The Beatles Decca sessions .......UGH!

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by [email protected], Dec 4, 2015.

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  1. PNeski@aol.com

    [email protected] Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    New York
    I have had this for years ,First as some Japanese cd , I always think it can't be that bad and I always hate it
    The one thing the Beatles had on other groups was their vocals ,but they clearly got a lot better
    Paul even has one good song ,but his vocals almost ruin it , Money is really bad ,and I hate three Cool cats The Buddy Holly cover isn't bad
    Good thing they got better
     
    hazard and DK Pete like this.
  2. Peace N. Love

    Peace N. Love Forum Resident

    When I first heard this, many years ago, I figured their song selection was based on either direction from Epstein or from Decca's producer. Was surprised to read in Lewisohn (correct me if I'm wrong) was that the Decca line-up and the choice of "Ain't She Sweet" for their first proper recording session were actually the group's own choices.
     
    stevenson66g likes this.
  3. qrysdonnell

    qrysdonnell Forum Resident

    I find it almost easier to listen to the Quarrymen stuff than the Decca stuff. There's just something about the Decca stuff that just doesn't work for me.
     
  4. Glenn Christense

    Glenn Christense Foremost Beatles expert... on my block

    All I can say is..they are fun to hear as a curiosity now but I might have passed on them also if these tracks were all I had to go on. There isn't much evidence of The Beatles as we came to know and love them, IMO.

    Which makes it more amazing to me how much they grew in a short period of time.

    I think Brian was trying to accentuate their all around "show biz" versatility, so the more comedy based numbers like "Three Cool Cats" were included.
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2015
  5. mmars982

    mmars982 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Ain't She Sweet is definitely better than most of the Decca recordings.

    I like having the Decca for the Lennon/McCartney tracks, but otherwise I agree with the OP. Any song that they recorded later sounds so much better.
     
  6. dino77

    dino77 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Europe
    As a fanatic 8-year old Beatles fan these recordings were a chock! I bought some seedy double LP - first disc was 10 Decca tracks, the other Ringo's Stop To Smell The Roses.
     
  7. varitone

    varitone Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lincs, UK
    Three Cool Cats and The Sheik Of Araby are ace. I'd have signed them and made George the lead singer.
     
  8. edenofflowers

    edenofflowers A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular!

    Location:
    UK
    I enjoy it. I think it's a fun collection. We get a few L/M originals and a decent chunk of the fab's repertoire at the time. I love the humour as well. It's not the best set of performances but the sound quality and amount of tracks makes it a really enjoyable listen for me. I'd like to see a full official release some day.
     
  9. edenofflowers

    edenofflowers A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular!

    Location:
    UK
    Not 'arf!
     
  10. dewey02

    dewey02 Forum Resident

    Location:
    The mid-South.
    I absolutely love Hello Little Girl.
    I wished they would have returned to that either on their first album, or perhaps later during Let It Be.
    I rather enjoy listening to the Decca Auditions. I think we are lucky to have them as a historical artifact. I wish they would release a proper album with correct speed and best possible sound. Their performances aren't the best, but I would still like an "officially sanctioned" copy of the complete audition.
     
  11. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member

    Ain't She Sweet is great. Lennon loved Gene Vincent and Vincent had just recently covered it so Lennon's affection for both really comes through.

    The Decca sessions were recorded hung over and on only a few hours of sleep after partying the night before. Kind of sounds it.
     
  12. zen

    zen Senior Member

    Back in the 70's, when I first heard these recordings (before I knew everything Beatles), my brother and I both thought Paul's vocals were actually some other vocalist.
     
  13. Neil Anderson

    Neil Anderson Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    Glad we have it for "Three Cool Cats," the group's humor and camaraderie really shines through on that one. And it's great to have the songs that aren't available anywhere else as recorded by the Beatles. I like their recording of "Take Good Care of My Baby," not sure why it gets derided so much as a wimpy teenybopper song, it's Goffin-King after all...
     
  14. majorlance

    majorlance Forum Resident

    Location:
    PATCO Speedline
    Guitar groups were on their way out, anyway...
    :tiphat:
     
  15. Trashman

    Trashman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    I think George comes off as the most confident of the three singers during the session. John and Paul seem a bit too nervous to really give it their best.

    Plus the songs really lack energy with Pete on the drums. There needs to be a solid beat to keep the songs on track, but Pete seems more interested in doing drum rolls.
     
  16. zen

    zen Senior Member

    In terms of modern pop, he's finally right.
     
  17. mmars982

    mmars982 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Yeah it was New Years Day after all! What were they thinking?
     
    trumpet sounds likes this.
  18. Muzyck

    Muzyck Pardon my scruffy hospitality

    Location:
    Long Island
    Considering how off pitch the speed was on those 70's bootlegs, that is no surprise.
     
  19. zen

    zen Senior Member

    Actually, I taped it off the radio (onto an 8-track tape). Then again, maybe the radio station blew it.
     
  20. Muzyck

    Muzyck Pardon my scruffy hospitality

    Location:
    Long Island
    I don't think any copy of those tapes floating around had the correct speed. A forum member exposed the issue in the 90's. I don't think any copies showed up until Joe Pope started selling his singles. That would have been the late 70's at the earliest with the exception of Love Of The loved. Love Of The Loved showed up first on a crappy boot edited to make it run longer as far as I can recall.
     
  21. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    I, I, I, I, I think the Decca Tapes reveal the budding genius of the Lennon-McCartney songwriting team, yes I-I-I-I-I do. Do you you you you you you you?
     
  22. broshfab4

    broshfab4 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    I've always enjoyed these, even if they aren't considered canon. They were especially marvelous in the 1970s when I had heard them for the first time and it was like a special present, long before Anthology.

    -Richard
     
  23. HominyRhodes

    HominyRhodes Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    I got the picture disc boot LP way back when, and it actually sounds pretty good.
     
    Hammerpeg likes this.
  24. DK Pete

    DK Pete Forum Resident

    Location:
    Levittown. NY
    I don't see how anyone can look or listen to the Decca Tapes as anything but an historical artifact. Other than their feel for stylistic variety, it represents absolutely nothing as far what The Beatles evolved into as songwriters, musicians, record-makers or cultural representatives. In fact, looking at all those aspects of significance makes this modestly performed tape even that much MORE amazing.

    ...just to add, I HATED the "put-on" voice Paul used during this point in time...he couldn't decide if he wanted to be Elvis, Hank Williams or Bessie Smith. Thank goodness he found his "true" voice by the time of the PPM album.
     
  25. dewey02

    dewey02 Forum Resident

    Location:
    The mid-South.
    Yes, but I'm still waiting for the bliss.
     
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