simey
Footballguy
This is my second favorite song on the White Album. I've always loved it, and I dig John's voice in it. I like singing along to the chorus. You'd say I'm putting you on...
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2022 FBG, 172 to 1 Beatles Countdown 1-25 lists... And 173 to 1 Countdown from 1-64 lists! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Zegras11
- Start date
Wow. I can't believe I'm So Tired is showing up already. The Beatles obviously have tons of outstanding songs, but even they don't have 70 songs better than this.
Unlike Krista, I don't have sleeping issues, but this still resonates with me. Someone posted earlier that John is one of the few singers that the lyrics don't matter because his sing alone evokes such emotion, and I agree with that. But here we have the added bonus of the vocals matching the lyrics perfectly. How could anyone not think this is brilliant?
Unlike Krista, I don't have sleeping issues, but this still resonates with me. Someone posted earlier that John is one of the few singers that the lyrics don't matter because his sing alone evokes such emotion, and I agree with that. But here we have the added bonus of the vocals matching the lyrics perfectly. How could anyone not think this is brilliant?
krista4
Footballguy
krista4
Footballguy
I apologize to "I'm So Tired" for letting it drop out of my top 10 and top 25 this year because I was sleeping better. The song is having the last laugh, though, because my sleep has gotten horrible again since the time I submitted my rankings. It would be back in the top 20 now.
fatguyinalittlecoat
Footballguy
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
prosopis
Arizona Chupacabra
Alex P Keaton
Footballguy
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Fun facts:
While Vera's really into numerology, her #1 is not For No One, Revolution 1 or One After 909. It's the Abbey Road medley, because ... it's the Abbey Road medley.
Chuck likes recorders even more than clarinets, so The Fool in the Hill is his #7. He likes the banjo even more than those, so his #1 Led Zeppelin is Gallows Pole, much to the chagrin of AAABatteries.
It's not clear if Dave hates Vera and Chuck because he hates numerology and clarinets, or if there are other factors at work. Serial killer types tend to keep that stuff close to the vest.
DocHolliday
Footballguy
She Said She Said is a great tune because of the guitar work for me. It’s not a heavy hitter but it’s one of the dozens of Beatles songs that are fantastic that I never seem to tire. Revolver is a favorite album of many Beatles fans and songs like this certainly help it.
You’re Going To Lose That Girl is another Beatles song that isn’t one of the heavy hitters but could be and maybe should be. The vocals are awesome. It’s off the album that I love more than most.
You’re Going To Lose That Girl is another Beatles song that isn’t one of the heavy hitters but could be and maybe should be. The vocals are awesome. It’s off the album that I love more than most.
Zegras11
Footballguy
You Won’t See Me
2022 Ranking: 71
2022 Lists: 7
2022 Points: 91
Ranked Highest by: @jwb (6) @ManOfSteelhead (9) @Man of Constant Sorrow(10) @simey (12)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: 57/4/57
Getz comments: Krista's friends Michael, Sharon and Doug also voted for this one. Dropped 14 spots from 2019, despite getting three more votes and 30 more points.
@jwb comments: Was near the back of my list at first, but when I was listening, my wife said “oh, that’s the song you always whistle”. I never quite realized it, but this song is one of my default tunes when I idly whistle. So it took a monster leap.
Krista4
My 2019 ranking: 54
2019 write-up:
You Won't See Me (Rubber Soul, 1965)
Another song about the turmoil in Paul's relationship with Jane Asher; it's just one more perfect pop song from Paul. And most importantly, another song where I can loudly sing the backing vocals. At the time Paul wrote this at the Asher family residence where he was living, Jane was in a production of Great Expectations in Bristol, and the couple wasn't seeing each other often. They'd started to grow apart anyway; Jane was mostly hanging with the theatre crowd and didn't do drugs, and Paul was, ummm, doing drugs.
This song has so many highlights. The mood - Paul makes a song about loneliness sound sunny and beautiful. Of course he does. The bridge - not only does it have the requisite astounding three-part harmonies, but I love how the lead vocal crescendos from the minor key up and then take a big step back down into a major key for the verse. The vocals - not just the harmonies, but Paul's lead is perfection, and those croaky, slightly sad "la la la"s fit the song's mood. The drums - Ringo! Those little triplets on the high hat, the fills...perfection from Ringo, too. The bass - critical to the song, and melodically perfect; Paul styled his bass line after one of his idols, James Jamerson of the Funk Brothers (Motown house band - see the documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown if you haven't). The lyrics - the wordplay of "you won't see me," with "see" having at least two - maybe three? - meanings.
I'm crushed that I can't fit this into my top 50. I demand a recount!
Mr. krista: "Yeah, that little thing on the high hat is nice. [Drums for a while.] What a great jam. This is a pretty Paul record, man. Paul doing the yeoman’s work. [Makes a lot more drum and high hat sounds.] I guess I’m not surprised when Paul writes a great song or a great bass line, but Ringo is always surprising in some tiny way, like damn, he made that work too. That’s kind of what he’s about, though, is not noticing what he’s doing. He just supports the song."
Suggested covers: A band that can do those harmonies: Bee Gees Nice lead vocal: Dar Williams
2022 Supplement: I’m not as crushed as in 2019 to have this miss my top 50. It’s a great song for me to sing, but pales for me in comparison to much of the rest of Rubber Soul. Paul’s bassline is outstanding, as would be expected if he were trying to style himself after James Jamerson. Unlike most of Paul’s compositions, which he writes with full chords, he wrote this one around “a very slim phrase, a two-note progression” very high on the first two strings of the guitar, which might account for some of the simplicity of the melody. Nice song, but not much more to say. Anne Murray had a #8 hit in 1974 with a cover of this song. Do you see it up there in the “suggested covers”? No, no you do not.
Guido Merkins
Paul is one of rock’s great bass players. Early on, it was difficult to hear the bass on the Beatles records, but around Rubber Soul, the bass really became more prevalent and would become even more prevalent in the next year. However, for Rubber Soul, for the first time, you can hear what Paul is doing.
The first song that I would say has, what I would call lead bass, is You Won’t See Me. Lyrically, the song is about another fight with Jane Asher, who Paul seemingly never wrote a happy song about. Jane, apparently, wanted to have a more active acting career and Paul wanted her to be waiting for him when he got home.
Along with the fluid, liquid bass, the song has excellent hi hat work from Ringo and the characteristic Ringo drum rolls as only he can do it. Then you have John and George with the wordless background vocals.
An outstanding piece of music, maybe Paul’s best song on Rubber Soul. When I heard it in Paul’s 2004 tour, I was really happy. Not a super well-known song, but I feel like he was playing it just for us Beatle nuts.
2022 Ranking: 71
2022 Lists: 7
2022 Points: 91
Ranked Highest by: @jwb (6) @ManOfSteelhead (9) @Man of Constant Sorrow(10) @simey (12)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: 57/4/57
Getz comments: Krista's friends Michael, Sharon and Doug also voted for this one. Dropped 14 spots from 2019, despite getting three more votes and 30 more points.
@jwb comments: Was near the back of my list at first, but when I was listening, my wife said “oh, that’s the song you always whistle”. I never quite realized it, but this song is one of my default tunes when I idly whistle. So it took a monster leap.
Krista4
My 2019 ranking: 54
2019 write-up:
You Won't See Me (Rubber Soul, 1965)
Another song about the turmoil in Paul's relationship with Jane Asher; it's just one more perfect pop song from Paul. And most importantly, another song where I can loudly sing the backing vocals. At the time Paul wrote this at the Asher family residence where he was living, Jane was in a production of Great Expectations in Bristol, and the couple wasn't seeing each other often. They'd started to grow apart anyway; Jane was mostly hanging with the theatre crowd and didn't do drugs, and Paul was, ummm, doing drugs.
This song has so many highlights. The mood - Paul makes a song about loneliness sound sunny and beautiful. Of course he does. The bridge - not only does it have the requisite astounding three-part harmonies, but I love how the lead vocal crescendos from the minor key up and then take a big step back down into a major key for the verse. The vocals - not just the harmonies, but Paul's lead is perfection, and those croaky, slightly sad "la la la"s fit the song's mood. The drums - Ringo! Those little triplets on the high hat, the fills...perfection from Ringo, too. The bass - critical to the song, and melodically perfect; Paul styled his bass line after one of his idols, James Jamerson of the Funk Brothers (Motown house band - see the documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown if you haven't). The lyrics - the wordplay of "you won't see me," with "see" having at least two - maybe three? - meanings.
I'm crushed that I can't fit this into my top 50. I demand a recount!
Mr. krista: "Yeah, that little thing on the high hat is nice. [Drums for a while.] What a great jam. This is a pretty Paul record, man. Paul doing the yeoman’s work. [Makes a lot more drum and high hat sounds.] I guess I’m not surprised when Paul writes a great song or a great bass line, but Ringo is always surprising in some tiny way, like damn, he made that work too. That’s kind of what he’s about, though, is not noticing what he’s doing. He just supports the song."
Suggested covers: A band that can do those harmonies: Bee Gees Nice lead vocal: Dar Williams
2022 Supplement: I’m not as crushed as in 2019 to have this miss my top 50. It’s a great song for me to sing, but pales for me in comparison to much of the rest of Rubber Soul. Paul’s bassline is outstanding, as would be expected if he were trying to style himself after James Jamerson. Unlike most of Paul’s compositions, which he writes with full chords, he wrote this one around “a very slim phrase, a two-note progression” very high on the first two strings of the guitar, which might account for some of the simplicity of the melody. Nice song, but not much more to say. Anne Murray had a #8 hit in 1974 with a cover of this song. Do you see it up there in the “suggested covers”? No, no you do not.
Guido Merkins
Paul is one of rock’s great bass players. Early on, it was difficult to hear the bass on the Beatles records, but around Rubber Soul, the bass really became more prevalent and would become even more prevalent in the next year. However, for Rubber Soul, for the first time, you can hear what Paul is doing.
The first song that I would say has, what I would call lead bass, is You Won’t See Me. Lyrically, the song is about another fight with Jane Asher, who Paul seemingly never wrote a happy song about. Jane, apparently, wanted to have a more active acting career and Paul wanted her to be waiting for him when he got home.
Along with the fluid, liquid bass, the song has excellent hi hat work from Ringo and the characteristic Ringo drum rolls as only he can do it. Then you have John and George with the wordless background vocals.
An outstanding piece of music, maybe Paul’s best song on Rubber Soul. When I heard it in Paul’s 2004 tour, I was really happy. Not a super well-known song, but I feel like he was playing it just for us Beatle nuts.
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Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
My rank: 26She Said She Said
2022 Ranking: 75
2022 Lists: 9
2022 Points: 81
Ranked Highest by: @worrierking(2) @Binky The Doormat(8) @landrys hat(10) @ProstheticRGK(17) @rockaction(22) @Oliver Humanzee(24) @Ted Lange as your Bartender(24) @Westerberg (25)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: 49/6/73
Getz: So WorrierKing and Westerberg have their first song posted and we are down to three left. And that Binky thing
2 --BinkyTheDoormat---746.5
Krista4
My 2019 ranking:1. 27
2019 write-up:
She Said She Said (Revolver, 1966)
Guest write-up by Oliver Humanzee:
I have no idea why this is Krista's favorite Beatles song of all time. Personally, I wouldn't place it higher than 27 or so, but, as you've all seen by now, Krista isn't terribly bright. Nonetheless, I am honored to be asked to compose this final write up. And by "compose" I mean "copy and paste huge swaths of text from Wikipedia".
So with little guidance and a daunting task ahead, I shall commence randomly listing things that occur to me about this song:
Ringo's drumming starts out with one of those backwards-### fills that begins with the kick-crash.
Song is in 4/4, 3/4, half-time 3/4 and half-time-double--time 4/4 during the fade-out because this is what happens when some geniuses enthusiastically take acid.
Krista just said aloud "I've been spelling 'languorous' wrong this whole time," which could have been a missing "She Said She Said" lyric.
The line "I know what it's like to be dead" came directly from 60's-Gump Peter Fonda who ghoulishly followed the profoundly acid-soaked Beatles around a party in California while showing off his bullet wound. Pretty on-brand for Fonda, who would go on to bore the hell out of thousands of people on acid with the release of Easy Rider a couple of years later.
The song is in B-sharp Mixolydian mode with John's Hammond organ providing the single-chord tonic and simply fading in and shut up nobody cares nerd.
George Harrison played the bass part because Paul didn't wanna take acid, apparently. Paul would've murdered that bassline.
Harrison's raga exploration, the LSD influence, the odd time shifts, and lyrics that are both surreally cold and uncomfortably personal make this a dense, information-rich composition, any single component of which has been conspicuously seized upon by paisley-clad opportunists making a few bucks of off "psychedelia" while turning what were unique structural elements to "She Said She Said" into something that could easily be mistaken for a collection of trivial "far-out, man" signifiers. I know, I know. Every art is eventually co-opted. So let us smash the capitalist impulse into dust comrades, and wrest from the plutocrats our senses of wonder. Let us reclaim truly weird and personal music from the Mamas and the Zappas and the like. Because when we were boys, everything was right.
Mrs. Humanzee will now attempt to teach ten thousand stars how not to dance.
Mrs. Humanzee: "RINGO!!!!!!"
Suggested cover: [Intentionally omitted.]
2022 Supplement: I don’t think I can improve upon that. Guido, take us home!
Guido Merkins
Everyone wanted to impress the Beatles in the 1960s. That includes a pre Easy Rider Peter Fonda who saw Lennon at a party and was high on acid and whispering in Lennon’s ear “I know what it’s like to be dead.” Lennon, having a good time, didn’t want to know what it was like to be dead, but he started writing a song called He Said He Said.
Eventually the title was changed to She Said She Said and it had lines like “She said, I know what it’s like to be dead…….and she’s making me feel like I’d never been born.” And “who put all those things in your head.” Obviously the song is referring to the acid experience at the party. John also had a part “when I was a boy, everything was right”, which was another song. John and George mostly completed the song as Paul apparently got into a fight with John and walked out, so this is one of the few Beatles songs without Paul.
The guitars and drums are the highlights of the track. Along with Rain, this is among Ringo’s best songs. George and John’s guitars attack from the very beginning making it a very very heavy song. Since George was involved, there were changing time signatures as well. George also plays a very good bass part.
IMO, this might be the Beatles most “grunge” record along with Yer Blues.
It took me a while to decide between this and It's All Too Much for the last spot on my list. It has always been a favorite of mine, and its Beatles Grunge sound ensured it a spot on the 90-minute cassette I made in college. The buzzing guitars push all of my pleasure buttons, and Ringo's drumming is simply amazing. My hearing sucks so I can barely hear the Hammond organ. Nor did I ever pay attention to the specifics of the lyrics -- as with many of the best John songs, the genius was in how he said it, not what he said. It is one of the most innovative and psychedelic Beatles tracks, but more importantly, it's incredible as a SONG. The former doesn't mean as much to me without the latter.
simey
Footballguy
Getz, I had changed this tune to #12 from #16. Do you remember? You must be using my original list before I shuffled 12-16. It doesn't matter, though. It wasn't a big change. I love Paul's voice in it. It soars. I love the la, la, la harmonies, and John saying no, I wouldn't. I love singing to it. I've just always loved this pop song.
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simey
Footballguy
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Another one that works well by coming in hot with the vocals. The bongos are a great touch. More fine harmonies and sublime country-inflected guitar from George.
Zegras11
Footballguy
Can you PM me that change. I remember a change, but I can't find anything on it. Was it a post? Please send it to me. Doesn't change the order (next song is at 92 points), but I want it right. Happy to make the change. Thanks
simey
Footballguy
I was being serious.
I'm sooo tired. I really am tired, and I am out of town, and I can't drive home until 30 more minutes, and I'm an hour away from home.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
One of the best matches of music and lyrics in the Beatles catalog. And I love how it gets progressively more intense. It is indeed one of John's great vocals.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
simey
Footballguy
Thanks, but it is fine. You were in Hawaii when you made the change, and it could've been scribbled on a napkin in your hotel room.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
This is a song that moves my head more than my heart. I find it "impressive" but I don't really love it. It just seems like this comes off a little TOO easy. I've mentioned some of their earlier songs sound like they were written on autopilot, and this one is even more so for me. It's a well-constructed song that hits all the right beats (especially the aforementioned bass parts), but it doesn't move me in the way their best stuff does. There are quite a few Wings songs that make me feel the same way, so maybe this was foreshadowing.
Zegras11
Footballguy
this is all fixed. Had the tab with the vote tally correct. The tab with the song names with everyone's 1-25 lists has been corrected. This tab was created right before I started posting in this thread. I used PMs to create that tab and told Simey to not send me a PM with her changes.
she posted in the "send me lists" thread.
zamboni
Footballguy
May not be my favorite tune off Rubber Soul, but still a very high quality one. I like it just for the use of "engaged" in the lyrics, as in busy.
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
jwb
Footballguy
Catchy as all heck. Like I mentioned when I submitted it, I always whistle this for some reason. Pip had said "It just seems like this comes off a little TOO easy", and I would agree with that, except that I view it as part of their magic. They just come out with stuff like this effortlessly. Very "Beatle-y" tune.
A real shame this didn't rank #64
The clarinet sounds so perfect for this song. Who else besides Scott Joplin could make that happen? Lots of cool elements to this song, and it works perfectly together IMO. The clarinet, obviously. When the background music pauses when he sings "Sunday mornings go for a ride" , the oooh, ohh ohhs, and ahh ahhh ahhs. The bell (cymbal?/cowbell?) after he sings "I will stay with you." . "We shall scrimp and save harmonies. And, of course the "HOO!" to end it.
Crazy to think he wrote the guts of this when he was 15/16.
Overall album breakdown:
17 White Album
13 Singles
9 Beatles for Sale
8 Rubber Soul
8 Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
8 With The Beatles
7 A Hard Day's Night
7 Help!
6 Magical Mystery Tour:
6 Please Please Me
5 Revolver
3 Abbey Road
3 Let It Be
2 Yellow Submarine
Top 100 album breakdown
17 White Album
13 Singles
9 Beatles for Sale
8 Rubber Soul
8 Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
8 With The Beatles
7 A Hard Day's Night
7 Help!
6 Magical Mystery Tour:
6 Please Please Me
5 Revolver
3 Abbey Road
3 Let It Be
2 Yellow Submarine
Top 100 album breakdown
Code:
5 White Album
4 A Hard Day's Night
3 Rubber Soul
2 Beatles for Sale
2 Help!
2 Let It Be
2 Magical Mystery Tour:
2 Please Please Me
2 Revolver
2 Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
2 Singles
1 Abbey Road
1 With The BeatlesZegras11
Footballguy
No Reply
2022 Ranking: 70
2022 Lists: 7
2022 Points: 92
Ranked Highest by: @rockaction(5) @Shaft41(10) @Anarchy99(11) @fatguyinalittlecoat (13) @Uruk-Hai (23)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: 82/1/25
2 --anarchy99---890
4 --Shaft41---768
5 --Krista (TJ/Michael)---763
8 --fatguyinalttlecoat---675
11 --rockaction---514.5
Getz: Just missed my cut again. A'99 with 15th song.
Krista4
My 2019 ranking: 107
2019 write-up:
No Reply (Beatles for Sale, 1964)
My write-ups are going to be lacking in energy today. This is a great song. I don't know why it's not in the top half, except that other songs are instead.
I'll try to do better on the next write-up. Maybe I’ll edit these later.
Mr. krista: "You creepy stalker. Take a hint, man."
Suggested covers: The Flames - the song is just ok, but that album cover is mint. Gary Holton & Casino Steel - again not a good song, but in this case worth watching for the video. Hey, the lyrics say "telephone," so let's show a phone! There's a reference to looking through a window, so let's have him at a window! I didn't stick around to see how they acted out "I nearly died."
OK, let me try to do a better job here.
Did John get cheated on a whole lot? Cuz I just realized how many of his songs are about being cheated on. I can't imagine bland Cynthia would have gotten that much action. John, I would not have cheated on you, even with Paul.
John described this as his version of the song "Silhouettes," which had been a hit for the NY group, The Rays. I didn't know that song and just listened to it; it's nifty. John wrote this one for Tommy Quickly to use, but he didn't - I always wonder about these people who passed on what became Beatles songs. The Beatles's publisher **** James complimented John that this was the first song he'd written with a complete story. I'm not sure why that was important, but I guess it was to **** James.
Something I love about the song is how dark it is for the time. Even in 1964 they were starting to move away from the cheery pop into a deeper, more adult place. I love the way John can glide between the moodiness of the verses and into that crazy-catchy middle eight with ease. The change in feel and tempo on the middle is jarring but still works, in large part due to the Paul's gorgeous high harmonies that sound nearly unhinged. I wonder if the middle was contributed by Paul? Always enjoy the songs where they've both contributed their own styles like that. Ringo's bossa-nova-style drumming and his changes are fantastic throughout this song.
Fine, maybe I would have cheated on John with Paul. But not with Ringo!
2022 Supplement: What was I thinking in 2019? I totally would have cheated on John with Ringo. In the road.
Guido Merkins
The Beatles typically started albums with loud rockers or pot boilers as George Martin called them, like I Saw Her Standing There or A Hard Day’s Night. But by the end of 1964, the Beatles were tired. Two years of Beatlemania first in Europe, then everywhere else, was wearing on them. Beatles For Sale’s cover sleeve tells the story. Not the smiling Beatles of Please Please Me or the fun loving Fabs of A Hard Day’s Night, the cover for Beatles For Sale showed 4 unsmiling faces that might as well have said “would you just take the ####### picture…”
Anyway, the album took on the same tone as the cover, and therefore, they decided to start the album with No Reply, which was an acoustic number, of all things. John was the main writer, with a little help from Paul but the song takes on the story of a guy who is calling his girl who isn’t answering the phone, but he knows she’s there because he can see her silhouette in the window. John claimed he got the idea from a song called Sillouettes at 50s song by the doo *** group the Rays. Anway, No Reply was a bit more introspective and not just boy-girl love song, which was more typical earlier, no doubt influenced by Bob Dylan.
The best part of the song is the middle (if I were you….). The way the music swells and the fact that it switches to more of a rock beat with the rest of the song being more of a Latin beat. Also, John and Pau’s harmonies are exquisite on this part. It’s one of the most exciting part of any Beatles song up until that point and the group liked the song so much that it was even in the running for a single, until John came up with I Feel Fine. **** James, the Beatles music publisher was really impressed with the song because it told “a whole story.”
2022 Ranking: 70
2022 Lists: 7
2022 Points: 92
Ranked Highest by: @rockaction(5) @Shaft41(10) @Anarchy99(11) @fatguyinalittlecoat (13) @Uruk-Hai (23)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: 82/1/25
2 --anarchy99---890
4 --Shaft41---768
5 --Krista (TJ/Michael)---763
8 --fatguyinalttlecoat---675
11 --rockaction---514.5
Getz: Just missed my cut again. A'99 with 15th song.
Krista4
My 2019 ranking: 107
2019 write-up:
No Reply (Beatles for Sale, 1964)
My write-ups are going to be lacking in energy today. This is a great song. I don't know why it's not in the top half, except that other songs are instead.
I'll try to do better on the next write-up. Maybe I’ll edit these later.
Mr. krista: "You creepy stalker. Take a hint, man."
Suggested covers: The Flames - the song is just ok, but that album cover is mint. Gary Holton & Casino Steel - again not a good song, but in this case worth watching for the video. Hey, the lyrics say "telephone," so let's show a phone! There's a reference to looking through a window, so let's have him at a window! I didn't stick around to see how they acted out "I nearly died."
OK, let me try to do a better job here.
Did John get cheated on a whole lot? Cuz I just realized how many of his songs are about being cheated on. I can't imagine bland Cynthia would have gotten that much action. John, I would not have cheated on you, even with Paul.
John described this as his version of the song "Silhouettes," which had been a hit for the NY group, The Rays. I didn't know that song and just listened to it; it's nifty. John wrote this one for Tommy Quickly to use, but he didn't - I always wonder about these people who passed on what became Beatles songs. The Beatles's publisher **** James complimented John that this was the first song he'd written with a complete story. I'm not sure why that was important, but I guess it was to **** James.
Something I love about the song is how dark it is for the time. Even in 1964 they were starting to move away from the cheery pop into a deeper, more adult place. I love the way John can glide between the moodiness of the verses and into that crazy-catchy middle eight with ease. The change in feel and tempo on the middle is jarring but still works, in large part due to the Paul's gorgeous high harmonies that sound nearly unhinged. I wonder if the middle was contributed by Paul? Always enjoy the songs where they've both contributed their own styles like that. Ringo's bossa-nova-style drumming and his changes are fantastic throughout this song.
Fine, maybe I would have cheated on John with Paul. But not with Ringo!
2022 Supplement: What was I thinking in 2019? I totally would have cheated on John with Ringo. In the road.
Guido Merkins
The Beatles typically started albums with loud rockers or pot boilers as George Martin called them, like I Saw Her Standing There or A Hard Day’s Night. But by the end of 1964, the Beatles were tired. Two years of Beatlemania first in Europe, then everywhere else, was wearing on them. Beatles For Sale’s cover sleeve tells the story. Not the smiling Beatles of Please Please Me or the fun loving Fabs of A Hard Day’s Night, the cover for Beatles For Sale showed 4 unsmiling faces that might as well have said “would you just take the ####### picture…”
Anyway, the album took on the same tone as the cover, and therefore, they decided to start the album with No Reply, which was an acoustic number, of all things. John was the main writer, with a little help from Paul but the song takes on the story of a guy who is calling his girl who isn’t answering the phone, but he knows she’s there because he can see her silhouette in the window. John claimed he got the idea from a song called Sillouettes at 50s song by the doo *** group the Rays. Anway, No Reply was a bit more introspective and not just boy-girl love song, which was more typical earlier, no doubt influenced by Bob Dylan.
The best part of the song is the middle (if I were you….). The way the music swells and the fact that it switches to more of a rock beat with the rest of the song being more of a Latin beat. Also, John and Pau’s harmonies are exquisite on this part. It’s one of the most exciting part of any Beatles song up until that point and the group liked the song so much that it was even in the running for a single, until John came up with I Feel Fine. **** James, the Beatles music publisher was really impressed with the song because it told “a whole story.”
Zegras11
Footballguy
So we still have about 40% of the voters that have a ton of songs yet to appear. Only 17.52% of all votes have appeared so far.
0 = 3 When will they fall?
1 = 13
2 = 13
43 --prosopis---2
44 --Getzlaf15---2
45 --Dennis Castro---2
46 --Gr00vus---2
47 --Alex P Keaton---2
48 --AAABatteries---2
49 --Heckmann---2
50 --shuke---2
51 --Ted Lange as your Bartender---2
52 --Lardonastick---2
53 --falguy---2
54 --turnjose7---2
55 --Krista (Doug)---2
56 --Krista (TJ/Slug)---1
57 --Just Win Baby---1
58 --Dinsy Ejotuz---1
59 --ConstruxBoy---1
60 --yankee23fan---1
61 --WhoKnew---1
62 --Iluv80s---1
63 --DocHoliday---1
64 --Oliver Humanzee(Dad)---1
65 --Tom Hagen---1
66 --Dr. Octopus---1
67 --WorrierKing---1
68 --Westerberg---1
69 --pecorino---0
70 --Krista4---0
71 --Bobby Layne---0
0 = 3 When will they fall?
1 = 13
2 = 13
43 --prosopis---2
44 --Getzlaf15---2
45 --Dennis Castro---2
46 --Gr00vus---2
47 --Alex P Keaton---2
48 --AAABatteries---2
49 --Heckmann---2
50 --shuke---2
51 --Ted Lange as your Bartender---2
52 --Lardonastick---2
53 --falguy---2
54 --turnjose7---2
55 --Krista (Doug)---2
56 --Krista (TJ/Slug)---1
57 --Just Win Baby---1
58 --Dinsy Ejotuz---1
59 --ConstruxBoy---1
60 --yankee23fan---1
61 --WhoKnew---1
62 --Iluv80s---1
63 --DocHoliday---1
64 --Oliver Humanzee(Dad)---1
65 --Tom Hagen---1
66 --Dr. Octopus---1
67 --WorrierKing---1
68 --Westerberg---1
69 --pecorino---0
70 --Krista4---0
71 --Bobby Layne---0
lardonastick
Footballguy
Agree with all of this! No Reply is a borderline top 50 song for me, really love it.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Call me the King of Chalk . . .
01 - You Can't Do That (#84)
02 - She's A Woman (#107)
03 -
04 -
05 - Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite! (#101)
06 - Magical Mystery Tour (#94)
07 -
08 - Getting Better (#130)
09 -
10 -
11 - No Reply (#70)
12 - Good Morning Good Morning (#113)
13 -
14 - Fixing A Hole (#98)
15 -
16 - Run For You Life (#122)
17 - Baby, I'm A Rich Man (#156)
18 - Dizzy Miss Lizzy (#157)
19 -
20 - Lady Madonna (#77)
21 -
22 - I'm Down (#97)
23 - Old Brown Shoe (#147)
24 - Roll Over Beethoven (#150)
25 -
01 - You Can't Do That (#84)
02 - She's A Woman (#107)
03 -
04 -
05 - Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite! (#101)
06 - Magical Mystery Tour (#94)
07 -
08 - Getting Better (#130)
09 -
10 -
11 - No Reply (#70)
12 - Good Morning Good Morning (#113)
13 -
14 - Fixing A Hole (#98)
15 -
16 - Run For You Life (#122)
17 - Baby, I'm A Rich Man (#156)
18 - Dizzy Miss Lizzy (#157)
19 -
20 - Lady Madonna (#77)
21 -
22 - I'm Down (#97)
23 - Old Brown Shoe (#147)
24 - Roll Over Beethoven (#150)
25 -
Guido Merkins
Footballguy
Zegras11
Footballguy
That entire interview is a good watch.The story is even better than that. Watch Ringo describing all this from 5:00 - 6:50.
Shaft41
Footballguy
So, I didn't have this in my top 25, but I could have for sentimental reasons, much like @fatguyinalittlecoat and that's why two of my kids have it so high. When ShaftDaughter was around 5 or 6 and began taking dance classes, one of the first "organized" dance routines her class learned was to "Octopus's Garden." I'll admit that at that point, my Beatles fandom was much less vast and I wasn't familiar with this song. It started to get played a lot in my house, as she would twirl around and do dance steps she thought were every bit as elaborate as Fred Astaire. My kids grew up with this song. One of the only Beatles CDs we had around the house was the Blue Album, and when I would play it, they would be so pumped when this would come on. I wasn't too surprised to see my kids list it, and I love them for it.
Zegras11
Footballguy
yep... I'm at the point that I keep saying this will be in my Top 64 and I'll find out I have 103 in my Top 64 and have to change my avatar to Binky the Clown.
fatguyinalittlecoat
Footballguy
No Reply was probably the song that benefitted the most when I was listening through stuff before submitting my list. Would not have expected it to be on my top 25 before that.
zamboni
Footballguy
Zegras11
Footballguy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIGW_TEwCXw
This was posted last October.
Abbey Road album, but with animated Fab 4. The more I watch, the more I like.
This was posted last October.
Abbey Road album, but with animated Fab 4. The more I watch, the more I like.
Shaft41
Footballguy
This one had one of the biggest jumps for me in the last 3 years. Big ups to @rockactionfor the inspiration. I'm not always into John's vitriol, but his passionate wailing of "No replyyyyy" juxtaposed with his relative earlier calmness is the kind of John energy I'm about, which sounds kind of terrible since this switch-flip might explain verse 2 in "Getting Better."Getzlaf15 said:
Zegras11
Footballguy
Girl
2022 Ranking: 69
2022 Lists: 6
2022 Points: 93
Ranked Highest by: Shaft41(Son1) (4) Krista(Craig) (8) Krista(TJ/Michael) (9) @Guido Merkins(10) @rockaction (12) @fatguyinalittlecoat (20)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: 78/3/2
5 --fatguyinalttlecoat---779
10 --rockaction---618.5
12 --Krista (Craig)---484
Getz: Last song with six voters. First song with four, Top 10 votes. Only five more songs that don’t have at least 10 votes.
Krista4
My 2019 ranking: 73
2019 write-up:
Girl (Rubber Soul, 1965)
It's a rare John song that John actually liked! This goes higher or lower on my list daily based on how irritating I find the spliff-sucking sounds that particular day, but I always find them at least mildly irritating. I've read that maybe they were supposed to be intakes of breath from love or lust for this "girl," but it doesn't make it any less irritating. Aside from that, I love the song, and it's a favorite of my cat, The Squirrel (featured in a photo earlier in this thread), since I sing it to him substituting "Squirr-r-r-rel" for "gir-r-r-rl." Perhaps I shouldn't have admitted that.
Moving on! This song is hypnotic to me, with its gorgeous, languorous melody, sung by John with such longing, and some stunningly beautiful if depressing lyrics. It's one of those songs where the lyrics take it to a new level in my estimation, from the opening plea of "Is there anybody going to listen to my story, all about the girl who came to stay?" to the descriptions of the kind of girl he's talking about. I feel like I can exactly picture this girl from lines like...oh hell, I'm just going to copy all the lyrics here. They're that special:
Is there anybody going to listen to my story
All about the girl who came to stay?
She's the kind of girl
You want so much it make you sorry
Still you don't regret a single day
Ah, girl, girl, girl
When I think of all the times
I tried so hard to leave her
She will turn to me and start to cry
And she promises the earth to me
And I believe her
After all this time I don't know why
Ah, girl, girl, girl
She's the kind of girl who puts you down
When friends are there
You feel a fool
When you say she's looking good
She acts as if it's understood
She's cool, ooh, oo, oo, oo
Girl, girl, girl
Was she told when she was young
That pain would lead to pleasure
Did she understand it when they said
That a man must break his back
To earn his day of leisure?
Will she still believe it when he's dead
Ah, girl, girl, girl
Girl
I find the bolded lyrics particularly evocative and poetic. John has said the last lines I bolded were a criticism of Christianity, but I prefer to interpret them more broadly. Another part of the song that I particularly dig is the bridge with its hammering eighth-notes; the vocal was inspired by a Beach Boys song that had "la la la"s in the bridge, but the Beatles wanted to use something else, so they substituted "dit dit dit." Or did they? Apparently what they really sang, to amuse themselves and trick the ever-naive George Martin, was a word that is not allowed on this family friendly site. Rhymes with "dit." I also love the Greek-inflected ending, which was a Paul contribution based on having heard some bouzouki music on holiday in Greece.
I feel like, when Squirrel is not around for me to sing the song to him, I just sink into this song and stay there, and it's a pleasurable place to be despite the glum lyrics. It feels old-world and comfortable to me.
Mr. krista: "I really like it. I like the changes. I like the plink plink plink part at the end. Songs like that are so outside of my canon that it would never occur to me to write something like that. I don’t know how they come about, but it’s so interesting that people do. It’s like you’re dragging the name across a bowling alley floor. Squeeeeek. But you’re right. What are you doing? You’re trying to write pop music, nobody will want that. But wait, they do. I guess I like that song because it reminds me how much I don’t ####### know. I don’t know why that’s good. It’s good because the Beatles are better than me at everything."
Suggested cover: Joe Jackson does a helluva job live, and makes that part I dislike into sighs. Rhett Miller leaves that part out entirely.
2022 Supplement: Those breathy intakes that irritated me when I wrote this up in 2019 were apparently a favorite part of the song for the Beatles, so what do I know. John loved them. Paul loved them: “My main memory is that John wanted to hear the breathing, wanted it to be very intimate… The engineer then went off and figured out how to do it. We really felt like young professionals.” Ringo loved them: “’Girl’ was great – weird breathy sound on it.” Obviously they’re right, being the best band ever to exist, while I’m the person singing this to my cat.
Guido Merkins
Rubber Soul had the Beatles expanding their musical vocabulary. Paul going into French music with Michelle and John answering with the German/Greek Girl.
Girl was written mostly by John about his dream girl, which he claims turned out to be Yoko. I’ve always thought that was strange since the bridge of the song portrays the “girl” as not being very nice (she’s the kind of girl who puts you down when friends are there you feel a fool.)
Anyway, the song is very interesting in that it has a very German beat, IMO, like a two step. But it also has a bit of a Greek vibe with the acoustic guitars with a capo very high on the neck so it sounds like a bouzouki, a Greek stringed instrument. The end of the song with John and George both playing the “bouzouki” style guitars together. I also love the “###-###” background vocals, John loved to slip on a little smut on a record. Lastly, Lennon’s vocal is very intimate, hearing the intake of breath as he sings. Was the girl so hot that Lennon was breathing heavy or was he referring to inhaling pot, I don’t know, but it’s an interesting sound.
This is a song that I have always liked, but in the last 5 years or so it has really risen in my rankings of Beatles songs. It is one of John’s best 10 songs, IMO.
2022 Ranking: 69
2022 Lists: 6
2022 Points: 93
Ranked Highest by: Shaft41(Son1) (4) Krista(Craig) (8) Krista(TJ/Michael) (9) @Guido Merkins(10) @rockaction (12) @fatguyinalittlecoat (20)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: 78/3/2
5 --fatguyinalttlecoat---779
10 --rockaction---618.5
12 --Krista (Craig)---484
Getz: Last song with six voters. First song with four, Top 10 votes. Only five more songs that don’t have at least 10 votes.
Krista4
My 2019 ranking: 73
2019 write-up:
Girl (Rubber Soul, 1965)
It's a rare John song that John actually liked! This goes higher or lower on my list daily based on how irritating I find the spliff-sucking sounds that particular day, but I always find them at least mildly irritating. I've read that maybe they were supposed to be intakes of breath from love or lust for this "girl," but it doesn't make it any less irritating. Aside from that, I love the song, and it's a favorite of my cat, The Squirrel (featured in a photo earlier in this thread), since I sing it to him substituting "Squirr-r-r-rel" for "gir-r-r-rl." Perhaps I shouldn't have admitted that.
Moving on! This song is hypnotic to me, with its gorgeous, languorous melody, sung by John with such longing, and some stunningly beautiful if depressing lyrics. It's one of those songs where the lyrics take it to a new level in my estimation, from the opening plea of "Is there anybody going to listen to my story, all about the girl who came to stay?" to the descriptions of the kind of girl he's talking about. I feel like I can exactly picture this girl from lines like...oh hell, I'm just going to copy all the lyrics here. They're that special:
Is there anybody going to listen to my story
All about the girl who came to stay?
She's the kind of girl
You want so much it make you sorry
Still you don't regret a single day
Ah, girl, girl, girl
When I think of all the times
I tried so hard to leave her
She will turn to me and start to cry
And she promises the earth to me
And I believe her
After all this time I don't know why
Ah, girl, girl, girl
She's the kind of girl who puts you down
When friends are there
You feel a fool
When you say she's looking good
She acts as if it's understood
She's cool, ooh, oo, oo, oo
Girl, girl, girl
Was she told when she was young
That pain would lead to pleasure
Did she understand it when they said
That a man must break his back
To earn his day of leisure?
Will she still believe it when he's dead
Ah, girl, girl, girl
Girl
I find the bolded lyrics particularly evocative and poetic. John has said the last lines I bolded were a criticism of Christianity, but I prefer to interpret them more broadly. Another part of the song that I particularly dig is the bridge with its hammering eighth-notes; the vocal was inspired by a Beach Boys song that had "la la la"s in the bridge, but the Beatles wanted to use something else, so they substituted "dit dit dit." Or did they? Apparently what they really sang, to amuse themselves and trick the ever-naive George Martin, was a word that is not allowed on this family friendly site. Rhymes with "dit." I also love the Greek-inflected ending, which was a Paul contribution based on having heard some bouzouki music on holiday in Greece.
I feel like, when Squirrel is not around for me to sing the song to him, I just sink into this song and stay there, and it's a pleasurable place to be despite the glum lyrics. It feels old-world and comfortable to me.
Mr. krista: "I really like it. I like the changes. I like the plink plink plink part at the end. Songs like that are so outside of my canon that it would never occur to me to write something like that. I don’t know how they come about, but it’s so interesting that people do. It’s like you’re dragging the name across a bowling alley floor. Squeeeeek. But you’re right. What are you doing? You’re trying to write pop music, nobody will want that. But wait, they do. I guess I like that song because it reminds me how much I don’t ####### know. I don’t know why that’s good. It’s good because the Beatles are better than me at everything."
Suggested cover: Joe Jackson does a helluva job live, and makes that part I dislike into sighs. Rhett Miller leaves that part out entirely.
2022 Supplement: Those breathy intakes that irritated me when I wrote this up in 2019 were apparently a favorite part of the song for the Beatles, so what do I know. John loved them. Paul loved them: “My main memory is that John wanted to hear the breathing, wanted it to be very intimate… The engineer then went off and figured out how to do it. We really felt like young professionals.” Ringo loved them: “’Girl’ was great – weird breathy sound on it.” Obviously they’re right, being the best band ever to exist, while I’m the person singing this to my cat.
Guido Merkins
Rubber Soul had the Beatles expanding their musical vocabulary. Paul going into French music with Michelle and John answering with the German/Greek Girl.
Girl was written mostly by John about his dream girl, which he claims turned out to be Yoko. I’ve always thought that was strange since the bridge of the song portrays the “girl” as not being very nice (she’s the kind of girl who puts you down when friends are there you feel a fool.)
Anyway, the song is very interesting in that it has a very German beat, IMO, like a two step. But it also has a bit of a Greek vibe with the acoustic guitars with a capo very high on the neck so it sounds like a bouzouki, a Greek stringed instrument. The end of the song with John and George both playing the “bouzouki” style guitars together. I also love the “###-###” background vocals, John loved to slip on a little smut on a record. Lastly, Lennon’s vocal is very intimate, hearing the intake of breath as he sings. Was the girl so hot that Lennon was breathing heavy or was he referring to inhaling pot, I don’t know, but it’s an interesting sound.
This is a song that I have always liked, but in the last 5 years or so it has really risen in my rankings of Beatles songs. It is one of John’s best 10 songs, IMO.
Zegras11
Footballguy
Bob Eubanks on Promoting the Beatles Concerts in SoCal from 1964-1966
This was a pretty decent listen I found the other night. Cool details on the So Cal shows.
This was a pretty decent listen I found the other night. Cool details on the So Cal shows.
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