Month: December 2023

Kate Bush has been one of the most innovative and eclectic songwriters of the last 50 years. She was an innovator because she moved away from conventional instrumentation, being one of the earliest exponents of the Fairlight CMI sampler. She was one of the first people to use a headset wireless microphone so her hands would be free during the choreographed dance sequences of her one and only concert tour. She was also the first female artist to achieve a number one hit single in the UK charts with a songs that she had written herself. None of her original albums have failed to break the top ten in the UK charts, and her singles have also achieved high chart status on a regular basis. Not bad for someone who has only released two albums this century. 

As is my want at this time of year, I have decided to put together a Christmas themed what-if release, and as this is the season of good will, I have added a second one for good measure. The first is a selection of recordings Kate Bush has completed that have a Christmas theme. There aren’t many different songs that could have been included here and three versions of the same song might be overkill, but they are all different so I am sure the Kate Bush completist would like it.  

‘December Will Be Magic Again’ in its original studio version was recorded in 1979 but not released until a year later. It was a Top 30 hit in the UK and did a lot better in Ireland. This is followed by ‘Home For Christmas’ which originally appeared in the Comic Strip Presents film, ‘Wild Turkey’. It then appeared on the B-Side of the UK single ‘Moment of Pleasure’ which came out in 1993. She also privately pressed a number of these on a 3” CD single (anyone remember these?) which were sent out as a Christmas card. We end Side A with a non Christmas song, but it did feature in the Kate Bush Christmas Special that was broadcast in 1979. It was written as an introduction to guest Peter Gabriel and was performed as a three part harmony with her brother Paddy and Glenys Groves. Side B has two more versions of ‘December Will Be Magic Again’. The first is from the aforementioned Christmas Special and was performed live with Kevin McAlea on Keyboards, with Kate on piano and vocals. The last song is the bongo mix of ‘December Will Be Magic Again’ which has, as far as I can tell, not appeared on a Kate Bush released but has found a home on Christmas compilation albums down the years. 

The Christmas EP

Side A

1. December Will Be Magic Again
2. Home For Christmas
3. The Angel Gabriel (Kate – Christmas Special 1979)

Side B

1. December Will Be Magic Again (Kate – Christmas Special 1979)
2. December Will Be Magic Again (Bongo Mix)

The second EP complies folk songs that Kate Bush has released. I was quite surprised that she had covered any at all, considering that she has focused mostly on her own compositions. The opening song was released in 1996 for a compilation album ‘Common Ground – Voices of Modern Irish Music’. Bush herself was born in England but her mother was from Ireland and said that he mother helped out with the recording as she is not a speaker of the Irish language. She had to learn it phonetically before laying down her recording. The song itself tells of a woman that represents Ireland, and is given over her gifts (such as cattle, her land and even herself) to the cruel English and wondering why Irish men do nothing to defend her. 

The second might be pushing it a bit as being a folk song, because it is not a traditional song like the others on this disc, but was written by Donovan for his ‘HMS Donovan’ album. Donovan may well have started off as a folk singer but quickly morphed into something distinctively more psychedelic. ‘HMS Donovan’ was his second album directed at children and did draw on traditional folk songs, poems and hymns. Bush covered the song for the B Side of her ‘Sat In Your Lap’ from 1981. 

Side B starts with another Irish folk song, ‘My Lagan Love’. The Lagan might refer to the river of the same name that runs through Belfast or a stream that flows into Lough Swilly in County Donegal. ‘The Handsome Cabin Boy’ is another traditional folk song which refers to girls impersonating sailors and heading off for a life at sea. This was released on the B-Side of the ‘Hounds of Love’ single in 1986. Even though this is a traditional song, some pressings of this single credited Bush as the sole writer of the song, instead of the trad arr. by credit you’d expect. It is a shame Kate Bush did not release more traditional songs as she had an excellent voice for interpreting this style of music. 

The Folk EP

Side A

1. Mna Na H’Éireann (Women Of Ireland)
2. Lord Of The Ready River

Side B

1. My Lagan Love
2. The Handsome Cabin Boy

I loaded up YouTube a little while back for my daily dose of new content by one of the creators I subscribe to and found that the algorithm had decided that I liked The Beatles. This is true, but this was something a bit different. The video was called “ABANDONED: This Beatles Jam Was Almost A Masterpiece Pt.1” on a channel called ‘almost beatle songs’. What I got when I clicked on it was some video of the band from the 1969 ‘Get Back’ sessions playing an unreleased/unfinished song called “Watching Rainbows”. The narrator talked about the similarities between it another Beatles song called ‘I’ve Got A Feeling”. The lyric watching rainbows had also been used in a Bee Gees song called ‘Morning Of My Life” which had been recorded in 1968 by Mary Hopkin, who was signed to The Beatles record label, Apple. The video teased that the song could have been a masterpiece if the band had worked on it a bit more and finished it off. Well, the people who produced the video decided to do just that. 

How do you finish off a Beatles song from over 50 years earlier? Well, this story goes back early 1969 when The Beatles met up at Twickenham Film Studio to rehearse material for a potential live concert. It was decided that they would only play new material. Having only just finished the sessions to ‘The Beatles (White Album)’ just over two months previously, there was a dearth of new material. It had also been decided that a film crew would be on hand to record the rehearsals as part of a TV documentary, culminating in the aforementioned live concert. The soundtrack of the film was recorded on two mono Nagra tape recorders. At some point in the 1970’s, these tapes were stolen from The Beatles archive and become a source of numerous bootlegs throughout the years. It was also a treasure trove for Beatles archeologists to hear the band working on new material, some of which never went further than a one off play through. 

So taking these unfinished tracks, using different parts from different takes and in some cases, slicing in some other unreleased material from the sessions, the people behind the channel recorded a more realised take of the song than The Beatles every did. Whilst the video of the song played, dates would appear on the screen showing which date that particular section was taken from. Over the next year, they would release a number of other songs that they had interpreted and it is a selection of these that I present today. 

Side 1

1. How Do You Tell Someone?
2. Rambling Woman
3. I Lost My Little Girl
4. Suicide
5. There You Are, Eddie
6. Watching Rainbows (Melody Version)
7. Taking A Trip To Carolina

Side 2

1. Madman
2. Pillow For Your Head
3. Child Of Nature
4. Window Window
5. Case Of The Blues
6. Woman
7. All I Want Is You

All I Want Is You (Lennon)

The original recording sounds nothing more than the band warming up in the studio. Not a lost classic by any stretch of the imagination but this version takes elements of ‘Hey Jude’ and because of this, it finishes the set off nicely.

A Case Of The Blues (Lennon)

As far as I can tell, this was not presented to The Beatles as a song to record during the ‘Let It Be’ sessions, but predates it by about a year. That does not mean it wouldn’t find a home here. The Beatles would resurrect all sorts of songs during these sessions including ‘One After 909” which was one of the earliest songs Lennon and McCartney wrote together. 

Child Of Nature (Lennon)

Inspired by a lecture given by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi during The Beatles’ stay in India, early in 1968. The song was demoed for ‘The Beatles’ and played during the ‘Let It Be’ sessions. The melody and the tune were kept but the lyrics would be completely changed before being released on Lennon’s 1971 ‘Imagine’ album. 

How Do You Tell Someone? (Harrison)

A quick run through of this song was as far as The Beatles got with this George Harrison song. 

I Lost My Little Girl (McCartney)

McCartney says that this was one of the first songs he ever wrote on a guitar in around 1956. It was played during there ‘Let It Be’ sessions with John Lennon on lead vocals. The version presented here is a lot darker than the Buddy Holly inspired track that McCartney himself would perform on his “Unplugged’ performance in 1991. 

Madman (Lennon)

Attempted at least twice during the ‘Let It Be’ sessions, the song shares certain similarities to another Lennon song, ‘Mean Mr Mustard’.

Pillow For Your Head (McCartney)

Performed twice during the ‘Let It Be’ sessions, this was never attempted again. The folks over at Almost Beatle Songs needed to have an educated guess as to what some of the lyrics were on this one as the original recording, his vocals are really hard to hear. 

Rambling Woman (Harrison)

On the original recording, this sounds like George Harrison is doing his best Bob Dylan impression. 

Suicide (McCartney)

Another McCartney song that dates from the 1950’s, he is said to have offered it to Frank Sinatra to record but with a title such as this, it would seem that Blue Eyes decided to pass. 

Taking a Trip To Carolina (Starkey)

Unlike the original ‘Let It Be’ album, we have included a song written by Ringo. The original snippet of this song was included on the ‘Fly On The Wall’ bonus disc which was included on the ‘Let It Be…Naked’ album from 2003

There You Are, Eddie (McCartney)

McCartney wrote a song about his dog Martha for the ‘The Beatles’ album. As far as I can tell, this was written about his other dog called Eddie. 

Watching Rainbows (Lennon/McCartney)

The tune is similar to ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ and some of the improvised lyrics hark back to ‘I Am The  Walrus’. 

Window Window (Harrison)

Harrison once again channels his inner Dylan with a bit of Simon and Garfunkel thrown in. Seemingly inspired by his marriage to Patti Boyd. 

Woman (McCartney)

A song that did make it out of the sessions, four years before it was played at the ‘Let It Be’ sessions. McCartney had given this song away to Peter & Gordon but insisted that the writing credit would be for Webb as he wanted to see if the duo would have a hit with a song that was not obviously written by Lennon/McCartney. 

I decided that fourteen songs was the correct amount of songs to include here as the majority of The Beatles UK albums had this number of tracks. There is also a nice balance between the amount of songs the three main songwriters get, including one from Ringo to boot. Listening to these songs lifts the lid on an alternative ‘Let It Be’ album. All songs credited to the member of the band who wrote it. You can find more of the songs recorded by this collective on the aforementioned almost beatles songs YouTube account (https://www.youtube.com/c/almostbeatlessongs), bandcamp (https://elvisorbison.bandcamp.com/album/almost-beatles-songs-vol-2) listed under Elvis Orbison on Spotify as well as their own site (https://almostbeatlessongs.com/). Elvis Orbison is the name used by musician Brett Lyda to complete this project. 

Last month I put together a version of Dennis Wilson’ ‘Hubba Hubba’ album, I wondered if there enough material to put together an album that The Beach Boys could have put out in either late 1974 or sometime in 1975. I have picked this time because after the band released in ‘Holland’ in 1973, they did not release another record of new material until 1976 when they put out ’15 Big Ones’.  What happened in those three years. Well, as was noted last month, they did try to record some new material in 1974 but these sessions went nowhere. The release of the ‘Endless Summer’ compilation meant that the band started to focus more on touring. Murray Wilson, father to the Wilson brothers passed away in 1973 and Brian retreated into his bedroom to abuse drugs and over eat. With all of these factors, the creativity of the band disappeared and the great run of albums they had been making was derailed. 

So what if the record company had demanded a new album? Well, the band did not seem keen to return to the studio so what about an LP of outtakes. As it turns out, there was plenty of material to put together a double, but I felt that a single would be more appropriate. The album also shows how far musical styles had changed. ‘Soulful Old Man Sunshine’ and ‘Loop De Loop (Flip Flop Flyin’ In An Aeroplane)’ bely their late 1960s origins. The album runs in an almost chronological order and if the record company wanted to put out a single from this release, the best song to fit the bill (in my opinion) is ‘Hard Time’. I decided that ‘Loop De Loop (Flip Flop Flyin’ In An Aeroplane)’ would have been an appropriate B-Side. There isn’t any Dennis Wilson material because all of his unreleased material is on the aforementioned ‘Hubba Hubba’ released. 

What were are left with is a good album, showing that the band were keeping some quality material in the archive. Its not a classic but what album of unreleased material is. I do believe that this is a better record than any the band released in real life after ‘Holland’. 

Out In The Country (Version 2 Edit)

Two songs were recorded with the same name. One is an instrumental but this version is a vocals only. It would eventually be released as part of the 1972 sessions CD in the ‘Sail On Sailor’ Box Set. I edited out the studio chatter at the start and then edited the end so that it faded out. 

Soulful Old Man Sunshine

Recorded late 1969, this one of the many songs recorded for the ‘Sunflower’ album which did not make the cut. It remained in the vaults until it came out in 1998 on the ‘Endless Harmony’ compilation. It was said to have been include on the 1993 Box Set, ‘Good Vibrations – Thirty Years of The Beach Boys’ but it was vetoed for this by Carl Wilson. This was because he fluffed his lines somewhat, singing ‘shunshine’ instead of ‘sunshine’.  

H.E.L.P. Is On The Way

There can’t be many songs out there that have the word enema mentioned in the lyrics. It also mentions the Radiant Radish, a West Hollywood health food shop once owned (and sometimes manned) by Brian Wilson. Wilson could be seen serving in the shop wearing a dressing gown and pyjamas as he usually opened the shop up when he could be bothered, normally at night. The subject matter of the song deals with Wilson’s self-image and eating problems. The song was recorded during the ‘Surf’s Up’ sessions but would first see the light of day on the ‘Good Vibrations – Thirty Years of The Beach Boys’ box set. 

Games Two Can Play

The lyrics refer to Joe South and his recording of ‘Games People Play’, but we can only speculate as to what songwriter Brian Wilson meant by games two can play. He once again refers to his weight by saying he is as fat as a cow. This and the previous song on this collection were slated to appear on the unreleased 1977 album, ‘Adult/Child’. The song was recorded during the ‘Sunflower’ sessions but would first see the light of day on the ‘Good Vibrations – Thirty Years of The Beach Boys’ box set

Sweet & Bitter

The song was recorded during the ‘Surf’s Up’ sessions and would first see the light of day on the ‘Feel Flows – The Sunflower & Surf’s Up Sessions’ box set. 

It’s Natural

The song was recorded during the ‘Surf’s Up’ sessions and would first see the light of day on the ‘Feel Flows – The Sunflower & Surf’s Up Sessions’ box set.

Won’t You Tell Me

The song was recorded during the ‘Surf’s Up’ sessions and would first see the light of day on the ‘Feel Flows – The Sunflower & Surf’s Up Sessions’ box set.

Oh Sweet Something

It would be released as part of the 1972 sessions CD in the ‘Sail On Sailor’ Box Set.

Hard Time

The song was recorded during the ‘Holland’ sessions and would first see the light of day on the ‘Sail On Sail – 1972’ box set.

We Got Love

Recorded for the ‘Holland’ album and it did make the track listing until Reprise, the band’s record label at this time decided that the recorded did not have a hit single on it. This song made way for ‘Sail On Sailor’. However, there was a mispress in Germany and a small number of copies with the  original track listing came out. It would eventually be officially released in 2016 as a bonus track on the SACD version of the ‘Holland’ album. 

Where Is She?

There is a resemblance between this song and ‘She’s Leaving Home’ by The Beatles. The song was recorded during the ‘Sunflower’ sessions and would first see the light of day on the ‘Made In California’ box set.

Seasons In The Sun

Recorded prior to the release of the more famous version by Terry Jacks, this song is a reflection by the narrator of the life he has lived and those who spent their time with him. Originally written by Jacques Brel, Jacks rewrote the lyrics and was called into to produce The Beach Boys version. Mike Love said the band didn’t like their version, stating that it was the wrong song for them.  The song was recorded during the ‘Surf’s Up’ sessions and would first see the light of day on the ‘Feel Flows – The Sunflower & Surf’s Up Sessions’ box set.

Loop De Loop (Flip Flop Flyin’ In An Aeroplane)

The song started out as a demo by Carl and Brian Wilson which was recorded for the ’20/20’ sessions in 1969. Al Jardine decided to rework the song, added all sorts of instrumentation and special effects. Jardine was not happy with the vocals and the song remained in the vaults until finally being released with a new vocal on 1998 ‘Endless Harmony’ compilation. This is the original 1969 mix. 

Side A

1. Out In The Country (Version 2 Edit)
2. Soulful Old Man Sunshine
3. H.E.L.P. Is On The Way
4. Games Two Can Play
5. Sweet & Bitter
6. It’s Natural
7. Won’t You Tell Me

Side B

1. Oh Sweet Something
2. Hard Time
3. We Got Love
4. Where Is She?
5. Seasons In The Sun

Single B-Side

Loop De Loop (Flip Flop Flyin’ In An Aeroplane)

I have tried to use as close to the original mix as possible because some of these songs have have updated mixes on recent compilations. 

The cover and title come from Reddit under, Circlonta6a who made a number alternative sleeves for Beach Boy records.