Aug 202007
Multi-coloured Onions
The Beatles, “Flying” (German true stereo mix)
This psychedelic take on Booker T & the MGs has always been one of the coolest deep cuts among Beatles fans. If you don’t agree, you must have one of those Squaresville zip codes. The German true stereo version only adds to the song’s groove. Again, it’s all the stuff that’s slightly off that gets under my skin and gives me goosebumps. What’s off is more fully off on this release.
It made a lot of sense when the Residents covered this song. The original version is halfway to a Third Reich and Roll version as it is.
I forgot all about that Residents version. I hear you.
Booker T & the MGs never covered “Flying”, did they?
YAY! Ivor Cutler! Bottom right hand corner of the photo, there’s my personal hero.
In preparation for the next song up and general album reconsideration – so far, two of three songs presented, with more to come, are about travel. And two of the three (“Fool on the Hill” and “Flying”) have always evoked a sense of tiredness. I don’t think I was particularly clear on this before, but not in the sense of tired of the concept or tired of the psychedelic sound, but in the literal sense of wanting or needing sleep. Drowsiness, maybe?
I hear it in Fool in Paul’s voice, a sort of sleepy heaviness in his tone on the verses, then the descending chorus. “Flying” has always specifically sounded to me like the feel of either a late flight or a very early one, or less literally, the obvious flight into a dream. I think it’s a nice thematic coincidence that the vocals on this perhaps bring to mind those on “Carry That Weight,” if you want to stretch for the big picture, golden slumbers analogy.
Regarding the German True Stereo effect: like Mr. Moderator, it seems, I’m already big “Flying” fan and particularly like what I’m hearing here; this version’s a keeper. The extra focus on the bass seems to benefit the most and adds a lot to the feel already there on the album version.
Is anyone familiar with the 10+ minute version of “Flying”?
Flying is one my FAVES. I know what you’re saying about “drowsy”. There’s a sort of lagging-the-beat which is very languid and trippy for me.
I have heard that this was recorded as a 9 or 10 minute jam (originally called “Aerial Tour Instrumental”) that was cut down for the album. But I’ve never heard that anyone has it.
Its also, I think, the first (and only?) Beatles song credited to all four. Surely there are others I’m not thinking of at the moment.