Mrs. Mills

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  Seven Songs for the Week #55 - 24th Apr 24

  Jason Carty

  Pearl Jam put out a new album this week, which is getting a lot more publicity than the usual PJ album. It was remarked to me this week "I like Eddie Vedder's voice, but not the noise that Pearl Jam makes". This track is the solution.

  Gladys Mills was a British piano player who sold bucketloads of jaunty sing-a-long piano records in the 1960s under the name Mrs Mills. Recording in Abbey Road, the jangly upright piano she used on her session became known as the Mrs Mills Piano. It still lives in Abbey Road and I got to play it in Studio Two in 2019. I don't like to talk about it. It's the piano on Lady Madonna, which is alluded to in this song, which is wonderfully Beatley.

  How could it be made more Beatley? How about having Ringo on drums? There he is! From 2:25 there are excellent Ringo fills every other bar - Ringo never plays the same fill twice. He's the king of the drum fill. At 3:43 you hear Ringo laughing. I've said it elsewhere, but it is a pity that Ringo hasn't done more drumming for other people in the last 50 years. He's so good on this. As is Eddie Vedder. (Co-written by ex-Sparks guitarist and Chili Pepper Josh Klinghoffer)