So I was browsing through my girlfriend's iTunes playlist the other day when I discovered that for some reason, she had a total of 4 Beatles songs. Now, her excuse was that she had heard pretty much a lot of their crap, just that she didn't possess it. Which is fair, considering how ubiquitious the Beatles are and everything. But still... it seems almost a requirement for one to have at least some Beatles on there. Along with Dylan, Radiohead, and The Shaggs.
So I've been putting a Beatles playlist slowly but surely, which has built up to about 70 songs, combining some of my favorite songs along with Beatles stuff one should at least have/songs important to the band's development (i.e. I don't really like "She Loves You", but since it's probably an important song and all that crap, there it is.) I'm also debating whether or not to put something from "Yellow Submarine" on the playlist. Cause... it exists out there, and I have something from "Beatles For Sale" and I hate that album. Hey Bulldog is alright, I guess. I don't know.
Anyway, the point of this is that I've been listening to essentially all Beatles the past few days. It's nice to revisit them every once in a while, but the problem is that thanks to the massive radio overplay/that one phase when you're younger where they are all you listen to, there are some songs I'd be OK with never hearing again.
So I got bored and compiled some lists. First one is "most overrated Beatles songs." Second one is "most underrated Beatles songs." Simple enough, right? I sure would hope so.
OVERRATED!!:
1. Hello Goodbye: Probably a contender for worst song ever as well, quite honestly. Although most of my hatred of it stems from the fact that it was the A-side instead of I Am The Walrus, and the fact that on Magical Mystery Tour, it's sandwiched between two of the band's best songs. It's so sickeningly sweet that it actually pisses me off every time I listen to it.
2. The Long And Winding Road: Some people contend that Phil Spector's production ruined this song. They are wrong. The song always sucked. Spector just made its suck more obvious to everyone.
3. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds: I'm really not sure how this got to be so popular (other than making people giggle like schoolgirls over the LSD reference). It's not really catchy, nothing in the song is really intriguing... it's just kind of there.
4. Here, There And Everywhere: Revolver would be my favorite Beatles album, and it was for a few years. However, the McCartney schmaltz sort of ruins it for me. This is the most revered schmaltzy McCartney song (over "Good Day Sunshine" and "Got To Get You Into My Life"), so here it is. No, the fact that he wrote "Eleanor Rigby" doesn't cancel out the other song's suck.
5. Back In The USSR: One of those songs that the radio decided to play endlessly, because it sounds like everything else the radio plays, so you pretty much grow tired of it after years.
6. Get Back: See above.
7. She Loves You: I Want To Hold Your Hand is catchier. That's all.
8. Come Together: Kinda in the same vein as "Back In The USSR" and "Get Back," but I once liked this song before it was overplayed. Now it's just there.
9. Revolution: See above. Also, I might like the one on The White Album better.
10. A Day In The Life: Granted, it'd also appear on my top 15 favorite Beatle songs of all time. But I think the fact that Sgt. Pepper (for some reason) has been so revered has elevated this into "top 5 Beatle songs of all time" category, which it definitely isn't.
UNDERRATED...?
1. The Word: OK. So first, Rubber Soul is probably my favorite album of theirs, because it has a lot of cool nuggets like this one. And I mean, I probably shouldn't like this one so much, because it does sound like a stupid poppy "summer of love" song (even though it came out a few years earlier), but for some reason this works. With the absolutely amazing bridge (with the rumbling guitar line... or bass. I can't tell), fun harmonies, a stupid one-note riff that drives the song, and the harmonium solo (!!)... it's just fun and silly.
2. Mother Nature's Son: I've always considered this the 2nd best song off of The White Album (after Dear Prudence), and still can't fathom why it wouldn't rank among people's favorites. I absolutely love the calm acoustic playing on this. Sorta like "Blackbird"... but with horns and a better melody.
3. Love You To: I don't understand why it's called "Love You To" (I heard it's a play on "Love Me Do" but it's still a weirdly phrased title), but I like pretty much all of the Indian-influenced stuff that Harrison wrote. This is the best because it still manages to rock out more than anything else on "Revolver" even with the f'n sitar.
4. You Never Give Me Your Money: It's the best non-Harrison song on Abbey Road. Fact. Everything after the initial section is just ace, and manages to be somewhat unpredictible for a McCartney song.
5. The Night Before: Honestly, Help! as a whole is underrated, and it's probably my favorite "early" Beatle album. This unfortunately is placed right between "Help!" and "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away", but manages to not blow chunks like "Hello Goodbye." Good for it. Also it features some of Paul's better vocals.
6. If I Needed Someone: One, it's all jangly like The Byrds, which is always a plus. Two, Harrison is just underrated in general, but you knew that. So maybe he isn't underrated...
7. Dig It: So it's only filler, and it's only 50 seconds long. But it doesn't take itself seriously, which is good... cause it precedes "Let It Be," and makes me actually like that song. All filler should be like this.
8. I'll Follow The Sun: Pretty much the only worthwhile song on Beatles For Sale. I heard this on the radio once, and really liked the acoustic playing. Then I never heard it on the radio again. *shrugs* Give it a wimpier vocal and maybe lose the short guitar solo, and it'd be a huge indie hit these days. Seriously.
9. Anna (Go To Him): Some very nice vocals from Lennon. One of my favorite earlier songs, actually. The guitar riff is really cool, too... it makes the song stand out from the straightforward rock'n'roll sound of the rest of the song.
10. Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand: It's the Beatles in German!! That's cool, right?
OK. So it really isn't. But it's fun to listen to them sound awkward with the language (although they sound even more so on "Sie Liebt Dich", but you know...)
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