Preston first came to widespread attention of a U.S. mainstream audience as the organist (and sometimes vocalist) in the house band on the television show 'Shindig,' popular during 1964-66. On tour backing stars Little Richard and Sam Cooke, he met the Beatles (early in their career) in Hamburg, Germany in 1962. He was later invited by George Harrison to join The Beatles in the studio for the filming/recording of 'Let It Be' (1970). Preston's most memorable performance with the Beatles is on the track "Get Back".
The apparent reason for the collaboration was that the project was being done live— without overdubs— and the Beatles wanted a second keyboardist. Preston's soulful style was to compliment the rhythm and blues approach the Beatles had for this album. His was a genre they'd grown up listening to and were reaching back to as well as paying tribute to.
Another apparent reason for Preston's involvement was to buffer the growing tensions between the members of the band (that had started around the time of filming). Everyone set aside their differences to make Preston feel welcome at the sessions. Members of the band have later commented on their joy with working with Preston, whom they respected as a talented musician.
While Preston was never considered for permanent membership in the Beatles (despite stories to the contrary), he did continue working with them through to the end of the 60s: releasing two solo albums on Apple Records (the Beatles' label), collaborating with George Harrison on 'All Things Must Pass', and joining in on the Concert for Bangladesh— one of the first significant benefit concerts of its kind (at Madison Square Garden in 1972). Preston also later made an appearance in the infamous Beatles tribute film 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' (1978), as the title character— Sgt. Pepper. He's sometimes been referred to as a 'Fifth Beatle'.
In addition to work with said group, Preston also played and toured with The Rolling Stones, playing on significant albums such as 'Sticky Fingers' and 'Exile on Main St.' In the 70s, Preston also worked with Bob Dylan, playing as an accompanist on ' Blood on the Tracks', and Aretha Franklin, on her record 'Young, Gifted and Black'. As the years went on, Preston collaborated with numerous other artists including Barbra Streisand and Miles Davis, also notable touring with Sly and the Family Stone for a time. He also played organ with the Ray Charles big band on tour in the late 60s.
In terms of his solo career, Preston's hit tracks "Will It Go 'Round in Circles" and "Nothing From Nothing" both reached all the way to number one in the U.S. and still remain staples of oldies stations. He won a Grammy Award for best pop instrumental performance for "Outa Space" in 1971, and he received an invitation to the White House no less in 1974. Though perhaps overshadowed by his collaborative work, he devolved a strong and devoted fan-base as album after album made it into the Billboard top 200 album chart.
Preston was also the music director and band leader for the Garry Shandling show in the 80s, returning to the TV work that had given him his start. Yet, in the 80s and 90s, Preston sadly suffered substance abuse and financial issues. He spent three years in prison in 1997 for a drugs possession charge handed out earlier that year (cocaine possession and assault).
His last recordings were on the Red Hot Chili Peppers' album 'Stadium Arcadium' and with Neil Diamond for his "12 songs" record, both produced by Rick Rubin.
A U.S. musical legend, Preston passed away at the age of 59 in a hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona, as a result of "malignant hypertension that resulted in kidney failure and other complications".
A Hard Day
Billy Preston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's been a hard day's night, I should be sleeping like a log
But when I get home to you I find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright
You know I work all day to get you money to buy you things
And it's worth it just to hear you say you're going to give me everything
So why on earth should I moan, 'cause when I get you alone
When I'm home everything seems to be right
When I'm home feeling you holding me tight, tight
It's been a hard day's night, and I been working like a dog
It's been a hard day's night, I should be sleeping like a log
But when I get home to you I find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright, ow
So why on earth should I moan, 'cause when I get you alone
You know I feel OK
When I'm home everything seems to be right
When I'm home feeling you holding me tight, tight
It's been a hard day's night, and I been working like a dog
It's been a hard day's night, I should be sleeping like a log
But when I get home to you I find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright
You know I feel alright
You know I feel alright
The lyrics to Billy Preston's "A Hard Day" describe the exhaustion and fatigue of a day's worth of work. In the song, the singer describes working hard all day, like a dog, and feeling like he should be sleeping soundly, but instead, he finds comfort in the things his partner does when he gets home. The singer candidly admits to working tirelessly to provide money to buy the things his partner wants, but he also acknowledges that nothing compares to the feeling of being with that person.
The lyrics convey a few different themes, including love, companionship, and hard work. The singer recognizes that hard work is a necessity, but nothing can compare to the comfort and love of being with your partner. He values the little things that his partner does to make him feel better, and the song explores the idea that sometimes, it's the small things that make life worthwhile.
Overall, "A Hard Day's Night" is a poignant and emotional song that explores the ups and downs of life and love. The lyrics are relatable to anyone who has ever worked a long day or struggled with the stress of daily life, but the song ultimately celebrates the power of love to make everything feel alright.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been a hard day's night, and I been working like a dog
I've had a long day, worked hard and tired like a dog
It's been a hard day's night, I should be sleeping like a log
After such a hard day, I should be sleeping soundly
But when I get home to you I find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright
Despite my exhaustion, when I come home to you, the things you do make everything feel alright
You know I work all day to get you money to buy you things
I work hard all day to earn money to buy things for you
And it's worth it just to hear you say you're going to give me everything
Hearing you say you'll give me everything makes all the work worth it
So why on earth should I moan, 'cause when I get you alone
You know I feel OK
I have no reason to complain because when I'm alone with you, everything is okay
When I'm home everything seems to be right
When I'm home feeling you holding me tight, tight
Coming home to you makes everything right and feeling your tight embrace is the best feeling
It's been a hard day's night, and I been working like a dog
I'm tired from working hard all day
But when I get home to you I find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright, ow
Despite my exhaustion, the things you do when I come home make everything better
So why on earth should I moan, 'cause when I get you alone
You know I feel OK
I have no reason to complain because being alone with you makes everything okay
When I'm home everything seems to be right
When I'm home feeling you holding me tight, tight
Being home with you makes everything feel right and your tight embrace is the best
It's been a hard day's night, and I been working like a dog
It's been a long, hard day
It's been a hard day's night, I should be sleeping like a log
After such a hard day, I should be sleeping soundly
But when I get home to you I find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright
Coming home to you and the things you do make everything feel better
You know I feel alright
You know I feel alright
Everything feels great when I'm with you
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rufus Edge
One of the highlights of my life was shaking billy Preston's hand at jb's in Kent Ohio in 1992!!!
Jak Artass
Sometime in the mid-60's I went to a Ray Charles show in London. Billy Preston, who few of us had heard of, played the first half backed by the Ray Charles Orch.
Yes, we wanted to see RC, but we also wanted a lot more Billy Preston...
Jak Artass
Just noted on the BP wikipedia page that George Harrison had "walked out of the studio (where the Beatles were recording Let It Be) and gone to a Ray Charles concert in London, where Preston was playing organ. Harrison brought Preston back to the studio, where his keen musicianship and gregarious personality temporarily calmed the tension.
So, that it seems that I was at the same gig as one of the Beatles ...
Robbie H.
Oh shit! i have been trying to hear this funk for so long! property rights or what ever could not get it on youtube for a long time! so nice to hear it again!
Espaço de Criação Nós Na Fita
😍😍😍😍😍🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸
Robbie H.
My bad! you still can't get the rest of this album as far as i know! WTF!
Retro Thingz
Is it any wonder that the Beatles wanted this guy around them in the studio.
Suzie Jockel
And the Stones and Clapton
lipiarski steve
prod. sly stone