The Beatles: Note By Note

You would not expect a psychoanalyst to pick Eight Days a Week as the song to talk about, but once he explains why, it clicks. In this Beatles podcast episode, we dig into why their newest hit at the time still feels like an intentional throwback, with little “odd” details that make it more interesting the longer you listen.We cover:- Who actually wrote it, and where the title “Eight Days a Week” may have come from- The intro they could not get right, and why the released version fades in- The musical move that makes the song feel slightly unresolved (in a good way)- How and why it became a U.S. #1 single, plus the Beatles for Sale EP context- A quick Help! pre-production storytime: “Eight Arms to Hold You” and how the film got its final shape

Eight Days a Week looks like a straightforward love lyric, but this lecture argues the real surprise is how many of the song’s rules quietly break at once, especially in the middle eight where the meter feels unbalanced, the harmony refuses to follow a clean pattern, and the time even drops out. You’ll also hear why the harmony moves works so well, and how the whole track can feel like a pivot point between early pop Beatles and what comes later.

We recorded this one with our guest Augustín literally out at sea on a cruise ship, which somehow feels perfect for a high-energy cover like Kansas City. In this Beatles podcast episode, we talk Beatles landmarks, the messy songwriting history behind the tune, and why this performance hits the way it does on Beatles for Sale.We cover:- Guest interview with Augustin (Sound and Story), calling in from a cruise ship near Tenerife- Beatles landmarks: 7 Cavendish Avenue, Abbey Road, 57 Green Street, and 57 Wimpole Street- Song history: Lieber and Stoller, Little Richard’s “hey, hey, hey” section, and why credits get messy- Recording on Oct 18, 1964: live take, piano overdub, handclaps, and the fade-out choice- Storytime: the 1964 North American tour and the $150,000 Kansas City show

Most people skip Mr Moonlight on Beatles For Sale, so on this Beatles podcast we put it on trial. Kenyon and Peter are joined by Nancy to settle it: is Mr Moonlight secretly great, or truly cursed?We cover:- Why Mr Moonlight is the most skipped track on Beatles For Sale- The song’s path back to Roy Lee Johnson and Dr Feelgood and the Interns- Version comparison: Star Club performance vs the Hollies version- Recording comparison: Anthology take with tremolo guitar vs the official release with Paul’s organ solo- Storytime: the 1964 North American tour and the night Bob Dylan got the Beatles properly high

What happens when an underground Twin Cities hip hop veteran picks the softest song on Beatles for Sale as his favorite track on the album?On this episode we bring in our old friend Alexei, known as Crescent Moon from Kill the Vultures and Mixed Blood Majority, to talk about why I’ll Follow the Sun hits him so hard. We get into his path from early Minneapolis hip hop crews to folk duos busking Dylan style, and how that journey opened the door to the Beatles.We cover:- The wild origin of the song, written by Paul at 16 while sick at home- The stripped down “bedroom pop” feel of the Beatles’ recording, complete with Ringo drumming on his knees- Bad covers of the song- A cursed 7-Up slogan during the "Uncola" campaign

What if Paul’s gentle breakup song is secretly in the wrong key?In this lecture Kenyon takes I’ll Follow The Sun apart piece by piece, starting with the lyrics and their roots in an earlier Paul song, I’ll Be On My Way. We look at rain and sun as more than mood words. Rain can stand in for Liverpool and Britain, the sun for a brighter, maybe more exotic future, and the relationship sits right in the middle of that tension.Website: https://www.notebynoteseries.comPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/NoteByNoteSeriesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/notebynoteseries

In this episode of our Beatles podcast, we invite music critic and musician Giggens into the room to help us pick apart why this cover still hits like a shot of adrenaline. Let's take Rock and Roll Music and make it Beatles. We kick off with our usual on-mic chaos, then settle into the fun stuff: how we frame a song, what we listen for, and why John’s full-throttle vocal changes the game. Along the way we test the line between rock and roll and rock, talk pacing and sequencing on Beatles For Sale, read period liner notes out loud, and let Giggens weigh the musician brain against the critic brain. It is playful, fast, and very us. No spoiler-y deep dives, just the energy of a barn burner, a few ridiculous jokes, and an honest, punchy verdict at the end. If you like hearing passionate people argue about what makes a performance work, this one’s for you.Giggens: https://www.youtube.com/@Giggens

This week on our Beatles podcast, we cover “Baby’s in Black”, not just a normal track on Beatles for Sale. It’s a doorway. Peter and Kenyon step through it and bring listeners along, mixing storytime with close listening and a lot of spirited back-and-forth. They trace a line from early Hamburg nights and an art-school circle to a song that feels old and new at the same time, then dig into why that mood fits this moment in the album. You’ll hear them puzzle out who carries the tune when two voices move as one, why this waltz feel hits differently, and how a few studio choices shaped what we now hear. If you like episodes where the conversation changes how the song lands, this one’s for you. Come for the harmonies, stay for the way longing and loss thread through the whole thing.

In this session on “Baby’s in Black,” Kenyon treats the song as both language and architecture. The lesson begins with the title and first line, tracing how color words shape meaning and mood, then tests competing readings of grief, longing, and the implied triangle in the lyric. From there, we map the form into three functional sections, compare the blended vocal lines to ask where the “main” melody actually lives, and situate the waltz-like feel within compound meter. Harmony is handled as design rather than trivia, highlighting the familiar movement of the outer sections and the brief middle turn that refreshes the tonal space without leaving home. We also profile the arrangement choice that makes this recording singular: the bent-and-slid guitar figures that frame the track and color the solo. Throughout, the aim is precision: how phrasing, interval choice, and form combine to make a small song carry big emotional weight.