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and percussion instruments, with Lennon and
Harrison's guitar work instead more prominent. On Sunday, October 18, during a day off from their 1964 UK Tour, the Beatles attempted a re-make of the track starting with take five. On take seven they added a distinct Hammond organ played by McCartney. Take
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LP." Lewisohn adds that in hindsight "Leave My Kitten Alone" may have made a better album track. Comparing the two, Everett writes, "The two covers attempted on August 14 represent one of Lennon's most inspired borrowings and one of his least. Unfortunately, the former, 'Leave My Kitten Alone,' was
236:
595:". He compliments Lennon's "berserk delivery" which "blasts away much of the song's gaudy chintz, only for this to be reinstated in all its gold lamé ghastliness by McCartney's Hammond organ solo. He considers that the song may have been recorded as a joke, a possibility
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writes that the
Beatles discovered the record in mid-1962. A set-list from August 1962 includes the track; neither "Mr. Moonlight" nor any of the other songs in that list are included in earlier sets, such as shows from spring 1961 and February 1, 1962.The A-side it was
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The
Beatles covered the song in their live act for years before it appeared on record, adding it to their repertoire in mid-1962. They discovered the track on the B-side of "Dr. Feelgood" by Dr. Feelgood and the Interns.
428:
recalled, "Mr. Moonlight was great because there would be this moment of tension in the audience. The song would be announced and everybody knew John would have to start on
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Dr. Feelgood is slang for heroin and doctors that write out easy prescriptions, though it is unclear whether
Perryman was aware of this implication.
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opening is "promising" with Lennon's "dirty full-voice... but the tone quickly becomes inexpressively lugubrious." Musicologist and writer
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and McCartney on
Hammond organ; track three is Lennon on vocal with McCartney and Harrison providing harmony; track four includes a
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agrees with, writing, "By taking the whole thing so seriously, they actually make it hysterical".
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The
Beatles first recorded the song on Friday, August 14, 1964, during a session which included "
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note—MISTER! Moonlight. There was no chord to precede it, he had to get it right from
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A cover of the song is heard in a recording of the
Beatles from December 1962 at the
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mixed the track for mono from takes four and eight on
October 27. Martin, Smith and
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Tell Me Why: The "Beatles" - Album by Album, Song by Song, the
Sixties and After
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writes, "commanded their crowd's attention before playing so much as a second."
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writes it is "most people's least favourite song on what was to become the
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on
December 15, 1964. In the U.S. the track made it to #68 nationally.
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describes the track as, "One of the Beatles' least popular tracks".
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writes it was added to their repertoire in late 1961 or early 1962.
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The Beatles never played "Dr. Feelgood", but their contemporaries
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395:(US). The recording features Latin-style percussion, prominent
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group "Dr. Feelgood and the Interns" first recorded the song.
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Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties
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The Beatles As Musicians: The Quarry Men through Rubber Soul
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The Beatles covered the recording for their 1964 albums
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1128:. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press.
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607:According to Ian MacDonald, except where noted:
534:Live! at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany; 1962
822:suggest instead the slapped packing-case which
723:In addition, the same song was also covered by
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1203:(Extended Special ed.). Crown Archetype.
720:on lead vocals prior to the Beatles' version.
508:The Beatles released the track in the U.K. on
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580:never released during the group's tenure..."
194:of "Dr. Feelgood", a minor hit in the US for
775:("Doctor Feel-Good") first appeared in the
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500:mixed the track for stereo on November 4.
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1225:(2nd revised ed.). London: Pimlico.
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514:on December 4, 1964, and in the U.S. on
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407:sings lead, with backing vocals from
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810:writes that Starr's percussion is a
678:adding citations to reliable sources
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591:describes the track as "gross quasi-
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1430:I Don't Want to Spoil the Party
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665:needs additional citations for
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629:– harmony vocals, lead guitar,
240:Cover of the song's sheet music
1278:The history of "Mr. Moonlight"
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540:Takes 1, 2 and 4 are heard on
285:August 14 and October 18, 1964
1:
1199:The Beatles – All These Years
1177:The Beatles – All These Years
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793:Rory Storm and the Hurricanes
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218:, did not chart in Britain.
162:Dr. Feelgood and the Interns
136:Dr. Feelgood and the Interns
34:Dr. Feelgood and the Interns
16:1962 song by Roy Lee Johnson
7:
818:surmises, "Starr's alleged
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182:pianist, led the group as
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1196:Lewisohn, Mark (2013b).
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562:The Beatles as Musicians
552:television documentary.
328:2:41 (US stereo version)
1569:The Beatles discography
461:eight was deemed best.
210:. The track, issued on
130:" is a song written by
1516:Beatles for Sale No. 2
614:– vocal, rhythm guitar
275:December 15, 1964 (US)
138:in 1962. The song was
1491:Leave My Kitten Alone
1201:, Volume One: Tune In
1179:, Volume One: Tune In
1159:. New York: Harmony.
549:The Beatles Anthology
468:, track one features
454:Leave My Kitten Alone
399:, and, unusually, an
272:December 4, 1964 (UK)
146:on their 1964 albums
1646:Magical Mystery Tour
674:improve this article
222:The Beatles' version
1534:Corresponding North
1366:I'll Follow the Sun
1359:Rock and Roll Music
1181:. Crown Archetype.
1078:, pp. 257–258.
924:"The Hot 100 Chart"
583:Everett writes the
466:four-track recorder
1604:A Hard Day's Night
1583:The Beatles albums
1423:Every Little Thing
1384:Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey
901:, p. 653–654.
556:Critical reception
476:of Harrison on an
198:, achieving 66 in
152:(in the U.K.) and
47:"Doctor Feel-Good"
1717:The Hollies songs
1707:The Beatles songs
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1683:
1453:
1452:
1437:What You're Doing
1402:Eight Days a Week
1232:978-1-84413-828-9
1210:978-1-4087-0478-3
1188:978-1-4000-8305-3
1166:978-0-517-57066-1
1135:978-0-19-514105-4
708:Another emerging
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381:
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186:or Dr. Feelgood.
124:
123:
1724:
1660:Yellow Submarine
1611:Beatles for Sale
1597:With the Beatles
1590:Please Please Me
1562:Related articles
1523:4 by the Beatles
1509:Beatles for Sale
1458:Non-album single
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229:"Mr. Moonlight"
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188:Roy Lee Johnson
172:Willie Perryman
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119:Roy Lee Johnson
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128:Mr. Moonlight
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113:Songwriter(s)
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31:
27:
22:
19:
1697:1962 singles
1672:
1665:
1658:
1652:
1644:
1637:
1630:
1623:
1616:
1609:
1602:
1595:
1588:
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1550:
1543:
1521:
1514:
1507:
1372:
1313:
1246:
1222:
1197:
1175:
1154:
1139:. Retrieved
1123:
1095:
1088:Everett 2001
1083:
1076:Everett 2001
1071:
1064:Everett 2001
1059:
1052:Everett 2001
1047:
1035:
1005:Everett 2001
977:
931:. Retrieved
918:
906:
894:
887:Everett 2001
882:
846:
824:Derek Taylor
787:
777:
759:
750:
729:
722:
707:
692:
686:January 2021
683:
672:Please help
667:verification
664:
646:Other covers
631:African drum
606:
582:
576:
566:musicologist
561:
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547:
541:
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507:
490:Norman Smith
478:African drum
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258:
205:
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196:Okeh Records
165:
153:
147:
127:
125:
18:
1653:The Beatles
1625:Rubber Soul
1545:Beatles '65
1466:I Feel Fine
1416:Honey Don't
1380:Kansas City
1345:I'm a Loser
1141:January 13,
933:January 27,
718:Graham Nash
714:The Hollies
636:Ringo Starr
612:John Lennon
543:Anthology 1
517:Beatles '65
470:Ringo Starr
450:I'm a Loser
405:John Lennon
392:Beatles '65
370:Producer(s)
251:the Beatles
155:Beatles '65
144:the Beatles
1702:1962 songs
1691:Categories
1667:Abbey Road
1552:Beatles VI
1241:Riley, Tim
1100:Riley 2002
838:References
710:beat group
498:Mike Stone
419:Background
341:Parlophone
204:and 74 in
1674:Let It Be
928:Billboard
778:Billboard
727:in 1963.
603:Personnel
597:Tim Riley
585:a capella
525:Star-Club
494:Ken Scott
444:Recording
389:(UK) and
309:Folk rock
201:Billboard
184:Piano Red
1632:Revolver
1483:Outtakes
1394:Side two
1338:No Reply
1330:Side one
1243:(2002).
1221:(2005).
1153:(1988).
1120:(2001).
474:overdubs
298:, London
282:Recorded
267:Released
216:Columbia
102:Columbia
52:Released
1110:Sources
780:Hot 100
773:backing
736:Mexican
732:Spanish
593:calypso
546:and in
529:Hamburg
504:Release
452:" and "
434:nothing
347:Capitol
207:Cashbox
168:Atlanta
140:covered
1259:
1229:
1207:
1185:
1163:
1132:
820:bongos
403:solo.
315:Length
291:Studio
192:B-side
178:black
176:albino
72:Length
42:A-side
30:Single
1618:Help!
1323:Songs
812:conga
742:Notes
640:conga
401:organ
334:Label
304:Genre
180:blues
174:, an
89:Label
66:Blues
61:Genre
1257:ISBN
1227:ISBN
1205:ISBN
1183:ISBN
1161:ISBN
1143:2021
1130:ISBN
935:2021
795:did.
492:and
430:that
411:and
349:(US)
343:(UK)
247:Song
166:The
104:(UK)
98:(US)
96:Okeh
55:1962
830:'."
676:by
560:In
527:in
296:EMI
249:by
214:'s
212:EMI
142:by
32:by
1693::
1382:/
1255:.
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1012:^
989:^
960:^
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863:^
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730:A
712:,
638:–
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324:38
81:16
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688:)
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79::
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