(I'm gonna get in trouble for this one. It is, by so many people's standards, utter blasphemy.)
The universal question: What's the best Beatle solo album?
The answer, beyond the shadow of a doubt: All Things Must Pass, by George Harrison.
This, of course, flies in the face of the 900 trillion people who worship at the altar of John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band...and these are people whose faith is so deep and blind that contesting their beliefs can have the same effect as going on national television and announcing, "JESUS ATE FRIED BABIES FOR BREAKFAST."
(For the record, he didn't. As far as I can tell.)
All Things Must Pass has a singular virtue that Plastic Ono Band and McCartney and just about any other solo Beatles album you can name do not: a competitive spirit.
Imagine you're George Harrison and it's 1969. You've had Eric Fucking Clapton telling you what a great guitarist you are, and Bob Fucking Dylan telling you what a great songwriter you are. That's pretty near unimpeachable praise, on both counts. Then you go back to your own band, and they treat you like you're some hack they hired as a backup man. What are you going to do?
You're going to work that much harder on your own material, trying to prove yourself in light of these bandmates. Especially if these bandmates are the most revered songwriting partnership in pop music.
And that's what you get with All Things Must Pass. These are songs written while George was still a Beatle--songs that were intended to be Beatles songs. John and Paul's solo albums contain such songs, too, but by that point each was definitely writing the music for his own sake, hoping they'd make the cut to be on Beatles albums but still unmistakably Lennon songs and McCartney songs--not Lennon/McCartney songs. George was writing Harrison songs, but he was writing them with the express intention of being able to stand up to his godlike fellow Beatles.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - DJRadiohead
How could CONSIDER dissing "RINGO!" BLASPHEMY! HERETIC!
I'm fucking around with you, of course. I think there will be some righteous indignation rained down upon you but I think this is a perfectly defensible position to have taken.
2 - Alisha Karabinus
How could you even consider saying something like this without supplying some sort of... oh... I don't know...
context
background
explanation
backup for your opinion
And since you didn't, should anyone care? le yawn
Just sayin.
3 - Michael J. West
Because in my experience, Alisha, it doesn't matter. People's opinions on this are so sacrosanct that I could present a technically and logically flawless argument and it still would not only not convince anyone, but would generate wrath of the kind that people get when they claim Jesus ate babies.
4 - DJRadiohead
Not for nothing, but Alisha makes a good point.
Yes, some people will ignore your article and call you a babykiller or some such thing. So what? It's your article. Make your case. Stand your ground. Defend your opinion and your parents' marital status at the time of your birth.
5 - Mat Brewster
Yeah, what they said. At least make the article interesting to read. I'm all for posts that create all kinds of interesting arguments, but they should start with a real, well though out post. Otherwise you might as well post it to a beatles newsgroup.
6 - Aaman
The band name is The Beatles - you lack all credibility to name a 'best album':)
It's Yellow Submarine, FWIW
7 - Michael J. West
Aw, you guys are no fun.
The actual point of this post WAS to say nothing, leave no explanation or support of my statement. I was hoping for an inflammatory reaction that I could gauge and go, "Wow, but they didn't even know what my justification for it was!"
Instead, you guys decided to be all intelligent and adhere to Blogcritic's high standard of writing. Damn it.
You're all exactly right, of course. Knock it off, would ya?
8 - Chris Beaumont
What was the point of this?
9 - Bennett
What Mat said.
10 - Nik
If it weren't for "Plastic Ono Band," I'd probably agree -- "All Things" is a fantastic album, sprawling and gorgeous, better than pretty much anything else post-Beatle. I'd just give the edge a bit to "Plastic" which was naked, raw and stunning in a way nothing else Lennon ever did was.
11 - Alisha Karabinus
Instead, you guys decided to be all intelligent and adhere to Blogcritic's high standard of writing. Damn it.
You're all exactly right, of course. Knock it off, would ya?
nyah nyah nyah nyah
:)
I'm running, I'm ducking, I'm hiding....
12 - Michael J. West
nyah nyah nyah nyah
:)
I'm running, I'm ducking, I'm hiding....
On of the great failings of cyberspace thus far is that it has yet to develop a smiley that can approximate somebody making a raspberry. (That one with a P for a mouth is the best we can do.)
But rest assured, Alisha, I'm telepathically sending you that elusive raspberry smiley.
13 - bhw
I dunno. I kind of see this post as being akin to a poll, except that all the voting goes on in the comments. It's not our typical post, but BC has done polls before.
14 - Dave Nalle
I see it as like throwing chum out behind your boat to attract sharks.
Dave
15 - Alisha Karabinus
I see your raspberry, Michael, and I raise you... uh...
Gimme a sec, I'll come up with something.
t(**t)
Howzabout that little guy?
16 - Connie Phillips
Michael, It would add so much to this post if you would share why you feel the way you do about the George Harrison Album.
17 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
i honestly think you'd have gotten more abuse had you said "All Things Must Pass is fairly, lets be honest, over-rated". Which it is. but it's still the best beatles solo album. plenty of folks agree, too. Mojo Magazine, for one, regularly makes the claim.
18 - Eric Olsen
I'm going to think long and hard on that - I'm demented I know, but I really love Ram and Lennon's Double Fantasy makes me cry but part of that is context. And Band on the Run is pretty great. I love that Ringo but he's better in a greatest hits context.
It could be All Things Must Pass - I love that crazy Spector production: "Yes, we really need 17 acoustic guitars on 'Isn't It a Pity'"
19 - Eric Olsen
MJW - it is cool to set up a discussion/contoversy like this but we need some helpful words of context in the post. What are the other front runners? Why do you pick ATMP? What leads you to believe indignant mudslinging will ensue.
Buff it out a little, bud
20 - Mark Saleski
the best Beatles solo record was actually "3:47 EST" by Klaatu.
i've got the scientific reports around here somewhere.
21 - Michael J. West
Already addressed, EO (comment 7).
22 - Natalie Davis
Mr. West, I have to agree with everything folks have said about the post. At the same time, my favorite Beatle solo album is All Things Must Pass. Go figure.
23 - Al Barger
Up against the wall, Michael J West! Everyone knows that THE great solo Beatle album is Paul McCartney's Venus and Mars. From the gentle New Orleans by way of Liverpool soul of "Listen to What the Man Said" to the bewitchment of "Letting Go" to the rockin' thrill of scoring an oz at the "Rock Show," your George Harrison can't hold a candle.
24 - Michael J. West
Up against the wall, Michael J West! Everyone knows that THE great solo Beatle album is Paul McCartney's Venus and Mars.
Wow, Al! I can see now my mistake. If I REALLY wanted to see people blindly lash out at a best-solo-Beatle-album nomination, I should have just let you name Venus and Mars.
25 - J. P. Spencer
PRO: The backup band on much of this album was (if I'm not mistaken) Badfinger (PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong on this).
CON: "My Sweet Lord" = "He's So Fine"
What's the best Beatle solo album? Hell, pick one you like and I'll respect your opinion. At the end of the day, these ARE The Beatles after all.
MJW, you should have known the readers on this sight would be all fire polite and moderate their tones. I love this sight!!