|
|
She said she said. The Beatles at their best (Alexdg's write-off)Sep 09 '05 Write an essay on this topic.
Popular Products in Music
The Bottom Line The Beatles
(To find out about Alex's write-off, go to http://www.epinions.com/content_4507476100) Do I even need to write an introduction here? Most people who know me know that I'm a huge rock and roll fan. And most people who know me know that I'm a huge Beatles fan (same as most people who know my stepmother know she's an Elvis fanatic). Now I will try to condense how I first started listening to the Beatles into a relatively short paragraph. I'd always heard the Beatles music throughout my younger years thanks to the oldies station my parents listened to. This continued into my pre-teen and early teen years, even as I began to prefer much of the popular dreck of the time (Vanilla Ice). Then later on as I got into better artists (Pearl Jam, U2), I started to develop an appreciation for the classics. This appreciation began with Black Sabbath, Hendrix and Led Zeppelin and later went on to include the Doors (whom I still like to an extent, albeit not as much as I did when I was a teenager: Morrison was the perpetual adolescent, which may explain why my appreciation for his music has declined somewhat), The Who, Cream, the Kinks, the Stones and numerous others. But I was a relative latecomer to the Beatles. I only really started listening to them closely after seeing the Beatles Anthology series on ABC in 1995. The first pieces of Beatles music I bought in fact was the second set of the three Anthologies. On the same day I bought it, I also bought The White Album. Since then I have acquired all of the Beatles original albums as well as the two Past Masters collections of singles not released on albums. Now when it comes to the Beatles, you have people who prefer their early pop stuff and people who prefer their later experimental stuff. I tend to lean more towards the latter as most of the selection on this list will prove. 20: I've Just Seen A Face: This countrified McCartney number from Help! is easily one of the most joyous love songs I've ever heard. The song easily conveys the feeling of falling in love far better than "Silly Love Songs" ever could. 19: I'm Down: For people who tend to dismiss Sir Paul as a lightweight, this Little Richard style rocker should prove em wrong. The single version is superb. But I always preferred the rough early version on Anthology 2, which is even harder. On that one especially, Paul gives it his all, even if he does get somewhat carried away towards the end (he starts barking at one point). 18: Good Morning Good Morning: After starting the list off with two McCartney compositions, I had to put in some Lennon (seeing as he is my favorite Beatle). This upbeat number from Sgt Pepper mixes social observation, a touch of dark humor and barnyard sound effects. It all makes for one good time. 17: If I Needed Someone: This classic from Rubber Soul was the first song to prove that George Harrison might be just as good as Lennon and McCartney in terms of composition. From the jingling guitars to the lovelorn lyrics, everything about the song is great. 16: Back In The USSR: A subtly humorous Beach Boys parody from the White Album, this McCartney rocker is another gem. 15: Sexy Sadie: Not one of their more well-known songs, this slow Lennon song from the White album features John at his most cynical and sarcastic. A subtle attack on the Eastern guru Maharishi, this ranks as one of the great put-down songs of all time. 14: Happiness Is A Warm Gun: Another Lennon classic, also from the White Album, this song is a brilliant mix of satire, love and bleakly unintentional irony (in the title). 13: I'm So Tired: Completing this Lennon/White Album trifecta, we have this slow dirge which is appropriate for when one has to get up at 6:45 AM to go to work. 12: Taxman: One of the most Libertarian songs ever recorded, this Harrison rocker takes aim at one of the two unfortunate certainties in life. I admit to singing along with it on the way to work last April 15th and changing the lines "Mr. Wilson" and "Mr. Heath" to "Mr. DeLay" and "Mr. Bush". 11: If I Fell: One of the few early period Beatles songs on this list, this harmonically sung jointly written Lennon-McCartney song ranks as one of the most purely beautiful love ballads ever written or recorded. 10: In My Life: Another harmonically sung composition, this Lennon number has Sir John in reflective, thoughtful mode. One of the best songs about aging ever written. 9: Across The Universe: Just as reflective, yet slightly even more profound. 8: Come Together: From Abbey Road, this tough rocker is a great sing along number. 7: You Never Give Me Your Money/Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight: My favorite parts of the Abbey Road medley. 6: Get Back: Another classic sing along number, this one by Sir Paul. 5: Revolution: The Beatles do protest songs and quite well too. Not much else to say, except that I prefer the electric version of the two. 4: Tomorrow Never Knows: The best psychedelic Beatles song bar none. 3: Hey Jude: As overplayed as it may have gotten, I still have yet to tire of this song. 2: Here Comes The Sun: See my comment on Hey Jude. 1: She Said She Said: One of the most touching songs ever written, this Lennon masterpiece from Revolver never fails to move me. I remember writing the lyric to it on the back of my English notebook in 12th grade. I remember my friend Amy looking at them and asking if I wrote it. I replied I did not, although I wished I could write something so good. Honorable Mentions Long And Winding Road While My Guitar Gently Weeps Drive My Car Something Day Tripper Rain Paperback Writer I'm Only Sleeping Helter Skelter  |
| Read all comments (1)|Write your own comment |
- Top 500
by starcollector by starcollector
![Jersey Boys [Original Broadway Cast Recording] by Original Broadway Cast Reviews](http://di2.shopping.com/images/pi/95/a4/8a/2006752046-100x100-0-0.jpg?p=p13.ae38d38115e287b388c3&a=2&c=1&l=8071320&t=120603123241&r=2)
