darkhorse
Sep 01, 2006, 08:33 PM
When I got my first paycheck for a practise job last summer, what I first thought was "I'm going to spend this in music". So I went to the record store closer to my house there in Santiago, and noticed that there weren't that many CDs that I liked... I bought Off the Ground (one of the few Paul CDs I was still missing as I only had the cassette version), Living in the Material World (shame on me, I know, it'll come out remastered this year) and the Concert for George on CD.
I already had the DVD but I wanted to hear the music anytime I wanted, without having to watch the pictures.
So yesterday I heard it again, without looking at the big picture of all those great musicians and thought about how great this tribute is.
Eric must have thought about everything, helped of course by Olivia, Dhani, Jeff and everyone closer to the organization. But here it is, in one solemn concert with great players, almost everything important in George's carrer...
Just look at the songs selected:
Ringo sings "Honey Don't", a tribute to one of George's heroes, Carl Perkins. Possibly the man he admired the most in his youth, as he adopted his name as a stage name in one of those early tours to Scotland.
Then there's the evolution to an early Beatle songwriter, those times when he was having his first attempts at writing pop songs that were worth of a Beatle record. The lovely "I Need You" illustrates this period, and I particularly love this Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers version.
Later that year he improved, but he still had to "prove the world" that he was a composer that was at the level of that legendary tandem of Lennon-McCartney. "If I Needed Someone" proves that.
His political views (and some of his witty remarks) are shown by "Taxman" again sung by Tom Petty.
In 1991 he opened all of his Japan concerts with "I Want To Tell You". And Jeff Lynne mantains the tradition, refreshing this song in people's minds.
He brought indian music to the forefront in pop music. The first CD proves this; it is a lovely selection that includes things that remind one of the Wonderwall album (a project he must have been quite proud of!) and the lovely "The Inner Light".
Then his most "ellegant" compositions were written for Abbey Road ("Here Comes the Sun" and "Something"). Lovely versions.
He did one of the best rock songs ever ("While My Guitar Gently Weeps"). He also liked blues and played a lot with it, switching the lyrical theme to make it 'happy' ("For You Blue"). He liked playing with words ("Old Brown Shoe"). All of this is covered in the concert.
Then he went solo and recorded beautiful songs about his views on life ("All Things Must Pass") and values ("Beware of Darkness"). He never stopped praying ("My Sweet Lord"). He spoke about anger ("Wah Wah") and about getting along with his friends despite the differences ("Isn't it a Pity"). All of this is, again, sung in the concert.
Of course he worked with others, as Ringo's precious "Photograph" proves.
He prayed for peace in the world ("Give Me Love").
Later on he made softer songs still reflecting about spirituality ("That's the Way it Goes").
Then he formed a supergroup with some of his mates. And it is here as well!
George liked "old and scratchy songs from the 20's" or 30's. And Joe Brown closes the concert with a heartfelt song called "I'll See You in My Dreams" which brings everyone to tears.
All of his musician friends are there. Ravi & Anoushka Shankar (God bless her, she's very pretty) are there. Monty Python is there. Everyone is having a great time.
I can't think of possible improvements to the song selection. Of course I felt that "Handle With Care" was also a tribute to Roy Orbison who wasn't there either. Jeff Lynne sang his vocal parts and the absence was felt. He was a dear friend of George's, I must assume. I missed John there, singing with his friends.
Then George's last song, "Horse to the Water", performed by Sam Brown, was deleted from the CD due to space reasons. I loved her performance. But what else could you delete? It must have been a difficult choice.
I missed Bob Dylan (perhaps singing "Dark Horse" or something from the Cloud Nine days which were uncovered, like the title track from that album). But that would have been too much.
I think the concert is one of the most perfect shows I've ever witnessed. It still brings lots of emotions to me, and most of all it has a fantastic quality. These songs are not meant to die, and are George's legacy to the world.
Listening to this concert makes me remember how great George is.
More info (http://www.jpgr.co.uk/wsm74546.html)
What are your thoughts about this CD/DVD, now that time has passed? Do you still listen/watch it? Do you get the same feelings as we did back in 2002?
I already had the DVD but I wanted to hear the music anytime I wanted, without having to watch the pictures.
So yesterday I heard it again, without looking at the big picture of all those great musicians and thought about how great this tribute is.
Eric must have thought about everything, helped of course by Olivia, Dhani, Jeff and everyone closer to the organization. But here it is, in one solemn concert with great players, almost everything important in George's carrer...
Just look at the songs selected:
Ringo sings "Honey Don't", a tribute to one of George's heroes, Carl Perkins. Possibly the man he admired the most in his youth, as he adopted his name as a stage name in one of those early tours to Scotland.
Then there's the evolution to an early Beatle songwriter, those times when he was having his first attempts at writing pop songs that were worth of a Beatle record. The lovely "I Need You" illustrates this period, and I particularly love this Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers version.
Later that year he improved, but he still had to "prove the world" that he was a composer that was at the level of that legendary tandem of Lennon-McCartney. "If I Needed Someone" proves that.
His political views (and some of his witty remarks) are shown by "Taxman" again sung by Tom Petty.
In 1991 he opened all of his Japan concerts with "I Want To Tell You". And Jeff Lynne mantains the tradition, refreshing this song in people's minds.
He brought indian music to the forefront in pop music. The first CD proves this; it is a lovely selection that includes things that remind one of the Wonderwall album (a project he must have been quite proud of!) and the lovely "The Inner Light".
Then his most "ellegant" compositions were written for Abbey Road ("Here Comes the Sun" and "Something"). Lovely versions.
He did one of the best rock songs ever ("While My Guitar Gently Weeps"). He also liked blues and played a lot with it, switching the lyrical theme to make it 'happy' ("For You Blue"). He liked playing with words ("Old Brown Shoe"). All of this is covered in the concert.
Then he went solo and recorded beautiful songs about his views on life ("All Things Must Pass") and values ("Beware of Darkness"). He never stopped praying ("My Sweet Lord"). He spoke about anger ("Wah Wah") and about getting along with his friends despite the differences ("Isn't it a Pity"). All of this is, again, sung in the concert.
Of course he worked with others, as Ringo's precious "Photograph" proves.
He prayed for peace in the world ("Give Me Love").
Later on he made softer songs still reflecting about spirituality ("That's the Way it Goes").
Then he formed a supergroup with some of his mates. And it is here as well!
George liked "old and scratchy songs from the 20's" or 30's. And Joe Brown closes the concert with a heartfelt song called "I'll See You in My Dreams" which brings everyone to tears.
All of his musician friends are there. Ravi & Anoushka Shankar (God bless her, she's very pretty) are there. Monty Python is there. Everyone is having a great time.
I can't think of possible improvements to the song selection. Of course I felt that "Handle With Care" was also a tribute to Roy Orbison who wasn't there either. Jeff Lynne sang his vocal parts and the absence was felt. He was a dear friend of George's, I must assume. I missed John there, singing with his friends.
Then George's last song, "Horse to the Water", performed by Sam Brown, was deleted from the CD due to space reasons. I loved her performance. But what else could you delete? It must have been a difficult choice.
I missed Bob Dylan (perhaps singing "Dark Horse" or something from the Cloud Nine days which were uncovered, like the title track from that album). But that would have been too much.
I think the concert is one of the most perfect shows I've ever witnessed. It still brings lots of emotions to me, and most of all it has a fantastic quality. These songs are not meant to die, and are George's legacy to the world.
Listening to this concert makes me remember how great George is.
More info (http://www.jpgr.co.uk/wsm74546.html)
What are your thoughts about this CD/DVD, now that time has passed? Do you still listen/watch it? Do you get the same feelings as we did back in 2002?