The Beatles, "Drive My Car"

Here's a wonderful video of co-author Paul McCartney performing "Drive My Car." (Audio and lyrics follow.)

Is this song fast enough for you?





Amazon.com download link (not available)

"Drive My Car," Paul McCartney and John Lennon
(performed by the Beatles)

Asked a girl what she wanted to be
She said baby, can’t you see
I wanna be famous, a star on the screen
But you can do something in between

Baby you can drive my car
Yes I’m gonna be a star
Baby you can drive my car
And maybe I’ll love you

I told that girl that my prospects were good
she said baby, it’s understood
Working for peanuts is all very fine
But I can show you a better time

Baby you can drive my car
Yes I’m gonna be a star
Baby you can drive my car
And maybe I’ll love you

Beep beep’m beep beep yeah

Baby you can drive my car
Yes I’m gonna be a star
Baby you can drive my car
And maybe I’ll love you

I told that girl I can start right away
When she said listen babe I got something to say
I got no car and it’s breaking my heart
But I’ve found a driver and that’s a start

Baby you can drive my car
Yes I’m gonna be a star
Baby you can drive my car
And maybe I’ll love you
Beep beep’m beep beep yeah
Beep beep’m beep beep yeah
(to fade)

"Long distance information, give me Memphis, Tennessee"

Aside from the geographical references, this song has lots of American English words and phrases relating to using the telephone.

"Long distance" = BRIT. "trunk call" (междугородной)
"party" (сторона, участник)
"to get in touch with" (связаться с)
"to leave a number" (оставить номер телефона, как сообщение)
"to place a call" (позвонить)
"to take a (the) message" (принять/записать сообщение)
"to put smb through to" (соединить с)

Here's a video of the Mississippi River flooding Memphis at the foot of Beale Street.

Now, to the song. First, author Chuck Berry's version, then Johnny River's version. (Audio and text follows the videos.)

---

---

Прослушать или бесплатно скачать Chuck Berry Memphis, Tennessee на Простоплеере


Прослушать или бесплатно скачать Johnny Rivers Memphis на Простоплеере

Long distance information, give me Memphis Tennessee
Help me find the party trying to get in touch with me
She could not leave her number, but I know who placed the call
'Cause my uncle took the message and he wrote it on the wall

Help me, information, get in touch with my Marie
She's the only one who'd phone me here from Memphis Tennessee
Her home is on the south side, high up on a ridge
Just a half a mile from the Mississippi Bridge

Help me, information, more than that I cannot add
Only that I miss her and all the fun we had
But we were pulled apart because her mom did not agree
And tore apart our happy home in Memphis Tennessee

Last time I saw Marie she's waving me good-bye
With hurry home drops on her cheek that trickled from her eye
Marie is only six years old, information please
Try to put me through to her in Memphis Tennessee

"The carnies barking to a rock and roll beat ... Tilt-a-Whirl"

Source.

Delta Moon said farewell to their wonderful female singer Gina Leigh a few years ago, so the version of "Tilt-a-Whirl" in the video below is quite different from what I played in class. But the excellent musicianship is still there.

First, the version I played in class:



The words:

Tilt-A-Whirl, Tom Gray, Gina Leigh

Well, when I was young I had a mind to roam,
[The] little old town that I used to call home
Didn't have a whole lot of charm for a girl,
So I took up with a carny on the Tilt-A-Whirl

(chorus) Tilt-A-Whirl Tilt-A-Whirl
It'll wind you up, it'll wear you down,
Turn your world around and round, Tilt-A-Whirl

Well, I fell hard for the carnival life,
Smell of Diesel and the neon lights,
The feel of the sawdust under my feet,
And the carnies barking to a rock and roll beat, Tilt-A-Whirl
(chorus)

Well, he spun me around and he flung me aside,
Turns out I'd gotten taken for a ride,
Then he took up with the vampire girl,
And now she's riding on the Tilt-A-Whirl

(chorus)
(chorus)

(performed by Delta Moon; Gina Leigh, vocal)

The newer version (video):