Jump to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.

Surly Horns

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.

Featured Replies

40+ year in the making, and worth the wait.

 

Short "making of" video

 

AI is going to bring every band back.

It's really quite beautiful. I got choked up when the classic Harrison guitar solo came in, and then was maybe even more amazed when I later found out that it's McCartney playing the solo as a tribute to George. 

16 hours ago, Deej said:

AI is going to bring every band back.

God I hope not.  

14 hours ago, MaxHorn said:

It's really quite beautiful. I got choked up when the classic Harrison guitar solo came in, and then was maybe even more amazed when I later found out that it's McCartney playing the solo as a tribute to George. 

What's the source that Paul did the solo?  

Paul himself in the documentary (also released yesterday).

3 hours ago, Chad Fuck said:

What's the source that Paul did the solo?  

It is around 9:35 in the second clip above.  

1 hour ago, hullabelew said:

It is around 9:35 in the second clip above.  

Oof.  I watched the song and went straight to y'alls comments.  

A version of this has been on YouTube for at least a year. Was that a leaked earlier version or John’s demo? This one definitely has more added. 

  • Author

After watching the doc I think it's more of a sentimental thing than a money grab.

Yeah, 80 year old billionaires probably aren’t doing this shit for cash. 

Edited by 4th&Five

1 minute ago, DixonHur said:

After watching the doc I think it's more of a sentimental thing than a money grab.

Video is ‘garded. Doc is pretty good. 

Yeah, 80 year mold billionaires probably aren’t doing this shit for cash. 

Mold Billionaires is a solid band name.
  • Author
34 minutes ago, 4th&Five said:

Yeah, 80 year old billionaires probably aren’t doing this shit for cash. 

Yep, and they started it in 1994, so if it was a money grab they were certainly playing the long game

I totally got choked up hearing John’s voice again and that haunting melody. What a gift to us all.

AI is going to bring every band back.

We’ll get by with a little help from AI
We’re gonna try with a little help from AI
We’ll be revived with a little help from AI
We’ll never die with a little help from AI
With a little help from AIiiiiii!

It's a pretty tune, but I don't think its worthy of being a Beatles song. Not much to the lyrics, doesn't really go anywhere like a real Beatle's song might, even one of the not as great ones.

I think it's fine that they did it. Why not? It's good that they got the best they could out of John's demo to share with fans. The production is nice, it's a good display of the tech that it required, but artistically, it ain't all that. It's not great writing. But it doesn't really suck. It's another rarity type thing for Beatles enthusiasts. They took a little unfinished demo and make it sound nice, but that's about it. I'm glad to have heard it. 

 

It's a pretty tune, but I don't think its worthy of being a Beatles song. Not much to the lyrics, doesn't really go anywhere like a real Beatle's song might, even one of the not as great ones.
I think it's fine that they did it. Why not? It's good that they got the best they could out of John's demo to share with fans. The production is nice, it's a good display of the tech that it required, but artistically, it ain't all that. It's not great writing. But it doesn't really suck. It's another rarity type thing for Beatles enthusiasts. They took a little unfinished demo and make it sound nice, but that's about it. I'm glad to have heard it. 
 

This is pretty spot on. It would be a b side or buried in side 2 of an album back in the day. And while it’s nice to hear Paul say the other two would’ve been all for it…I’m skeptical.

It really strikes me as a love letter by the remaining two to their lost friends and put a bow on their legacy. Or will always be said that they left it all on the table for their fans. There’s literally nothing more - new at least - for them to give.

Most bands would kill to write a song that good.  For The Beatles, it's a B-side.  LOL.

I'm glad they put it out, even though I'm not a huge Beatles fan, and it's not their best work.  It's nostalgic.

24 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Most bands would kill to write a song that good.  For The Beatles, it's a B-side.  LOL.

I'm glad they put it out, even though I'm not a huge Beatles fan, and it's not their best work.  It's nostalgic.

So I was in the shower this morning (no pics) and my playist pulled up "I'm Only Sleeping."  To me, that's a stellar track.  I love it.  It's not the usual teen romance fluff for lyrics, the chord progression is interesting, and the recording itself is innovative with the backwards guitar solo.  Yet it's still not a single and is probably a "second" tier Beatles song by any measure.  Granted, second tier for The Beatles is mostly unobtainable for most bands out there.  I don't think "Now and Then" reaches "I'm Only Sleeping" stature.  And it's definitely nostalgic.  Anyhow, I'm thinking we're agreeing here, just some thoughts that wiggled loose this morning.  It's my last chance to obsess over a new Beatles record, so I'm taking it.

Has Ringo recorded with Paul much (or any) over the past few decades?  Seems like a missed opportunity, he's such an iconic drummer.

4 hours ago, Chad Fuck said:


This is pretty spot on. It would be a b side or buried in side 2 of an album back in the day. And while it’s nice to hear Paul say the other two would’ve been all for it…I’m skeptical.

It really strikes me as a love letter by the remaining two to their lost friends and put a bow on their legacy. Or will always be said that they left it all on the table for their fans. There’s literally nothing more - new at least - for them to give.

I recently saw a Paul interview from decades ago where he was talking about this song. He said it was mostly George that really wasn't into it, after they had done the other two. I think he was probably being reminded of what it was like for him to work with Paul. I think Paul would have kept going, despite the tech issues. 

As far as John, he would probably be for anything that put him back into the spotlight, but maybe not as much others monkeying around with his post-Beatles tune. So it's hard to say. Ringo is always just glad to be asked to contribute. 

2 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Has Ringo recorded with Paul much (or any) over the past few decades?  Seems like a missed opportunity, he's such an iconic drummer.

Ringo contributed to several McCartney songs over the years. But it was mostly spot duty for a song or two on an album. He would  throw him a bone now and then when the time was right.

2 minutes ago, DougO said:

I recently saw a Paul interview from decades ago where he was talking about this song. He said it was mostly George that really wasn't into it, after they had done the other two. I think he was probably being reminded of what it was like for him to work with Paul. I think Paul would have kept going, despite the tech issues. 

As far as John, he would probably be for anything that put him back into the spotlight, but maybe not as much others monkeying around with his post-Beatles tune. So it's hard to say. Ringo is always just glad to be asked to contribute. 

I agree with all of this.  I remember an article shortly after the 95 recordings were released where GH said this one was "rubbish."  But I'm not sure if he meant the quality or the recording or the tune itself.  Further, my sense of George as a person is that he was never the warm, friendly Beatle, and had a tendency to come off a bit curt regarding the Beatles, especially as the late 80s gave way to the 90s.  He was not one for nostalgia.  There's also a bit of video from the 95 recordings where the three are there playing a bit of something (a Sun track, perhaps Elvis, I can't recall) and when it's done he just gets up and says, "Well that's enough nostalgia for me, I'm out."  Or words to that effect.  

I think George never really got over his inferiority complex with Paul and John, but particularly with working with Paul. I think its one of the reasons he sought out collaborations with other iconic artists to compensate. George probably was a genuinely warm and open guy, but remained a bit prickly with Paul when it came to working together. 

But the version of the recording back in the 90s, or whenever it was, probably was rubbish as far as being able to make it worth trying to release it. 

I don't think Paul was quite the dictator that he has been perceived, but I can see why it seemed that way to George and others who were just tired of going through the same exhaustive stuff, nitpicking and constant tweaking of a particular song that the others didn't really care so much about.

16 hours ago, Deej said:

Needs more Yoko.

Three words no one has ever put together before.

Just now, Chad Fuck said:

Three words no one has ever put together before.

Aside from John, you are correct. 

5 minutes ago, Deej said:

Aside from John, you are correct. 

Or, perhaps Yoko.

I agree with Dougo’s take but also figure it likely would have been better if John had finished it. My take is this was just a sketch.

2 hours ago, Chad Fuck said:

Or, perhaps Yoko.

Undefeated 

On 11/5/2023 at 9:23 AM, jimmyjazz said:

Has Ringo recorded with Paul much (or any) over the past few decades?  Seems like a missed opportunity, he's such an iconic drummer.

Iconic?  Oh boy.  He's the greatest to ever do it.  "Iconic" is putting it mildly. 

On 11/4/2023 at 10:42 PM, DougO said:

It's a pretty tune, but I don't think its worthy of being a Beatles song. Not much to the lyrics, doesn't really go anywhere like a real Beatle's song might, even one of the not as great ones.

I think it's fine that they did it. Why not? It's good that they got the best they could out of John's demo to share with fans. The production is nice, it's a good display of the tech that it required, but artistically, it ain't all that. It's not great writing. But it doesn't really suck. It's another rarity type thing for Beatles enthusiasts. They took a little unfinished demo and make it sound nice, but that's about it. I'm glad to have heard it. 

 

 

8 hours ago, tbone_ said:

I agree with Dougo’s take but also figure it likely would have been better if John had finished it. My take is this was just a sketch.

I don’t think that it sounds like a Beatles song at all. 

It very much sounds like it belongs with John’s solo stuff from the mid-to-late ‘70s, but not good enough to make the cut.

It is slow and a bit of a downer.. and I can’t remember the words right now. It just seems like a mess that would be abandoned because it’s kind of meh.

I can understand the excitement and nostalgic hope that people who grew up with The Beatles (or who are familiar with every deep track on ever album + all of the solo albums that followed their dissolution) may have regarding the release of this song, but it kind of feels like work to listen to. 

It’s not catchy nor does it build up to an overwhelming resolve. It just feels like an idea that was fleshed out for the fans rather than because there was anything magical about the song. 

It sounds to me like John was more into the chord progression, which is very nice, and the lyrics are just first thought stuff to see what the song would sound like. I don't know how long he worked on it, but it seems very early stage thought. They aren't the final lyrics of a brilliant songwriter. They don't even really hold up to John's weaker efforts that well. 

Very cool story about the clock on the back cover of the single...

 

cover1.jpg

cover2.jpg

12 hours ago, DougO said:

Toe-tappin'...

 

 

AI is the greatest and worst thing to ever happen to music

 

14 hours ago, UTCzech III said:

Very cool story about the clock on the back cover of the single...

 

cover1.jpg

cover2.jpg

What's the source for this?

26 minutes ago, Chad Fuck said:

What's the source for this?

Screenshot of the insert from the 7-inch single.  

32 minutes ago, UTCzech III said:

Screenshot of the insert from the 7-inch single.  

Cool.  I just bought the 12-inch single.  We'll see if it has the same insert.

13 minutes ago, Chad Fuck said:

Cool.  I just bought the 12-inch single.  We'll see if it has the same insert.

Checking Discogs it looks like it does

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.