For the Festival-A blast from the past: "Honey Pie"

[rbowser-]

--(click the image for MP3)

3 years ago, April 21, 2009, I posted my instrumental of the nifty Lennon/McCartney homage to the 1920's, "Honey Pie."

I simulated the sound of a worn 78 RPM record during the intro, then it opens up into the sound of a band playing in an intimate night club. After the final note, I punctuate the track with the once-dreaded sound of a needle scraping across record grooves--OUCH!

The vocal line was adapted into a Tenor Sax lead. The rest of the arrangement was a close emulation of what's heard on this White Album track, with an aim to keep it a bit restrained, cool and bouncy. I remember looking up the instrumentation of the original so I could re-create that.

The primary instruments are from "JABB" - Garritan Jazz and Big Band:

Tenor Sax (lead)
Sopranino Sax
Soprano Sax
2 Alto Sax
Baritone Sax
Piano
Electric Guitar
Clarinets 1 and 2 are from GPO.

And I used Cakewalk's Studio Instruments Bass, and Session Drummer.

Here's the original thread, from back in the days when music posts could engender lots of discussion:

Honey Pie in 2009

If you go there, you wouldn't want to post a reply and bring that old thread back to the top. If you want to say anything in response to this Beatles project, I'd love to hear from you on this new thread.

Randy

[sanyarem]

Hello Randy! I just got back from vacation and was looking to catch up on all of the new posts (or at least some of them for now!)

I picked yours first, but it seems that when I try to listen, Box says the link references a file that is either deleted or unavailable to me (perhaps if it is not deleted, it is not public)

Hope to hear this one!

[rbowser-]

Hello Randy! I just got back from vacation and was looking to catch up on all of the new posts (or at least some of them for now!)

I picked yours first, but it seems that when I try to listen, Box says the link references a file that is either deleted or unavailable to me (perhaps if it is not deleted, it is not public)

Hope to hear this one!

Thanks for the alert, Michael - But the link's working, it's a public file - I've been getting auto-email from Box when people listened to it today - So, -- don't know what to tell you. I just looked around at Box to triple check - all seems fine! Guess you just need to click again, or your protection software is being overly aggressive - something!

Randy

[sanyarem]

Hello Randy! I was able to get to the file from the link on your original thread. I took a closer look at the link in the image, and it looks like part of the link was duplicated (something like: files/numbersAndStuff/files/numbserAndStuffAgain)

Either way, I was able to listen to it, and that is just great! I really loved your recording here, the record simulation is just perfect, it really sets the mood. Once the setting changes, the performance is so nicely done, I really enjoyed listening to this one! Perhaps it is blasphemous to say, but yours is the first version of Honey Pie I have heard (at least remember hearing), I don't believe I have heard the original Beatles recording, I shall have to check it out

Thanks for posting!

[rbowser-]

Hello Randy! I was able to get to the file from the link on your original thread. I took a closer look at the link in the image, and it looks like part of the link was duplicate...yours is the first version of Honey Pie I have heard (at least remember hearing), I don't believe I have heard the original Beatles recording, I shall have to check it out..

Thanks for your persistence, Michael! - I've edited the post, re-pasted the link. Odd that it was working for me --maybe because I'm the owner? But other people were playing it today, at least 5 folks - they must have gone digging into the old thread too! IIIII don't know, since there've been no posted responses up until yours.

OH my - You are a kid--you don't know yer Beatles repertoire? This is a really fun cut on The White Album. There's a brief bit of record noise during the intro, just for a measure, so I ran with that idea.

But I always loved this, found it verrrry trippy back in the day, because it was so Out there. Completely Paul McCartney's writing, but "Lennon/McCartney" was the trademarked agreed upon credit line for all their records. As with their other songs that use extra instrumentation (beyond guitars, bass, drums), classically trained George Martin, their producer, arranged the excellent winds.

Thanks for listening and for the alert about the link!

Randy

[Frank D]

Hahahahahaha ... what a smile on my face this tune does make! Fantastic!

I loved it in '09 and I'm lovin' it all over again! You really outdid yourself in two separate, but inter-twined ways. First and foremost, the music itself. Recreating such a fun piece so flawlessly, including the faithfulness to the original instrumentation, was great in itself. But then add the stellar and creative mix on top of that ... with all your studio tricks ... it really elevates it to a different level. So well done.

I'm guessing this was a George Martin arrangement, at least the reeds?? And a sopranino sax! Wow! ... very rarely used. Was impressed with the JABB electric guitar too ... really sounded good.

This is such a sweet cousin to "When I'm Sixty-four" ... I know Martin arranged the three clarinets (including a bass clarinet) on that one.

A really great resurrection for the festival, Randy ... thanks for sharing this one again!

Frank

EDIT: Just saw in your response to Michael that, yes, it was a GM wind chart.

[rbowser-]

Hahahahahaha ... what a smile on my face this tune does make! Fantastic!

I loved it in '09 and I'm lovin' it all over again! You really outdid yourself in two separate, but inter-twined ways. First and foremost, the music itself. Recreating such a fun piece so flawlessly, including the faithfulness to the original instrumentation, was great in itself. But then add the stellar and creative mix on top of that ... with all your studio tricks ... it really elevates it to a different level. So well done.

I'm guessing this was a George Martin arrangement, at least the reeds?? And a sopranino sax! Wow! ... very rarely used. Was impressed with the JABB electric guitar too ... really sounded good.

This is such a sweet cousin to "When I'm Sixty-four" ... I know Martin arranged the three clarinets (including a bass clarinet) on that one.

A really great resurrection for the festival, Randy ... thanks for sharing this one again!

Frank

EDIT: Just saw in your response to Michael that, yes, it was a GM wind chart.

Frank! Wonderful to see your reply - Thank you so much. I've frankly been wondering if there was still a problem with the link that I wasn't aware of - Box did some changes recently and sometimes my links are getting balled up.

Yes, definitely George Martin - and he used 5 saxes "playing at the top of their ranges," as one website put it, and 2 clarinets - and that's what I did. I can't remember now if I found info on the specific saxes used - the sopranino might have been one of my choices because of the note range. Or I dug up more detailed info in my "Beatles Archives" volume which isn't accessible at the moment, I'm not sure.

One thing different in my version is I relied more on the piano, and didn't use a rhythm guitar - It was chugging away 4 to a bar in the original, ala early jazz from the 1920's.

I hope some Forum newbies catch this - I'm still pretty happy with the project.

Thanks again, Frank, ol' Mr. Reliable when it comes to Totally participating here in The Listening Room.

Randy

[etLux]

Fantastic production on this, Randy (again... rofl).

I liked the retro-dramatic reference to an old 78 to bring it open --
and I particularly like the color and feel of the "room" you create,
here. Very intimate and convincing!

All the best,



David
-----
David Sosnowski
www.DavidSosnowski.com

[rbowser-]

Fantastic production on this, Randy...

David - Warms my heart to see you on this revival thread of mine. Thanks much for the thumbs up, and I especially appreciate your commendation of the recording's sound. You know, it's been a long time since I did this, but yeah, I think it Does sound pretty good.

Seeing your name, one of the Forum stalwarts who's been around longer than me (and that means you must be older than Moses!) gives me a pang of nostalgia - Just look at some of the 1,661 folks who looked in at this piece's original thread, back when the Forum was really in high gear. It's at least a partial Who's Who of the old Garritan Community, with a sprinkling of enthusiastic newcomers from back in the day - listed in the order they responded:

Bigears, Larry Alexander, DarwinKopp, Gary Garritan, Alexandre, Wrayer, Keysersozeh, Sunbird, Gypsy, Trentpmcd, Mrkeyboard, AQInk, DPDAN, Hippie, Rolifer, FrankD, Raymond62, LittleRedKing.

Some of those people are still here and involved, but I haven't seen them on one of my threads for many, many moons. That's why I especially appreciate you dropping by, David.

Randy

[DPDAN]

What a hoot!
What a blast!
What a riot!
What a great job Randy!
Dan