For as long as I’ve been on the radio, and definitely for as long as I’ve been writing a blog, I will occasionally make a reference to a song being “One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded!” (GSER)
I would usually follow that by saying that I would eventually start a category for it, but then never get around to it.
Well, now I’m getting around to it!
My radio show, “Theme Attic,” is on Wednesdays 12PM-4PM ET.
The show can be heard on WHFR 89.3 FM in the Dearborn-Detroit area of Michigan, or it can be streamed with this link: https://www.whfr.fm/streamer/!
It will pretty much follow the pattern of The Most Awesomest Song of the Day.
I’ll select a song to celebrate and then give my thoughts about it. Nothing really brand new here that hasn’t been done before. But since I have a website, I can collect them and lay out what my own greatest songs are.
Here’s a link to have a look at “The Greatest Songs Ever Recorded”: https://philmaq.com/the-greatest-songs-ever-recorded/! Occasionally, an “awesome song” crosses over to become a “Greatest Song!”
Even though I always emphasize new music and artists, it’s always fun to take a short drive through the legendary artists, since they influenced those other artists!
But a song doesn’t have to be old or done by a legendary Theme Attic Hall of Fame member to be thus honored.
I can think of several songs that are only a few years old or less that I could identify as One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded.
This will be fun, and hopefully you will join me on my journey!
If you like what you see, don’t forget to spread the word by hitting the “like” button on my Facebook page, Phil Maq!
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The first album I ever owned was the mono version of “Meet The Beatles!”
It was given to me as a present from my oldest brother.
At that moment in time, I couldn’t say that I was a fan of The Beatles, nor anyone else for that matter.
I did already own one 45 which I detailed last year when I wrote about “There’s a Place!” (I left a link in case you missed it.)
After I opened the present and saw what it was, I couldn’t say I was excited to now have a copy of “Meet The Beatles.” I mean, it wasn’t a new baseball or bat–what I was into at the time. If I had to get an album as a present, I would have rather it be one by Alvin and The Chipmunks!
But my brother either never noticed my veiled unexcitement, or chose to ignore my response as he demonstrated how I should slide the album out of the wrapper from the cover. I was told to hold the album on the sides suspended between the palms of my hands when I placed the LP on the record player. And even though every device we had in the house at the time had a spindle for an album to drop onto the platter, he advised me not to do that, but to lay the album flat on the turntable so it wouldn’t get scratches or lose sound quality.
That was quite possibly the best advice my brother ever gave me!
So, I took my new possession into my older sister’s bedroom because she had an RCA phonograph given to her by a different older brother of mine. She let me use it after I demonstrated I knew what I was doing.
Placing the needle gently on my new album, I sat on the floor to listen to the music. I recognized a few of the songs from hearing them on the radio. However, there were several I didn’t know.
I sat there looking at the album cover, front and back.
I started to read the liner notes. I really didn’t make much sense out of them, but eventually, I would.
Not really knowing John’s voice from Paul’s voice… yet (I certainly wasn’t alone there. I still run into people who can’t distinguish their voices.), one song in particular began to stand out: “Don’t Bother Me.”
The lead voice sounded different than the other ones.
I noticed that George Harrison had written the song.
It made sense to me that he probably sang it, too.
Speaking directly to me, the chorus lyrics were similar to something that I said often in my life back then:
“So go away/ leave me alone/
Don’t bother me.”
How could he know how I felt?
Yeah. He didn’t. Harrison was singing about a broken relationship. I disregarded all of the girl references and focused on what mattered to me.
But that’s how music works!
“I’ve got no time for you right now/
Don’t bother me.”
I may not have been crazy about The Beatles before I owned “Meet The Beatles,” but I bonded with the band right then and there!
And George Harrison instantly became my first favorite Beatle!
Besides the lyrics, the dense, busy rhythm track caught my young novice music listening ears.
There’s claves cracking out Latin accents, a noticeable hi-hat sound as well as Ringo riding on the cymbal, and some engine room sounding “thuds” on every beat that the band also plays on.
The minor chords and that rhythm: so strange, so unusual!
It still is!
And a tight Harrison guitar solo as a bonus!
It turns out that “Don’t Bother Me” was George‘s first fully written song.
I would watch for others by him because he had a different slant than Lennon-McCartney.
And as much as I tried to keep “Meet The Beatles” free from defects, the truth is it was the only album that I ever owned that skipped. “Little Child” had one as well as “Don’t Bother Me.”
“Don’t” was the first track on the Side 2 and the needle went straight from “Since she’s been gone I want…me” leaving out “no one to talk to.”
I used to be bothered by that, but I did play the album a lot! I replaced it several times over the years on vinyl as well as CD.
“So go away/leave me alone/
Don’t bother me.”
Beautiful!
One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded is “Don’t Bother Me” by The Beatles!!!
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I have plenty of other musical areas to explore:
Here’s a link for my weekly list of Fave Songs: https://philmaq.com/phils-lists/phils-faves-songs/
Here’s a link for my weekly Fave Album lists:
philmaq.com/phils-lists/phils-faves-albums
My somewhat unusual Hall of Fame can be explored here: https://philmaq.com/hall-of-fame/!
Lastly, but most importantly, is my Philby Awards link! A Philby is my annual award for outstanding musical achievement! https://philmaq.com/philbys/!
If you like what you see, don’t forget to spread the word by hitting the “like” button on my Facebook page, Phil Maq!
#DontBotherMe #MeetTheBeatles #TheBeatles #GeorgeHarrison #PhilMaq #OneoftheGreatestSongsEverRecorded #GSER