Personnel:
Joe Rebrovick: Vocals
Hannah Wilson Rebrovick: Vocals
Cliff Wilson: Guitars, Bass, Drums
Why this song is on the album:
Hannah and Joe picked this lovely ballad for their duet.
Performance notes:
Each voice is doubled. Joe’s main track is on the left, with a second take mixed in softer on the right. Hannah’s main track is on the right, with a softer alternate take on the left. This type of mixing is very common on Beatles recordings.
The drum part seemed too simple to bother one of the real drummers with, so I played it in pieces on the digital kit and cleaned it up as needed (much) in the midi editor. But I did actually sit on the throne and press the footpedals and bang on the drumheads and cymbals with sticks.
“This is my first drum credit” I told Plinky, proudly.
“Are you sure you want it?” was his pithy reply.
I remember as a teenager being awed by Paul McCartney, Todd Rundgren, the guys who went into the studio and recorded songs all by themselves – played all the instruments, sang all the parts. Now I’m kind of doing that and I still think it’s pretty cool.
In addition to my own guitar sounds, I converted some of the guitar parts to midi and played them back with samples of the 12-string Rickenbacker (as on Ticket to Ride). The lead riff at the very end of this song is a prominent example.
How it’s different from the Beatles’ version:
While I didn’t consciously change anything, I also wasn’t particularly intent on copying the accompaniment note for note. I hear some of my own characteristic bass riffs in there.
Fun Fact:
Many assume Paul McCartney wrote the song because he sings most of the lead, and because he wrote most Beatles ballads. But actually, this was the first ballad written by John Lennon. McCartney did write the introduction.
CCW