Because It's Good

That's why the Beatles recorded a song John Lennon wrote to a backward chord sequence for Abbey Road.

"Because" came out in a flash of inspiration and was written in a flash.  John was at home with Yoko while she was playing the piano.  And not show tunes or avant-garde pieces - classical music, specifically "Moonlight Sonata" by Ludwig van Beethoven (below).  Yoko, you understand, is a more talented musician than you think; she's actually a classically trained pianist.  (She just can't sing.)

John thought that the melody was intriguing, and he thought he'd like to write a song with a melody like "Moonlight Sonata," but rather than just write lyrics to a familiar classical tune, he asked Yoko to play the chords in reverse order to see how it sounded.  The moody melody that emerged led John to write simple, philosophical lyrics that, like "I Want You (She's So Heavy)", didn't waste time with verbosity.  The message of "Because" was clear - the world is amazing, love is old and new, and love is all.  (And love is you.)

The Web site Culture Sonar has also noted how the words of "Because" are typical Lennon wordplay.  The world turns, so John sings about how it turns him on, and the wind blows, so he sings about how it blows his mind.  The sky is blue, and being blue, John sings, makes him cry.  Even with his simplest lyrics, John knew how to come up with something clever and witty.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney recorded a basic rhythm track with John on guitar and Paul on bass, with George Martin playing the distinctive electric harpsichord that characterizes the song.  But George Harrison contributed the instrument that makes "Because" majestic - his Moog synthesizer, which you already know about.  He created some wonderfully monumental riffs in the bridge, and he accents the melody in the coda with a light-touch solo like a pastry chef delicately frosts a cake.  Ringo Starr also played on "Because," but his contribution was not recorded.  He tapped on a drum to keep the others in rhythm and on time.  "Ringo was our drum machine," Martin later said.

The fullness of "Because" comes through on the vocals, John, Paul and George harmonizing like in the old days and sounding much like how Crosby, Stills and Nash were sounding with their own three-part harmonies on their 1969 debut album.  But the three Beatles had their vocals triple-tracked, hence the harmonies on "Because" - recorded in Abbey Road Studios' cavernous Studio One - were nine-part harmonies.  Hey, nine was John's lucky number! :-) 

Excepting "I Me Mine," which Paul, George and Ringo recorded in January 1970 to complete Let It Be, "Because" was the last song the Beatles began in Abbey Road Studios.  By the time they were done with it on August 5, 1969, all that was left to do was finish for Abbey Road other songs already begun.  It was a fine way to bring the album toward its conclusion, with such a stately and solid performance that was the closest to classical rock that anyone ever came. Even the art rock bands of the 1970s couldn't surpass it.

Beethoven would have been proud. :-)