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All My Loving rhythm.

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Bernie Woodham

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May 8, 2013, 8:41:41 PM5/8/13
to
I've known the chords for this song for a while, but only recently
have applied myself to mastering it. I think Lennon did it at
135bpm. I can do it so far a 120bpm. I've tried to keep up with
this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvZUQq66UaA

He makes it look pretty effortless, but I'm far from getting there
yet.

This has really caused me to watch Lennon a lot closer on the Sullivan
performance of this. I think he looks pretty much at ease with it,
but I do notice that he lets Harrison cover the backing vocal.

But, this really gets me, because Lennon was never thought of as a
great guitarist and this is pretty early in his career. So, what
songs had Lennon learned that would have helped to develop the ability
to execute thirds the way he does in this? Wiki mentions that the
rhythm is similar to "Da Doo Ron Ron". But were there others?

By the way, he was proud of it:

LENNON:"All My Loving" is Paul, I regret to say. Ha ha ha.

PLAYBOY: Why?

LENNON: Because it's a damn good piece of work....But I play a pretty
mean guitar in back

Nil

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May 9, 2013, 1:03:43 AM5/9/13
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On 08 May 2013, Bernie Woodham <birnh...@insightbb.com> wrote in
rec.music.beatles:

> I've known the chords for this song for a while, but only recently
> have applied myself to mastering it. I think Lennon did it at
> 135bpm. I can do it so far a 120bpm. I've tried to keep up with
> this guy:
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvZUQq66UaA
>
> He makes it look pretty effortless, but I'm far from getting there
> yet.

I'd hardly call that a "tutorial" - he doesn't say anything about what
he's doing or how. You can't even hear him. It's more like showing off
his shiny guitar. It looks like he's playing the part OK, but I'd
recommend using more of a wrist action, rather than from the elbow like
this guy is doing it. His way is inefficient and could be a speed
impediment. If you keep the wrist relaxed you can get an easy, flowing
rhythm pattern that can go quite fast.

abe slaney

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May 9, 2013, 1:13:00 AM5/9/13
to
On May 9, 1:03 am, Nil <redno...@REMOVETHIScomcast.net> wrote:
> On 08 May 2013, Bernie Woodham <birnhamw...@insightbb.com> wrote in
He plays it just fine. Different (mostly self-taught) players use
techniques that to others may look awkward or contorted, but they find
their own way. I've seen this on so many instruments - fiddlers are
notorious for great folk players having what by any convention would
be horrible technique..but there it is. It doesn't *sound* bad, does
it?

What Lennon is playing on guitar is a jig rhythm. 6/8 time, two big
triplet beats per bar, can be fitted to 4/4 time. I have no idea if
this has anything to do with his Irish heritage, but he's playing a
jig, and that's that.

Nil

unread,
May 9, 2013, 1:32:59 AM5/9/13
to
On 09 May 2013, abe slaney <abes...@yahoo.com> wrote in
rec.music.beatles:

>> >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvZUQq66UaA
>
> He plays it just fine. Different (mostly self-taught) players use
> techniques that to others may look awkward or contorted, but they
> find their own way. I've seen this on so many instruments -
> fiddlers are notorious for great folk players having what by any
> convention would be horrible technique..but there it is. It
> doesn't *sound* bad, does it?

Well, of course the end justifies the means. If it works for you, go
for it. I still think this guy's technique would be a poor choice for
most people. Try it yourself - move your hand three inches up and down
from the elbow for 3 minutes and see how fatigued you get and how hard
it is to keep it perfectly steady. Now try it from the wrist and see
how much less energy you spend. John does it the wrist way, and I think
that's why he can keep it up so long and comfortably.

I can't believe I made it through that whole paragraph with no
masturbation jokes.

> What Lennon is playing on guitar is a jig rhythm. 6/8 time, two
> big triplet beats per bar, can be fitted to 4/4 time. I have no
> idea if this has anything to do with his Irish heritage, but he's
> playing a jig, and that's that.

Interesting! I never thought of it that way. I wonder he brought the
rhythm to Paul's song, or if it was in Paul's mind from the beginning.

abe slaney

unread,
May 9, 2013, 1:40:42 AM5/9/13
to
On May 9, 1:32 am, Nil <redno...@REMOVETHIScomcast.net> wrote:
> On 09 May 2013, abe slaney <abesla...@yahoo.com> wrote in
> rec.music.beatles:
>
> >> >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvZUQq66UaA
>
> > He plays it just fine. Different (mostly self-taught) players use
> > techniques that to others may look awkward or contorted, but they
> > find their own way. I've seen this on so many instruments -
> > fiddlers are notorious for great folk players having what by any
> > convention would be horrible technique..but there it is. It
> > doesn't *sound* bad, does it?
>
> Well, of course the end justifies the means. If it works for you, go
> for it. I still think this guy's technique would be a poor choice for
> most people. Try it yourself - move your hand three inches up and down
> from the elbow for 3 minutes and see how fatigued you get and how hard
> it is to keep it perfectly steady. Now try it from the wrist and see
> how much less energy you spend. John does it the wrist way, and I think
> that's why he can keep it up so long and comfortably.


Sorry, I totally missed the tutorial link above. Duh. I was talking
about Lennon, I thought you were talking about his technique. Double
duh. But yes, it's still a jig!

The Brooklyn Tomato Bandit

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May 9, 2013, 1:57:25 AM5/9/13
to
You guys may be over-thinking this. Less textbook technique, more
feel.

JL would approve.

abe slaney

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May 9, 2013, 2:15:34 AM5/9/13
to
On May 9, 1:57 am, The Brooklyn Tomato Bandit <bellyfl...@yahoo.com>
wrote:
> You guys may be over-thinking this. Less textbook technique, more
> feel.
>
> JL would approve.

I learned it by ear from the record when I was 10 or 12 and never had
to think about how to play it. I only referred to the time signature
to point out that it's jig time that Lennon is playing for those who
don't know what that is.

Bernie Woodham

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May 9, 2013, 2:27:54 AM5/9/13
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So, if I follow you, if it's a jig, then he may have learned how to
do that from his banjo playing.

ermitano

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May 9, 2013, 3:10:18 AM5/9/13
to
this guys seems to know about lennon's style:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRZDf3FryLw#t=02m57s

who?

unread,
May 9, 2013, 3:36:26 AM5/9/13
to
On May 9, 12:32 am, Nil <redno...@REMOVETHIScomcast.net> wrote:
> On 09 May 2013, abe slaney <abesla...@yahoo.com> wrote in
I never could play the rhythm right to this song. If I had a
turntable, I would slow it down half speed. Do you know
if they still make turntables so you can do that? Or would
you have to buy one that's 30-40 years old?

Jeff

Bernie Woodham

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May 9, 2013, 4:43:05 AM5/9/13
to
Yeah, I've seen that video before. Great video. That guy really had to
be into Lennon to work all that out.

RichL

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May 9, 2013, 6:38:08 AM5/9/13
to
"Bernie Woodham" <birnh...@insightbb.com> wrote in message
news:00860bef-4969-4a79...@o2g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...
I've been playing guitar for a few months shy of 50 years now, and the
rhythm part on this song still gives me fits. My natural inclination is to
"downstroke" on every beat, which means I play each triplet as "down up
down". Doing a "d u d d u d d u d" pattern over the course of two full
verses does a real number on your head though, not to mention your wrist.
Alternatively, simply playing consecutive down and up strokes as John does
(and as many other folks in this newsgroup do) ultimately throws my timing
off. So don't feel bad; it's a really challenging part.

Folks who dismiss John's playing don't pay much attention to what he's
actually played, especially in the early years. His lead part (the first of
two) on Long Tall Sally is fantastic!

mcnews

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May 9, 2013, 8:52:49 AM5/9/13
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he doesn't seem to be strumming all the strings.

Nil

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May 9, 2013, 10:30:28 AM5/9/13
to
On 09 May 2013, "RichL" <rple...@yahoo.com> wrote in
rec.music.beatles:

> I've been playing guitar for a few months shy of 50 years now, and
> the rhythm part on this song still gives me fits. My natural
> inclination is to "downstroke" on every beat, which means I play
> each triplet as "down up down". Doing a "d u d d u d d u d"
> pattern over the course of two full verses does a real number on
> your head though, not to mention your wrist. Alternatively, simply
> playing consecutive down and up strokes as John does (and as many
> other folks in this newsgroup do) ultimately throws my timing off.
> So don't feel bad; it's a really challenging part.

So, think of it as a pattern of 6, rather than of 3. The down stroke
will come every 6 times, on each half note division.

RichL

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May 9, 2013, 11:15:08 PM5/9/13
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"Nil" <redn...@REMOVETHIScomcast.net> wrote in message
news:XnsA1BB6AE4...@wheedledeedle.moc...
Sure, my brain knows this, but apparently it doesn't communicate the concept
to my hand very well.

ermitano

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May 10, 2013, 12:24:50 AM5/10/13
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this lennon's pattern it isn't so hard for me because it reminds me
some latin patterns in 6/8, like this one from venezuela:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwitL69VfUs

the rhythm is called "joropo" and it is played on a "cuatro", a guitar
similar to ukelele

Bernie Woodham

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May 10, 2013, 5:00:57 AM5/10/13
to
On May 10, 12:24 am, ermitano <maikelbur...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> this lennon's pattern it isn't so hard for me because it reminds me
> some latin patterns in 6/8, like this one from venezuela:
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwitL69VfUs
>
> the rhythm is called "joropo" and it is played on a "cuatro", a guitar
> similar to ukelele

Interesting playing. I guess that "cuatro" would translate "quartro"
in english? For four strings?

ermitano

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May 10, 2013, 1:18:53 PM5/10/13
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yeah it has 4 strings and "cuatro" means "four"

who?

unread,
May 11, 2013, 2:14:30 AM5/11/13
to
I thought squatro (sp?) meant four? Am I spelling
it the way it is pronounced?

Jeff

ermitano

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May 11, 2013, 3:21:31 AM5/11/13
to
ow.. it is pronounced "coo - a - tro" or something like that, and it
is spelled "cuatro"
squatro? maybe you heard it that way

who?

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May 11, 2013, 12:17:06 PM5/11/13
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I had a friend when I was 16 who was either Mexican or Spanish,
around 40 years ago. He was a good piano player. He used
to yell out 1,2, 3 squatro (sp?) before we began playing a song.
I always assumed that it meant "four". It was so many years
ago, but your post brought back those memories I had forgotten
long ago. He also had a phrase for Old brown shoe. He called
it Old brown Crotchio (sp?) whatever that was supposed to mean?
I think he was just being silly with that one.

Jeff

ermitano

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May 11, 2013, 2:40:03 PM5/11/13
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now i understand

before "cuatro" there's the "tres" (pronounced like "dress", with a
"T" instead of "D") so you heard squatro because of the "s" of the
previous word.
the count goes "uno, dos, tres, cuatro" (oo-no, does, tress, coo-a-
tro)
Crotchio? what could be... mmh... could be "corcho" ? "corcho" means
"rubber" or something like that. also "corcho" is the name of the top
of the bottles of wine, the thing used to keep it closed.

who?

unread,
May 11, 2013, 5:48:36 PM5/11/13
to
Thanks, Ermitano for your response. That makes sense except
for the fact that he didn't use those words before that. He just
said 1,2, and 3.

> the count goes "uno, dos, tres, cuatro" (oo-no, does, tress, coo-a-
>
> tro)
>
> Crotchio? what could be... mmh... could be "corcho" ? "corcho" means
>
> "rubber" or something like that. also "corcho" is the name of the top
>
> of the bottles of wine, the thing used to keep it closed.

I think he was referring to someone's crotch, to be silly,
but you could be right. With my idea, we started playing
Beatles and solo Beatles like "My sweet lord." He could
of had say in the matter. We could have played other artists
songs. But instead of saying he disliked what we were
playing, he started saying "Old Brown crotchio."
So........maybe you are right, and he meant keep a lid
on the top of the bottles, (so to speak) and stop playing
that Beatles and solo Beatles material.

Jeff

Frank from Deeeetroit

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May 13, 2013, 8:34:14 PM5/13/13
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You will never listen to the Da Doo Ron Ron Ron the same way after
this version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0bcIWvE-3g

Frank

who?

unread,
May 13, 2013, 10:06:49 PM5/13/13
to
On May 13, 7:34 pm, Frank from Deeeetroit <dadurwe...@voyager.net>
wrote:
Stinky smelly farts.

Bernie Woodham

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May 13, 2013, 10:29:18 PM5/13/13
to
On May 13, 8:34 pm, Frank from Deeeetroit <dadurwe...@voyager.net>
wrote:
What a waste of a good microphone.

Fattuchus

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May 14, 2013, 12:34:42 AM5/14/13
to
On May 13, 8:34 pm, Frank from Deeeetroit <dadurwe...@voyager.net>
wrote:
That was gross, but I laughed and laughed anyway. I guess for
purposes of that performance, the song should be renamed, "Doo Doo
Run Run."

The Brooklyn Tomato Bandit

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May 14, 2013, 1:00:51 AM5/14/13
to
On May 14, 12:34 am, Fattuchus <fattuc...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> That was gross, but I laughed and laughed anyway.  I guess for
> purposes of that performance, the song should be renamed, "Doo Doo
> Run Run."

The tweens that read RMB must be rolling in the aisles.

http://www.thecomedynet.com/images3/fail.jpg

jtees4

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May 14, 2013, 5:00:35 PM5/14/13
to
On Wed, 8 May 2013 17:41:41 -0700 (PDT), Bernie Woodham
<birnh...@insightbb.com> wrote:

>I've known the chords for this song for a while, but only recently
>have applied myself to mastering it. I think Lennon did it at
>135bpm. I can do it so far a 120bpm. I've tried to keep up with
>this guy:
>
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvZUQq66UaA
>
>He makes it look pretty effortless, but I'm far from getting there
>yet.
>
>This has really caused me to watch Lennon a lot closer on the Sullivan
>performance of this. I think he looks pretty much at ease with it,
>but I do notice that he lets Harrison cover the backing vocal.
>
>But, this really gets me, because Lennon was never thought of as a
>great guitarist and this is pretty early in his career. So, what
>songs had Lennon learned that would have helped to develop the ability
>to execute thirds the way he does in this? Wiki mentions that the
>rhythm is similar to "Da Doo Ron Ron". But were there others?
>
>By the way, he was proud of it:
>
>LENNON:"All My Loving" is Paul, I regret to say. Ha ha ha.
>
>PLAYBOY: Why?
>
>LENNON: Because it's a damn good piece of work....But I play a pretty
>mean guitar in back

Definitely not an easy one to play, or at least play in time.
*************
Some of my music:
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=789610

who?

unread,
May 14, 2013, 6:06:24 PM5/14/13
to
For most of you that may not be familiar with this song, Harrison
uses the same rhythm in this song, one of my favorites.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krF60M5ViHw

jtees4

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May 15, 2013, 7:28:59 AM5/15/13
to
On Mon, 13 May 2013 17:34:14 -0700 (PDT), Frank from Deeeetroit
<dadur...@voyager.net> wrote:

>On May 8, 8:41�ソスpm, Bernie Woodham <birnhamw...@insightbb.com> wrote:
>> I've known the chords for this song for a while, but only recently
>> have applied myself to mastering it. �ソスI think Lennon did it at
>> 135bpm. �ソスI can do it so far a 120bpm. �ソス I've tried to keep up with
>> this guy:
>>
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvZUQq66UaA
>>
>> He makes it look pretty effortless, but I'm far from getting there
>> yet.
>>
>> This has really caused me to watch Lennon a lot closer on the Sullivan
>> performance of this. �ソスI think he looks pretty much at ease with it,
>> but I do notice that he lets Harrison cover the backing vocal.
>>
>> But, this really gets me, because Lennon was never thought of as a
>> great guitarist and this is pretty early in his career. �ソスSo, what
>> songs had Lennon learned that would have helped to develop the ability
>> to execute thirds the way he does in this? �ソス Wiki mentions that the
>> rhythm is similar to "Da Doo Ron Ron". But were there others?
>>
>> By the way, he was proud of it:
>>
>> LENNON:"All My Loving" is Paul, I regret to say. Ha ha ha.
>>
>> PLAYBOY: Why?
>>
>> LENNON: Because it's a damn good piece of work....But I play a pretty
>> mean guitar in back
>
>You will never listen to the Da Doo Ron Ron Ron the same way after
>this version.
>
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0bcIWvE-3g
>
>Frank

Fart jokes are always funny, that one....not so much. I guess fart
singing just doesn't do it for me.

abe slaney

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May 15, 2013, 10:41:22 PM5/15/13
to
Maybe? It's certainly possible. I have no sense of how much exposure
he may have had to traditional Celtic music in his youth. But here's a
demonstration of the jig rhythm on the bodhran (Irish drum). Skip
ahead to about the 6:00 mark and you'll see the beat that Lennon is
playing on this song at close to the correct tempo. She's skipping a
hit here or there for dynamic purposes, but the beat is the same.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHcMZ6ixoG8

who?

unread,
May 16, 2013, 8:50:55 PM5/16/13
to
Thanks so much Abe for the link. I haven't actually tried
to play this on the guitar, but I'm getting it on my chest.
Will take some practice. Strumming on your chest is
a start:P

Jeff

abe slaney

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May 16, 2013, 8:56:28 PM5/16/13
to
On May 16, 8:50 pm, "who?" <yourimageunre...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

<Strumming on your chest is a start>
> Jeff

I'll bet you a million dollars you never said those seven words in
that order before.

who?

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May 16, 2013, 9:11:02 PM5/16/13
to
No. LOL

Jeff

Bernie Woodham

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May 16, 2013, 9:56:43 PM5/16/13
to
On May 15, 10:41 pm, abe slaney <abesla...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
> > So, if I follow you, if it's a jig, then he  may have learned how to
> > do that from his banjo playing.
>
> Maybe? It's certainly possible. I have no sense of how much exposure
> he may have had to traditional Celtic music in his youth. But here's a
> demonstration of the jig rhythm on the bodhran (Irish drum). Skip
> ahead to about the 6:00 mark and you'll see the beat that Lennon is
> playing on this song at close to the correct tempo. She's skipping a
> hit here or there for dynamic purposes, but the beat is the same.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHcMZ6ixoG8

Well, after you suggested an irish heritage and jig, I was reminded of
this scene from Nowhere Boy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGoySdKXB-Y

and thought maybe you were referring to his banjo experience.

The Bodhran is an interesting instrument - only $25.00. That would be
a good way to learn rhythm. What brought you to that video?

I have a guitar book on rhythm that pretty much does the same thing:
you scratch the guitar strings at different tempos with different time
signatures. But, I'm going through a lot of formal stuff anyway and
while it's interesting, it's not much fun.

who?

unread,
May 17, 2013, 1:12:00 AM5/17/13
to
Rich, if you haven't watched that video that Abe put up, I
hope you do. You don't even have to have a guitar with you
to rehearse it. Even at the 6 minute mark it makes sense
and you should be able to do it. So far I can't quite put
it together with the rhythm on "All my loving," but with
a guitar it should make sense. If there is a video that takes
us faster than that 6 minute mark, I don't see how any of
us will ever be able to play it.

Jeff

abe slaney

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May 17, 2013, 6:44:11 PM5/17/13
to
On May 16, 9:56 pm, Bernie Woodham <birnhamw...@insightbb.com> wrote:

> Well, after you suggested an irish heritage and jig, I was reminded of
> this scene from Nowhere Boy:
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGoySdKXB-Y
>
> and thought maybe you were referring to his banjo experience.

I could be wrong, but I think what Julia played, and taught him, was
banjo ukelele, which is a bit different. That scene is probably not
accurate in that regard. And she wasn't the Irish side of the family,
so it was probably more old-time tunes that he learned from her. But
again, I'm just speculating.

> The Bodhran is an interesting instrument - only $25.00. That would be
> a good way to learn rhythm. What brought you to that video?

A very flimsy bodhran might be $25! Like any instrument, you get what
you pay for in sound and durability. I wouldn't want to spend less
than a couple hundred dollars if I were looking for a decent one. I
know Michelle, she's a very good drummer, but that's not how I found
it. I just did a YouTube search for "basic jig rhythm" or something
like that, and she happened to turn up.

Bernie Woodham

unread,
May 17, 2013, 10:32:48 PM5/17/13
to
On May 17, 6:44 pm, abe slaney <abesla...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On May 16, 9:56 pm, Bernie Woodham <birnhamw...@insightbb.com> wrote:
>
> > Well, after you suggested an irish heritage and jig, I was reminded of
> > this scene from Nowhere Boy:
>
> >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGoySdKXB-Y
>
> > and thought maybe you were referring to his banjo experience.
>
> I could be wrong, but I think what Julia played, and taught him, was
> banjo ukelele, which is a bit different. That scene is probably not
> accurate in that regard. And she wasn't the Irish side of the family,
> so it was probably more old-time tunes that he learned from her. But
> again, I'm just speculating.
>

Yeah, you are probably right. I think I ran into something on that
line a couple of years ago. I wonder how much George Formby had to do
with his playing. It would seem Julia would have known about Formby
and been a fan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prPAIPW_Ilk&feature=endscreen&NR=1#t=2m19s

In fact I guess a new Lennon film is being produced that shows more of
the influence of Julia on John's musical formation:

http://www.heraldscotland.com/new-film-explodes-lennon-myths-1.826889

And sure enough it mentions a Formby influence.

I've always suspected a Formby influence on Lennon just because of
these two snapshots:

http://pagan.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a5a04e32970c0120a6e5ec5a970b-800wi

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/38870733.jpg

Bernie Woodham

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May 17, 2013, 10:36:27 PM5/17/13
to
On May 17, 10:32 pm, Bernie Woodham <birnhamw...@insightbb.com> wrote:
>
>
> In fact I guess a new Lennon film is being produced that shows more of
> the influence of Julia on John's musical formation:
>
> http://www.heraldscotland.com/new-film-explodes-lennon-myths-1.826889
>

Well that article is from 2008 and is about Nowhere Boy.
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