The Beatles, I’m A Loser - A Classical Musician’s First Listen and Reaction / Excerpts

#thebeatles #johnlennon #paulmccartney #georgeharrison #ringostarr
Country music topic, country music style! This song was a great little surprise at how well they pulled off the style and country “vibe”. But don’t be fooled - in spite of its simple garb, it has some excellent moments in which the music “paints” the lyrics!
Here’s the link to the original song by The Beatles:
• I'm A Loser (Remastere...
_________________________
If you want me to do a First Listen and In-depth Analysis of YOUR song of choice, or if you want an exclusive 1:1 session where I can answer your questions, dig deeper into a topic, or even coach you in your musical experience, such as a music theory, piano, or harp lesson, singing, music reading, etc, follow this link: ko-fi.com/amyshaferarts/commi...
If you want more, join my Patreon: / virginrock
Twitter: / virginrockmusic
Instagram: / virginrockchannel
Facebook: / virginrockchannel
Special thanks to those who are keeping my ko-fi cup supplied:
I’ve formed the habit of publishing all the names of my supporters simply because I appreciate your appreciation of my work, and I want to recognize each one of you personally. But, unfortunately, KZbin allows a limited number of characters for the description, and I cannot fit all names anymore. So, this is my message to each one of my supporters personally:
THANK YOU!
_________________________
Amy Shafer, LRSM, FRSM, RYC, is a classical harpist, pianist, and music teacher, Director of Piano Studies and Assistant Director of Harp Studies for The Harp School, Inc., holds multiple degrees in harp and piano performance and teaching, and is active as a solo and collaborative performer. With nearly two decades of teaching experience, she teaches privately, presents masterclasses and coaching sessions, and has performed and taught in Europe and USA.
_________________________
Credits: Music written and performed by The Beatles
This video may contain copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. VirginRock is using this material for educational, critical, research, and commentary purposes in our effort to promote musical literacy and understanding. We believe that this constitutes a “fair use” of the copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, which provides allowance for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond “fair use”, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
If your copyrighted material appears on this channel and you disagree with our assessment that it constitutes “fair use”, please contact us.

[@beholdmessiah6526]

Make sure you don’t forget No Reply which is a standout track.

[@richardfehlmann4593]

Wonderful ... I'm a Loser ... one of my favourites on Beatles For Sale 👌😀

[@josephbobrowskysr9519]

This song started the musical ride that everyone from then on wanted to catch up to but never could. John's songwriting started to touch the listeners soul. Great job. I love listening to your reviews. john's

[@davidrauh8118]

As a side note. John's mother Julia taught him to play banjo. So he was definitely aware and sometimes used banjo chords.

[@richardfehlmann4593]

Thank you for this fantastic first listening video, I enjoyed these explanations a lot. This intro with "Loser" was always very impressive to me. "Word painting moments" describes the style of this song so well👌 Clashing chord progression is really spicy here, so well said 👌 And the creatively inventive solo here I enjoyed so much, in particular that it appears again at the end, very unconventional. I'm looking very much forward to the next reactions to songs of this album 👍🏻😀

[@ricardo_miguel13]

Again, I am sorry to mention it so often but NO REPLY shouldn't be ignored. Besides Eight Days A Week it's maybe the best song on the album, the most interesting for sure! Please add it to the songs to react to from Beatles For Sale. Maybe also Baby's In Black as it has an interesting waltz rhythm Amy would most likely appreciate.

[@lferreira1673]

Agree, this is not a great song. They have so many great songs, some master pieces...from rubber soul onward. (and yesterday in Help)

[@BigSky1]

Sorry but I don’t agree about Eight Day’s A Week. An awful pop song but I am sure they will analyse it.

[@ricardo_miguel13]

@@BigSky1 No Reply is way more advanced yes, thats why I especially mentioned that song. Eight Days A Week is a simple pop song but with catchy chorus and divine harmonies. It was a number one hit for good reason.

[@BigSky1]

@@ricardo_miguel13 Not here in the UK it wasn’t as was not even a single.

[@ricardo_miguel13]

@@BigSky1 I know..and? So wasn’t All My Loving or In My Life or Here Comes The Sun

[@LeeKennison]

Good to see you moving into the next album, you are making real progress through their catalog (considering everything else you have on your plate to react to in your busy life). As David mentioned, it is worth noting that they were exhausted at this time from their non-stop touring and recording, thus all the covers on this one. I almost thought you were going to miss commenting on my favorite part of this song, Paul's walking bass in the chorus, but thankfully you did end up noticing it. I was going to comment further, but after reading Hartlor's excellent comment I think he says it best. As always Amy, great reaction and commentary.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

John confessing about being a loser and he turns it into a brag. Influences of Buck Owens and the Buckaroos who were recording hit after hit in 63-65. This song features great vocals and melody from John and Paul’s increasingly melodic bass parts with George’s twangy lead notes and Ringo’s push pull country rhythm all make this a tasty track. It’s interesting what you said about the minor ii substitution for the one, they don’t want you to settle into the key right away because that ungrounded minor it draws you in. That whole step drop to the flat seven major chord which is used often in rock and roll songs when you need one more chord but don’t want to completely modulate out of the key. Folk rock just exploded in 65 and country Rock did the same in 68. This was a wonderful look inside of a another gem of a song. Thank you Amy and Vlad for this fun and interesting video. You both make such high quality content. Much appreciated

[@LeeKennison]

Great comment. I was going to make a more extensive comment, but after reading this I changed my mind. Too bad you weren't there in my school days to help me do my homework for me.😉

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

@@LeeKennison thanks Lee but never even did my own homework. I missed the livestream yesterday and I was starting to watch it when this popped up. Amy is just doing such a marvelous job on these Beatle songs. Notice I refrained from citing 1920s Jugbands

[@EddieReischl]

Yeah, this song is very similar to "Act Naturally". Like Lee pointed out in his comment, these guys in their early 20's were worn out by this album, and it shows on the album cover. I think they decided to make this album sort of easy listening country and covers so they wouldn't have to write so many songs or more difficult ones. Still a good album.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

@@EddieReischl burn out is a real thing. Once they quit the road it got better.

[@davidrauh8118]

Their original recording contract called for 2 albums and four singles per year. By 1966 that was changed. However, by late 1964 they virtually had no time off. With recording, touring, live television appearances and making a movie didn't leave much time for songwriting. Pretty much doing that on the fly. So by the time of their 4th album, they simply didn't have enough songs. Hence the number of cover versions on Beatles For Sale. And here they are at the height of Beatlemania and John writes "I'm A Loser". A loser at what?

[@johnbyrnes7912]

Well u know it's no different than the first albums which also had half a dozen cover songs ! 🤡

[@ricardo_miguel13]

But it also seems that they prefered to have covers on their albums, because they were proud of them. They played them a lot at the clubs.

[@caromendoza6533]

Thank you Amy, I love your channel, Please don't skip "No Reply". I know you have many things to do, but I'd love you to listen to The Beach Boys and their album Pet Sounds. It's a beafutiful album. I also suggest David Bowie.

[@satorimystic]

Thanks! Another brilliant first listen and reaction.

[@cristobalgarate7276]

great job, greetings from Chile

[@petersattler22]

Well, your channel is a winner Amy and Vlad!!! 👍🏻

[@KentCCarpenter]

Nice analysis of some of the greatest Rock-N-Roll every written and performed!

[@zzzaphod8507]

Interesting to hear your take on this one! Looking forward to You Won't See Me in a few months....

[@Uuuuutuuuube]

Great analysis!

[@peterolbrisch8970]

I hope you go back to the first song on the album, No Reply, yhe best song on the album and their best song pre 1965.

[@lejoe48]

Exactly!

[@peterolbrisch8970]

@@lejoe48 Thanks for your reply! And it would have been really rude of me not to reply, considering the title. 🤣🤣

[@lejoe48]

@@peterolbrisch8970 Thank you mate.

[@evanleehome2178]

Another beautiful, mournful and complex song from 'Beatles For Sale' is "No Reply". Would love your analysis.

[@dougsusie2319]

One of, if not my favorite early Beatles song. John's vocals are incredible on this track and George's Carl Perkin's "Rockabilly" influenced guitar solo along with John's Dylan influenced lyrics and harmonica is "Killer Stuff" in my Beatles book. I remember John once joking, stating "That's me doing Dylan better than Dylan". So John and very funny. Peace ❤

[@davidagelvis5297]

Brilliant! You should try Pet Sounds (album) by The Beach Boys someday. It would be a dream: a rock/pop masterpiece with very classical music influences :)

[@thomassharmer7127]

The lyric about tears and rain has some resonance with "the sky is crying, see the tears roll down the street" from the1940s blues song by Elmore James. It would be interesting to do a slower, more reflective arrangement of I'm A Loser, as the lyric is a bit masked by the bouncy, country beat. Although that does pick up on the idea of the real person being hidden behind a mask of pop celebrity

[@radekboruta1497]

More courage! No one will block your Beatles video because of a two-second snippet of music. In fact, you should be quite safe with fragments up to 6-7 seconds long.

[@maureenrhysjones4643]

LET IT BE!!!!!

[@arimakiaho2960]

Please don't skip No Reply.

[@frankylaseure2641]

Another call for the song "Travel" by The Gathering, the TG25 live version. "I wish you knew your music was to stay forever".

[@yelljal2764]

Please do Grateful Dead - Ripple. You will love it!

[@michavandam]

24:20 Thank God he didn't use any legato! We would have got this sentimental kitsch, that Amy seems to fall for (think Still Loving You by the Scorpions). The understated way of singing that the Beatles use can't be beat. It's one of the things that make She's Leaving Home touching to me. Amy wasn't moved by it. But milking the notes is awful in my book. 24:56 "And, while he doesn't fill it out - it really wouldn't suit to fill it out - but it still exists there." Great observation! 25:27 There's 1 thing I don't like about this great song, and that's the emphasis on "be" in the line "And so it's true pride comes before a fall". 30:03 "This is clearly a Lennon song." How nice that Amy has reached this stge! I remember her asking Vlad, some time ago, about another song, "Who's singing this?"

[@jnagarya519]

"Beatles for Sale" is throughout a tribute -- on LEAD GUITAR -- to COUNTRY musician Carl Perkins.

[@jnagarya519]

Dylan also released two LPs in 1964: "The Times They are a-Changin" and "Brining it All Back Home". "The Beatles" mostly release two LPs per year ("Help!" and "Rubber Soul" in 1965.) and several singles. But 1964 was the peak of activity -- most monumental their breakthrough in the US -- after a brief return to England after an extended January stint in Paris. And after the US it was the "A Hard Day's Night" film and LP. And then more radio, TV, and touring. They consolidated at #1 worldwide by mid-1965.

[@ricardo_miguel13]

bringing it all back home was 1965. She even mentions it in the video. He probably was influenced by Freewheelin or Times are a changin

[@jnagarya519]

@@ricardo_miguel13 Okay, right on "Bringing it All Back Home"; the other that year was "Highway 61". The other in 1964 was "Another Side". "The Beatles" had been listening to "Freewheelin''" (1963) non-stop. Their respect was genuine.

[@epikourosallebook790]

ΤΗΙS LP ISN'T SO 'MERSEYBEAT' AS THE 3 PREVIOUS ONES ARE.IT'S A RATHER DARK ONE WITH THE INFLUENCE OF BOB DYLAN IN THEIR MUSIC (AND LYRICS IN THAT SONG) TO BE MORE THAN OBVIOUS.MY FAVORITE SONG IN HARP(DON'T APPLAUSE! I MEAN THE SMALL HARMONICA USED SO MUCH IN BLUES...).THANK YOU AMY FOR YOUR CHOICE OF THE SONG

[@EddieReischl]

Sorry I missed the premiere. I was at work. As luck would have it, John Lennon wrote a song about it. Seriously, John does have a good cry in his voice. He didn't like his voice much, but who does? A person gets used to their own voice. He honestly has in his voice the same qualities that Hank Williams and George Jones had, the most important of which is sincerity. Of course, it also helps when the pitch is solid, and when Paul occasionally sings with you. "Beatles for Sale" is a well sung album. There are at least 3 other songs on this album where John and Paul sing mostly together that are quite good.

[@scottdouglasmusic4245]

You're so right about the country elements... story-wise, listen to "The Last Thing I Needed The First Thing This Morning" by Willie Nelson... there's definitely similar ideas, but Willie's tune IS a cliche "country song". Check it out, you'll like it.

[@ErikMCMLXV]

Well, you know what happens when you play country music backwards, don't you? You get your house back, you get your wife back, you get your truck back, and you get your dog back! I'll show myself out.

[@RBSSparky]

Seventh chords are going to abound from the next album on

[@thepostapocalyptictrio4762]

I had this on vinyl. Great album!! P.s. people tend to interrupt the comments to make suggestions but I mostly have avoided this, but could you look at “Trout Mask Replica” by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band or “The Velvet Underground and Nico” by the Velvet Underground ( the one with the banana on the cover) I haven’t suggested these before because they are, on a rock music history learning platform, a touch advanced.. but I finally think you’re ready👍🥳🤯

[@ristovirtanen6396]

Here are several vlogs here where the whole Beatles song is played without being blocked!🤔👌 They just interrupt it in the middle to discuss about it and then play the rest and comment some more. And they do it without any specific educational purpose. Why can’t you?🤔

[@tonytjandra4798]

Namasthe.

[@jnagarya519]

Lennon LOVED dissonance. Probably picked up in Hamburg, which would mesh with his personality. And even upbeat songs -- "She's a Woman" -- tend to be minor and 7th chords.

[@plutyre]

Can yuo do 'Woke up this morning' the Sopranos theme

[@user-tm8gx1jj8q]

I would love to hear you do a reaction/ breakdown of Muke Dawes cover of ' Jump' a Vsn Halen song . Mike Dawes is an extraordinary acoustic guitar player. I think you would really be impressed and enjoy his musicianship . Please please

[@user-tm8gx1jj8q]

Sorry i miss spelt his name Mike Dawes not Muke Dawes .

[@charlesberton2581]

To me, Ann, this is another one of Lennon's "My Mommy's Dead" songs. As you might know, Lennon lost his mom when she was ran over by a drunken driver. This happened around the time John was starting the Beatles.

[@jnagarya519]

The crossfertilzation among bands during that period was itself something of a renaissance.

[@williambowers2820]

Don’t skip No Reply. It’s one of their best early ones.

[@BrendanAshton]

I would like to dedicate this song to Warren Mars, and hope he gets better soon

[@lejoe48]

No Reply is the best song of The Beatles For Sale!! Where is it?

[@bengerson7064]

John's baritone range is also what you would expect from a country singer. Rock vocalists tend to be high tenors.

[@ElvisTek-fz5zn]

Please listen to Lady Fantasy by Camel

[@evanleehome2178]

The Country sound of George's picking style is heavily influenced by the Rock'abilly legend, Carl Perkins (composer of Blue Suede Shoes made a huge hit by Elvis, as well as "Act Naturally", covered the Beatles and others).

[@gustavogutierrezsuarez2051]

Please don't miss 1964 songs like Long tall Sally, I feel fine or She's a woman. Once I read Long tall Sally epitomized the prime of Beatlemania era

[@edteller5821]

I enjoy your channel immensely as you are one of the best in analyzing music and sharing your insights. I’m longtime Beatles fan, and I enjoyed reaction to this song and others done previously. What surprises me is that you haven’t discovered Therion. They are the godfathers of symphonic metal, and Christopher Johnsson has written some of the most complex and energetic pieces in the genre. I highly recommend checking out some of their live performances, especially their 20th anniversary show in Budapest in 2007. Via Nocturna and Aldulruna Rediviva are exceptional and feature operatic performances from Lori Lewis backed up by Thomas Vickström and the mind blowing vocals of Snowy Shaw. I hope you’ll consider them as they have made a huge mark on the metal scene. Adulruna. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3LNoqR_f7hneacsi=wEosMJb1v_JcFO8Z Via Nocturna. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGmqfX14rrOdgbMsi=tV4U4PIws8y4AHRS

[@jnagarya519]

The LEAD GUITAR is derived from COUNTRY musician CARL PERKINS. How does that get NOMENTION as MOST OBVIOUSLY COUNTRY!? And there is no "banjo" in it: John's rhythm guitar playing ls straightforward. This is one of the songs played live on the "Shindig!" video, available on youtube.

[@shacharh5470]

You skipping "No Reply"??? Why?

[@ricardo_miguel13]

yeah strange decision by Vlad 🤷

[@johnbyrnes7912]

Nay nyet No Reply is the first great track on this album ! I hope you're not skipping it Amy & Vlad ? 🤡

[@jnagarya519]

"Country" music (which is made in a city) is the "crying" genre.

[@jeanmarieboucherit7376]

I think what you are saying about not being allowed to hear the actual songs because they are blocked is not true because apparently we could if we were patreons, meaning that you are making money while playing the actual songs. Contradictory don’t you think?

[@mikes9305]

Apparently Patreon is a different site with fewer restrictions in their policies.

[@jeanmarieboucherit7376]

@@mikes9305 I have just listened to a guy listening to Taxman without any cuts.So this Virgin Rock is just a rip off to make money,pretending so and so is blocking.Let me tell you,I don’t like it.

[@davegrant7819]

I think the new vocal style and expression is also due to John copying Dylan’s singing style - as much as anything this would have been what he meant by ‘my Dylan period’

[@letsgomets002]

You can play more of the Beatles than you do..lots of other content providers do ,as long as you're using it for educational value,YOU WILL NOT GET IN TROUBLE under fair use...so play a little more than you do please

[@jnagarya519]

1950s "rockabilly" or "rock and roll" was largely white country musicians who picked up on R&B. That is what "The Beatles" grew up on. And, again: the most obvious "country" influence in this song is the LEAD GUITAR.

[@ryban1001]

It’s kind of like a Johnny Cash song isn’t it?

[@yes_head]

This is the direct precursor to "Help!". Hopefully you don't spend too much time on this album (although "I Feel Fine" and "Eight Days a Week" deserve attention.)

[@BigSky1]

I Feel Fine Yes. 8 Day’s A Week No.

[@ricardo_miguel13]

and No Reply!

[@johnbyrnes7912]

I don't like I Feel Fine much although it was innovative oh and it wasn't on the UK album. I never liked the other song much either though also innovative. Cheers 🤡

[@wesleyrodgers886]

Beatles are just a Rutles clone..

[@lejoe48]

So No Reply. What a shame.

[@julian65886]

ii/V/I