MUS 116 Lecture Notes - Lecture 27: Plastic Ono Band, My Sweet Lord, Linda Mccartney
The Beatles after The Beatles (6/1/18)
● George Harrison - “My Sweet Lord”
○ Written Dec. 1969, on tour with Billy Preston and Eric Clapton
○ Written as “gospel” song in praise of Hindu god Krishna
○ Mixes Vedic prayers with chants “Hare Krishna”
○ Billy Preston records it Jan. 1970 - more of a gospel song
○ June 1970, George records it with 30+ other songs
○ Produced by Phil Spector at Abbey Road Studios
○ November 1970 issued on triple album All Things Must Pass
○ Also issued as a single: first #1 hit by an ex - Beatle
○ Very like Ronnie Mack’s “He’s So Fine” (rec. by The Chiffons, 1962)
○ Sued and found to have “subconsciously plagiarized”
● Paul McCartney - “Maybe I’m Amazed”
○ Written in late 1969 for Linda
○ 1st released on the album McCartney
(April 1970)
○ Not at first issued as a single
○ Promo film made in 1970, still photos of Paul, Linda, and her daughter Heather
○ Single released with his band Wings in 1977
■ Single reached top 10
○ Paul plays guitars, bass, piano, organ and drums
○ Covered by Faces (band with Rod Stewart) (1971), influenced McCartney’s
later performances
● McCartney - “Live and Let Die”
○ Written by Paul and Linda McCartney in 1973
○ Recorded by their band, Wings
○ Theme song for James Bond film Live and Let Die
○ Produced by George Martin
○ Appears on all of Paul’s live albums
○ Al Yankovic parody: ‘Chicken Pot Pie”
○ Most successful cover is by Guns N’ Roses (1991)
● Lennon, “Working Class Hero”
○ Issued on Lennon’s 1st album after the break - up, John Lennon/ Plastic Ono
Band
(Dec 1970)
○ Released as a single in Oct. 1971 as the B side of “Imagine”
○ Influenced by Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War” (1963)
■ Itself based on folk song “Nottamun Town” as sung by Jean Ritchie
○ Similarities of
■ Rhythm, harmonies, tone of voice, and anger
● Lennon, “How do you sleep?”
○ On Imagine
(1971)
○ An attack on Paul
○ A reply to Paul’s “Too Many People” (1971)
○ Later claimed the song really about himself
Document Summary
Written dec. 1969, on tour with billy preston and eric clapton. Written as gospel song in praise of hindu god krishna. Mixes vedic prayers with chants hare krishna . Billy preston records it jan. 1970 - more of a gospel song. June 1970, george records it with 30+ other songs. Produced by phil spector at abbey road studios. November 1970 issued on triple album all things must pass. Also issued as a single: first #1 hit by an ex - beatle. Very like ronnie mack"s he"s so fine (rec. by the chiffons, 1962) Sued and found to have subconsciously plagiarized . 1st released on the album mccartney (april 1970) Not at first issued as a single. Promo film made in 1970, still photos of paul, linda, and her daughter heather. Single released with his band wings in 1977. Paul plays guitars, bass, piano, organ and drums. Covered by faces (band with rod stewart) (1971), influenced mccartney"s later performances.
