The Quarrymenwere a Liverpool skiffle/rock band, formed by John Lennon in Liverpool in 1956. By 1960, they had evolved into The Beatles. This poster is from one of their early gigs, playing at a garden show/dog display/costume parade. Macca would join the band a few months after this show, and George Harrison joined in early 1958. Ringo joined The Beatles in 1962, after they sacked their drummer Pete Best.
Love Minus Zero/No Limits one of Bob's great love songs, is performed at the excellent Concert for Bangladesh (and film)...not a bad backup band: George Harrison, Leon Russell, Billy Preston, Eric Clapton, and Ringo on drums.
Love Minus Zero/No Limit by Bob Dylan
My love she speaks like silence, Without ideals or violence, She doesn't have to say she's faithful, Yet she's true, like ice, like fire. People carry roses, Make promises by the hours, My love she laughs like the flowers, Valentines can't buy her.
In the dime stores and bus stations, People talk of situations, Read books, repeat quotations, Draw conclusions on the wall. Some speak of the future, My love she speaks softly, She knows there's no success like failure And that failure's no success at all.
The cloak and dagger dangles, Madams light the candles. In ceremonies of the horsemen, Even the pawn must hold a grudge. Statues made of match sticks, Crumble into one another, My love winks, she does not bother, She knows too much to argue or to judge.
The bridge at midnight trembles, The country doctor rambles, Bankers' nieces seek perfection, Expecting all the gifts that wise men bring. The wind howls like a hammer, The night blows cold and rainy, My love she's like some raven At my window with a broken wing.
This is a video of the last time The Beatles played together, in 1970, on a London rooftop. I believe this is where John Lennon uttered his wonderful "Thank you Ladies and Gentlemen. On behalf of me and boys I hope we passed the audition!" (which was grafted onto the studio track of the Let It Be LP). On a personal note, I saw them in Seattle in 1966, on their final tour, one day before their final show in San Francisco.
I will never forget the night when I was ten years old and The Beatles played this song on The Ed Sullivan Show. It was one of those extremely rare times when you think "nothing will be quite the same after this." And, for me at least, things never were. It led to a lifetime addiction, and their music and the people they inspired and competed with, and the next generation (now two generations!) took what they did, honored what they did, rebelled against what they did, and formed a soundtrack for a lifetime. I mean, yeah, I often cut away to other musical pleasures in the jazz, country, blues, bluegrass, classical modes. . . but The Beatles are the absolute Gold Standard. From them I learned about melody, sitars, flutes, strings, harmony, rhythm, ballads, suites, bridges, Aeolian cadences. . .you name it. For me, the music all springs from John Paul George and Ringo; even Beethoven!
This is a very early Beatles tune...a cover of Please Mr. Postman, written by W. Garrett, B. Holland, F. Gorman, G. Dobbins & R. Bateman. The video is, naturally, an old American Bandstand style lip sync rendition, but still fun to watch nonetheless.
Please Mister Postman, look and see (Oh yeah) If there's a letter in your bag for me (Please, Please Mister Postman) Why's it takin' such a long time (Oh yeah) For me to hear from that boy of mine
There must be some word today From my boyfriend so far away Pleas Mister Postman, look and see If there's a letter, a letter for me
I've been standin' here waitin' Mister Postman So patiently For just a card, or just a letter Sayin' he's returnin' home to me
(Mister Postman) Mister Postman, look and see (Oh yeah) If there's a letter in your bag for me (Please, Please Mister Postman) Why's it takin' such a long time (Oh yeah) For me to hear from that boy of mine
So many days you passed me by See the tears standin' in my eyes You didn't stop to make me feel better By leavin' me a card or a letter
(Mister Postman) Mister Postman, look and see (Oh yeah) If there's a letter in your bag for me (Please, Please Mister Postman) Why's it takin' such a long time
(Why don't you check it and see one more time for me, you gotta) Wait a minute Wait a minute Wait a minute Wait a minute (Mister Postman) Mister Postman, look and see
(C'mon deliver the letter, the sooner the better) Mister Postman ---o0o---
