# Name some of your favorite fragments of Beatles songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 2, 2014, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672 "2014-03-02T14:47:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/21 "2014-03-03T19:11:22Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > The instrumental bit at the beginning (and other places) of “Come Together” > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEo9Bh679wM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEo9Bh679wM) Huh? That’s not an instrumental bit; that’s John chanting “shoot me” over a bass riff with percussion and handclaps. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/22 "2014-03-03T20:30:21Z")
Just to pick one off the top o’ me head: ( **I Feel Fine** ) “I’m so glad, that she’s my little girl” is a snippet that always strikes me as quintessential Beatles. > [@JKellyMap](#): > > My gosh, there are hundreds! I’ll mention one now – a nice little guitar lick (I assume it’s George) in [CarryThat Weight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qP4Ye15J0Y&feature=kp) (at 2:07 in this link)… It’s George. He shines throughout Abbey Road. > [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Anyone care to comment on whether that note was just a little off? I could be wrong about that as well. It’s not a little off; Paul’s voice cracks big time. “…if our new love was in vai - …” Edited out of the mono version, left as is in the stereo mix. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/23 "2014-03-03T21:17:13Z")
That little fill George plays in “She Loves You”. Right after, “She loves you yeah yeah yeah yeah!” George plays “twang twang twang twang twang twang.” All double stops-Chuck Berryish lick. That was the definition of Rock for me when I was a kid. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/24 "2014-03-03T21:26:54Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > \*Alan Pollack figured out it’s John at first, soon joined in unison by Paul, IIRC. John then songs a bit of “Yesterday,” which I never recognized as that. I thought it was Paul, then John, which seems to be the conclusion [here](http://wgo.signal11.org.uk/html/extras/aynil.htm). I don’t see anything on Pollack’s notes about it. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/25 "2014-03-03T21:57:45Z")
During the intro to “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” as Ringo does his drum licks, when John (I assume) says “hi!” or “high”! ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/26 "2014-03-03T22:33:49Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I thought it was Paul, then John, which seems to be the conclusion [here](http://wgo.signal11.org.uk/html/extras/aynil.htm). I don’t see anything on Pollack’s notes about it. Right…that’s the analysis I was remembering, and you recalled the facts correctly (unlike me). ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/27 "2014-03-03T22:44:40Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > Well, to start at the beginning… One thing I always enjoy in “Love Me Do” is the reverberation that occurs in the silence that follows “So PLEEEE\_EASE…” Cool! That’s Zen to pick a (near) _silence_ as the memorable “sound.” From the same era, also just before and after the word “there” in “There’s A Place.” ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/28 "2014-03-03T22:57:42Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > It’s not a little off; Paul’s voice cracks big time. > “…if our new love was in vai - …” Edited out of the mono version, left as is in the stereo mix. Wow, great catch! I just didn’t hear it till I listened to the stereo version. Almost like he had to cough (that note is well within his range). ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/29 "2014-03-03T22:57:46Z")
> [@Labdad](#): > > During the intro to “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” as Ringo does his drum licks, when John (I assume) says “hi!” or “high”! I always thought it was George, saying “Bye.” But I ain’t too proud to be corrected after 47 years. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/30 "2014-03-03T23:04:24Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > Thanks JKellyMap, a flam, eh? My knowledge of drumming has now increased from “nothing” to “virtually nothing.” Hey, don’t get me started on the flam paradiddle. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/31 "2014-03-03T23:43:39Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > I always thought it was George, saying “Bye.” But I ain’t too proud to be corrected after 47 years. Definitely John, saying “Bye-ee!” I recently read somewhere that this was some mid-century British comedian’s catch-phrase, but a quick Google only came up with[this popular World War I song](http://www.firstworldwar.com/audio/goodbyeee.htm). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/32 "2014-03-04T00:32:44Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > I like the bit in “Ticket to Ride” where Ringo fools you by \*not \*doing a drum fill. Throughout the song he follows “she’s got a ticket to ri-hi-hide” with a little roll on the toms or snare. The last time though, you’re perhaps expecting some big flourish to finish with, but he just taps the snare once. Always makes me smile. > > Whoops, here’s the link: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMxyK9azXR4#t=151](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMxyK9azXR4#t=151) That really is one of my favorite Ringo drum parts for all those little subtleties. Also, note how the verses on the first minute or so of the song have the syncopated snare flam-tom flam-kick pattern, but after 1:30, the verses go into pretty much a straight eighth-note rhythm on that. I _love_ that rhythmic variation. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/33 "2014-03-04T02:22:42Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Definitely John, saying “Bye-ee!” I recently read somewhere that this was some mid-century British comedian’s catch-phrase, but a quick Google only came up with[this popular World War I song](http://www.firstworldwar.com/audio/goodbyeee.htm). 10-Q veddy much. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/34 "2014-03-04T02:36:27Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > That really is one of my favorite Ringo drum parts for all those little subtleties. Also, note how the verses on the first minute or so of the song have the syncopated snare flam-tom flam-kick pattern, but after 1:30, the verses go into pretty much a straight eighth-note rhythm on that. I _love_ that rhythmic variation. My favorite exercise in Ringo-appreciation is listening to the stereo mix of “Please Please Me”, stereo hard-panned to the side that has instruments only (no vocals), volume cranked up a little louder than normal, and focusing my ears on the drums. I never get tired of hearing the changes he goes through. Intelligent, tasteful drumming. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/35 "2014-03-04T02:46:01Z")
The parts in “I’m Only Sleeping” where the bass line peeks through (da da dum DUM) are awesome, as is the opening piano chords on “Let It Be.” I’ve always like the bridge/middle eight on “I Am the Walrus” - _Sitting in an English garden, waiting for the sun/If the sun don’t come we’ll get a tan from standing in the evening shade . . ._ The first notes on “Glass Onion” are just so energizing - so is the opening chord on “Hard Days Night.” I’ve always loved the place where the minor chords in “I’ve Just Seen a Face” change into the lyrics. The intro to the [acoustic version of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0c4diG79vA) is just . . . magical. It’s beautiful and sad and bittersweet and magical. I much prefer it to the White Album one - seriously, if you’ve never heard, please, _please_ listen. Not to digress, since this isn’t a Beatles song, but one of my favorite things in any song, ever, is the place in “Band on the Run” where the ‘if we ever get out of here’ part transitions to the ‘band on the run’ part with some acoustic chords. It’s [around 2:13](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7D65IomNYY). ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/36 "2014-03-04T05:01:44Z")
> [@](#): > > The parts in “I’m Only Sleeping” where the bass line peeks through (da da dum DUM) are awesome, as is the opening piano chords on “Let It Be.” I’ve always like the bridge/middle eight on “I Am the Walrus” - Sitting in an English garden, waiting for the sun/If the sun don’t come we’ll get a tan from standing in the evening shade . . . Nitpick: It’s “English rain,” not “evening shade.” ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/37 "2014-03-04T05:19:42Z")
The bass part in [Lady Madonna](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfthrizXKOM), then the part that goes “Ba-pa-pa-paaaaa.” (not that I don’t love the entire song) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/38 "2014-03-04T05:38:27Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > The bass part in [Lady Madonna](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfthrizXKOM), then the part that goes “Ba-pa-pa-paaaaa.” (not that I don’t love the entire song) Oh, man, that’s another good one. But I’m gonna highlight the clanky honky-tonk-sounding piano intro to that. It’s such a simple progression, but it’s just exactly right. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/39 "2014-03-04T07:55:32Z")
My favourite has got to be in “A Day in the Life”: right after Paul sings, “Somebody spoke and I went into a dream”, John sings, “Aaaaaaaah, ah ah ah” and the orchestral accompaniment begins to swell. I loved this part so much that whenever I recorded mix tapes from my CD, I’d turn the recording level up just for this part for maximum loudness. Years later when _Love_ was released I was so pleased to discover that the mixers had done exactly the same thing to this section. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672/40 "2014-03-04T11:42:15Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > My favourite has got to be in “A Day in the Life”: right after Paul sings, “Somebody spoke and I went into a dream”, John sings, “Aaaaaaaah, ah ah ah” … You must love “Hush,” the song by Joe South made famous as the first hit by Deep Purple. Its riff (“nah nah nah nah…”) is the same chord/melody sequence as that “ahh” part of “A Day in the Life.” Neither copied the other; they were written and recorded simultaneously. It was just something in the air in early 1967. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-some-of-your-favorite-fragments-of-beatles-songs/682672.md?page=3)