Strawberry Fields Forever

Using this famous Beatles song as the baseline for a stroll through the machinations behind its creation, Scott Freiman recently took his audience at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute (BMFI) into the Beatles creative process within the 1966/67 world of EMI (later named Abbey Road) Recording Studios. It was a satisfyingly lavish audio journey.  http://beatleslectures.com/

In two hours, Freiman's smooth, almost lyrical, delivery held the audience at attention in his multimedia presentation, A Trip Through Strawberry Fields: Deconstructing the Beatles.  His easy-to-understand yet detailed presentation delved into the recording choices created by the Fab Four at a turning point in their musical efforts.  Freiman used images and graphs that gave context to the intricate sound layers and made me realize that I took all this for granted when listening to the increasingly complex Beatles melodies.  Hearing them detailed in an accessible way emphasized the young artists' hunger for richer, forward thinking results that could only come from an open and unlimited sense of possibility.  The Beatles dared us to follow their creative lead in uncharted musical waters.      

With the titles of composer, music producer, and engineer in his skill toolbox, Freiman laced his presentation with audio, video and slides that seamlessly brought the story of three famous melodies (Strawberry Fields Forever, Penny Lane, and A Day in The Life) into historical perspective.  And just for fun, he began with an audio pop quiz asking the audience to identify sixteen Beatles songs from hearing each one's first note. While I thought, "Impossible!" my friend Joanie, ardent Beatle fan, yelled out, "Bring it!"  Freiman brought it. Songs such as "Helter Skelter," "Across the Universe" and "Let It Be" were readily identified by the enthusiastic audience and laid the groundwork for a virtual trip across the Beatle universe.

Strawberry Fields was the name of a now closed
orphanage near Lennon's home where, as a youth
he would visit when outdoor events were held.

If the Beatles set the table with their 1966 summer release of  Revolver, which included the heavily synthesized "Tomorrow Never Knows," the next generation single, "Strawberry Fields Forever" can be viewed as a return to the table but this time in the form of a lavish, abundant banquet. Freiman showed us why and how this pivotal musical effort forever changed the work produced by those boys from Liverpool.

Together with famed classically trained composer, George Martin, the Beatles stretched primitive studio tools to layer instruments and vocals and expand their songs' complexity.  A young studio assistant, Geoff Emerick was assigned to the '66/'67 studio sessions because he was inexperienced.  Experimentation in the studio was unwelcome by veteran engineers, Freiman explained, so Emerick got the job partially because he had no limits. 

Emerick's willingness to try new techniques and work at all hours with the creative foursome ignited a collaboration that lasted through the Abbey Road album.  In his book "Here, There, Everywhere," Emerick recalls his initial foray into working with the Beatles when John Lennon issued what became his brand of explanation for getting a specific sound. Instead of choosing instruments, he would describe the sound he sought in his singular way. "Make me sound like the Dalai Lama chanting from the mountaintop," was his first request of Emerick and led to the distinctive vocals on "Tomorrow Never Knows."

Gate to the orphanage which closed
in 2005.
http://canidoit.org/

Freiman showed in detail the techniques to layer sound in the studio creating deep, rich and elongated audio pushing the boundaries of known recording.  Lennon seemed to spearhead those efforts with the blessings of Martin.  When "Strawberry Fields Forever" was first thought to be the start of an album with a London theme, McCartney wrote "Penny Lane" as his added homage to Liverpool.  Again, the sounds of a fire engine bell and distinctive piccolo trumpet (played by British trumpeter Dave Mason) gave it the originality the Beatles hungered for time and again.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQyBRS8Nby8

Both "Strawberry Fields" and "Penny Lane" were released as "A Side" singles in early 1967. (They were eventually included in the release of the Magical Mystery Tour album at the end of the same year).

"Strawberry Fields Forever" 45 rpm
http://kcmusicandmedia.blogspot.com/

Dick Clark premiered the "Strawberry Fields" video on American Bandstand in 1967.   Freiman showed video of  the show's teen audience. Their reactions pinpointed a defined unease - not with what they heard but, funny enough, with what they saw. The kids were caught off guard by the Beatles' appearance.  Just about all their comments referred to the mustaches and brand of dress.  Nothing was mentioned about the innovative sound.  Freiman reminded us that this was 18 months away from the what was to become known as the "Summer of Love," when these same teens would most likely mirror the Beatles 'strange' look.  Once again, the Beatles demonstrated they were ahead of their time.

Scott Freiman
http://beatleslectures.com/about.html

Freiman concluded with the making of "A Day in The Life."  His explanation for the song's resounding orchestral finale combines the Beatles creative collaboration with a willingness to explore how far they could reach to make their music soar. Making a 40-piece  orchestra sound like a 200-piece orchestra may be child's play in today's recording studio, but 46 years ago it showed great pluck and ingenuity.  It also exemplifies the famed Lennon/McCartney partnership with Lennon's haunting vocals and sound as bookends to McCartney's pop contribution beginning with an alarm clock ringing.

The BMFI audience of Beatle-philes ranged in age from octogenarians to college students. Freiman's warm style and deep knowledge drew the audience in so subtly it almost felt like a spell was broken at the evening's end. It was as though Freiman invited us into his living room to share some thoughts about the Beatles as he eagerly and masterfully embodied those famous lyrics when he opened the door to our brief journey into Strawberry Fields. 

Let me take you down,

Cause I'm going to

Strawberry Fields

Nothing is real

And nothing to get hung about-

Strawberry Fields forever...

I know I look forward to Freiman's return to BMFI for another fruitful visit inside the Beatles' music. 

Link to Scott Freiman website: http://www.secondactstudio.com/studio/aboutscott.html
Link to Bryn Mawr Film Institute:  http://www.brynmawrfilm.org/
Link to excerpts from "Here, There, Everywhere" by Geoff Emerick:
http://books.google.com/books?id=WOk8TP8o018C&printsec=frontcover&dq=here+there+and+everywhere&hl=en&sa=X&ei=hYEpT5PcBIji2gWAn8DoAg&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=here%20there%20and%20everywhere&f=false