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May 23

Beatles songs without Beatles playing, or only one playing

I want to make a complete list of all Beatles songs in which either:

a) none of the Beatles plays an instrument, or

b) only one plays an instrument AND that one is also the lead singer.

By "Beatles songs" I mean the official "non-solo" Beatle releases from 1962-1970, and no bootlegs or concerts or radio shows or "Anthology" material, etc.

I doubt if the list would be longer than twenty songs, so I thought perhaps the whole thing could be compiled right here by contributors to the ref desk.

Examples would include "Yesterday" (Paul sings and plays guitar; no other Beatle plays an instrument, but studio musicians appear) or "Julia" (John sings and plays guitar and no one else appears at all) or "The Inner Light" (George sings the main vocal but Paul/John sing harmony, in this case briefly; I can't remember if George plays an instrument, but the others definitely don't) or "She's Leaving Home" (Paul sings the lead, John and maybe George sing back-up, no Beatle plays an instrument). Examples would NOT include, e.g., "Ballad of John and Yoko" (both John and Paul play instruments though the other two do not).

I'll start: Yesterday, Julia, The Inner Light, She's Leaving Home, Within You Without You, Eleanor Rigby, Wild Honey Pie, Why Don't We Do It In The Road. 63.17.50.130 (talk) 01:38, 23 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Many of the white album songs qualify. Also some from their other later works. The one called Your Majesty comes to mind. I think there's a book, maybe by Mark Lewisohn, that has detailed session notes that might provide that info comprehensively. Also, what about early stuff where Pete Best was the session drummer instead of Ringo? Does that count? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 02:18, 23 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Actually, its more likely that the later material would fit the OPs requirements. The early material was pretty much recorded by the band together; Please Please Me was recorded in a single day, and the band played live together. In most of the last half of their career, the songs were pretty much Paul or John or George solo songs with the other Beatles, along with others, acting as session musicians. Additionally, other than the Tony Sheridan backing band stuff, Pete Best didn't really record on any of the official Beatles releases. Between the firing of Pete Best and the arrival of Ringo Starr, a few songs were recorded with Andy White on drums as a stop-gap; they had to use their studio time and Ringo, who had been hired, couldn't get down in time from Liverpool where he had been playing with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes or some such. Also, they played about half a dozen live dates in Australia with Jimmy Nichol on drums as Ringo had the flu. --Jayron32 03:55, 23 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks, Jayron. Andy White appeared on one or at most two songs in September 1962 because George Martin was unhappy with Ringo's playing; Ringo was there at the time (having joined the band in August). But, just so this doesn't get confusing: I am NOT referring to cases where someone else played with the Beatles, except when that fits the two conditions above (no Beatle plays an instrument, or exactly one Beatle plays an instrument AND is the lead singer). 63.17.51.102 (talk) 04:03, 23 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Did any Beatle play on Good Night? A Quest For Knowledge (talk) 04:53, 23 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

So far we have Yesterday, Julia, The Inner Light, She's Leaving Home, Within You Without You, Eleanor Rigby, Wild Honey Pie, Why Don't We Do It In The Road, Her Majesty, and Good Night. I'll add Love You To, which makes eleven. Anybody? 63.17.51.222 (talk) 06:54, 23 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Blackbird seems to fit the criteria. 87.81.230.195 (talk) 08:56, 23 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Aside from the Mark Lewisohn book already mentioned, "Revolution in the Head" by Ian MacDonald also has personnel info. Another one is "Mother Nature's Son", since Paul is apparently also playing the drums there. "Why Don't We Do It In The Road" has Ringo on drums though. How about Revolution 9? (Unless contributing tape loops counts as "playing an instrument".) What about the instrumental songs on Yellow Submarine? Those are "Beatles songs" in the sense that they are on an official Beatles album, but the Beatles themselves had nothing to do with them. Adam Bishop (talk) 13:19, 23 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks 87 and Adam -- "Why Don't We Do It In the Road" does indeed have a Ringo overdub, someting I'd forgotten. I don't think anybody considers the Yellow Submarine soundtrack "Beatles songs," though. So subtract "Do It" and add Blackbird and Mother Nature's Son. That's twelve. If Revolution 9 can be considered a "song," it's thirteen. How about Across the Universe? Was anybody but John on that? If not, that's 14. 63.17.65.67 (talk) 06:31, 24 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Apparently they're all playing on that one, according to the article. We have articles about every Beatles song, and I believe all the articles have personnel info (from Lewisohn and/or MacDonald), so you could go through them all (although aside from Yesterday nothing would fit until the Sgt. Pepper album). Martha My Dear also fits. Adam Bishop (talk) 13:37, 24 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Re Martha My Dear, only provided you don't count the 14-piece backing orchestra. 87.81.230.195 (talk) 16:10, 24 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

That is allowed according to to 63.17's criteria, and we've already accepted Within You Without You and She's Leaving Home, etc. Adam Bishop (talk) 18:58, 24 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

What about "Because"? Or does John (on guitar) not count as a lead singer for that one? Powers ^T 20:48, 24 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Paul plays bass and George plays synthesizer on that one. Adam Bishop (talk) 21:19, 24 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

OK: Yesterday, Julia, The Inner Light, She's Leaving Home, Within You Without You, Eleanor Rigby, Wild Honey Pie, Her Majesty, Good Night, Love You To, Blackbird, Mother Nature's Son, Martha My Dear ... and (perennial outlier) Revolution 9

When I listen to "Across the Universe" on "Let It Be ... Naked" (which in terms of instrumentation is pretty much the same as the "World Wildlife Federation" aka "Rarities" version, which I would include in the 1962-1970 releases but which I don't own) I hear only Lennon's two ("double-tracked") acoustic guitars put through flangers or Leslie speakers or something (producing distorted harmonics and overtones that sound like "drone" chords); I definitely do NOT hear drums or bass guitar, though there's a drone that might be keyboards or an electric guitar ... Any Beatle experts on this one? Where is there something other than weirdly recorded double-tracked acoustic guitars on the stripped-down "Across the Universe"? 63.17.49.62 (talk) 03:48, 25 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The Across the Universe article is probably the best place to look, since it has details about the various versions. I was a little too hasty in my previous answer that they are all playing, because it is probably only John (and possibly George) on the versions that were actually released. Adam Bishop (talk) 06:14, 25 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Although sourced, the Across the Universe article is wrong. For example, there are no maracas or piano on the World Wildlife track. Also, "Love you To" is said to have "tambourine" by Ringo. The tambourine is by George, and the presence of a tamboura, so noted on the logs, was mis-read by the archivists as a second tambourine arbitrarily credited to Ringo. 63.17.33.231 (talk) 12:15, 26 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The book Beatlesongs by (iirc) Mark Dowling has the data sought, for each song. —Tamfang (talk) 07:24, 27 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Steelgod

In the Emerald Sword Saga by Rhapsody of Fire, what is a steelgod? Neon Merlin 07:11, 23 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Moi, ma cheval, ma campagne??

When me and Wanda were in France about six months ago, there was a song on the radio in french, the words of which were something like this: "Moi, ma cheval, et ma campagne"? I think that's it. It might not be "campagne", but definately it was something like that - perhaps me, my horse and my country / the countryside"? Does anyone know what this song is? Many thanks Artie&Wanda (talk) 19:36, 23 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Shouldn't it be mon cheval? 24.189.90.68 (talk) 19:38, 23 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I googled the lyrics in both English and French Google, and they keep turning up results for a country-western song called Mon Cheval est Mors (My Horse is Dead) by a French Canadian singer named Paul Brunelle, but it does not contain the lyrics you mentioned. 24.189.90.68 (talk) 19:51, 23 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

You have no idea how happy it makes me to know that there's a French-Canadian country and western song called Mon Cheval est Mors. I just hope the horse ran off with the singer's wife before it died, that would be perfect :) DuncanHill (talk) 19:58, 23 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

That would indeed be badass if that happened, but the guy just keeps lamenting his horse's death in the song. 24.189.90.68 (talk) 21:39, 23 May 2010 (UTC) [reply]

Pure guesswork here, but in "Heureux qui comme Ulysse" Georges Brassens sings about "mon cheval, ma Provence, et moi". If you google it, you will get a youtube link, where you can listen to the chanson. ---Sluzzelin talk 06:17, 24 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Could the mystery word be compagne (feminine 'companion' as in La Marseillaise)? —Tamfang (talk) 07:25, 27 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Something wrong with my NFS Carbon game

I'm playing my Need For Speed: Carbon game on my computer, but when I started playing, all the cars lost all of their textures and skins, including traffic and police cars. So basically, every car that I see is pretty much a black, moving silhouette. Furthermore, the menu repeatedly puts up the message "Can't connect to EA Nation!". What's wrong here and how can I fix it?

Also, what does the term "cracking the game" mean? 64.75.158.194 (talk) 21:53, 23 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Software cracking; basically 'sneaking' past the game's protection. HalfShadow 22:04, 23 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks, Halfshadow. Okay... now the top half of every police car is missing... the cops look like they are driving go-carts, heh heh... I'd like to know a possible solution to my problem very soon! 64.75.158.199 (talk) 06:24, 24 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

First thing I would do is uninstall and reinstall the software. The message suggests to me that you need to complete an on-line registration.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 08:41, 24 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I already tried that, tens of times. They always end up the same. So... yeah, that ain't workin'. 64.75.158.194 (talk) 09:52, 24 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Is your PC running Windows Vista? There appears to be some problems playing this game on Vista. I can also think of a couple of other potential problems: the game is a few years old now so maybe EA no longer support it (check out EA's website); I assume your PC meets the minimum spec for the game and the game is a genuine version rather than some ripoff you downloaded from somewhere (the download could very well be corrupted and full of malware). Astronaut (talk) 11:30, 24 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, if that is the case, a tip - never use pirate sites, you can never 100% trust them. Chevy monte carlo 15:19, 24 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

@Astronaut: My system is Windows XP, and it has more than met the minimum requirements needed. @Chevymontecarlo: Yes, it is a genuine, store-bought, collector's version of the game (the cover picture is that of a Mitsubishi Lancer overlooking the city atop the canyon, am I right?), and not downloaded. My internet connection is far too slow to handle most downloads anyway! I guess I'll send a screenshot later for you guys to see. 64.75.158.193 (talk) 00:57, 25 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Alright, screenshots:

http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/145/7/4/nfs_carbon_error_1_by_pratfall.jpg http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/145/b/2/nfs_carbon_error_2_by_pratfall.jpg http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/145/5/8/nfs_carbon_error_3_by_pratfall.jpg 64.75.158.195 (talk) 02:16, 26 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Just curious, do you get the same black silhouette problem if you drive in daylight? Astronaut (talk) 12:28, 26 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

...Whehh??? NFS Carbon doesn't have daylight! But yes, the black silhouettes always appear on all vehicles, no matter what the lighting is, and the cops still look like they are driving go-carts. Its kind of funny, actually. 64.75.158.199 (talk) 00:44, 27 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

It looks like it might be some sort of shader failure, but I don't know what would cause that if your video card matches the minimum requirements for the game. If there are any graphics options for shaders or "advanced effects" or something try turning them off. (This has probably already occurred to you.) You might also make sure you're using current video drivers. APL (talk) 22:46, 27 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Sorry APL, but that option, I have already tried. Thanks anyway. My video drivers are pretty decent, they have no problem running the game at high resolution. It's the loss of vehicle textures that I'm worried about. 64.75.158.195 (talk) 06:52, 28 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]