Here are a few more PHIL SPECTOR Classics recorded during his tenure with THE BEATLES.
First up, the SPECTORized version of THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD ... McCARTNEY has complained for the past 38 years that SPECTOR RUINED the song by adding lush orchestration and female voices to his masterpiece. PAUL was eventually vindicated when LET IT BE: NAKED was released with the original, stripped-down take intact. (We've got BOTH versions of this for you today.)
Next, the two-sided RONNIE SPECTOR single, TRY SOME, BUY SOME / TANDOORI CHICKEN. TRY SOME, BUY SOME was a GEORGE HARRISON tune that GEORGE eventually released on his LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD album. (In fact, the EXACT same backing track is used for BOTH recordings.) TANDOORI CHICKEN is the result of the in-studio jam that STEVE told you about earlier. (In typical Phil Spector fashion, TANDOORI CHICKEN was also likely one of the items they ordered for take-out food from the Indian Restaurant the night of this recording session … and has ALWAYS been one of my favorite APPLE Tracks ... in fact, some of you may recall that I even featured it as an "extra" during our FAVORITE, FORGOTTEN B-SIDES Series, since it wasn't eligible for voting in its own right.)
Then one from JOHN LENNON's ROCK AND ROLL Album, a return to his roots that yielded one decent-sized pop hit for the former BEATLE ... STAND BY ME JUST snuck into The National Top Twenty in 1975.
And finally, a LENNON / SPECTOR holiday masterpiece, HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER). (As much as I have always loved this song, I actually found myself turning it off this past holiday season because I had heard it SO many times!!! Seriously ... eight times in one day!!! I just couldn't take it anymore!!!) But that doesn't diminish the powerful impact it had upon first release or the long-standing staying power of this great track. We just wrapped up the holiday season so listen to it one more time and then put it away until NEXT Christmas. (Or October if you happen to work for one of those radio stations that goes 24/7 Christmas Programming ad nauseam around Halloween!!!)
ONE MORE: STEVE KNUETTEL just asked me to PLEASE include the JOHN LENNON LP track WORKING CLASS HERO if I ended up doing a Chapter 9-A. (C'mon ... you KNEW I would!!! lol) How can I refuse ... after all the work HE's done?!?!? (Besides, this is a CLASSIC cut ... LENNON turned more than a few heads around when THESE lyrics first came out!!!)
Major kudos to SLK for a mighty cool series!
Ping
Enjoying
the Spector series.
Rich
Just wanted to say how much I enjoy your series on Phil Spector and your editorial comments. You have a “passion” for the music, something the bean counter consultants to oldies stations lack BIG TIME! That, and the fact that Baby Boomers have more money and clout than any other demographic. They think we are set in our ways and stay with brands we grew up with. They’re wrong. The only “brand” we won’t switch from is real rock n roll.
Rock on,
Mighty John - the Record Guy
Hey Kent,
I'm just starting to catch up on my reading and want to let you know how much I'm enjoying the Spector series.
Many thanks to you & Steve Knuettel for another splendid series!
Keep up the great work you do and NEVER take me off the list!!!!
Ric
CLICK HERE TO MOVE ON TO CHAPTER 10:
https://fhphilspector.blogspot.com/2021/04/chapter-10.html
YOU CAN ALSO USE THE ARCHIVE DROP DOWN TO RETURN TO ANY CHAPTER OF YOUR CHOOSING:
https://fhphilspector.blogspot.com/