Junk by Dennis

[6string]

Background on the song: Paul McCartney wrote this in 1968 while in India with the rest of the Beatles. He had originally intended for it to appear on The White Album, but for some reason he pulled the song. Then it was to appear on Abbey Road, and again it was withheld. Ultimately, it appeared on McCartney's first solo album in two versions: one with lyrics and one as an instrumental known as "Sing-along Junk." The only Beatles album it ever appeared on is the Beatles Anthology 3.

I always wondered if McCartney's use of the "junk" images in the song is a metaphor for something else, in the way that he used "Blackbird." But you never know with McCartney. He might simply have written about the things he saw around his Liverpool neighborhood, as he did in "Penny Lane."

Why I chose this song: I always found Paul's guitar-playing on this song beautiful, haunting, and spare. 40 years ago when I first heard it I said to myself, "Some day..."

The challenges: Oddly, the biggest challenge was centered around the tablature. I downloaded three of them, and they were all completely different, using different tunings. I ultimately settled on the one on which someone had written "This is the easiest one to play." After tuning my guitar to D-G-C-G-B-E, I discovered that the tab was so flawed that everything after the first chord was unusable. But using that one chord I was able to build out the rest of the song from memory. After that challenge, the actual playing of the song, I discovered to my great surprise, is incredibly easy, and I would rate this song only slightly more difficult than one of Neil's campfire songs.



[video type=youtube][/video]

[haoli25]

Thank you Dennis and thank you Neil. Brilliant!


Bill

[suziko]

What a great response video. Dennis already knows how much I enjoyed his version of Junk, and seeing Neil's mini-lesson makes me want to learn this song even more. Thank you to both of you for introducing me to such a hauntingly beautiful song. Suzi

[willem]

When i heard Dennis playing this song i was sold,,and haunthing on YT for some more, but a realy good lesson there was'nt,,there were only beautifull players has well,,, but now these respons is so valuable ,,thank you...I think i must stretch some fingers..

[AndyT]

Dennis,

I'll be sending you the lyric sheets for all my videos in the future. You sing quite well and I want to give my videos that 'touch of class'.

[wrench]

Wow. Battle of the Bands. Dennis vs Neil. Who won? All of us.

Dennis, thanks for that incendiary video. Neil, thanks for the new lesson. Pizza points for both.

[BobR]

Dennis,

As I said in your original post I thought it was incredible and still do after a few more views. And see, even Neil says your singing is real good. I used top notch singing. It's nice to see Neil's comments and in this case sort of a mini lesson to boot.

Thanks again for posting it.

Bob

[hasben]

Dennis! Great job, brother, playing, singing and picking it out by yourself. You have ventured far away from the kareokie bar.(sic) I knew you could sing on a stage in front of people-- seen ya do it-- and well. But hanging it out there bare naked as it were is totally different and you seem to be transitioning well. Keep posting and I keep watching and enjoying.

Fred

[dennisg]

As you all know, I'm rarely at a loss for words around here, but this is one of those times. I'm truly humbled by your support.

Thanks so much, Neil, for showing me what's really possible in this song. I can see how much more fully fleshed out your version of the song is, and I'm mystified that you were able to give life to such beauty without a tab.

I'm happy that some of the younger folks on the site finally get to hear a song that knocked me out 40 years ago when I heard it for the first time.

- Dennis

[jayswett]

Simply awesome. You've set a very high standard for the rest of us in 2010. Great video.