#129 – Things We Said Today with guest Laurie Jacobson (author, “Top of the Mountain: The Beatles at Shea Stadium 1965”)
Paul McCartney seems to always have a fondness for looking through time. He looks to older age in songs like “When I’m 64,” too his own passing in “The End of The End” from Memory Almost Full. He presents quasi case studies in the music of yesteryear with songs like “Honey Pie” or “Your Gave Me The Answer.” With “Things We Said Today,” he’s looking to the future to look at the present, thinking that one day, what he’s experiencing NOW will be but a memory. Or something like that. That’s how he explains it at least, and who am I to argue?
Presented on the back half of A Hard Day’s Night, “Things We Said Today” is a somber look at a relationship he already seems to know may not last. Its driven by an energetic acoustic guitar and a fantastic McCartney melody with some nice chord movements. Additionally, being an acoustic based, up-tempo, minor key song, it stands out on an album that’s pretty filled up with John-dominated rockers as a song with a bit of sophistication. And while it’s definitely a really good song, I don’t necessarily think it’s a great one. It seems to serve as a blue print for things Paul would go on to do better in the coming years, and as such, I don’t find myself thinking of it all that often. When I do though, I definitely enjoy it, it just feels like….it’s a bit lighter than I remember it?
Joining us this week is author and Hollywood Historian Laurie Jacobson. Her newest book, Top of the Mountain: The Beatles at Shea Stadium 1965 is a fantastic recounting of the entire journey of the concert event that changed live music, as told from interviews with people who helped put the show on, performers on the bill, and people in the audience, many of whom are now well known figures. We can’t recommend it enough, it’s a great read! We talk about Shea, seeing the Beatles live, nightly Beatle rituals, and also, I had a cold when we recorded this, so apologies if my voice is a bit scratchy at times. The show must go on as they say. Grab a copy of Laurie’s book at lauriejacobson.com or anywhere you get good books!
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