Popdose - Latest Comments in Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

bagman27 — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:37:11 -0000

Trying to pick your top 40 beatles songs i hard.....let alone just your favorite five. Here are mine:
1) Revolution
2) A Day in the life
3) Twist N Shout
4) Here comes the Sun
5) Eight Days a week

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

aleccumming — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:22:36 -0000

I will! I have a whole article/editorial I'm writing for Popdose on this issue... stay tuned!

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

EightE1 — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:11:54 -0000

THAT'S why the cashier always looks at me funny when I try to use them! I wondered ...

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

JonCummings — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:09:01 -0000

You're absolutely right that there are a number of early-Beatles songs that deserve consideration. Of the 15 you listed, the ones I wish I had been able to include (in addition to the four I DID find room for) are "There's a Place" and "I'll Be Back." There are a couple of other John-sad-sack songs I was also sad to leave out: "I'll Cry Instead" and "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party."

Here's a theory: The Beatles' early records suffer (in our collective memory) in comparison to their later-periods output, largely because their biggest 1963-64 singles were significantly less mature (as songwriting feats) than the best pop & soul of the early '60s (Roy Orbison, Smokey Robinson, etc.). The great album tracks on A Hard Day's Night, Beatles for Sale...even With the Beatles...are downgraded because they come from the era when the kids were screaming for "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "Can't Buy Me Love." Discuss!

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

jefito — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:46:25 -0000

We pay in gratitude vouchers. They're kind of like food stamps, only you can't actually buy food with them.

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

aleccumming — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:45:33 -0000

Hmmm... maybe I will. How's the pay?

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

jefito — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:39:33 -0000

Sure! Or why we're all a bunch of tasteless goons for neglecting the Beatles' pre-'65 output.

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

aleccumming — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:38:07 -0000

Editorial about what...? My take on this week's Beatlemania?

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

jefito — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:27:52 -0000

I'm telling you, Alec, you need to write an editorial. Beatles Week is still young! There's plenty of time!

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

aleccumming — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:17:55 -0000

Not to mention "She Loves You" (Hiroshima) or "I Want To Hold Your Hand" (Nagasaki). Both atomic-powered pure-pop perfection, both mercilessly designed to take over the world and change it forever. It's incredibly hard to hear either with fresh ears; they don't even seem like they were made by a band of Liverpool boys, they're just THERE, inevitable like "God Bless America" or "Danny Boy" or something.

And, oh yeah - "I Saw Her Standing There". One-Two-Three-Fuck!

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

aleccumming — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:50:56 -0000

What? Next to no songs that predate 1965 on any of these lists?? I thought the EW list was bad in ignoring the first three years but this is ridiculous. To counterbalance, here's 15 from that apparently forgettable era:

'There's A Place - existential, haunting; the Beatles "In My Room" with weird harmonies
Things We Said Today - ancient English folk melody with a Ringo beat
Twist and Shout - explodes out of the speakers; a one-take shredded-larynx-stomper
Money - "I Wanna Be FREE!!"
I'll Be Back - Paul and John toying with the major/minor dichotomy; gorgeous
You Can't Do That - Lennon does Wilson Pickett; the lads at their funkiest
Misery - Lennon's first words to the world: "The world is treating me bad/MISERY!"
It Won't Be Long - 1st track on MEET THE BEATLES; a gauntlet thrown down; America surrenders
You Really Got A Hold On Me - pure Smokey soul, arguably better than the original
All I Got To Do - John takes Smokey's soul into his own and adds drama, tension, brilliance
A Hard Day's Night - from the opening chord to the closing jangle: Mastery.
I Should've Known Better - the innocent and sexy joy of a G going to a D and back to a G and back to a D and...
Baby It's You - vulnerable, sweet, soulful, perfect; Beatles meet Bacharach!
From Me To You - *especially* the first chord (G minor) of the bridge
I Feel Fine - Bmmmm. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrhp. (i.e. the lads say hello to psychedelic accidents)

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

TheCloneRanger — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:42:03 -0000

I'm once more puzzled that Dear Prudence hardly ever gets mentioned whenever the Beatles' catalog gets reviewed. It may not be a milestone in rock or pop history but it's a well crafted song that really sort of shines in its original spot between Back in the USSR and Glass Onion...

Just wanted to say thanks to Ben & Ken for agreeing on DP at #14 of their lists.

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

Elaine — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 18:48:25 -0000

So far, only one lone person has even mentioned my favorite Beatles song. Scott Malchus, I saw you staaaanding there. Let's dance!

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

Arthur2sheds — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:02:30 -0000

A "top" list is almost impossible to compile, but some that come to mind....

I'm Only Sleeping
Daytripper
I've Got a Feeling
Back in the USSR
Something
In My Life
And Your Bird Can Sing
Money (not technically a Beatles song, I know, but Lennon makes it his own)
Here Comes the Sun
Octopus' Garden (We all need a little whimsy in our life)
Got to Get You Into My Life
Birthday

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

JonCummings — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:06:02 -0000

I'm relatively confident about the songs in my top 50, if not my top 10 ("We Can Work It Out" may be too high). I put "Yesterday" at #50 just so I could rag on it, which made me sad that I was leaving off "Drive My Car" and "I'll Follow the Sun." And on some days I might replace "Something" with a George song that I actually prefer, like "Love You To" or "The Inner Light."

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

jefito — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:50:48 -0000

Same here. I didn't think too deeply about mine for the very same reason -- it's just impossible to pin down my all-time Beatles favorites.

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

EightE1 — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:50:34 -0000

No - you must never change it. It is written in stone (and HTML). You shall live with your list FOREVER! BWAH-HAHAHAHA!

Actually, I feel the same about a couple of mine. I actually forgot "I'm Only Sleeping" and "Paperback Writer." How? Who knows? Yet, I'd probably only wind up extending my list; can't imagine not mentioning any of the ten I mentioned.

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

kshane — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:35:06 -0000

I just looked at my list and it seems kind of random in part. I think I could post an altogether different list today.

Re: Jesus of Cool: Popdose Picks the Beatles’ Best

Randall — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:15:09 -0000

Top 40

Rain
She's Leaving Home
You Never Give Me Your Money
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
Carry That Weight
Polythene Pam
Mean Mr. Mustard
In My Life
Strawberry Fields Forever
Blackbird
Yesterday
Penny Lane
Hey Jude
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
Ticket To Ride
Drive My Car
Something
The Fool on the Hill
Here Comes the Sun
Oh! Darling
I Feel Fine
I Want to Hold Your Hand
Let It Be
Eleanor Rigby
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
A Day in the Life
Revolution (White Album)
Two of Us
Norwegian Wood
The Word
Taxman
I'm Only Sleeping
Good Day Sunshine
And Your Bird Can Sing
I Want to Tell You
Getting Better
Because
Sun King
Golden Slumbers
The End