My bad about the Police song. I put up the wrong video clip and it’s NOT the bridge section I meant it to be. Should be “since you’ve gone I’ve been lost without a trace.” Wish I could take it back. Thanks for understanding! Also I just had a weird slip of the brain when I said Peter Martin (a friend of mine) instead of George but I corrected in in the text on the screen as I say it because I noticed while I was editing
Thanks for this. I came to the comments on my phone while watching on my TV just to see if anyone else thought this was the case. Great work otherwise!
Your analysis and excellent musical talent more than makes up for these minor oversights. I loved it so much and it helped m see understand why I love the Beatles music so much.
Actually it is correct in a way - the song is kind of A A B A C A B A with a normal bridge that you included and then another one... if the song was a mathematical formula it would have double brackets hehe
The bridge in the Cream song, “Badge” was written by George Harrison, so it is almost a Beatles’ bridge. What I love most about it is that George hand wrote the notes on a piece paper for Eric Clapton and scribbled the word “Bridge” at the top. Eric couldn’t read the handwriting and thought it said “Badge,” so that’s what he named the song, as a nod to his pal George for helping him out.
George's name maybe on the credits for writing the song and I honestly don't even want to take the time to look it up. It was George and Eric who wrote that song... together.
@@tefenstrat My typing was sloppy and I did not mean to write that George wrote the song-Only the bridge. Clapton, as you say wrote the main parts of the song. It’s just amusing that the song got its enigmatic name because Eric couldn’t read George’s printing.
One of my great memories of my mother (who was totally pre-Elvis and had no regard for the music of my generation)- I was sitting in the basement with my guitar and a sheet music book, looking at the simple chords to "I Should Have Known Better", when Mom walked by and surprised me by scooping it up. She squinted at the page for just a second and said "This is CUTE!" She carried it over to the piano and "I Should Have Known Better" came pounding from her fingers. Amazing. I don't read music. Lennon and McCartney don't read music. But Mom was able to look at some squiggles on a page and perceive their genius.
And a real favorite memory- in the last year of her life I was showing "Yellow Submarine" to my nephews (who'd seen it many times and always begged for it) when Mom joined us on the couch, sitting between her young grandchildren. She watched quietly until "It's All Too Much" came up, and I thought "Oh, no...she's not going to be able to handle this..." The psychedelic freak-out was a lot even for me, when I was a small kid. As it ended, Mom said, quietly, "How could I ever have not understood how wonderful they were?"
Dunno his normie name, but 12Tone belongs on this list. Also, I want to second, and third, Aimee's addition of Nahre Sol. Skilled keyboard artist, ever more creative & sophisticated composer/improvisor, and a truly brilliant and inspiring teacher.
Did you not mention John's bridge to "We Can Work It Out"??? That might be their most iconic bridge section ever! And it was George's suggestion to switch to 3/4 time briefly at the end of each line. Those lyrics, the rhythm, the time change! That is one EPIC bridge.
Initially, my mom - who studied classical piano - wasn't that much impressed by Beatles music. That is, until she heard Yesterday, and sometime later, She's leaving home and Eleanor Rigby. Then she started paying attention to what I played with my group and then a lot of the Beatle records. Eventually she became as much a fan of them as I was. Amazing, eh!
Except, that George and the other Beatles called it "Waltz time"! Reminds me of when "Peter Martin" (giggle...) was recording Please Please Me with them and he suggested that they "change the tempo".. "What?".. "Make it faster boys". As Paul describes the incident they were a bit affronted, but complied, and later admitted that it was the trick which made their first hit, and increased their respect for Martin. They were never "theorists", which only increases ones admiration for the inventiveness of the bridges described here. And, yes, the waltz time in We Can Work it is both startling and it makes the song!
As a 10 year old in ‘64 I could tell the Beatles were something different and awesome out of the gate. I know nothing about songwriting but I know something great when I hear it. I can’t imagine any group matching these dudes ever again. Especially with the quality and quantity of great songs
I bought every Beatles song "off the press" and know them all intimately. But you are able to get fresh wine from the grapes that have been trod by so many other feet and bring it down so that we can all understand it. You are so talented and have that distinctive voice that expresses the songs so beautifully. I saw The Beatles twice in Belfast way back then. Sorry for being obsequious but The Beatles have been so important to me all my adult life. Many thanks.
Yes, same here. When she said Things We Said Today was a little obscure, I thought "there are no obscure Beatles songs!" We know every lyric to every one!
'Things We Said Today'...a fantastic chord progression for the middle 8. With the lyrics, it still has an emotional impact for me. Thanks for choosing it, Amy.
Came here from David Bennett's video. Great content Aimee, I'm always arguing with my band mates whether it is properly named as a 'bridge' or 'middle 8' now I'll know where to send them when I want to shut them up and get on with the rehearsal. Thanks for the clarity!
This is the most interesting interpretation of Beatles stuff I've seen. I'd particularly enjoy hearing how they used classical techniques without really knowing it.
9:59 That little Bach-like instrumental interlude bridge thingamajig on "In My Life" is one of my favorite moments on _Rubber Soul._ Actually, it's one of my favorite moments in the Beatles' whole legendarium. I know that was something George Martin cooked up by himself in the studio, but still. (And I never noticed it reprises the chord sequence from the song. No wonder it fits in so well!) Of course, George did it as a work for hire. (Lennon asked Mr. Producer Man to come up with "something Baroque-sounding", if memory serves.) And technically, Martin actually wrote a middle sixteen; apparently his plan was to just play it twice as fast, to make it fit. I guess to make it "Baroque". (Which would probably have worked on, say, a harpsichord; but a piano is not a harpsichord.) Martin's solution - recording it with the tape at half speed - was such a bloody genius move. It even gave it that lovely harpsichord-like timbre. If Martin really was the one who actually devised that tape-speed trick, he's a clever boffin.
I replied to a comment on David’s video that the AABA format is also somewhat common in Classical Christian hymns, & I listed some examples. Several of them are different lyrics set to folk melodies, like “The Ash Grove” & “In Babilone”. There are EVEN MORE examples of hymns in AAB format than in AABA. Some of these are: “The Lord’s My Shepherd” set to the tune “Brother James Air”; “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”, set to the French folk tune “Picardy”; “Christ is Made the Sure Foundation“; “Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain”; “Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing”; “For the Beauty of the Earth”; “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”; & “The First Noel”.
The first half of the Beatles output often eschewed choruses, and had B sections instead. I prefer that form. There's A Place has three sections, and it's a stunner of a song.
The bridge of "I am the Walrus" has been one of my favourite moments since I first heard it probably 50 years ago (my dad was a huge fan). Just an amazing section of music on all levels. Great video btw!
I have been arranging Beatle songs in D6 tuning. I'm 77 and I am still astonished at their arrangements, chords, harmonies, riff hooks etc especially compared to the other pop music of the day. Couple that with their wry humor and charisma and it becomes timeless. It's almost as if they invented a whole new genre of music: not rock, not pop, not jazz, not blues.....
Hi Aimee. It’s been quite some time since I posted a comment on your videos but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy them to the fullest. I can’t stress enough the fact that you’re not only a gifted music person but also a great speaker who is very joyful to hear. I’ve been a Beatles fan for half a century and totally convinced they are the best musicians, singers, songwriters, you name it, of the XXth century and beyond. Even for those who don’t recognize a “bridge” or a key change in a song or composition, the way The Beatles did this to their work, makes the difference in the fact their music is so unique and explains why millions and millions of people love them so much. By the way, let me tell you that another great composer is Barry Gibb from The Bee Gees. My favorite Beatles song: Got To Get You Into My Life. I’d love to watch a video from you on this one. Thanks and again, great job girl. ❤
Fav fab bridges... Julia - 'Her hair of floating sky is shimmering...' And I Love Her - 'A love like ours...' Hey Jude - 'And any time you feel the pain...' Nowhere Man - 'Nowhere man, don't hurry...' Lucy - 'Cellophane flowers of yellow and green...' Yesterday - 'Why she had to go...' Martha My Dear - 'Take a good look around you...' When I'm 64 - 'Every summer we can rent a cottage...' Two Of Us - 'You and I have memories...' So many more....
I had to smile when I saw this video. A subject dear to my heart. Nobody writes a bridge like they did. And you even mentioned the bridge in "No Reply" and the bridge in "Things We Said Today" two of my favorite examples. I sometimes play those songs for people when I get all excited about this topic. They look at me like I'm nuts. Bravo. You are spot on! Genius writers, genius powerful bridges that totally elevate the songs and even crystalize the meaning of the lyrics Thank you for sharing this.
Amiee, you're a new phenomenon, a non-Boomer expert of Boomer music with the chops to speak with authority. Not to mention possessing a beautiful singing voice. This is great stuff you're doing. We Boomers love our music, perhaps more than any other generation. Want to understand Boomers? Study our music, especially The Beatles.
Thank You Aimee. Fantastic video and explanations! I now finally understand what a "middle 8", uh..I mean a "bridge" is. I am an obsessed Beatle fan as well. Thank you so much!
Watching/listening to this video is like going to a three Michelin star restaurant after s whole life of eating McDonald's. You just made my day happier. Thank you.
Ohmigosh this was soooo cool to listen to. I am like your stepdad although I KINDA knew what a bridge is. What a delight to actually learn new things about the Beatles’ genius, and so well explained. I also love the bits of you singing. Thinks so much!
Great material, The Beatles have one of the finest bridges of all time in their songs. Thanks to them I found out what the bridge is. My favourite is probably "Well, well, well you're feeling fine" from "Doctor Robert" song.
The Beatles were absolute Bridge Masters...instead of merely varying from the repetition, they always took the song to a new height, and usually an unexpected one that made the whole experience deeper and richer. My favorite bridge, off the top of my head- ...does "I'm so glad..."...from "I Feel Fine" qualify? If not, I'll go with "Nowhere Man". And again, if it qualifies, the mostly instrumental bridge to "Fool On The Hill" (not the repetition of the melody, the "round and round" one) ...and both bridges in "Because", including the wordless one.
@@SurferJoe1 I heard it was Paul when I watched a tutorial. I'm not into Beatle minutiae so I thought it was George. It's a tasty part whoever played it.
Baby's in Black. "Oh how long will it take 'til she sees the mistake she has made...." Also Don't Bother Me. "And I know she'll always be, the only girl for me."
As a musician .. when I finally got my hands on The Beatles Complete Chord Book it was an even further revelation of their genius. It’s incredible as young men who couldn’t read music or had no formal training .. how their ears just “heard” augmented chords or 9th chord and I could go on and on. But for me the real treat of the chord book was to see the actual chords for the middle 8’s. Those exquisite little songs in the middle of an already great song! Thank you for this! :)
See, I don’t think you’re being fair. Nor are you giving credit to Paul and John for their musical instincts. Both had listened to all sorts of musical genres from the time they were young children, and though George definitely fleshed out a lot of melodies with them, he was also Affirming and nurturing them to go further with their instincts. He helped them increase their musical vocabulary, and they ran with it.
Dont give too much credit to Martin. Sure he was there to address some issues...but the boys pretty much came to the sessions with the piano and guitar parts intact @wolfgangdevries127
This has been one of my favorite videos you’ve put out. Thanks! Bridges/“Middle 8’s” are awesome! Thanks for the reminders too, structural exceptions that still fit in the form of the tune, even if it’s not 12 bar blues, per se. Also, at 36 and a music teacher, I have loved The Beatles since I was about 4 years old, when my ma blessed it up and blasted “I Wanna Hold Your Hand.” I didn’t know until many years later how integral the band would be to my own musical life…which started to explode in my head right at the age of 12 1/2 - 13- when the “clique ego” starts setting in . I wasn’t “allowed” in to my friends’ three piece punk band, so I was like “Okay, I’m just gonna start playing all those instruments and record myself.” Fast forward ~24 years later, I’m trying to do what you do- teach, esp. the youth music appreciation, and I’m very proud of this. Thanks for being such an inspiration, Aimee!
Here’s something cool I know about the Beatles because I’m old enough to remember when they first showed up. I was a pretty little kid but part of what knocked out my older siblings was that they seemed to have come from out of the woods, completely self-taught, with a musical language all their own. They taught each other chords they found and often had made-up names for them. This made them impossibly fresh because they were so talented. What helped in a weird way was their poverty. Not only did they not have music lessons, but both Paul and Ringo, being left-handed, had to learn their instruments on the more common and less expensive right-handed instruments, which helped give them a different vibe, and especially for Ringo, a different sound.
Came here from David's video and as a diehard Beatles fan I like your selections. No reply is one of my absolute favorites, it just sounds so powerful. But another bridge I really love is "This Boy", the harmonies are fantastic.
This video ended way too soon! I was enthralled. I was a pre-teen when the Beatles hit America and still have an affinity for their early songs. I didn’t know music theory or structure, but I was very into music and I knew what I liked. And I could tell that the Beatles were special. There melodies and chord choices (I didn’t know about chords at the time, but did know that several keys on a piano could make a nice sound) were so beyond other songs on the radio at that time -even the worst song on one of their albums was better than most played on radio back then. On top of that they were incredibly prolific; the hits just kept pouring out at an unbelievable rate. It was a very exciting time. The entire Beatles catalog is part of the playlist on my iPhone to this day.
You are amazing beautiful lady, as a song writer, you make me think and explore what's possible and beyond, breaking rules when I feel the need for more adventurous endeavors in my creative process! I started writing songs at about 12 years old (1967), and it still excites me to this very day!
Hi Aimee! I just discovered you here! I am a Guitarist/Recording Composer of Prog Rock and Fusion Looking forward to diggin here. It's the stuff I geek out over here full time Thank you Lovely voice too btw
My favourite middle 8 of all time is not Beatles but Carole King: One Fine Day. "You'll come to me when you want to settle down, oh!" The pull back to the chorus is masterful.
Marvelous as usual. Aimee. And your version of Over the Rainbow was magical even though you were just playing through it. There was something very special about it. Happy New Year my friend.
When listening back to the popular radio music I grew up with in the 80's and 90's, and what my parents played me from the 50's and 60's, there are many great verses, and great choruses. But the ones with the great bridges are the songs that truly stand the test of time. The Beatles were top tier at building them.
Great video. One of my favourite bridges is the one in Don't Let Me Down. Just four bars, but the sheer amount of beauty concentrated within is what made Beatles so unique. You could even compose a whole new song based on that short bridge alone and it will be a cracker.
Aimee, you are such a sweet heart. Can’t you make a video how the Beatles harmonized these amazing backing vocals. As 67 I hope I am not to old to build in this technic into my own songs. Greatings Peter ❤
I enjoyed this alot. Aimee is amazing and intelligent in her ways of expressing her interpretation of the Beatles and the bridges that made their songs so incredible. I also agree with her wholeheartedly about the song In My Life. It's just an awesome song in every way. I liked and subscribed.
I love your video lessons. You teach me music via the music that I can understand. You are an insightful teacher, and I have played sax for many years. I plan to learn more from your video lessons and Nebula.
I just subscribed to Nebula because of your Beatles Bridges - What is a Middle 8. You accurately described a limitation of TH-cam (I'm addicted to YT). I willingly pay for educational material and your Beatles explanations were terrific. I'm also a committed Beatle fan after watching their American debut on Ed Sullivan live in 1964. I was 11. As a lead singer and rhythm guitar player at 17 I copied every detail of their on-stage act (mike too high, head back, I was Lennon). Thanks again for widening my music horizons with your well-produced videos. I'm looking forward to seeing you on Nebula.
I really appreciate that, Tom. Every video that has extra content in it will have a little plus in the corner on the bottom in the thumbnail. Every video that I put on Nebula before I put it on TH-cam will have a lightning bolt. And don’t forget to click on the classes tab. That’s where you will find my courses about chords.
They were good with bridges from the beginning. "From Me to You" and "I'll Get You" are examples for me where the bridge is what really makes the song great. I also appreciate the mention of "If I Fell", which to me is their most underrated song, probably because they wrote it early, before they had started doing more complex arrangements. That song has so many good things going on in it (the intro key change, the bridge, the rest of the song).
"I'm Looking Through You" Is an example where it can take a good song and make it a great song. 'Why, tell me why..' was added after Anthology version.
"Things We Said Today" obscure? That's one of my favorite Beatles tunes! I like the way you identified what they did, going from the bridge back to the A part, as an enjambment, and thanks for introducing me to that term! It opens a whole new way of thinking about certain songs. This is the sort of thing I find captivating about your music analysis. BTW, also in the era of, and contemporaneously with The Beatles, Herman's Hermits had interesting structure to some of their songs - I'm thinking of "No Milk Today." Any interest in featuring that tune in a video? Fred
Once a year Sirius Radio does a program of the top 100 Beatles songs as determined by the listeners. On a recent road trip I listened to the entire program and it was amazing how many melodies were familiar. The top song two years in a row, maybe longer than that, was predictably Hey Jude. One of my personal top songs was Helter Skelter, with all the sad associations with the horrendous Sharon Tate murders. It is very difficult to separate the two but it is possible and may be just a generational association. An amazing over the top song with all of the sonic wizard magic they and George Martin were capable of. Now I have to decide where the middle eight of that song lives!
Aimee, check out the bridge to "Ticket to Ride." One of their coolest and best. Killer guitar fill to transition back to the last verse. Cool video. Thanks. Cheers.
As a major Beatles fan, I am always skeptical of song analysis, but not here! Great topic to bring up to begin with, and masterfully done with great examples-
I remember that childhood rhyme. I came here from david bennets channel. He said you did a version of middle 8 on beatles. Things we said today always a personal favorite that is often ignored.
I,m a bass player, the number one thing i do when learning a new song is figure out the song form. I'ts a great help to me, video's like this one make a great difference to understand the subject even more. Thanks.
Aimee can you just offload to a private video site and redirect to...oh, Nebula! That makes sense. It's too valuable what you're doing and has been valuable to me. Thank you.
I listened to David Bennett"s middle 8 video, and yours, and both were wonderful. (it was great to hear you play and sing those song fragments, btw) I loved those songs when they came out at the time, and in the last few years have been listening more and more to programmes explaining their musical structures, and rediscovering the magic of their songs! (I'd not come across your programmes before, and really enjoyed your analysis and presentation of your material. I'm a non-musician in a musical family (my brother and one sister sang on their guitars; he later switched to choir singing in two choirs; my mother had been an opera singer...) I'll be looking out for them now. Emily Autumn, who has a very interesting catalogue of songs, sang her own variation on the Lucy theme (it seems), "Miss Lucy had some leeches", full of these (school yard) enjambments (be warned!) linking one verse to the next: both dark and funny. I was not familiar with that style of writing nor such school yard songs. I was tempted to include Flanders and Swann's "Have some Madeira M'dear", which incorporate three not-quite-enjambments (they're zeugmas), so that doesn't count (but are immense fun, in passing)...
I started secondary school in 1963 just as they(the Beatles) were getting going and left school 1968 when it was the beginning of the end alas. They definitely got me through pubescence!
Thanks for this video Aimee. Just one little niggle: you talk about the 4-bar bridge in She's a Woman, but the snippet of the song played is part of the verse. The 4-bar bridge is "She's a woman who understands, she's a woman who loves her man' - just that.
Very well explained and good choices ! When you anticipated the most "iconic" bridge, so to speak, I thought you would choose Something... and then I was waiting for the rest of the video ... 😊
15:59 "elision" is the term i learned in music school to describe this sort of thing where the last note of one phrase is also the first note of the next one, though i'm sure either word would've caused the beatles to giggle at the idea that they were doing anything worthy of such academic terminology hehe. lovely vid btw :)
Early calypso appears to have a 12 bar verse and 8 bar bridge or chorus. This may have been a more direct influence than, say, Chuck Berry on the Beatles. Lennon and McCartney in the 50s sought out a calypso performer in Liverpool known as Lord Woodbine. He became their drinking buddy, and some took him to be their manager. Woodbine arranged their trip to Hamburg.
Great work Aimee, got me humming other great bridges. Checked out your video on Dolly and Kenny’s Islands in the stream, which also has a great bridge. I found myself singing ‘Heartbreaker’ by Dionne Warwick coming out of the ‘Islands’ bridge. I thought it was Bacharach, turns out it was the Bee Gees as well! They would have fitted in nicely in the Brill building.
you know, yeah, some of those clips are short but its not as though they arent instructive or representitive. I felt I understood what you were trying to say. The duration of the clips is fine.
The piano part of In My Life was arranged and performed by George Martin. I believe it was mr Lennon who suggested that he should do it and he did it while the Fab Four was on a break. It was inspired by Bachs two part inventions and was recorded at half speed because he didn't have the technical ability to do it att full speed. That had the added benefit of making it sound almost like a harpsichord. True to form. Serendipity at work. There is a video with mr Martin demonstrating it, on a DX7! Two of my favourite TH-camrs collaborating on one of my favourite subjects😎
My bad about the Police song. I put up the wrong video clip and it’s NOT the bridge section I meant it to be. Should be “since you’ve gone I’ve been lost without a trace.” Wish I could take it back. Thanks for understanding! Also I just had a weird slip of the brain when I said Peter Martin (a friend of mine) instead of George but I corrected in in the text on the screen as I say it because I noticed while I was editing
Thanks for this. I came to the comments on my phone while watching on my TV just to see if anyone else thought this was the case. Great work otherwise!
Your analysis and excellent musical talent more than makes up for these minor oversights. I loved it so much and it helped m see understand why I love the Beatles music so much.
Things we aaid today has always been underrated in my opinion. Now i know another reason why.
why would there even be a Police song in a Beatles video? You could not find enough examples?
Actually it is correct in a way - the song is kind of A A B A C A B A with a normal bridge that you included and then another one... if the song was a mathematical formula it would have double brackets hehe
The bridge in the Cream song, “Badge” was written by George Harrison, so it is almost a Beatles’ bridge. What I love most about it is that George hand wrote the notes on a piece paper for Eric Clapton and scribbled the word “Bridge” at the top. Eric couldn’t read the handwriting and thought it said “Badge,” so that’s what he named the song, as a nod to his pal George for helping him out.
George's name maybe on the credits for writing the song and I honestly don't even want to take the time to look it up. It was George and Eric who wrote that song... together.
@@tefenstrat My typing was sloppy and I did not mean to write that George wrote the song-Only the bridge. Clapton, as you say wrote the main parts of the song. It’s just amusing that the song got its enigmatic name because Eric couldn’t read George’s printing.
One of my great memories of my mother (who was totally pre-Elvis and had no regard for the music of my generation)- I was sitting in the basement with my guitar and a sheet music book, looking at the simple chords to "I Should Have Known Better", when Mom walked by and surprised me by scooping it up. She squinted at the page for just a second and said "This is CUTE!" She carried it over to the piano and "I Should Have Known Better" came pounding from her fingers. Amazing. I don't read music. Lennon and McCartney don't read music. But Mom was able to look at some squiggles on a page and perceive their genius.
And a real favorite memory- in the last year of her life I was showing "Yellow Submarine" to my nephews (who'd seen it many times and always begged for it) when Mom joined us on the couch, sitting between her young grandchildren. She watched quietly until "It's All Too Much" came up, and I thought "Oh, no...she's not going to be able to handle this..." The psychedelic freak-out was a lot even for me, when I was a small kid. As it ended, Mom said, quietly, "How could I ever have not understood how wonderful they were?"
@@SurferJoe1 Thanks for sharing.
This Boy - probably the finest middle 8 in the entire history of popular music. Also possibly the best sung.
Amazing performance by John
Correct.
It's pretty similar to Anna
I'd say "I don't want to spoil the party" is possibly the best lead and harmony vocals ever recorded in its middle eight.
@@da_great_mogul baby's in black
Bennet, Neely, Beato, Cornell and Nolte. Incredible how much good education is online for free, by some extremely talented teachers.
Try Nahre Sol as well!
Mike Pachelli is a fave
Dunno his normie name, but 12Tone belongs on this list. Also, I want to second, and third, Aimee's addition of Nahre Sol. Skilled keyboard artist, ever more creative & sophisticated composer/improvisor, and a truly brilliant and inspiring teacher.
Did you not mention John's bridge to "We Can Work It Out"??? That might be their most iconic bridge section ever! And it was George's suggestion to switch to 3/4 time briefly at the end of each line. Those lyrics, the rhythm, the time change! That is one EPIC bridge.
Completely agree.
Without a doubt, totally elevates the song
Initially, my mom - who studied classical piano - wasn't that much impressed by Beatles music. That is, until she heard Yesterday, and sometime later, She's leaving home and Eleanor Rigby. Then she started paying attention to what I played with my group and then a lot of the Beatle records. Eventually she became as much a fan of them as I was. Amazing, eh!
Except, that George and the other Beatles called it "Waltz time"!
Reminds me of when "Peter Martin" (giggle...) was recording Please Please Me with them and he suggested that they "change the tempo".. "What?".. "Make it faster boys". As Paul describes the incident they were a bit affronted, but complied, and later admitted that it was the trick which made their first hit, and increased their respect for Martin.
They were never "theorists", which only increases ones admiration for the inventiveness of the bridges described here.
And, yes, the waltz time in We Can Work it is both startling and it makes the song!
As a 10 year old in ‘64 I could tell the Beatles were something different and awesome out of the gate. I know nothing about songwriting but I know something great when I hear it. I can’t imagine any group matching these dudes ever again. Especially with the quality and quantity of great songs
You have the voice of an angel. I got a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye the second you started singing “Somewhere”
Me too!
I bought every Beatles song "off the press" and know them all intimately. But you are able to get fresh wine from the grapes that have been trod by so many other feet and bring it down so that we can all understand it. You are so talented and have that distinctive voice that expresses the songs so beautifully. I saw The Beatles twice in Belfast way back then. Sorry for being obsequious but The Beatles have been so important to me all my adult life. Many thanks.
George, You are a Gentleman; You are a Poet; You are so good in using English language to express yourself.
Brindo por eso, Salud.!
Yes, same here. When she said Things We Said Today was a little obscure, I thought "there are no obscure Beatles songs!" We know every lyric to every one!
'Things We Said Today'...a fantastic chord progression for the middle 8. With the lyrics, it still has an emotional impact for me. Thanks for choosing it, Amy.
Came here from David Bennett's video. Great content Aimee, I'm always arguing with my band mates whether it is properly named as a 'bridge' or 'middle 8' now I'll know where to send them when I want to shut them up and get on with the rehearsal. Thanks for the clarity!
This is the most interesting interpretation of Beatles stuff I've seen. I'd particularly enjoy hearing how they used classical techniques without really knowing it.
9:59 That little Bach-like instrumental interlude bridge thingamajig on "In My Life" is one of my favorite moments on _Rubber Soul._ Actually, it's one of my favorite moments in the Beatles' whole legendarium.
I know that was something George Martin cooked up by himself in the studio, but still. (And I never noticed it reprises the chord sequence from the song. No wonder it fits in so well!)
Of course, George did it as a work for hire. (Lennon asked Mr. Producer Man to come up with "something Baroque-sounding", if memory serves.) And technically, Martin actually wrote a middle sixteen; apparently his plan was to just play it twice as fast, to make it fit. I guess to make it "Baroque". (Which would probably have worked on, say, a harpsichord; but a piano is not a harpsichord.) Martin's solution - recording it with the tape at half speed - was such a bloody genius move. It even gave it that lovely harpsichord-like timbre. If Martin really was the one who actually devised that tape-speed trick, he's a clever boffin.
I replied to a comment on David’s video that the AABA format is also somewhat common in Classical Christian hymns, & I listed some examples. Several of them are different lyrics set to folk melodies, like “The Ash Grove” & “In Babilone”. There are EVEN MORE examples of hymns in AAB format than in AABA. Some of these are: “The Lord’s My Shepherd” set to the tune “Brother James Air”; “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”, set to the French folk tune “Picardy”; “Christ is Made the Sure Foundation“; “Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain”; “Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing”; “For the Beauty of the Earth”; “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”; & “The First Noel”.
The first half of the Beatles output often eschewed choruses, and had B sections instead. I prefer that form. There's A Place has three sections, and it's a stunner of a song.
The bridge of "I am the Walrus" has been one of my favourite moments since I first heard it probably 50 years ago (my dad was a huge fan). Just an amazing section of music on all levels. Great video btw!
I have been arranging Beatle songs in D6 tuning. I'm 77 and I am still astonished at their arrangements, chords, harmonies, riff hooks etc especially compared to the other pop music of the day. Couple that with their wry humor and charisma and it becomes timeless. It's almost as if they invented a whole new genre of music: not rock, not pop, not jazz, not blues.....
Yes almost a whole industry
Hi Aimee. It’s been quite some time since I posted a comment on your videos but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy them to the fullest. I can’t stress enough the fact that you’re not only a gifted music person but also a great speaker who is very joyful to hear.
I’ve been a Beatles fan for half a century and totally convinced they are the best musicians, singers, songwriters, you name it, of the XXth century and beyond.
Even for those who don’t recognize a “bridge” or a key change in a song or composition, the way The Beatles did this to their work, makes the difference in the fact their music is so unique and explains why millions and millions of people love them so much. By the way, let me tell you that another great composer is Barry Gibb from The Bee Gees.
My favorite Beatles song: Got To Get You Into My Life. I’d love to watch a video from you on this one.
Thanks and again, great job girl. ❤
Great breakdown of the bridges in Beatles' songs. Michelle is a great example. Keep doing what you do. It makes music exciting.
Fav fab bridges...
Julia - 'Her hair of floating sky is shimmering...'
And I Love Her - 'A love like ours...'
Hey Jude - 'And any time you feel the pain...'
Nowhere Man - 'Nowhere man, don't hurry...'
Lucy - 'Cellophane flowers of yellow and green...'
Yesterday - 'Why she had to go...'
Martha My Dear - 'Take a good look around you...'
When I'm 64 - 'Every summer we can rent a cottage...'
Two Of Us - 'You and I have memories...'
So many more....
Don’t rush your song demos they sound nice!
I am glad you included No Reply which had the most exciting few seconds in their early catalog.
I had to smile when I saw this video. A subject dear to my heart. Nobody writes a bridge like they did. And you even mentioned the bridge in "No Reply" and the bridge in "Things We Said Today" two of my favorite examples. I sometimes play those songs for people when I get all excited about this topic. They look at me like I'm nuts. Bravo. You are spot on! Genius writers, genius powerful bridges that totally elevate the songs and even crystalize the meaning of the lyrics Thank you for sharing this.
Amiee, you're a new phenomenon, a non-Boomer expert of Boomer music with the chops to speak with authority. Not to mention possessing a beautiful singing voice. This is great stuff you're doing. We Boomers love our music, perhaps more than any other generation. Want to understand Boomers? Study our music, especially The Beatles.
The Ballad of John and Yoko is a bridge that I always look forward to performing, simple bridge in a simple song.
Thank You Aimee. Fantastic video and explanations! I now finally understand what a "middle 8", uh..I mean a "bridge" is. I am an obsessed Beatle fan as well. Thank you so much!
Watching/listening to this video is like going to a three Michelin star restaurant after s whole life of eating McDonald's. You just made my day happier. Thank you.
Thanks so much!
Ohmigosh this was soooo cool to listen to. I am like your stepdad although I KINDA knew what a bridge is. What a delight to actually learn new things about the Beatles’ genius, and so well explained. I also love the bits of you singing. Thinks so much!
Great material, The Beatles have one of the finest bridges of all time in their songs. Thanks to them I found out what the bridge is. My favourite is probably "Well, well, well you're feeling fine" from "Doctor Robert" song.
The Beatles were absolute Bridge Masters...instead of merely varying from the repetition, they always took the song to a new height, and usually an unexpected one that made the whole experience deeper and richer. My favorite bridge, off the top of my head- ...does "I'm so glad..."...from "I Feel Fine" qualify? If not, I'll go with "Nowhere Man". And again, if it qualifies, the mostly instrumental bridge to "Fool On The Hill" (not the repetition of the melody, the "round and round" one) ...and both bridges in "Because", including the wordless one.
I love the bridge in Ticket To Ride and George's guitar phrase at the end of it.
Yes, that's the bridge.
@@donyoung7874 Great call (but George, or Paul?)
@@SurferJoe1 I heard it was Paul when I watched a tutorial. I'm not into Beatle minutiae so I thought it was George. It's a tasty part whoever played it.
Baby's in Black. "Oh how long will it take 'til she sees the mistake she has made...." Also Don't Bother Me. "And I know she'll always be, the only girl for me."
As a musician .. when I finally got my hands on The Beatles Complete Chord Book it was an even further revelation of their genius. It’s incredible as young men who couldn’t read music or had no formal training .. how their ears just “heard” augmented chords or 9th chord and I could go on and on. But for me the real treat of the chord book was to see the actual chords for the middle 8’s. Those exquisite little songs in the middle of an already great song! Thank you for this! :)
Apparently, you've never heard of George Martin, but don't let that fact spoil your fun 😊
See, I don’t think you’re being fair. Nor are you giving credit to Paul and John for their musical instincts. Both had listened to all sorts of musical genres from the time they were young children, and though George definitely fleshed out a lot of melodies with them, he was also Affirming and nurturing them to go further with their instincts. He helped them increase their musical vocabulary, and they ran with it.
100%
Dont give too much credit to Martin. Sure he was there to address some issues...but the boys pretty much came to the sessions with the piano and guitar parts intact @wolfgangdevries127
@@stevekaspar1396 lmao
Wow, Aimee not only is this a great video, but you have a beautiful voice as well!
So Brilliant! This is the Clearest Explanation of a Bridge and the Middle 8 I’ve ever seen. Thank You!
I fell in love when I heard you sing and play... you have a great talent. Cheers from Argentina
This has been one of my favorite videos you’ve put out. Thanks! Bridges/“Middle 8’s” are awesome!
Thanks for the reminders too, structural exceptions that still fit in the form of the tune, even if it’s not 12 bar blues, per se.
Also, at 36 and a music teacher, I have loved The Beatles since I was about 4 years old, when my ma blessed it up and blasted “I Wanna Hold Your Hand.” I didn’t know until many years later how integral the band would be to my own musical life…which started to explode in my head right at the age of 12 1/2 - 13- when the “clique ego” starts setting in . I wasn’t “allowed” in to my friends’ three piece punk band, so I was like “Okay, I’m just gonna start playing all those instruments and record myself.” Fast forward ~24 years later, I’m trying to do what you do- teach, esp. the youth music appreciation, and I’m very proud of this.
Thanks for being such an inspiration, Aimee!
Here’s something cool I know about the Beatles because I’m old enough to remember when they first showed up. I was a pretty little kid but part of what knocked out my older siblings was that they seemed to have come from out of the woods, completely self-taught, with a musical language all their own. They taught each other chords they found and often had made-up names for them. This made them impossibly fresh because they were so talented. What helped in a weird way was their poverty. Not only did they not have music lessons, but both Paul and Ringo, being left-handed, had to learn their instruments on the more common and less expensive right-handed instruments, which helped give them a different vibe, and especially for Ringo, a different sound.
Came here from David's video and as a diehard Beatles fan I like your selections. No reply is one of my absolute favorites, it just sounds so powerful. But another bridge I really love is "This Boy", the harmonies are fantastic.
This video ended way too soon! I was enthralled. I was a pre-teen when the Beatles hit America and still have an affinity for their early songs. I didn’t know music theory or structure, but I was very into music and I knew what I liked. And I could tell that the Beatles were special. There melodies and chord choices (I didn’t know about chords at the time, but did know that several keys on a piano could make a nice sound) were so beyond other songs on the radio at that time -even the worst song on one of their albums was better than most played on radio back then. On top of that they were incredibly prolific; the hits just kept pouring out at an unbelievable rate. It was a very exciting time. The entire Beatles catalog is part of the playlist on my iPhone to this day.
So cool! I love David's channel...and yours!
You are amazing beautiful lady, as a song writer, you make me think and explore what's possible and beyond, breaking rules when I feel the need for more adventurous endeavors in my creative process! I started writing songs at about 12 years old (1967), and it still excites me to this very day!
Hi Aimee!
I just discovered you here!
I am a Guitarist/Recording Composer of Prog Rock and Fusion
Looking forward to diggin here.
It's the stuff I geek out over here full time
Thank you
Lovely voice too btw
My favourite middle 8 of all time is not Beatles but Carole King: One Fine Day. "You'll come to me when you want to settle down, oh!" The pull back to the chorus is masterful.
We can work it out is my favourite Beatles middle 8. Genius.
Marvelous as usual. Aimee. And your version of Over the Rainbow was magical even though you were just playing through it. There was something very special about it. Happy New Year my friend.
When listening back to the popular radio music I grew up with in the 80's and 90's, and what my parents played me from the 50's and 60's, there are many great verses, and great choruses. But the ones with the great bridges are the songs that truly stand the test of time. The Beatles were top tier at building them.
Fantastic, had to sub . Cheers from New Zealand
Thank again, Aimee. Enjoyed this video very much! Learned a lot too. not to mention well presented! ❤️
Well presented and the piano playing captured the harmonic
vocal nuances.
'We can work it out' had a fantastic bridge. Where it goes from 4/4 to 3/4 timing.
Great explanations, and I just love your voice (both speaking and singing).
Great video. One of my favourite bridges is the one in Don't Let Me Down. Just four bars, but the sheer amount of beauty concentrated within is what made Beatles so unique. You could even compose a whole new song based on that short bridge alone and it will be a cracker.
Great video thanks. I sensed that the Beatles were doing this better than anyone else but I didn't know the technical term - Bridge
Aimee, you are such a sweet heart. Can’t you make a video how the Beatles harmonized these amazing backing vocals. As 67 I hope I am not to old to build in this technic into my own songs. Greatings Peter ❤
Helpful video and lovely piano playing! James
Beautiful playing and voice
You have a great entertaining show. Thank you.
I enjoyed this alot. Aimee is amazing and intelligent in her ways of expressing her interpretation of the Beatles and the bridges that made their songs so incredible. I also agree with her wholeheartedly about the song In My Life. It's just an awesome song in every way. I liked and subscribed.
Beatles Bridge middle 8s are always crafty with cool borrowed chords and keys
I love your video lessons. You teach me music via the music that I can understand. You are an insightful teacher, and I have played sax for many years. I plan to learn more from your video lessons and Nebula.
I’m surprised you’re not at a million subs yet. I’ve loved your channel for years and I’m a bass player! Keep up the great work.
Experiencing your analysis of The Beatles is almost as wonderful as listening to The Beatles. :-)
I Always struggle on understanding how to write my bridges or understand the structure of the Beatles ones‚ thank you ❤
I just subscribed to Nebula because of your Beatles Bridges - What is a Middle 8. You accurately described a limitation of TH-cam (I'm addicted to YT). I willingly pay for educational material and your Beatles explanations were terrific. I'm also a committed Beatle fan after watching their American debut on Ed Sullivan live in 1964. I was 11. As a lead singer and rhythm guitar player at 17 I copied every detail of their on-stage act (mike too high, head back, I was Lennon). Thanks again for widening my music horizons with your well-produced videos. I'm looking forward to seeing you on Nebula.
I really appreciate that, Tom. Every video that has extra content in it will have a little plus in the corner on the bottom in the thumbnail. Every video that I put on Nebula before I put it on TH-cam will have a lightning bolt. And don’t forget to click on the classes tab. That’s where you will find my courses about chords.
You have a lovely voice, I really dig it
They were good with bridges from the beginning. "From Me to You" and "I'll Get You" are examples for me where the bridge is what really makes the song great.
I also appreciate the mention of "If I Fell", which to me is their most underrated song, probably because they wrote it early, before they had started doing more complex arrangements. That song has so many good things going on in it (the intro key change, the bridge, the rest of the song).
I’ll Get You has such a good bridge. One or two choice chords too.
The cranberry sauce analogy to a bridge/middle 8 was perfect!
"I'm Looking Through You" Is an example where it can take a good song and make it a great song. 'Why, tell me why..' was added after Anthology version.
Huh? Thats on the original version. Unless I misunderstand what you mean
Original version had 12 bar jam.Then Paul added "Why, tell me why did you not treat me right, etc@@marcsullivan7987
"Things We Said Today" obscure? That's one of my favorite Beatles tunes!
I like the way you identified what they did, going from the bridge back to the A part, as an enjambment, and thanks for introducing me to that term!
It opens a whole new way of thinking about certain songs. This is the sort of thing I find captivating about your music analysis.
BTW, also in the era of, and contemporaneously with The Beatles, Herman's Hermits had interesting structure to some of their songs - I'm thinking of "No Milk Today." Any interest in featuring that tune in a video?
Fred
Once a year Sirius Radio does a program of the top 100 Beatles songs as determined by the listeners. On a recent road trip I listened to the entire program and it was amazing how many melodies were familiar. The top song two years in a row, maybe longer than that, was predictably Hey Jude. One of my personal top songs was Helter Skelter, with all the sad associations with the horrendous Sharon Tate murders. It is very difficult to separate the two but it is possible and may be just a generational association. An amazing over the top song with all of the sonic wizard magic they and George Martin were capable of. Now I have to decide where the middle eight of that song lives!
One of my favourite Beatles moments in any song is the release/middle 8/bridge of Martha, My Dear: Take a go-o-od look around you (etc.).
Thank you. What a great complement to David's video! Sorry I haven't subscribed before, but I have now.
Aimee, check out the bridge to "Ticket to Ride." One of their coolest and best. Killer guitar fill to transition back to the last verse. Cool video. Thanks. Cheers.
Great lesson and explanation of Middle 8s , bridges keys chords
Really enjoyed your wonderful exploration of these bridges, Aimee!
Beautiful video. Thank you
As a major Beatles fan, I am always skeptical of song analysis, but not here! Great topic to bring up to begin with, and masterfully done with great examples-
Enjambment. Thanks for introducing me to a new word. I’m familiar with the concept but didn’t know the word for it.
what a lovely talented person you are. I wish I played as good :)
I remember that childhood rhyme. I came here from david bennets channel. He said you did a version of middle 8 on beatles. Things we said today always a personal favorite that is often ignored.
So much of what you presented of the Beatles made me well up with emotion! Same with the Police.
I,m a bass player, the number one thing i do when learning a new song is figure out the song form.
I'ts a great help to me, video's like this one make a great difference to understand the subject even more. Thanks.
Just love your topic...wow
Aimee can you just offload to a private video site and redirect to...oh, Nebula! That makes sense. It's too valuable what you're doing and has been valuable to me. Thank you.
compliments Aimee 😀
I'm not musical at all but this was thoroughly engrossing , thank you .
What a nice voice you have!
I listened to David Bennett"s middle 8 video, and yours, and both were wonderful. (it was great to hear you play and sing those song fragments, btw) I loved those songs when they came out at the time, and in the last few years have been listening more and more to programmes explaining their musical structures, and rediscovering the magic of their songs!
(I'd not come across your programmes before, and really enjoyed your analysis and presentation of your material. I'm a non-musician in a musical family (my brother and one sister sang on their guitars; he later switched to choir singing in two choirs; my mother had been an opera singer...) I'll be looking out for them now.
Emily Autumn, who has a very interesting catalogue of songs, sang her own variation on the Lucy theme (it seems), "Miss Lucy had some leeches", full of these (school yard) enjambments (be warned!) linking one verse to the next: both dark and funny. I was not familiar with that style of writing nor such school yard songs.
I was tempted to include Flanders and Swann's "Have some Madeira M'dear", which incorporate three not-quite-enjambments (they're zeugmas), so that doesn't count (but are immense fun, in passing)...
(Sorry: Emilie Autumn)
Always great and ear-awakening.Thanks
That “Julia” bridge chord progression always blows my mind “her hair of floating sky is shimmering, glimmering in the sun…”
I started secondary school in 1963 just as they(the Beatles) were getting going and left school 1968 when it was the beginning of the end alas. They definitely got me through pubescence!
Thanks for this video Aimee. Just one little niggle: you talk about the 4-bar bridge in She's a Woman, but the snippet of the song played is part of the verse. The 4-bar bridge is "She's a woman who understands, she's a woman who loves her man' - just that.
Very well explained and good choices !
When you anticipated the most "iconic" bridge, so to speak, I thought you would choose Something... and then I was waiting for the rest of the video ... 😊
15:59 "elision" is the term i learned in music school to describe this sort of thing where the last note of one phrase is also the first note of the next one, though i'm sure either word would've caused the beatles to giggle at the idea that they were doing anything worthy of such academic terminology hehe. lovely vid btw :)
Early calypso appears to have a 12 bar verse and 8 bar bridge or chorus. This may have been a more direct influence than, say, Chuck Berry on the Beatles. Lennon and McCartney in the 50s sought out a calypso performer in Liverpool known as Lord Woodbine. He became their drinking buddy, and some took him to be their manager. Woodbine arranged their trip to Hamburg.
Great work Aimee, got me humming other great bridges. Checked out your video on Dolly and Kenny’s Islands in the stream, which also has a great bridge. I found myself singing ‘Heartbreaker’ by Dionne Warwick coming out of the ‘Islands’ bridge. I thought it was Bacharach, turns out it was the Bee Gees as well! They would have fitted in nicely in the Brill building.
Your voice is beautiful
You must be a lot of fun at parties! I wish I could rattle off these amazing Beatles songs as effortlessly as you can!
Parabéns! Beautiful video!
My favorite Beatles bridge hands-down was, "Another Girl"; the way they modulated in and out (in Harmony) was fantastic.
Through thick and thin she will always be my friend.
If you know, you know; there were at least two modulations in the bridge.😇@@georgestevens1502
Wasn't listing complete section. Just a quick reference. Not trying to be a know it all like so.e people. @@namename5917
you know, yeah, some of those clips are short but its not as though they arent instructive or representitive. I felt I understood what you were trying to say. The duration of the clips is fine.
The piano part of In My Life was arranged and performed by George Martin.
I believe it was mr Lennon who suggested that he should do it
and he did it while the Fab Four was on a break.
It was inspired by Bachs two part inventions
and was recorded at half speed because
he didn't have the technical ability
to do it att full speed.
That had the added benefit of making it
sound almost like a harpsichord.
True to form.
Serendipity at work.
There is a video with mr Martin
demonstrating it, on a DX7!
Two of my favourite TH-camrs collaborating
on one of my favourite subjects😎
while my guitar gently weeps has a cool bridge. the bassline is especially beautiful for that section. and it's a modulation too.