An alternate down-home “Good Night” is a marvelous shock, Ringo Starr’s homely vocal gilded with earthy harmonies closer to the Band, moving in Byrds-like formation. The minute differences in Lennon’s two takes of longing for his mother, “Julia,” are telling his vocal falls more naturally over the guitar in the second pass. A 12-minute “Helter Skelter” is not the noise fest I hoped but a solid groove, McCartney leading a blues-jam Beatles. His Esher songs “Circles” and “Not Guilty” have to wait for solo albums. Harrison is coming up strong but frustrated. McCartney finds relief in corn (“Honey Pie”). Lennon takes his swipe at the Maharishi (“Sexy Sadie”) he is also exhausted to the point of begging (“I’m So Tired”). the disappointment of the Beatles’ recent trip to India. But this is an unprecedented view of the Beatles at the ground zero of songwriting as well as the trials and conflict that charged that bounty: the death of manager Brian Epstein in 1967 the chaotic launch of Apple Corps. ![]() ![]() There are rough lyrics and missing parts Lennon’s “Glass Onion” is just one, repeated verse. But the Esher tapes are a profound record in themselves.
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