Merry Christmas From Beatles Songwriting Academy

And so this is... ah skip it... well another year - a few more songs... Merry Christmas Everyone! - hope you had a good year and have an even better year to come. Thanks for the comments and likes, shares and things (especially to everyone on the Forum).

Here's a few Christmas gifts for you all....

Dang I must find out how to make that link work - here it is

And here's more info about Lennon's borrowing on this and other songs

And finally here's a free download of my holiday tune One More Hour With You (A Christmas Song)  more info here

The Strange Tale Of Stewball

Skewball was a racehorse born in England in 1741 who went on to win many races in England and Ireland. His most famous race in Kildare inspired a folk ballad. Over the years the song travelled and mutated as it was taken up by English, Irish & French singers and American slaves turned the ballad into a chain gang song called Stewball. Popular recordings by Leadbelly and Woody Guthrie followed.

The Greenbriar Boys took the lyrics from a Cisco Houston version and added a new tune written by banjo player Bob Yellin. This version was recorded by Peter, Paul & Mary in 1963.

In 1971 John & Yoko released their Vietnam protest song - Merry Xmas (War Is Over) with a melody and chord progression that sounded suspiciously like Stewball with a key change, descant and a refrain added. Though the The Greenbriar Boys's new tune and arrangement means that the song is not in the public domain even now, to my knowledge there has never been any legal challenge over John and Yoko's appropriation of the tune.

 Stewball written by Ralph Rinzler/ Robert Yellin/ John Herald

Christmas Time Is Here Again...

...And much as I'd love to crack on with Let It Be, revist the Long And Winding Road for one more post or just see what's down the back of the Academy's sofas and put new batteries in the cliche alarms it's time to shut up shop for the holidays.

I'll be back in January with some fresh ideas and more songs - Happy Christmas

And if you miss me too much, you can always check out my friendly argument with Tom Slatter about whether the Beatles are the best band for a songwriter to study (and part two here)

And So This Is (Nearly) Christmas

I'm about to close up the Academy for the Christmas break and I wanted to say thank you to all the people who've commented regularly, linked, followed, tweeted and done guest posts (or asked me to do one).

Especially Rob from Amersfoort (in the Netherlands), Gary from Canada (I think), Old Nick Tozier from Maine, The Real Matt Redmond, Eric in Chicago, David in Australia, Paul in Lindale, Texas, Ali Smith in the world's best city, Sharon Goldman, Irene Jackson, Matt Perman, Chris Robley & Mark Altrogge.

Your encouragement in it's many forms has been one of the things that's helped me keep going.If your name's not here and you're a regular reader that means either I've sinned greviously by overlooking you or you've been lurking for the past year. Come out of the shadows and warm yourself by this roaring candle. We won't bite.

Though I won't be posting over the rest of December I'll still be working on Beatlish things. My main goal is to update the tickets page and read the giant Anthology book without giving myself carpal tunnel syndrome.

Wish me luck.

Would you think me a terrible anorak if I told you that this was recorded on the same day the Beatles cut I Want To Hold Your Hand & This Boy? It was also the first time they recorded on 4 track. John was wearing dark blue woollen socks. One of these facts is made up.