Sgt. Pepper (part 3)

This Album had many "firsts" It was the first album to have the lyrics printed on the cover.It was also one of the first to open like a book. (In the industry called a gate-fold cover.) It was the first album to have other than a plain inner bag for the lp, it had this card of cut-outs in the sleeve with the album. I still have it.(In the album cover ofcourse .) I remember discovering the Sgt Pepper cut-outs in the window of a building here in Cookeville during a "spy mission" with my friend Larry Poteet. We had taken the bus here from Monterey to see the latest Bond movie, at the time, Thunderrball.

BEING FOR THE BENIFIT OF MR. KITE- Written, and sung by John. Recording in studio 2 at Abby road started on Febuary 17, 1967, and the lp version was mixed from the 9th take. The song was taken almost word for word from a circus handbill John had found. When explaining the sound he was after to producer sir George Martin, John said "I want to be able to smell the sawdust." A reference to oldtime Circuses. The atmosphere Martin created in this song is nothing short of incredible, with swirling calliope, a full omp-pah-pah style orchastra, and errie echo effects. I love to play this song by Jack-o-lantern light, on halloween.

WITHIN YOU WITHOUT YOU-Written, and sung by George. recording begining in studio 2 on March 22, 1967. Another of his forrays into Indian style music. He plays acoustic guitar, and sitar on the song, backed by a group of London based, Indian musicians. This is a beautiful song. Rich with complex rythums, and layers of soaring, weaving sounds, topped with George's hypnotic vocal treatment. The lyrics are as true today as the day he wrote them...WHEN YOU SEE BEYOND YOURSELF-THEN YOU MAY FIND,PEACE OF MIND,AND THE TIME WILL COME WHEN YOU SEE WE'RE ALL ONE, AND LIFE FLOWS ON WITHIN YOU AND WITHOUT YOU.

WHEN I'M SIXTY-FOUR-Written, and sung by Paul, recording began in studio 2, at Abbey road on December 6, 1966. Another whimsical show tune. Nice work on drums by Ringo with all the stops, and starts. And,ahh! The clarinets,and that bell! The song is clasic Paul McCartney. Slice of life story telling, like Ellenor Rigby, and Penny Lane, full of detailed scenes, and Characters...EVERY SUMMER WE CAN RENT A COTTAGE IN THE ISLE OF WRIGHT, IF IT'S NOT TOO DEAR. WE SHALL SCRIMP, AND SAVE.
GRAND CHILDREN ON YOUR KNEE..VERA, CHUCK, AND DAVE...
Will you still need me?..Will you still feed me? When I'm sixtey-four? I know Linda would have, God rest her soul...

I Was Mark Twain

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It was a cold winter day in the little Wisconsin town I still dream about. Praraie du Chien. I was all of eleven years old. I was a shy timid little thing. A bookworm, bully bait, and I lived mostly in my head. I had a small core of friends, mostly neighborhood boys. I was across the street from Grandma Colbys,where I spent the happiest days of my life, at one of these friends. WE were upstairs playing. There was a window at the top of the landing facing the rear of the house. Everything was white. The snow was already seven or eight inches deep, and coming down so thick it was almost like a fog. In the distance I could see the dull grey flatness of the Mississippi River.
My friend's sister had a Barbie car dashboard toy. It was pink. But it had buttons, and gauges, and a steering wheel... The lightbulb went on in my little head. I carried the car console to the window set it on the inside sill, and presto! I was piloting a ship through the storm. I have always had a facisnation with large ships. Aircraft carriers, freighters, submarines , ocean liners, riverboats, starships. I've always loved the concept of steering a large ponderous ship.( The first time i steered a houseboat on Dale Hollow lake I was in heaven, but thats another blog.) My friend was into the ship game for awhile, but lost interest. So I played alone. I usually did anyway, and do to this day. I have always mannaged to find myself alone in a croud. I don't even care anymore. I steered the ship. Watched the snow. Gave imaginary commands to my imaginary crew. I was having so much fun I didn't even really notice when they went down to supper until his mother called up the stairs to tell me that it was dark, and time I went home.

That was ok. I had my own ship at home.I had built control consoles out of old tvs, radios, and cardboard boxes, with instrement pannels drawn on them. The entire upstairs of my Grandmas was my domain. My submarine When I played "Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea". My UNCLE HQ. Fort Apache. My starship. The place where I kept my sears catalogs(shh.) As soon as I finnished my supper, and got my hugs, and kisses, and Grandma stuff, from my biggest fan on earth, I headed up the stairs. THE CAPTAIN IS ON THE BRIDGE!

To this day when ever its snowing, or storming, I can stand at a window, look out at the weather, and the 11 yr old captain stands in my shoes.

Joe said that.