Mother Nature's Son
Nick:
Think about what follows on this record: a song about a monkey, a song about a roller coaster (or, the clarion call of end times; who knew?), the oh-so-appropriately titled "Long, Long, Long," a vaudeville tune, a song about a dessert treat, several minutes of noise loops and a nighty-night lullaby, among others. On a hodge-podge compilation where everybody goes all over the map, McCartney often provided the centering point — and never better than on this one.
Pico:
This is a very simply constructed; as a teenager playing mediocre guitar, I was able to self teach myself the song rather easily. But Paul's straightforward folk hymn had simple beauty to match; it flowed out naturally and George Martin's orchestral arrangements that gently nudge their way into the song on the second verse provide just the right amount of heft without needlessly weighing it down.
Dear Prudence
Pico:
After breakup, Lennon often mocked Paul's ballad tendencies, but John was just as capable to pour syrup as his erstwhile songwriting partner. "Prudence" was not just one of his best ballads, it was one of his best songs, period. Inspired by that ill-fated trip to India in 1968, the song's lyrics reads like a letter; a letter to actress Mia Farrow's sister, actually, both of whom had also made the pilgrimage to see the Maharishi. The descending chord progression is sublime and the backing vocals are just a tad creepy; creepy enough to tell you that this is Lennon's song, not McCartney's. Although Macca provided a mighty sweet looping bass line (as well as the drums, since Ringo had briefly quit the band).
Nick:
I think, on most days, that this is one of my favorite Beatles songs. And I can't always say why. After all, Lennon showed he could out-McCartney McCartney with these lyrics: The sun is up, the sky is blue — it's beautiful, and so are you. Maybe it's that there is a simple beauty here, an open-hearted emotion that Lennon didn't often allow himself to express. I never want this tune's simple charm, or that bassline, to end.
You Never Give Me Your Money
Pico:
Paul's song that kicks off the famous medley on side two of Abbey Road is a four minute mini-medley itself. It begins with a piano stating the melodic line of the first part and McCartney singing about not being given any money (what is really meant here is unclear to me). Soon, it transitions over to a more up-tempo rhythm and mood with Paul singing much like he did for "Lady Madonna." And then after some tasty lead guitar work by George during a second transition, the song enters the "sweet dreams" section. So, the song is really a pasting together of three seemingly unrelated frgments, but it works because all fragments are catchy and the harmony/backing vocals throughout are first rate; nearly as good as the rich vocals that graced Lennon's "Because" right before it.
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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!