marknavl
Posts
At the request of SkyLatern in today's BROW post (see below), here is The Strangers version of the Lennon-McCartney composition One And One Is Two. It's a bit way-out for it's time (May 1964).
BROW continues this week with a recording that dates back to January 1964 when The Beatles were using a studio in Paris to record Can't Buy Me Love. In between visits to the studio, Paul put together this early demo called One And One Is Two and recorded it with his own acoustic guitar accompanyment right in one of The Beatles' hotel rooms. The Beatles never made an official release of the song, but gave it away to The Strangers who put it out on a UK single the following spring. As always the fabs were staying very busy while looking forward to their upcoming first visit to America and wondering if they would catch on. History was in the making.
Want to make a suggestion for a future Beatles Rarity of the Week? Then let me hear from you. To help you decide you could visit my Beatles collection web site (www.MyBeatlesCollection.com) and hit the "Tracks" button and search my collection, then Mogmail me with what you’d like me to feature.
Comments
Thanks as always for posting this rare track. I can see why the Beatles gave the song away, but even though it's unsophisticated, it's still uncannily catchy. In a strange way maybe even ahead of its time - it might have been a hit for a late sixties or early seventies bubblegum band like the Archies. I'd be really interested to hear The Strangers version of the song if you have it Mark, or anyone else. I found a bit of info on The Strangers at http://www.answers.com/topic/the-strangers-with-mike-shannon
I'm hoping these guys put on a good show this coming Friday at Asheville's Orange Peel because I've got a ticket and what better way to celebrate the 4th with some good old fashioned rock and roll? These guys sound like a darker version of The Doors to me and I only just discovered them a couple months ago so this will be the first time I've seen them. This is a track from their latest album Directions To See A Ghost.
MOG Meter
Comments
All that weird stuff at the end is from '64? Hard to believe.
I own another version of this song, done by...some Brit minor group (The Applejacks? The Swinging Blue Jeans?) from an LP of covers called "Songs Lennon & McCartney Gave Away". Interesting to hear, but not a great composition, eh?
I don't think the stuff at the end is actually part of this track, Mark. It's was added later. I actually got this from a similar compilation to the one you have and it was appended after the fact. I should have removed it before I posted it but didn't bother.
It definately sounds more modern in the recording than 1964. Dig that stereo.
If memory serves correct, the song was originally intended for Billy J. Kramer, who opted to pass it on to The Fourmost. The Fourmost even had Paul McCartney sitting in on the session with his trusted bass and couldn't make it work the way it was intended. Somehow the group that ended up recording it were The Strangers with Mike Shannon.