Photo by Albert Marrion, 17 Dec 1961
I sort of assume that everybody with more than a passing interest in the Beatles has heard the complete recording session held at Decca on New Year’s Day, 1962, but maybe you haven’t. It’s a day that lives in infamy, of course, because they didn’t get signed to a record contract. But the fact is, at that point they still sounded — and looked — like amateurs. Brian Epstein got them into suits in March, but they still needed the ear of somebody who could hear their potential. Listen and decide for yourself. Would you have heard the greatness that was missed by Decca?
Oh, Prue was a beautiful girl too! She reminds me of Natalie Wood. I think Pattie looked more ”cute”, with her tiny frame and gap toothed smile, and Prue was more a ”classic” beauty.
Yes, Pattie inspired George to write “Something.” Not too many show biz marriages last. It’s my Beatles fantasy that during the filming of “A Hard Day’s Night” Paul should have latched onto Prue Bury the way George did Pattie.
Well, Something was written for Pattie Boyd, right? My goodness… that’s beautiful! If someone wrote a song like that for me, I think I would fall to the ground!! 🙂
I love Pattie too… she was a lovely girl. She and George were so cute together. Sad the marriage didn’t last! 🙁
I don’t know what’s the matter with me, but I never liked “Something” or “Here Comes the Sun,” like a true Beatles fan should! I feel very guilty about it, too. Both are great songs, too! My favorite George songs are “Tax Man,” “Piggies,” “Savoy Truffle,” and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” That last one was featured on the “Love Album” as an acoustic outtake, but the Martins (George and his son Giles, is that right?) mucked it up with a heavy-handed orchestral arrangement. They should have left it alone! It was a fantastic performance in and of itself, IMHO. It also features an extra verse: “I look from the wings at the play you are staging, while my guitar gently weeps. While I’m sitting here, doing nothing but aging. Still my guitar gently weeps … ” The original version was great, of course, with George’s friend Eric Clapton’s famous guitar solo.
Yeah, I like their late styles too, but the early were always more specials for me. Of the lates, I love most of tunes by George, like Something and Here comes the sun. Beautiful…
I have more early Beatles stuff coming up, taken from unedited session tapes.
Oh… I LOVE the early Beatles songs… let’s say, from 1962 to 1966. Word up Lia, it’s magic!!! 🙂
In college, my freshman writing teacher pulled me aside early on and said “You’re the most talented writer in the entire incoming class, but you need to find your own VOICE.” She then promised she’d ride my ass (not in those words) until I got it right. I finished up with an A, but it was a miserable semester.
I mention this because these Decca recordings clearly reveal a glimmer of the raw talent of the Beatles in TWO of the songs (“Money,” and “Memphis,”) but not the others. Compare this early version of “Money” to the one they later sold as “The Beatles.” The second one was lights year better, of course. Paul’s version of “To Know Her” is really bad. It’s hard to imagine Paulie singing poorly, but he manages to do so here!
The boys are trying too hard to sound like their heroes. You can clearly make out George’s talented hand on his guitar, but Paul can’t even pronounce some words, like “dreamer” clearly. Maybe they were nervous, but I do not blame Decca for turning them down. It was not fated to be yet. I’m so glad EMI got them, and everybody’s favorite talker (put link here) George Martin!
I must say, Pete Best is cute, but is drumming stinks compared to Ringo. The late Stu Sutcliffe was gorgeous, too, but then, he couldn’t play anything! He was an artist!
Oh! I love the early songs of the Beatles :). It is magic!!!