With tomorrow’s re-release of their catalog looming, this is as good a time as any to broach a seldom-discussed topic on Rock Town Hall: The Beatles.
Specifically, as the topic indicates, we’re looking for your opinion on what the actual most underrated Beatles song is. In a song line up as well-known as this, you might think it difficult to decide, but I’m sure such a straightforward question will allow us to easily reach a consensus.
I’ll ask you to observe two qualifiers for this discussion. First, let’s keep things limited to the music you could find on the original albums, Magical Mystery Tour, and the first half of Yellow Submarine (unless you feel strongly that, say, “Pepperland Laid Waste” is the answer), plus all the singles-related material you could find on the Past Masters collections. Second, you can not choose “Rain.” As arguably the most famous least famous Beatles song, it is my firm belief that “Rain” has so thoroughly acquired a reputation as the most underrated Beatles song over the years that it is no longer truly underrated. Protest if you want, but any running and head-hiding will not change the fact that “Rain” is off the board for this discussion.
As always, you are encouraged to show your work on Rock Town Hall, so please explain why you think your particular nomination qualfies as the most underrated song in the Beatles’ catalog. Thank you in advance.
Sorry, it must have been killing you that you couldn’t send in your response until I fixed the link. Well, I’m sure you’ve had an hour to contemplate this IMPORTANT question, so fire away. I look forward to the likely ease with which we will reach a firm consensus – and I regret the passing of this topic in advance.
This maybe based entirely on my memory of the event more than the song itself, but here goes:
I had all the Beatles proper catalogue along with the Past Masters sets. The only exception was the Yellow Submarine soundtrack. Aside from the two or three “new” songs, I put off getting this until I had exhausted everything else in the catalogue. I was in college and out of town on a trip when I finally picked this disc up for myself.
I got back to the room and put on the headphones. Then “It’s All Too Much” came on. It killed me. How had I missed tis incredible little recording. Those sounds assaulted my ears. I played it again another two or three times before handing the phones to my current girlfriend, who reacted the same way. We then shared this new find to another friend. Same results.
To this day, I have an unnatural love for this song and the sounds it makes.
TB
My instinct is not to pick something that has gone somwehat unnoticed, because other than maybe “The Inner Light” (which is, imo, George’s best Indian-style song) there’s no such thing in Beatles-land. So, instead I’ll go for something that people hate: “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer,” which has not only a realy nice early use of synthesizer but is a fine example of rock-as-storytelling.
re: “It’s All Too Much.” I have heard an 8-minute bootleg version of it that has a whole extra verse (I have no idea why they edited that out) and a long, rather tedious fade. The better way to edit the song would have been to keep the extra verse but edit some from the middle of the jam at the end. It could have been a really great 6 1/2 minute song, I think.
What does my gut say “I Want You/She’s So Heavy”?
Doctor Robert from Revolver.
Great song on a great album overshadowed by many other great songs on that record.
Documents their transition to the “post drugs” era.
And gee – mentions the “National Health” so quite topical for today’s news even!
I’ll say And Your Bird Can Sing. It’s everything you need in a (power) pop song: great harmonies, killer tones, gigantic guitar and vocal hooks. It’s underrated because I’ve never once heard it on the radio (although I don’t listen to Breakfast with the Beatles and I’m sure they play it there).
Runner up: I’m Looking Through You, for all the same reasons listed above.
I’ve always been partial to “Only a Northern Song”. Love the opening guitar and organ and the overall off-kilter melody. Very under-rated.
As with “Rain,” I don’t think we can accept “And Your Bird Can Sing.” Isn’t that now The Beatles’ song that far outdoes the collected works of The Byrds? I trust that alexmagic will rule on this one.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE “It’s All Too Much” thanks to McCartney’s majestic bass playing, but I think calling it a “song” does an injustice to all the other great, underrated Beatles’ songs under consideration for this important decision. I look forward to alexmagic’s ruling on this one, as well as the collective wisdom of these hallowed halls.
“Doctor Robert” is a GREAT suggestion, but I’m always shocked to learn that a number of Beatles fans think it deserved to be left off Revolver. They must by hippie-hatin’, values-driven types, but who’s to say their opinion is not valid?
The case for “I’m Looking Through You” as most underrated Beatles’ song is uncut by the previously unreleased version of the same song, which finally saw the official light of day on one of those Anthology collections. I think I’m not alone in thinking that the previously unreleased version is even more underrated, but that one’s not for consideration. Wise man, that alexmagic!
I think I’ve got the underrated Beatles’ song that will unite us and bring us the resolution that the rock world seeks:
“You Won’t See Me”
Not only is this the most underrated Beatles song, it’s got to be among the Top 5 Leanest Power Pop Songs in rock history, not too far behind The dB’s’ “Big Brown Eyes,” the acknowledged leader among Lean Power Pop Songs.
REJOICE!
Mister Moonlight
I’ll go with one of their great original country-rock songs: I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party (So I’ll Go).
Runners up: If I Needed Someone (from the most under-rated Beatle), Things We Said Today (McCartney at his melodic best).
“Hey Bulldog” and “Only A Northern Song” KILL on The Yellow Submarine reissue…had not thought much about either prior to this release.
“Dr. Robert” should be included in this discussion as well. (ok, I just saw that is was…nice job!)
You Never Give Me Your Money
It goes:
One sweet dream
Pick up the bags
get in
the limosine
soon we’ll be away from here
step on the gas and
wipe that tear away
FUCKIN GLORIOUS!
I’m not ready to weigh in yet – in part because I don’t want to influence anything and also because I’m still trying to work out the scientifically correct answer. I will say that two of my three leading contenders have been mentioned. But does the fact that no one has or is likely to mention my third choice mean it’s more underrated than the other two? Hmm, back to the lab…
I’d like to get some clarification from Buskirk and Steve on their selections. I’d be inclined to say “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” is at least in the upper half of known Beatles songs, but I’m very open to the argument that it’s so great that it should be even higher up, if that’s what you’re feeling. As for “Mister Moonlight”, is your take that it doesn’t deserve the “worst Beatles song” tag it often receives, and thus is most underrated by that definition? If so, this is a very interest approach to the discussion.
Kilroy: That particular section of “You Never Give Me Your Money” is probably my favorite moment in any song I’ve ever heard. Fuckin’ Glorious is exactly how I’d describe it.
ya know?
I’m not sure if these meet the underrated tag or not..??
She Said She Said
Girl
I Will
The Two of Us
I think there’s a quite a few underappreciated gems that might’ve gotten lost in the shuffle of the sprawling White Album. My pick among them is I’m So Tired, but I might have a thing for Lennon’s sleepy songs.
I’ve always liked “Two of Us” and “I Dig a Pony” from Let It Be. I know some people who absolutely loath those two. And “Hey Bulldog” is a good shout.
“Things We Said Today” is an interesting choice. As a kid that seemed to me to be one of their key early songs. Has that changed? Did it actually become underrated, or did I spend too much of my childhood hanging with andyr?
I LOVE both “Two of Us” and “I Dig a Pony” so much that it never occurs to me that they aren’t already considered two of the greatest Beatles’ songs by all of you. Interesting as well.
“I’m So Tired” is excellent, but I figured that was like a “fine wine” among Beatles’ songs – not for all to savor, but a key step in our development as Beatles’ fans.
I will say that “I Want You/She’s So Heavy” has grown on me about as much as any Beatles’ song over the years. I’m also a big fan of “Savoy Truffle,” but I don’t think that’s much of a SONG, if you know what I mean. It just sounds cool and is interesting on a scientific, Kentonite level. Same goes for “It’s Only a Northern Song,” in my opinion.
Here’s a song that’s really grown on me in recent years as a GREAT song, not just a “fun” song: “Bungalow Bill.” I’ve severely underrated this one over the years, but maybe it’s like BigSteve and “Mr. Moonlight.” I’ve got to think about this.
Very interesting, alexmagic. Reaching consensus may be harder than I figured it would be.
Alex has the general idea about Mr Moonlight. I’ve never understood the negativity about that one. Its lyric in inane, but so are most of the Beatles’ original lyrics from that era. It’s got a nice throaty Lennon vocal, nice rug harmonies, that cool drum sound, and I like the organ. As long as Rocky Raccoon is still on the white album, Mr Moonlight cannot possibly be the worst Beatles track.
The more I have to live with “Rocky Raccoon” on The White Album the more I feel like taking out McCartney…once and for all!
You make a good case for “Mr. Moonlight,” BigSteve, but do its delights elevate it as a SONG? I think not.
I admit I’m not a big fan of the later Beatles records, but I’ve listened to a few tracks after hearing the various recommendations here, and god those stereo mixes from the white album and Abbey Road are just awful. These albums are part of the ‘the Beatles didn’t care about stereo’ reissues in mono that are coming out this week? I’ve just listened to Kinks and Stones recordings from 68 and 69, and they’re much better sounding. Were the Beatles behind the curve on this?
I didn’t think we were talking about songwriting as distinct from the recorded track. Moonlight isn’t an original, so it’d be out of the running if that’s what we’re doing.
Late to the party, so after Bird, Dr. Robert, You Won’t See Me, Looking Through You, If I Needed Someone and I’m Only Sleeping, I’ll go with Long Long Long. The answer to this question has to be a George song, right? And I love this one because to me it’s so unique in the Beatles catalog–play any of the mentioned songs to Beatles novices, and they’ll probably say, “Beatles, right?” But this one, I’m not so sure. As atmospheric, meaningful and lovely as anything they ever did.
The usual. Saw the title, thought no one else would have it and then saw that other Townies had voted in “Hey Bulldog”. It’s truly an underdog, the casual fan simply does not know it.
Sorry, BigSteve, I did not mean to suggest that SONGWRITING had to be the key to the song’s underrated appeal. I am just trying to be diligent in examining what it means to be the most underrated Beatles’ song.
Considering that George IS by definition underrated, can any of his songs really be considered underrated?
Yes, Mr. Moderator. Since he is by definition underrated, ergo, all of his songs are underrated, except Here Comes The Sun and Something. If not, then we have to go with Don’t Pass Me By, and we don’t really want to, do we?
Hey, that sounds like philosophy, chuckflack, or logic or some other subject I haven’t studied since we first began considering what might have been the most underrated Beatles’ song.
There is still work to do, but let’s be thankful for the position we have reached on “Don’t Pass Me By.”
Hey Bulldog
Only a Northern Song
It’s All Too Much
Flying
I’ll also second chuckflack’s Long, Long, Long. Beautiful.
I like “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” in part because it captures a lot of elements I like that aren’t often on Beatles’ records, namely congas, Moog and extended jams. Plus Billy Preston on the Hammond is a big plus.
I love its minimalism too, it’s a good comparison to Paul’s “Why Don’t We Do It In The Road”. Of course Paul does it with a wink where John goes all out to convince you he’s the horniest bastard who ever lived. This should be the encore tune of choice, it’s so spare a band could make any kind of stomp they want out of it.
“Long Long Long” is a fave too, one of the prettiest melodies in their catalog.
Here’s some fave rave Beatles songs of mine that I feel are underrated:
1. I’m Happy Just to Dance With You
2. I Need You
3. Bad Boy
t would HAVE to be a Ringo song, so I will vote for “Goodnight”, the white album closer. It is a masterpiece.
That little guitar lead in “Long Long Long” is simply incredible. It’s gorgeous.
TB
I’m confused now over whether George songs are eligible or not.
If they are, I say “Old Brown Shoe.”
If not, I say “It’s Only Love.”
“I Need You” or “It’s Only Love” (good call, Oats)
Let’s address “Hey Bulldog”, which the number crunchers in the Lab handicapped to win this thing based on their predictive models. Here are some data points that support the notion that Hey Bulldog should rightfully inherit Rain’s place as the Real Most Underrated Beatles Song:
-Appears on what would likely be considered the least essential official Beatles release, which gives it a chance for obscurity on the level of any non-German Past Masters number.
-Denied the chance for greater exposure not once, but twice: not only was the “Hey Bulldog” sequence cut out of the original release of Yellow Submarine, but the footage of the Beatles recording “Hey Bulldog” was also used as the promotional video for “Lady Madonna”. It took 30 years for the sequence to make it back into the movie and for the song to get its own footage back for a video.
-The hidden gem factor. TB gave a really great description of this for “It’s All Too Much” above. “Hey Bulldog” is obscure enough that your casual fan may have never heard it, and it’s good enough – especially Lennon’s vocals and guitar – that a first-time listener would have one of those “how did I never know about this song all these years?” moments.
Any “Hey Bulldog” dissenters out there? Did it actually miss its chance to take the Most Underrated spot now that it’s been restored to Yellow Submarine, got a cameo on the Love album and made the initial cut for the Beatles Rock Band video game? Would anyone like to argue that their nomination – It’s All Too Much, for example – is even more obscure than Hey Bulldog while still good enough that it should take the crown instead?
For those who have taken the stance that George’s non-Abbey Road songs (we’d have to throw “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” in as an exception, too) get bonus points because George songs have always been overshadowed, does anybody want to go to bat for “Old Brown Shoe”? Pudman mentioned “The Inner Light”, which I agree is the best of George’s Eastern-inspired Beatles songs, and I’m pretty sure those two are the last Beatles songs I ‘discovered’ when growing up.
The groundswell of support for “Long Long Long” is slightly unexpected, but understood. We’ll see what the Lab has to say when we run the numbers again.
I’m not the biggest Beatles fan. I like them and all but I only own Rubber Soul, Revolver and Let It Be. I suspect that this might be a topic that the Beatle-philes need to work through by themselves.
That said, I need a clarification here. It seems that as long as you mention an obscure Beatles song, you are in contention because the obscure ones are per se underrated, and I don’t buy that.
“Underrated”, as I see it, is the gap between how good a song is and how well regarded it is by one of two groups: either the general public or by rock nerds.
Either way, I’m sticking with And Your Bird Can Sing. I think it’s unquestionably the best in their entire catalog. There is absolutely no fat on that song.
If we’re judging this using the “General Public” standard, I would guess that most people haven’t heard it because it’s never played on the radio.
If we’re judging this using the more stringent “Rock Nerd” standard, I would say that the fact that people have suggested Doctor Roberts, Flying, I Want You, etc proves that AYBCS is underrated. Those are all decent songs, but they aren’t even in the same league as AYBCS and they all currently get about as much attention as they deserve. They are album cuts for those who have an interest and want to dig in a little deeper.
Just because AYBCS has become more appreciated over the years does not mean that it isn’t still criminally underrated. Why, I’ll bet you’re underrating it right now.
Whose life isn’t made a little bit better every time they hear AYBCS?
cdm, you’re doing excellent work here. I would encourage Townspeople and other observers to consider this stance and decide whether or not you agree. How much does obscurity factor into this important decision?
Since I listen often to all these songs it’s hard to think of what would be underrated, but that moan at the end of Long Long Long is very cool.
I think You’re Gonna Lose That Girl is underrated tucked within that Help album.
Thank you alexmagic, I worked so hard on that, I’m starting to sweat through my lab coat.
To be clear, we’re not talking about the most obscure Beatles song or the best Beatle song. We’re talking about the gap between those two points, right?
If so, I think mockcarr has a great example in Your Gonna Lose That Girl. Everyone knows that song, yet it seems to be taken for granted a bit. Note that I said “great” example, and not “the best” example. The best example would be And Your Bird Can Sing.
I like the 3 stated so far; Bulldog, AYBCS (is that a Genesis title?), and Old Brown Shoe.
If obscurity factors in, then maybe intent needs to factor in.
I bet when George brought his 4 White Album tracks to the boys, he knew While My Guitar was his power hitter song. Long, Long, Long doesn’t aim very high to me. It’s a nice melody, and it’s done well, but I think even George knew it was a deep album track.
Even if you love Why Don’t We Do it in the Road, you would concede Paul knows it shouldn’t be rated high among his songs. There are songs with just enough good stuff, that no one wanted to just abandon them, but they deserve their underclass status even when they hold a “special” spot on our lists.
Sounds like the Beatles aimed higher with It’s All Too Much. Lot’s going on with that performance. Same with I Want You. I think Lennon thought that was a very important song. If the intent is to make a GREAT song, they succeed, and it still doesn’t get the love; that’s underrated. If they are only trying to lay down a bunt to advance the runners, it’s not underrated. e.g.: I Will.
I’m still riding on “It’s All Too Much.” It’s the best Beatles song that most have never heard therefore making it underrated. The fact that the thing absolutely burns my biscuits as a track and would be considered a great hit by any lesser band of the era coupled with that it’s an actual Beatles release gives it another edge. It’s got everything going for it: The recording, the performance, the melody. All the ingredients of a killer cut. How it got shuffled to a soundtrack afterthought is beyond me.
Most of the tracks mentioned in this thread are worthy of any compilation that would sound like a greatest hits. This is part of the majesty of The Beatles for me. Their lesser cuts sound like works of art (Most of them anyway).
The stupid politics of The Beatles always bothered me and the general consensus that I am getting here is that George has some shining moments from 1965 on. The White Album is a perfect example: “We’re sorry, George, but we’re cutting ‘Not Guilty’ from the track listing so we can have ‘Wild Honey Pie’ instead. You know thwe rules, only two of yours per disc…” Man, what egos.
“It’s All Too Much for me to take…”
TB
I’ll also go with ‘Long, Long, Long.’ Sounds extra-amazing on the remaster too!
Long, Long, Long is another of the White Album tracks that I had in mind as underrated. I know it’s a dark horse but I’m putting my money on it. It’s a very subtle recording, but that doesn’t necessarily equate to a bunt in my book.
It’s All Too Much and Hey Bulldog both seem a little too directly descended from the Revolver era, like some strange offspring of She Said, She Said and Yellow Submarine.
I do sympathize with CDM’s case for AYBCS. That is some classic work probably rated as “just another great Beatles song”, but that’s why this discussion is interesting. I rate it more highly than Long, Long, Long, but I really think the Harrison song is totally overlooked.
(Geo, nice sneaking in that dark horse reference when discussing Harrison)
I’m quite surprise with all the kudos L, L, L is getting. I would have never guessed it had such appreciation. It is really low on my list of the best Harrison in the Beatles songs. Hell, Charlie Manson didn’t even get inspiration from that one. Piggies fired him up though.
I think John and Paul were right to turn “Not Guilty” away. No way, at that point, were they going to let lines like “I’m not here to steal your vest” or “but like you heard me said” get on an album. I love George, but he was about eight years ahead of Paul’s worst lyrical habits when he wrote Not Guilty.
I’m convinced that out of all the songs that George wrote while with the Beatles, the one that most needed to be recorded by them is “Sour Milk Sea”. Put a full band version of that with Paul and John singing back up on the White Album or Yellow Submarine and you’d have a contender for this contest.
Only Geo has come out against “Hey Bulldog” so far. Anybody else?
I’m intrigued by the potential battle between And Your Bird Can Sing and You’re Gonna Lose That Girl in the “everybody knows these songs are brilliant but they’re even more brilliant than everybody realizes” division, especially as a huge fan of both. I’d like to hear more thoughts on a head-to-head matchup between these two.
For those in the increasingly powerful “Long, Long, Long” faction, I have a request that would be very useful in generating a set of data points to feed our statistical models. Would you please rate – in order of overall greatness, ignoring the question of how underrated they might be – the following White Album songs:
Dear Prudence, The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill, Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey, Sexy Sadie, Cry Baby Cry and Long, Long, Long.
Your assistance is appreciated.
And finally, to anyone out there quietly observing, please feel free to weigh in on this subject. Remember, as the Governing Body of Rock Discourse, we will be coming up with an official verdict on this matter, so every voice is welcome.
Yeah, but to turn it away in favor of “Wild Honey Pie?” That opens the debate on the sprawl of The White Album and Beatles themselves have said that it should have been a single disc. I like it just fine, even with “Wild Honey Pie.”
TB
Best to least:
Monkey
Prudence
Sadie
Cry Baby Cry
Bunghole Bill
L,L,L
“And Your Bird Can Sing” is one of the great songs ever, by anyone. I’m not sure that any song from the most critically accliamed album of all time (yes, REVOLVER has by now rightly supplanted SGT. PEPPER) can be called underrated, though. It’s not as if there are people out there saying it’s one of the weaker tracks on the album.
“Hey Bulldog” is more complicated. I don’t think it’s quite as unknown as people here are stating. I would wager there are a lot of people who have heard it who have not heard the other three YELLOW SUBMARINE songs. I’ve heard it on classic rock radio, for one thing. It also has been covered a number of times, and appeared on that silly ROCK N ROLL MUSIC album from the mid-70s.
I have described “Hey Bulldog” as the sound of the Beatles as a hard rock band. I can’t think of another Beatles song that so purely fits that description. Maybe “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me And My Monkey?” “Paperback Writer?”
Speaking of “Paperback Writer,” with all of the hoopla over “Rain,” which I love as much as anyone, has its A-side been completely forgotten? That’s also as good as anything–maybe the hottest guitar hook they ever played.
Re: “You Never Give Me Your Money.” That also would easily make my list of top 10 Beatles songs. Like AYBCS, it’s a pretty well-known part of one of the world’s most well-known albums, and everyone likes it, no? I have a hard time thinking that a song people actually like from one of the key albums could be considered underrated. For instance, I think “If I Needed Someone” is as terrific a power pop song (or, if you will, a folk-rock song) as anything by John and Paul, and maybe George gets dissed a bit, but I don’t know any RUBBER SOUL fans, or YESTERDAY AND TODAY fans, for that matter, who don’t like it. “Old Brown Shoe,” which I think is one of George’s best, is also very well-known, via the BEATLES AGAIN album.
Other than the four YELLOW SUBMARINE tracks, I think “Inner Light” is the most obscure officially released Beatles song, as it never appeared on any album until the RARITIES records in the 80s. Same with “You Know My Name,” though that one had quite a bit of notoriety.
re: The White Album. The only way it could have been better would be if it was a TRIPLE album. Just think about what else would have been on it: “Hey Jude,” the fast version of “Revolution,” (or the 10-minute version) “Lady Madonna,” “The Inner Light,” “Not Guilty,” “Across The Universe,” “Circles,” “Child of Nature,” “Sour Milk Sea,” “Junk,” maybe “Badge.” Heck, I would have even welcomed “What’s the New Marjyane.”
Also, for reference, it’s already at least a side longer than any other classic 2-LP set. It runs 93:43. By contrast, Blonde On Blonde: 71:40, Exile On Main Street: 66:48, Electric Ladyland: 75:47, London Calling: 64:59, Tommy: 75:03, Layla: 76:25.
My ranking:
DP
LLL
CBC
EGSTHEMAMM
SS
CSOBB
But I love them all.
I guess I love AYBCS to be too much to consider it underrated. I don’t think I’d ever heard that one until Lennon died and the radio stations started playing EVERY Beatle song at some point. I had already had a US version of Revolver, so I went searching for that song and bought Yesterday and Today just because of it.
I don’t like Old Brown Shoe all that much, but Paulie really fires up the bass and helps out on vocals for George there.
YGLTG has that mid period clean sound and acoustic/electric combo. The succinct little lead has the harmony vocals continuing right through it. Vocals where it’s easy to pick out all three voices. I’m a sucker for those call and response songs in any case – Help, I’m Down, The Night Before. It alternates John’s raspy and falsetto deliveries of “lose”. Bongos that are kind of odd.
Pudman says: “I’m not sure that any song from the most critically acclaimed album of all time (yes, REVOLVER has by now rightly supplanted SGT. PEPPER) can be called underrated, though.”
I say: I think it’s one of the greatest songs ever too but that is exactly my point. It’s even underrated in the context of that album let alone their catalog. Do non rock nerds even know the song? I’ve heard the following songs from that album on the radio: “Taxman”, “Eleanor Rigby”, “Got to Get You into My Life”, “Yellow Submarine” and “Good Day Sunshine”. But I never heard AYBCS until I bought the cd.
Thanks to all of you contributing to this thread who have helped me justify and rationalize. For weeks I’ve wavered, trying to decide – should I get the mono box? should I get the stereo box? neither?
I had more or less decided to skip the mono box – until I heard that it was sold out which of course made me want it.
Last night I decided I’d hit Best Buy and wherever to try and find the stereo box. But I wasn’t sure.
Then, early this morning I received notification from amazon that they had more mono sets in stock and at the same price as before ($230). I jumped on it. And then figured that when they got the stereo boxes back they’d be priced lower than Best Buy so no need to go there, just wait.
Now, a day late in reading this thread I feel totally justified. Not only do I need these sets to reexperience this phenomenal catalog again but I almost feel like, multimillionaires though they are, this music is so fantastic, that they totally deserve me giving them this money.
Of course, anyone who knows me, knows there was never any question but that I’d get both these boxes. I may have been fooling myself but I couldn’t have fooled others.
And put my vote down for Paperback Writer. What a great, great pop song that is!
Now I’m off to rationalize ordering the Big Star box. (You can listen to the first disc of the set here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112572226&sc=nl&cc=mn-20090909)
Is anybody else like me? You read through these comments and you kind of pat yourself on the back because so many others highly rate some of your personal faves: for me, Long Long Long, And Your Bird… But maybe the real answer lies in what songs this discussion has made you listen to–first time? first time in years?–and come away from the experience totally enamored, reassessing your own assessments, scratching your head and muttering, “I underrated that song?” I mean whose criteria of underrated are we using here: radio play? critics? To me it always comes down to my personal reaction to the music–screw radio, critics, etc. So, while I’m happy folks have jumped on my–I believe–first mention of LLL, I have to say, this discussion has proven to me that for me, It’s All Too Much is the most underrated Beatles song. Thank you all for turning me on once again to this gem.
chuckflack- Welcome to the bright side. Beware the moon and stay clear of the moors.
I’m with you on the “whose criteria” thing. chickenfrank talked about aiming high which is akin to Mr. Mod’s ongoing beefs about work-ethos.
For me the best songs don’t have an aim, they just are. And if they resonate deeply with me but not many others than I’d say they are underrated.
I vote for Hey Bulldog. I don’t have the YS soundtrack, and I had to resort to youtube to listen. I didn’t know this song at all. The chorus rings a distant bell. Fine chorus it is too, with that edgy snottiness I’m a sucker for. A touch of Dylan in the lyric. I’m living proof you have to be a Beatle geek to have picked this one.
This is great stuff. This discussion, which I sense is far from over, hits on what make Rock Town Hall so special. There are a lot of blogs out there that I’ve been meaning to lay into with Bearded Heston-like fury (as meanspirited as that might be), and when I get around to doing so, this thread will be the healing balm that I spread atop the wreckage.
Now some thoughts…
cdm, you did a man’s work in pushing along the criteria for underrated. The more I think about what you say the more I think that my initial suggestion of “You Won’t See Me” is valid. I’m sure a lot of you have come around to my way of thinking in the last couple of days. We’re talking about a fantastic McCartney song that should supplant all the over-the-top McCartney fan and critical favorites from his mid-60s’ peak: all those “Good Day Sunshine Got to Get You Into My Life” numbers. Just give me “You Won’t See Me” and dump those more popular tunes. Another underrated McCartney tune, in my opinion, is “Getting Better.” The bass and the call-and-response stuff are really cool. McCartney, with Lennon’s input, puts himself on the line a little more than he usually does in his jaunty poptunes. I like when McCartney allows himself to speak directly rather than paint happy faces all over the place. In “Getting Better,” the happy face is still a work in progress.
Regarding McCartney songs, by the way, I think I lean toward his “underrated” songs because his personality and output are so strong. It’s easy to treasure Harrison’s whispered contributions, like the cool-but-not-stunning-to-my-ears “Long, Long, Long.” It’s easy to root for the underdog. I find it more challenging to root for song overlooked by one of the band’s attention-grabbing leaders.
I like “Hey Bulldog” a lot, but to me it’s just a fun take on “Money.” I find “I Dig a Pony” and “I’ve Got a Feeling” and “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” to be more impressive because they really go out there and try to grab something uncommon and not completely defined. “Hey Bulldog” is just a super-fun goof. I’ll take “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide…” over that one, but among Lennon songs I’m sticking with “Bungalow Bill,” which is deceptively moving and a rare song that makes good use of Yoko’s voice.
To answer alexmagic’s question, from greatest on down:
Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey
The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
Cry Baby Cry
Dear Prudence
Long, Long, Long.
Sexy Sadie
Does anyone really think that “Good Day Sunshine” and “Got to Get You into My Life” are really McCartney wiinners. They ain’t “She’s a Woman”, but there’s something a little off-putting about both of them. Now “Drive My Car”, that’s a good McCartney number, and I love the sound of the drums.
Among Townspeople I’m pretty sure E. Pluribus Gergely and andyr like those songs a good deal – maybe dbuskirk as well. Plus they’re still on the radio and featured in Macca shows.
I’ve never understood the lack of love around here for She’s a Woman. I don’t think it’s anything special but it certainly doesn’t deserve the disdain that it gets in these Halls. It’s C-grade work that is viewed as an “F”
Perhaps that makes it the most underrated Beatles song…
I’ve had a hard time wrapping my head around this thread. Except for LLL, Which I think is only OK, I really like all of the songs mentioned. But to me, these songs are highly rated. There are very few Beatles songs that are underated to me.
Maybe a better term is undiscovered? I still think Oats’ selection of “It’s Only Love” is the best.
Good point, andyr. I’ve also been thinking about how much “It’s Only Love” grows on me over time. There was never a time when I didn’t like that song, but in the years since I first heard the Bryan Ferry cover – and didn’t Costello and maybe T-Bone Burnett do a nice, straightforward cover as well? – I’ve been able to hear that song as more than “just another strong, well-crafted early Beatles track.” It’s actually a top-shelf song in its own right, a little more than a work of high craft, which is how I’d bet a lot of us typically have considered the song.
I don’t see “Good Day Sunshine” and “Got to Get You into My Life” as winners at all. They are likely my two least favorite Beatles songs. They are why I can’t go along with the post-revised-critical-assessment of Revolver as the Beatles’ best.
Maybe it’s the horns…
Part of my appreciation of “It’s Only Love” is due my mishearing of a key lyric while in college, which suddenly made the song sound much more explicit, revealing and ahead of its time. Alexmagic remembers this mishearing of mine well.
Please reveal, Oats – or Alexmagic, if Oats is going to be coy with us:)
Magic-man, I feel you! Not Guilty is not worthy, and Sour Milk Sea is a gem. Love the Jackie Lomax version.
Oats, either you spill your misinterpretation, or we will guess our way to it:
“I get high when I see your hair pie, My oh My.” Is that it?
I bet it was when he figured out John was singing “It’s only love and love is Paul…”
I want to hear some more guesses before I reveal. So far, Chickenfrank is in the lead.
Was it “When you pry inside my fly”?
Oats, I was never going to out you in public on this, though the temptation was strong when you threw “It’s Only Love” into the mix. Especially because the misheard lyric in question may be rather personally revealing. I think you owe me a round for my continued display of restraint.
I have to say that I’m incredibly pleased to read the reactions of Al and chuck and the reinforcement of the top-to-bottom greatness of the Beatles.
Al, when you get the mono box, I hope you share your thoughts on them. I was with a good friend of mine last night who was excited to go buy some of the rereleases and wanted my guidance on which to get first, and I made sure to talk him into getting the albums that have been getting the best buzz for the stereo versions so I can just steal them from him when I eventually break down and buy the mono box someday.
All this feel-good buzz aside, though, let’s not forget that we will be declaring an official new Most Underrated Beatles Song at the end of this discussion. We’ve been re-running the numbers based on everyone’s continued input, and while there’s still time to add more data to our predictive model, I feel like we’re close to being able to reveal our findings.
Tell me it’s not “when I’m inside you” instead of “when I’m beside you” because that’s funnier than pies or prying flies!
Wow, you just guessed right, Chickenfrank. Hey, remember, it was college. I’m sure a couple of you guys embarrassingly misheard a Jam lyric or three during your time there!
Awesome. When I brought up the lyrics and read that one, I immediately saw how easy it would be to hear that instead. What makes it so funny is the line before it, “I get shy…” Dude, the time to be shy was waaaaay before that.
Oats, the world is your oyster but your future’s a clam…
I thought it was enough that he sang it’s so HARD loving you. Actually, those lyrics are so bad, there had to be some hidden meaning going on.
Yeah, specifically, the line would read “why am I so shy, when I’m inside you?” It’s a shame that – for Lennon when he would have written that and Oats when he thought he heard it – the pharmaceutical companies had yet to come up with a solution for this problem.
This discussion effectively kills the campaign for “It’s Only Love,” right?
Does anyone beside andyr but me agree that “And Your Bird Can Sing,” although not well known by the general public and casual Beatles fans, is not “underrated” owing to a long history of knowing the song and loving it to the point that we feel it obliterates the entire catalog of The Byrds?
I think anybody who’s made any effort at all to get into the Beatles music beyond the blue and the red compilations will have dug And Your Bird Can Sing, so I don’t think it can be called underrated.
I’d lean more towards the casual brilliance of the early middle period deep cuts, like You Can’t Do That or Anytime At All.
Y’all know that The Jam covered AYBCS, right? It’s a note for note job, and only proves how great The Beatles version sounds.
cdm is right with “And Your Bird Can Sing.” Not only is it underrated, it’s their best song, and even their fans don’t know it. I’m not the biggest Beatle head out there either, but if Revolver is now regarded their best album, someone needs to alert the Press, because I keep seeing how Mr Kite is even better than before (really?), and Sgt. Pepper is still the greatest album ever.
I may get some of these since they’re available individually, but all I can see getting is Revolver and Rubber Soul. I wouldn’t play the other ones. I’d say I’d wait for a White Album to show up used, but I never see them, so I won’t hold my breath.
Bungalow Bill is only eclipsed in suckitude by Rocky Raccoon.
And Your Bird Can Sing did an amazing thing: it influenced folk-rock, power pop, southern rock AND Boston-style AOR.
I would have a hard time finding a Beatles song better than “And your bird can sing”
Mmm… I’m still in the camp with BigSteve that says, If we all think “And Your Bird Can Sing” is one of the coolest songs ever once you hear it, how can it be considered underrated? If you take the ratings of that song per people who have heard it, there’s a 1:1 “greatness” ratio, no? I don’t think it’s underrated; I think it’s The Most Regrettably Unknown Song thanks to its being left off the US release of Revolver.
I played Beatles Rock Band with my boys and sammymaudlin last night. I’ll share my thoughts on the game itself later, but we played “Hey Bulldog,” and having to actually sing those lyrics “bouncy ball” style took something away from that song’s greatness. It was weird – sammy and I had some other moments like that.
So, after work on Wednesday night, I went to peruse some of the newly reissued Beatle excitement. I picked up a single copy of Revolver. I was blown away by the clarity and there were a couple of revelations in some of the tracks. The mini-doc is nice, but I don;t think it should be a selling point. While it may be cheaper to buy the stereo box in order to get the DVD as opposed to buying each album separately, it certainly doesn’t make it worthwhile. In other words, buy the box for economic purposes, not for the single DVD of all the mini-docs. I also picked up MMT as I just like the tunes on that record. I plan on getting the rest one-at-a-time and savoring each one over a period.
I do plan on getting the mono set as I’ve always enjoyed (even preferred) the mono mixes.
TB
I went looking through a rack of the individual CDs at a store. Granted, I have middled-aged eyes, but I could not find anywhere in the tiny print where it said it was the mono or the stereo version. I’m sure it’s obvious on the boxed versions. Good luck finding it on each CD. (Also, the back of the cover for Rubber Soul is different now! Apple bastards)
It’s easy, chickenfrank: The only way to get the monos is in the box. The only ones available individually are the stereos. I guess they figure the diehards would be the only ones who would shell out the bucks for the monos and most folks would just want the stereos.
TB
That’s the thing I don’t understand. I thought I read the PR that the Beatles never even approved the stereo mixes and that they were an afterthought, but making the monos only available in the box seems to say that the stereo versions are now the authentic canonical editions.
Thanks, TB!
I think — as in 1987 — Apple Corps is basically recognizing that stereo is what most people who aren’t obsessive fans are accustomed to and prefer, and that mono is archaic. So there’s a mono box for the obsessives. For everyone else there’s stereo.
For now, I’m planning on buying the following individual stereo CDs:
Help!
Rubber Soul
Revolver
The White Album
Abbey Road
Well, which Beatles have been involved in these cd remixes? Are these new remixes influenced by the preferences made in the Beatle-approved mono mixes? It gets a little crazy.
It does get crazy. And tedious. And obsessive. For my own compulsive tendencies, I printed the following out and keep it in a binder. For references. The research is pretty impeccable and it certainly makes the arguments for the different mixes (just read the intro chapter).
http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/beatles/
At the end of the day, it’s the songs that matter most no matter how they hit our ears. For some reason, The Beatles tend to bring out some of the more obsessive compulsive traits in me.
TB
Oats, it’s liek when Jaws came out on VHS, it was only available in widescreen as it was the director’s intent. Most people are familiar with the 87 CD mixes (the first four albums were mono). Those early stereo mixes were certainly jarring to say the least, but there’s a charm to them. I particularly love the stereo mix on Beatles For Sale. However, I prefer the mono mix of Pepper. This may be due to the fact that were like revelations to me as I was only familiar with the commercial CD mixes. I do think the “limited” release of the monos only in a box is a sort of way to keep the obsessive fans happy while trying to not confuse the market. I kind of always liked the fact that when The Beatles were finally put on disc, they limited the releases to the original British configurations plus the Past Masters. It made it easier to collect. I did get the Capitol box sets a few years ago as they, too, contained mono and stereo mixes.
TB
I propose an RTH Beatles Box listening salon. Or perhaps two: one for Mono Box, one for Stereo Box. I know that there are probably folks on this list who for whatever reasons (financial, moral, etc) aren’t going to shell out for these things anytime soon (me, for instance) but would certainly like to hear what all the fuss is about. And certainly there are those among us who have already made the massive commitment. Listening can skip around. No pressing need to be chronological about it, right?
My living room and stereo system are available if that’s what it takes.
When Ray Davies went back and restored the Kinks back catalogue, they used the mono mixes as the official versions. The VGPS reissue ahd both, but then from Arthur on it’s all stereo.
But I guess the Kinks are by nature a group for obsessives and nerds. I suspect the Beatles reissues might just outsell the Kinks.
Yeah, what I really want is to be able to hear both the mono and stereo rereleases so I can decide which I want to shell out for. If the early, mono-intended albums do have some kind of massive listening experience uptick, I’ll eventually be able to talk myself into buying the mono box.
Sgt. Pepper is the one I really want to hear in both versions. To my ears, it received the worst treatment on the original CDs by a long-shot, and I think that has been a factor in the general Pepper-backlash.
I did get to hear a little bit of the new stereo Pepper yesterday and it definitely sounded better. It also prompted a friend of mine who bought it to comment on how great Lovely Rita is, something he’d never realized. That made me happy.
Damn it, I’m really going to end up buying all these things again. It’s exciting and depressing at the same time.
You should buy them again. And take note: If you only have to buy these once every 20-25 years or so,then consider it a blessing. These resissues have been long overdue. It could be worse: You could be an Elvis Costello fan and have to buy his records every 2-3 years! How many times have the Stones been repackaged? Bowie?
TB
When you guys get all the new versions, can one of you send me all your old versions? Costello and Stones too. Come on, you don’t need them anymore.
I usually do get rid of my old ones, but I think I’m going to keep all my Beatles stuff. Although I may never play them again, I’ll keep them for sentimental and reference reasons.
TB
borrowed the stereo box set from a friend for the day. They just sound warm and comforting. The first three should not have been done in Stereo, I hope the mono CDs come out for PPM, WTB and Beatles for sale. The Stereo sounds like less than a final mix. The rest are stellar. Bass and drums rip through, so do the highs (percussion, harmony, strings, etc)
I am buying one per week so that I can give them each some real attention
They changed the back cover of Rubber Soul?!?! This entire reissue deal is OFF! Now I’m definitely staying loyal to my childhood vinyl.
Beatles mono selling out in Canada:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/the-heats-on-beatles-mono-sets/article1284563/
I wouldn’t mind if the mono box fell down the chimney but I’m sitting out the Beatles reissues. I’d rather invest my precious music dollar on something I haven’t already chewed over as much as Paul’s Wings precursor. I think Beatlesite is probably where I’ll be getting my Beeatles jollies.
That said, I’m really digging the recent Emmit t Rhodes double comp…
I’m not giving the Beatles another fucking DIME! I already have all of their albums on vinyl. The way they were listened to when they came out.
I heard they are working on a version of Rock Band for the Stones.
They’ll release it as soon as they can figure out how to charge your credit card every time you play it.
I feel yer pain Kilroy, all the rock band/guitar hero/across the universe hype seems pretty cheesy/sleazy, but I don’t think The Beatles have much control or gonna see too many of all those dimes from any Lennon/Macca MUSIC any coins tossed there way are for Harrisongs, their image & which probably explains the back cover thing… couldn’t help thinking it’s a hell of a coincidance all this just happened to coincide with the aledged homocide of Michael Jackson, the 50th anniversy of Motown etc… Haven’t really been following the MJ thing, but has anyone addressed who might stand to gain enough off “The King of Pop”??? or may Paul hired a hitman? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony/ATV_Music_Publishing
anyway… lifelong Beatles fan/nearly a fanatic & I had to look up “It’s All Too Much” which is one great rockin/psych tune that aparenty was also part of the Grateful Dead’s repitoir yet somehow managed to escape my radar/brain cells even w/ over a dozen GD shows & over drawers full of live Dead tapes, The Yellow Sub. LP, CD & VHS!!! WTF??? so I’d say that has my vote…Definetly never heard it on the radio, musically ranks right up there w/ Tommorow Never Knows & She Said… otherwise I’d say how ’bout Sun King/Mean Mr. Mustard/Polythene Pam?…always thought that was the coolest medely/segway from my fave Beatles record, love every song on it… what’s rong w/ Maxwell’s Silver Hammer…as little kid always got a kick out of the “Bang, Bang” I’d sing it to myself when teacher/s pissed me off & it helped me smile through some unpleasant gradeschool crap, maybe I should start doing that again?? dropped $12.99 on the Abbey Road Re-ish @ starbucks the other morn enticed by the new liner notes & 8 minute “mini doc” nice but after the Beatle Bonanza on VH1CL all last week & when I play the CD on my PC the medley pauses between tracks… only a tiny glitch on my boombox between MMM & PP. As for the STereO vs Mono the Abbey Rd. CD says stereo but the intruments/mics are totally seperated IE: panned hard L/R which basically how every Beatles Recording I’ve ever heard is & pretty sure how a 2tr mono recording is when played on stereo, I doubt anyone would monkey with any of George Martin’s mix’s much maybe some tape hiss reduction? EMI/parlaphone released those early mono only LP’s overseas on Cd (in Mono)maybe 10 years ago, which I had & sold on ebay a few yrs ago for about maybe $10-$15 each & most of the Basic Lp’s are probably esp. second pressings are even cheaper easier to find on Ebay. I actually have like 4 of every LP most in 1st press in great shape, some rare 45’s old magazines,MIB mcfalane figures etc. if anyone’s interested? But yeah I agree w/ Pudman on the Hey Bulldog when “Rock n’ Roll music came out” that was played to death an the radio as well as being the Piano equivlent of what Smoke on the Water is to giutar. I was thinkin “Bad Boy” too always loved it but not a beatles orig. & maybe “Don’t want to spoil the party” good’n too but maybe more old than overlooked?
Dear Prudence (by a longshot! FYI Jerry Garcia’s favorite song to play)
Cry Baby Cry (this & Prudence on my sons “go to sleep” CD)
Bungalow Bill (uncle’s nickname)
Me And My Monkey
Sexy Sadie
Long, Long, Long.(title say’s it all)
at least some kids will hear some decent music before they’re on to the next corperate sanctioned fad…
retrorelix, you just kicked some RTH ass! Well done. I like your suggestion of the “Sun King/Mean Mr. Mustard/Polythene Pam” medley.
after a long day of yard work AND a chance to listen through the entire Stereo Box uninterrupted, I have to say that “Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey” and “Only A Northern Song” are the two songs that jumped out of my headphones as the overlooked / unappreciated songs. Me and My Monkey might also be the song that rocks the hardest and jumps out with the remastering the most. This tune just EXPLODES…gotta hear the mono version to see how this one fares.,
(PS I HATE the first 4 records in Stereo, the music is too sweet and the vocal is to “pop” – I should have Known Better is a MESS – also the early John Lennon double tracking sounds like mistakes in stereo, where it sounds cool in mono — also I do like the George Martin 1987 mixes of Help and Rubber Soul, which were the ones used for the Stereo rematers
Those first four always were very jarring in stereo to my ears. There are some cuts from Beatles For Sale that are decent in mono, for example “No Reply.”
Mono Pepper was a revelation to me.
Silent Townsman mickavory reported that he received his mono box on Saturday. He also reported that the mixes are very very clean. The packaging is very nice. He had some sonic revelations previously unheard. Perhaps I can persuade him to come out of hiding here and give the lowdown…
TB
Yeah, let’s hear it from mickavory!
Bring him out! I am not seeing the level of critique that I was hoping for on the Beatles remasters…seriously..the quantity is there, just not the quality.
Had a chance to hear Hard Day’s Night – MONO today and the remaster blows away the Stereo remaster in every way
To start off, I would recommend the casual Beatles fan who just won’t go “ass out” to buy only the stereo.
However, if you are into the Beatles and know about the beauty of mono and the boy’s own acknowledgement of mono.. then by all means buy both.
My stereo box is on order, so I can’t compare them. But, I will give some fine points on the mono set.
The packaging is superb. A small box with perfect mini-lp recreations in them. Each comes in a re-sealable plastic outer back for protection. The dics themselves are in rice paper sleeves inside to avoid cardboard damage. Some come with a mini EMI inner bag and the Pepper has the psych inner bag designed by The Fool.
The booklet is nice and the first few pages describe the importance of the mono mixes and explains some differences without being too preachy. It doesn’t tell me they are the greatest LPs ever made like the mono/stereo Who Sell Out. Hell, I know they are the greatest. I don’t need some jackass booklet writer to explain that to me. The rest of the book describes the singles and why they are on this set. It also explains that the 4 Yellow Sub tracks & Across The Univ. are unique to this mono set. They were mixed in mono by the boys, but never released in mono. (Note: the Yellow Sub mono LP is a fold-down).
As for sound.. it knocked me out. I listened to Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, & MMT.
This may sound stupid, because this is mono….
but each instrument sounded like it had its own speaker. It was so brilliantly clear. Paul’s bass lines shine. The horns on Revolver are stunning.
For No One is especially wonderful. Paul’s vocal is so rich. I never heard the maracas over John’s part on A Day in The Life before. It was so clear.
There were times when Ringo was sitting in my living room with his kit.
All in all.. I HIGHLY recommend the set. Whoever did the remastering should win a Grammy.
The sound is louder, but it is crystal clear and had a good balance between treble and bass. It is not like those old CDs that cut the bass.
I’ve heard Sgt. Pepper in mono before, but this was a whole new experience.
I’ll update later when I listen to the White LP..
and… by the way.. I’ve got too many good ‘hidden’ favorites to think about right now.. I’ll have to go LP by LP to give a list.
BUY THE MONO BOX SET!
BUY THE MONO BOX SET!
BUY THE MONO BOX SET!
etc. etc. etc.
I meant re-sealable outer “bag” for protection..
You know.. Bagism – the thing Yoko wiggles around in…
This is EXACTLY what I need to hear. My girlfriend’s biggest issue is how soft those 80s cds are. After all the esoteric issues are exhausted, I will be able to trump any objections to how I’m wasting my money with that!
LP by LP.. favorites and overlooked gems..
I know you can critize me because some are cheezy, but I love ’em
PPM: Misery
WTB: Don’t Bother Me
AHDN: Any Time At All
BFS: What You’re Doing
Help: It’s Only Love
RS: You Won’t See Me
Rev: And Your Bird Can Sing (maybe Dr. Bob)
Sgt.: Good Morning Good Morning
MMT: Baby You’re A Rich Man
White: Bungalow Bill, Happiness Is A Warm Gun, Don’t Pass Me By, Me And My Monkey, Savoy Truffle
AR: Oh Darling
LIB: One After 909
singles & others: This Boy, Ballad of John And Yoko, Only A Northern Song, Hey Bulldog
Overall Winner….. too hard to decide…
I’ve always adored “Any Time At All.” That snare kick off has got be one of the greatest in all of pop. That song makes me smile…
Thanks for indulging us here.
TB
This has been a fantastic week “rediscovering” the Beatles. I have even learned how to play a few this week (And Your Bird Can Sing and I Need You) that I had never tried for my solo acoustic gigs.
I guess the same thing was true in ’95 when Anthology came out (the press, the tribute bands at the record stores, the leaked pre-release cassette, the Beatle chatter)
mickavory, thanks so much for chiming in. You’re the first Townsman to make me think I should find the mono box, whenever they print up more. Your lp-by-lp underrated choices are great too.
Each and every one of you who’ve taken part in this thread rocks! Now I await Alexmagic’s final ruling on the most underrated Beatles’ song…once and for all.
That really was a memorable time for me as well, jungle. I remember rushing to the record stores to get my copy of the Anthology because, as it was for me, a “new” Beatle record. I remember being particularly excited about the third installment. It was a good time to be a Beatle fan.
I have always envied people who got to buy and discover new releases by GREAT artists like The Beatles and Bob Dylan, among others. I can only imagine what it must have been like to go out and buy Revolver the day it came out and hearing THAT for the very first time. There was no history and no precedent. It was just there. I got to enjoy because everyone in the world knew it was great and I got to hear about it.
TB
Hey latelydavidband,
Did you work at Camelot when Anthology 3 came out?
I think you did if I remember right. Do you remember being jealous that I had the tuesday off that Anthology 3 came out and I got to go home and listen to it while you had to work?
ha ha…
Yes, I did. There were three of us Beatlemaniacs who worked there. “Two of us” had to open the store that morning and were sorely tempted to just play the thing that day in the store. We fought our temptation as we knew that we’d prefer to hear it with the headphones on.
Plus, one can only imagine all the fighting over the promo materials that went along with the release (Most of it is preserved at mickavory’s house).
We were but mere babes back then in 1996, the Year of Odelay and Pinkerton.
TB
About the only Beatle song I remember in real time is Hey Jude, and that’s because there was a girl named Judy living across the street who played it a lot because it was released around her birthday or something. I might be the only middleaged fart around here who likes Real Love and Free As A Bird, and doesn’t bitch about the Jeff Lynne influence, etc.
MockCarr, I was floored by those “reunion” singles. I remember the excitement I felt when I got to hear a couple of “new” Beatles songs when the Anthologies debuted on ABC. I remember the thrill of hearing Lennon’s ghost on those tunes. I thougth “Real Love” was an even better tune than “Free”. Plus, those tunes forced me to explore Jeff Lynne and ELO. I always thought that he got shafted by the fans as he worked some miracles with those crappy demos.
I’m glad to say that I’m a Jeff Lynne fan.
TB
Ps–I guess I’m not middle aged, though…
TB
Sadly, being old and middle-aged takes up most of my time.
I too like Real Love far better than Free As A Bird, which I thought was average.
Real Love has more of that jangle…
Broke Down and “borrowed” the Mono Box from a friend (had to, it is seriously back ordered and some stores have jacked up the price as a “collector edition”)
Played the 1st 4 this morning and am blown away. Can’t see playing the Stereo versions any time soon again.
but here is my question…
Is Apple doing themselves a huge disservice by making this so hard to acquire that the burned (or bit-torrent-ed) copy is the primary way to experience this music?
If the Mono versions were at my local Target for $18.99 I would buy them today.
umm… Apple doesn’t really care about the mono box set. I’m quite surprised that they even decided to print more than their initial run of 10,000. I guess they figured that there were more than 10,000 Beatle fans out there.
I’m sure they are also motivated by money. But, do they highly care about the music being available… probably not. If they were really behind the mono, they would have done two-fers. They have always pushed the stereo… as most record companies do with reissues.
Who wants to listen to some dumb-ass ancient technology where music comes out of one speaker when you can have different sounds come out of two speakers.
Everyone seems to agree that the stereo panning on the first few albums is weird. Doesn’t the fact the a huge percentage of people nowadays listen on earbuds with an Ipod make the decision to push the stereo versions as canonical even stranger?
I agree BigSteve. The mono versions seem more versatile to me. Of course, I won’t immediately realize if a speaker is disconnected.
Hey Mr. Tallymon… RE: “Long, Long, Long” I was wrong, wrong, wrong…
wrong state of mind, hyped on caffine & reeling in the re-discovery of “it’s all too much”
I ashamedly had to refresh my memory of LLL via youtube, & there on the sidebar
I saw Elliot Smith…anything ES related & sends a message to my brain BUMMER! BUMMER! BUMMER!
but alas after another listen,I found myself “on a sunday morning sidewalk”
can u dig it? I’m sure many could in 1968…
It’s a very beautiful song & under the right conditions
I’d probably wish it was longer.
so please disregard my previous comment & count me in w/ the groundswell.
LLL & “it’s all too much” are both good choices
for most underated but this is mostly based on the fact
that I couldn’t recall them which was a surprise to me.
So my new order of alexmagics 6 white album songs(w/ a very narrow margin between 2-4)
1.Dear Prudence (IMO maybe the #1 Beatle song/btw not on my son (Dylan)’s “Go to sleep” CD as I previously stated but “Good Morning” duh?)
2.LLL
3.CBC
4.Bunghole Bill
5.Me & My Monkey,
3.SS
Re: “their transition to the “post drugs” era.”—-
“IT’S ONLY LOVE” recorded June 15, 1965 /Misheard lyrics/Hidden Message:
That misheard lyrics exchange is not only damn funny but quite Ironic…
because I believe there is a hidden message,in “IT’S ONLY LOVE”…
That is if the first line can be considered hidden?
i.e;”On August 28, 1964, the Beatles were staying in the Delmonico Hotel in New York City.
Aronowitz brought Dylan to meet the band and also introduced them to marijuana that evening.
According to John Lennon’s interview in Rolling Stone magazine, Dylan “thought ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’
– when it goes ‘I can’t hide’ – he thought we were singing ‘I get high.
‘ So he turns up with Al Aronowitz and turns us on…”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Aronowitz
“Look at all the beautiful music we have as a result! The Beatles’ magic was in their sound.
Bob’s magic was in his words. After they met, the Beatles’ words got grittier, and Bob invented folk-rock.”
The full story by Al Aronowitz
http://www.bigmagic.com/pages/blackj/column2.html
What’s all this HubBub about mono??? not to be insulting but, any REAL experts out there that can really explain this to me…
I majored in Audio/Video in College I’ve worked in recording studio’s
I have thousands of records dozens high of end stereo’s, speakers, Recording gear (all of which unfortunatly has overwhelmed me & been in a state of disarey for a couple years)
I’ve Read Lot’s Books & magazines on recording Techniques, Talked with many people etc… For years I’ve been in the habit of obsessively panning the balance knob left to right observing the way different engineers mix.
From what I know the Beatles/George Martin mostly always mixed ala Mono & rarely live, even when intended for stereo.
So unless you’re comparing some 70’s/80’s mix some bozo ran through a sonic maximizer or some trivial variation like the dog barks 3x in the 2nd verse of Hey bulldog in mono & 4x on the Stereo version, what are the major differeces if any?
(“Who wants to listen to some dumb-ass ancient technology where music comes out of one speaker when you can have different sounds come out of two speakers.”)
(“The mono versions seem more versatile to me. Of course, I won’t immediately realize if a speaker is disconnected.”)
So you’re saying the exact same thing is coming from both speakers? are you positive? have you tried listening to the left & right seperatly/ anyone else?
ok my bad i guess? I just checked out some of the 2009 beatle mono tracks on you tube…and managed to climb over some crap & play a beatles 65 OG/US LP in mono which states it’s also availiable in stereo both with out head phones & they do sound more or less the same on both speakers though on both the left did sound a bit more bassy & softer & the right a bit brighter & punchier which is a bit like a modern stereo mix but to a slightly lesser degree & my new abbey road CD that says stereo has extreme seperation you would never hear on a typical stereo recording IE the drums all on the right channel & bass all on the left, Which I like better than mono or a typical stereo mix. I’m pretty damn sure I had some mono LP’s that played like that reasoning as it was w/ only 2 or 4 tracks, track 1 & 3 would end up on the left and 2 & 4 on the right???
maybe I’m mistaken/misinformed or only applies on certain recordings/equiptment?
Apologies for the delay here, but we’ve been upgrading our statistical software and some of the folks in the Lab have been working with teams from MIT and Minnesota to help fine-tune our data models.
Let me thank everyone once again for their extremely valuable empirical input. This was, obviously, the key to answering this question. Due to your help, we can now scientifically say that the Actual Most Underrated Beatles Song is…All I’ve Got To Do.
Huh, who knew?