Fab Foundations # 41: “Transition”

(Personal reflections inspired by Beatles songs)

Song: “Nowhere Man”
Album: Rubber Soul
Release Date: December 1965

I suppose a concertgoer like myself reveals his age when he attends about as many tribute-band shows as original-band shows in a given year. Indeed, over the past few years alone I’ve attended tributes to the Police, Neil Young, Bob Seeger, the Band, Chicago (not my choice), and Bob Dylan, among others. In my defense, these types of shows are happening more and more frequently for us Baby Boomers, and some of them are very, very good (of all the tributes I’ve seen, “The THE BAND Band” is most highly recommended – and no, that band name is not a typo). As is the reality with all of us, musicians burn out or get old and pass away (although they rarely retire), but their legacy can live on when covered by fellow musicians who love their music.

Ok, out of the gate I’ve admitted to attending these tribute events (at times choosing them over original-band shows when there is a conflict). However, for the longest time the only tribute shows I’d subject myself to were Beatles tributes (with a few notable exceptions, including several Blushing Brides concerts -Rolling Stones imitators – and a wonderful evening at the Middle East Club in Cambridge MA watching a tribute to the entirety of the Kinks album Preservation Act II). I was never floored by any of the Beatles tributes for the simple reason that they are all imitator shows (vs the real deal). But if you are going to be a Beatles cover band, you have to be really tight (and so it seems, you also have to find the rarity of all rarities: a good lefty bass player), and virtually all of the ones I have seen over many years have been just that.

The Beatles tribute shows I’ve witnessed have been many and pretty much all of them I’ve attended with my wife Nancy. Off the top of my head, there was the cover band “Help!”, which performed admirably on the beach sands of Hampton Beach on a lovely summer evening a few years back (after the show they staged a fun Abbey-Road-style walk across Ocean Boulevard for a photo-op).  There were a handful of times watching “Beatlejuice”, a cover band which included the late Brad Delp (of “Boston” fame) as front man (one reason for catching them on multiple occasions was that Nancy’s former roommate Deb was close friends with the guitarist). I recall one of these events was at a funky club in Exeter, NH. Another was at the VFW in Woburn on New Year’s Eve.

We have seen Beatles tributes at the Townend Public Library in Townsend MA (which included a fantastic rendition of “Oh, Darling” – the only time I’ve ever seen that one live); in Keene NH for the “Pumpkin Festival”; at a county fair in Milford NH; at the Bull Run in Shirley MA (our favorite haunt to see music); at the town common in our hometown of Pepperell MA; and at the Todd Rundgren-hosted “A Walk Down Abbey Road” at Harbor Lights Pavilion in Boston (which was the last time I saw John Entwistle live). I also attended a run through of the entirety of the “White Album” at the Berklee School of Music Performance Center with my good-buddy Mac, (which I discussed in a prior entry). Then of course, there was the original “Ringo Starr and his All-Star Band” tour, which in a way was a Beatles tribute too (and which I have also discussed in a prior entry).

The first Beatles tribute I went to may have been the best, at least in terms of the effect it had on me. It was the Broadway production Beatlemania, which I attended at the Colonial Theatre in Boston in 1977. One big reason it stands out was that it was the very first rock show I ever attended.  One moment I recall was sneaking into one of the small, closeup side-balconies with my brother, which is where we would take in most of the show (in hindsight, this maneuver set the ground rules for me at many other concerts and festivals 😉).

Beatlemania was a marathon; 29 songs were performed, all of them Lennon/McCartney originals (as I researched this over the week, I found it strange that not a single George Harrison composition was performed). The show was broken up into two acts, with an intermission in-between. The two acts were like night and day to me (or rather day and night). The first act showcased the younger, presumably innocent Beatles; well dressed, well mannered… a reflection of their touring years (’62-’66). The second act revealed an older, wiser, and more individualistic Beatles… a reflection of their post-touring years (’66-70).  Sound familiar? … (this breakdown was very similar to the breakdown between release dates of songs on the compilation “Red” album vs the follow-up compilation “Blue” album).

With the Beatles, it’s almost as if we all got two bands in one. I can’t think of any other band that fits that bill; a ‘before’ and ‘after’. A reincarnation. Most Beatles aficionados mark the release of Rubber Soul as the transition point between the two ‘acts’, as opposed to the end of touring, which came a wee bit later. Rubber Soul marked the end of the ‘innocence’ and the beginning of the ‘dynamic’, not only for the band, but for the Rock-music world as a whole. 

My cousin Tim Gilligan has made a compelling case for Rubber Soul as being the best of all Beatles albums. I can’t track Tim’s email from a few years back, where he made this case, but I do recall some of his talking points. One big one was that Paul McCartney was ramping up his leadership role both musically and in the general decision-making, as well as the overall guidance as to where the band was heading. This is a good point by Tim for any Beatles fan to chew on (or anyone interested in group dynamics), because it can be very difficult to break the status quo in any endeavor, especially when it’s as successful of a status quo as what the Beatles had figured out to that point. There is a risk factor…. such a change can work in one of two ways: It can break up a band (which is what eventually happened) or it can evolve things exponentially (which is what happened in the short term).

Rubber Soul was the Beatles personal “Cambrian Explosion”. Musical phyla evolve all over the place. For example “Norwegian Wood” was the first use of an Indian string instrument on a Rock recording (George Harrison on sitar); “Michelle” comes across as a rock ballad adopted from the then-bohemian streets of Paris; “In My Life” combined ballad with baroque;  “Nowhere Man” made early use of double tracking (John Lennon’s lead vocal); and “Drive My Car” sounds state-of-the-art in its harmonic roller-coaster vocal ensemble.

George Harrison’s lead guitar playing on Rubber Soul is some of his Beatlesy best (especially the instrumental portions of “Drive My Car”, “Nowhere Man” “What Goes On”, “If I Needed Someone” and “Michelle”). John Lennon takes his rock-star status very seriously on this album (arguably as serious as he would ever be on a Beatles album) in penning “Nowhere Man”, “In My Life” and “Norwegian Wood” (personally, I recall “Norwegian Wood” being the first song on Rubber Soul to really catch my ear as a young teen. The lyrics put me right there in that bungalow with John Lennon and the mystery woman).

Paul McCartney display’s a very unique (for him) vocal delivery on “You Won’t See Me” (I’m reminded of the Undertones “Wednesday Week”). We get to hear Beatle Paul in a scolding tone here. Also, McCartney’s bass playing is some of his best on any Beatles album, particularly on “Drive My Car” and “The Word”, as well as his in-your-face fuzz bass on “Think for Yourself”. Ringo Starr stands out with his drumming on “The Word” and “Wait”. He also gets his first co-writing credit for “What Goes On” which would add another new twist to the Beatles allure at the time.

Most of the songs on Rubber Soul have a lyrical dark side (the only clear exceptions are “The Word” which is about universal love, and of course “In My Life” which is simply a lovely song in every way). In fact, all in all this may be the Beatles darkest album. “Norwegian Wood” hints at vengeful arson at the end of the song. “Nowhere Man” tackles uncertainty and doubt. The George Harrison tracks “Think for Yourself” and “If I Needed Someone” (which reveal an emerging songwriter) are similarly disillusioned; in these cases, in accusatory and dismissive ways. Same for Paul McCartney’s “I’m Looking Through You” and “You Won’t See Me”. Ringo Starr sings of rejection in “What Goes On”. “Girl” has the protagonist hanging on by the skin of his teeth in the face of a very strong woman. Don’t even get me started with “Run for Your Life” (the lyrics of which John Lennon later regretted writing). It’s all a barrage of blues in the guise of pop music.

Geez, whatever happened to “Love Me Do” guys?

It seems as if the Beatles got all this out of their system though, because Revolver, their next album, is far more upbeat in the lyrics (and yet, where Rubber Soul had a few exceptions, so too does Revolver in the opposite direction).  George Harrison once stated that Rubber Soul and Revolver could have been discs one and two of a double-album-set…that’s how alike they felt to him.  I agree musically, but not lyrically, unless that imaginary double-album was a concept album and then disc 1 could be “dark” and disc 2 could be “light” (a reflection of Joe Jackson’s Night and Day concept album).

One key song that got played at that mid-70s Beatlemania show was “Nowhere Man” ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8scSwaKbE64 ). As a young teenager at the time, it grabbed my attention, and If I recall correctly, “Nowhere Man” hovered near the transition between Act I and Act II. This makes sense. Afterall, according to one Beatles researcher, “Nowhere Man” was the very first Beatles song to completely avoid boy-girl relationships. It would not be the last.

I’ve observed over the years that Beatles fans categorically fall into greater enthusiasm for either Act I or Act II of the Fab Four. My brother Fred is a Red Album guy (Act I). So too is Nancy. Me? … I’m a Blue Album guy all the way (if you have not figured this out already), although I do love to dabble with the early stuff on occasion. It may say something about one’s personality. I’ll have to think about that some more. In the meantime, it’s clearer to me now more than ever that Rubber Soul is the demarcation line. The transition. In another light, it’s where we can all meet…. Red and Blue album types; in peace and harmony.

(Thanks for your help with this one, Cousin Tim!)

 - Pete