In this thread I rank my favorite post-Beatles Beatles songs: 291-1. (2 Viewers)

[Binky The Doormat]

great song ...really hate the whistling though ...

That's my favorite part!   

never diagnosed, but pretty sure I have more than a touch of misophonia (had to look it up).

I hate all whistling ...under any and all circumstances.  

 

[krista4]

never diagnosed, but pretty sure I have more than a touch of misophonia (had to look it up).

I hate all whistling ...under any and all circumstances.  

Oh, that's interesting.

I have that for saxophone.

(Kidding, mostly.)

 

[Morton Muffley]

We finish Monday of our last week of the countdown with 20 songs left, and Paul and George still tied with eight selections each remaining.  Tomorrow, some separation will occur.   

I know how this is gonna end for my boy...and I'm NOT happy about it!

 

[krista4]

I know how this is gonna end for my boy...and I'm NOT happy about it!

What would make you think that?  

Slightly unrelated, but Saturday I was in the car with OH, and there was something on the Beatles Channel about "Beaucoups Of Blues," and I exclaimed, without thinking, "Oh, that's my third-favorite Ringo album!"  Which caused OH to fall into fits of laughter.  Apparently I'm the only person with a third-favorite Ringo album.

 

[krista4]

Re:  George, seven of my top 10 were from All Things Must Pass, with one other so far from Living In The Material World.  Excellent OBP for ATMP there.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

More rock music...

22.  Jenny Wren (Chaos And Creation In The Backyard, 2005)  Spotify  YouTube

I never hear anyone discussing it, on the Beatles channel or otherwise. 

Foreshadowing content in another thread tomorrow? 

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Oh, that's interesting.

I have that for saxophone.

(Kidding, mostly.)

^^^^ Listen to what the (wo)man said. 

 

[Alex P Keaton]

I didn't even know there was a GnR version until I googled to get the YouTube video for this one, and that popped up instead.  :X  

I mean, sure, lots of people missed it because Use Your Illusion 2 got a lot more attention than than Use Your Illusion 1.  I’m guessing that’s why you missed the GnR version......no?  

 

[yoman]

I mean, sure, lots of people missed it because Use Your Illusion 2 got a lot more attention than than Use Your Illusion 1.  I’m guessing that’s why you missed the GnR version......no?  

I wish I missed it - yuck!

 

[Dr. Octopus]

More rock music...

22.  Jenny Wren (Chaos And Creation In The Backyard, 2005)  Spotify  YouTube

(Paul #9)

Perhaps I shouldn't consider this one not "well-known" - after all, it was nominated for a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance -

I had not heard it - liked it a lot.

 

[krista4]

20.  Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll) (All Things Must Pass, 1970)  Spotify  YouTube

(George #8)

Sir Frank Crisp was the original owner of George’s Friar Park estate and was a lawyer, scientist, and horticulturalist to whom George seemed to have felt a special connection.  George purchased the 120-room estate in 1970 when it was in disrepair, with overgrowth everywhere, no heating, no furniture or beds, leading to George and Pattie sleeping first in sleeping bags and then on mattresses on the floor.  In cleaning up its grounds, gardens, and buildings, they discovered various homilies, puns, and sayings that had been inscribed by Sir Crisp in portions of the grounds but covered up over the years, many of which made their way into George’s songs.  The grounds featured a series of man-made caves and grottos between which one could travel by boat, during which journey one would come across toadstools, gnomes, fairies, and mirrors, plus a variety of gardens including Japanese and Elizabethan, topiary, and mazes.  In the midst of all of this was a replica of the Matterhorn comprising 20,000 tons of granite.  Inside, all of the light switches were replicas of monks’ faces, and vestibules led to ballrooms adorned with cherubs led to huge hallways flanked by galleries led to…you get the idea.  Friar Park became the scene of many of George’s most positive and negative experiences in the last 30 years of his life, from important recording sessions for some of his most beloved music, to his cultivation of his love of gardening, to the attack that nearly killed Olivia and him in 1999. 

This tribute to Friar Park is a guided journey through its grounds, with the first verse rolling through the house, the second through the garden, and the third through the caves and woods surrounding the home.  The last verse approaches the people of the house, the staff who were living there.  I picture this cinematic journey much like watching the movie Russian Ark.  

The music of the song matches the bucolic atmosphere of the journey, with an ethereal double-tracked vocal and dreamy pedal steel by Pete Drake.  It’s full of many more pleasing hooks than most of the album, and while there’s some Spector-y reverb, in this case it just makes the entire effect more haunting and highlights the beautiful swirling organ and piano work by Billy Preston and Gary Wright.  This is APK’s favorite George, “Upbeat George,” and while it might not be the most complicated or rocking song on ATMP, it’s the one that makes me feel most content and at peace. 

 

[krista4]

We're under a wind advisory, and I could lose power, so I'm going to post the first two back-to-back this morning.

19.  Calico Skies (Flaming Pie, 1997)  Spotify  YouTube

(Paul #8)

We move back to k4 fave Flaming Pie to hit what I think is the most beautiful ballad of Paul’s post-Beatles career.  Paul wrote this while hunkered down in Long Island during Hurricane Bob in 1991.  He’d lost power and was just playing around with acoustic ditties by candlelight.  If you’re ever married to OH, you’ll learn that Dolly Parton similarly wrote “I Will Love You” and “Jolene” in the same night, though not due to a hurricane.  I’m not sure of the connection, but you will hear this…twice, in my case.

I usually protest that I don’t like sappy or sentimental, but if you happen to love someone, I suggest this song as the best ####### example of what you can play to him/her to show your affection.  If I didn’t hate all things “love,” I’d tell you it’s as gorgeous a song as I’ve ever heard.  If I were to go sappy.  The way each verse elides into the next is breathtaking to me, so much that I was sure he was coming in early on the beat, but he’s not.  The fingerpicking guitar is again a standout, and he’s still at a point where he can use his upper-register vocal to beautiful effect.  He used George Martin to produce this one, but there isn’t any noticeable production.  For a period of time, I listened to this song before bed every night as a soothing lullaby.  But really it’s a great ####### love song – probably a tribute to Linda and the idea of never-ending, irresistible love.

If you read this synopsis from OH you might only have to hear the Dolly Parton story one more time:  “That’s his best song from the last 15 years.  [I mention George Martin production.]  Yeah, a lot of production there.  ‘Ok, put the microphone in front of his face…no, the good mic, it’s Paul McCartney.  OK, we’re going to mic this guitar – put it right in front of the hole in the guitar.  Maybe put another one in the room.  All right, he’s going to play this song, sing this song, and we’re going to record it.’  ‘Do you want to make any changes to this song?’  No, you mean this perfect song by one of the greatest songwriters ever. Let’s put a zither in there.  Maybe some record-scratching and a trip-hop beat?  That ####’ll get me a Grammy.  Have Eminem cut a few verses. 

Yeah, that was great.  It was perfect.  Every person I know who writes songs would be absolutely thrilled to write a song like that.  It’s great that because of a hurricane, he was forced to work with what he had, and not add production.  I have to make a song.  Here’s a little thing I do on a guitar.  What’s a good melody?  Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo.  Ok, that’s good.  You don’t have to type this, but you know Dolly Parton wrote Jolene and I Will Always Love you on the same night.  Similar circumstances, probably not a hurricane but just her in a room with a guitar.”

 

[Morton Muffley]

We're under a wind advisory, and I could lose power, so I'm going to post the first two back-to-back this morning.

19.  Calico Skies (Flaming Pie, 1997)  Spotify  YouTube

(Paul #8)

We move back to k4 fave Flaming Pie to hit what I think is the most beautiful ballad of Paul’s post-Beatles career.  Paul wrote this while hunkered down in Long Island during Hurricane Bob in 1991.  He’d lost power and was just playing around with acoustic ditties by candlelight.  If you’re ever married to OH, you’ll learn that Dolly Parton similarly wrote “I Will Love You” and “Jolene” in the same night, though not due to a hurricane.  I’m not sure of the connection, but you will hear this…twice, in my case.

I usually protest that I don’t like sappy or sentimental, but if you happen to love someone, I suggest this song as the best ####### example of what you can play to him/her to show your affection.  If I didn’t hate all things “love,” I’d tell you it’s as gorgeous a song as I’ve ever heard.  If I were to go sappy.  The way each verse elides into the next is breathtaking to me, so much that I was sure he was coming in early on the beat, but he’s not.  The fingerpicking guitar is again a standout, and he’s still at a point where he can use his upper-register vocal to beautiful effect.  He used George Martin to produce this one, but there isn’t any noticeable production.  For a period of time, I listened to this song before bed every night as a soothing lullaby.  But really it’s a great ####### love song – probably a tribute to Linda and the idea of never-ending, irresistible love.

If you read this synopsis from OH you might only have to hear the Dolly Parton story one more time:  “That’s his best song from the last 15 years.  [I mention George Martin production.]  Yeah, a lot of production there.  ‘Ok, put the microphone in front of his face…no, the good mic, it’s Paul McCartney.  OK, we’re going to mic this guitar – put it right in front of the hole in the guitar.  Maybe put another one in the room.  All right, he’s going to play this song, sing this song, and we’re going to record it.’  ‘Do you want to make any changes to this song?’  No, you mean this perfect song by one of the greatest songwriters ever. Let’s put a zither in there.  Maybe some record-scratching and a trip-hop beat?  That ####’ll get me a Grammy.  Have Eminem cut a few verses. 

Yeah, that was great.  It was perfect.  Every person I know who writes songs would be absolutely thrilled to write a song like that.  It’s great that because of a hurricane, he was forced to work with what he had, and not add production.  I have to make a song.  Here’s a little thing I do on a guitar.  What’s a good melody?  Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo.  Ok, that’s good.  You don’t have to type this, but you know Dolly Parton wrote Jolene and I Will Always Love you on the same night.  Similar circumstances, probably not a hurricane but just her in a room with a guitar.”

Nice!  My second favorite song on Flaming Pie (after Little Willow), yet somehow ONLY made it to #42!  Lovely song, but have no idea what a calico sky is/means.  I know what a Calico cat is.  I know what calico is, but unsure what a calico sky is.  Any help here would likely send it soaring up my rankings as it is a lovely tune that hits on all the things I love about Paul's songs (melody, lyrical universality, simplicity of instrumentation).  And to show you how internally consistent my rankings are (hint: they aren't), I have Soily ranked at #41 and it has none of the qualities I admire in my most beloved Paul songs.  

 

[Alex P Keaton]

31.  Another Day (single, 1971)  Spotify  YouTube

(Paul #12)

Paul wrote this song during the Beatles Let It Be sessions but didn't record it until 1970 during the Ram sessions, when it was the first song recorded and later became the first released single of Paul's post-Beatles career.  It reached #5 on the US charts and went Platinum, but was generally reviled by critics as well as the other Beatles as vapid in comparison to the works of the others at the time, as they addressed larger political and world issues.  John spewed vitriol to this song in particular in some of the "How Do You Sleep?":  "The only thing you done was yesterday, and since you've gone you're just another day."  The song was also controversial in that Linda was given a credit for co-writing it, which led to the lawsuit and eventual settlement with Lew Grade that I've described in prior posts.

Retrospective evaluation of the song has been much more favorable, as people have recognized the intricate musicality and warm intimacy of the song instead of focusing on its lack of huge political statement.  I think this is Paul doing what he loves to do and does best:  creating a fictitious character to address a universal experience.  Paul has called it "Eleanor Rigby in New York," which seems fitting given its themes of loneliness and drudgery.  To me Paul does an excellent job of describing the boredom of a monotonous job and life, the sadness of the daily grind, the exhaustion of an existence that doesn't change from day to day, and unfortunately the inability of many people to change their unhappiness themselves, instead hoping for outside forces ("the man of her dreams comes to break the spell").  Haven't we all felt at one time like we're just going through the motions, not feeling particularly connected to our own life, like we're watching the most boring movie in the world?

The song contains another element that is essential Paul:  telling this tale of sorrow over a deceptively cheery musical sound, at least until you get to the bridge.  It features a soaring Paul vocal and excellent cascading harmonies between him and Linda, plus a weaving bassline that I'd put up there with Paul's best.  (By the way, the bass was not intended to be so high in the mix; it was a engineering mistake that was never corrected.)  Just listen to that damn bass line!  The percussion on the song is also fantastic and includes Denny Seiwell playing a phone book, and the transitions from 3/4 to 4/4 and back are handled beautifully by Seiwell.  The highlights of the song for me by far are the two bridges, where the song slips into a Latin beat with phone-book percussion, incredible bass line, and especially memorable harmonies.

A lot of these songs are new to me (or songs I’ve only heard once or twice, long ago).  This is one of those songs - and I really love it.  Eleanor Rigby in NY is a perfect description.  My life has felt like this song at various times (TMI), so this song spoke to me.

Moments like this make me so grateful that you have continued the Beatles theme on into their solo work.  Thank you for doing this.

 

[krista4]

Nice!  My second favorite song on Flaming Pie (after Little Willow), yet somehow ONLY made it to #42!  Lovely song, but have no idea what a calico sky is/means.  I know what a Calico cat is.  I know what calico is, but unsure what a calico sky is.  Any help here would likely send it soaring up my rankings as it is a lovely tune that hits on all the things I love about Paul's songs (melody, lyrical universality, simplicity of instrumentation).  And to show you however internally consistent my ranking are (hint: there aren't), I have Soily ranked at #41 and it has none of the qualities I admire in my most beloved Paul songs.  

I believe...brace yourself...it's a metaphor.

OK, I don't know, but since he wrote this during a hurricane, I've pictured a calico sky as being a patchwork of colors of different intensities due to a storm.

And speaking of hurricanes, please send all your available TPW to my friends and family in Nicaragua right now.  Not blood relations, but people who have become family to me and I to them.

A lot of these songs are new to me (or songs I’ve only heard once or twice, long ago).  This is one of those songs - and I really love it.  Eleanor Rigby in NY is a perfect description.  My life has felt like this song at various times (TMI), so this song spoke to me.

Moments like this make me so grateful that you have continued the Beatles theme on into their solo work.  Thank you for doing this.

And moments like this make me so grateful that I continued, too.    Thank you for that.

 

[krista4]

18.  John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band – God (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, 1970)  Spotify  YouTube

(John #4)

Are there are songs on this album that I don't describe as "brutal"?  Must be why I like it so much.    While "Mother" was a shrieking exercise in brutality, "God" is a quieter and more subtle version, which makes it even more affecting to me.  This is by far my favorite song on the record, but (or maybe because) it is impossibly sad to me, even though John might not have intended it entirely that way.  Hearing him declare, in the last line of the song, "the dream is over" after already disavowing the Beatles (among many other things) sounds like the door loudly slamming shut with finality not only on the band, but on an entire era. 

My favorite line of the song, the most poignant to me in any post-Beatles song from John, is "I was the Walrus, but now I'm John."  He sings it with such delicacy and vulnerability, and that little hesitation before he almost speaks rather than sings the words "I'm John" - it's all heartbreaking to me.  John is beautifully supported by the band in every element, from the gorgeous gospel piano sound from Billy Preston to Klaus Voormann's elegant bass line, but the highlight of the musical accompaniment by far is Ringo, who plays lovingly and creatively, with each of his exquisite drum fills being slightly different.  In fact, though John's vocal and lyrics are the centerpiece of this song, I'm going to go ahead and deem this also to be...A RINGO SHOWCASE!  

God is a concept by which we measure our pain
I'll say it again
God is a concept by which we measure our pain, yeah
Pain, yeah

I don't believe in magic
I don't believe in I-Ching
I don't believe in Bible
I don't believe in tarot
I don't believe in Hitler
I don't believe in Jesus
I don't believe in Kennedy
I don't believe in Buddha
I don't believe in mantra
I don't believe in Gita
I don't believe in yoga
I don't believe in kings
I don't believe in Elvis
I don't believe in Zimmerman
I don't believe in Beatles

I just believe in me
Yoko and me
And that's reality

The dream is over
What can I say?
The dream is over
Yesterday
I was the dream weaver, but now I'm reborn
I was the Walrus, but now I'm John
And so dear friends, you just have to carry on
The dream is over

&

Note to @Shaft41, while I don't think you have to take the "don't believe" lyrics literally, I still suggest that ShaftDaughter not cover this one.   

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I was the Walrus, but now I'm John

Poor guy never forgave himself for claiming "the Walrus was Paul" in Glass Onion.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

And speaking of hurricanes, please send all your available TPW to my friends and family in Nicaragua right now.  Not blood relations, but people who have become family to me and I to them.

I can't even imagine what they are going through. Building codes ain't great there and they already took one helluva wallop two weeks ago.

 

[Shaft41]

18.  John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band – God (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, 1970)  Spotify  YouTube

(John #4)

Are there are songs on this album that I don't describe as "brutal"?  Must be why I like it so much.    While "Mother" was a shrieking exercise in brutality, "God" is a quieter and more subtle version, which makes it even more affecting to me.  This is by far my favorite song on the record, but (or maybe because) it is impossibly sad to me, even though John might not have intended it entirely that way.  Hearing him declare, in the last line of the song, "the dream is over" after already disavowing the Beatles (among many other things) sounds like the door loudly slamming shut with finality not only on the band, but on an entire era. 

My favorite line of the song, the most poignant to me in any post-Beatles song from John, is "I was the Walrus, but now I'm John."  He sings it with such delicacy and vulnerability, and that little hesitation before he almost speaks rather than sings the words "I'm John" - it's all heartbreaking to me.  John is beautifully supported by the band in every element, from the gorgeous gospel piano sound from Billy Preston to Klaus Voormann's elegant bass line, but the highlight of the musical accompaniment by far is Ringo, who plays lovingly and creatively, with each of his exquisite drum fills being slightly different.  In fact, though John's vocal and lyrics are the centerpiece of this song, I'm going to go ahead and deem this also to be...A RINGO SHOWCASE!  

God is a concept by which we measure our pain
I'll say it again
God is a concept by which we measure our pain, yeah
Pain, yeah

I don't believe in magic
I don't believe in I-Ching
I don't believe in Bible
I don't believe in tarot
I don't believe in Hitler
I don't believe in Jesus
I don't believe in Kennedy
I don't believe in Buddha
I don't believe in mantra
I don't believe in Gita
I don't believe in yoga
I don't believe in kings
I don't believe in Elvis
I don't believe in Zimmerman
I don't believe in Beatles

I just believe in me
Yoko and me
And that's reality

The dream is over
What can I say?
The dream is over
Yesterday
I was the dream weaver, but now I'm reborn
I was the Walrus, but now I'm John
And so dear friends, you just have to carry on
The dream is over

&

Note to @Shaft41, while I don't think you have to take the "don't believe" lyrics literally, I still suggest that ShaftDaughter not cover this one.   

Yeah, I've long held that belief about this song.  I definitely think he truly doesn't believe in some of his list, but some he surely does, like big bad Bobby Dylan (Here is my belief about Dylan:  every time I hear his cover of my #2 Beatles song "Things We Said Today", I want to jam lawn jarts into my eardrums)  The main reason I wouldn't want her to cover it is because, while I enjoy this song, and it's one where the rawness and honesty affect me more than the melody, I do tire of the two-note drone of all the beliefs by about line 5.  15 is a bit much.  Good call on the "I'm John" line.  That part is heartbreaking.  

 

[krista4]

17.  Too Many People (Ram, 1971)  Spotify  YouTube

(Paul #7)

I mentioned this song earlier in my “don’t piss off Paul” warning, and I admire how scathing it is without being so obvious and silly as some of John’s or George’s “attack songs.”  Paul can take a charming melody and stunning musicality and make it into a withering attack like no one else.  As devastating as the lyrics were to John, they were originally worse:  the line "You took your lucky break and broke it in two" was originally "Yoko took your lucky break and broke it in two” but was toned down.

Musically this is probably my favorite Paul song, but I don’t love it as much as others simply because of the fury targeted at John.  But holy hell, is this brilliant.  The drum fills sound almost military, and Paul’s vocal is wonderfully edgy, beginning with the malicious wail in the opening moments.  Plus there is a lot of cowbell!  The centerpiece of the song, though, is the guitar, which is dissonant and insane, violent and bitter.  It expresses Paul’s anger more than any lyric ever could, especially in the middle solo and that riff in the outro.  Brilliant and biting, it energizes me when I hear it, until I remember what it’s about.  Freaking Paul.  Spewing vitriol so beautifully.

I know from our posts that this is my first mutual hit with Morton’s top 10, where he had this song at either the #1, 3, or 9 position.  Spill it, friend!

 

[yoman]

17.  Too Many People (Ram, 1971)  Spotify  YouTube

(Paul #7)

It expresses Paul’s anger more than any lyric ever could, especially in the middle solo and that riff in the outro.  Brilliant and biting, it energizes me when I hear it, until I remember what it’s about.  Freaking Paul.  Spewing vitriol so beautifully.

I have always loved this song but mostly viewed it more from a child's perspective because I was completely oblivious to the song's actual meaning until later in life. It seemed like the song had a nice message to it kind of like Lonely People by America but he was just a bit more passionate about it. I love the edge that Paul had in his vocals which reminds me of John.

 

[yoman]

Good morning!  Let's rock!

38.  Paul McCartney and Wings - Nineteen Hundred And Eighty-Five (Band On The Run, 1973)  Spotify  YouTube

(Paul #16)

What I find interesting about this song is I might not put it in my top 10 yet I have not been able to get it out of my head for the past 3 days after I listened to it.  This song pulls me in and keeps me hooked.

 

[Morton Muffley]

18.  John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band – God (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, 1970)  Spotify  YouTube

(John #4)

Are there are songs on this album that I don't describe as "brutal"?  Must be why I like it so much.    While "Mother" was a shrieking exercise in brutality, "God" is a quieter and more subtle version, which makes it even more affecting to me.  This is by far my favorite song on the record, but (or maybe because) it is impossibly sad to me, even though John might not have intended it entirely that way.  Hearing him declare, in the last line of the song, "the dream is over" after already disavowing the Beatles (among many other things) sounds like the door loudly slamming shut with finality not only on the band, but on an entire era. 

My favorite line of the song, the most poignant to me in any post-Beatles song from John, is "I was the Walrus, but now I'm John."  He sings it with such delicacy and vulnerability, and that little hesitation before he almost speaks rather than sings the words "I'm John" - it's all heartbreaking to me.  John is beautifully supported by the band in every element, from the gorgeous gospel piano sound from Billy Preston to Klaus Voormann's elegant bass line, but the highlight of the musical accompaniment by far is Ringo, who plays lovingly and creatively, with each of his exquisite drum fills being slightly different.  In fact, though John's vocal and lyrics are the centerpiece of this song, I'm going to go ahead and deem this also to be...A RINGO SHOWCASE!  

God is a concept by which we measure our pain
I'll say it again
God is a concept by which we measure our pain, yeah
Pain, yeah

I don't believe in magic
I don't believe in I-Ching
I don't believe in Bible
I don't believe in tarot
I don't believe in Hitler
I don't believe in Jesus
I don't believe in Kennedy
I don't believe in Buddha
I don't believe in mantra
I don't believe in Gita
I don't believe in yoga
I don't believe in kings
I don't believe in Elvis
I don't believe in Zimmerman
I don't believe in Beatles

I just believe in me
Yoko and me
And that's reality

The dream is over
What can I say?
The dream is over
Yesterday
I was the dream weaver, but now I'm reborn
I was the Walrus, but now I'm John
And so dear friends, you just have to carry on
The dream is over

&

Note to @Shaft41, while I don't think you have to take the "don't believe" lyrics literally, I still suggest that ShaftDaughter not cover this one.   

Love. Love love this song.  Mainly because it is so damn affecting.  As I have written previously,  I "discovered" this album around 1982 and it absolutely crushed me.  I often wonder how I would felt as a Beatles fan listening to God in 1970.  Heartbreaking, to say the least.

One other thing I love about this song is how, similar to A Day in the Life, every one of Ringo's drum fills is different from the others during what would otherwise be a somewhat tedious list of things John doesn't believe in.

 

[krista4]

What I find interesting about this song is I might not put it in my top 10 yet I have not been able to get it out of my head for the past 3 days after I listened to it.  This song pulls me in and keeps me hooked.

Totally the same for me.

One other thing I love about this song is how, similar to A Day in the Life, every one of Ringo's drum fills is different from the others during what would otherwise be a somewhat tedious list of things John doesn't believe in.

You don’t say.    

 

[Pip's Invitation]

My 5-day virtual conference is over and I may be doing some serious Hippling soon.

 

[krista4]

I indicated yesterday that we'd have one of George or Paul pull away in the rankings today, but of course I reshuffled and now am going to have another George song next instead, putting them back square 6-6, as we go into my top 15 tomorrow.

I'm tempted to punish Paul for Morton's not reading my post about "God," but that wouldn't be fair.    George song upcoming.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

I indicated yesterday that we'd have one of George or Paul pull away in the rankings today, but of course I reshuffled and now am going to have another George song next instead, putting them back square 6-6, as we go into my top 15 tomorrow.

I'm tempted to punish Paul for Morton's not reading my post about "God," but that wouldn't be fair.    George song upcoming.

The best way to punish Morton is to discuss Paul’s 1983-88 output.

 

[krista4]

The best way to punish Morton is to discuss Paul’s 1983-88 output.

  Might be a good night for my drunken live blog of Give My Regards To Broad Street.

 

[simey]

never diagnosed, but pretty sure I have more than a touch of misophonia (had to look it up).

I hate all whistling ...under any and all circumstances.  

 

[simey]

Also the best Bond theme EVAR

I think it would have been cool if Shirley Bassey had been chosen to sing all of the Bond songs until she couldn't anymore from age. She sang three of them (Diamonds are Forever, Moonraker, and Goldfinger). She should have done all of them so far.  She is still kicking at 83. Check her out at age 79 singing Diamonds are Forever.  She is awesome.

 

[krista4]

16.  Beautiful Girl (Thirty Three & 1/3, 1976)  Spotify  YouTube

(George #7)

George began writing this in 1969 as a possible entry on All Things Must Pass, but he didn't finish the song until after meeting #1 Best Beatle Wife Olivia in 1974.  I think of this as George's "I've Just Seen A Face" - a buoyant ode to the first moments of falling in love.  It's exuberant and optimistic; it's APK's "Upbeat George" again.  The harmonies are heavenly, the guitar arpeggios blissful, and the meter changes joyful.  I have now exhausted all of my synonyms for "happy."  This is my favorite melody of any George song, bursting out of the gate with the first line that forms the theme for the song, and then building in the bridge to what seems like it will be a chorus but instead circles back to that sweet melody.  All the little countermelodies, vocal and via the guitar work, are sublime.

This song is pure joy.

 

[krista4]

We've had two straight days, comprising 11 songs posted, without knocking out anyone's #1 guesses.  You guys did a fantastic job of guessing.  Only one or two songs will get knocked out tomorrow, too (I have not decided on my song #10 and it's between one on your lists and one that isn't).

 

[Morton Muffley]

17.  Too Many People (Ram, 1971)  Spotify  YouTube

(Paul #7)

I mentioned this song earlier in my “don’t piss off Paul” warning, and I admire how scathing it is without being so obvious and silly as some of John’s or George’s “attack songs.”  Paul can take a charming melody and stunning musicality and make it into a withering attack like no one else.  As devastating as the lyrics were to John, they were originally worse:  the line "You took your lucky break and broke it in two" was originally "Yoko took your lucky break and broke it in two” but was toned down.

Musically this is probably my favorite Paul song, but I don’t love it as much as others simply because of the fury targeted at John.  But holy hell, is this brilliant.  The drum fills sound almost military, and Paul’s vocal is wonderfully edgy, beginning with the malicious wail in the opening moments.  Plus there is a lot of cowbell!  The centerpiece of the song, though, is the guitar, which is dissonant and insane, violent and bitter.  It expresses Paul’s anger more than any lyric ever could, especially in the middle solo and that riff in the outro.  Brilliant and biting, it energizes me when I hear it, until I remember what it’s about.  Freaking Paul.  Spewing vitriol so beautifully.

I know from our posts that this is my first mutual hit with Morton’s top 10, where he had this song at either the #1, 3, or 9 position.  Spill it, friend!

#9

And I have nothing to add as you have hit on all the elements I love. Except the cowbell...i had no idea this song had cowbell until you noted it.  But I heard it....although we also know that I will quickly revert to never hearing it again.

 

[krista4]

#9

And I have nothing to add as you have hit on all the elements I love. Except the cowbell...i had no idea this song had cowbell until you noted it.  But I heard it....although we also know that I will quickly revert to never hearing it again.

We had a near miss!   

 

[Morton Muffley]

You don’t say.    

Ummmm...well...ummm.

Ok, no excuse.  I read it too quickly and was SO excited to have ONE thing to add that I wrongly thought you had missed.  Blame it on overexuberance and poor reading comprehension.

 

[krista4]

Ummmm...well...ummm.

Ok, no excuse.  I read it too quickly and was SO excited to have ONE thing to add that I wrongly thought you had missed.  Blame it on overexuberance and poor reading comprehension.

You're forgiven.   

 

[Morton Muffley]

16.  Beautiful Girl (Thirty Three & 1/3, 1976)  Spotify  YouTube

(George #7)

George began writing this in 1969 as a possible entry on All Things Must Pass, but he didn't finish the song until after meeting #1 Best Beatle Wife Olivia in 1974.  I think of this as George's "I've Just Seen A Face" - a buoyant ode to the first moments of falling in love.  It's exuberant and optimistic; it's APK's "Upbeat George" again.  The harmonies are heavenly, the guitar arpeggios blissful, and the meter changes joyful.  I have now exhausted all of my synonyms for "happy."  This is my favorite melody of any George song, bursting out of the gate with the first line that forms the theme for the song, and then building in the bridge to what seems like it will be a chorus but instead circles back to that sweet melody.  All the little countermelodies, vocal and via the guitar work, are sublime.

This song is pure joy.

Never heard this before.  Just listened to it back to back to back.  Pure joy is an apt description.  Thanks Krista!

 

[Morton Muffley]

Krista, how many of George's remaining songs are NOT from ATMP?  As familiar as I am with Paul's and John's catalogs and with ATMP, have begun looking forward to the stuff I am unfamiliar with.

 

[krista4]

Krista, how many of George's remaining songs are NOT from ATMP?  As familiar as I am with Paul's and John's catalogs and with ATMP, have begun looking forward to the stuff I am unfamiliar with.

Sadly only one, and it's one you will know, too.  I'm out of George surprises now.

 

[krista4]

We had a near miss!   

And by the way, until my re-shuffling we had a direct hit on this one.  I had had Calico Skies and Live And Let Die ahead of it, and Jenny Wren at #10.  Kept listening to this song and moving it up, though.

 

[Shaft41]

You're forgiven.   

Man, you must be exhausted with work, buying 13 houses and the like if you're passing up the opportunity to start a faux fight with a thread nice guy.  

 

[krista4]

Man, you must be exhausted with work, buying 13 houses and the like if you're passing up the opportunity to start a faux fight with a thread nice guy.  

What's it to you, bub?

 

[Shaft41]

What's it to you, bub?

That's the spirit.  

 

[prosopis]

Re:  George, seven of my top 10 were from All Things Must Pass, with one other so far from Living In The Material World.  Excellent OBP for ATMP there.

Being introduced to this album is a win for me.

 

[prosopis]

20.  Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll) (All Things Must Pass, 1970)  Spotify  YouTube

(George #8)

Sir Frank Crisp was the original owner of George’s Friar Park estate and was a lawyer, scientist, and horticulturalist to whom George seemed to have felt a special connection.  George purchased the 120-room estate in 1970 when it was in disrepair, with overgrowth everywhere, no heating, no furniture or beds, leading to George and Pattie sleeping first in sleeping bags and then on mattresses on the floor.  In cleaning up its grounds, gardens, and buildings, they discovered various homilies, puns, and sayings that had been inscribed by Sir Crisp in portions of the grounds but covered up over the years, many of which made their way into George’s songs.  The grounds featured a series of man-made caves and grottos between which one could travel by boat, during which journey one would come across toadstools, gnomes, fairies, and mirrors, plus a variety of gardens including Japanese and Elizabethan, topiary, and mazes.  In the midst of all of this was a replica of the Matterhorn comprising 20,000 tons of granite.  Inside, all of the light switches were replicas of monks’ faces, and vestibules led to ballrooms adorned with cherubs led to huge hallways flanked by galleries led to…you get the idea.  Friar Park became the scene of many of George’s most positive and negative experiences in the last 30 years of his life, from important recording sessions for some of his most beloved music, to his cultivation of his love of gardening, to the attack that nearly killed Olivia and him in 1999. 

This tribute to Friar Park is a guided journey through its grounds, with the first verse rolling through the house, the second through the garden, and the third through the caves and woods surrounding the home.  The last verse approaches the people of the house, the staff who were living there.  I picture this cinematic journey much like watching the movie Russian Ark.  

The music of the song matches the bucolic atmosphere of the journey, with an ethereal double-tracked vocal and dreamy pedal steel by Pete Drake.  It’s full of many more pleasing hooks than most of the album, and while there’s some Spector-y reverb, in this case it just makes the entire effect more haunting and highlights the beautiful swirling organ and piano work by Billy Preston and Gary Wright.  This is APK’s favorite George, “Upbeat George,” and while it might not be the most complicated or rocking song on ATMP, it’s the one that makes me feel most content and at peace. 

Would love to visit this home.

 

[prosopis]

We're under a wind advisory, and I could lose power, so I'm going to post the first two back-to-back this morning.

19.  Calico Skies (Flaming Pie, 1997)  Spotify  YouTube

(Paul #8)

We move back to k4 fave Flaming Pie to hit what I think is the most beautiful ballad of Paul’s post-Beatles career.  Paul wrote this while hunkered down in Long Island during Hurricane Bob in 1991.  He’d lost power and was just playing around with acoustic ditties by candlelight.  If you’re ever married to OH, you’ll learn that Dolly Parton similarly wrote “I Will Love You” and “Jolene” in the same night, though not due to a hurricane.  I’m not sure of the connection, but you will hear this…twice, in my case.

I usually protest that I don’t like sappy or sentimental, but if you happen to love someone, I suggest this song as the best ####### example of what you can play to him/her to show your affection.  If I didn’t hate all things “love,” I’d tell you it’s as gorgeous a song as I’ve ever heard.  If I were to go sappy.  The way each verse elides into the next is breathtaking to me, so much that I was sure he was coming in early on the beat, but he’s not.  The fingerpicking guitar is again a standout, and he’s still at a point where he can use his upper-register vocal to beautiful effect.  He used George Martin to produce this one, but there isn’t any noticeable production.  For a period of time, I listened to this song before bed every night as a soothing lullaby.  But really it’s a great ####### love song – probably a tribute to Linda and the idea of never-ending, irresistible love.

If you read this synopsis from OH you might only have to hear the Dolly Parton story one more time:  “That’s his best song from the last 15 years.  [I mention George Martin production.]  Yeah, a lot of production there.  ‘Ok, put the microphone in front of his face…no, the good mic, it’s Paul McCartney.  OK, we’re going to mic this guitar – put it right in front of the hole in the guitar.  Maybe put another one in the room.  All right, he’s going to play this song, sing this song, and we’re going to record it.’  ‘Do you want to make any changes to this song?’  No, you mean this perfect song by one of the greatest songwriters ever. Let’s put a zither in there.  Maybe some record-scratching and a trip-hop beat?  That ####’ll get me a Grammy.  Have Eminem cut a few verses. 

Yeah, that was great.  It was perfect.  Every person I know who writes songs would be absolutely thrilled to write a song like that.  It’s great that because of a hurricane, he was forced to work with what he had, and not add production.  I have to make a song.  Here’s a little thing I do on a guitar.  What’s a good melody?  Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo.  Ok, that’s good.  You don’t have to type this, but you know Dolly Parton wrote Jolene and I Will Always Love you on the same night.  Similar circumstances, probably not a hurricane but just her in a room with a guitar.”

I love this song.

I find your statement of hating all things love sad. I hope that's a joke. Love is everything.

 

[prosopis]

Nice!  My second favorite song on Flaming Pie (after Little Willow), yet somehow ONLY made it to #42!  Lovely song, but have no idea what a calico sky is/means.  I know what a Calico cat is.  I know what calico is, but unsure what a calico sky is.  Any help here would likely send it soaring up my rankings as it is a lovely tune that hits on all the things I love about Paul's songs (melody, lyrical universality, simplicity of instrumentation).  And to show you how internally consistent my rankings are (hint: they aren't), I have Soily ranked at #41 and it has none of the qualities I admire in my most beloved Paul songs.  

I am totally making this up but in my imagination a calico sky would be a beautiful multicolored sunset or sunrise. 

 

[yoman]

We've had two straight days, comprising 11 songs posted, without knocking out anyone's #1 guesses.  You guys did a fantastic job of guessing.  Only one or two songs will get knocked out tomorrow, too (I have not decided on my song #10 and it's between one on your lists and one that isn't).

You already knocked out my guess 

 

[krista4]

Would love to visit this home.

Oh man, me too.  Sounds magical.

I am totally making this up but in my imagination a calico sky would be a beautiful multicolored sunset or sunrise. 

I like this a lot.

You already knocked out my guess 

What I had was everyone guessing my #1 for each of the four Beatles, not the overall #1 (though that would naturally follow).  What would yours have been that has been knocked out already?

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Sadly only one, and it's one you will know, too.  I'm out of George surprises now.

He'll be at peace with that.