Radical Beatles thinking

[hangaleft]

Recently, there was a thread containing Top 10 albums. I included in my Top 10 Rubber Soul and Revolver.

First of all, I should have specified US version when I listed Rubber Soul. IMO, the UK version pales in comparison.

But, I recently started thinking back to my adolescence and which Beatles albums I really loved. And this may sound radical, but I’m changing my list. My favorite Beatles album is Beatles ‘65.

Among music critics and just music fans at large, the accepted wisdom marks Sgt. Pepper as the band’s high water mark. Moreover, the general wisdom is that the early Beatles stuff is to be dismissed as the guys just finding their footing.

I say rubbish! I LOVE the early Beatles. I strongly believe they did their best *rock and roll* during their early years. IMO, Beatles ‘65 was the high water mark of the early years. On the strength of No Reply and I’ll Be Back alone, Beatles ‘65 is a masterpiece.

Full disclosure — Never liked Paul, loved John. Which would, in large part, explain my love of the early stuff (their covers were as great as their original stuff) and disdain for Sgt. Pepper.

[rampartc]

1. day tripper is a good tune

the earlier stuff was great for kids with a garage band. easy to play (even at minimal talent level) and the girls loved it.

rubber soul was great. the girls loved "michelle."

I liked ….

[hangaleft]

4. Yeah, Day Tripper was a great one

Flip side We Can Work It Out

One of at least three singles I can think of that had two number 1 songs on it.

And I Love Her/If I Fell
Third one escapes me. I’ll be back (no pun intended) with the third after I do the google.

I Feel Fine/She’s a Woman (from Beatles ‘65 — duh!)

(Thank you google/Wikipedia)

Additional edits:

Norwegian Wood is an awesome song. First use of a sitar by a rock n roll band.

As for Michelle, I think it was Paul that the girls loved more than the song itself. He was a cutie pie.

[Cartoonist]

2. '65 was the first album I ever bought.

I feel fine just thinking about that one.

I also think that Magical Mystery Tour (US release) gets overlooked as one of their best.

Fool on the Hill
I Am the Walrus
Hello Goodbye
Strawberry Fields Forever
Baby You're a Rich Man

And one of only two instrumentals they ever did:

[hangaleft]

3. MMT has two of my favorite Lennon songs

I Am the Walrus and Strawberry Fields Forever.

Gotta love the lyrics to Walrus lol.

[Just_Vote_Dem]

5. I'm always amazed thinking about their evolution

from their early pop stuff to the later complexity. I don't think there were bands that had that kind of evolution.

[DFW]

11. There was one: The Byrds

When you look at the evolution from Mr. Tambourine Man to Younger Than Yesterday, it is nothing short of incredible. Of course, it was mostly due to David Crosby. When they broke up, McGuinn went back to his country leanings, and we all know where Crosby ended up.

But that one album, with songs like Renaissance Fair, Everybody Has Been Burned, and Mind Gardens, was a stand-out that withstood the test of time. Even the more straightforward tunes like "So You Wanna Be A Rock'n'Roll Star" and CTA 102 were apart from the mainstream. Hillman's C&W-style contributions, such as "Time Between" somehow fit in, and "Have You Sen Her Face" showed a willingness to take his C&W tendencies a step outside of the box. His bass lines on Crosby's tunes were as inspired as any that McCartney laid down on Sgt. Pepper.

The difference is that Younger Than Yesterday was a pinnacle, where the Beatles' greater longevity (and George Martin's presence) permitted them a far greater period of uninterrupted evolution.

[Fiendish Thingy]

6. Ugh- Beatles 65 is half covers, drenched in Dave Dexter's reverb.

No Reply and I’ll be back are great songs, and I’m a Loser is one of my faves, but it (Beatles For Sale, where most of the cuts come from) is one of their weakest albums, recorded in a rush in fall 64 after a year of Beatlemania and touring.

The UK A Hard Day’s Night is classic early Beatles, and the UK Revolver is their most radical, ground breaking, paradigm shifting album. The US Rubber Soul combined songs from the UK Help and Rubber Soul LP’s , and is mainly notable for inspiring Brian Wilson to create Pet Sounds.

[hangaleft]

7. Honey Don't, a cover of a Carl Perkins song, is one of my favorite Beatles songs

I have nothing further to say in response to your post.

[Fiendish Thingy]

8. Honey Don't is a great song

Rock and Roll music, not so much. Especially when they had recorded a kick ass cover of Leave My Kitten Alone in the same sessions.

[musicman65]

9. It is hard

to find a bad Beatles song,however,my all time favourite album,,Sgt. Pepper

[hangaleft]

10. A Day In the Life

My favorite Beatles song. While My Guitar Gently Weeps is a close second. After that are about a dozen tied for third