My iPod #292: The Beatles - Don't Let Me Down

Let me make it clear that this is the "Naked" version of "Don't Let Me Down" that I'll be talking about. Why is this? Because I much prefer it to the original released back in 1969.

Both recordings were made during a period when the four members barely wanted to be in a room together. The thing is you can really tell this when listening to the original. The performance is slow, lethargic and so loose that it sounds like it could collapse at any moment. Paul's a bit full on with his harmony, and it's not John's greatest vocal either. Maybe that's why Phil Spector dropped it from "Let It Be", although it would have been a better option than "Dig It" and "Maggie Mae" for sure. I can't get into it - it lacks that tight-knit delivery and closeness that we all associate The Beatles with.

But the "Naked" version........ Ah. It's beautiful. If only the technology of 2003 existed back in the 70s. "Let It Be.... Naked" was Paul McCartney's vision of what the album should have been had Phil Spector not put on his choirs and various orchestras into some of the tracks. "Maggie Mae" and "Dig It" were taken off and replaced with this wonderful version of "Don't Let Me Down", made up of two performances of the song the band did during the infamous rooftop concert.

The track is given a lift by a subtle change in tempo and a higher key, but what makes it so much better than its 1969 counterpart is how brighter it sounds. You can sense that the atmosphere whilst performing this version was a lot less tense. George's lower harmony vocal in the chorus is a nice little addition, the instrumentation is tighter, the singing is terrific...... Everything sounds better.

Oh, and that bass playing by Paul after the final iteration of the title until the end of the song. Absolutely glorious. I'm very sure John looks at him as if to say "Damn....." in appreciation, but he can't because he's still singing. Oh well.

Watch them perform it, by clicking on thiiiiiiiiiis.

My iPod #281: Arctic Monkeys - Do Me a Favour

"Do Me a Favour" is a song from Arctic Monkeys' second album "Favourite Worst Nightmare". Have I mentioned that this my favourite album of theirs? I may have done before. I'll assume that I've stated why that is my opinion, so I won't go into that again.

Placed after the mellowest track on the album, "Do Me a Favour" starts off the second half of "Nightmare" with a minor-key track about the end of a relationship from the point of view of a man who has cheated on his girlfriend and feeling so guilty about it eventually tells her.

The track begins with ominous rolls on the tom-toms, followed by ascending bass line and Alex Turner's vocals. It continues to slowly build brick by brick (hehe), as the guitars are introduced later on. The majority of "Favour" is calmly delivered, before launching into the explosion near the end where Turner sings the last verse and everything comes to a close.

As it is only an album track, there is not much extra information I am able to provide. Sorry. The point is, it's a decent one. If you haven't heard it, spare a few minutes.

My iPod #163: The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now

A "hate you but I love you" type of song at its very finest.

Pete Doherty and Carl Barât were not getting along with one another as they did in the years before 2004. Pete was doing drugs, Carl did not like it, they argued and the band split up later.

But what better way to express their feelings to one another than through song? With memorable call and response verses, the two lead vocalists express their feelings to each other. No metaphors or other literary devices are used which may try to place ambiguity on any lines... it's just pure emotion. Not like soppy emotion. But the truth. Straight from the heart.

The song is the lead track from the band's last album. It almost got to number one in the charts. It peaked at number two. It got beaten by this.

Jamie.

My iPod #158: The Beatles - Can't Buy Me Love

Another wonderful vocal performance by Paul McCartney. Sings it right from the gut. It was almost ear-piercing when I was always messing up the audio in Audacity and amplifying their tracks to ridiculous levels. I used to like my music very loud; I know now why audiophiles exist.

The first time I heard the song, The Beatles weren't singing it. It was a cover version that played in a Simpsons episode. From what I recall Bart and Lisa volunteer to work at the Retirement Castle and they persuade the old folk to have fun outside or whatever, which leads to a montage very similar to the original video by The Beatles which you can see above all of this.

That occurred when I was a child. I didn't see "A Hard Day's Night" until I was fourteen, so that whole montage was something that I thought was silly and comedic, rather than a parody.

"Can't Buy Me Love" is a joyful and bouncy song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, but mostly by the latter. You cannot listen to this song and feel sad at the same time. When Paul sings money can't buy him love, he sings it like he believes it. You want to believe him when he sings it too. This is all very cliché, but it is true. Money's bad. Love is good. Money does help a bit.... but compared to love it's nothing. Love is all you need.

Jamie.

My iPod #95: Foo Fighters - Big Me

Amongst the loud, strong, and energetic songs by Foo Fighters is  "Big Me" found on the debut album from 1994, one of the most softest and almost poppy songs released by the band. Look at how much fun the guys are having in the video, Dave Grohl even has pigtails for goodness sake!

I can't remember how I first came around the song, which is pretty crappy seeing as this is what this whole blog is about. I can only think that it was using the LAUNCHcast thing years ago that I've talked about many times in posts from before. It was probably the video that made me like it even more. It's funny as hell, the band clearly didn't give a shit about how they looked and they're all having a good time. That's what life is about isn't it?


It was released as the final single in 1996 from the band's first album, and by this time Dave had recruited a full band. He recorded the whole first album by himself, playing all instruments except for a lead guitar in one song.

What is the song about? Who knows? The video doesn't clear it up, for sure. What does it matter anyway?

Until tomorrow.

Jamie.

My iPod #75: Morning Runner - Be All You Want Me to Be

This is the first song I heard by Morning Runner.

I was watching music television one day. I think the channel was The Amp -which was a really good music channel; I don't know why it got removed - and I watched the video for it.

But you know how it goes. Time moves on, and songs get older and older until they eventually fade away and are hardly ever played again. I never forgot about the song though. I wasn't able to watch the video again until sometime in 2010. I downloaded the song, and I can have it on repeat whenever I want.

It's got that "Rush of Blood" Coldplay type vibe. Apparently it influenced Chris Martin to write songs with Coldplay for "X&Y", so obviously it must be good.

The song was released as the band's second single from their debut album "Wilderness Is Paradise Now". Their debut was also their last as the band then split in 2007. People may also know this band for "Gone Up in Flames", a song in FIFA 07 and the theme song for "The Inbetweeners".

Until tomorrow.

Jamie.

P.S. I created a Twitter account, so if you want to follow me please do @JamieKManteaw.

Bye, bye.

My iPod #37: Beastie Boys - And Me

(Skip to 2:38 in the video)

2012 was a sad year for all Beastie Boys fans. Adam 'MCA' Yauch passed away with salivary gland cancer, since then the hip-hop trio have gone on hiatus but it is hard to imagine that Ad-Rock and Mike D could perform under the 'Beastie Boys' moniker without that trademark low and raspy vocal.

I liked Beastie Boys, but I had never listened to any of their albums. It sounds bad that I only decided to after MCA's death, and as I type I do feel quite shitty for not listening to one earlier.

Upon release the album received mostly positive reviews. The majority of them mentioning how the trio were branching out with their sound, gaining influence from an eclectic range of genres and successfully stepping forward in progress from previous releases. This is understandable, compare this album with their debut 'Licensed to Ill' for example.

'And Me' was one of the songs that caught my attention upon my first listen. To my knoweledge, it was the first time that Beastie Boys had ever had such a calm and mellow vibe in a song. No one raps, it's just Ad-Rock (though I am not sure) singing accompanied by synthesizers and a steady drum beat. I had never heard something like that by them before.


Sure the song is a bit repetitive, the melody is the same for every verse. Maybe it's because they're better at rapping, but I don't know. It's a very under rated song, so listen to it and see what you think about it.

Until next time.

Jamie.