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Norwegian Wood
The Beatles |
The Beatles - Norwegian Wood
This is a band that needs no introduction. Their music is timeless and means so much to so many people.
John Lennon penned Norwegian Wood, deliberatley taking precautions to write cryptic lyrics to express ulterier meanings.
“I was trying to write about an affair without letting my wife know I was having one. I was sort of writing from my experiences - girl’s flats, things like that. I was very careful and paranoid because I didn’t want my wife, Cyn, to know that there really was something going on outside of the household. I’d always had some kind of affairs going on, so I was trying to be sophisticated in writing about an affair, but in such a smoke-screen way that you couldn’t tell. But I can’t remember any specific woman it had to do with.”
Unbeknownst to many, this is unofficially accredited to being one of the first “pop” songs to include a sitar, which can be heard here being played by George Harrison. Throw in an interesting timing and melody arrangement and you have another Beatles classic.
Download - Norwegian Wood (right click & save)
Enjoy
Gramatik Vs. The Beatles - Don’t Let Me Down 2012
Whenever I hear of a project involving The Beatles’ songs in any way, I’m always incredibly wary that the rendition won’t be a complete screw up. That means covers, mashups, remixes, samples and live versions all come under close scrutiny and high expectations. I always hope against hope that the remake won’t be an insult to the legacy of the greatest band that has probably ever existed. So naturally, when I cam across this track by Slovene / American producer Gramatik, I was very suspicious - not least because he put his name before The Beatles and included a ‘Vs’ to in the title of the collaboration.
Luckily, Don’t let Me Down 2012 has been given the big thumbs up. Gramatik has blurred the lines between the original and the rework. He explains the process
So, back in 2006 when I was still rapping (in Slovene), I sampled ”Don’t Let Me Down” by The Beatles and later on recorded lyrics over it. The beat was very simple, adapted for rap vocals so I decided to revisit it, remove my raps and add a bunch of other live instruments, synths and samples to it, so you guys can enjoy it in instrumental form without it being boring. It’s a downtempo hip-hop flavored banger that continues the evolution of collage sampling combined with live instrumentation and synthesis. Hope you guys like it.
I also hope you like it.
Download - Don’t Let Me Down 2012
Simon & Garfunkel - A Poem On The Underground Wall (Live)
I was listening to my iTunes collection on random and this song came on.
From what I gather, A Poem On The Underground Wall is about a graffiti artist who defiles an advertisement. But the story itself is not as important as the way it is told.
The pacing and tight structure in this song compliment Simon & Garfunkel’s music perfectly.
And as if that were not enough, Garfunkel’s ‘fro is also well worthy of admiration. I’m sure you’d agree.
Click here for an mp3.
The last train is nearly due,
The underground is closing soon,
And in the dark deserted station,
Restless in anticipation,
A man waits in the shadows.
His restless eyes leap and scratch,
At all that they can touch or catch,
And hidden deep within his pocket,
Safe within it’s silent socket,
He holds a colored crayon.
Now from the tunnel’s stony womb,
The carriage rides to meet the groom,
And opens wide and welcome doors,
But he hesitates, then withdraws
Deeper in the shadows.
And the train is gone suddenly
On wheels clicking silently
Like a gently tapping litany,
And he holds his crayon rosary
Tighter in his hand.
Now from his pocket quick he flashes,
The crayon on the wall he slashes,
Deep upon the advertising,
A single worded poem comprised
Of four letters.
And his heart is laughing, screaming, pounding
The poem across the tracks rebounding
Shadowed by the exit light
His legs take their ascending flight
To seek the breast of darkness and be suckled by the night.
