Ob-La-Da, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, & All That Good Stuff...My Favorite Beatles Songs Sep 08 '05    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Music The Dirtchamber Sessions, Vol. 1 by The Prodigy From $11 Jersey Boys [Original Broadway Cast Recording] by Original Broadway Cast From $8 The Bottom Line ...And Your Bird Can Sing. This is an entry in Alexdg1's Beatles write-off, and, in preparing to write this, I've been thinking about the influence (both direct and indirect) that The Beatles have had on my life, or at least my life as a music lover. It's very easy to go back and dismiss The Beatles as just your everyday ordinary pop band, but only a fool could actually believe that. I mean, I wasn't even there when it happened and I can clearly see that The Beatles revolutionized not only pop music, but the music industry. They set the stage for: boy bands, guitar pop, sonic experimentation in pop music, the concept album, feedback, artists breaking off from a band to pursue equally successful solo careers...you name it, The Beatles probably did it first. And while most music from the Sixties sounds hopelessly dated, much of The Beatles work (excepting their very early stuff) still sounds fresh today. I'm not sure exactly when I discovered The Beatles. I remember seeing the end of "Yellow Submarine" on TV when I was 4 or 5. I remember seeing John Lennon's murder on the front page of the paper. I remember Paul McCartney's video for "Coming Up", as well as I remember owning "Ebony & Ivory", "The Girl Is Mine" and "Say, Say, Say" on 45 when I was a little kid. Somewhere along the line, I realized that John and Paul were once in a group with two other guys (George & Ringo), but I didn't discover The Beatles music per se until I was 9 or so. Mr. Duffy was my homeroom teacher at Brace Lederle Elementary School in Southfield, Michigan. He was a major music fan, and one of-if not the only- teachers to notice and appreciate my interest in music. At some point, I expressed some interest in exploring Beatles music, and he told me to bring in a blank tape. I found a tape hidden somewhere in my room (contraband, since I was not allowed to listen to music on my own), and the DeBarge and New Edition that was previously there was erased, and in it's place, I heard "You Won't See Me", "The Word", and the rest of "Rubber Soul". My pre-adolescent mind was blown. The first Beatles album I bought on my own was a compilation called "Rock & Roll Music", which contained a couple of the songs I'll be listing here. I now own every Beatles album from "Rubber Soul" until the end of their careers, including the red & blue double CD collections and The Beatles "One". As sophomoric and silly as their music occasionally sounds in retrospect, no one can deny what an impact they had on music and society as a whole. They were capable of doing everything from blues to orchestral pop to piano ballads to metal-and here are my 10 favorite songs from The Fab Four. 10) "Ob La Di, Ob La Da" I had a roommate named Bryan, and we used to listen to Beatles albums together (more on that later). At one point, I got seriously fixed on "Ob La Di", which I later discovered was deemed one of the most ridiculous Beatles songs. But I love it DESPITE it's ridiculousness. Maybe it's Paul's thick bass. Or the tossed-off nature of the song itself. Maybe it's Yoko holding down the background vocals. Nevertheless, this kooky song about Desmond & Molly Jones and their couple of kids always makes me smile. 9) "Taxman" From what I hear, the UK government used to take back nearly all of your earnings in taxes. If I made as much money as The Beatles did, I might be mad enough to write a song like this, too. No wonder George Harrison was ticked off. It's got a groovy little guitar part, wonderfully sarcastic lyrics, and a droll , plainspoken vocal from Mr. Harrison. Good stuff. "uh-uh, Mr. Winston...uh-uh, Mr. Heath..." 8) "We Can Work It Out" I've read plenty of Beatles biographies, and one passage in particular that I remember stresses that this song really shows the difference in songwriting between John & Paul. Paul is gently pleading "Try to see it my way...", while John is much more insistent, singing "Life is very short, and there's no tiiiiii-ime/For fussing and fighting, my friend". This was also one of the first songs where I discovered the neat trick about a lot of Beatles songs: different sounds come out of your left and right speaker when you play it. The vocals and drums are in one, and all the other instruments are in the other. Neat-O. 7) "Hello Goodbye" A song this peppy shouldn't have this sad a sentiment. Paul's saying hello, but you're saying goodbye. Why? Whywhywhywhywhy...do you say...goodbye...goodbye-bye-bye...". This is one of those cool everything-but-the-kitchen-sink productions (props to George Martin). There's strings, there's John's voice swaddled with echo on the bridge, there's a lengthy coda. They were fairly simple lyricists, but there were awesome makers of songs. It proves that you don't have to be wordy to be a great songwriter. 6) "Drive My Car" This is kinda insulting. You want to be famous, and you want ME to be your limo driver? And then you throw in an "and baby I love you". What kinda sh*t is that? And then the b*tch doesn't even have a car to begin with. Don't stand for that, Paul. Yet another fine performance on bass by Mr. McCartney-a truly underrated bass player. 5) "A Day In The Life" So, back to my roommate, Bryan. I don't want to have anyone think that I'm convincing anyone to try drugs, but me and Bryan used to smoke a LOT of weed. Listen to THIS particular song on a really good sound system (or on headphones) while stoned and you will have an EXPERIENCE, my friend. It's the first song that could almost be seen as cinematic. John's woozy verses turn into Paul's jaunty just-a-man-going-to-work midsection, turns back into John's bizarro dream, then turns into an orchestral freak-out. Truly amazing. 4) "Don't Let Me Down" Featuring Billy Preston on organ, this is probably the closest The Beatles ever came to making an authentic soul record. The harmonies on this song are a-friggin'-MAZING, and John screams his little lungs out on this song. Purty electric piano playin' too. 3) "Golden Slumbers"/"Carry That Weight" Prettier than "Yesterday" or "Eleanor Rigby", if you ask me. To me, this was the centerpiece of "Abbey Road", easily the Beatles' best album. It starts off as a beautiful piano ballad before a segue into a big-horns-and-strings extravaganza with even more of Paul's crooning: "I never give you my pillow...I only send you my invitation..." 2) "Helter Skelter" This might be the first song I ever played air drums to. Sadly, I've still not progressed to actual drumming, even after twenty years. This song is loud (in an almost-metal kind of way), and Paul's screaming is mildly frightening. Throw in a wild guitar solo and you've got yourself one of their most interesting songs. Plus, you can't beat the two fake endings, culminating in Ringo screaming "I've got blistahs on me fingers!!". Then there's the final drum clang, and it's all over...whew. and Number One... 1) "Two Of Us" The song that opens "Let It Be" contains a pretty acoustic guitar, some more thick bass provided by Paul, and truly ironic lyrics considering the fact that this wound up being the last album released (but not the last recorded) by The Beatles. Two old friends ride off into the sunset together to a galloping tempo and the sound of two-part harmony. This song was perfect for the two childhood friends to go out on. "You and I have memories...longer than the road that stretches out ahead..." I'm such a sap. Anyway, thanks to Alex for hosting yet another ingenious write off. Until then, this is Speeddemon531 quoting the Fab's once more before I go.. "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."

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