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Post by Mighty Jack on Oct 15, 2009 23:08:35 GMT -5
27. Penny LaneAt first blush it seems one of Paul’s sugary poppers that don’t always click with me - and yet, this works because of the expert musicianship and Martin’s intelligent production. Lyrically it tells a lively story and as a whole it is so far above everything else he wrote during the Sgt. Pepper’s sessions (For me - Fixing a Hole & Getting Better are mere filler compared to it. When I’m 64 a goofy embarrassment and the lyrically strong She’s Leaving Home is undone by that sappy, soapy string section) It’s too bad that his best work was kept off that album (which is one of several reasons I prefer the Magical Mystery Tour LP as a whole – true album or not). I do agree with you that Penny Lane is far superior to any of his songs on the LP, but "Fixing a Hole" is an amazing track IMO. Much deeper lyrics than Paul usually offered up, a strong vocal melody, and that lead guitar tone is SO good. I'd take that one over "Lucy" anyday of the week, but I'm sure I'm in the minority on that one. I'm sure we might have a few that agree. Mr. A is certainly a Macca backer. My main problem is the melody, I find it and Getting Better pretty blah and they kind of mash into one forgetful entity when I listen to it. My brain goes squishy and I have to stop and think, "Hey, 2 songs just went by and I lost focus and didn't really hear them" I hate to keep bashing a landmark like Peppers, but I find I do that a lot these days, I drift through Kite, The Harrison song and 64 as well. Suddenly the album is done and didn't leave much of a mark aside from a handful of tunes. I think I enjoyed it a lot more as a whole when I was younger, but for some reason it's slipping and not impressing me as much nearly 40 years later. EDIT - Oh, and great Peppers lineup BTW - If I ever join the Ipod age, I'll try that track listing and see how it feels.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Oct 15, 2009 23:09:22 GMT -5
A bit of video from Anthology, Ringo’s sawing like mad!20. Day TripperOn the subject of great singles – this was the first double A single, with “We Can Work It Our”. John wrote that slick guitar riff. The term ‘cool’ sums this song up in a nutshell. John and Paul’s voices blend perfectly; there is urgency in both the words and the forceful backbeat. Wonderfully arranged: Though Lennon wasn’t real happy the way they rushed through it in the studio, most fans find it a rousing success in all phases. Day Tripper’s memorable guitar riff19. You’ve Got to Hide Your Love AwayJohn doing Dylan – great folk number, I like the smoky, beatnik instrumentation and John’s raw throaty vocals. For the first time, John, Paul & George play acoustic instruments only. Lennon is using a 1964 Framus 12-string "Hootenanny” (one of the greatest names in guitar history, just trying saying it – “Framus Hootenanny” and see if you don’t feel happy throughout the day! 18. I Saw Her Standing ThereOne! Two! Three! Four! Every time I put this on I feel good. What a driving, catchy number. Paul’s bass line and vocals are tight and I love how he sweeps it into falsetto. Paul was a schoolboy at the Liverpool Institute for Boys when he wrote this. In its first incarnation it was comprised of one verse and chorus, written on a schoolbook and titled "Seventeen." Supposedly it’s about Iris Caldwell, the sister of fellow musician Rory Storm. John helped him finish it –as one story has it- while the two were playing hooky from school. Lennon changed McCartney’s “Beauty Queen” line to, “You know what I mean” – I’m not sure what he means and neither did Paul (so he says) but it sounds naughty. Oh you silly teens. 17. I’ll Be BackNot the Beatles most well known number, but it has always been a favorite. I like it so much it became a staple in my live act. The structure of the song is unique; it doesn’t follow the usual pop rock pattern (there are 2 different bridges, no true chorus, it bounces around major and minor keys). John’s voice is in great form, the harmonies are rich and the acoustic guitar -with flamenco flourishes- is stellar. The Beatles wrote pop tunes with greater maturity than was the norm and IBB is an excellent example of this. 16. SomethingFirst written during the White Album sessions. This is my favorite Harrison penned track – like “Yesterday” it sounds like a number that always existed. So strong that Frank Sinatra called it his favorite Lennon & McCartney song. He got it wrong but still high praise indeed. John said it was the best song on Abbey Road (I agree). Paul’s bass work is deservedly highly praised, but at the time it caused an argument as George thought it was too busy. Harrison also had to record his solo live with the orchestra because they ran out of available tracks. This was Georges first A side single. After his death, Paul and Bob Dylan played the song live in tribute to their friend. 15. And Your Bird Can SingJohn was dismissive of the song, but I, and others, dig it. Those twin lead guitars (played by Paul and George) are sweet, I love ‘em to death – again the sound of John’s voice really grabs me. I like the words, the harmonies and hook rich melodies. This is a tune that is repeated often when I play the Revolver album. It’s said the line, “You tell me that you’ve heard every song there is, and your bird can swing, but you can’t hear me” is directed at Frank Sinatra, in response to him dissing mop topped teen stars after (Frank) received all those Grammy’s in 1965. 14. Help!I like the vocals here - the background repeats, and the quality of John’s lead singing has so much flavor and character. I used to love to sing this song, trying to capture that vocal intensity was a blast. Lyrically this is one of Lennon’s best, an early example of the depth they were heading towards. This was the first use of “bouncing” on a Beatles record, as they needed more than 4 tracks for the song. It was strange when the Beatles CDs were first released in 1987 and the American versions were dropped. For 20 years I was used to hearing that James Bond style intro and suddenly, it was gone. Even removed from the Red Album CD (It now can be had on the Capitol Years Vol. 2 collection) 13. I’m Only Sleeping More psychedelic shading from John – Backward lead guitar adds to that vibe. Music, production and words blend to create something evocative. Every part of it suggests a man who just wants to settle into the arms of sleep. To quote its Wiki… The song is unique in featuring a dual guitar solo by George Harrison played backwards, as well as an electronically compressed rhythm guitar track. The solo is consistent with the rest of the song because Harrison took great pains to practice the entire melody of his solo backwards, so that when reversed and mixed in, it would fit the overall dreamlike mood of the rest of the song. It took him and producer George Martin six hours to perfect the guitar solo…. The psychedelic drone effect of the song was achieved by recording it at various speeds.12. A Hard Days NightFrom that rousing and unique opening guitar chord to the steady backbeat and inspired vocal hand-off between John & Paul, this is one of the great rockers. I love the insistent tone of John’s voice, leading to Paul’s smooth high notes. George Harrison’s picking, to George Martin keyboard solo and Ringo banging away on those bongos – amazing that it was written on the quick so that they’d have a title song for the film (John’s original lyrics were written in pen on the back of an old birthday card on April 15th 1964) That famous opening note has been debated and analyzed by scholars for years. George finally revealed the chord he was playing in an interview and most feel the opening note breaks down like this… · George Harrison: Fadd9 in 1st position on Rickenbacker 360/12 12-string electric guitar · John Lennon: Fadd9 in 1st position on a Gibson J-160E 6-string acoustic guitar · Paul McCartney: high D played on the D-string, 12th fret on Hofner 500/1 electric bass · George Martin: D2-G2-D3 played on a Steinway Grand Piano · Ringo Starr: Subtle snare drum and ride cymbal This also earned the Beatles their first Grammy wins: 1964, Best New Artist: The Beatles and Best Performance By A Vocal Group: The Beatles, "A Hard Day's Night" (George Martin, producer) 11. Ticket To RideElectrifying hard rock number, this one grinds away with jangly guitar and a distinct drum riff, suggested by Paul and one of Ringo’s best (though he does lose his way as it goes. Lol). The vocals are strong and it’s an overall perfectly constructed track. Though considered a John song, Paul has said there was collaboration on it. Done in a mere 2 takes (wow) it showed off a new recording technique for the band: Laying rhythm tracks first and overdubbing vocals and extras later. This would soon become the norm in pop recordings.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Oct 16, 2009 0:45:20 GMT -5
Oh and one more post today - Change alert! (Patent pending - no relation to Mr B Good.) I've been modifying this list even as I was posting it. While listening to "Past Masters Vol. 2" today, I had this Devo-like uncontrollable urge to make a change - There was a certain song I just needed to get on the list. So I went back, listened to those listed 41 to 51 that might be on the bubble and after careful consideration I removed "Run For Your Life". Never fear Life fans, it's still loved (consider it #52 now) but there was another song that was simply better than it. For you playing at home, cut and paste this new entry on to your score cards! 46. RainThe B side to Paperback Writer, these were recorded in support of Revolver –which elevates my opinion of that album even more. A sonic tour de force, the philosophical Rain is highlighted (as Quinn stated) by Ringo’s stellar play (which he considered his best) and superb bass work by Paul. Lennon’s vocals were recorded at a slower speed, and then played back normal when laying down the track. According to Engineer Geoff Emerick, The "Paperback Writer"/"Rain" single was the first release to use a new device invented by the maintenance department at Abbey Road called "ATOC" for "Automatic Transient Overload Control". The new device allowed the record to be cut at a louder volume, louder than any other single up to that time. While a technical marvel, the song itself is a straightforward, set in the key of G (though it was played in the key of A). Their were 3 promotional films for "Rain", all directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, One features The Beatles walking in a garden. The other two feature the band performing on a soundstage (filmed 19 May 1966, one in colour for Ed Sullivan and the other in black and white for the UK). McCartney was injured in a moped accident on 26 December 1965, and closeups in the film reveal a scarred lip and a chipped tooth (which is very noticeable in the Paperback Writer film).. There, I feel better about my list already Up next, one part of the list that I ZERO problems with. My top 10, without a doubt.
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Post by Captain Hygiene on Oct 16, 2009 8:26:47 GMT -5
So how many songs did the Beatles release, anyway? I'm just curious what percentage this 51 is - seems like they must have had quite a few songs, seeing how many albums the group released. By my quick count from my iTunes, about 230+, if you count all the individual tracks on side 2 of Abbey Road as seperate songs. Of those 230, about 25 were cover songs. Wow, that's even more than I guessed - I'd randomly guessed ~150.
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Post by quinnmartin on Oct 16, 2009 9:37:41 GMT -5
By my quick count from my iTunes, about 230+, if you count all the individual tracks on side 2 of Abbey Road as seperate songs. Of those 230, about 25 were cover songs. Wow, that's even more than I guessed - I'd randomly guessed ~150. Yeah, their output is kind of staggering given how long they were an active recording band. Just in 1963 alone in the UK they released two 14-song LP's, a 4-song EP, plus 6 additional songs on 45's.
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Post by quinnmartin on Oct 16, 2009 10:56:46 GMT -5
Finally came up with the rest of my top 25. VERY difficult. I'll leave the comments sparse, since FT/MJ covered a lot of them very well already in his above posts.
25-I'll Be Back (A Hard Days Night)
24-And Your Bird Can Sing (Revolver) Guitar porn, Beatles style. Love the harmonies too.
23-Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End (Abbey Road) Cheated a bit, but neither of these is a complete song, and they all flow into each other as part of the Side 2 medley. One of the more interesting parts of Geoff Emerick's book is him talking about trying to tweak their guitar sounds so they'd stand out as different guitarists. I believe they were all using the same model Fender amps.
22-No Reply (Beatles for Sale) This record gets overly critized IMO. The frazzled nature of the group that led to the record including so many covers also contributed to a batch of great songs that showed a marked increase in maturity from the set they'd recorded for Hard Days Night.
21-Hello Goodbye (single, Magical Mystery Tour) Fluff ear candy, sure. But the track sounds amazing and the melody is insanely catchy. I've always thought this track was kind of a bridge between the psychedelic sounds of Pepper and more minimalist sounds of Lady Madonna, Hey Bulldog, and the White Album.
20-Day Tripper (single)
19-In My Life (Rubber Soul) As a songwriter, I love Ringo's understated, sympathetic drum parts. As was usual on Rubber Soul, the vocals - lead and harmony - are spectacular.
18-Fixing a Hole (Sgt. Peppers) See my comments above.
17-I Feel Fine (single) An early tast of the sonic experiments that would mark the recording output in the middle part of their career.
16. Martha My Dear (The Beatles) A suprise, I'm sure, but this one's a superbly crafted pop song. For what on first blush seems like yet another silly Paul pop song (about his dog, no less), it features a rich, complex backing track and a vocal melody that's very catchy, yet restrained.
15. Hey Bulldog (Yellow Submarine) A great riff, a great bassline, an interesting pop melody, and a killer sloppy/off-the-cuff guitar solo from John make this a classic Beatles rocker. It's too bad this wasn't released as an A-Side instead of the awful "Lady Madonna". I also love the reverb-heavy overdubbed snare that's sitting in the center of the stereo mix.
Here's a video of the band actually recording the track. The song was recorded while they were filming the promotional video for "Lady Madonna" before they left for the ill-fated trip to India. According to Geoff Emerick's book, this session was the last time the band would function as a real band, actually getting along and working together as "The Beatles", in the studio.
#'s 14-10 to follow...
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Post by quinnmartin on Oct 16, 2009 12:18:47 GMT -5
#'s 14-10 (see above posts for 1-9 and 15-25)
14. There's a Place (Please Please Me) Love the rawness of this one. And the stop/starts. And the way the harmonies split off on the "and it's my mind/and there's no time" lines. And I love Ringo's fill at 1:37.
13. Ticket to Ride (single, Help!) A massive leap forward, with that great Byrds-ian opening 12-string Rick riff. One of the touchstones of what would become power-pop, with it's heavy drums, chiming guitars, and thick bed of vocals.
12. Happiness is a Warm Gun (The Beatles) I like to think of this one as John's edgier version of the mini pop symphonies that Brian Wilson was producing in America ("Good Vibrations", "Heroes and Villians") and that Paul would explore later on ("You Never Give Me Your Money", "Band on the Run", "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey". That opening line is just stunning.
11. A Hard Days Night (A Hard Days Night) Retains the energy and catchiness of their earlier singles, but adds a new level of pop craftsmanship and sophistication. The Beatles certainly evolved quite a bit after this song was released, but I don't know if they got any better.
10. You Never Give Me Your Money (Abbey Road) If the entire song was as sublime as the first minute, it would be much higher. I'm not as big a fan of Abbey Road as most, but this was Paul at the top of his game. Not a huge fan of his vocal style in the middle section.
Just missing my top 25 were (in no particular order)..."Taxman", "Yes It Is", "Here There and Everywhere", "For No One", "She's Leaving Home", "Help!", "Please Please Me", "All I've Got to Do", "Get Back", "I'm So Tired", "If I Needed Someone", and "Revolution".
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Post by The Mad Plumber on Oct 16, 2009 17:05:15 GMT -5
Seeing that MJ is about to input his final top ten Beatles songs fairly soon, I was reminded that I had once commented on my favorite top ten Beatles songs some time ago on another forum. I can reiterate that top ten, though I'm not sure if my mind's changed about a couple of the songs. - # 10: "Come Together"
- # 9: "Nowhere Man"
- # 8: "We Can Work It Out"
- # 7: "Revolution"
- # 6: "Hey Jude"
- # 5: "A Day In The Life"
- # 4: "Your Mother Should Know"
- # 3: "The Fool On The Hill"
- # 2: "Get Back"
- # 1: "Eleanor Rigby"
I'm interested to see how much MJ's final top ten differs from mine.
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Post by Mr. Atari on Oct 16, 2009 18:39:39 GMT -5
It's fun to see how all of our lists differ. My top 15 are pretty set (coming soon), but for the rest of the top 30, I just made quick picks going through their catalog.
#30: What You're Doing I never got into this song until I heard it in the Love mashup with "Drive My Car" and "The Word". Such a cool mix.
#29: Things We Said Today A great Paul melody from the middle era. I love the minor to major transition between the verses and the first chord in the chorus.
#28: I'm Looking Through You Love the organ/guitar riff on this one.
#27: I'm a Loser Nice and bouncy music provide a good contrast to the whiny lyrics. One of my favorites to play live. Never cared for the lame Dylan-esque harmonica solo, though.
#26: Martha My Dear/Lady Madonna Whine all you want about Paul's sentimentality and vaudeville roots. But they're not The Beatles without it. I, for one, love the bouncy piano stylings of these songs. Without this side of Paul, there's no Elton John, no Billy Joel, no Joe Jackson, and no Ben Folds-- which I suppose is a mixed blessing.
#25: In My Life A good song with great lyrics made even better with George Martin's harpsichord solo.
#24: Got to Get You Into My Life An often overlooked Paul classic. Served as a great setup piece for the never overlooked "Tomorrow Never Knows", making a great 1-2 punch to end what could be the best album ever made.
#23: I'll Follow the Sun Love the intervals in the verse melody. And nobody used 7th chords like Paul. Another fun one to play live.
#22: I'm So Tired My favorite stuff on the White Album was John's stuff (well, his coherent stuff, anyway). I really like Ringo's beat the second time through the "B" section. And apparently Sir Walter Raleigh was a stupid git. Who knew?
#21: I Am the Walrus Probably my favorite of John's psychedelic ramblings songs.
#20: Glass Onion See comments from #22. I like the orchestral effects on this one a lot. And apparently the walrus was Paul. Who knew?
#19: Baby You're a Rich Man A fun song with a catchy melody that reaches another level in the "B" section. "What a thing to do!?" I'm a sucker for sing-song anthems.
#18: Dear Prudence See comments from #22. I tried to record this one time in a studio, reproducing track by track. I did okay until I got to Paul's drums. Soooo sloppy. But the bass line makes up for it.
#17: Here Comes the Sun My favorite George track. I still remember the first time I heard this song as a 6 or 7 year old. Such a cheery song doo-doo-doo-doo and I say it's alright.
#16: Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds Quintessentially the Beatles. No one else could ever sound like this song sounds.
#15: Free as a Bird Maybe it shouldn't count, and a lot of purists look down their noses at it (especially John snobs who think Paul ruined it with his "B" section). But I say it's the closest they ever got to the alchemy of "A Day in the Life" and I remember crying when I heard it for the first time in 1995. All 4 members bringing to the song what they're best at. John: atmospheric depth; Paul: great chord moves & melody; George: creative backing riffs and vocals; Ringo: straight ahead, no-frills drumming that's not quite shuffle and not quite straight.
And honorable mentions that would make my top 30 on any other day: Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey You Can't Do That Day Tripper Paperback Writer Taxman I'm Only Sleeping For No One We Can Work it Out The Fool on the Hill And Your Bird Can Sing
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Post by Mighty Jack on Oct 16, 2009 23:09:15 GMT -5
Mr. A - I used to whine when Queen did the vaudeville stuff too (because in the olden days I had to get my butt off my chair and move a needle to skip it. ) so it's not just Paul. I do agree that it's fun seeing all of these lists. I like reading the different views and perspectives. Looking forward to your top 15 - and I'm with you on Free As A Bird. I considered it as well as much of the unreleased material on Anthology and the charming Paul original on Live at the BBC disc. On to the final 10... 10. Please, Please MeOkay, technically this probably shouldn’t be ranked so high even though it’s a great hook laden pop rocker. But it was my first Beatles single, it’s the reason I became a fan and it will always hold a special place in my heart. And to think it all began when John took pen to paper in the bedroom of his boyhood home on Menlove Avenue in 1962. At first, a Roy Orbison style ballad, the boys revved it up with an up-tempo beat, nice steady bass, catchy harmonica and terrific vocals. Every time it plays I break out in a wide smile and remember that kid who’d play this single over and over for hours on end. 9. Nowhere ManGreat lyrics, tight harmonies wrapped around a superb melody… what more can you ask for. This is one of those simpatico numbers, I know what Lennon’s talking about. It is said that this is Dylan’s favorite Beatles song. The twin chiming guitars were performed using "sonic blue" Fender Strats, one played by John in the verses and other by George for his great solo. 8. YesterdayOverplayed so it has lost some of its luster. Still I believe it deserves to be on the top 10. If I take myself back to when the song was new, it was an amazing piece. Beautiful, wonderfully written chords and melody. One of the all time great ballads, which came to Paul in a dream as if it were a gift from his muse. Probably should be ranked higher. Capitol actually regulated this to the B-side, with Ringo’s (the most popular member in America) “Act Naturally” on the A. Fans responded so positively to the tune that Capitol quickly reversed themselves and made “Yesterday” the A. John used to mock the song (shame on him) his funniest line was… “I'm not half the man I used to be... now I am an amputee."7. I Am The WalrusSurreal and chaotic, John was a master of psychedelic rock. This is an all together strange piece, and the lyrics and music appeal to my skewed brain. It took a month to complete, combining a traditional rock track with an orchestral one, the boy’s choirs adds to the surreal imagery. This was all John (and George Martin), he didn’t seek the other Beatles input for its creation, he even orchestrated the instruments through Martin (though allowed Martin to Orchestrate the choir) To quote other sources… The musical composition of the song is deliberately complex, some might even say difficult; it contains all seven major "natural" chords (no sharps, flats or minors), and rises through all seven in the song's extended outro, while the bassline descends through the same chords backwards!6. She Loves YouThe first single to be credited “Lennon & McCartney”. This was, and remains, the biggest-selling single for the Beatles in Britain. Pop songs are often viewed as inconsequential pieces of fluff. While She Loves You isn’t high-level poetry, it shows that pop doesn’t have to be empty. The chord structure, vocal and musical arrangement is stellar. While many puff piece pop songs can be nothing but fun (The Archies enjoyable “Sugar, Sugar”) - the Beatles prove you can give the genre a little more weight. But before I weigh this thing down too much, at its core it’s a rousing, energetic; hook filled kick in the pants! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! 5. Eleanor RigbyRigby is poignant, wise, brilliantly structured – compare it to the Zombies similarly themed “A Rose For Emily”, a great song that I love but lyrically it simply doesn’t have the depth and maturity of Rigby. Matching the words is the melody and arrangement. All combined to make a song that is in a word - profound. Interesting asides: though Primarily a Paul song, he did seek help and advice from all the Beatles in writing it. George came up with, "Ah, look at all the lonely people"; Ringo suggested the priest darning his socks, as well as his "writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear." It is rumored that Paul wanted to end the song with the two characters finding romance with each other, which was rejected by John. Martin based the string arrangement on the work of Bernard Herman (best known for scoring many of Hitchcock’s classics). On the negative, this wasn’t George Martin's finest work in the control room. The initial mix suffered from too wide a separation and the best mix of this song can be heard on the Yellow Submarine “Songtrack” – I figure in a few years, our brand spanking new Beatle CDs will become obsolete, replaced by 5.1 surround sound and remastered/balanced to perfection. (Oh and for the record, best mix on Tripper is on Beatles 1) In its first form it was titled "Ola Na Tungee," and opened with the line… "Ola Na Tungee, blowing his mind in the dark with a pipe full of clay." While in Liverpool, visit the Eleanor Rigby statue (and sit with her a spell, she’s lonely you know)4. Hey JudeSome (like our distinguished and esteemed Phantom) don’t like the end; I do, though I understand the critics - repetitious endings can drive me mad too (“Like a Rock”, Zeplin’s “All of My Love”… end the freakin song already!) This one is the exception to the rule for me as that rousing finish has my blood pumping as it builds and builds. The opening section is even stronger with its lingering melody accentuated by the sparse, simply played piano. Paul has done similar dramatic efforts that lean on the syrupy (Winding Road) but he lands on the side of ‘moving’ with Jude. This was the biggest selling single for the Beatles in America. John loved the song and told Paul it was the best thing he ever wrote. During the recording, John can be heard shouting something (perhaps about getting the chord wrong) after the last "Let her under your skin," and then exclaiming "F’n hell!" at 2:58. The recording also created a great rift between George & Paul, McCartney didn’t like the callback lead Harrison was doing and that hurt George’s feelings (But Paul was right, it didn’t need it). 3. Tomorrow Never KnowsWhat a masterful bit of studio work. It’s a song -done as it was with all those multiple loops strung from studio room to room- that could never have been duplicated the same way twice. This is one of those tracks that take me away to a different place. I love the apocalyptic soundscape, the multiple screaming guitars that mimic seagulls, the industrial slam of horns and whatever other noise they looped in their. John’s voice funneled through a revolving Leslie speaker (never before done). I completely lose myself in this track. 2. Strawberry Fields ForeverThis could easily be #1 and I was tempted to make it a tie. An idiot-proof song, beautiful in its basic acoustic form, surreal and evocative in its completed stage. Superb lyrics display John’s struggling with being understood. I always wanted to write something this natural, almost conversational though poetic. Written in Spain while he was filming “How I Won The War”, this masterpiece went through 27 takes (compare that to Walrus, which took 17). Two tracks were combined (one sped up, the other slowed), and because this came from the days of analog, there is warmth in the procedure that could never be matched in our digital age, even though it would be easier and a smoother transition to do this today. Fields is surreal, but it’s not a sterile surrealism. The song also sees the first use of a mellotron (played by Paul) and George’s surmandel on a rock record. As well as the first double fade. This was the first song recorded for Sgt Peppers, but Brian Epstien wanted a single and this, with Penny Lane, was used. George Martin stated that leaving these two songs off Pepper was his greatest regret from the Beatles days. 1. A Day In The LifeAs George Martin stated, Lennon’s haunting vocals sends chills down ones spine. An epic number punctuated by that chaotic swell of orchestration. Paul contributes to the middle section. Lyrically sound, A Day In The Life isn’t simply the best Beatles number, but the single greatest song in rock and roll history. A Wiki note on that final note… Following the final orchestral crescendo, the song ends with one of the most famous final chords in music history. Lennon, McCartney, Starr, and Mal Evans shared three different pianos and played an E-major chord simultaneously. The final chord was made to ring out for over forty seconds by increasing the recording sound level as the vibration faded out. Towards the end of the chord the recording level was so high that listeners can hear the sounds of the studio, including rustling papers and a squeaking chair.
The piano chord was a replacement for a failed vocal experiment: on the evening following the orchestra recording session, the four Beatles had originally recorded an ending of their voices humming the chord, but after multiple overdubs they found that they wanted something with more impactSo that’s it. I like the list. The top 20 is rock solid. I did make changes and waffled as it moved up the list (even now I’m thinking I want to lower a couple and move at least 2 up higher). If I left one of your favorites off, it might pop up on the back 50, a quick list I’ll post tomorrow.
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Post by Mr. Atari on Oct 17, 2009 0:40:40 GMT -5
Very cool, MJ.
Here's what I came up with for a top 14:
#14: Nowhere Man My favorite harmonies of any song ever. And I think George's solo here is his best.
#13: Yesterday I agree with everything MJ had to say about this one. This is the song that made me want to be a songwriter.
#12: Revolution 1 I prefer the White Album version to the louder Past Masters version. Something about the blues feel makes me prefer the acoustic guitars. My kids love to sing along with the chorus in the car. Good times.
#11: Happiness is a Warm Gun Just a great mosaic of a song. Easily my favorite song from the White Album, and one that gets better every time I listen to it.
#10: I Saw Her Standing There The song that absolutely defines early '60s rock and roll. The groove, the hand claps, the "whoo!". It's all there. I'm amazed at how high Paul sang on this track, and I've stolen the E-E7-A-Am chord move countless times.
#9: Abbey Road (Side 2) (You Never Give Me Your Money-The End) It's cheating, but too bad. I love the way Paul & George Martin arranged this suite of songs, and how themes get rewoven back into the mix later. If I haven't listened to the Beatles in a while and I start jonesing for a fix, this is inevitably the "song" I'll put on first.
#8: A Hard Day's Night I can't really add anything to MJ's description, except to say that I love the songs where John & Paul share lead vocal duties. And you gotta love that cowbell in the middle 8.
#7: Eleanor Rigby This one gets higher on my list every year. Probably the most powerful song they did. Maybe it's because as I get older I find that there are more and more lonely people that come across my path every day. Where do they all come from? Where do they all belong?
#6: All You Need is Love Cheesy? Absolutely. Trite? You bet! But if you peel away all the flower power, it's a sentiment that has been around for a long time and will always cut to the heart of life. Plus, it's got an odd time signature, which is always cool. #5: Can't Buy Me Love I think numbers 4 & 5 are a perfect pairing, and go best together. They came out of the same era (generally), have the same vibe, and represent the best of what the band did in the mid '60s. Great harmonies, great bass lines, great drumming, and probably the apex of the band playing as a band. This was Paul's contribution...
#4: Help! ...and this was John's. I put John's higher because the lyrics are better. I love Paul & George on the bg vocals in the verse. Such a perfect rhythm and melody under John's lead vocal.
#3: Strawberry Fields Forever Just like the previous two songs are a perfect pairing, so are numbers 3 & 2. This is the apex of the band playing as artists in the studio. Great arrangements, creativity, and craftsmanship. This was John's best song...
#2: Penny Lane ...and this was Paul's. I put Paul's higher because it's the perfect pop song. It's the gold standard of songwriting as far as I'm concerned. It has the perfect chord progression, the perfect chorus, the perfect storytelling lyrics, and a perfect arrangement. I particularly love the bass line in the verse and the way they get back to the verse out of the chorus. That these 2 songs were on the same single just staggers the mind.
#1: A Day in the Life Yeah, I have nothing else to say about this song that hasn't been said a million times before. Definitely number 1.
I showed this thread (and my list) to Mrs. Atari. We noticed that the following songs aren't in my top 40:
Hey Jude, Tomorrow Never Knows, Hello Goodbye, Let it Be, Something, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Norwegian Wood, All My Loving, Ticket to Ride, Eight Days a Week, Get Back, Come Together, Drive My Car, Rain, Across the Universe, The Long and Winding Road, and She Loves You (just to name a few).
Now that's disgusting. Not because those songs didn't crack my top 40 (although some might think so); but because even after picking 40, I'm still leaving out a couple dozen of the best and best known songs ever recorded. Thanks for starting this thread MJ, and for your contributions quinn & Plumber. It was a stunning reminder of just how good these lads were.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Oct 17, 2009 1:41:37 GMT -5
I popped back and was fixing my 1,000 typos (now we know how many typos it takes to fill the Albert Hall?)
What you said at the end is so true. They have such an amazing catalog and making a list like this, seeing all the goodies I left behind, left me even more impressed with their talent.
And what a plus it was having George Martin. When I was young I used to wonder how the heck could have Decca passed on them. Now I say, "Thank God Decca passed on them!"
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Post by Mighty Jack on Oct 17, 2009 5:50:41 GMT -5
Wow, that's even more than I guessed - I'd randomly guessed ~150. Yeah, their output is kind of staggering given how long they were an active recording band. Just in 1963 alone in the UK they released two 14-song LP's, a 4-song EP, plus 6 additional songs on 45's. The early years are amazing to me. In addition to the studio work, the christmas records, the concerts, the movie, TV, press junkets... they had a radio show (Pop Goes the Beatles) and did other shows on the BBC where they recorded over 80 songs (about 40 -give or take- which never appeared on a studio album)
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Post by Mighty Jack on Oct 17, 2009 20:18:25 GMT -5
The Back 50! Here were the songs that were squeezed out. Collected in a looser, not as deeply contemplated list. The first 5 represent the most difficult and debated cuts… 52. Come Together (In the film “All Together Now”, Yoko complained during the “Love” rehearsals that this was supposed to be a song full of love and peace and fluffy bunnies – true, but the way John’s vocals snarl and the guitar chugs away, it’s also drenched in sex and sweat and animal passion. Man, I just wanted her to sit down and shut up 53. Back in the USSR (Paul’s bouncy ode to Chuck Berry & the Beach Boys) 54. Across the Universe (Lovely song, nice chord structure, powerful lyrics) 55. I’ve Just Seen A Face (sophisticated work on the triple acoustic guitars. Paul’s breathless delivery of his lyrics at the verse, dive into the crisp harmonies of the country/folk tinged chorus. There was no bass on this song) 56. Run For Your Life (Was originally on the list, but was switched with Rain) 57. Another Girl (I loved it in the film “Help!”) 58. Things We Said Today 59. What Your Doing 60. For No One 61. All You Need Is Love 62. Not A Second Time (Something from “With The Beatles” finally makes the list) 63. Tell Me What You See 64. Let It Be 65. That Means A Lot (The most pleasant surprise and enjoyable treat on Anthology for me) 66. It’s Only Love 67. Wait 68. This Boy 69. Real Love 70. Can’t Buy Me Love (I know many folks would have had this in the top 50) 71. Baby’s In Black 72. Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey 73. All My Loving 74. Hello/Goodbye 75. If I Needed Someone (From Rubber Soul: George’s tune features smooth bass work and was a top 51 contender to the end) 76. Glass Onion 77. Every Little Thing 78. You Can’t Do That 79. Michelle 80. Blackbird (great guitar work, a fun one to play as well) 81, Sexy Sadie 82. Misery 83. Yes It Is 84. I’m So Tired 85. Good Morning, Good Morning 86. Got to Get You Into My Life 86. Magical Mystery Tour 87. Fool on the Hill 88. Drive My Car 89. I’ll Be On My Way (John didn’t like it, but I do. Can be heard on BBC CD) 90. It Wont Be Long 91. Two Of Us 92. Lovely Rita Meter Maid 93. Sgt Peppers 94. 8 Days A Week 95. All I’ve Got To Do 96. You Wont See Me 97. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill 98. Free as a Bird 99. Happiness is a Warm Gun 100. There’s A Place 101. Yellow Submarine (Over played, but the kid inside reminds me how much I enjoyed it) Edit: I forgot All Things Must Pass from Anthlogy - I always thinks of this as a George solo song, and the Anthology track is just George (but then Julia was just John and Blackbird was just Paul) The album version is fine, though over produced. I prefer the song when George played it acoustic or electric without drums, bass... it's so damned musically pretty and lyrically profound Harrison recorded this demo at EMI along with Something & Old Brown Shoe. He attempted several times to get the other Beatles interested in recording this on an album (most notibly "Get Back"). It's a shame that the rest just ignored it, it really was one of his finest peices. The unkindest cutsI went through each album, listed my favorites and ended up with well over 100 numbers – I wanted to make it tough and pick only my absolute favs so I had to whittle away a lot of great tracks. Here’s a look album by album of what made it and what I eventually cut. If it’s not listed it’s not necessarily that I hate the song, but that I knew it wouldn’t be a serious contender for the top 50. Please, Please Me (4 total - 2 made the top 51) Made the Grade: Please, Please Me, I Saw Her Standing There Painful Cuts: Misery, There’s A Place With the Beatles (4 tot – 0 made it) Made it: None Cut: It Wont Be Long, All My Loving, Not A Second Time, All I’ve Got To Do A Hard Days Night (7 total – 4 made it) Made it: A Hard Days Night, I Should Have Known Better, If I Fell, I’ll Be Back Cut: Can’t Buy Me Love, Things We Said Today, You Can’t Do That Help! (8 tot – 4 made it) Made It: Help! You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away, Ticket to Ride, Yesterday Cut: I’ve Just Seen a Face, It’s Only Love, Another Girl, Tell Me What You See Note: Though praised, “I’ve never been a big fan of “Your Gonna Lose That Girl” Beatles For Sale (6 tot – 2 made it) Made it: No Reply, I’m A Loser Cut: Baby’s in Black, Every Little Thing, 8 Days a Week, What Your Doing Note: George Martin said that “I’ll Follow The Sun” was his fav on the album, while I like it, I don’t love it – hence the reason it wasn’t listed. Rubber Soul (4 made it) Made it: Norwegian Wood, Nowhere Man, Girl, Looking Through You Cut: Almost everything on this album was a contender Revolver (8 made it, the most of any album) Made it: Taxman, Eleanor Rigby, I’m Only Sleeping, Here There & Everywhere, She Said She Said, Dr. Robert, And Your Bird Can Sing, Tomorrow Never Knows Cut: Nearly everything on this album was considered Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band (6 tot – 2 made it) Made it: Lucy in the Sky, Day in the Life Cut: Peppers (both), Lovely Rita, Good Morning Magical Mystery Tour (8 tot – 4 made it) Made it: Walrus, Strawberry Fields, Penny Lane, Baby You’re a Rich Man Cut: Hello/Goodbye, Magical Mystery Tour, Fool on the Hill, All U Need is Luv White Album (13 tot – 4 made it) Made it: While My Guitar…, Julia, Helter Skelter, Dear Prudence Cut: Back in the USSR, Glass Onion, Bungalow Bill, Blackbird, I’m So Tired, I Will, Sexy Sadie, …Me And My Monkey, Happiness is a Warm Gun Yellow Submarine (3 originals tot – 2 made it) Made it: Hey Bulldog, It’s All Too Much Cut: Only A Northern Song (Yellow Sub, All You Need is Love) Let It Be (4 tot – 0 made it) Made it: None Cut: Two of Us, Across the Universe, I Me Mine, Let It Be Note: Despite their popularity, I’m not a fan of the Long and Winding Road - Get Back is decent but I knew it wouldn’t make my top 50. Abbey Road (4 tot (counting medley as 1) – 3 made it) Made it: Something, Here Comes the Sun, The Medley Cut: Come Together Singles (14 tot –10 made it) Made it: From Me to You, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, She Loves You, I’ll Get You, Day Tripper, We Can Work it out, Paperback Writer, Revolution, Jude, I Feel Fine, Rain Cut: That Boy, I Call Your Name, Yes it Is, Thank You Girl (prefer the US mix) Anthology (5 tot – 0 made it) Cut: That Means A Lot, Not Guilty, Real Love, Free as a Bird, All Things Must Pass Live at the BBC (1 tot – 0 made it) Cut: I’ll Be On My Way
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Post by Mighty Jack on Oct 20, 2009 0:47:21 GMT -5
And a few more random thoughts that have popped in my head. * Least favorite original? Why Don’t We Do It In The Road, Honey Pie, When I’m 64 are all skipable (and yet, I find “Revolution 9” strangely compelling). The worst comes from the White Album, the Lennon penned “Goodnight” that Ringo sings – er, drones on. Was John serious, or was this his attempt to get on the Lawrence Welk show? Whatever, it sucks. * Favorite cover song? Wasn’t even on a regular studio album (Twsit & Shout would be a strong #2). It came from a Bootleg I ordered from an ad in a rock magazine titled “Yellow Matter Custard”. I knew nothing of these songs but I could tell they were the Beatles, even if a bit raw. There was one song in particular that stuck out because I thought it was an original - Please Don’t Ever Change. It was so great a tune I couldn’t figure out why they never released it. Age brought wisdom and I discovered that these tracks came from the BBC radio shows and that the song wasn’t penned by Lennon & McCartney, but Goffin & King. The Beatles don’t mention these folks when they speak about early influences, but if anyone anticipated the Beatles style –the catchy verses, great bridge, shifting between minor & major chords- it was Goffin & King. Anyway I love this tune, George sings lead, Paul the backing vocal (a rarity, if ever done, in the studio). They sound great and harmonize seamlessly. They should have officially done this and “Some Other Guy” (preferable to Honey Don’t, Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby, and especially the uber wretched Mr. Moonlight) * A Beatles influenced storyWhen I was working on my CD, Delirium (which has become my own “Smile”) I took a trip West and wrote lyrics for a song titled “Seattle”. Noticing that I was slipping into comfortable chord habits (Basically me doing Lennon) and needing a change I asked myself… “What would Paul McCartney do?” and suddenly started throwing 7th into the tune, which made it great! I used 7th sparingly in the past but suddenly I went crazy for 7th and wrote lots of fresh and exciting material in that period. Mr. A mentioning Paul’s mastery of 7ths reminded me of this. * Above I mentioned bad & good mixes? This is based on stereo/headphone use (I got tired of neighbors banging on the ceiling/floor over the loud music). In addition to my preferring Rigby on The Yellow Sub songtrack and Day Tripper on Beatles 1… Another bad stereo/headhone song is the terribly mixed “Run For Your Life” (Same prob that would plague Martin’s early mixes, too much separation in the channels, makes the tune weak and watered down) I don’t have the new mono’s, but the best on this song so far is the mono Capitol release. I has more meat and muscle. I prefer the Capitol mix of “I Want To Hold Your Hand” on “Meet the Beatles (Stereo or mono – it’s just a tighter production) “Yesterday” is better in mono, and there’s a version of “She Loves You” with a poor patch-in job floating out there (thankfully I don’t bump into that mix too often anymore).
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