Who played lead on the Beatle's "Long Tall Sally"?

chet · March 9th, 2008, 09:29 PM

John plays it on the Anthology DVD. How about on the record? Do you think it's the same?

bluetele54 · March 9th, 2008, 09:35 PM

...on the record???...I'm finally reading the Geoff Emerick book,and it's not so kind to George,but not as bad as I was led to believe...off to listen to the record...I'll be back...

bluetele54 · March 9th, 2008, 09:45 PM

...George...the octave idea in the second solo feels like pure Harrison,as it's much too heady (not a bad thing)for a raw and bullish John to do...also,the 6/9 chord at the end is more like George too,and the sound of his guitar is brighter than John's darker,in the mix,sound...that's what I feel...

chet · March 9th, 2008, 09:50 PM

I was just thinking that it doesn't really sound like a "George solo" on record either. Maybe it was a rare "John" solo.

I'm gonna have to read the Anthology book to try to get a clue about it.

pengipete · March 9th, 2008, 10:16 PM

Here's a film from 1964 which shows George playing the lead.

chabby · March 9th, 2008, 11:27 PM

It may be McCartney - he plays alot of lead that you may not know such as paperback writer licks and many more. He's an awesome lead player when he wants to be. He actually showed George many times what he wanted played. Used to piss George off too but McCartney is good.

Ray G · March 9th, 2008, 11:40 PM

John=First Solo
George=2nd Solo

David Barnett · March 9th, 2008, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chabby

It may be McCartney - he plays alot of lead that you may not know such as paperback writer licks and many more. He's an awesome lead player when he wants to be. He actually showed George many times what he wanted played. Used to piss George off too but McCartney is good.

I think McCartney's guitar solo debut on record didn't come along until the "Help" album song "Another Girl". I don't think he even owned a playable electric six-string between 1961 and late 1964 when he got the Epiphone Casino.

bluetele54 · March 10th, 2008, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chabby

It may be McCartney - he plays alot of lead that you may not know such as paperback writer licks and many more. He's an awesome lead player when he wants to be. He actually showed George many times what he wanted played. Used to piss George off too but McCartney is good.

...just got the book,and I'm in the process of devouring it!!!...euphemistically,that is...it talks specifically about Pauls' frustration having to wait for George to get his solos together,then taking the reins and getting it in the first or second take in most instances,leaving a sulking Harrison in his wake...I think Ray G's previous post has it right...

robt57 · March 10th, 2008, 12:24 AM

God, that just made me feel old... ;)

chet · March 10th, 2008, 08:28 AM

Wonder how many solos John played on recordings?

On the Anthology video of a Swedish TV appearance you can see George playing the riff from the side and John's hands moving up and down the neck from behind as he plays the solo.

chet · March 10th, 2008, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Barnett

I think McCartney's guitar solo debut on record didn't come along until the "Help" album song "Another Girl". I don't think he even owned a playable electric six-string between 1961 and late 1964 when he got the Epiphone Casino.

I think Paul started out as a guitarist and had to switch to bass because John and George wouldn't do it. So he must've had guitars before he started playing bass.

TDPRI · March 10th, 2008, 09:01 AM

Paul did start out on guitar and piano. Stu Sutcliff played bass, very poorly they said. He even stood with his back to the audience. They kept his amp turned down because he was frequently off key. Stu wasn't a musican and played bass because it was the easiest for him to learn. They all just wanted their friend Stu to be in the band. They had to force him to do it at first.

Paul started playing bass when Stu dropped out to stay in Hamburg to live with his girlfriend, Astrid Kirchherr, just as the Beatles were going back to England. Paul didn't even have a bass and expected Stu to give him his to use back in England. But Stu didn't and Paul had to scramble to find a suitable bass. He ended up with the Hofner after a few shows with borrowed basses.

I get the feeling from reading Beatle books however, that George was "expected" to play the leads at first. Or at least George expected to be the one that played lead and he wasn't happy when others jumped in.

George was always kind of insecure in his playing and his membership in the group. By far he was the youngest, and John had little patience for him. This stayed with them for years. When George dropped out of the Beatles during the filming of "Let it Be," John immediately said on camera, "Right then, lets call up Eric Clapton and keep going."

In listening to Beetles songs over time and with an open mind about the playing styles you do get a sense of who is playing what lead and to my ears in the early LPs George is playing the lead the majority of the time.

My favorite is the song on Abby road, "The End" where they have an extended guitar solo part and you can hear the three guitar styles. Paul's is the roughest, John's is the rocky-est and George's is the tasty-est. George improved GREATLY over the years, much more so than John or Paul.

Jimo · March 10th, 2008, 09:10 AM

Paul's lead playing on the "McCartney" album was pretty primitive as well. George had the Rockabilly/Carl Perkins licks on the early stuff, that MADE the tracks IMHO . Gotta love George............cheers!-----JIMO

David Barnett · March 10th, 2008, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chet

I think Paul started out as a guitarist and had to switch to bass because John and George wouldn't do it. So he must've had guitars before he started playing bass.

Paul was a notorious cheapskate. His electric guitar in the early days of the band was a Rosetti Solid 7, a total piece of crap. I don't think it survived the Hamburg experience, and ended its days strung up as a makeshift bass with two strings stolen from a piano. For the final months before Stu Sutcliffe resigned the bass chair, he played piano.

He purchased his Epiphone Casino in late 1964, I do not believe he owned an electric 6-string from the time the Rosetti was retired in 1961 until he acquired the Epiphone. There are also photos of him with a Hofner Club 40 guitar, borrowed Lennon.

David Barnett · March 10th, 2008, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluetele54

...just got the book,and I'm in the process of devouring it!!!...euphemistically,that is...it talks specifically about Pauls' frustration having to wait for George to get his solos together,then taking the reins and getting it in the first or second take in most instances,leaving a sulking Harrison in his wake...I think Ray G's previous post has it right...

I read Emerick's book a few months ago, it was fun. Problem is, it isn't much help on the material done between their first EMI demos and "Revolver", since Emerick wasn't involved with any of those. The incident you describe in the quoteback above would be "Taxman".

For "Long Tall Sally", Ray G got it right.

chet · March 10th, 2008, 08:13 PM

"Long Tall Sally" was recorded on Sunday March 1, 1964 in one take with George Martin on piano. They also recorded "I'm Just Happy Just To Cance With You" and "I Call Your Name".

March 9th, 2008, 09:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
chet Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: The Jersey Shore Posts: 6,432	Who played lead on the Beatle's "Long Tall Sally"? John plays it on the Anthology DVD. How about on the record? Do you think it's the same? __________________ In Brett We Trust.

March 9th, 2008, 09:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
bluetele54 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: valley village Age: 55 Posts: 1,422	...does it sound like Johns' sound... ...on the record???...I'm finally reading the Geoff Emerick book,and it's not so kind to George,but not as bad as I was led to believe...off to listen to the record...I'll be back...

March 9th, 2008, 09:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
bluetele54 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: valley village Age: 55 Posts: 1,422	...my feelings are it's... ...George...the octave idea in the second solo feels like pure Harrison,as it's much too heady (not a bad thing)for a raw and bullish John to do...also,the 6/9 chord at the end is more like George too,and the sound of his guitar is brighter than John's darker,in the mix,sound...that's what I feel...

March 9th, 2008, 09:50 PM	#4 (permalink)
chet Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: The Jersey Shore Posts: 6,432	I was just thinking that it doesn't really sound like a "George solo" on record either. Maybe it was a rare "John" solo. I'm gonna have to read the Anthology book to try to get a clue about it. __________________ In Brett We Trust.

March 9th, 2008, 11:40 PM	#7 (permalink)
Ray G Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 606	John=First Solo George=2nd Solo __________________ Regards, Ray

March 9th, 2008, 10:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
pengipete Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Gloucester U.K. Age: 47 Posts: 1,133	Here's a film from 1964 which shows George playing the lead.

March 9th, 2008, 11:27 PM	#6 (permalink)
chabby Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,259	It may be McCartney - he plays alot of lead that you may not know such as paperback writer licks and many more. He's an awesome lead player when he wants to be. He actually showed George many times what he wanted played. Used to piss George off too but McCartney is good.

March 10th, 2008, 12:24 AM	#10 (permalink)
robt57 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Lost Yankee in Nashville Age: 51 Posts: 3,235 18 Photos	God, that just made me feel old... ;)

March 10th, 2008, 08:28 AM	#11 (permalink)
chet Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: The Jersey Shore Posts: 6,432	Wonder how many solos John played on recordings? On the Anthology video of a Swedish TV appearance you can see George playing the riff from the side and John's hands moving up and down the neck from behind as he plays the solo. __________________ In Brett We Trust.

March 10th, 2008, 09:01 AM	#13 (permalink)
TDPRI Administrator Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: TDPRILAND Posts: 5,400 36 Photos	Paul did start out on guitar and piano. Stu Sutcliff played bass, very poorly they said. He even stood with his back to the audience. They kept his amp turned down because he was frequently off key. Stu wasn't a musican and played bass because it was the easiest for him to learn. They all just wanted their friend Stu to be in the band. They had to force him to do it at first. Paul started playing bass when Stu dropped out to stay in Hamburg to live with his girlfriend, Astrid Kirchherr, just as the Beatles were going back to England. Paul didn't even have a bass and expected Stu to give him his to use back in England. But Stu didn't and Paul had to scramble to find a suitable bass. He ended up with the Hofner after a few shows with borrowed basses. I get the feeling from reading Beatle books however, that George was "expected" to play the leads at first. Or at least George expected to be the one that played lead and he wasn't happy when others jumped in. George was always kind of insecure in his playing and his membership in the group. By far he was the youngest, and John had little patience for him. This stayed with them for years. When George dropped out of the Beatles during the filming of "Let it Be," John immediately said on camera, "Right then, lets call up Eric Clapton and keep going." In listening to Beetles songs over time and with an open mind about the playing styles you do get a sense of who is playing what lead and to my ears in the early LPs George is playing the lead the majority of the time. My favorite is the song on Abby road, "The End" where they have an extended guitar solo part and you can hear the three guitar styles. Paul's is the roughest, John's is the rocky-est and George's is the tasty-est. George improved GREATLY over the years, much more so than John or Paul.

March 10th, 2008, 09:10 AM	#14 (permalink)
Jimo Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 601	yep Paul's lead playing on the "McCartney" album was pretty primitive as well. George had the Rockabilly/Carl Perkins licks on the early stuff, that MADE the tracks IMHO . Gotta love George............cheers!-----JIMO

March 10th, 2008, 08:13 PM	#17 (permalink)
chet Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: The Jersey Shore Posts: 6,432	"Long Tall Sally" was recorded on Sunday March 1, 1964 in one take with George Martin on piano. They also recorded "I'm Just Happy Just To Cance With You" and "I Call Your Name". __________________ In Brett We Trust.