul and Ringo agree it wasn't.
It wasn't the "I'd love to turn you on" that triggered the ban it, it was: "Found my way upstairs and had a smoke And somebody spoke and I went into a dream" which implied smoking something other than tobacco. Silly of course, as I've always taken this to be Paul remembering hurrying to college in his younger days. Upstairs on the bus during rush hour there was always a fog of cigarettes back then, so much for the Good Old Days, but anything more exotic wasn't tolerated.
Good point. A number of 'drug references' weren't. And, since they admitted to drugs, no reason to infer then when not defined
Interesting. For close to fifty years my impression was that he got to the job and made his way upstairs. Today is the first time I've realized that upstairs refers to the top deck of a bus. (Where I live that's not the common arrangement.)
If you listen closely, after he says “had a smoke,” you can hear the Beatles cheer, or yell “yeah!” It was definitely about weed.
I absolutely love a day in the life one of the best songs ever and I love the orchestration build up and even that final piano chord which is a fantastic way to end the album Sergeant Pepper.
The old adage 'two heads are better than one' was quoted with John and Paul in mind.
One of my favorite Beatles tunes, if not the top.
This is so fun and informative and wonderful! I could easily watch a video like this on every single Beatles song!!
I really don’t like the Beatles and think they’re way overrated but I do like this song quite a bit
This is the "comfortably numb" of the Beatles.
The last piano chord in "A Day in the Life" was recorded by constantly increasing the recording level; that's why the song really ends with electronic noise from the recording equipment drowning out the piano.
Correct.
I think the orchestra noise section turned me off a bit. Would've preferred without it.
Did you put John's vocals over your backing track during this?
Yes I did 😊😊
Quite interesting ,and enlightening!!!
Could you make a video on Genesis' songs, for example Firth of Fifth if you haven't done it yet, I think this could be pretty interesting 😁
Love this song and love this breakdown. Completely fascinating! Thank you David
one of my favorite songs on their entire catalog. I just love it so much, even the runout loop!!
I love this man. He just is so helpful and informative.
First Comment
Yeah but that doesn’t matter. Look at the time and I have the latest comment
David, once again, you're absolutely brilliant! I was a 14yo Cali boy when this came out, and I was stunned as I played it over and over on our Magnavox hifi. I get goosebumps all over again as you guide us along with your wonderful insights. You've put a big smile on my face to start the day!
Still brilliant.
"A Day In the Life" = 70% Lennon - 30% McCartney. Ahhhhhhhh Chorus part is Lennon rules.
I was so looking forward to you doing this David. And, as usual, your analysis is both compelling and expertly done. Many thanks for all your work. Looking like a million subs is within your grasp - a magnificent achievement, and well-earned.
Fantastic vid
Thanks!
Now go and see The Analogues play this live!
Also, congratulations on not getting a strike on this video