Hello!
I'm looking for a section of the lunchroom tape (from the Get Back sessions) where John says something to Paul along the lines of "I mean, you've only recently realised what you were doing to me". Does that ring any bells?
You seem to know your way around amoralto's archives, and I'm not having any luck searching there :)
Thanks!
Hi, @i-am-the-oyster (love the name, by the way)!
I think you might be referring to this section of the Lunchroom Tape:
JOHN: And it’s just that, you know. It’s only this year that you’ve suddenly realised, like who I am, or who he is, or anything like that.
I find this bit of the conversation particularly impenetrable; and all the more fascinating because of it. It's here that we have this famed exchange (whose full meaning still eludes me):
JOHN: Because you – ’cause you’ve suddenly got it all, you see.
PAUL: Mm.
JOHN: I know that, because of the way I am, like when we were in Mendips, like I said, “Do you like me?” or whatever it is. I’ve always – uh, played that one.
PAUL: [laughs nervously] Yes.
JOHN: So.
PAUL: Uh, I’d been watching, I’d been watching. I’d been watching the picture.
YOKO: Go back to George. What are we going to do about George?
I encourage folks to go listen to the full audio and transcript and try their hand at decoding it!
I don't know if it's accessible on the mobile app, but @amoralto has a separate page with links to all the Get Back excerpts, listed in chronological order. It's a pretty neat resource if you want to just binge through interesting little snippets from these sessions (some that made it onto the documentary, and many that didn't).
To those curious about the Lunchroom Tape in particular, here's a (play)list of all the transcribed excerpts, with @amoralto's descriptions for context:
We Have Egos
Over lunch, the remaining Beatles touch on George’s resignation from the band on the 10th, as well as a group meeting held the previous day which ended in less than desirable circumstances (with George leaving the room, frustrated by John’s persistently Yoko-filtered standard of communication). While Yoko contends that it would be easy for John (and Paul) to regain George’s favour, John points out that this is a more deeply-rooted issue than it may seem, compounded over the years by John and Paul’s treatment of George and his defaulted status within the group. Upon this problem of overriding egos, however, Paul suggests (passive-aggressively) that it isn’t just the Lennon-and-McCartney tandem that is causing George upset and consternation.
Jealousy For You
As the problem of George’s current resignation from the band is discussed, John makes it about him and Paul wonders what it’s all worth.
The Way We All Feel Guilty About Our Relationship To Each Other
John contends with how the force of his partnership with Paul and his relationship with Yoko has negatively affected George and perhaps directly contributed to George’s walkout on the group three days prior.
Cabbage
During a discussion on how the rest of the group should move forward after George’s departure on the 10th, John wonders if they should get George back at all, suggesting his role as a Beatle is replaceable (unlike his own or Paul’s), and likens this unkindly to how Ringo first replaced Pete Best. Paul notes that John has been the top buck in getting himself heard (and getting his way) since the inception of the group (which John protests) and quickly reassures Ringo when he wryly declares himself to be little more than rabbit food for the group.
Paul admits that both he and John have done one over on George, albeit unconsciously as an effect of the competition and unaware of how it may have hurt George in the process, but John argues that he’s known since early childhood how manipulative he himself can be, and has tried to curb it to little avail.
What You Are
In the middle of a personal discussion with John and Ringo about the band, its tenuous future, and their relationships with one another, Paul (in response to John’s admission of insecurity in the face of external pressures from the public and media to perform) is emphatic about his faith in them and their abilities and contends that whatever interpersonal problems they have can be resolved, for what their music is worth.
Working At A Relationship
While Yoko and Paul conduct their own conversation with each other, Linda talks to John about the inevitable difficulties any relationship faces - even in the context of a musical partnership - and why it doesn’t prove the relationship itself is an expired one. John (inexplicably or not) laments that the White Album doesn’t sound like the genuine, inspired band collaboration they achieved in the past.
You've Got To Blame Yourself
As Paul encourages an unconfident Ringo to go ahead with his plans to record a solo LP, John hedgingly brings up his own apprehensions about following his instincts (especially when he’s not even sure what he really wants to do). In their inimitable and emotionally non-committal fashion, John and Paul engage in metaphors about intentions, conveying these intentions in actions, and how these actions may be conveyed by those who see it. (Basically: what John and Paul talk about when they talk about love.)
How Much More Have I Done Towards Helping You Write?
John and Paul have an obfuscating conversation about their songwriting partnership and creative process, which has been incapacitated by a lack of direction, misplaced (misread) intentions, and the unmet (unrealised) expectations they’ve inflicted upon each other. (In other words: issues. And some projecting of issues onto George, for good measure.)
What We're All About
In the midst of a personal discussion about working together within the band, John tries to explain the disconnect in their process, and why he can’t envision their songs the way Paul can. As both John and Paul circle around the issues of honest communication and (living up to) each other’s expectations, they eventually project onto George bring George into the quandary of the Lennon-McCartney partnership.
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Hi! I love your blog, especially the compilations. What's the best way to send you suggestions for them? I'm new here, and haven't figured out all the etiquette :)
I reblogged your I Can’t Tell You How I Feel post with an addition, but I think the tumblr interface might have made it look like a plain reblog.
Hi again, @i-am-the-oyster! I believe you sent me this ask a rather long time ago. I find myself once again having to apologize for my absurdly delayed replies. It's just that the intensity of my Beatles obsession waxes and wanes (thankfully, for my own sanity), and I go through hibernation periods where I expend minimal energy on this blog. But thanks to 'Now and Then', it seems I have been firmly thrown back down the Beatles rabbit hole. So here I am, answering year-old asks.
First of all, I want to wish you a very late warm welcome to this little corner of the internet! And thanks for being considerate and asking about the preferred etiquette, but you've probably found you needn't worry about that too much here. I'm just happy that people interact with and contribute to the posts, in whatever shape or form.
In this specific case, thanks so much for catching the "I Can’t Tell You How I Feel" theme in 'Power Cut'! I can't believe I had 'Lazy Dynamite' but somehow missed a song on the same medley! Adding contributions on reblogs usually works great, but Tumblr can sometimes be finicky about showing them in the notes. I think I missed your addition back then, or I would have reblogged it. Well, better late than ever, so I'll do it now and also add your contribution to the original post. Thanks so much once again!
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