The Beatles (and McCartney solo), "Things We Said Today" (4 videos)

[highplainsdem]

This one was written by Paul McCartney alone, during a vacation in 1964.

The Beatles live for a BBC Radio show:

Solo acoustic performance:

And a live version from a Beatles concert in 1964.

Love this song. It's been my favorite Beatles song since I first heard it in 1964. No input from John Lennon on this one, pure McCartney.

Which was fine with me, since I've always thought McCartney was the most talented of the Beatles (though he did his best work with them).

I should add that I was never a huge Beatles fan, though of course I had all their albums. I preferred the Animals (I'm sure my parents wished "The House of the Rising Sun" had never been written, let alone recorded), the Spencer Davis Group, the Yardbirds, and Cream. Liked the Stones, but thought much of their original material was overrated (especially "Satisfaction" ). Their amazing cover of "Not Fade Away" was my favorite Stones recording from 1964 until I heard "Sympathy for the Devil" (also loved "Gimme Shelter" and "Tumbling Dice" ).

I didn't like the Beatles films, and I thought too much of a fuss was made about them. I have painful memories of a boyfriend who insisted on listening to the White Album backward during the "Paul is dead" insanity.

I listened to the Beatles, of course, since it was impossible NOT to, then, but I was never a Beatlemaniac.

But every now and then Paul McCartney would write a perfect love song, and sing it perfectly, and although this wasn't usually my type of music, I couldn't stop listening to it. I thought this was his best.


Wikipedia article on the song:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Things_We_Said_Today

[viva la]

1. This is a beautiful song

And also sophisticated for that period-- it sounds more like the Rubber Soul period. (Amazing how they would have another transformation every year.)

It's also so moody compared with their usual joyous fun songs.

And I look back and think, "How did we all know about Paul is Dead before the internet!"
None of us kids could even call long-distance then, and yet we all were promulgating the rumors.

The first great internet conspiracy theory... 30 years before the internet.

There's a great crazy website where some guy is STILL claiming this guy walking around with Paul's name is an imposter.

I like it because he's got a bunch of pictures of Paul in the Cutest Ever era.

[highplainsdem]

3. Thanks for mentioning that website! It sounds amusing, and I also appreciate photos

of Paul in the Cutest Era ever, though it's hard to decide which era that was. I've been enjoying how beautiful he looks in the Peter Jackson documentary.

And yes, "Things We Said Today" was very sophisticated for the Beatles at that time.

I remember being stunned the first time I heard it. I can't remember whether it was on the radio, or from an early promo copy. (My dad worked in radio at that time and I got some promos. A copy of the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds before it was released, for instance; I still remember that I loved "Sloop John B" and "God Only Knows" but had very mixed feelings about the rest of the LP.) I remember thinking immediately after hearing "Things We Said Today" that I had to hear it again, and I wanted the Beatles to record more songs like that.

I loved the chord and tempo changes. The verses are almost hypnotic, and then that intense middle eight is a perfect contrast, especially the second middle eight at 1:40. The double-tracked vocal is perfect, as are the words.

And the words weren't written, even in part, by another Beatle. They weren't words Paul came up with later, trying to add lyrics to a melody. This wasn't a song he had to write for an album. He was on vacation, sailing in the Caribbean with Jane Asher, about a year into their relationship, with a few years yet before they'd break up, and it was an idyllic time, but her refusal to give up her career to have more time with him was already a fault line in the relationship he wanted. He called the mood of the song "future nostalgia." He's singing from the heart there, and you can tell.

Anyway, I thought it was perfect. Amazing when it was only 2-1/2 minutes long.

[viva la]

5. I always imagined it was a boy going off to war..

And saying goodbye. So sad.

Where was your dad's radio station?

[highplainsdem]

7. He worked for stations in cities in a few states, but the largest one

was in St. Paul, where we lived in the mid-60s.

[3Hotdogs]

2. I'm partial to "Yesterday."

"She's Leaving Home" has a special memory. A couple of days before my daughter was to leave for freshman year, I came home late and found her listening to it in the living room.... playing it on repeat.


I left her alone and went to my room. To this day, I wonder if I should have interrupted her. Probably not.

[highplainsdem]

4. Lovely, touching story about your daughter. And I love "Yesterday," too, though there are times

I wish I'd never heard that Paul at first had those lyrics about "scrambled eggs," because I can almost never hear the song now without remembering that, lol.

[viva la]

6. Have you seen the movie Yesterday?

I was very touched.

[highplainsdem]

8. No, but it sounds like an interesting film. Fascinating premise.

[viva la]

9. The ending is lovely.

The romance conflict is lame ("my best friend is Lily James!&quot , but there's a great resolution.