Cry For A Shadow - The Beatles Best Sounding Recording?
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
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In this video we look at the song which we think is the best sounding bass recording featuring Paul's original 1961 'stolen' Höfner bass and the inspiration behind its composition. We also dig deep into its elements to find out exactly why it sounds so good. Let us know what you think in the comments.
Links to the CDs & vinyl mentioned in this video on Discogs (not sponsored):
CD - The Early Years (Polydor/Spectrum): www.discogs.co...
LP - The Beatles Early Years Vinyl (Contour 'street' cover): www.discogs.co...
LP The Beatles Featuring Tony Sheridan (Contour 'Balloon' cover): www.discogs.co...
UA-cam links to full versions of songs featured in this video:
The Beatles - Cry For A Shadow: • Cry For A Shadow (Anth...
The Shadows - Apache: • Apache (Mono) (2004 Re...
The Shadows - Man of Mystery: • Man of Mystery (Mono) ...
Elvis Presley - Wooden Heart: • Wooden Heart
Neil Sedaka - Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen: • Happy Birthday, Sweet ...
Helen Shapiro - Walkin' Back To Happiness: • Walkin' Back to Happin...
Link to other videos related to this presentation which you may enjoy:
The Truth Behind The Legendary Beatles Star Club Tapes: • The Truth Behind The L...
10 Great British Albums of the 1960s: • 10 Great BRITISH Album...
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Thank you!
![5 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT PAUL McCARTNEY'S BEATLE BASSES + Hofner Tone Demo [4K]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/TqEg30rNmts/mqdefault.jpg)
There's a wonderful moment in the Get Back documentary where Paul is adjusting his Hofner bass during a jam session at Apple Studios. George Harrison asks him "Where's your Rickenbacker? Isn't that much better?" to which Paul replies "No, I like this one cuz it's much lighter" while cradling it. The love that emanated from Paul's voice says a lot about the blood bond he had with his instrument. Truly heartwarming.
The first concert I went to was his Flowers in the Dirt tour, where he had resurrected it, had a tribute section of photos in the tour book, showed how it had the 66-era set list still taped to it as though it had been flash frozen in time. I remember him talking about the Hofner the same way, that he had forgotten how much fun it was to play and how much easier on account of its lighter weight.
@@brenthooton3412
It was elvis costello that got him to use it again. Saying it was like chaplains cain .. how "you just expect to see it".
I find this particularly ironic as he always struck me as pops Harold Lloyd and would personally have the same view on his specks ...no pun intended
And yet, Paul returned to Rickenbacker on "Abbey Road".
There was a VHS tape that was released at the time of Flowers In The Dirt which including footage of McCartney jamming with Costello and he talked about how Costello requested him to use the Höfner on "Veronica" which they had co-written for Costello's (fantastic) album "Spike". In the video McCartney says he found it strange at first but was moved that people still wanted that old sound. He also said that working with Costello was the closest he'd felt to that feeling of writing with John Lennon.
@@brenthooton3412He even had the Höfner (out of focus) on the Trippin' the Live Fantastic cover.
Great to see The Shadows getting some recognition, a fabulous band that are so often overlooked these days.
OMG how do you do this? The research, attention to detail, and storytelling is insane!! Thanks once again
My pleasure, Gary. Glad you enjoyed it!
EXCELLENT choice with "Cry For A Shadow"! That would NEVER have occurred to me. There really is a special "something" that Paul's bass adds to the song.
I own Hofner and people are shocked when I play it to hear sound of it..The tones from treble to deep bass are brilliant and it's light weight makes it so comfortable...But don't take my word for it..Just ask Paul McCartney he'll tell ya..
All the best from North London ❤
I'm seriously considering changing to a short scale bass, and at the moment it's a decision between a Hofner and a Mustang.
You won't regret the Mustang.
I've got one, too but, nearest I can tell, it doesn't work. I plug it in, turn it on and I get no sound out of it! I bought it used from a music store that fixes the used gear they sell before they sell it so, no idea why it's dead. For the $300-some dollars I paid for it, it SHOULD work!!
When I first joined my band in 1980, the bassist we had then had one, too.
I'm a lefty and a huge Beatles fan. I feel like I need one but I also feel like I'll be disappointed. I tend to like the stingray sound. Although I have a fender jazz with flat wounds that is a blast to play.
Although I have a Fender Precision bass, I also have a Hofner and often reach for it in my home studio when I need to overdub bass. It's fun to play, has an interesting sound and its light weight is a big plus.
Just when I think you've covered all the bases, no pun intended, you continue to delight and marvel you're fans. Thank you so, so much for your dedication and expertise!
My pleasure, Michael!
Don't "pardon the pun"; EMBRACE it!
😉
I’ve always been knocked out by the bass tone on It Won’t Be Long from Meet The Beatles - when I heard this when first released on CD the bass sound was superb - full, deep and quite forward in the mix.
As well as being a "roit ravah!" :-)
George - 81st birthday today - surely concurring with this choice!
Great job by Andrew calling attention to this overlooked gem of a song. I love Paul's bass playing on the early Beatles recording "Ask Me Why." At this point, Paul was such a superior talent on the instrument that his bass on this track sounds like a cat purring.
Andrew’s videos are the toppermost of the poppermost of ALL videos about the Beatles and their recordings on the whole of the internet. ☺️👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Superb as ever Andrew! Thank you!! 🙂 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thanks Ady. Glad you enjoyed it! 😊
Oh boy that story of Paul’s bass had me teary-eyed in the end. Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
You are legend. Never though I will see someone give this mutch attention to Cry fo a Shadow. I’m currently restoring later version of Futurama, which was called Resonet Grazioso in Czechoslovakia, later Jolana Grazioso and I’m enjoying playing Cry for a Shadow on it, despite it’s not exact same guitar George used, the body shape and general sound is so much similar. Also very glad Pauls bass was found, it is one of the most impoertant bass guitars in world!
Fascinating! Always something new for me on this channel. Thanks for the research work, Andrew. Last week I had the pleasure to rescue six Beatles mono singles, waiting completely naked in the 1-Euro-section of the record shelf. Now they have a save place at home, stored in new sleeves. I’m very happy to have them… See you soon - Martin 😊
Congratulations!
You make the most fantastic little documentaries on The Beatles! I enjoy them so much. Thank you!
Thank you! Glad you like them!
Another greatly documented and well made video. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Apache is such a legendary song. My dad's a fan of The Shadows, so I was brought up hearing them quite often.
Lovely video, Andrew. Another hit.
Glad you enjoyed it
Outstanding episode Andrew! This was really a fun one. Chapeau bas!
Thank you, Sir!
Great video my dear friend!!! Just love the sound of the first Hofner from Polydor sessions till Please Please Me! Sounds really amazing.
Best regards, my friend.
I enjoyed this video, very well researched. I now have to go pull out my copy of the Hamburg recordings.
100% agree - have always loved the sound of the bass on that track - you can smell the heat of valves mixing with the dust and the tweed amp casings in that sound……
Ah///I miss my old "The Beatles with Tony Sheridan" album I bought in 1979. Why did I let that one go? "Cry for a Shadow" was my favourite track on it, too. Mahalo for bringing back that pleasant memory!
Your videos are always a Sunday highlight :-)
Glad you like them!
Thanks very much for this Andrew.
Not enough people give Bert Kaempfert credit for his great "ear" for pop music, regardless if it was rock and roll or not. His studio productions were always beyond clean, and the Beatles were produced accordingly under his watch. Interesting to note as well that Kaempfert's own records didn't feature electric guitar as the main instrument. But, they did always feature a very prominent electric bass guitar, so Bert's technological skills as producer met up with one of the world's best bassists in McCartney.
"Bert Kaempfert's got the mad hits" 😜
I can see why you would say this. The bass on that song is incredible and shows where Paul would take his playing later. Hearing Harry Lime theme made me remember one of the best movies ever made Carol Reed's the Third man. This was truly a lot of info I either did not know or just skimmed through. Thank you for a wonderful episode Andrew.
Glad you enjoyed it, Michael!
Hi Andrew, an awesome video! Cry For a Shadow was a track of my teenage years! I love ❤️ the tune and the bass really grabs you! Glad Paul and bass were reunited...................Cry For A Shadow is also on anthology 1!
Once again, an outstanding episode! Thank you, Andrew. - Roger
Thank you, Roger!
Excellent video again, thank you so much Andrew! I'm also glad you pointed out that it's indeed Höfner, not Hofner. Long live the umlauts! 😊
Thank you Andrew! This is for me in The top 5 of your episodes! Thank you!
Thanks Marcello. Glad you enjoyed it!
Andrew, I love your videos since the first one I saw, please continue making videos for ever! 🫶 I was so happy when I saw that the Horner was with Paul
A fascinating video about the McCartney 1961 Hofner bass, Andrew! There was so much here that I didn't know. I have the Beatles/Tony Sheridan LP on the Contour album and it sounds great. I also have the Ain't She Sweet single on Polydor.
Absolutely spot on ! Cry for a shadow is often overlooked , and I have to agree , it is one of the best tracks the Beatles ever recorded. I bought it on a Polydor EP back in '65 or '66 and even today it sounds brilliant , the bass line is superb!
Interesting information as always. Thank you for your content. Happy to see you feeling better.
Wonderful history lesson (as always), Andrew! As with most things Beatles, I've been "pleasantly obsessed" with this particular bass. And yes, it did start with hearing the Polydor recordings. I 100% agree with the assessment of Cry For A Shadow as the best recorded bass tone of Macca's career and arguably one of the best productions in the entire Beatles catalog. My Bonnie is not too shabby either. The only EMI recording that comes close to this enveloping low end is the original stereo mix of Baby You're A Rich Man, which, of course, is the Rickenbacker. I'm proud to say that, as a bass player that specialized in playing Beatles music, that I have my own versions of both the factory issue '61"Cavern" bass and a customized version of the refurbished version that Sound City did for him, authentic right down to those questionable radio knobs! I have other authentic Hofner Macca basses as well, but this first iteration still sounds the best!
😮
I've always likes that track, and i agree with you, is one of their best sounding recordings, specially the brightness in John's rift is crazy , but I have never looked into the bass, and indeed is spectacular!!, thank you for pointing that out!!, cheers from Mexico.
He should record the follow up to 'I saw her standing there' with it. "Well she was just 70 , you know what I mean..." ☺
Now it would be..."When I saw her standing there...with her walker"!
“When I saw her sit--t--ing down -dah,dah,dah,dah!!”
Great video, as always. Thanks a lot Andrew!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hello! I've also always thought that Cry for a shadow has one of the best bass sounds in rock in general. I was fourteen when I bought a booklet of Salvat's "The History of Rock", which included a Vinyl of The Beatles with Tony Sheridan. When I put it to play, every time the F note in particular sounded, the speakers boomed cleanly and intensely; a beautiful sound. Greetings from Mexico, I love your channel.
I've always really liked this track and was very pleased to see it getting deserved attention here - thanks
Proud to own a 45 of this one. It sounds amazing.
Great video as always Andrew 👏👏👏
Thanks 👍
Great video
Amazing choice of song
Just played it and li agree
Another amazing video Andrew! Your research and detail is second to none. As a lifelong Beatles fan, I love that I can watch your videos and continue to learn about them. Bravo!👏
Great episode Andrew! This period of the Beatles recordings has always left me wondering why the bass was so prominent on these recordings and not on the early EMI recordings. Shouldn’t George Martin have known about the German recordings? I don’t remember a deficit of bass on the Shadows recordings. I’ve also noticed how over the years the “walking” bass on Can’t Buy Me Love has become prominent and cleaner.
Love these “technical” episodes.
Thanks for the update on how Paul’s bass got returned. Sad but bittersweet story.
Thans Brian. Glad you liked it!
Cheers Andrew! Interesting content yet again.
Hi, Andrew! Great video as allways. Totally agree to the song you choose. I have "Cry for a Shadow" in a 45 RPM and the bass is stunningly recorded, and is a true stereo in Germany recording at that times.
I had the Bulgarian Polydor “Битълс” edition, which overall was mind-blowing in sound quality. Kaempfert had an amazing ear and the “live” atmosphere really shines.
Great video! I didn’t know the original one was stolen. “Cry for a shadow” it’s one of my favorite Beatles song, it was always on my playlist while driving.
Yes, I did find that interesting and fascinating! Thankyou for that!
Very interesting Andrew ! I never noticed that "Cry for a Shadow" had a more prononced bass on the recording. I've just gave it a listen and the Hofner has a fuller sound than on the first recordings in EMI Studios. Cheers from Quebec Canada !
Me encanta tu canal porque nos das información increíblemente interesante, ¡¡gracias y larga vida al canal Andrew!!
Gracias Alberto. ¡Me alegra que te guste!
I was lucky enough to see the original bass's first public appearance in 50 years at Paul's 19th of December concert at the O2 in London. He used the bass during Get Back, during which Ronnie Wood from the Stones joined him on stage.
We then got the biggest surprise of all when Ringo also put in an appearance.
I've been a fan of Paul's since 1978, and discovered the Beatles in 1980. 46 years and i had never been lucky enough to see Paul.
Imagine the joy of finally getting to see a Beatle.... and then you get two at once !
I'm not ashamed to say, I had tears rolling down my cheeks.
Two Beatles, One Stone, and the original bass !!
Wonderful.
What a wonderful experience!
@Parlogram thanks Andrew, I'll never forget it 😊
Cry Me A Shadow...I nearly fell off my chair haha. And the best ever of the Hofner-bold statement. So much so that I had to give the track a few spins before I finished this vid. I'd always quite liked it and...ok the bass does indeed sound pretty cool actually. But the statement at 8:55 might be the boldest ever. Great vid as ever. 😀
Glad you enjoyed it!
What a fascinating story! I had no idea Paul got this instrument in Hamburg. That shopkeeper should be so proud of himself! Great documentary, well told!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
Great video , the story is so interesting, I listened recently to the full story, search for Paul’s bass, that was fantastic, on how the search, who they talked to, and then greatest find ever, can’t wait for your next video Beatles Forever. thank you Steve🎸
Glad you enjoyed it, Steve!
Agreed. This has always been one of my favorite songs… And the bass playing is amazing. Thank you
Excellent video Andrew. Loved it!
Glad you enjoyed it, Simon!
Agree never heard this story before. Andrew has done amazing research on the Beatles again. The moral of the story is you never prosper from stolen goods. Quite often it brings bad luck. In this case the death of two of the landlords sons.
Another great and informative video Andrew. Before I watched the video I was thinking about Paul’s bass playing on Birthday.
Thanks as always, Andrew, for the work and research you put into your channel.
I was about 16 when I found a sealed copy of the Polydor balloon cover. I loved some of the tracks but felt a very mixed reaction to others. It's still in my collection so it's time to pull it out again for another listen.
I can remember the two tracks that really stood out on that first time I put needle to vinyl. My Bonnie with those growling vocals and that fantastically wild solo, whether that be George Harrison or Tony Sheridan. I've heard and read differing opinions.
The second was Cry For A Shadow and, you're spot on, Paul's bass sound is superb. Full and thick, it more than accommodates for the lack of Pete's kick drum, to a point where I never even noticed that missing part of the kit until learning of it decades later, from you.
Our bass player, in my band, plays a Hofner copy which he calls his Mockner. The slim body and violin shape looks tiny for him as he's 6'7", with hands that could grip your head like a basketball ..... and then he picks up his mandolin .....
That’s the tone I’m always looking for with my cavern bass. You’re absolutely right about it being the best sounding example of his first Hofner bass.
I just freakin' love this channel!!!!! I learn SO much!!!
- Paul, USA
Thank you, Paul!
I always marveled at how good those recordings were as compared to the Beatles "official" recordings. You are right, this may be the absolute best recording of his bass. There is a cleanness to it; it isn't washed out or a muddy mess that often happens. Great video! :-)
A lot of those early and even later EMI records do sound pretty awful. I recently compared the Smoky Robinson version of “you really got a hold on me” to the Beatles version and it is sooo much better in sound quality
Great stories there, Andrew. I saw the McCartney bass had been recovered, and fascinating to hear the background to 'Cry for a Shadow', and although mentioned, Bert Kaempfert was very influential on musical output in the 60s into the 70s creating the 'Easy Listening' genre carried forward by his orchestra member and protege James Last . BTW It's also George Harrison's birthday today 😊.
Bert and his dreamy, slow Wonderland by Night, was the first tune that I ever slow-danced with a girl, at age 13...Some moments you never forget! I have that recording on a personal CD compilation of my youthful favorites--it never fails to move me!
@@curbozerboomer1773 👍😊
timely content sir - ty
George's Birthday Show! Fab! ☮🤍🎸🕉🎂🌍
100% agree. Thought the same since I first heard Cry in the late 60's.
That was great Andrew. Really enjoyed that.
I have a suggestion for a topic. On a few Beatles LPs,during their original release time, other countries changed their covers. To me that seems insane and not even legal. How and even more baffling why did things like that happen?
An example would be the Italian back cover for Rubber Soul.
See you next time.
It was a whole different ballgame back then. Each international branch of EMI had their own rules as far as artwork was concerned. Congruency between countries wasn't important then either. As long as it sold and fit the market, that's all that mattered.
I thought you were going to say ‘Love me do’, wasn’t far out on the timeline. What blew my mind watching the Get back movie (along with practically every scene in the movie) was how incredible this bass sounds through the Fender bassman. Just stunning. And the other day I was listening to the Analogues performing Abbey road in Abbéy road studio itself on headphones and again when he switched from the rickenbacher to the Hofner! Just an unbelievable warm woody punchy sound. My favourite bass sound ever.
The pub in Ladbroke Grove where the bass was sold to the landlord is (if it's the one in the photo you used) The Admiral Blake, which is famous for being used in Al Murray's sitcom "Time Gentleman Please".
Always liked the bass sound on "I Saw Her Standing There".
Excellent as usual, Andrew!
As you'd previously name checked "Very Together" as one of the best versions, it's going to make a good loud spin of my copy even sweeter!
Wow, your pick of Cry For a Shadow blew me away. Interesting. Will listen after this. Great video, had to watch it twice. I thought it was cool when they wanted to use their own amps instead of the new ones. Great pic of George at 6:08. ☮ I'm extremely happy for the return of Paul's bass. As far as the Rick goes, I love it on Juniors Farm...
Excellent topic and excellent video. And thanks for showing some love for the sound of those German recordings. That German engineering is excellent. I play bass and have both a vintage Hofner 500/1 and also a 1975 Rickenbacker 4001/S. Both awesome basses (although I personally prefer the Ric).
Fascinating as always Andrew, a great piece!
Many thanks, Tom!
Always thought Paul should do this live as a tribute to George & John
Amazing story, Andrew! Love this track since I heard it first on Anthology I. Thanks a lot!
Wow. Another fan of the Polydor recording. :)
Very nice story. The first time I heard the 'Hamburg' recordings was approximately 45 years ago. The album cover was different from the ones I saw in your video and had four umbrellas on the front cover. Among the songs was also a track called Nobody's Child which George re-recorded with The Traveling Wilburys. Cheers!
Wow Andrew, as usual, specially for the details of the bass story at the end of the video! In the Anthology version of Cry For A Shadow the bass sound can't be as much appreciated as in the original recording. Thanks for the heads up!
"This Is Where It Started" is the first "Beatles" album I ever got. I bugged my parents to buy it for me at K-Mart. I was VERY disappointed when i got it home and listened to it, of course.
This was interesting! Good info, as well. I have the 45 single of Tony Sheridan singing, "My Bonnie" somewhere in my collection. I'll have to look for it just to check it out, as I haven't looked at it in years.
Hello Andrew, great video,I love the sound of a bass guitar. On the same album Take out some insurance on me baby is the best bass line. It's so clear and Paul plays a great bass part. The ending of the song with Paul's moving down the string is superb. As for a Beatles track,what about she's a woman. You can crank it right up. A Jet Harris the Shadows track? What about 36 24 36?
Great video Andrew. Greetings from 🇪🇸
Hamburg sessions is the very best stuff by the Beatles! And they looked like Gene Vincent back then, the best look possible!
I just listened to Beatles 'Cry for a Shadow' and I agree, you can really hear the tambour of the Hofner! I can understand why, both pickups are at the neck position, which picks up the more low-end, and you can really hear the hollow body.
💯. The bass sound quality on the polydor sessions were terrific.
I was so happy to hear that Paul's old Hofner was recovered....It belonged to him physically and spiritually too...
We can't be sure that it was the actual thief who sold the bass to the pub landlord. He might have received it from the thief in order to get some money for it. Stolen items often travel from person to person before they are finally sold. It's fantastic that the bass finally turned up though! Ever since I first heard about the missing Höfner, many decades ago, I have always believed that it was owned by someone who had no idea it was Paul McCartney's stolen bass. Otherwise it would have turned up a long time ago.
1:10 was listening to Cry For A Shadow today for George’s birthday!
The first Anthology was such a revelation when it was released. That's where i first heard Cry for a Shadow, which is one of those instrumental pieces that kinda 'walks around with you', like incidental background music as you go about your day. "Three Cool Cats" is another favourite from that disc, and it has a similar 'imminently accessible' quality to it. And the lyrics are freakin' precious. :)
i love the fender jazzbass, is soft like the hofner, melodic like the rickenbaker, but with a hell lot of PUNCH
heard a few snippets of "my bonnie" on the spectrum music CD and it sounds fab!! thank you for the recommendation!! -- vivienne :-)
You're welcome! Enjoy!
Im only sleeping is my personal favourite bass recording.
George's contribution is amazing also!
It hadn't even occurred to me to go pre-Parlophone, but it was a good choice.
If you're talking the standard canon, it would have to be the Please Please Me LP. Easily a close second. Something happened after that LP where the EMI engineers must have decided that the bass needed to be dialled back on With The Beatles.
While not the Hofner bass, my favorite Beatle bass part is from While My Guitar Gently Weeps. For the Hofner, I would never have gone back as far as you did, but now I'm going to listen to Cry for a Shadow with a fresh ear.
A top-notch video, as usual. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it, Riccardo!
I recently discovered my Bonnie the one where Tony Sheridan sings in German when I first heard it I absolutely loved it I love both versions of it the song is great. since that version is available on UA-cam it’s a really great song.
Thanks as always, Andrew! I’m sure I’ll be listening to “Cry For a Shadow” today. Is there any documented evidence to suggest that the title was a bit of a jab at The Shadows?