Beatles in Mono.

Our family watched Yellow Submarine tonight.  During the film, we paused it a few times to tell stories behind some of the songs (e.g., It's Only a Northern Song, All You Need Is Love, etc.), and we used a few of the others to teach key relationships and the principle of transposition.

Later, our daughter showed me a hymn in her hymnal, the chorus of which she believed resembled the melody of Yellow Submarine (which to some extent it did).  When I played both tunes on the piano, she observed that the keys were 'close together' (i.e., F major for the hymn, G-flat major for Yellow Submarine).  But the real treat came when we taught her to try to count out the beats to All You Need Is Love.  To her surprise, neither three nor four worked.  When we explained to her that the opening theme to Room 222 is similar with regard to meter if not precisely with regard to rhythm, she began to grasp the concept a bit more clearly.

We closed out the evening sorting through my collection of about 250 LPs of the Beatles.  She helped me organize them by various categories (Japanese imports, British, Dutch, and Russian albums, etc.), and had more questions regarding the covers she was seeing than I could answer.  She was very curious about the cover of the 'Butcher' album, which we've discussed in the past, and which I own as a fake (and which is reproduced as Casualties, which I own).  When I told her what Jolly What! England's Greatest Recording Stars: The Beatles and Frank Ifield On Stage (a.k.a. Jolly What! The Beatles and Frank Ifield On Stage) cost me to purchase years ago, her jaw dropped.  I think she's turning into a Beatlemaniac. :)

Checked with my two favorite independent record stores today. The first has preorders on what they KNOW they’re getting and a waiting list for more. They suggested I come in Wednesday morning. That’s not a possibility for me. I’ve been off much of the last 3 weeks and sometimes you just gotta go to work.

The other store has ONE copy coming, which one of their managers has purchased. They were willing to take my money for a copy that should be available “at the end of the month”.

I think that arrival date is based on wishful thinking but I try to support these folks so I’ll just be wishful also.

The Best Buy in my area will have 3 copies of the mono set. I know that's only one store and others may vary but I think if anyone is looking to pick up the mono set tomorrow, they better be there right when the doors open.