In the Playboy interview, David Sheff prompts John to discuss the Beatles' "Because." John says this:

"I was lying on the sofa in our house, listening to Yoko play Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" on the piano. Suddenly, I said, 'Can you play those chords backward?' She did, and I wrote 'Because' around them."

I'm curious as to what people think about John's story. Is it true? Is it an exaggeration with maybe a kernel of truth to it? Is it complete BS?

On Sunday, July 11, 2021 at 5:32:01 AM UTC-7, Norbert K wrote:
> In the Playboy interview, David Sheff prompts John to discuss the Beatles' "Because." John says this:
>
> "I was lying on the sofa in our house, listening to Yoko play Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" on the piano. Suddenly, I said, 'Can you play those chords backward?' She did, and I wrote 'Because' around them."
>
> I'm curious as to what people think about John's story. Is it true? Is it an exaggeration with maybe a kernel of truth to it? Is it complete BS?
Two things:
- Since I ruined my record player back in the 60's I can't verify any backwards results :/
- Was John straight-faced or winking during the interview? ;)

On 12/07/2021 7:58 am, cuppajoe2go wrote:
> On Sunday, July 11, 2021 at 5:32:01 AM UTC-7, Norbert K wrote:
>> In the Playboy interview, David Sheff prompts John to discuss the Beatles' "Because." John says this:
>>
>> "I was lying on the sofa in our house, listening to Yoko play Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" on the piano. Suddenly, I said, 'Can you play those chords backward?' She did, and I wrote 'Because' around them."
>>
>> I'm curious as to what people think about John's story. Is it true? Is it an exaggeration with maybe a kernel of truth to it? Is it complete BS?
> Two things:
> - Since I ruined my record player back in the 60's I can't verify any backwards results :/

Not difficult to do, or find done.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QoNrxKAoU8

geoff

On Sunday, July 11, 2021 at 6:17:11 PM UTC-4, geoff wrote:
> On 12/07/2021 7:58 am, cuppajoe2go wrote:
> > On Sunday, July 11, 2021 at 5:32:01 AM UTC-7, Norbert K wrote:
> >> In the Playboy interview, David Sheff prompts John to discuss the Beatles' "Because." John says this:
> >>
> >> "I was lying on the sofa in our house, listening to Yoko play Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" on the piano. Suddenly, I said, 'Can you play those chords backward?' She did, and I wrote 'Because' around them."
> >>
> >> I'm curious as to what people think about John's story. Is it true? Is it an exaggeration with maybe a kernel of truth to it? Is it complete BS?
> > Two things:
> > - Since I ruined my record player back in the 60's I can't verify any backwards results :/
> Not difficult to do, or find done.
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QoNrxKAoU8
>
> geoff

John's acoustic demo for "Because" is also on Youtube. The guitar part consists in John's familiar strumming style.

The harpsichord part in the finished song was George Martin's creation -- as was the planning of the vocal harmonies ("I literally told them which notes to sing," Martin said). It had nothing to do with Yoko or Beethoven. One can see why Martin once said that Lennon's statements in interviews were those of a person who was "Not in his right mind."

And why, once again, was Yoko paddling away, with her palms, on a keyboard that was *not plugged in* at the One to One concert?

On Sunday, July 11, 2021 at 3:58:25 PM UTC-4, cuppajoe2go wrote:
> On Sunday, July 11, 2021 at 5:32:01 AM UTC-7, Norbert K wrote:
> > In the Playboy interview, David Sheff prompts John to discuss the Beatles' "Because." John says this:
> >
> > "I was lying on the sofa in our house, listening to Yoko play Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" on the piano. Suddenly, I said, 'Can you play those chords backward?' She did, and I wrote 'Because' around them."
> >
> > I'm curious as to what people think about John's story. Is it true? Is it an exaggeration with maybe a kernel of truth to it? Is it complete BS?
> Two things:
> - Since I ruined my record player back in the 60's I can't verify any backwards results :/
> - Was John straight-faced or winking during the interview? ;)

It may have been a private joke, but a lot of John and Yoko fans have taken it seriously.

Op maandag 12 juli 2021 om 12:45:38 UTC+2 schreef Norbert K:
> On Sunday, July 11, 2021 at 3:58:25 PM UTC-4, cuppajoe2go wrote:
> > On Sunday, July 11, 2021 at 5:32:01 AM UTC-7, Norbert K wrote:
> > > In the Playboy interview, David Sheff prompts John to discuss the Beatles' "Because." John says this:
> > >
> > > "I was lying on the sofa in our house, listening to Yoko play Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" on the piano. Suddenly, I said, 'Can you play those chords backward?' She did, and I wrote 'Because' around them."
> > >
> > > I'm curious as to what people think about John's story. Is it true? Is it an exaggeration with maybe a kernel of truth to it? Is it complete BS?
> > Two things:
> > - Since I ruined my record player back in the 60's I can't verify any backwards results :/
> > - Was John straight-faced or winking during the interview? ;)
> It may have been a private joke, but a lot of John and Yoko fans have taken it seriously.

Somebody here over a decade ago tried to make sense of it all

https://groups.google.com/g/rec.music.beatles/c/dUDPcTuou_k/m/yU9VIItBktcJ

On Tuesday, July 13, 2021 at 12:49:04 PM UTC-4, Emma Smulders wrote:
> Op maandag 12 juli 2021 om 12:45:38 UTC+2 schreef Norbert K:
> > On Sunday, July 11, 2021 at 3:58:25 PM UTC-4, cuppajoe2go wrote:
> > > On Sunday, July 11, 2021 at 5:32:01 AM UTC-7, Norbert K wrote:
> > > > In the Playboy interview, David Sheff prompts John to discuss the Beatles' "Because." John says this:
> > > >
> > > > "I was lying on the sofa in our house, listening to Yoko play Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" on the piano. Suddenly, I said, 'Can you play those chords backward?' She did, and I wrote 'Because' around them."
> > > >
> > > > I'm curious as to what people think about John's story. Is it true? Is it an exaggeration with maybe a kernel of truth to it? Is it complete BS?
> > > Two things:
> > > - Since I ruined my record player back in the 60's I can't verify any backwards results :/
> > > - Was John straight-faced or winking during the interview? ;)
> > It may have been a private joke, but a lot of John and Yoko fans have taken it seriously.
> Somebody here over a decade ago tried to make sense of it all
>
> https://groups.google.com/g/rec.music.beatles/c/dUDPcTuou_k/m/yU9VIItBktcJ

The Walrus Was Danny asked the right questions. I, for one, don't believe Yoko could have played "Moonlight Sonata" whether backwards or forwards. Not because it's a difficult piece, but because she can't play. Yes, her parents made her take piano lessons as a child -- and, by Yoko's own admission, she usually fainted before them.