About this episode
In this lecture, Kenyon analyzes Little Child, a track from With the Beatles that began as a rejected Ringo Starr vocal before becoming one of the album’s most relentless rockers. Despite its simplicity, the song presents intriguing rhythmic and harmonic elements that set it apart from other early Beatles compositions. Kenyon examines its insistent triplet phrasing, harmonica-driven texture, and its lack of conventional song structure, leading to a sense of musical monotony that contrasts with the Beatles' usual dynamic approach. The lecture explores the peculiar lyrical choices, particularly the repeated use of "little child," and how cultural context may have shaped its phrasing. Additionally, Kenyon dissects the harmonic structure, noting the secondary dominants and jazz-inspired turnaround that hint at Lennon’s growing musical ambition. Through critical analysis, this lecture unpacks Little Child as both a curious outlier and a revealing study in the Beatles’ songwriting process. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.