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2022 FBG, 172 to 1 Beatles Countdown 1-25 lists... And 173 to 1 Countdown from 1-64 lists! (3 Viewers)

I love Steve Earle and that whole scene but that cover is horrible. 

I have always liked this song. Always sounds earnest to me.


Steve Earle's best Beatles cover is "I'm Looking Through You," which is almost as good as the original.

And I'm happy you're keeping up with the thread, too!

 
Getzlaf15 said:
Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey
2022 Ranking: 130T
2022 Lists: 2
2022 Points: 20
Ranked Highest by: @DaVinci (15) Krista (Mom) (17)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: NR

Getz:  Krista’s Mom with her 6th song! Taking a big lead in the Chalk race, which means she has the best chance to finish last when all is done. This song has grown on me since it was first voted on this time. Video is live version.


Krista4
My 2019 ranking:  125

2019 write-up:

Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey (Beatles for Sale, 1964)

For years I assume both of these were covers of Little Richard songs [EDITOR’S NOTE:  in 2019 I had this grouped with “I’m Down”]; turns out only the latter was and that "I'm Down" was the greatest Little Richard song not recorded by Little Richard.  "I'm Down" was recorded the same day as "Yesterday" and "I've Just Seen a Face" - just a demonstration of Paul's incredible range and versatility.  Geoff Emerick described the recording session for the "Kansas City" medley:  "...they really cut loose on it, playing with a confidence and a sheer, innocent joy that was positively infectious.  I knew from that minute onward that it was going to be a great session."  That session, by the way, then turned to Mr. Moonlight, I Feel Fine, I’ll Follow The Sun, Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby, Rock And Roll Music, and Words Of Love, as well as the finishing touches on Eight Days a Week.  Not a bad workday. 

John gets enormous credit for his "Twist and Shout" shredding vocal, but I'll put these two under appreciated vocals by Paul up against that one.  He even sounds amazing in the live version of "I'm Down" as the finale of the 1965 Shea Stadium concert, though the highlight for me of that video is John and George cracking up over John's Jerry Lee Lewis style keyboard playing, elbows and all.    Unlike John's delicate songs of insecurity, these laments by Paul makes it seem like he's just going to scream his way out of his sadness, and the songs sounds like they're on the verge of blowing apart at any moment, held together only by Ringo's steady beat.  They're both great fun.  The appreciation Paul had for Little Richard was mutual:  "I've never heard that sound from English musicians before.  Honestly, if I hadn't seen them with my own eyes I'd have thought they were a colored group from back home."

Mr. krista:  "Listen to Paul!  Listen to him do it though.  Crushing that ####.  I’d like to hear what story got this out of him.  I’ve heard a lot of versions of Kansas City.  Little Richard, James Brown, etc. but that was great - up there with the best of them.  He murdered it.  I like the call and response and I can’t think of another song that does it like that. Provides rocking upbeat counterpoint to the first of this album that’s been kind of a bummer.  You’re a bummer, Beatles.  Beatles are sad."

2022 Supplement:  Should’ve been ranked higher.  What a stunning vocal.  Paul’s rock-and-roll screams are nearly unmatched.  This was a staple of their Cavern Club shows and brought the house down.  Paul has said about his vocal:  “I could do Little Richard’s voice, which is a wild, hoarse, screaming thing; it’s like an out-of-body experience. You have to leave your current sensibilities and go about a foot above your head to sing it. You have to actually go outside yourself. It’s a funny little trick and when you find it, it’s very interesting.”  Ahhhh, so “it’s very interesting.”  Way to undersell it, Sir Paul. 

On this particular song, Paul told a nice little story about John a few years ago.  John had asked him in the early days how he did the Little Richard screaming voice, and Paul he didn’t know, but he felt like “it just comes out of the top of my head. …  And then we had a session once where we were, the early days, and I'm about to do 'Kansas City,' so I'm on the mic...and I'm going 'Ka...Kansas City, cough...,' and I'm not making it, I'm not getting it at all. So John comes down and he says, 'Remember, it comes out of the top of your head!' I said, okay, "Kansas City.. And that's the take you hear."

Another version of their recording was released in the Anthology series and sounds phenomenal as well (kudos to George on the guitar work):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZBjghDYAgQ

Guido Merkins

John is well-known for his show-stopping vocal performances on songs like Twist and Shout and Money were he reaches into his soul and finds the teenage rocker inside of him.

Paul also was fully capable of doing that, but the “Paul writes the ballads and John rocks” stereotype prevents people from realizing this.  Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey is one of those.  Paul reaches deep into his Little Richard soul and really lets it rip on this song.  This song was featured in the Beatles pre-fame repertoire and they resurrected it for the Beatles For Sale album.  John, who was largely responsible for stereotyping Paul as lightweight encouraged Paul to really let it rip, and he did.  One take, just like Twist and Shout.  

The instrumental is really good on this song, but just like Twist and Shout, who cares with this vocal.  Paul is having almost an out of body experience as he describes it.  You really have to let yourself go to be able to do this, and Paul does it perfectly.
One of Paul's best early vocals. George plays like Carl Perkins on a mild dose of amphetamines. 

 
Cry Baby Cry
2022 Ranking: 129
2022 Lists: 4
2022 Points: 20
Ranked Highest by: Krista (Worth) (17) @Binky The Doormat (20) @Man of Constant Sorrow (22) @ProstheticRGK (25)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: 117/4/10

Getz: Interesting… Four voters in both 2019 and 2022. 20 points this time…


Krista4
My 2019 ranking:  94


2019 write-up:

Cry Baby Cry (White Album, 1968)

Like "Good Morning Good Morning," this John song might have been inspired in part by an ad, specifically some words he thought he'd caught:  "Cry baby cry; make your mother buy."  This song has a nice spooky feel to it; John's voice has a slight echo that, along with his dry and straightforward delivery, makes it sound chilling to me.  Paul's harmonies near the very end add to the eeriness, George's nifty guitar parts contribute to the tension, and the descending chords on the verses give a nice sense of menace.  The lyrics seem like a nursery rhyme and owe a debt to "Sing a Song of Sixpence" along with Lewis Carroll, and when John sings in a nearly childlike fashion in parts, it just increases how weird this song feels.  The last ~30 seconds, the "can you take me back" part by Paul, were not originally meant to be part of this song, but were from some improvisations during the recording of "I Will."  But that "song" didn't receive any separate mention on the album and by now is just considered part of this one.  In any case, my favorite part is when this song leads into that latter one; they actually seem to be meant to go together as the Paul song has a similar ghostly feel to it.  

Not-so-fun fact:  The song was first rehearsed the same day that "Ob-La-Di" was finished, the tension from all the battles over that song carrying over to the recordings of this one that night, with Geoff Emerick deciding then and there that he wouldn't be finishing this song.  The next day, he quit, and the recording of this song was begun anew.  

Mr. krista:  "It’s a great pop song.  There’s a lot of songs called cry baby or baby cry or baby baby cry cry, and I think I like them all. There’s the Janis Joplin song called Cry Baby… and there’s this…"

Suggested cover:  I guess I'm going to end up with at least three covers listed from Steve Earle, since there's another one later that I know I'll be using.  Oh well; I can't find any others I like better than this.

2022 Supplement:  That 2019 write-up was pretty damn good, hahaha.  I still think this is one of John’s most interesting songs lyrically, balancing the child-like “nursery rhyme” aspects with what seems a deeper meaning, even if John later didn’t remember what it was.  John called this song rubbish, as he did many of his own songs.  When pressed on his favorites, he always seemed to go for the strongly autobiographical songs like “Help!” and “Strawberry Fields Forever,” and I generally agree with John both in his Beatles and post-Beatles work, but I wish he hadn’t sold this one short, as it’s fascinating.

This song was the first John presented at the Esher sessions, which might indicate he thought more highly of it at one time.  Wait, have we talked about the Esher demos?  In May 1968, the Beatles met to start their new album, gathering at George’s home in Esher to complete some rough demos rather than going into Abbey Road to start work.  Aw hell, I’m feeling lazy; if you want to know more, this is a good synopsis: https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/the-beatles-esher-demos-the-lost-basement-tapes-that-became-the-white-album-630425/    And the Esher demo for this song is here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCORYtqMr0g

2022 Mr. krista Supplement:  Seems oddly allegorical, but I don’t know from what.  There’s all this king, duchess stuff; seems symbolic but about something extraordinarily specific to him.  Lyrics are complete and doesn’t seem tossed off, like he worked on them.  It feels like if you understand the scenario, you’ll unlock the story.  Made me think of the Wallace Stevens poem, “The Emperor of Ice Cream.”  It seems to be referring to something specific and strange, but it was children playing “funeral,” like they had a doll that was dead.  Stevens describes it specifically, and it even has this childlike rhyme structure, but with complicated messages.  Like, someone says “ice cream” and they instantly abandon this scenario.  That’s like, “There’s no god.  The only emperor is the emperor of ice cream.  There is no higher power.”  And just the mention of ice cream can stop this solemn ceremony.  These lyrics remind me of that, but I don’t know what it is that unlocks it.  But it invites imagining it, that thoughtfulness.  And it’s a cool melody.

Guido Merkins

Cry Baby Cry was written by John in India and first recorded at George Harrison’s house (the Esher Sessions on the 2018 White Album Sessions Box).  The Esher demo was remarkably similar to the finished version.  Apparently John got the title Cry Baby Cry from a commercial.  The lyrics are very much a fairy tale, but the chords suggest something a bit darker and the final verse with mentions of “seances” are in keeping with this .  John wasn’t a big fan of the song.  He called it “rubbish.”

I like the wobble that is on John’s acoustic guitar during the intro.  And John’s vocal is very hypnotizing.  Yet another oddity on the White Album in which the Beatles seemed to throw a bunch of crap against the wall to see what would stick.

Note, this song ends with a brief interlude of Paul singing “Can you take me back”, which I think was just a lick Paul had hanging around. 
This strikes me as something that could have shown up (at least in part) on the Abbey Road medley if John hadn't released it before that. The lyrics seem very stream of consciousness, and they work for me, but perhaps John was embarrassed by them after the fact. One of the best things about the main part of this is the countermelody Paul is playing on bass. And then there's the transition into Paul's "can you take me back" fragment, which I have always loved. 

Listening to it now, I can relax because I don't have the dread that "Revolution 9" is next. 

 
I Want to Tell You
2022 Ranking: 128
2022 Lists: 3
2022 Points: 21
Ranked Highest by: @Man of Constant Sorrow (11) @Shaft41 (23) @FairWarning (23)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: 95/2/18

Getz:  FairWarning with his first entry. 33 left...


Krista4
My 2019 ranking:  65

2019 write-up:

I Want To Tell You (Revolver, 1966)

The second of three George Revolver songs that will be on this list - go George!  I figure the dissonance in this song might not be for everyone, but...wait for it...I love it!  The off-key vocals and especially those harshly discordant piano parts.  The song starts with a fade-in of George's guitar on some staggered triplets and weird syncopation, and you know immediately this isn't going to sound like anything else the Beatles have put out.  After the guitar fades in, it continues this riff two more times, first adding some piano jabs and snare, then a hissing tambourine, and finally Paul's bass, before finally launching into the vocal.  It's all rather disorienting, as are the unusual 11-meter verses that lead to the awkward but pleasing sound of the last line of each verse.  And of course, each time you think you're getting the groove, that some of the dissonance has been resolved, then BAM! come those jarring discordant piano parts. After a couple of verses of this, you find yourself in the lovely bridge, which sounds a bit more usual with George on a sweet vocal, and even the piano at the end is melodic in leading you back into the verse.  Oh no!  Another verse means...more off-key piano blasts!  A repeat of the bridge, and then you come to the fade-out ending that I love as much as the fade-in, with the Indian-inflected three-part harmonies and George repeating the guitar riff and Paul meandering around on piano and John doing something with a tambourine.  The dark journey of this song was a worthwhile adventure.

George wrote this song to describe "the avalanche of thoughts that are so hard to write down or say or transmit."  Perhaps more than any other Beatles song, this one seems to me to convey its feeling through the music in a way that makes the lyrics superfluous.  I do think the lyrics are fantastic at expressing what George said in that quote (I'll copy the lyrics below this), but even if you stripped the lyrics away, I would fully understand the import of what the music itself is telling me.  All that dissonance, all those parts bouncing off one another - George trying to align his thoughts all comes out in the music.  The piano parts in the verses feel like a huge avalanche exploding down on your head.  Even the voices are allowed to go slightly off-key at times, to show an inability to express exactly what one wants to.  This arrangement of this song to underscore the meaning behind it is simply brilliant.  Like most George songs, I only wish it were longer.

I want to tell you

My head is filled with things to say

When you're here

All those words they seem to slip away

When I get near you

The games begin to drag me down

It's all right

I'll make you maybe next time around

But if I seem to act unkind

It's only me, it's not my mind

That is confusing things

I want to tell you

I feel hung up and I don't know why

I don't mind

I could wait forever, I've got time

Sometimes I wish I knew you well

Then I could speak my mind and tell

Maybe you'd understand

I want to tell you

I feel hung up and I don't know why

I don't mind

I could wait forever, I've got time

I've got time

I've got time

Mr. krista:  "Yeah, that piano is like the Exorcist theme.  Very dissonant.  Also some Eastern influences.  I really like it.  Just a great song.  This hasn’t happened to you.  Probably.  I don’t know if you’ve ever been the only high person in the room. [Narrator:  No.]  Sometimes when you’re high, you have a thought or idea that seems to have importance outside of what it actually is and to other not-high people, the difficulty in communicating that it impossible.  It can be really frustrating or exhilarating, but that’s what that song sounds like.  'You can wait.'  I like that time when you’re not burdened with practicality.  You just feel the rush of coming up with an idea."

Suggested cover:  Melvins

2022 Supplement:  Kinda broke this one down a lot in 2019, eh?  Since I don’t have much more, I’ll mention that this song, like “Love Me To,” was originally named after an apple since, as I described in that write-up, George had difficulty naming his songs.  This song was “Lawton’s Superb,” which is an apple developed in England as a cross between a Cellini and a Cox Orange Pippin.  THE MORE YOU KNOW.  The song then became “I Don’t Know” based on a conversation between George and John, who was once again needling George about his inability to name songs.  Finally, George settled on the obvious and went with “I Want To Tell You.”  I suggest we all call it “Laxton’s Superb” in the future.  

Guido Merkins

Really, there are no bad songs on Revolver.  Perhaps the least known song on the album is the 3rd George Harrison song, a first for Harrison, called I Want to Tell You.

The song features lyrics that talk about the frustration of trying to use words to describe something that is difficult to describe, like George’s experiences with LSD.  Highlighting the frustration that George was feeling, the song itself features dissonance in the chord progression, including a chord that George claimed to have “made up” E7b9.  Whether or not he actually made up the chord, it is an interesting sound and it does add to the feeling of confusion of the song.  Something doesn’t sound quite right.  You can hear the chord on at the beginning of the lines “it’s alright” and “I don’t mind.”

I love the philosophy of the lyrics, especially “if I seem to act unkind, it’s only me it’s not my mind, that is confusing things.”  I also love the guitar riff and the way Paul bends the notes in Indian music style on the word “time” during the harmonies.
My rank: 34

I've had no songs from my top 25 appear yet, but this is the third from the batch I ranked 26 to 36. 

I love this because of how it fades in, how the piano changes after the first harmonies come in, the guitar riff that would be louder and more out front in the hands of most bands but is deployed perfectly here, the interjection of the tambourine, the way the harmonies soar at the end of each verse, the phatty bass, the droning voices in the final "I got time," and the general George-ness of it all. 

This was my 15th and final pick in a Beatles/solo Beatles draft I participated in on another board. 

 
Rock and Roll Music
2022 Ranking: 127
2022 Lists: 2
2022 Points: 22
Ranked Highest by: @ConstruxBoy (9) @DaVinci (21)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: NR

Getz:  Another set of four NR’s coming your way. YT live from Munich 1966


Krista4
My 2019 ranking:  172


2019 write-up:

Rock and Roll Music (Beatles for Sale, 1964)

To me, a much superior Chuck Berry cover to the flat "Roll Over Beethoven," this one was recorded in one freaking take that features the brilliant vocals by John.  The reason it can't be higher is because Chuck freakin' Berry, but the energy of this thrills me when it comes on shuffle.  I love the way each verse seems to build into a frenetic chorus, and OMG Ringo's cymbals on this.  #######' rocks.  

Mr. krista:  "You know how I feel about Chuck Berry and you know how you feel about Beatles rave-ups so you know I think it’s awesome.  Any song with big long five/six note breaks with someone singing over top of it, especially the way Lennon does, does it for me.”

2022 Supplement:  I used up all my hilarious Chuck Berry/John/Yoko on the Mike Douglas Show clips on a “this date in history,” and a lot of my Chuck Berry-influence bits in writing the “Roll Over Beethoven” supplement, so now I’m kinda lost.  Here’s some more from John on his feelings about Chuck Berry, who called him, “one of the all-time great poets; a rock poet, you could call him. He was well advanced of his time, lyric-wise. We all owe a lot to him, including Dylan. I've loved everything he's done, ever. He was in a different class from the other performers. … The lyrics were fantastic, even though we didn't know what he was saying half the time. … In the Fifties, when people were virtually singing about nothing, Chuck Berry was writing social-comment songs, with incredible metre to the lyrics.”

As we know now, the Beatles also played this during the Get Back sessions, as shown in the documentary:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJEos3ptGXY

Guido Merkins

The Beatles were influenced by many people.  None more so, however, than Chuck Berry.  When you think of the number of Berry numbers they covered in their recording career and in their live performances, it is truly amazing.  Sweet Little Sixteen, Little Queenie, Johnny B Goode, Carol, I’m Talking About You, Memphis, etc.  Not to mention songs like I Saw Her Standing There and Come Together which are heavily influenced by Berry.  They obviously loved him.

Rock and Roll Music is another Chuck Berry cover recorded during the Beatles For Sale album.  Although there is a lot of country/rockabilly on the album, Rock and Roll Music gives it some balance with a little rock.  John delivers another blistering vocal and, once again, the Beatles perform it in one take.  George Martin provides piano.  Interestingly, this song is recorded in a marathon 9 hour session where 7 songs were recorded.  I mean, their entire first album is recorded in one day, so what’s half an album in 9 hours??
Another great vocal from John. Otherwise this sticks pretty closely to Berry's version, which is why I don't have it in the same league as Twist and Shout and Money. 

 
My rank: 34

I've had no songs from my top 25 appear yet, but this is the third from the batch I ranked 26 to 36. 

I love this because of how it fades in, how the piano changes after the first harmonies come in, the guitar riff that would be louder and more out front in the hands of most bands but is deployed perfectly here, the interjection of the tambourine, the way the harmonies soar at the end of each verse, the phatty bass, the droning voices in the final "I got time," and the general George-ness of it all. 

This was my 15th and final pick in a Beatles/solo Beatles draft I participated in on another board. 


Wow, this was a just-miss on so many lists.  It got robbed in the overall rankings.

 
Your Mother Should Know
2022 Ranking: 125T
2022 Lists: 1
2022 Points: 23
Ranked Highest by: Krista (TJ/Michael) (3)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: NR

Getz:  One 3rd place vote! Mr. Krista 2022 supp is  :lmao:


Krista4
My 2019 ranking:  156

2019 write-up:

Your Mother Should Know (Magical Mystery Tour, 1967)

It's another dance-hall/swingy Paul song, this one with a straightforward message:  don't be such a jerk to your parents because they might not be as dumb as you think.  This song was in contention to be the number chosen for the Our World charity concert, but lost out to "All You Need is Love," which I think was the right move.  Paul attributes the retro feel of the song to his hanging out with his aunt and uncle at the time; I attribute it to his being Paul.  The bright harmonies and interplay of the piano and harmonium are the highlights for me on this one.

The best way to listen to this one is while watching the scene in the movie in which it appears.    Only Ringo has any idea how to dance, though Paul is passable; maybe that's not a surprise from the rhythm section.  Note John almost falls right off around 0:16, but surprisingly he does seem to be having (stiffly danced) fun.  I have no idea what George is doing.  I never stop laughing when I watch this.

Not-fun fact:  this song's session was the last that Brian Epstein attended before dying of an overdose a few days later.  

Mr. krista:  "This seems longer than its run time.  Doesn’t it seem like Paul McCartney was just writing a vaudeville musical about a down-on-his-luck gambler who goes back to his hometown to reconcile his past and he meets his old girlfriend and his mom and a bunch of other crap happens?  I think he would have been happy doing that, writing musicals."

Suggested cover:  Actual Wolf  Chosen primarily because I like the band name.

2022 Supplement:  The best part of this song for me, other than the video, is the instrumental bridge, which was kind of cool in its languor.  A little more about my 2019 comments about Paul’s impetus for the song…his Auntie Jin (of “Let ‘Em In” rollcall fame) had come down to London to try to warn Paul of the evils of his pot-smoking.  (Doesn’t that seem quaint now?)  He did some of the things one would do when Auntie is in town:  “sitting around, playing a bit of piano, having a drink, playing cards, and having a good old chat.  It was a very warm atmosphere, and the song arose out of that sense of family.”  The song is a play on the words “mother knows best” and is also meant to be a tribute to his father’s music.

2022 Mr. krista Supplement:  A plodding disaster of a song.  Nothing is more emblematic of the song than that horrifying video where it looks like every Beatle is being forced at gunpoint to be a broken marionette in this weird liminal space.  It’s very upsetting.  With a slightly less trivial song, it would be part of a horror film.  Pretty creepy. Only John seemed like he was having a good time, like he was the ringmaster of horror.

Guido Merkins

Your Mother Should Know announces itself as a song John absolutely would hate, and he did.  Paul was brought up on jazz tunes learned from his Dad.  With the Beatles, this came out with Paul singing things like A Taste of Honey and Till There Was You during their early career.

Paul writing When I’m 64 as a teen and resurrecting it for Sgt Pepper must have brought out more ideas for these types of songs because before you know it, the Beatles are doing a jazzy dance number during Magical Mystery Tour called Your Mother Should Know.  Paul claimed the lyrics were like an olive branch to the older generation saying they may know more than you think.

I’m not a huge fan of the song, but the sequence in Magical Mystery Tour is interesting for a couple of reasons.  First, the Beatles are dressed in white tuxes with all of them wearing red carnations, except Paul.  A clue to his “death.”  In reality, they were just out of red ones, so they gave Paul a black one.  Second, the demented smile on John’s face during the sequence makes me laugh out loud.  Third, the look on George’s face wasn’t exactly one of joy.  The sequence during the movie makes me laugh and I enjoy it more than I do the song.

 
Brutal ranking for "I Want To Tell You."  Where was @Binky The Doormat to stand up for this one?!


hate to see it ...I had it at #38.  
#63 on mine

big fan of Laxton's Superb as well as Granny Smith (#33 on my 1-204)

__________

I'm a combat veteran. As part of my PTSD therapy I have been doing these weekly jam sessions with other veterans the last few years. They play sarangi and tumbi - I'm the Ringo....no, I'm the Pete Best...my favorite instruments are mridangam, tabla or shruit box. Our musical therapist usually plays sitar or guitar or keyboard.

Big fan of George's work starting with Rubber Soul. The structure is unique and sonically it matches the message.

huh....

....I had this lengthy diatribe all typed out about the musical dissonance and was analyzing the lyrics, and then I realized....

the chicka in blue font says it way better than I ever could

Y'all ever read that ####? You should, it's pretty interesting!

 
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We have posted 46 songs so far. A little over 25% have been listed.

And we still have 32 voters yet to have a song appear.  So it appears that we are going to have great races for most and least chalky. It's going to be pretty crazy when 25 voters get 144 points each for the 29th place song.

Who will be the last to have a song appear?

Here's the list... (Devin is Mr.krista)
 

40 --yankee23fan---0

41 --WorrieKing---0

42 --WhoKnew---0

43 --Westerberg---0

44 --turnjose7---0

45 --Tom Hagen---0

46 --Simey---0

47 --shuke---0

48 --Shaft41(Son2)---0

49 --Shaft41(Son1)---0

50 --prosopis---0

51 --Pip's Invatation---0

52 --PIK 95---0

53 --pecorino---0

54 --landryshat---0

55 --Krista4---0

56 --Krista (Doug)---0

57 --jamny---0

58 --Iluv80s---0

59 --Heckmann---0

60 --Guido Merkins---0

61 --Gr00vus---0

62 --Getzlaf15---0

63 --fatguyinalttlecoat---0

64 --falguy---0

65 --ekbeats---0

66 --DwayneHoover---0

67 --Dr Octupus---0

68 --DocHoliday---0

69 --Devin's Dad---0

70 --Devin---0

71 --Bobby Layne---0

When you have a song from your 1-25 list that is posted, I will assign a score to that song and keep a running total on who is "most" and "least" chalky. Song ranked #172 will get one point. Song ranked #1 will get 172 points. All of this is for fun and means nothing

 
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I Want to Tell You - With my crazy work schedule I am getting about 3-4 hours of sleep a night right now, so I don't have the energy or coherent thoughts to write much today. Plus Krista said pretty much everything in her initial commentary. But I just had to say this song is so cool. George is really, really good at music. 

Rock and Roll Music - I always thought this one was crazy underrated on Krista's original list.  One of my favorite covers. They absolutely nail it. I may like it as much as the original, and that's saying something. 

Your Mother Should Know - This nonsense is rated higher than I Want to Tell You, Getting Better, and Long, Long, Long? Really? I blame the system and whoever TJ/Michael are. 

Looking at the complete list so far, George is really getting shortchanged. Maybe it's the lack of sleep, but it's kind of making me feel a little surly this morning. Like I said, George is really, really good at music, and deserves better than how all his songs have been ranked so far. 

 
I Want to Tell You - With my crazy work schedule I am getting about 3-4 hours of sleep a night right now, so I don't have the energy or coherent thoughts to write much today. Plus Krista said pretty much everything in her initial commentary. But I just had to say this song is so cool. George is really, really good at music. 

Rock and Roll Music - I always thought this one was crazy underrated on Krista's original list.  One of my favorite covers. They absolutely nail it. I may like it as much as the original, and that's saying something. 

Your Mother Should Know - This nonsense is rated higher than I Want to Tell You, Getting Better, and Long, Long, Long? Really? I blame the system and whoever TJ/Michael are. 

Looking at the complete list so far, George is really getting shortchanged. Maybe it's the lack of sleep, but it's kind of making me feel a little surly this morning. Like I said, George is really, really good at music, and deserves better than how all his songs have been ranked so far. 
100% agree. I really think it's better than the original, unlike, IMO, Roll Over or Twist and Shout. 

 
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We have posted 46 songs so far
actually it's 47 --- but who's counting?  :)

Album breakdown as of this moment

Code:
Singles	10
White Album	7
With The Beatles	5
Beatles for Sale	4
Help!	4
Magical Mystery Tour:	4
Revolver	3
A Hard Day's Night	2
Please Please Me	2
Rubber Soul	2
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	2
Let It Be	1
Yellow Submarine	1
 
actually it's 47 --- but who's counting?  :)

Album breakdown as of this moment

Singles 10
White Album 7
With The Beatles 5
Beatles for Sale 4
Help! 4
Magical Mystery Tour: 4
Revolver 3
A Hard Day's Night 2
Please Please Me 2
Rubber Soul 2
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 2
Let It Be 1
Yellow Submarine 1

Fired emoji 

 
You Really Got A Hold On Me
2022 Ranking: 125T
2022 Lists: 1
2022 Points: 23
Ranked Highest by: Krista (mom) (3)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: NR

Getz:  7th song for the alias searching person that can’t post. Only one more song with one voter.


Krista4
My 2019 ranking:  95


2019 write-up:

You Really Got a Hold On Me (With the Beatles, 1963)

Hot take alert!  I think the Beatles did a better version of this song than the original by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (the title of which the Beatles accidentally changed).  Oh no, you di'nt.

:ducksfromUruk'sshoe:

Seems I start every description at this point with "I love this song."  I love this song!  It's one of the instances where the lyrics make a huge positive difference to me.  What human hasn't experienced the feeling of wanting to get over a love and not being able to shake it?  Even when we know the person is no good, or at least no good for us:

I don't like you, but I love you

Seems that I'm always thinking of you

Oh, oh, oh, you treat me badly

I love you madly

You've really got a hold on me

We're trying to resist but can't:

I don't want you, but I need you

Don't want to kiss you but I need you

Oh, oh, oh, you do me wrong now

My love is strong now

You've really got a hold on me

And finally we just give in:

I love you and all I want you to do

Is just hold me, hold me, hold me, hold me

And not just give in, but feel that desire even more strongly:

Tighter

Tighter

The reason I prefer the Beatles version is that John really sinks into the desperation of these lyrics.  Smokey sounded gentle and sweet when he sang it.  John sounds like he's about to explode from the torture of it all, especially the urgency he imbues in the word "tighter."  It's almost uncomfortable to listen to, and that's why I love it. 

The band sang another version of the song during the Let It Be sessions, but I don't find John's vocal as good on that one. 

Mr. krista:  "He plays right behind the beat.  I think they made that into an aesthetic.  I like the Miracles version a little better, but I like how the Beatles really own it."

2022 Supplement:  It was a bold statement in 2019 to say I liked this better than the original, but I stand by it.  Smokey’s vocal is more pure and beautiful, more subtle, but John’s tortured presentation and Paul’s atypically understated harmonies carry this for me.

As we’ve discussed, Smokey Robinson was one of the largest influences on the Beatles, particularly John, who “borrowed” Smokey’s lyrical ideas for everything from “All I’ve Got To Do” to “I Am The Walrus” to “Sexy Sadie.”  George was also a huge fan, recording the dreadful tribute “Pure Smokey” in his solo years and also referencing this song in the lyrics to “When We Was Fab.”

The Miracles had had top 40 hits in the US (including a #2 in “Shop Around”), but they had reached the charts zero times in the UK, including with this song.  The Beatles became largely responsible for introducing this group to the UK by virtue of this cover (with the name changed to “You” instead of “You’ve”) and their other Smokey tributes.  This was a favorite in their live BBC sessions, which I expect Getz might be linking. 

Smokey himself has said about the Beatles:  “They were the first huge white act to admit, ‘Hey we grew up with some black music. We love this.'” Otis Williams of the Temptations similarly gave credit to the Beatles:  “We knocked down those barriers, and I must give credit to the Beatles… It seemed like at that point in time white America said, ‘OK if the Beatles are checking them out, let us check them out'.” 

The Beatles also played this song during the Get Back sessions.  As usual, John didn’t know the lyrics.  :lmao:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6A9UhsvHaw

Guido Merkins

The Beatles were huge fans of Smokey Robinson (who isn’t?)  On the With the Beatles album in 1963, they took on You Really Got a Hold On Me, which is, IMO, an underrated masterpiece. The original record has just always entranced me.  I love the guitar lick and the vocal and the atmosphere of that record.  It’s really hard to describe why I like it so much.  It just speaks to me.  So covering that song took some guts.

The Beatles version follows the Miracles version pretty closely.  I don’t like it as much as the original because, as I said above, I have a special affinity for the Miracles version, but the Beatles do it very well.  John’s lead vocal is especially noteworthy.  In fact, I’m gonna say I like the Beatles vocal better overall than the Miracles.  There is just a certain something missing on the Beatles version that is present on the Miracles version.  A loneliness.  A sadness. An emptiness.  Maybe it’s the horns.  The Beatles version is just guitars bass and drums, whereas the Miracles version is a bit more fleshed out. 

In any event, all 4 Beatles are in great form.  John on lead, George and Paul on harmonies.  George on guitar and Ringo on drums with George Martin on piano.  Great job guys.  The fact that you fell slightly short on a masterpiece is no shame.

 
Chalk Rankings Top 10. #125T = 47.5 pts. Sponsored by: FBGalias.com
 

1 --Krista (Mom)---197.5

2 --DaVinci---137

3 --anarchy99---123.5

4 --Man Of Constant Sorrow---112

5 --Krista (Worth)---109

6 --Krista (Mom/Hub)---101

7 --BinkyTheDoormat---94.5

8 --Krista (TJ/Michael)---81.5

9 --Eephus---76

10 --Neal Cassady---72.5

11 --Shaft41---72.5

 
Looking at the complete list so far, George is really getting shortchanged. Maybe it's the lack of sleep, but it's kind of making me feel a little surly this morning. Like I said, George is really, really good at music, and deserves better than how all his songs have been ranked so far. 
It only means most people didn't feel the songs were a Top 25 favorite of theirs. The songs could be someone's 30th or 27th favorite. We only went to 25, and the Beatles have a lot of songs, and Lennon and McCartney wrote more than George did.

 
Hope mom can post soon.   I'd like to hear her reaction to the discrepancy in the voter count of Mom 7, Daughter 0, at this moment.  

#It'sARingoCatFight 

 
Hope mom can post soon.   I'd like to hear her reaction to the discrepancy in the voter count of Mom 7, Daughter 0, at this moment.  

#It'sARingoCatFight 
I saw that fatguy offered an alias. I'm still waiting for FBG to approve my registration. Hopefully they will do it today.

 
I'm a sucker for a good piano part, and there are so many good ones in the Beatles catalog.  A rollicking piano part will move an otherwise decent song up, on average, 47 places in my rankings.  "I Want to Tell You" has the most non-traditional piano part of any of my favorites, but it's just so freakin' cool.  There's no way that song makes my top 25 without that piano.  

 
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My rank: 34

I've had no songs from my top 25 appear yet, but this is the third from the batch I ranked 26 to 36. 

I love this because of how it fades in, how the piano changes after the first harmonies come in, the guitar riff that would be louder and more out front in the hands of most bands but is deployed perfectly here, the interjection of the tambourine, the way the harmonies soar at the end of each verse, the phatty bass, the droning voices in the final "I got time," and the general George-ness of it all. 

This was my 15th and final pick in a Beatles/solo Beatles draft I participated in on another board. 
I Want To Tell You is a great song from an incredible album but it didn’t sniff the top 25 for me.   It is an interesting song and I would probably rank it around number 50 but I could listen to my favorite 50-100 Beatles songs all day.   I certainly don’t ever skip this tune when it comes on.   

 
I Want to Tell You - With my crazy work schedule I am getting about 3-4 hours of sleep a night right now, so I don't have the energy or coherent thoughts to write much today. Plus Krista said pretty much everything in her initial commentary. But I just had to say this song is so cool. George is really, really good at music. 

Rock and Roll Music - I always thought this one was crazy underrated on Krista's original list.  One of my favorite covers. They absolutely nail it. I may like it as much as the original, and that's saying something. 

Your Mother Should Know - This nonsense is rated higher than I Want to Tell You, Getting Better, and Long, Long, Long? Really? I blame the system and whoever TJ/Michael are. 

Looking at the complete list so far, George is really getting shortchanged. Maybe it's the lack of sleep, but it's kind of making me feel a little surly this morning. Like I said, George is really, really good at music, and deserves better than how all his songs have been ranked so far. 
  • RaRM - I have this @ #91. I think in general folks (not just K4) tend to short shrift covers. It was a huge part of the repertoire through the end of 1964. Other than AHDN, which was all original songs, the other three '63-'64 albums had 8 L/M/H creations and 6 covers (24 and 18 total.)
     
  • I have it at #202, ahead of only A Taste of Honey and Dig It. Stones guitarist Bill Wyman did a 1-204 ranking for Vulture a couple years ago and put it at #193. K4 had it a slightly more respectable #156. This is of course merely subjective taste and not necessarily greatest but rather personal favorite - but tbh it's kind of difficult it belongs on too. many Top 25 lists. That was the criteria.

    Would have been more fair to make it Top 100 or do the whole catalogue. We could have also given everyone the option to do however many they want, and just assign points. So #1 is always 204 points, #2 is 203 points, if you do twenty-five than your last song is 180 points, if you did fifty then your last one is 155, et al, on down to 1 point for #204. But no worries, the point(*I think*) is discussion of deep cuts and we have all but 32 songs in the canon represented.
     
  • George was equal to Lennon/McCartney by 1969, and he wrote some fantastic songs. But for my Top 25 I only have two Harrison compositions, and only 5 in my Top 50. Judging from the discussion three years ago and reactions to Get Back, this is DEF a pro-George crowd. He'll do fine once we're done.

    There is incredible depth to the L/M partnership and as individuals. They weren't just rock's version of Tin Pan Alley, churning out chart toppers. But the reality is that the number of Harrison songs on albums is more a reflection of force of personality than quality. I get that he wasn't very involved in the creative process the first 4 albums, but he was just coming into his own on Help! and Rubber Soul - but he was always excluded, had to work things out himself or go off to hang with Clapton or Dylan. It's clear now that Lennon, McCartney and George Martin did not give him the respect he should have been due - especially after what he displayed on Revolver.
 
It only means most people didn't feel the songs were a Top 25 favorite of theirs. The songs could be someone's 30th or 27th favorite. We only went to 25, and the Beatles have a lot of songs, and Lennon and McCartney wrote more than George did.
Yeah, this isn't an exact science the way we did/do it, but at some point it becomes unwieldly to do it "better".

 
100% agree. I really think it's better than the original, unlike, IMO, Roll Over or Twist and Shout. 
Last thing on this one. Back not long after Covid started, I decided to start listening to all my music by artist, going backwards. So starting with ZZ Top and eventually I'll get to AC/DC. I've pretty much followed through on that, although I went back to listen to more Led Zeppelin when that thread started. And I just happened to be about to start on the Beatles when I saw this thread (or the call to rank thread). So that worked out perfectly. 
Well, this morning I am finishing up the Beach Boys with their Sounds of Summer hits CD and what song comes on? Rock and Roll Music. I just laughed. Their version is OK, but not nearly as good as the version by the Beatles. 

 
Free As A Bird
2022 Ranking: 167T
2022 Lists: 1
2022 Points: 4
Ranked Highest by: Krista/Mom/Hub
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: NR

Getz comments:  Video has 26 million views on YT since 2016.  That's amazing.


Krista4
 

My 2019 ranking:  N/A

2019 write-up:  N/A

2022 Supplement:  One of two songs that I allowed on the list this time, together with “Real Love.”  Guido is going to provide the detailed background on how this one came to be, so I’ll skip that and just say that I happen to love this song.  Sure, it’s sort of “cheating” to me to put it on the list, since it came out well after John’s death (and won a Grammy in 1997!), but they all did contribute to this song that John had originally recorded in 1977.  Ringo has said that in the sessions for these songs, instead of feeling maudlin, the other three Beatles just pretended that John was there with them but had simply stepped out for lunch or for a cup of tea.  A lot of people don’t like the bridge that Paul added, but I think it’s sweet and lovely, just like the sentiment that Ringo expressed.

I wasn’t sure if this would get any votes but am glad it did, in part because I look forward to discussing it.

Guido Merkins

In 1995, the Beatles were back.  The Anthology was a huge project and the Beatles had 3 straight nights of network TV enthralled watching their story as told by them.  

At first, there was going to be no new music as John’s death left the Beatles incomplete.  But George had this idea based upon something that had happened when he was with the Wilbury’s and Roy Orbison died.  He thought to ask Yoko if there were any unfinished John songs they could work on.

Out of that, came 4 different songs.  The most compete was Real Love, but next was a song called Free As A Bird, which was mostly complete, but maybe needed a bridge.

So, the Threetles got together with producer Jeff Lynne (George Martin had declined) to see if they could work on the new song.  Emotions being what they were, they decided they would pretend that John had gone on holiday and asked them to finish it up.  Much technical work was needed to make the cassette demo recording of John suitable for adding overdubs, but they did it and started to build it.

Some people were very disappointed by Free As A Bird.  I always liked it.  I will agree that the bridge Paul wrote (whatever happened to, the life that we once knew) was kind of cheesy.  But I like the fact that both Paul and George get to sing it which is how I would like to think of the Beatles if they had continued, more democratic.  George had earned that much.  I also LOVE George’s solo.  It’s his slide sound, which at first made Paul nervous because he wanted it to sound like the Beatles, not My Sweet Lord, but somehow George uses the slide and it sounds like the Beatles, not solo George.  And even without John there, the harmonies are magical.  Ringo heard the playback and thought, “it sounds just like them.”  So, even with John there only on tape, the Beatles showed up, as we always assumed they would.

The absolute best part of the song, however, is the accompanying video.  It’s a treat for a Beatles nut like me to try and pick out all the Beatles references.  It’s great fun and I would highly recommend it.
Gip....

:kicksrock:

I did not rank this song in my 1-204 (which should be my 1-206 bc I didn't rank Real Love either.)

Partly bc I thought K4's list from 3+ years ago was canon.

Also, I never saw Anthology.

You can't stream it anywhere, Apple (who whoever is the power that may be) is too vigilant over YouTube content, et al.

Until last night....

archive.org - The Beatles Anthology 1995 complete dvd

:excited:

you have no idea how much I am enjoying this rn...

:headbang: :pickle: :clap: :tebow:

 
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We have posted 46 songs so far. A little over 25% have been listed.

And we still have 32 voters yet to have a song appear.  So it appears that we are going to have great races for most and least chalky. It's going to be pretty crazy when 25 voters get 144 points each for the 29th place song.

Who will be the last to have a song appear?

Here's the list... (Devin is Mr.krista)
 

40 --yankee23fan---0

41 --WorrieKing---0

42 --WhoKnew---0

43 --Westerberg---0

44 --turnjose7---0

45 --Tom Hagen---0

46 --Simey---0

47 --shuke---0

48 --Shaft41(Son2)---0

49 --Shaft41(Son1)---0

50 --prosopis---0

51 --Pip's Invatation---0

52 --PIK 95---0

53 --pecorino---0

54 --landryshat---0

55 --Krista4---0

56 --Krista (Doug)---0

57 --jamny---0

58 --Iluv80s---0

59 --Heckmann---0

60 --Guido Merkins---0

61 --Gr00vus---0

62 --Getzlaf15---0

63 --fatguyinalttlecoat---0

64 --falguy---0

65 --ekbeats---0

66 --DwayneHoover---0

67 --Dr Octupus---0

68 --DocHoliday---0

69 --Devin's Dad---0

70 --Devin---0

71 --Bobby Layne---0

When you have a song from your 1-25 list that is posted, I will assign a score to that song and keep a running total on who is "most" and "least" chalky. Song ranked #172 will get one point. Song ranked #1 will get 172 points. All of this is for fun and means nothing
I have enough problems with people spelling my real name wrong IRL, and now you gotta spell my screen name wrong? 😅

 
No One:

ABSOLUTELY NO ONE:

FBGs Top 172 countdown     My Rank     Beatles 206 song canon

171T - You Know My Name (sic)     144     You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)

171T - Flying     158     Flying

170 - Money (That's What I Want)     43     Money (That's What I Want)

169 - This Boy     98     This Boy

167T - Not A Second Time     177     Not A Second Time

167T - Free As A Bird     205     Free As A Bird (provisional ranking)

166 - I Need You     108     I Need You

165 - Rocky Raccoon     115     Rocky Raccoon

164 - I Call Your Name     162     I Call Your Name

163 - Long Tall Sally     141     Long Tall Sally

161T - Thank You Girl     185     Thank You Girl

161T - Love You To     33     Love You To

160 - Lovely Rita     130     Lovely Rita

157T - I'll Cry Instead     25     I'll Cry Instead

157T - Dizzy Miss Lizzy     163     Dizzy Miss Lizzy

157T - Don't Bother Me     109     Don't Bother Me

156 - Baby You're A Rich Man     56     Baby You're A Rich Man

155 - From Me To You     95     From Me To You

153T - Tell Me Why     138     Tell Me Why

153T - Anna (Go To Him)     101     Anna (Go To Him)

151T - For You Blue     148     For You Blue

151T - All Together Now     146     All Together Now

150 - Roll Over Beethoven     153     Roll Over Beethoven

148T - What Goes On     201     What Goes On

148T - Don't Pass Me By     149     Don't Pass Me By

147 - Old Brown Shoe     142     Old Brown Shoe

145T - The Word     133     The Word

145T - Another Girl     131     Another Girl

144 - I Don't Want To Spoil The Party     171     I Don't Want To Spoil The Party

143 - Why Don't We Do It In The Road     186     Why Don't We Do It In The Road?

142 - Boys     116     Boys

141 - Julia     111     Julia

140 - You Like Me Too Much     200     You Like Me Too Much

139 - Baby's In Black     179     Baby's In Black

137T - Long, Long, Long     114     Long, Long, Long

137T - Blue Jay Way     182     Blue Jay Way

136 - Good Day Sunshine     99     Good Day Sunshine

134T - Real Love     206     Real Love (provisional ranking)

134T - Bad Boy     193     Bad Boy

132T - Till There Was You     164     Till There Was You

132T - Martha Dear (sic)     113     Martha My Dear

130T - Getting Better     122     Getting Better

130T - Kansas City Kansas City (Hey, Hey, Hey)     112     Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!

129 - Cry Baby Cry     102     Cry Baby Cry

128 - I Want To Tell You     63     I Want To Tell You

127 - Rock and Roll Music     91     Rock And Roll Music

125T - Your Mother Should Know     202     Your Mother Should Know

125T - You Really Got A Hold of Me     137     You Really Got A Hold of Me

 
Somebody check my math/logic, but would the last person to have a song show up in the countdown be guaranteed to have the "chalkiest" list at the end?

Everybody has all 25 songs in the entier 1-72 list, so I think that's right. (Sorry if that spoils the suspense as we get closer to the overall top 25.)

 
Somebody check my math/logic, but would the last person to have a song show up in the countdown be guaranteed to have the "chalkiest" list at the end?

Everybody has all 25 songs in the entier 1-72 list, so I think that's right. (Sorry if that spoils the suspense as we get closer to the overall top 25.)
I don't think so.  If the 50th song is my first and everyone else has had at least one off their list, but the next 24 are the other 24 of my songs I wouldn't be anywhere near the highest total.  Then again I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn  Express last night so maybe my logic is flawed

 
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It only means most people didn't feel the songs were a Top 25 favorite of theirs. The songs could be someone's 30th or 27th favorite. We only went to 25, and the Beatles have a lot of songs, and Lennon and McCartney wrote more than George did.


Sure I get that. That's why I blamed the system (and by that I met Getzlaf 🙂)

 
Your Mother Should Know
2022 Ranking: 125T
2022 Lists: 1
2022 Points: 23
Ranked Highest by: Krista (TJ/Michael) (3)
2019 Ranking/Lists/Pts: NR

Getz:  One 3rd place vote! Mr. Krista 2022 supp is  :lmao:


Krista4
My 2019 ranking:  156

2019 write-up:

Your Mother Should Know (Magical Mystery Tour, 1967)

It's another dance-hall/swingy Paul song, this one with a straightforward message:  don't be such a jerk to your parents because they might not be as dumb as you think.  This song was in contention to be the number chosen for the Our World charity concert, but lost out to "All You Need is Love," which I think was the right move.  Paul attributes the retro feel of the song to his hanging out with his aunt and uncle at the time; I attribute it to his being Paul.  The bright harmonies and interplay of the piano and harmonium are the highlights for me on this one.

The best way to listen to this one is while watching the scene in the movie in which it appears.    Only Ringo has any idea how to dance, though Paul is passable; maybe that's not a surprise from the rhythm section.  Note John almost falls right off around 0:16, but surprisingly he does seem to be having (stiffly danced) fun.  I have no idea what George is doing.  I never stop laughing when I watch this.

Not-fun fact:  this song's session was the last that Brian Epstein attended before dying of an overdose a few days later.  

Mr. krista:  "This seems longer than its run time.  Doesn’t it seem like Paul McCartney was just writing a vaudeville musical about a down-on-his-luck gambler who goes back to his hometown to reconcile his past and he meets his old girlfriend and his mom and a bunch of other crap happens?  I think he would have been happy doing that, writing musicals."

Suggested cover:  Actual Wolf  Chosen primarily because I like the band name.

2022 Supplement:  The best part of this song for me, other than the video, is the instrumental bridge, which was kind of cool in its languor.  A little more about my 2019 comments about Paul’s impetus for the song…his Auntie Jin (of “Let ‘Em In” rollcall fame) had come down to London to try to warn Paul of the evils of his pot-smoking.  (Doesn’t that seem quaint now?)  He did some of the things one would do when Auntie is in town:  “sitting around, playing a bit of piano, having a drink, playing cards, and having a good old chat.  It was a very warm atmosphere, and the song arose out of that sense of family.”  The song is a play on the words “mother knows best” and is also meant to be a tribute to his father’s music.

2022 Mr. krista Supplement:  A plodding disaster of a song.  Nothing is more emblematic of the song than that horrifying video where it looks like every Beatle is being forced at gunpoint to be a broken marionette in this weird liminal space.  It’s very upsetting.  With a slightly less trivial song, it would be part of a horror film.  Pretty creepy. Only John seemed like he was having a good time, like he was the ringmaster of horror.

Guido Merkins

Your Mother Should Know announces itself as a song John absolutely would hate, and he did.  Paul was brought up on jazz tunes learned from his Dad.  With the Beatles, this came out with Paul singing things like A Taste of Honey and Till There Was You during their early career.

Paul writing When I’m 64 as a teen and resurrecting it for Sgt Pepper must have brought out more ideas for these types of songs because before you know it, the Beatles are doing a jazzy dance number during Magical Mystery Tour called Your Mother Should Know.  Paul claimed the lyrics were like an olive branch to the older generation saying they may know more than you think.

I’m not a huge fan of the song, but the sequence in Magical Mystery Tour is interesting for a couple of reasons.  First, the Beatles are dressed in white tuxes with all of them wearing red carnations, except Paul.  A clue to his “death.”  In reality, they were just out of red ones, so they gave Paul a black one.  Second, the demented smile on John’s face during the sequence makes me laugh out loud.  Third, the look on George’s face wasn’t exactly one of joy.  The sequence during the movie makes me laugh and I enjoy it more than I do the song.
I've always wondered what happened to the very beginning of YMSK. Did George Martin or Geoff Emerick pull one of my former botch jobs by forgetting to press record until the song had already started?

 
I don't think so.  If the 50th song is my first and everyone else has had at least one off their list, but the next 24 are the other 24 of my songs I wouldn't be anywhere near the highest total.  Then again I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn  Express last night so maybe my logic is flawed
Yeah I was oversimplifying.

There would be a point where it would be locked up.  In the extreme case, if the first song of your list came in at #25 overall.

 
Sure I get that. That's why I blamed the system (and by that I met Getzlaf 🙂)
Glad to hear you'll be in the 1 to 64 list when the countdown is done. That'll yield some solid ratings for sure that people will argue over.  

After we get rid of the one voters soon, the list is not that bad the rest of the way. 

 

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