Spicing up UKM

[Alan_1]

Originally Posted by Slutty Rimmer

Your choice of We Can Work It Out is a good one.

It has always been a particular favourite of mine because of the strong narrative and clever production.

The verses are McCartney’s and the Chorus is John’s. Each was an unfinished song which George Martin suggested could be put together to create a dialogue ‘back and forth’ tune.

It is quite unusual though. Untypically it is McCartney who is writing the negative sentiment of projected failure in the relationship due to lack of understanding, but John is writing the positive consideration of just agreeing and moving forward. Martin then cleverly produced these two themes in the opposite key that would be expected for the sentiment. The downbeat verses of McCartney are in a major key whereas the upbeat sentiment of John’s chorus is in a minor key.

The resulting song is then a complete chequerboard of contrast. The writers being of untypical sentiment, the keys being opposite to the sentiment, and the rhythm alternating back and forth between a solid 4/4 time of the verse and a waltz 3/4 time of the chorus.

Yet it works wonderfully as a whole.

https://youtu.be/Qyclqo_AV2M

One of my favourites.

Kind Regards,
Page 130

Wouldn't Yesterday be more appropriate?

[Slutty Rimmer]

Originally Posted by Alan_1

Wouldn't Yesterday be more appropriate?

Probably one of the most seminal songs in popular music but it is so overplayed that I can no longer hear it for what it is. I have sort of become deaf to it.

I have just returned from afternoon tea at one of those nice little country hotels. You know the sort of thing, dainty cucumber sandwiches (bread a bit stale and parsimonious with the cucumber), scones with jam and cream (scones a bit dry*) and tea in china cups (which goes cold quickly), but all set in a room with a panoramic view over the rolling Autumnal countryside.

What made the afternoon though was a pianist playing away continuously as she went through most of the classics you could think of, Your Song, Love of My Life, Wonderful Tonight, All Kinds of Everything, Both Sides Now, Don’t Put Willy Where Willy Won’t Go, All I Ask of You, Can’t Help Falling in Love etc and of course the obligatory Yesterday. Relaxing into the leather chesterfield I enjoyed them all but could not hear Yesterday.

Talking to the pianist afterwards, an elderly lady, she said she had been playing at church this morning and then at the hotel non-stop since mid-day, so that must have been about six hours of solid work on the ivories. She did it all without sheet music as well. How wonderful must it be to have a head stuffed full of music like that ? In 2 hours of playing she did not repeat a tune.

I asked if she ever played We Can Work It Out to which she replied “No, too many changes, it is too complicated”�.

My head is stuffed full of numbers and laws and rules and methods, and I envied her head.

Kind Regards,
Page 130.

* Why can you never buy a decent scone anywhere ? They are the simplest thing to make yet everybody seems to cut corners and just get them wrong. Like I was taught at school, use an egg and handle lightly without over-working and do not let the egg wash run down the sides. Add a teaspoon of mustard powder if they are cheese scones and sprinkle Parmesan on top. Both my cheese and fruit scones have won first prize in the village show for the past three years**. Interestingly my closest challenger is an elderly batchelor bloke who looks crestfallen each year so I think I may have to throw it this next time and enter some scones in the style of the bought ones.

** To be honest I actually inhereted them from my Grandma. Although she made them bomb proof during the War I do not really think I can stretch it to entering them myself for a fourth year. Might think about baking a new batch next Summer.