Name That Tune, Sixties

NAME THAT TUNE (June 4, 2023)

Greetings and welcome back to another edition of Name That Tune.

I’ve got five clues for you to read and ponder; let’s see if you can guess the name of the song and the artist(s) who made it a hit.

Get those musical thinking caps on and let’s have at it! Here we go:

  1. This song from 1965 tells the story of a very short lived extramarital affair. It’s been insinuated that the song is about a man hooking up with a prostitute but it’s actually about a one night stand that ended very poorly.
  2. This track features a sitar which marked the first appearance of the Indian stringed instrument on a Western rock recording.
  3. The song, recorded by a prominent U.K. quartet, helped elevate Indian classical music, particularly Ravi Shankar, to mainstream popularity in the West.
  4. The name of today’s song is an ironic reference to the cheap pine paneling which was in vogue in London at that time. The lyrics also suggest the woman’s house in which the affair took place was sparsely furnished with just one bed and no chairs!
  5. One member of the group who recorded the song had this to say: “The guy woke up to find the bird had flown, leaving him alone, and he felt the burning need to have some sort of final destructive revenge.”

There you have all the clues; do you think you know the name of the song and the group? Which clue did it for you? Let’s scroll down beyond the spinning record to find out the answer.

Did you guess “Norwegian Wood” by The Beatles? If you did, you are correct. Let’s listen to that iconic and very interesting song right now.

George Harrison learned to play the sitar in India with Ravi Shankar as his teacher. He mastered the instrument in a relatively short period of time; his proficient playing is obvious in this recording.

I wonder how many of you knew the full title of this song is “Norwegian Wood” (This Bird Has Flown). This is one of those songs that has spurred many a debate and continues to do so 58 years after its release.

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s edition of Name That Tune. I hope you enjoyed the post and the video.

Stay tuned tomorrow when Pete will bring us another great cover in Breaktime Whodunnit.

This bird is ready to fly!

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

23 thoughts on “NAME THAT TUNE (June 4, 2023)”

    1. You and Misky both said #3. Adding Ravi Shankar at the last minute was the key, I think. I didn’t mention him by name at first but added him during my proofread.
      There aren’t many (blatant) songs about affairs.

      Like

  1. I had no idea about the history of that song. I got the Beatles quite early on, got the album from the year and kinda guessed at Norwegian Wood initially when I took into account the year and worked out “what songs re are about sleeping with someone?”

    Liked by 1 person

      1. No, until very late on they were very clean-cut. But I suspect that part of their success was thatthey appealed to an older audience, too. We never found out about the colourful private lives until years later,

        Liked by 1 person

    1. The sitar has a great sound and George became a pro at it. He had a collection of sitars and ukuleles which he loved playing.
      Through your own previous comments, I would have been surprised if you got this one but that’s what I admire about you – you keep trying and you’re having fun!

      By the way, have you seen any of my messages to you re Pass the Baton? Would you like to contribute a few paragraphs to keep the story going? Check out my site for details.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I did actually think The Beatles, but instantly dismissed them because of the sitar.
        As for the baton thing, I replied to your comment on your ‘The Snatch’ post. Like Liz, I’m declining the invitation. I like to do the occasional blogging challenge, but don’t participate in anything that’s remotely ‘chain-mail’. Awards are another thing I don’t do. Thanks for asking, though! 🙂

        Like

  2. To be honest, I find more joy in NTT that I am clueless, like this one; because I love all the backstories and bits I am learning!
    (Sitar mention gave me a nod towards George Harrison)

    Have a beautiful Sun🌞day, everyone.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Glad you feel that way, Nick! Not knowing the answer is a learning experience. People feel like they need to know everything about trivia. Well, if you don’t know the answers going into the game, you’ll know them coming out!

      The thing about trivia is some people will know it and some won’t. It’s not right to make the questions too easy or too hard. Just have fun with it!

      Enjoy your lovely Sunday! 🌞

      Liked by 2 people

    1. Morning, Misky. Good going! 😊
      It’s supposedly a true story about a one-time affair between John and a friend of his wife. Gee, if it’s only one night, it’s not much of an affair, now is it? 😂
      It’s always been one of my favorites, too. Love Georgie’s sitar!

      Liked by 1 person

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