#114 – Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby with guest Felix Wohlleben (guitarist, The Walrus)
Though George was still a budding songwriter in 1964, deadlines and heavy workloads meant he didn’t have anything ready for the band’s 4th album. John and Paul didn’t seem to have the time to write him something new either, so when the clock was ticking, the band reached back into their bag of beloved covers to find a spotlight for their lead guitarist. Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby, a song by one of their heroes Carl Perkins (or was it?) proved a formidable track to give George a chance to flex his well honed country guitar muscles, and give the band a fun rocking moment to end their most mellow record to date, Beatles For Sale. It may be a cover, but it’s a great band performance. George is really confident in his singing and playing, and really seems to be going for it vocally. It’s a really fun track on a more serious album, and though the track is a good time, live, it’s an absolute stomper. At Shea Stadium, they sound like the world’s best garage band. I maybe wonder if I associate that smoking like track more with the song and that may bump the ranking up a bit more in my subconscious, but maybe not. I just love this song.
We’re in week two of the Three Weeks of Walrus here on Ranking the Beatles, and who better to talk George with than our own quiet one, Felix Wohlleben? Our lead guitarist joins us to talk about the origins of The Walrus and his own journey as a guitarist, the influence Jazz has on the Beatles (and their influence in Jazz), Carl Perkins: Song Thief, Beatles Vs. Stones, and more! Though we have no Walrus album for you to check out (I mean, the Beatles did it first), check out the record Felix just made with Jenn Howard! Get yours here!
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