Ranking The Beatles

#113 - Piggies with guest Andre Bohren (musician, The Walrus, 1000s of others)


Listen Later

By the time of the White Album, George Harrison had mellowed considerably, thanks in part to his immersion in meditation. His newfound enlightenment replacing the dour, bitter side that came out in earlier songs like "Don't Bother Me," or "Taxman." So it's interesting that this chilled out version of George would decide to pickup the abandoned-in-1966 song "Piggies" to complete for the band's 1968 album. But indeed he does, and with a big assist from Abbey Road engineer Chris Thomas, turns in an Orwellian baroque classical-influenced social commentary track about class inequity. It's an outlier on a album with many outliers, but it's a really fun, light-hearted yet heavy-handed track that wouldn't work nearly as well without the harpsichord work of Thomas, who happened to be overseeing the session and had the gumption to suggest, and then perform that part that essentially drives the whole track. Whether it's essential is another argument for another podcast, but it wouldn't be the White Album without "Piggies."

Bringing a close to 3 Weeks of The Walrus is the caboose that makes our Beatley engine work, Andre Bohren. Andre is commonly known in musical circles as a drummer, mainly holding it down for Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes and being one of the busier drummers for hire in the area. He's the drummer in the Walrus, but he's also the keyboardist/pianist and he often plays drums and keys at the same time. You see, he's a classically trained pianist, who, when he's not playing drums, also does classical performances at clubs and festivals all over town. And since I know nothing about classical music, he's the guy for the job. We chat about some of the intricacies of classical music, the chronological proximity of the Beatles to classical composers (its about the same from then to now, terrifyingly enough), Chris Thomas, MVP, and the playful "screw you" that is "Piggies." Check out everything Andre, and get a copy of his fantastic classical piano record Resonance at https://www.andrebohren.com/.


What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingthebeatles⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingbeatles⁠⁠! Be sure to visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Wanna show your support? ⁠⁠Buy us a coffee⁠⁠!

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Ranking The BeatlesBy Jonathan and Julia Pretus

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

83 ratings


More shows like Ranking The Beatles

View all
I’ve Got a Beatles Podcast! by I’ve Got A Beatles Podcast

I’ve Got a Beatles Podcast!

120 Listeners

Things We Said Today Beatles Radio Show by Things We Said Today

Things We Said Today Beatles Radio Show

137 Listeners

When They Was Fab: Electric Arguments About the Beatles by Ed Chen and Jon Stone, Lonnie Pena, Martin Quibell

When They Was Fab: Electric Arguments About the Beatles

83 Listeners

Screw It, We're Just Gonna Talk About the Beatles by Will Hines

Screw It, We're Just Gonna Talk About the Beatles

447 Listeners

Talk More Talk: A Solo Beatles Videocast by Talk More Talk

Talk More Talk: A Solo Beatles Videocast

33 Listeners

’Paul Or Nothing’ Podcast by Samuel Whiles

’Paul Or Nothing’ Podcast

71 Listeners

Another Kind of Mind: A Different Kind of Beatles Podcast by Another Kind of Mind: A Different Kind of Beatles Podcast

Another Kind of Mind: A Different Kind of Beatles Podcast

258 Listeners

Glass Onion: On John Lennon by Antony Rotunno

Glass Onion: On John Lennon

41 Listeners

Something About the Beatles by Evergreen Podcasts

Something About the Beatles

352 Listeners

2Legs: A Paul McCartney Podcast by Andy Nicholes & Tom Hunyady

2Legs: A Paul McCartney Podcast

38 Listeners

Untitled Beatles Podcast by Untitled Podcast Productions LLC

Untitled Beatles Podcast

117 Listeners

Beatles Books by Joe Wisbey

Beatles Books

65 Listeners

My Favourite Beatles Song by Tim Tucker

My Favourite Beatles Song

11 Listeners

Toppermost Of The Poppermost by toppermost poppermost

Toppermost Of The Poppermost

13 Listeners

The Beatles: Note By Note by Note By Note Series

The Beatles: Note By Note

32 Listeners