Nancy Carr • Hey Dullblog, the Beatles fan blog

Essential Beatles Reference Books

By Nancy Carr|2015-01-01T15:24:44-08:00November 6, 2012|books|

The stacks. I'm thinking about which Beatles books are essential because I moved last week and was confronted by the sheer volume of tomes I possess about the band (not to mention the ridiculous number of books about other subjects . . . .) So here's my list of the ten Beatles reference books I pull off the shelf most often—the ones I'd put in the box if I could take only one box of Beatles books with me on my next move. Hey Dullblog readers, I'd love to see your lists as well. [Note: These are listed in no [...]

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The breakup, viewed from 1974

By Nancy Carr|2019-10-09T19:30:04-07:00September 22, 2012|books, solo|

In 1974, it seemed entirely possible that the Beatles would reunite. I knew this already, as we all know historical facts, but listening to a voice from that time—a voice that of course can't know what's to come—gives that reality a new vividness. I came across this book [The Beatles: Yesterday . . . Today . . . Tomorrow] in a used bookstore, and bought it for a dollar. I've never heard of the author (Rochelle Larkin), and it was published by Scholastic Book Services. It was one of those books you could order from a newsprint flyer your [...]

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Apple Jam’s take on Lennon & McCartney

By Nancy Carr|2015-01-12T15:49:33-08:00August 30, 2012|Beatles tributes|

If you wish you could hear a new Lennon/McCartney single, check out Apple Jam’s “On the Wings of a Nightingale” EP. This Seattle Beatles tribute band has a whole album of Lennon/McCartney covers to their credit (“Off the Beatle Track,” a compliation of songs the writing partners gave to other performers). But “On the Wings of a Nightingale” is something special: an opportunity to enjoy music while contributing to a good cause (Seattle Anesthesia Outreach’s work with hospitals in Ethiopia), and to hear the songs done in different Beatlesque styles. (Drummer Alan White, who performed with Lennon, Harrison, and Yes, performs on [...]

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Covers of the entirety

By Nancy Carr|2015-09-27T22:39:37-07:00July 10, 2012|Sgt. Pepper|

Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band Thanks to all who've shared favorite covers on Ed's and my posts! Here's another category: covers of an entire album. Not counting compilations of tracks from various artists or purely instrumental renditions, Sgt. Pepper's alone has been covered at least three times that I know of: by Cheap Trick (live), by Big Daddy, and by the Easy Star All-Stars. Cheap Trick's covers are pretty straight-up versions of the originals, but the Easy Star All-Stars and Big Daddy ring interesting changes on them. Surely You Jest, Mon? A Reggae Sgt Pepper? The Easy Star All-Stars [...]

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Lennon on playing live

By Nancy Carr|2022-07-24T13:56:29-07:00May 30, 2012|concert, John Lennon|

"Was that a jelly baby?" Why did Lennon play live so rarely after the Beatles' demise? Michael and Craig have made some interesting remarks about this question on the comments for the "Keep 'Em Out / Let 'Em In" post, which inspired me to remind myself of what Lennon himself said about the matter. This is a quote from a June 1975 interview: "In '72 it [government harassment] was really getting to me. Not only was I physically having to appear in court cases, it just seemed like a toothache that wouldn't go away . . . There was a [...]

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About Nancy Carr

Essential Beatles Reference Books

The breakup, viewed from 1974

Apple Jam’s take on Lennon & McCartney

Covers of the entirety

Lennon on playing live