Thursday, January 28, 2010

Five Beatles Songs I'm Not Sick Of

In 1986, with the re-release of "Twist and Shout" from Ferris Bueller's Day Off and a year later with George Harrison's Cloud Nine album, I became a die-hard Beatles fan for the next decade. But, as my mother's Uncle Charlie use to say, "Too much of anything, good for nothing." I've grown deathly tired of the more popular songs but here are several tracks I still enjoy.

"I'm So Tired," The White Album. Favorite line: And curse Sir Walter Raleigh / He was such a stupid get.

"Two Of Us," Let It Be (a fan vid). Best line: You and I have memories / Longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

"She Came In Through The Bathroom Window," Abbey Road. Joe Cocker's version is probably more famous but this version has plenty of bite.

"Glass Onion," White Album. The Walrus was Paul!

"Real Love," Anthology Vol. 2. You can get back to where you once belonged. Terrific song and video from 1996.

What's your favorite Fab Four song? And speaking of Cloud Nine, here's another terrific tune from that album.

31 comments:

Laurie Powers said...

I think I'm the opposite - I could probably count on one hand the Beatles songs I AM sick of. I never cared for Yesterday, Hey Jude, Magical Mystery Tour, or All You Need is Love (especially now that Blackberry has butchered it in their commercials).

But anything from Rubber Soul (with the exception of Yesterday) or earlier, I will never ever get sick of - until the day I die.

Cloudia said...

Yeah, David!




Aloha,


Comfort Spiral

Don said...

"What's The New Mary Jane" from one of the new collections that was released in the 1990s.

David Cranmer said...

Laurie, I'm realizing now my post probably comes across as negative and that wasn't my intention. There are many many great Fab 4 tunes but all we hear in the media and on radio is Yesterday, Hey Jude, Let It Be etc. I wanted to shed some light on the off the beaten path tracks.

Cloudia, :)

Don, The anthology collections were marvelous. So many great and alternative tracks.

Laurie Powers said...

I didn't think it was negative at all. I probably came off as a rabid fan but them I am. :) What I find interesting is the songs that I like the least are the ones that the radio plays the most.

David Cranmer said...

I remember Mick Jagger saying the Stones had recoreded a few hundred songs but the radio continues to wear out Satisfaction and Jumpin' Jack Flash.

Naomi Johnson said...

I'm in perfect agreement on "Two of Us." And I'm crazy about the video for "Free as a Bird."

Cloud Nine is so good, esp "When We Was Fab" and "Devil's Radio".

Craig Clarke said...

My five:

Paperback Writer
Lady Madonna
I'm Only Sleeping
The Ballad of John and Yoko
I'm Looking Through You

David Cranmer said...

Naomi, "Devil's Radio" is a favorite. "Wreck of the Hesperus" is another. Hands down one of Harrison's finest moments.

Craig, "The Ballad of John and Yoko" is a winner. And I believe that is Paul's drumming.

Anonymous said...

While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Hey Bulldog
Blue Jay Way
Day Tripper
You Never Give Me Your Money

-Diane

G. B. Miller said...

Fortunately, the radio stations I listen to, don't play the Beatles.

But I don't really have a favorite....beyond "Paperback Writer" and "I'm Down".

Now if you're talking about solo stuff, then I like "I Think, Therefore, I Rock & Roll" by Ringo Starr".

Charles Gramlich said...

These are Beatles songs? You know, dude, I don't own a single Beatles album. Unless it's Hey Jude or come together I usually switch channels when I hear the Fab four. Oh, I have a soft spot for paperback writer, of course.

Sage Ravenwood said...

I remember thinking my daughter was never going to get music. Up until her teens nothing seemed to strike a cord with her until she heard the Beatles - Yellow Submarine. So naturally I have an affinity with the Fab 4 for this reason alone.

Favorite song of mine always:
Blackbird

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

To say I've had a hard life is putting it mildly. These words resound in me...I was just waiting for this moment to arise. (Hugs)Indigo

David Cranmer said...

Diane, I’m with you on Blue Jay Way. Effortless perfection by the Dark Horse.

G, I saw Ringo live in 1989 with his All-Star Band. Great memories. Outstanding show. I remember us four guys were trying to catch a glimpse of Barbara Bach.

Charles, You must be a Stones fan.

Indigo, Blackbird strikes a cord with many people. Beautiful message in that three minute masterpiece. It’s also interesting how many kids, like your daughter, started their love of music with this group's catalogue.

Richard Prosch said...

My favorite? From the last thing they recorded together: Side 2 of ABBEY ROAD. Everything of the decade before, and everything to come in the next decade appears in that wonderful mercurial twenty odd minutes: from synthesizers to metal guitar sensibilities to Bowie and punk(Well you should see Polythene Pam / She's so good-looking but she looks like a man / Well you should see her in drag dressed in her polythene bag). A fitting finale.

David Cranmer said...

Richard, That segued together second side is definitely one of the greatest musical achievements ever.

Scott D. Parker said...

My five:

Literally I never tire of these LPs:
Abbey Road
Rubber Soul
Revolver
Sgt. Pepper's...

Songs:
I Want You (She's So Heavy)
A Hard Day's Night
Eleanor Rigby
Tomorrow Never Knows
Something

David Cranmer said...

"Tomorrow Never Knows" was ahead of its time. Doing a quick check of Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomorrow_Never_Knows) there is some intriguing history related to this track.

Phil Collins did a sharp cover on his Face Value album.

Scott D. Parker said...

Remember the cover. As an 80s teen, I wasn't too into the Beatles. That changed with the 1995 ABC show Anthology. Back to TND, it's such a witches brew of sounds that it never grows old. I remember a few years back I was listening to Revolver at work and a co-worker asked "Who's that?" He was surprised when I said it was the Beatles. You know, you think about it, they really did all that there is to do with music sans rap. Remarkable.

Evan Lewis said...

Most Beatles recordings are now so familiar I don't have to listen to them - I can hear them note for note in my head. What keeps the songs fresh for me is collecting cover albums by other artists.

David Cranmer said...

Scott, The same goes for tracks like "You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)" and "I Want You." I have had people ask the "who's that?" over these tracks.

Btw you got me playing REVOLVER tracks right now.

Evan, Heck, you could load up three dozen discs with all the covers out there. (That reminds me that I saw the Beatlemania show with my sister in the late eighties. It was a pretty fun show that I had forgotten about.)

Barrie said...

Octupus' Garden--love that one! Oh, and I love Rocky Raccoon!

Gary Dobbs/Jack Martin said...

Cloud Nine is a great album - When we was fab and breath away from heaven. I too love I'm so tired and my favourite line matches yours, Lennon spits it out. The only Beatle ones that i switch off are the poppy Hold you hand and she loves you. And rubber soul is what ears were made for.

David Cranmer said...

Barrie, You may be the first person I met who likes Octupus' Garden. :) But not Rocky Raccoon. That's a classic and McCartney excels at these cartoon (right word?) style romps. Favorite line: Her name was Magil and she called herself Lil But everyone knew her as Nancy.

Gary, RUBBER SOUL is a truly wonderful listening experience. "If I Needed Someone" is another fine George Harrison highlight. But, of course, Lennon's "Norwegian Wood" is probably the celebrated track.

Character Education said...

I love that "Two of Us"

I dont have any five song list :(

pattinase (abbott) said...

I'm with Laurie. But if I had to pick one==rather than John Lennon's Imagine--I'd pick You've Got to Hide Your Love Away or Blackbird.

sertech said...

"Why Don't We Do It in the Road?" or "Savoy Truffle" for the less traveled. "Hey Jude" for my all-time favorite Beatles track.

Frank Loose said...

Nobody mentioned Rain--- one of the best but seldom played songs they recorded. What a bass line!

David Cranmer said...

Patti, I had forgotten about the Dylan inspired "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away."

sertech, Truffle is an oddly entertaining ditty. I believe Clapton played on that one.

Frank, I just got caught up watching the "Rain" promotional video on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge-Xl8MTLoo
You're correct. This is a top track that hasn't been overplayed. It would be in my top ten.

Frank Loose said...

David ... Yea, that Rain clip is cool. Also, I love You've Got To Hide Your Love Away. For those interested in hearing the Beatles as a tight cover band, check out the Live at the BBC recordings. Its a double album and it rocks! You will not be disappointed.

Anonymous said...

It's "git", not get