Sunday, May 3, 2026
Saturday, May 2, 2026
"Rocky Raccoon"
After the line "But Daniel was hot; he drew first and shot" in "Rocky Raccoon," the drums are struck more forcefully, apparently meant to represent the shot. I didn't write about this previously (probably because it's pretty obvious), but when I heard it again recently, I realized that this specific sort of musical representation has precedent in a couple Buddy Holly songs (which may have influenced the Beatles).
Holly's version of Chuck Berry's "Brown-Eyed Handsome Man" contains a similar stronger drum hit after the line "Well, two-three the count, and nobody on; he hit a high-fly into the stand" (representing the bat striking the ball), and Holly's own "I'm Looking for Someone to Love" features a programmatic drum beat after "Foot slip" (apparently the drunk man falling down). While the drums in "Rocky Raccoon" portray a different element, the idea is the same.
Labels:
Rocky Raccoon
Friday, May 1, 2026
"Blackbird"
I listened to The Beatles a couple days ago and noticed a few small points.
In "Blackbird," the line "All your life" is sung to notes of all different pitches (A B G), giving a slight sense of this extent. "Life" is held for nearly a full measure (moreso in the first verse than in the second), and this duration also lends a sense of breadth.
Labels:
Blackbird
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