Sci Fi Hi have posted a series of mp3s of Christmas recordings by the Beatles; one for each year from 1963 to 1969. In addition to being good festive fun; it provides an odd little snapshot of the band's evolution. They start out with silly impromptu renditions of Christmas songs and jokey banter, but over time the recordings become increasingly elaborate; incorporating specially written tracks and fleshed-out sketches. Then, towards the end of the decade, the musical arrangments start getting a lot more surreal, John inserts some barbed references about friction between the rest of the band and Yoko Ono, and finally in 1969, Yoko appears on a recording predicting that the 70's will be a decade in which everything will be a lot more peaceful and people will start "flying around".
(FOOTNOTE: The recordings are ripped from vinyl and have a fair bit of background noise. If you want something more pristine, try this bit-torrent.)
And while we're on the subject of Xmas songs, Senor Tonto has concocted an extreme kitsch-overload rendition of the theme song to Santa Conquers The Martians for your downloading pleasure. This version gleefully incorporates banjo, kazoo and Speak and Spell. (via Boing Boing yet again)
Posted by Warren at December 15, 2004 10:29 PM | Xmas