Brian Dilts Music

Coming up at 12 noon EDT - I break down the monumental White Album track Happiness Is A Warm Gun. We'll listen to isolated vocals, guitars, bass and drums, including how Ringo managed to play in straight 4 during a waltz! We'll also look at the origins of the song's lyrical content (that weird article) and of course I'll break down all the musical elements (chords, melodies, meter changes). See you at 12!

Skip the Carousel

1 2 3 4

1 week ago (edited) | [YT] | 4

Brian Dilts Music

Upcoming! Today at 3pm EDT - Give Up The Ghost, a Radiohead Loop x Piano Cover. Enjoy!

1 month ago | [YT] | 1

Brian Dilts Music

Upcoming! Later today, I add to the OK Computer solo piano project with Subterranean Homesick Alien. Check it out at 2:45 EST! You can then check out my playlist entitled "OK Computer" which has (so far) the first five songs from OK Computer. That will be added to again shortly.... Enjoy the music!

3 months ago | [YT] | 1

Brian Dilts Music

In between Beatles and Radiohead videos I felt inspired to play some Elvis Costello (song by Nick Lowe). The song is “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?” A song whose lyrics hit exactly right today, though it could just be a timeless message.
This will be a solo piano cover, dropping at 2pm EST today! Enjoy!

3 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 3

Brian Dilts Music

Earlier this week I posted another Beatles song breakdown, Paul's You Won't See Me. Check it out in either playlist - Song Breakdowns or Beatles Song Breakdowns. Or just in my list of videos! Check out some thoughts on the song below - and check out the video for more!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
As I (probably) say in the video - there's no reason for this song to be under-appreciated - it's the third track on Rubber Soul. However, it's surrounded by two Lennon classics, Norwegian Wood and Nowhere Man ("Sorry/not sorry" says John). So in my opinion that's why it sometimes gets forgotten about in the context of Rubber Soul. Plus it doesn't usually get a lot of play as a standalone track given all the other classics Paul has written.


But in the video I bring it into the light a bit, and break down all the usual stuff: melody, lyrics, chords, arrangement/recording (including Ringo's incredibly underrated drumming and that Jamerson-esque bass line).


Some initial thoughts on the song:

I personally think this song is a turning point for a number of reasons:
1) Song length - it's over 3 minutes and the longest to date - and there are good reasons for it to be that long which I'll dive into.


2) A huge step forward in Ringo's drumming, pointing ahead towards his more fill-heavy psychedelic period (think Rain and Strawberry Fields). While Ticket To Ride and Day Tripper get more attention in this regard, he's doing more actual fills in this song than both of songs put together.

3) The lyric writing is getting more a little more sophisticated here. The lyrics are good; far from Paul's best. But they do point the way, carrying forward similar relationship themes he explored in The Night Before, and hinting at upcoming greatness on lyrics like For No One which have much greater depth and emotional weight to them. You Won't See Me is one of many songs he wrote about his on-again/off-again relationship with Jane Asher in the mid-60's.

Of course I can't say all this without acknowledging that Paul had still already written at least a handful of impeccable lyrics already (Yesterday, And I Love Her) but I think it's on Rubber Soul and Revolver when his lyrics get more consistently interesting, as well as varied.


I'll save the rest for the video! Enjoy the music and the break down.

4 months ago | [YT] | 0

Brian Dilts Music

I've had a long layoff (some health stuff and holiday craziness!) but I'm back tomorrow (Friday Dec 18 at 9am EST) with my breakdown of Radiohead's Airbag! I'll be breaking down the chords/melody of the recorded song as well as go into how I put it together for my Airbag piano cover. Check out that piano cover if you haven't and check out the breakdown tomorrow!

Skip the Carousel

1 2

5 months ago | [YT] | 4

Brian Dilts Music

My most recent piano cover is one I've been wanting to play for a long time: How To Disappear Completely, which Thom Yorke once called "the most beautiful thing we ever did". I would have to agree, and I hope this piano version does even a little bit of justice to this masterpiece.
Enjoy your weekend!
-Brian
#KidA25 #Radiohead #Pianosolo #Imnothere

7 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 2

Brian Dilts Music

Coming up today at 7pm - Breaking Down Exit Music (For A Film).

The song was originally recorded for Baz Luhrmann's 1997 film Romeo And Juliet, and it was literally the "Exit Music", playing over the film's closing credits, as well as marking Romeo and Juliet's "exit". The band loved the recording so much that they requested it remain off of the soundtrack so it could be included on their 1997 landmark album OK Computer. Good thing they did as it is probably the standout track among many other standouts (Let Down, No Surprises, Lucky).

I’ll break down the song, note by note, section by section. The song has an unconventional song structure (no chorus, 2 bridges) that creates an incredible slow-build. Thom’s vocal leads us through it all and never misses. Radiohead in their prime.

Catch the breakdown at 7pm EDT.

See you then.
-Brian

7 months ago | [YT] | 4

Brian Dilts Music

A couple years ago I posted this piano cover of The Smile's Free In The Knowledge. I'm proud to announce that I will shortly have an arrangement of this song up on Sheet Music Plus. When it's up I will post a scrolling score video and a link to purchase the sheet music.
Hopefully this is the first of many arrangements I will be releasing. For now enjoy the piano cover!
#TheSmile #Piano #Radiohead #ThomYorke #JonnyGreenwood #TomSkinner #NigelGodrich

8 months ago | [YT] | 3

Brian Dilts Music

Upcoming video breaking down The Beatles' Here There And Everywhere. Today, Thursday Sept 4, 2pm EDT!
I would argue that Here There And Everywhere completes the songwriting "trifecta". Perfect lyrics, perfect melody, perfect chords (inc harmonies). And of course the overall recording/arrangement, while not typical in terms of personnel, is one of the finest that George Martin and the Beatles ever put together.

It's notable that John didn't play guitar in this song - his contribution is limited to vocals and finger snaps! Paul most likely played some rhythm guitar when they laid down the backing track, George played lead and probably more rhythm as well.

Fear not for John though, as he had a song like this for himself two tracks later, She Said She Said (Paul was absent on this one!). And the fact that John had not much to do didn't impact his appraisal of Here There And Everywhere, calling it "Paul's song completely, and one of my favorite songs of The Beatles" in his final interview in 1980.

Enjoy the breakdown!
Brian

Skip the Carousel

1 2 3

8 months ago | [YT] | 3