"Switched-On Beatles:" Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da (Synthesized)

Enjoy this throw-back styled song with its kitschy 70s synth sound!

"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" (Nigerian for "Life goes on") is a song by the English rock band The Beatles from their 1968 double album "The Beatles" (also known as "the White Album").

Though credited to the Lennon-McCartney partnership, Paul McCartney began writing "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" during the Beatles' stay in Rishikesh, India, in early 1968 during a time when reggae was becoming popular in Britain (described as "McCartney's rather approximate tribute to the Jamaican Ska idiom").

The character of "Desmond" in the lyrics, from the opening line "Desmond has a barrow in the market-place," was a reference to reggae singer Desmond Dekker, who had recently toured the UK. The tag line "Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on, brah" was an expression used by Nigerian conga player Jimmy Scott-Emuakpor, an acquaintance of McCartney. According to Scott's widow, as part of his stage act with his band Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da, Scott would call out "Ob la di", to which the audience would respond "Ob la da", and he would then conclude: "Life goes on." McCartney appropriated a phrase for the song's title and chorus. Following its release, Scott attempted, unsuccessfully, to receive a composing credit for his catchphrase. McCartney said that the phrase was "just an expression," whereas Scott argued that it was not a common expression and was used exclusively by the Scott-Emuakpor family. (Incidentally, Scott was featured playing congas, on the version released on the Anthology 3 compilation in 1996).

The recording sessions for the track took a surprising amount of time to complete marked by great disharmony, as McCartney's perfectionism tested his bandmates and their recording staff. After working for three days on the backing track, the work was scrapped and replaced with a new recording. Lennon hated the song, calling it "granny music shit," and a heated argument during one of the sessions led to one of the recording engineers quitting his job on the spot. The backing tracks were recorded and re-recorded repeatedly and "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" was eventually released on The Beatles on 22 November 1968. As one of the most popular tracks on the album, it was also issued as a single, backed by "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," in many countries, although not in the main commercial markets of the UK and the United States. McCartney had wanted the single released in these two countries also, but his band mates vetoed the idea as they had lost interest in the track. (It has been speculated that the turmoil surrounding this song contributed to the band breaking up).

The Beatles' decision not to release the single in those two countries led to several cover recordings as other artists sought to achieve a chart hit with the song. Of these, Marmalade became the first Scottish group to have a number 1 hit in the UK when their version topped the Record Retailer chart in late 1968. Despite the song's popularity, "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" was ridiculed by some commentators for its frivolous nature and being the worst of the Beatles' songs. When belatedly issued as a single in the United States in 1976, it peaked at number 49 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The first time the song was performed live by any of the Beatles was on December 2nd, 2009, when McCartney played it in Hamburg, Germany, on the first night of a European tour. Despite Lennon's derision of the song, it was immensely received in Hamburg – the city where the Beatles had honed their act in the early 1960s. McCartney included "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" in his set list for the 2009 tour and in the set list for tours he made through to 2012. He also performed it in front of Buckingham Palace for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, then at San Francisco's Outside Lands concert on August 9th, 2013. McCartney again featured the song in his set list for his 2013–15 Out There! tour and his 2016–17 One on One tour, as well as his September 7th, 2018 Grand Central Terminal concert.

I found the midi on the internet but it was full of errors needing to be corrected. I adjusted the tempo, fixed countless notes and added in extra layers of harmony and effects. This is a total throw-back to the kitschy synth sounds of the 70s & early 80s. It may not have much of the "ska" influence as in the Beatles' original but this fun, quirky piece is offered as a complete change of pace from what I normally produce. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed creating it.

As always, the use of headphones will greatly enhance the listening experience!

Видео "Switched-On Beatles:" Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da (Synthesized) канала Carey R. Meltz