"Maxwell's Silver Hammer"

“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer,” is a McCartney-Lennon master piece, sung by the Beatles.  Paul McCartney sings the lead vocals, with John, Ringo, and George singing back-up. The meaning behind the lyrics differs from person to person. Beatles band member George Harrison described the song in 1969 as "one of those instant whistle-along tunes which some people hate, and other people really like. It's a fun song, but it's kind of a drag because Maxwell keeps on destroying everyone like his girlfriend then the school teacher, and then, finally, the judge." The true meaning is about the ups and downs life throws at us. The unexpected things, or the moments in life when things happen out of the blue, are examples of what the song describes.

The song was recorded in 1968 but missed being put on the album The Beatles by only a few weeks. It can be found on the Beatles’ Abbey Road album. The phrase “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer,” is still used  by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr today when unexpected things happen.  In the lyrics it mentions pataphysics, which deals beyond metaphysics. Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy dealing in reality. McCartney said the song was meant for fun, and not for any bad reasons.

Maxwell's Silver Hammer" Lyrics

Joan was quizzical,
Studied metaphysical science in the home
Late nights all alone with a test tube
Oh, oh-oh, oh
Maxwell Edison, majoring in medicine
Calls her on the phone
"Can I take you out to the pictures, Jo-oh-oh-oan?"
But as she's getting ready to go
A knock comes on the door

Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer
Came down upon her head
Clang, clang, Maxwell's silver hammer
Made sure she was dead

Back in school again
Maxwell plays the fool again
Teacher gets annoyed
Wishing to avoid an unpleasant sce-e-e-ene
She tells Max to stay when the class has gone away
So he waits behind
Writing fifty times "I must not be so, oh-oh, oh"
But when she turns her back on the boy
He creeps up from behind

Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer
Came down upon her head (do-do do-doo-doo)
Clang, clang, Maxwell's silver hammer
Made sure that she was dead

(Do-do do-doo-doo)

P.C. 31 said "We've caught a dirty one"
Maxwell stands alone
Painting testimonial pictures, oh, oh-oh, oh
Rose and Valerie, screaming from the gallery
Say he must go free ("Maxwell must go free")
The judge does not agree, and he tells them so, oh-oh, oh
But as the words are leaving his lips
A noise comes from behind

Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer
Came down upon his head (do-do do-doo-doo)
Clang, clang, Maxwell's silver hammer
Made sure that he was dead
Whoa, whoa, whoa-oh

(Do-do do-doo-doo)

Silver hammer man

"While My Guitar Gently Weeps"

This week I’ve chosen to do “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” by the Beatles.  This song is definitely an interesting song because it is different from what the Beatles usually did. This song was written by George Harrison of the Beatles. Harrison had fought to get this song onto the Beatles The White Album. Harrison had guitar legend Eric Clapton play the lead guitar on this song, but Clapton was worried about the other Beatles not welcoming him into the studio to record with them.

Little did Clapton know that he would relieve tension that was stirring up between the band members. The Beatles were at the rough spot in their career where everyone was swaying in different directions, and no one knew what to do. Ringo had left for a couple weeks, frustrated with everyone in the band. The band members were at each other’s throats, and needed a break. This recording with Clapton helped relieve the band of all their issues amongst each other, and got them back to the Beatles they were before.

"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" Lyrics

I look at you all see the love there that's sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
I look at the floor and I see it needs sweeping
Still my guitar gently weeps

I don't know why nobody told you
How to unfold your love
I don't know how someone controlled you
They bought and sold you

I look at the world and I notice it's turning
While my guitar gently weeps
With every mistake we must surely be learning
Still my guitar gently weeps

Well

I don't know how you were diverted
You were perverted too
I don't know how you were inverted
No one alerted you

I look at you all see the love there that's sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
Look at you all
Still my guitar gently weeps

Oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, oh, ooh

"Lady Madonna"

“Lady Madonna” was written by Paul McCartney with help from John Lennon. The song was recorded on February 3^rd and 6^th, 1968, it was later released as a single the same year. The piano plays a major role throughout the song. The piano part was inspired by blues/rock pianist Fats Domino. The introduction to this song is similar to “Bad Penny Blues,” written by Humphrey Lyttelton.

McCartney received inspiration for this song from his loves for the blues. He wanted to write a “bluesy” song, that was fun and upbeat a fun fact for the song is that every day of the week is mentioned except for Saturday. Lennon’s contribution to the song depicts a single mother. This mother is always working, exhausted and doing her best to take care of her child. . This is one of the Beatles five songs from their “Wings over America” tour.

"Lady Madonna" Lyrics

Lady Madonna, children at your feet
Wonder how you manage to make ends meet
Who finds the money when you pay the rent?
Did you think that money was heaven sent?

Friday night arrives without a suitcase
Sunday morning creeping like a nun
Monday's child has learned to tie his bootlegs
See how they run

Lady Madonna, baby at your breast
Wonders how you manage to feed the rest

Pa, pa, pa
See how they run

Lady Madonna lying on the bed
Listen to the music playing in your head

Tuesday afternoon is never ending
Wednesday morning papers didn't come
Thursday night your stockings needed mending
See how they run

Lady Madonna, children at your feet
Wonder how you manage to make ends meet

"All Together Now"

“All Together Now,” is one of the Beatle’s top selling songs. Paul McCartney wrote this song, but since John Lennon had helped him write it, he gave partial credit to Lennon. The Beatles recorded the song in May of 1967, but the song was never released on an album until January 17^th, 1969, on their Yellow Submarine Movie Soundtrack. The band performed the songs many times during their Magical Mystery tour.  This song is one of the Beatle’s most top covered songs. Artists like Andre 3000, and the Muppets have covered this song. In 2011, Sprint Wireless used this song in their cell phone commercials.

McCartney’s goal for this song was to create a children’s song, which would be as fun and as upbeat as the song “Yellow Submarine,” which was released the previous year. For some people, this song reminds them of children playing. This song has no true meaning; the meaning is in the hands of the listener. What you interpret from the lyrics and the style of the song is what you will find as the meaning in your eyes. For the Beatles, this song was just a way to express their selves and have fun while playing music. This song is a great representation of some of the things the Beatles stood for.

"All Together Now" Lyrics

One, two, three, four
Can I have a little more?
Five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, I love you
A, B, C, D
Can I bring my friend to tea?
E, F, G, H, I, J, I love you
(Bom bom bom bompa bom) Sail the ship
(Bompa bom) Chop the tree
(Bompa bom) Skip the rope
(Bompa bom) Look at me
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
Black, white, green, red
Can I take my friend to bed?
Pink, brown, yellow, orange, blue, I love you
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(Bom bom bom) Sail the ship
(Bompa bom) Chop the tree
(Bompa bom) Skip the rope
(Bompa bom) Look at me
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now
(All together now) All together now

"Yesterday"

This week I have decided to do “Yesterday, by Paul McCartney and the Beatles. This song was the first solo record by any one of the Beatles, seeing as how Paul was the only one involved in the recording, although the entire band plays the instrumental part of the song. At concerts and performances, this is a very popular song. Even today, with George, and John passed away, Paul will still play this song on request.

“Yesterday,” was written by Paul McCartney, in 1965. This song is one of the top covered songs of all times throughout the world. It can be found on the Beatles' album HELP!. Paul was taking a nap one day and woke up with a song stuck in his head. Many people suffer from this everyday. The one thing that stuck out about this, was that no one had ever heard of the song he had stuck in his head. It was later that Paul and the band realized that he had dreamt up the song. He wrote down what he could remember and then together the band filled in the rest.

"Yesterday" Lyrics

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be
There's a shadow hanging over me.
Oh, I yesterday came suddenly
Why she had to go I don't know she wouldn't say
I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday
Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Why she had to go I don't know she wouldn't say
I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday
Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Mm mm mm mm mm mm mm

"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."

“Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” is a song found on the Beatles popular album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hears Club Band.  This song is a combination of the work of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Lennon received inspiration for this song from his son Jules. Lennon’s son was the inspiraion for multiple songs on the Beatles’ albums. The inspiration for this particlar song was from a painting Julian did at nursery school. The picture was of his friend Lucy, and the background was a sky with stars that looked like diamonds. 

The Lucy the song is referring to is Lucy O’Donnell. Jules remained friends with her up until her death in  2009, when Lucy was diagnosed with a terminal case of Lupus.

The songs intitials ironically spell LSD, or if you use all six words, the intials spell LITSWD. Many people including Rolling Stones Magazine, believe that the song hints and refers to LSD.  In 2004, McCartney addressed the issue of drugs in an interview with the Daily Mirror newspaper: "'Day Tripper,' that's one about acid. 'Lucy In The Sky,' that's pretty obvious.” While many people, including McCartney believed that the song referred to drugs, Lennon reassured that the song does not have anything to do with drugs.  It’s been said that Lennon checked he intials of all the songs the Beatles ever wrote after “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” to avoid any other incidents or stories trying to relate their songs with drugs.

“Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”

Picture yourself in a boat on a river,

With tangerine trees and marmalade skies

Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly,

A girl with kaleidoscope eyes.

Cellophane flowers of yellow and green,

Towering over your head.

Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes,

And she's gone.

Lucy in the sky with diamonds.

Lucy in the sky with diamonds.

Lucy in the sky with diamonds.

Follow her down to a bridge by a fountain

Where rocking horse people eat marshmellow pies,

Everyone smiles as you drift past the flowers,

That grow so incredibly high.

Newspaper taxis appear on the shore,

Waiting to take you away.

Climb in the back with your head in the clouds,

And you're gone.

Lucy in the sky with diamonds.

Lucy in the sky with diamonds.

Lucy in the sky with diamonds.

Picture yourself on a train in a station,

With plasticine porters with looking glass ties,

Suddenly someone is there at the turnstyle,

The girl with the kaleidoscope eyes.

Lucy in the sky with diamonds

Lucy in the sky with diamonds

Lucy in the sky with diamonds

Aaaaahhhhh...

Lucy in the sky with diamonds

Lucy in the sky with diamonds

Lucy in the sky with diamonds

Aaaaahhhhh...

Lucy in the sky with diamonds

Lucy in the sky with diamonds

Lucy in the sky with diamonds

 

"Yellow Submarine"

This week, I've decided to decipher the song "Yellow Submarine." "Yellow Submarine," was written in 1966 by Paul McCartney, with Ringo Starr leading the vocals, on their Revolver album. The single went to number 1 on every major British chart, and  remained at number 1 for four weeks and charted for 13 weeks. Paul's original intention was for the lead vocals to be for Ringo, which they did. I was thinking of it as a song for Ringo, which it eventually turned out to be, so Paul wrote it as he started making a story,  telling the  young kids where he'd lived. It was a song that he wanted the children to pick up on easily. The song was originally written about many different colored submarines, but eventually became only yellow.

 He explained shortly after it was released in 1966: "'Yellow Submarine' is very simple but very different. It's a fun song, a children's song. Originally we intended it to be 'Sparky' a children's record. But now it's the idea of a yellow submarine where all the kids went to have fun. I was just going to sleep one night and thinking if we had a children's song, it would be nice to be on a yellow submarine where all your friends are with a band."  Paul purposely used short words in the lyrics because he wanted kids to pick it up early and sing along. Ringo sang lead, as he did on many of the lighter Beatles songs, including "Octopus's Garden" and "Act Naturally." Originally, Ringo had a spoken intro to go with the children's story theme, but this was discarded. Ringo did eventually get his chance to narrate for children: he was voice talent on the UK cartoon Thomas The Tank Engine.

A very basic deciphering of this song for a more higher level of thinking, can be concluded by the lyrics. The Beatles opened their minds to the world ("So we sailed up to the sun") and capitalized on their knowledge through their insightful music ("Till we found the sea of green"). Unlike the wavering beliefs of individuals(which is represented through the waves), they stayed true to what they believed in (beneath the waves) ("And we lived beneath the waves"). Though they received a lot of attention (bright yellow), the Beatles were the ones looking out at the people (submarines) ("In our yellow submarine"). They need each other to maintain the power they have achieved ("As we live a life of ease, Everyone of us has all we need"). They're watching you as they interpret you. ("We all live in our yellow submarine").

In the town where I was born
Lived a man who sailed to sea
And he told us of his life
In the land of submarines
So we sailed on to the sun
Till we found a sea of green
And we lived beneath the waves
In our yellow submarine
We all live in a yellow submarine
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine
We all live in a yellow submarine
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine
And our friends are all aboard
Many more of them live next door
And the band begins to play
We all live in a yellow submarine
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine
We all live in a yellow submarine
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine
{Full speed ahead Mr. Boatswain, full speed ahead
Full speed ahead it is, Sgt.
Cut the cable, drop the cable
Aye, aye, Sir, aye, aye
Captain, captain}
As we live a life of ease
Every one of us has all we need
(One of us, has all we need)
Sky of blue and sea of green
(Sky of blue, sea of green)
In our yellow submarine
(In our yellow, submarine, aha)
We all live in a yellow submarine
A yellow submarine, yellow submarine
We all live in a yellow submarine
A yellow submarine, yellow submarine
We all live in a yellow submarine
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine
We all live in a yellow submarine
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine