What Goes On

This is my instrumental cover of “What Goes On”, first released by the Beatles track on their 1965 album Rubber Soul. The song was later released as the B-side of the US single “Nowhere Man”.

The original version of the song was written by John Lennon in the very early  days and considered as a follow-up to “Please Please Me” in early 1963. A demo of this version featuring Lennon and Paul McCartney was recorded in 1963, but the song was not used until 1965 as Ringo Starr’s vocal for Rubber Soul. Ringo contributed to the lyrics, his first-ever composing credit on a Beatles song.

I have a special affection for the Beatle’s rockabilly country numbers.

 

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Silence is Golden

This is my instrumental cover of “Silence is Golden”. Most people remember this lovely song as a 1967 hit for the British group, The Tremeloes. It reached #1 in the UK and #11 on the USA Billboard charts.

However, the song was first recorded and released in 1964 by the Four Seasons as the “B” side to “Rag Doll”. It was composed by producer Bob Crewe and group member Bob Gaudio. With Bob Crewe often assisting with lyrics, Bob Gaudio wrote a string of hits for the Four Seasons, including “Sherry”, “Big Girls Don’t Cry”, “Walk Like a Man”, “Dawn (Go Away)”,”Ronnie”, “Rag Doll”, “Save It for Me”, “Big Man in Town”, “Bye Bye Baby”, and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”.

The original Four Seasons arrangement was not changed much by the Tremeloes for their hit.

 

Tobacco Road

“Tobacco Road” was written and first recorded by John D. Loudermilk in 1960. Released on Columbia Records, it was not a hit for him, achieving only minor chart success in Australia. Other artists, however, immediately began recording and performing the song.

The English group The Nashville Teens’ garage/blues rock rendering was produced by Mickie Most with the same tough-edged-pop feel that he brought to The Animals’ hits. In this version, “Tobacco Road” was a trans-Atlantic pop hit in 1964, reaching number 6 on the UK singles chart and number 14 on the U.S. singles chart.

“Tobacco Road” has been performed by a great number of other artists. Notable renderings include Lou Rawls,  Jefferson Airplane, Edgar Winter’s White Trash, Eric Burdon & War, Spooky Tooth, Status Quo, Shocking Blue, David Lee Roth, Blues Magoos, Bobbie Gentry, Rare Earth, and Jimi Hendrix.

Penny Lane

“Penny Lane” was written primarily by Paul McCartney but credited to the Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership. The lyrics refer to a real street in Liverpool, England.

Recorded during the Sgt. Pepper album sessions, and intended for inclusion, “Penny Lane” was released in February 1967 as one side of a double A-sided single, along with “Strawberry Fields Forever”, following pressure from EMI, the Beatles record company, after several months absence of new material. The song made its LP debut on the US version of the band’s album, Magical Mystery Tour.

In my opinion, this is one of the Beatles’ best songs from a music perspective. It has some very interesting chord changes as well as changes of key. This makes it very suitable for an instrumental rendering.

Baby, You’re a Rich Man

“Baby, You’re a Rich Man” was jointly written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and released by the Beatles in 1967 as the “B” side to “All You Need is Love”. It was also included in their “Magical Mystery Tour” album and also in the “Yellow Submarine” film.

My instrumental arrangement is in a classic rock vein, and is a little more on the funk side than the original.

All Day and All of the Night

“All Day and All of the Night” was a hit for the Kinks in 1965, reaching #7 in the USA and #2 in the UK. The style of the song followed their prior hit “You really Got Me”.

My instrumental arrangement uses the original as its starting point, but adds some instrumental guitar mannerisms as well as taking the parallel chord movements further.

Tired of Waiting

“Tired of Waiting for You” was a hit 1965 hit for The Kinks. Following “You Really Got Me” and “All Day and All of the Night”, it was released as a single in January 1965 in the USA and then appeared on their second studio album Kinda Kinks.

My instrumental arrangement follows the original in form and somewhat in feel, but is a bit more rock-oriented.

The photo is of my German Shepherd Goliath, who somehow manages to make me feel that he spends his whole life waiting for me, whether it is to play, take him for a walk, come home, give him treats, or whatever.

Shapes of Things

“Shapes of Things” was released as a single by the Yardbirds in early 1966. It is considered groundbreaking in a few ways. In particular Jeff Beck’s feedback-enhanced, Eastern-sounding solo has many critics claiming this as the first “psychedelic” track.

My instrumental arrangement is based on the original.

 

For Your Love

“For Your Love” was written by Graham Gouldman, recorded by the Yardbirds and released in March 1965. It was their first top ten hit in both the UK and the US. The song was a departure from the group’s blues roots towards a commercial pop rock sound. Guitarist Eric Clapton disapproved of the change and it influenced him to leave the group.

Songwriter Graham Goldman penned a number of hits, including “Heart Full of Soul” for the Yardbirds, “Look Through Any Window” and “Bus Stop” for the Hollies, “Listen People” and “No Milk Today” for Herman’s Hermits.

 

Fixing a Hole

“Fixing a Hole” was released on the Beatles 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. It was written by Paul McCartney, although credited to Lennon–McCartney.

My instrumental arrangement is very different from the original feel.

Good Day Sunshine

“Good Day Sunshine” was released by the Beatles on their 1966 album Revolver. It was written mainly by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney.

My instrumental arrangement follows the original, but is a bit more aggressive in feel.

I’m Only Surfing (Sleeping)

“I’m Only Sleeping” is credited as a Lennon–McCartney song but was written primarily by John Lennon. It was released on the Beatles’ 1966 studio album Revolver. In the United States and Canada, it was one of the three tracks that Capitol Records cut from the album and instead included on Yesterday and Today, released two months before Revolver.

My instrumental arrangement turns the song into a surf-rock number, so I have retitled it “I’m Only Surfing”.

The Word

“The Word” was co-written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and released on the Beatles 1965 album Rubber Soul. Reportedly they wrote it after smoking marijuana, something they had not done before in a composing session.

My instrumental version maintains the feel of the original while making some adjustments to the instrumentation.

Wait

“Wait” was released by the Beatles, on their 1965 album Rubber Soul. The songwriting credit is Lennon–McCartney, and the song is usually said to be a joint effort between the two — although both have indicated at one time or another that the song was mainly Sir Paul’s.

The song was originally recorded for Help! in June 1965 but was rejected for inclusion on that album. When Rubber Soul fell one song short for a Christmas release, “Wait” was brought back.

My instrumental arrangement is not a straight cover, but does folllow the original contours.

Girl

This is my instrumental arrangement of “Girl“, which was primarily written by John Lennon (credited to Lennon–McCartney) and included on the Beatles 1965 album Rubber Soul. This is one of the more melancholic and complex of the Beatles’ early love songs.