Ramblings

Photo: Rob Edwards

The first time England won the World Cup, Paperback Writer was on its way down the charts, and had just gone out of the Top Twenty. It was about then that Rob and I acquired our copy, probably from Music Hall, in Church Street, Rickmansworth. In those days, children, records had an A-side and a B-side, and after you had rushed home and played the song you had heard on the radio five or six times, you flipped it over and listened to the B-side. This was often a waste of time. Never with the Beatles, though.

Paperback Writer is now one of their less celebrated singles, but Rob and I enjoyed it as we listened in our shared bedroom. It stands up well today, with its quirky subject matter, choppy rhythms and irresistible sense of movement. Paul McCartney says he wrote it in response to a challenge from his auntie. “My Auntie Lil said to me, ‘Why do you always write songs about love all the time? Can’t you ever write about a horse or the summit conference or something interesting?’ So, I thought, ‘All right, Auntie Lil.’” McCartney may have also have been teasing Lennon, who had authored two books by now.

But the real treat was when we flipped the record to try the B-side. Rain was astonishing. It was the loudest thing I’d ever heard, and my ten year old self was blown away. It turns out the volume was no accident: apparently there was a rule at EMI limiting the volume of their records, due to concerns that too powerful a sound on disc might cause the stylus to jump. But the boffins at EMI invented something called Automatic Transient Overload Control which allowed this single to be cut louder than any other to that date.

Rain was at once thunderous and psychedelic. Oasis have founded a whole career on this song. But those looking for deeper meaning might be disappointed by Lennon’s prosaic explanation of the inspiration for the song. He said it was about “People moaning because … they don’t like the weather”.

If the rain comes
They run and hide their heads
They might as well be dead

When the sun shines
They slip into the shade
And sip their lemonade

The record sounds trippy, and the Beatles were certainly into their marijuana phase by this time. But what came through to this delighted ten year old – besides the uncompromising churn of sound – was a simple message of positivity.

Rain
I don't mind
Shine
The weather's fine

Lennon was saying what Billy Connolly would later also memorably express, “I hate all those weathermen who tell you that rain is bad weather. There’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing, so get yourself a sexy raincoat and live a little.”

And Rain. It still sends shivers down my spine.