-->

SINGS THE BEATLES

Sing The Beatles Now I am sure that you have heard of the concept called Deja-Vu before – when you haven’t seen something, even though you think that you have. However, what do you call the reverse of this concept – when you know that you have seen something, even though you think that you haven’t? Well, this Beatles program won’t help you with this – this one made in 2010 and lasting for 60-minutes.


Sing The Beatles


THE STORY:
As part of their ‘Beatles weekend’, the BBC have compiled together many of the songs from the Beatles songbook, all performed on stage by people who you would not normally expect to sing their tunes. Well – some of them anyway. Also, in addition to this, this program offers insights behind their offerings, in caption form.

Here is a full list of the artists and the songs on show:

  • Money Can’t Buy Me Love – The Korean Kittens
  • If I Fell – Cilla Black and Dudley Moore
  • Day Tripper – Sandie Shaw
  • With A Little Help From My Friends – Joe Cocker
  • Help! – The Carpenters
  • Hey Jude – Nana Mouskouri
  • Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band – Petula Clark
  • Norwegian Wood – Buddy Rich
  • Here Comes The Sun – Richie Havens
  • She’s A Woman – Jeff Beck
  • I Saw Her Standing There – Elton John
  • Yesterday – Matt Monro
  • Something – Shirley Bassey
  • Dear Prudence – Susie and the Banshees
  • Help! – Tina Turner
  • Back In The USSR – Su Pollard
  • Strawberry Fields – Candy Snap
  • I Am The Walrus – Oasis

Now to end this show on a firm note, there is some Liverpudlian chap called Paul something or another, whom accompanies pianist, Jules Holland, in his rendition of the McCartney classic ‘Lady Madonna’.




THE REVIEW:
First off, let me just say that I loved ‘Sings With the Beatles’. Firstly, I loved it because it was a very nice slice of yesteryear – which is always a good thing in my songbook. Secondly, I loved it because there were many facts sprawled through out the show – and learning is good (right kids?). Thirdly, it presents a ‘remake’ of sorts, and shows how a song can be reinterpreted through the ages (like a film in fact). Fourthly, I loved it because I do not have to think too hard to write about it – well, I am only human. And fifthly, it gives me the opportunity to boar you sh*tless with both facts from the show, and some of my own.

Here – have a read of this:

Ringo and Sellers
(1) John Lennon once did a skit with Dudley Moore and Peter Cook on their show ‘Not Only But Also’. (2) Cilla Black was once a ‘hat-check girl’ in the Beatles venue, ‘The Cavern’, as well as being one of the artist managed by the Beatles manager, Brian Epstein. (3) Isn’t it ironic, that Karen Carpenter and Tina Turner did a cover for ‘Help!’? (4) The song ‘Day Tripper’ was created due to an LSD trip that some of the Beatles had. (5) ‘Money Can’t By Me Love’ is not a song about prostitution – so says Paul McCartney. (6) Even though by and large, people think that ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ is a Joe Cocker song, in fact, it was a Beatles song originally, and they gave it to him because they just loved his rendition of it. (7) Nana Mouskouri had problems with her vocal cords at a very young age, but this did not stop her from becoming a top seventies Greek singer [make up your own jokes]. (8) In Chile, the word ‘Pertula’ means ‘a man’s dangly bits’ – hint, hint – just like what ‘Beatles’ means in German. (9) George Harrison lost his coat in Norway when he performed there in 1964. (10) John Lennon’s last stage show was with Elton John, when they both performed at Madison Square Garden, New York, in 1978. Also, this was Elton’s first tour of the states. (12) Allegedly, the Beatles never sung in Russia – though I know of a documentary that thinks otherwise [stay tuned]. (13) Shirley Bassey is Welsh. (14) The singing busman, Matt Monroe, was hired by the Beatles producer, George Martin, to utilise his singing talents on a Peter Sellers record he was making. (15) Frank Sinatra once said that ‘Something’ was the best Lennon and McCartney love song ever written, even though George Harrison wrote it. (16) In the eighties, people had no dress sense and could not dance – scientifically proven fact. (17) Oasis front man, Liam Gallagher, named his son ‘Lennon’, after Paul McCartney. (18) I wrote this article with my feet. And (19) My parent’s neighbours plus one, Sid and Edna, once knew Jules Holland.


The Beatles Comic


Phew! I do know a lot of stuff, don’t I? I best relax a bit I think, before my Beatles gland explodes. However, before I do bugger off, I have to say that the only thing that I thought was a bit naff about ‘Sings With the Beatles’, was that I would have preferred voice over narration rather than the captions on display. Granted, this may only be a slight grumble overall, but I do think that this ploy would have propped up the production a notch – thus making it that much sweeter. Still, it was fab in my eyes, and well worth a watch for anyone who enjoys things like...




Class act through and through – I love it yeah, yeah, yeah.

THE RATING: A

SINGS THE BEATLES SINGS THE BEATLES Reviewed by David Andrews on February 06, 2012 Rating: 5
Powered by Blogger.