The Beatles, Tell Me What You See - A Classical Musician’s First Listen and Reaction / Excerpts

[@LeeKennison]

Very enjoyable. I love your harp playing at the end. The melody works very well on the harp. The thing that really stood out to me in this song is the electric piano (played by Paul). Not sure if this is the first time it has showed up in a Beatles song, but the first time I noticed it in the ones you have reacted to. Interesting observations on it not having the typical Beatles fingerprints, such as using melisma phrases (maybe more of a Lennon thing). And I always love your commentary on Ringo's drums. I'm glad you recognize what an important part the Beatles played in the development of rock music. It can be hard to appreciate this after having already heard so many bands that came after them that were able to build on what they did.

[@peterolbrisch8970]

Good observations, good comment. Looking at the comments, it seems this song is somewhat underrated, but I don't know why, it's a perfectly fine song and there's really nothing wrong with it. It has a nice breezy quality to it that's pretty cool and cool sounding.

[@JonManos]

Hoping to see I've Just Seen a Face. One of Paul's best on Help!

[@oopswrongplanet4964]

It seems common today, but Help! was the first Beatles album to feature an electric piano. Pushing things further, "You Like Me Too Much" has the first example of the Beatles using an electric piano recorded through a Hammond B-3's rotating Leslie speaker (used to great effect later).

[@TombHermance]

I’m glad this song was chosen. It has a haunting quality that’s always stuck with me. Nice job!

[@garyfletcher844]

About as haunting as Casper the friendly ghost. Complete rubbish.

[@garysladek9110]

Really enjoyed your harp olaying. That's why the Beatles were great. So many ways to interpret their songs.

[@strathman7501]

Thanks, that was insightful. I've always admired this track, often disparaged as a bit of a filler. Your harp rendition near the end just showed what a lovely lyrical tune this really is.

[@philippesauvie639]

I heard Paul McCartney say in an interview once that “The Beatles liked that loss of Quality (Sound).” He wasn’t referring to this song necessarily but you can see it in many other Beatles songs. Paul McCartney is a painter as well and John Lennon came from a visual arts background. They would’ve known that in order to make a passage in a painting stand out, place it next to its complement and sometimes that complement can shake you a bit.

[@shadshowadradna]

Arguably a forerunner of We Can Work It Out, and also arguably one of a handful of McCartney's Dylan-influenced tunes. I'd be surprised if Lennon didn't have a hand in it though. Peter Asher points out that the second verse is closely based on a religious motto that hung on the wall of John's Aunt Mimi's house. I've always figured the theme of asking what someone is really seeing has a vaguely stoner feel to it, so for me this has always been the band's first drugs song. Seeing was to become something of an obsession for McCartney for a while: Tell Me What You See, I've Just Seen A Face, "Try to see it my way", You Won't See Me, I'm Looking Through You...

[@peterolbrisch8970]

This is a great song, a great tune. I always liked the shared vocal songs from them, like the song Wait, or Every Little Thing.

[@beholdmessiah6526]

Always loved this song. Really like the joint vocals.

[@J0hnC0ltrane]

Amy I like how you interpret the song. The harp adds a wonderful timbre and resonance.

[@massaglia]

I love it when you play the heart! Thank you so much.

[@stlmopoet]

They became more and more critical of their previous songs as they progressed. So they weren't the most impartial judges of their work.

[@peterolbrisch8970]

Or astute.

[@-R.Gray-]

Maybe the absence of any 3 note melismas has to do with the song being written on a piano rather than a guitar. Those melismas are one of the first things you learn in blues and rock lead playing, and rock singer/guitarists often use them in their vocal melodies. Paul, who wrote this, also plays the electric piano on it - so he might have written the music on a piano.

[@peterolbrisch8970]

Maybe after this video, people will give this song the listening to it deserves.

[@menopausalmusician414]

My Favorite Group and my Favorite Channel! Peace

[@ÉlunMosk-d9n]

. . . GOO GOO GOOD JOB !

[@guszea67]

The 4 genius of the 20 century!!

[@Bassman2353]

Beethoven considered Fur Elise a trifle. It works for me.

[@scunner6828]

Bravo!

[@stevenboettcher4796]

You know after hearing you play this song on harp, I want to hear it complete. Very beautiful.

[@leonelrodriguez4010]

10:28 : They do sing in unison. They achieve a kind of voice that makes one think it is one person; but they mastered the art of inventing that voice which consists of their two voices (John and Paul). They used that one fairly a lot in the first epoch. "I'll get you" comes to mind. / Enjoyed the video very much, and your joy in playing the arp. Thank you.

[@gettinhungrig2]

I think they're singing in harmony on "I'll Get You'. John is lead, Paul on high harmony...like the Everly Brothers. "Every Little Thing" and 'Misery' might be ones where they're truly singing in unison...on the same note. But we need one of those vocal experts.....Amy!

[@leonelrodriguez4010]

@@gettinhungrig2 I agree we need Amy's commentary! In "I'll Get You" they sing in unison the first part of the verse, then divide in harmony: they do that a lot, of course the songs you mention are good examples. The thing I find beautiful is that voice which is none of the two alone, but combined: it is the Beatle voice, the brand, of the first couple of years, because it is very together.

[@wesleyrodgers886]

Peter sellers doing... A hard day's night. 😊😊😊😊

[@guszea67]

The whole album is fantastic

[@gettinhungrig8806]

John must have had a hand in the writing. Some of the lyrics are from his 'In His Own Write' book. Have to check which part.

[@gettinhungrig2]

From 'A Spaniard In The Works' actually, released before Help!...'Silly Norman'

[@jenscee7679]

You’ll be throwing your Beatles blueprint on the fire soon.

[@Uetti]

I really wish I've Just Seen a Face is next

[@richardfehlmann4593]

I'm looking forward to enjoy this video as soon as I get home 🤞😀

[@gettinhungrig8806]

When I get home

[@richardfehlmann4593]

@@gettinhungrig8806 😅 got the reference ... when the cows come home 😉

[@gettinhungrig2]

@@richardfehlmann4593 👍

[@richardfehlmann4593]

I enjoyed this reaction a lot (now that I got home 😉) It's a simple song, a sweet song, but what's wrong with that? And I enjoyed you playing it on the harp 👌😊

[@stevendooley5326]

For your analysis of the next Beatles album, Rubber Soul, I would like to point out what I think is a deliberate double meaning in the lyrics at the end of the song Norwegian Wood. There is a British expression of “putting the fire on” or “putting on the fire” which simply means turning on the household heating. At that time, for most Britains this would usually be a small gas heater in the living room. So, when John Lennon sings about waking up after having slept the night in the bath and “lighting a fire”, I think there is a deliberate ambiguity in the meaning. It could mean simply that he woke up cold and turned on the heater or he really did burn the house down.

[@puckstopper6511]

It would be wonderful if you made a video playing this entire song on the harp.

[@colindonald3161]

will be very disappointed if you dont do a peter sellers cover of the beatles one weekend

[@lejoe48]

Esta es una canción muy secundaria en su repertorio. Luego os va a faltar tiempo para otras mucho mejores... Habéis pasado por alto preciosidades como The Night Before, y sin embargo os ocupáis de esta... La cara B de Help! es de lo peor de su carrera (sin contar Yesterday etc). Es mi opinión. Gracias.

[@protarget1]

Usual great reaction, the group than change popular music. But when are reacting to Ren's, piano instrumental tribute to his friend Callum Mackay. Simply called "Mackay" It would be interesting to see your opinion of a piano piece, by a self taught pianist 🤔😊 Quote "This is a tribute for one of my best friends Callum Mackay. For a long time I wanted to write him a song, but every time I sat down I couldn't think of the right words which left me feeling frustrated. Callum died very shortly after Joe, another very dear friend. Trying to process both created a bit of a block, and to be honest ever since I haven't really been able to fully grieve whenever I loose someone close to me. One day while sat at the piano I was playing around with melodies and this came out. Sometimes I don't have words to explain or express the thing that wants to be expressed. In those moments I'm so grateful for music This is for you Callum Mackay Rip homie"

[@netuno60]

This is a good side B. The Night Before is a good side A. Please…. do it and make this the 151 Beatles collection.

[@Bipbop66]

"Aaahhh, the night 🌙 before..."

[@michavandam]

The video format Great! Chapters! Not being together The singers are. But they rush their syncopations. They're not together with the instruments. Surprisingly few melismas John Lennon was the melisma guy. That became extremely clear in his later solo songs (for example "Imagine all the peo-ple-e-e living life in peace. You-ou-ou-ou-ou, you may sa-a-a-ay I'm a dreamer" and "There you stand with your LA tan and your New York walk and your New York ta-a-a-a-a-a-alk, yea-ea-eah"). But this here was a Paul McCartney song. Two-part harmony The "Tell me what you see" part is not two-part harmony, but three-part. Sweet The sweet, gently, charming sincerity, is Paul. The instrumentation They're experimenting with a keyboard. I think they used more or less the same keyboard runs later, in Drive My Car - and to even greater effect. The harp playing No, that's not what John Lennon sings! I'm sorry, Amy, but I'm going to be critical and direct again. Is your musical memory so short? I've heard you singing and playing wrong notes and wrong rhythms multiple times in this series. I think that's because you're only half listening. The other half of your attention is with the score. Unfortunately these scores usually are inaccurate transcriptions. I wish you'd only and exclusively l i s t e n . This relying on scores is so Classical... If it's really such a "simple song" (as you maintain), can't you get this short line, that's sung over and over, right? I know this wrong note is not essential for what you're pointing out, but a wrong note is a wrong note, it's just wrong - and that bothers me, especially when your talking about perfect Pop songs by The Beatles. It also puzzles me, since it's coming from a teacher, an authority when it comes to music... All your fans can now reply to me that it's my problem.

[@michavandam]

@@johnbyrnes7912 You're right.

[@Xaelrik]

Hello @VirginRock I really enjoy your videos since Ohne Dich from Rammstein. I recently saw Rocketman (Elton John biopic) and i just felt in love with the song Your Song! One of the most beautiful and sweetest song i've heard! Do you think you can take an ear on it? I can assure you will love :D

[@letsgomets002]

Just listened to the whole song without stopage on another channel, think you're being way to careful, under the fair use act you can play much more than you do😢😢😢😢

[@pablorey9203]

hay un contrapunto que siempre me sono muy "para el pueblo lo que es del pueblo", en caso de que haya un argentino de cierta edad leyendo esto...

[@julessabio]

en qué parte? No me doy cuenta

[@pablorey9203]

@@julessabio kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZPNfZihd9KFd9ksi=--FuhfYrhM8bjw5D&t=64

[@davidrauh8118]

This is one of the weaker songs on this album compared to Paul's other songs like The Night Before, Yesterday and I've Just Seen A Face. Not sure why Vlad chose this one.

[@richardfehlmann4593]

I also wonder a bit about that. I've Just Seen a Face is certainly a more suitable choice.

[@peterolbrisch8970]

I like this song. I've always liked this song. It's not weak at all. In fact, it's a great tune. And the shared vocals are always cool, like the song wait.

[@yes_head]

Vlad's made some other odd choices, IMO. Whaddevah -- it's their channel.

[@EddieReischl]

Another song that probably would fit better on "Beatles for Sale". I suppose the strums on the guitar from the high strings to the low strings might be unique for this time, but the music is pretty pedestrian. Perhaps it was a musical exercise using a 2-note chord melody, like you were demonstrating on the harp. McCartney does stuff like that, building songs around a concept. Lyrically, it seems that McCartney sure wrote a lot of songs about Jane Asher, unless this one's about his previous girlfriend.

[@beatlemaniacwaltdisneyfan4753]

you forgot george's you like me too much previous track

[@PartTimeBuddhist]

Open up your ears, Amy, tell us what you hear.

[@toddgilleylen3438]

React to Stairway To Heaven the studio version. The Greatest song of all time! Forget about Heart! What a disgrace to the perfect version!

[@BaxterThewall]

"They don't sound too well together" 🙄🙄

[@shiva1742]

Sorry to say this, but this sounds like a quickly thrown together filler song. Maybe your analysis of it took longer than they took to write it. Not every song by any band considered great, including the Beatles, is a great piece of music.

[@eggman7527]

Possibly my least favorite Beatles song. Well, maybe "You Like Me Too Much" is worse.

[@marty48]

This is one of the worst songs by The Beatles. I don't understand why Vlad chose it for this series.

[@BigSky1]

Nursery Rhyme like songs are more likely to be Paul’s than John’s.

[@stlmopoet]

I think of "Cry Baby Cry" by John as very much a nursery rhyme song, at least in theme. I like it.

[@BigSky1]

@@stlmopoetYes. That is one of John’s. But generally I think Paul used the children’s rhyme more often.

[@debjorgo]

@@BigSky1 "Now the sun turns off its light, Goodnight, Sleep tight...."

[@jonmacqueen]

Not sure that's true. John was far more likely to sit on the same note - horizontal melodies - than Paul, which seems more nursery rhyme-y. John even rewrote Three Blind Mice as My Mummy's Dead.

[@garyfletcher844]

You reacted to one of the few pieces of Beatle rubbish. Don't analyze junk.