The Slipped Disc daily comfort zone (271): All the lonely people

The Slipped Disc daily comfort zone (271): All the lonely people

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norman lebrecht

December 25, 2020

Remember them, this quiet, festive day.

Comments

  • J Barcelo says:

    No thanks, I’ll stick with the Fab Four original.

  • Old Man in the Midwest says:

    I’ll take the original every time. Shaken not stirred.

    • violin accordion says:

      Anyone(in their dotage) from the recording studio scene remember the remarkable Tony Gilbert, who was leader of the double string quartet in ER ?
      Little did these ‘crème de la crème realise what history they were creating.

  • Peter San Diego says:

    The string quintet arrangement is good — the youtube site doesn’t credit the arranger. Does anyone know who did it, and where the sheet music can be found?

    A pity the viola was too recessed, either in the performance or the recording.

  • Duncan says:

    ‘Wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door’ – lovely bit of poetic imagery. This song is one of several by The Beatles that exemplifies why they were (and still are) right at the top of the popular song writing tree. Useless fact: McCartney originally wrote about ‘Father McCartney’ in verse two, but later changed it to ‘Father McKenzie’ as he thought that his dad would not like being name-checked in such an intrinsically sad song…!

  • Nijinsky says:

    This IS starting to be ANNOYING! I rather like being lonely, and now it feels like “THOSE” three Kings are sneaking up on me! You WISH you knew where “i” come from….

  • Greg Bottini says:

    A very interesting group of recordings!
    I adore Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin, but their styles just kill the song.
    The St. George Quintet of course comes closest to the original, but it’s labored playing and, frankly, dull.
    I liked Jacob Collier’s version the best: it totally deconstructed the song and made it into something original. It is well thought out and brilliantly realized. I had never heard of him before; I shall investigate his music further.
    But nothing will ever equal, let alone surpass, the original, with the great Paul McCartney, in his youthful prime, singing.

  • Nijinsky says:

    wow that looks like something from rabid Sara Banger, which is dyslexic for Barbara da singer….

    I’d be MAD too!

  • Nijinsky says:

    And could someone please punch out the “string” qradrille!? What is THAT!? Some fantastic squeeky thing from the not too late romanticism!?

  • Baffled in Buffalo says:

    I’ve always been intrigued at how, when Ray Charles sings this song, the chorus “ah, look at all the lonely people, etc.” gets put in the mouth of Father MacKenzie–“he turned to me and he said…”. “Brother Ray, he said…” An very interesting twist on the original conception, NOT the ‘killing’ of the sing, imho.

  • Ashu says:

    Many are killing themselves right now, more than in most years.

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