No Reply
Nick:
One of the earliest Beatles songs with a complete story, inventive in that it has no chorus as such, and notable for the low rumbling tone of Lennon's voice — since it so completely captures the mood of a scorned lover. He builds to an anguished cry ("I saw the light" becomes "I nearly DIED") in an early glimpse of the pain that, up until this point, had been largely obscured by first-blush imagery involving hairstyle and yeah-yeah-yeahs.
Originally on Beatles for Sale, and issued on the U.S. edit Beatles '65, "No Reply" was an initial step down a path of personal revelation and unbridled honesty that would find its creative and artistic peak in Lennon's first solo release five years later. John reportedly wanted to sing the high harmony, handled here by McCartney, but couldn't coax his voice there because of wear and tear from the band's then-excessive touring schedule. "No Reply," a dark and special triumph, was better for it.
Pico:
John had one of the best singing voices in all of rock 'n' roll. And I think it's mainly due to his unmatched ability to naturally project scorn, frustration, anger, and pessimism. Real rock 'n' roll often has those qualities, after all. That wonderfully ragged throat is on full display on "No Reply." Lennon's attitude comes across so effectively, you'd hardly notice that it's a rock 'n' roll song played with acoustic guitars, an acoustic piano and a slightly Latin beat.
Martha, My Dear
Pico:
A light, pop confection that served as a respite from all the weirdness and unpredictability that graced most of The White Album, Paul wrote this as a ode to his English sheepdog, which also adds to the appearance of this being filler. But when viewed with the benefit of hindsight, it is his Beatles song that most anticipated the kind of pop he had a great deal of success making with his seventies band Wings. Which means, as with his Wings best, it's a tightly constructed melody that's catchy as hell. If he had chosen to re-record the song during the Denny Laine days with a little more production added to it, he would have easily had another hit on his hands.
Nick:
Confectionary, sure, yet somehow unforgettable. I listen, each time, in wonder — thinking: McCartney can write a song about his flipping dog, and I like it.
![Revolver [UK]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/510D51P8YKL._SL120_.jpg)
Article comments
1 - Colin
Nice article chaps:
Taxman always seems kind of mean-spirited from someone who went on to embrace rather more non-materialist philosophies and, despite the super tax rates, was very wealthy, All Things Must Pass George don't sweat your tax rates. Still, the guitar solo is absolutely extraordinary and it's a cracker. Absolutely No Reply as well, a real driver.
I've got less time for Mother Nature's Son than you, Macca at his sickliest.
I'm always amazed by I've Just Seen A Face from the Help album - often derided as throwaway I just think it's a cracking race-along pop song.
There are far too many others to mention but I'll try and match your ten:
I've Just Seen A Face. I'm Looking Through You (rather similar I'm sure you'll agree), She Said She Said, Don't Bother Me (George being curmudgeonly again! But I love the surliness this time), Things We Said Today, Baby You're A Rich Man (for the groove), Glass Onion, Sexy Sadie, In My Life (too well known?), ohhhh, and Cry Baby Cry....
The list will change in my head in 25 seconds anyway but there are some top tracks there I'd contend.
2 - Donald Gibson
"I Need You" - I found a new appreciation for this one after Tom Petty sang a great version of it at the Concert For George. The song gets a bit trumped by other tracks on the Help! soundtrack, but it's a lovely song nonetheless.
- Donald
3 - Steve
"You Know My Name, Look Up The Number" is one of my favorite Beatles songs.
4 - zingzing
ahh, wonderful. i've been on a beatles kick recently...
"no reply" has always been a favorite, to the point where i have, several times, declared "beatles for sale" my favorite beatle album. beatle-tastic! i love the bossa-nova-esque beginning, the wonderful release of the "i saw the light" bit, which is a wonderful bit of literary whatsit. the song is much like "good vibrations" and "happiness is a warm gun" in its multiple sections, and wonderfully ignorant of its own brilliance (it seems). and ringo's off-time cymbal crash just before the ending is so dramatic. definitely two minutes of beatle-beauty. oh yes. (and the following two numbers are no slouches either.)
"you never give me your money" is probably paul's best undervalued song. it's just so damn good that, even as a john fan, i have to question my own preconceptions. paul could certainly whip it out, and how. lyrically, you'd expect this to be a john song. structurally, it's as brilliant as "no reply" (or "hiawg"), but it, in typical paul fashion, knows it. how paul could put such gorgeous, ambitious music around so much personal gripe... just shows how much talent he could toss around.
other underplayed beatle classics? hrm. how about "it won't be long," "golden slumbers," "oh! darling," "i'm only sleeping," "yer blues," "revolution 9," "i wanna be your man," "kansas city/hey-hey-hey?"
of course, my favorites are all underappreciated, because they are too brilliant for words: "twist & shout," "help," "hiawg," "she said, she said," etc, etc, etc.
5 - zingzing
um, and "you never give me your money" is about the dissolution of the beatles. oh fun:
"You never give me your money
You only give me your funny paper
and in the middle of negotiations
you break down"
*funny paper is legal papers. what with the general disagreement about who would be the beatles' manager. paul wanted linda eastman's father or uncle. the rest another. and so it goes.
"I never give you my number
I only give you my situation
and in the middle of investigation
I break down"
*same thing, but with more emphasis of the breakdown in communications between the beatles.
"Out of college, money spent
See no future, pay no rent
All the money's gone, nowhere to go"
*paul had about 900,000 pound sterling when he left the beatles. not chump change, especially in the late 60's... but not a fair chunk of the money he was responsible for moving.
"Any jobber got the sack
Monday morning, turning back
Yellow lorry slow, nowhere to go
But oh, that magic feeling, nowhere to go
Oh, that magic feeling
Nowhere to go"
*dunno about that first bit, but the "magic feeling" is probably about paul lamenting the loss of the beatles' particular synchronicity or something.
"One sweet dream
Pick up the bags and get in the limousine
Soon we'll be away from here
Step on the gas and wipe that tear away
One sweet dream came true today
Came true today
Came true today (yes it did)"
*paul saying, "i'm out." probably because john wanted to say it.
"One two three four five six seven,
All good children go to Heaven"
*paul is dead.
6 - Pico
Well, I figured in a vague sense "You Never Give Me Your Money" had something to do about the battle Paul was fighting against the rest of the Beatles, but except for a few lines, the lyrics made no sense to me.
That was a mighty impressive breakdown, zing.
7 - El Bicho
two of my favorites, not yet mentioned. Polythene Pam and I Want You (She's So Heavy), the latter of which I saw played by Cheap Trick with Al from Ministry at the Hollywood Bowl. And it was good.
8 - JC Mosquito
"I've Just Seen a Face" - seems to never tire me out.
9 - Glen Boyd
I'd have to rate their best unsung gem as "The Night Before" from the Help! soundtrack. It never gets any airplay, yet has a great hook and one of Macca's best vocals sung in the "rock" voice.
I'd go with "Hey Bulldog" as a close second. As far as Pepper tracks, I always liked "Lovely Rita" a lot -- great psychedelic harmonies on that one. With "White Album", I always liked George's "Savoy Truffle" a lot, as well as John's "Happiness Is A Warm Gun." Moving on to Revolver I'd have to say...oh shit, where does it really end with these guys?
-Glen
10 - Chaz
she said she said,it's all too much,cry baby cry,yer blues,i want you(she's so heavy),not a second time,i'll be back,i want to tell you,i need you,tomorrow never knows,every little thing....just to name a few,i agree....my mind will come up with others in a few minutes....thank you
11 - johnozed
'any jobber got the sack' refers to Apple employees who got fired when Allen Klein came on the scene and cleaned out 3 Saville Row.
My personal faves,
Tomorrow Never Knows
You Know My name(Look Up the Number)
Baby You're A Rich Man
It's All Too Much
She's A Woman (Reverb version)
The Word
Cry Baby Cry
I Want To Tell You
Rain
12 - Jeri
Things we say today. for no one ,fixing a hole she said she said , i will, i need you , oh darlin ,
13 - Andy Sayers
"Glass Onion" made my Top 10 Beatles songs list.
14 - Londyn
I have yet to hear a Beatles song I didn't like. My favorite being 'She Came in Through the Bathroom Window'. Having not been born in the 60s but rather the way late 80s and my parents being too high to remember any of their childhood, I can say I do not know if it was a fan favorite.
But, a close few ties for second are the cliche classics: 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand' (it's so simplistic and innocent), 'Here Comes the Sun' (first song I EVER heard in my life), 'Michelle', and a favorite among the pseudohippies in my school- 'I Am The Walrus'
15 - JC Mosquito
There's plenty of Badfinger tunes that SOUND like the Beatles' greatest hits they never made - I never tire of those ones.
16 - FrodoBagginz
no one ever talks about "The End" but it is such a great song!