Dylan's Mishearing of "I Want To Hold Your Hand"

[Norbert]

I've read an account that on meeting Dylan for the first time, the
Beatles offered him a drink. Dylan asked for "cheap wine." The Beatles
also offered him speed, which Dylan declined. Dylan proposed instead
that they smoke marijuana. The Beatles admitted to him that they had
never used it -- which astonished Bob. "What about your song, the one
about getting high?" Eventually, the issue was sorted out; Dylan had
misheard the lyric "I can't hide" from "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" as "I
get high."

Dylan or a colleague of his then produced a joint, which Dylan lit up
and offered to John. John, instead, handed the cigarette to Ringo, whom
he pronounced "My royal taster." Ringo smoked the entire thing, and
went into a laughing fit. The other guys agreed to partake of the
substance, and at least two of them, John and Paul, became regular users
-- so much so, that when Lennon's retiring personal assistant showed his
understudy Fred Seaman the ropes of his new job, he showed him about
procuring Thai stick for John.

Just curious: Does anyone in here still smoke weed? I used to, for a
while. However, I find today's marijuana culture, at least in suburban
Massachusetts, disturbing. There are now three dope dispensaries in my
small town, and the regulars shuffle up and down the street, murmuring
to themselves in Jeffrey Dahmer monotones about how that want to
purchase Greenland, take over Canada, and rename the Gulf of Mexico.
These people have doped themselves into thinking they ARE Donald Trump.

[super70s]

Post by Norbert
and at least two of them, John and Paul, became regular users
-- so much so, that when Lennon's retiring personal assistant showed his
understudy Fred Seaman the ropes of his new job, he showed him about
procuring Thai stick for John.

I believe Paul is still a user, at least occasionally if not regularly.
TMZ or somebody had a clip of him walking on stage during some obscure
rapper's (or comedian's?, I forget) show and they had purportedly
shared a joint backstage just before.

To me it's kind of pitiful to see someone of Willie Nelson's age
indulge, even if it apparently didn't shorten his own life any.

Some people just never "grow out" of it. It becomes a psychological if
not physical addiction like a lot of other vices, and easy access does
compound the problem.

[Norbert]

I assume Paul still smokes it. I remember reading, after McCartney
married Heather Mills, that she did not approve of the drug -- and that
he had promised to quit it. My gut reaction was: "That marriage is not
long for the world."

Some people can function on marijuana. The Beatles exemplified this (it
was LSD and smack that took Lennon out). Pete Townshend was a heavy
user of pot until 1969 or so, and he later stated that: "The problem
with marijuana is that in te long-term it turns you into a softball."

Other people become literally insane on the stuff, and develop
schizophrenia-like symptoms; they believe in *nothing but* paranoid
delusions. This applies to the Trump/Alt-Right-Q-Anon freaks who hang
out around the dispensaries in my area.

[W.Dockery]

Post by Norbert
I assume Paul still smokes it. I remember reading, after McCartney
married Heather Mills, that she did not approve of the drug -- and that
he had promised to quit it. My gut reaction was: "That marriage is not
long for the world."
Some people can function on marijuana. The Beatles exemplified this (it
was LSD and smack that took Lennon out). Pete Townshend was a heavy
user of pot until 1969 or so, and he later stated that: "The problem
with marijuana is that in te long-term it turns you into a softball."
Other people become literally insane on the stuff, and develop
schizophrenia-like symptoms; they believe in *nothing but* paranoid
delusions. This applies to the Trump/Alt-Right-Q-Anon freaks who hang
out around the dispensaries in my area.

I had to give weed up a decade or so ago. The new stuff is just way too
powerful for me.

[Norbert]

Growers of marijuana found ways to make it very powerful, but something
else is going on. Today's users, at least in suburban Massachusetts,
are permanently paranoid and delusional. Maybe, if not certainly, they
suffer underlying mental eealth issues.

And when did potheads go right=wing? Not just right, but radical,
Trumpian Alt-Right? Such stances would have been unthinkable among me
and my fellow smokers of a few decades earlier.

I quit smoking marijuana because the high was no longer pleasurable.
Instead, it made me anxious.

Looking at the screw-ups mumbling Trumpspeak to themselves as they
shuffle, glazed-eyed to the nearest dispensary, I'm glad I quit while I
was ahead. At the same time, I know that *no* amount of any drug would
have turned me into a Putin-worshipping misogynist.

[pamina58]

Paul is chummy with Putin...

[W.Dockery]

Post by pamina58
Paul is chummy with Putin...

Wow, that's weird!

[Geoff]

Post by W.Dockery

Post by pamina58
Paul is chummy with Putin...

Wow, that's weird!

Not as weird as pamina58 !

[pamina58]

[Norbert]

I'm reading a merchant mariner's memoir, whose author made two voyages
into Russian waters in the 70s. One of the author's hard-drinking
shipmates liked to challenge Russians to drinking contests with prizes
at stake. There was never a want for Russians who were eager to
compete. During the contests, the American sailor would play "Back in
the USSR," to the delight of everyone.

What the Russian contenders did not know is that the American guy had a
supply of everclear, and that he would lace the bottles of Stolichnaya
from which the Russians were served with the grain alcohol.

He won every contest, to the great embarrassment of the Russians.

[W.Dockery]

Post by Norbert
I'm reading a merchant mariner's memoir, whose author made two voyages
into Russian waters in the 70s. One of the author's hard-drinking
shipmates liked to challenge Russians to drinking contests with prizes
at stake. There was never a want for Russians who were eager to
compete. During the contests, the American sailor would play "Back in
the USSR," to the delight of everyone.
What the Russian contenders did not know is that the American guy had a
supply of everclear, and that he would lace the bottles of Stolichnaya
from which the Russians were served with the grain alcohol.
He won every contest, to the great embarrassment of the Russians.

Interesting story, thanks.

[Pluted Pup]

I assume Paul still smokes it. I remember reading, after McCartney
married Heather Mills, that she did not approve of the drug -- and that
he had promised to quit it. My gut reaction was: "That marriage is not
long for the world."
Some people can function on marijuana. The Beatles exemplified this (it

I thought they didn't use any drug when they were
recording music.

was LSD and smack that took Lennon out). Pete Townshend was a heavy
user of pot until 1969 or so, and he later stated that: "The problem
with marijuana is that in te long-term it turns you into a softball."
Other people become literally insane on the stuff, and develop
schizophrenia-like symptoms; they believe in *nothing but* paranoid
delusions. This applies to the Trump/Alt-Right-Q-Anon freaks who hang
out around the dispensaries in my area.

That seems strange. Are you trying to say that marijuana
is only bad if right wingers take it? So you have to
determine someone's political leanings to tell whether
a drug is good or bad?

[W.Dockery]

Post by Norbert
I've read an account that on meeting Dylan for the first time, the
Beatles offered him a drink. Dylan asked for "cheap wine." The Beatles
also offered him speed, which Dylan declined. Dylan proposed instead
that they smoke marijuana. The Beatles admitted to him that they had
never used it -- which astonished Bob. "What about your song, the one
about getting high?" Eventually, the issue was sorted out; Dylan had
misheard the lyric "I can't hide" from "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" as "I
get high."
Dylan or a colleague of his then produced a joint, which Dylan lit up
and offered to John. John, instead, handed the cigarette to Ringo, whom
he pronounced "My royal taster." Ringo smoked the entire thing, and
went into a laughing fit. The other guys agreed to partake of the
substance, and at least two of them, John and Paul, became regular users
-- so much so, that when Lennon's retiring personal assistant showed his
understudy Fred Seaman the ropes of his new job, he showed him about
procuring Thai stick for John.
Just curious: Does anyone in here still smoke weed? I used to, for a
while. However, I find today's marijuana culture, at least in suburban
Massachusetts, disturbing. There are now three dope dispensaries in my
small town, and the regulars shuffle up and down the street, murmuring
to themselves in Jeffrey Dahmer monotones about how that want to
purchase Greenland, take over Canada, and rename the Gulf of Mexico.
These people have doped themselves into thinking they ARE Donald Trump.

I wonder who would play John Lennon beside Timothee C. as Bob Dylan in a
future movie?

[Will-Dockery]

Post by Norbert
I've read an account that on meeting Dylan for the first time, the
Beatles offered him a drink. Dylan asked for "cheap wine." The Beatles
also offered him speed, which Dylan declined. Dylan proposed instead
that they smoke marijuana. The Beatles admitted to him that they had
never used it -- which astonished Bob. "What about your song, the one
about getting high?" Eventually, the issue was sorted out; Dylan had
misheard the lyric "I can't hide" from "I Wanna Hold Your

Hand" as "I

Post by Norbert
get high."
Dylan or a colleague of his then produced a joint, which Dylan lit up
and offered to John. John, instead, handed the cigarette to Ringo, whom
he pronounced "My royal taster." Ringo smoked the entire thing, and
went into a laughing fit. The other guys agreed to partake of the
substance, and at least two of them, John and Paul, became regular users
-- so much so, that when Lennon's retiring personal assistant showed his
understudy Fred Seaman the ropes of his new job, he showed him about
procuring Thai stick for John.
Just curious: Does anyone in here still smoke weed? I used to, for a
while. However, I find today's marijuana culture, at least in suburban
Massachusetts, disturbing. There are now three dope dispensaries in my
small town, and the regulars shuffle up and down the street, murmuring
to themselves in Jeffrey Dahmer monotones about how that want to
purchase Greenland, take over Canada, and rename the Gulf of Mexico.
These people have doped themselves into thinking they ARE Donald Trump.

This would make a great scene in a sequel to A Complete Unknown.


This is a response to the post seen at:
http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=682971714#682971714

[pamina58]

https://www.beatlesbible.com/1964/08/28/bob-dylan-turns-the-beatles-on-to-cannabis/

[Norbert]

"I'm afraid we only have champagne"!!!

So the Beatles, or at least John and Paul began using pot after the
release of A Hard Day's Night and before the writing & recording of
Rubber Soul. AHDN is really good, but the evolution evident in Rubber
Soul is astounding. Goldman, for one, argued that marijuana was a key
factor in the musical changes.

Of course, John and Paul were supremely focused on their work -- and
marijuana was a different thing back then. There was no dawn-till-dusk
dope digestion followed with Fox.

[W.Dockery]

Post by Norbert
"I'm afraid we only have champagne"!!!
So the Beatles, or at least John and Paul began using pot after the
release of A Hard Day's Night and before the writing & recording of
Rubber Soul. AHDN is really good, but the evolution evident in Rubber
Soul is astounding. Goldman, for one, argued that marijuana was a key
factor in the musical changes.
Of course, John and Paul were supremely focused on their work -- and
marijuana was a different thing back then. There was no dawn-till-dusk
dope digestion followed with Fox.

Agreed, again, Rubber Soul is often my favorite Beatles album.

[Norbert]

Same here.

I need to correct myself on something. I wrote, sincerely but mistaken,
that Albert Goldman attributed the change in the Beatles' songwriting
style to their marijuana use. No; Goldman actually wrote that Peter
Brown ascribed the guys' stylistic changes to pot. Goldman, in fact,
devoted several eloquent paragraphs to his own argument that the change
in style was due to McCartney's copping of black musical styles.

And he was right. McCartney has owned up to this -- to, e.g., his
efforts to play bass like "the Motown Guy," James Jamerson.

[super70s]

Post by Norbert
Same here.
I need to correct myself on something. I wrote, sincerely but mistaken,
that Albert Goldman attributed the change in the Beatles' songwriting
style to their marijuana use. No; Goldman actually wrote that Peter
Brown ascribed the guys' stylistic changes to pot. Goldman, in fact,
devoted several eloquent paragraphs to his own argument that the change
in style was due to McCartney's copping of black musical styles.
And he was right. McCartney has owned up to this -- to, e.g., his
efforts to play bass like "the Motown Guy," James Jamerson.

Did you catch him doing Golden Slumbers/The End on the SNL special?

Poor guy can't seem to hit those high notes anymore but hell he's 82.

[Geoff]

Post by super70s

Post by Norbert
Same here.
I need to correct myself on something.  I wrote, sincerely but mistaken,
that Albert Goldman attributed the change in the Beatles' songwriting
style to their marijuana use.  No; Goldman actually wrote that Peter
Brown ascribed the guys' stylistic changes to pot.  Goldman, in fact,
devoted several eloquent paragraphs to his own argument that the change
in style was due to McCartney's copping of black musical styles.
And he was right.  McCartney has owned up to this -- to, e.g., his
efforts to play bass like "the Motown Guy," James Jamerson.

Did you catch him doing Golden Slumbers/The End on the SNL special?
Poor guy can't seem to hit those high notes anymore but hell he's 82.

General strength and 'weight' behind the voice not the same.
Understandably ...

[Geoff]

Post by Geoff

Post by super70s

Post by Norbert
Same here.
I need to correct myself on something.  I wrote, sincerely but mistaken,
that Albert Goldman attributed the change in the Beatles' songwriting
style to their marijuana use.  No; Goldman actually wrote that Peter
Brown ascribed the guys' stylistic changes to pot.  Goldman, in fact,
devoted several eloquent paragraphs to his own argument that the change
in style was due to McCartney's copping of black musical styles.
And he was right.  McCartney has owned up to this -- to, e.g., his
efforts to play bass like "the Motown Guy," James Jamerson.

Did you catch him doing Golden Slumbers/The End on the SNL special?
Poor guy can't seem to hit those high notes anymore but hell he's 82.

General strength and 'weight' behind the voice not the same.
Understandably ...

Time to repost this video maybe ;- )

[super70s]

Post by Geoff

Post by super70s

Post by Norbert
Same here.
I need to correct myself on something.  I wrote, sincerely but mistaken,
that Albert Goldman attributed the change in the Beatles' songwriting
style to their marijuana use.  No; Goldman actually wrote that Peter
Brown ascribed the guys' stylistic changes to pot.  Goldman, in fact,
devoted several eloquent paragraphs to his own argument that the change
in style was due to McCartney's copping of black musical styles.
And he was right.  McCartney has owned up to this -- to, e.g., his
efforts to play bass like "the Motown Guy," James Jamerson.

Did you catch him doing Golden Slumbers/The End on the SNL special?
Poor guy can't seem to hit those high notes anymore but hell he's 82.

General strength and 'weight' behind the voice not the same. Understandably ...

Time to repost this video maybe ;- )
http://youtu.be/nxds-5YSWw8

Awesome musician. I particularly liked the shot when he cloned himself 8 times.

[Geoff]

Post by super70s

Post by Geoff

Post by super70s

Post by Norbert
Same here.
I need to correct myself on something.  I wrote, sincerely but mistaken,
that Albert Goldman attributed the change in the Beatles' songwriting
style to their marijuana use.  No; Goldman actually wrote that Peter
Brown ascribed the guys' stylistic changes to pot.  Goldman, in fact,
devoted several eloquent paragraphs to his own argument that the change
in style was due to McCartney's copping of black musical styles.
And he was right.  McCartney has owned up to this -- to, e.g., his
efforts to play bass like "the Motown Guy," James Jamerson.

Did you catch him doing Golden Slumbers/The End on the SNL special?
Poor guy can't seem to hit those high notes anymore but hell he's 82.

General strength and 'weight' behind the voice not the same.
Understandably ...

  Time to repost this video maybe ;- )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=nxds-5YSWw8&list=PLAD0A805F5392754C&index=17

Awesome musician. I particularly liked the shot when he cloned himself 8 times.

His Boh Rhap is incredible too.

[W.Dockery]

Post by Norbert
Same here.
I need to correct myself on something. I wrote, sincerely but mistaken,
that Albert Goldman attributed the change in the Beatles' songwriting
style to their marijuana use. No; Goldman actually wrote that Peter
Brown ascribed the guys' stylistic changes to pot. Goldman, in fact,
devoted several eloquent paragraphs to his own argument that the change
in style was due to McCartney's copping of black musical styles.
And he was right. McCartney has owned up to this -- to, e.g., his
efforts to play bass like "the Motown Guy," James Jamerson.

That's fascinating information.

[Geoff]

Post by W.Dockery

Post by Norbert
Same here.
I need to correct myself on something.  I wrote, sincerely but mistaken,
that Albert Goldman attributed the change in the Beatles' songwriting
style to their marijuana use.  No; Goldman actually wrote that Peter
Brown ascribed the guys' stylistic changes to pot.  Goldman, in fact,
devoted several eloquent paragraphs to his own argument that the change
in style was due to McCartney's copping of black musical styles.
And he was right.  McCartney has owned up to this -- to, e.g., his
efforts to play bass like "the Motown Guy," James Jamerson.

That's fascinating information.

There is nothing to 'own up about' in being influenced by a particular
or different style or performer of music.

[W.Dockery]

Post by Geoff

Post by W.Dockery

Post by Norbert
Same here.
I need to correct myself on something.  I wrote, sincerely but mistaken,
that Albert Goldman attributed the change in the Beatles' songwriting
style to their marijuana use.  No; Goldman actually wrote that Peter
Brown ascribed the guys' stylistic changes to pot.  Goldman, in fact,
devoted several eloquent paragraphs to his own argument that the change
in style was due to McCartney's copping of black musical styles.
And he was right.  McCartney has owned up to this -- to, e.g., his
efforts to play bass like "the Motown Guy," James Jamerson.

That's fascinating information.

There is nothing to 'own up about' in being influenced by a particular
or different style or performer of music.

Definitely, "own up to" is probably not the best choice of words there.

[Norbert]

"Acknowledged" would have been a better way of phrasing it, I agree.

[W.Dockery]

Post by Norbert
"Acknowledged" would have been a better way of phrasing it, I agree.

Yes, agreed.

[W.Dockery]

Post by Norbert
I've read an account that on meeting Dylan for the first time, the
Beatles offered him a drink. Dylan asked for "cheap wine." The Beatles
also offered him speed, which Dylan declined. Dylan proposed instead
that they smoke marijuana. The Beatles admitted to him that they had
never used it -- which astonished Bob. "What about your song, the one
about getting high?" Eventually, the issue was sorted out; Dylan had
misheard the lyric "I can't hide" from "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" as "I
get high."
Dylan or a colleague of his then produced a joint, which Dylan lit up
and offered to John. John, instead, handed the cigarette to Ringo, whom
he pronounced "My royal taster." Ringo smoked the entire thing, and
went into a laughing fit. The other guys agreed to partake of the
substance, and at least two of them, John and Paul, became regular users
-- so much so, that when Lennon's retiring personal assistant showed his
understudy Fred Seaman the ropes of his new job, he showed him about
procuring Thai stick for John.
Just curious: Does anyone in here still smoke weed? I used to, for a
while. However, I find today's marijuana culture, at least in suburban
Massachusetts, disturbing. There are now three dope dispensaries in my
small town, and the regulars shuffle up and down the street, murmuring
to themselves in Jeffrey Dahmer monotones about how that want to
purchase Greenland, take over Canada, and rename the Gulf of Mexico.
These people have doped themselves into thinking they ARE Donald Trump.

I don't smoke weed or use any drug now but did in the past, and when I
did a search of "590 Sherwood Road" "1981" this piece I wrote that's in
the Google Groups archives turned up,
"Listening to Dylan on LSD":

https://groups.google.com/g/rec.music.dylan/c/7rLq6LFsDhs/m/TW3SgUK8AgAJ

***

[Norbert]

Sounds like an intense (in a bad way) experience.

My parents met in Cambridge, MA., in the 60s, and I grew up with them
playing stuff by Dylan, Donovan, and Cat Stevens. My mother eventually
moved up to Gordon Lightfoot.

Anyway, so I thought I liked Dylan. Or perhaps I was merely used to his
stuff. Then, in the mid-1970s, a live Dylan concert was broadcast from
Colorado. Joan Baez joined him onstage. I was eager to see it. But
what Dylan proceeded to do was to make a mess. The songs were sloppy
and barely recognizable. His longtime collaborator Joan Baez was out of
sync with him,

And I began to suspect that Dylan was an emperor with no Clothes.

The same thing happened at Dylan's Grammy awards "speech/performance" in
the early 90s. He couldn't play, sing, or deliver a speech. In that
case, he was probably out of his mind on substances.

Still, I think he's an emperor with no clothes. People deify him
because they think they're supposed to.

[W.Dockery]

Post by Norbert
Sounds like an intense (in a bad way) experience.
My parents met in Cambridge, MA., in the 60s, and I grew up with them
playing stuff by Dylan, Donovan, and Cat Stevens. My mother eventually
moved up to Gordon Lightfoot.
Anyway, so I thought I liked Dylan. Or perhaps I was merely used to his
stuff. Then, in the mid-1970s, a live Dylan concert was broadcast from
Colorado. Joan Baez joined him onstage. I was eager to see it. But
what Dylan proceeded to do was to make a mess. The songs were sloppy
and barely recognizable. His longtime collaborator Joan Baez was out of
sync with him,

Your opinion.

That's the Hard Rain concert,band it was some brilliant stuff.

Post by Norbert
And I began to suspect that Dylan was an emperor with no Clothes.
The same thing happened at Dylan's Grammy awards "speech/performance" in
the early 90s. He couldn't play, sing, or deliver a speech. In that
case, he was probably out of his mind on substances.
Still, I think he's an emperor with no clothes. People deify him
because they think they're supposed to.

No, I suppose with Bob Dylan either you get it or you don't.

Sorry to see that you don't.

[Pluted Pup]

Post by Norbert
I've read an account that on meeting Dylan for the first time, the
Beatles offered him a drink. Dylan asked for "cheap wine." The Beatles
also offered him speed, which Dylan declined. Dylan proposed instead
that they smoke marijuana. The Beatles admitted to him that they had
never used it -- which astonished Bob. "What about your song, the one
about getting high?" Eventually, the issue was sorted out; Dylan had
misheard the lyric "I can't hide" from "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" as "I
get high."

Is this Dylan's testimony or someone else's? Anyway what he
said was not what he believed, he was hustling the Beatles
into taking pot.

Is it true that the Beatles used speed and offered it
to others, or was that just part of Dylan's story?

Post by Norbert
Dylan or a colleague of his then produced a joint, which Dylan lit up
and offered to John. John, instead, handed the cigarette to Ringo, whom
he pronounced "My royal taster." Ringo smoked the entire thing, and
went into a laughing fit. The other guys agreed to partake of the
substance, and at least two of them, John and Paul, became regular users
-- so much so, that when Lennon's retiring personal assistant showed his
understudy Fred Seaman the ropes of his new job, he showed him about
procuring Thai stick for John.
Just curious: Does anyone in here still smoke weed? I used to, for a
while. However, I find today's marijuana culture, at least in suburban
Massachusetts, disturbing. There are now three dope dispensaries in my
small town, and the regulars shuffle up and down the street, murmuring
to themselves in Jeffrey Dahmer monotones about how that want to
purchase Greenland, take over Canada, and rename the Gulf of Mexico.
These people have doped themselves into thinking they ARE Donald Trump.