RE: [Harp-L] Re: Dangerous Harp

["Bill Hines" <billhines4@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Someone told me that on the second song "I Should Have Known Better" it
was actually keyboard synth trying to sound like harp, not harp. I
watched a replay and I think I agree. It just didn't sound quite like a
real harmonica (no matter how badly played :^)

Bill Hines
Hershey, PA

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Jonathan Metts
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 12:27 AM
To: J Compton
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Dangerous Harp

The other song you heard harp on was "I Should Have Known Better".  Like

a number of early Beatles songs, it had a harmonica part (originally 
played by John Lennon).  Lennon was not an expert player but does have 
some interesting solos in certain songs.  He mostly played chromatics 
but occasionally used a diatonic; some of the solos are deceptively 
tricky if you try to play them on the wrong harp.  However, it was 
definitely a secondary instrument for him.  (Fun Trivia: In the movie 
Help!, he identifies his contributions to the band as "rhythm guitar and

mouth organ".)  He had some talent for it but unfortunately quit 
recording with it after the first few albums.  The only later Beatles 
songs I know to have harp are "Rocky Raccoon" and "Being for the Benefit

of Mr. Kite", and it's barely audible in both of these.

As usual, the American Idol band did a fairly poor job with the 
arrangement on "I Should Have Known Better", and the harmonica part was 
not played all that well.  The original version is a lot looser and more

fun.  Harmonica parts in the Beatles songs are fun to play and generally

easy to pick out, especially if you own a chromatic.

Jonathan Metts