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Television commercials inspired Beatle’s songs
Barry performed a number of
well known Beatles songs, including All My Loving, Here Comes the Sun, Come
Together, and You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away. Here, go-go girls Judith
and Lara backup with tambourines.
Television commercials were the inspiration
for many of the Beatle’s songs. It seems that the Beatles were too famous to
be seen out on the streets, so they stayed in their hotel a lot and watched
television with many of the commercials giving them their inspiration for
new songs.
 This
is one of the anecdotes related by Barry Upton, who spoke to the club last
Sunday on the topic of “The Brilliance of the Beatles.” Barry is a
successful songwriter, arranger, musician and producer. He currently has his
own show on local radio in Pattaya.
In addition to telling his audience about the Beatles, Barry entertained
them with several song selections from the Beatles’ catalogue, including
“All My Loving,” “Here Comes the Sun,” “Come Together,” “You’ve Got to Hide
Your Love Away,” “Yesterday” and “Hey Jude.” Barry had the audience singing
along on the last song.
Barry said that the Beatles were a big part of many
people’s lives. They successfully merged many musical genres, including
country, rhythm and blues, rock ‘n roll, classical, jazz and even big
bandstand. Barry noted that the creativity of the Beatles was second to
none. This was true, he said, of John Lennon and Paul McCartney
particularly; but George Harrison was also very talented and Ringo Starr
offered his contributions. Barry commented on Ringo being a very musical
drummer who also came up with some very good lyrics and song titles, such as
“A Hard Day’s Night.”
The Beatles were very inventive in the studio, Barry said. So was their
production team. The song, “Strawberry Fields Forever,” was recorded in
several takes. The final version joined together two different takes, but
they were not in the same key. Barry related how the studio sound engineer
compensated for the differences in key by increasing the speed of the first
take and decreasing the speed of the second.
What is interesting about some of the Lennon-McCartney songs, Barry
explained, is the contrasting styles within the songs. Lennon and McCartney
were opposites in many ways, so it was not surprising that they had
different styles of writing. Barry said that Lennon songs have few changes
in melody, whereas McCartney’s melodies are up and down (as in the song
“Yesterday”). In addition, Barry recounted, Lennon’s lyrics were often about
personal experience (sex, pain, politics, peace) and usually written in the
first person. McCartney’s lyrics, on the other hand, were more like stories,
more dramatic, and usually written in the third person. What was the
Beatles’ most covered song? Barry asked and responded you might be surprised
to hear that it was their song “Something.”
George Martin, the Beatles’ producer, was known as the “fifth” Beatle
because of the influence he had on their recordings and career. You can hear
some of that in “Yesterday” (listen to the string quartet) and “All You Need
Is Love” (where the ending sounds like “Greensleeves”). Barry further
revealed a little known fact about the Beatles: they never let a George
Harrison song be released as a single.
For people who want to read more about the Beatles, Barry recommended a book
called “Revolution in the Head,” by British music critic and author Ian
MacDonald. Another good book is “All You Need Is Ears,” by George Martin
with Jeremy Hornsby. Barry also mentioned that he will be involved in a
special Beatles tribute night (called “BeatleMANIA”), planned for the
Amari’s Mantra Restaurant on 11 - 12 October. Barry has his own show on 96FM
Yes2day in Pattaya. The show, called “Morning Glory,” is on from 8 a.m. to
noon, Monday to Friday. He has also performed at the Blues Factory and other
Pattaya venues.
After the presentation, Master of Ceremonies Roy Albiston updated everyone
on upcoming events and called on Judith Edmonds to conduct the Open Forum,
where questions are asked and answered about Expat living in Thailand.
To learn more about the Pattaya City Expats Club and their many activities,
visit
www.pattayacityexpatsclub.com.
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Nong Nooch celebrates U.K. flower show gold with party
Culture Minister Sonthaya
Kunplome (back row, 5th left), Chonburi Gov. Khomsan Ekachai (back row, 7th
left) and Pattaya Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome (back row, 8th left) along with
others congratulate Nong Nooch Tropical Garden director Kampol Tansajja (back
row, 6th left) for the park’s great achievement.
Thanachot Anuwan
Thailand’s culture minister joined top area politicians to help Nong
Nooch Tropical Garden celebrate its gold-medal victory at Britain’s Chelsea
Flower Show.
Minister Sonthaya Kunplome was welcomed to the Najomtien tourist attraction for
the June 17 party by park Director Kampol Tansajja, along with Chonburi Gov.
Khomsan Ekachai and Pattaya Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome.
For the fourth consecutive year, judges from the United Kingdom’s Royal
Horticultural Society honored the kingdom May 21 with a medal for a display of
Thai plants and flowers surrounding a traditional Thai farmer’s house. The
exhibit also featured a wooden Thai elephant and a recreation of the Royal Thai
Barge, all decorated with orchids and other Thai plants.
Kampol said this year’s show proved extra special because
Thailand’s display was located on the route Queen Elizabeth II and Prince
Charles took, offering the royal couple a chance to marvel at the kingdom’s
display. The director said he personally greeted the royal family, whose members
all praised the Thai exhibit.
Kampol noted that Thailand was the only Southeast Asian company to exhibit at
this year’s show, shining even a brighter spotlight on the kingdom.
At the celebration party, politicians joined private companies and Nong Nooch
partners in presenting congratulatory flower baskets to park officials.
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Rotary Club of Pattaya awards 129,000 baht in scholarships to Pattaya students
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome and
Rotarians pose for a commemorative photo with the Redemptorist Vocational School
students who received scholarships.
Phasakorn Channgam
The Rotary Club of Pattaya awarded nearly 130,000 baht in scholarships to smart,
but underprivileged students at 11 Pattaya schools and the Redemptorist
Vocational School.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome joined Rotary District 3340 Gov. Jin Srikasin, Pattaya
club President Jamlong Phassa, and former District Gov. Pratheep Malhotra for
the June 19 presentation at Pattaya School No. 7.
“The student scholarship ceremony is another project for the
benefit of the society and to promote education for children and youths,”
Jamlong said. “The scholarships were awarded to outstanding students with weak
financial strength in Chonburi Education Office Region 3, which includes all 11
Pattaya public schools.”
In all, 1,500-baht scholarships were given to 66 students in Pattaya’s 11 public
schools, six from each institution. In addition, scholarships were awarded to 20
students at the Redemptorist Vocational School.
Itthiphol thanked the Rotary leaders for the stipends, noting the scholarships
were just one of many ways club members aid society.
Following the ceremony, the Rotary Club provided lunch and dessert for the
students and guests assembled.
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Kate’s Project - Helpful in many different ways
A water filter to a handicapped gentleman.
William Macey
Most of us take clean drinking water for granted but, for poor families,
having access to drinking water is a major concern. A regular intake of water is
so important to maintaining health and general wellbeing but we are all aware
that tap water, here, is unhealthy and the only water that is anywhere near
drinkable is delivered to the families by lorry at a cost of 250 baht per time,
an amount that they can ill afford.
Rotary in Pattaya have imported a simple water filter that is effective and will
save the families substantial sums over the course of the year. 10 litres of
water, on tap, which will filter water from ponds, streams, rain water and taps
to a very high standard. Pattaya Sports Club are always happy to help the
underprivileged and handicapped and providing these filters was the perfect
opportunity to provide help where it was needed most.
A food package to every family.
Recently we provided funds to build a small house for one of the families at
Kate’s Project that Noi visits on a regular basis. She has managed Kate’s
Project for the last 7 years and has 45 families under her care, but like many
small charities around Pattaya, they are always short of funds.
 A
young supporter of England.
A phone call from Noi asked PSC to attend the monthly distribution of food
parcels, donated by PILC, to all the families and PSC were invited to attend the
presentation whilst handing out the water filters.
We were also in a fortunate position to be able to present some clothes to those
in need for a member of PSC had donated two bags of clothes and some shoes for
us to distribute among the poor. A very welcome gift.
Please do not forget. If you are having a clear out, don’t throw anything away.
Drop, whatever it maybe, to the PSC office for distribution.
Clean drinking water to every family.
Everyone goes home happy.
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Royal British Legion Thailand commemorate fallen Irish comrade
Derek Brook
Whilst we were On Parade in Malaysia there was another service being held in
Kanchanaburi, probably the smallest we have ever arranged but just as important
as any other. We had received the following information from Dublin:
“On Saturday 15 June 2013 it is intended to hold a private commemorative event
in the Irish National War Memorial Gardens, Island Bridge, Dublin at 11.00hrs
Irish time, to commemorate those Irish Defence Force personnel who lost their
lives during World War Two who had been dismissed for desertion in 1945 by the
then Irish Government and who will now be amnestied following the enactment into
Irish Law of the Defence Forces (Amnesty and Immunity) Bill 2012.”
One of those men, Gunner Stephen McManus, died whilst a POW on the Thai/Burma
Railway and is buried in Kanchanaburi. On 15 June our Secretary Bert Elson,
Standard Bearer Richard Holmes and Dublin man Alec Hoare travelled to the
cemetery. They were met there by Piper Angus McKernan and the Cemetery Manager
Rod Beattie. A short service was held at the Cenotaph, a wreath laid and a
lament played. We then moved to Stephen’s Headstone and laid a small wooden
poppy cross by his grave and Angus played Amazing Grace.
Duties done we did what we always do, went for a pint and talked about what
Stephen would have gone through.
Another of these men, Trooper Moran is remembered on the Memorial Wall in
Singapore. One of our members, George Barrie, who is working there, also laid a
wooden poppy cross at the memorial. We also arranged for another to be placed in
Rangoon for Fusilier James Oates.
We have always remembered these men and always will. However, they are now also
remembered by those who were probably most important to them; their own kinfolk.
Lest we Forget.
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