The Beatles - Worst Songs

[Pettytom 1]

5 minutes ago, Lockjaw said:

Some of my favourite Beatles songs are listed above!

 

Personally, I've never been keen on Eleanor Rigby.  Never really been able to work out why - I suspect it could be the string arrangement but then I think Yesterday and She's Leaving Home are among their best. 

 

Weird.

 

 

In what way do you think it is over-rated?

 

I’m not too keen on any of those, although Billy Bragg does a nice version of She’s leaving home. His only number one single.

 

Rain is a nice song though. 

[the_bloke 17]

I think each of their albums has a few songs that in the modern era you just skip over. For me a lot of the stuff up to the Rubber Soul album is just light hearted pop that reflected the tastes of the time rather than it being anything meaningful, and it's just 3 minutes of throw away forgettable tat.

 

Sgt Peppers for example; you can keep Fixing A Hole, When I'm Sixty Four they never did anything for me. Same as I Want To Tell You on Revolver, Don't Pass Me By on the White Album and loads of the earlier stuff.

[the_bloke 17]

Rain was only ever released as a B side to Paperback Writer and only appeared on compilation albums years after it was made; I think there is a certain amount of chin stroking smugness when people gush about it to be honest, as it's a track a lot of people don't even know exists.

[Rollypolly 51]

Some of George Harrison's songs were the best, particularly When my Guitar Gently Weeps. Ringo always seemed to draw the short straw.

[wearysmith 140]

'Worse songs' is always going to be subjective. I think much of 'The White Album' is 2nd rate/disposable, yet I'm constantly shouted down by devotees who assure me that's it's actually better than sliced bread.  I remain unconvinced and retain my "It'd have made one very good album, rather than a double" stance.

 

He's a few that grate with me:

'Revolution 9' - pretentious drivel. I blame John for letting Yoko in the room.

'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds' - by no means a bad song. Would never say that. But I've heard it that many times I don't EVER need to hear it again.

'You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)' - Hardly the uncovered gem we were looking forward to. Should have left it in the archives.

'I Am The Walrus' - Lennon again, trying to be controversial. It didn't need the 'dead dog's eye' line. He could have easily written something else, but he wanted to shock. I'm NOT against 'challenging'. I wouldn't want an overly-sweet world, but that line is fingernails down a blackboard for me.

 

Not sure where to put 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer'. I hate it and love it in equal measures. Depends on my mood. Heard some good cover versions that actually enhance Paul's original.  I'd recommend Let's Wrestle's version from MOJO mag's 'Abbey Road Now!' CD).

(Actually, 'What's your favourite Beatles cover versions?' might make a great addendum to this thread).

 

 

 

 

Edited October 14, 2020 by wearysmith

[Longcol 596]

21 hours ago, horribleblob said:

The continuing story of Bungalow Bill

Being for the benefit of Mr Kite

Mean Mr Mustard

Maxwell's silver hammer

Yellow submarine

Octopus's garden

 

Although, I think those six "stinkers" are more than compensated for by the excellence of 'Tomorrow never knows' and 'I saw her standing there'.

 

One of George Martin's finest productions.

7 hours ago, wearysmith said:

 

 

'I Am The Walrus' - Lennon again, trying to be controversial. It didn't need the 'dead dog's eye' line. He could have easily written something else, but he wanted to shock. I'm NOT against 'challenging'. I wouldn't want an overly-sweet world, but that line is fingernails down a blackboard for me.

 

 

Great song and production but unfortunately seemed to spawn ELO a few years down the line.

[Brooker11 10]

10 hours ago, the_bloke said:

Rain was only ever released as a B side to Paperback Writer and only appeared on compilation albums years after it was made; I think there is a certain amount of chin stroking smugness when people gush about it to be honest, as it's a track a lot of people don't even know exists.

You've absolutely nailed Rain here, because its a little "unheard of" the chin strokers cite it as their best track to appear to be more "in the know", its very average.

Thanks for the contributions folks, keep em coming.

[Lockjaw 11]

11 hours ago, Brooker11 said:

You've absolutely nailed Rain here, because its a little "unheard of" the chin strokers cite it as their best track to appear to be more "in the know", its very average.

Thanks for the contributions folks, keep em coming.

I think you're lumping a lot of people who just like Beatles stuff in with these so-called "chin strokers" you seem to spend your time with.  Pretty much anyone who's into the Beatles enough to have their albums would have the two Past Masters compilations because they contained all the non-album stuff.  they're hardly niche, completist, hard to find bootlegs.

 

Past Masters 2 has We Can work it Out, Rain and the Inner Light which I think are great, it also has Old Brown Shoe, The ballad of John and Yoko and You Know My Name which I'm not so keen on, although TBoJ&Y does seem to become an earworm whenever it's mentioned. 

 

I don't really think the above opinion books me a spot in Pseud's Corner.

 

While we're at it, Let it Be - possibly my least favourite of all their songs!

[the_bloke 17]

1 hour ago, Lockjaw said:

I think you're lumping a lot of people who just like Beatles stuff in with these so-called "chin strokers" you seem to spend your time with.  Pretty much anyone who's into the Beatles enough to have their albums would have the two Past Masters compilations because they contained all the non-album stuff.  they're hardly niche, completist, hard to find bootlegs.

To put some context on it, both Past Masters albums have never cracked the UK top 40 albums chart (or the top 100 US Billboard chart); so it is pretty niche IMO. Compare that to Anthology 1 which was a whole lot of outtakes and the dirge of Free As A Bird which reached number 2 in the album chart and has sold six times as many copies as Past Masters.

[wearysmith 140]

2 hours ago, Lockjaw said:

I think you're lumping a lot of people who just like Beatles stuff in with these so-called "chin strokers" you seem to spend your time with.  Pretty much anyone who's into the Beatles enough to have their albums would have the two Past Masters compilations because they contained all the non-album stuff.  they're hardly niche, completist, hard to find bootlegs.

 

Past Masters 2 has We Can work it Out, Rain and the Inner Light which I think are great, it also has Old Brown Shoe, The ballad of John and Yoko and You Know My Name which I'm not so keen on, although TBoJ&Y does seem to become an earworm whenever it's mentioned. 

 

I don't really think the above opinion books me a spot in Pseud's Corner.

 

While we're at it, Let it Be - possibly my least favourite of all their songs!

I agree about the Past Masters albums. They’re essential and any genuine Beatles supporter will have them. Astonishing how much quality material wasn’t on their LPs.

[horribleblob 212]

10 hours ago, Lockjaw said:

I think you're lumping a lot of people who just like Beatles stuff in with these so-called "chin strokers" you seem to spend your time with.  Pretty much anyone who's into the Beatles enough to have their albums would have the two Past Masters compilations because they contained all the non-album stuff.  they're hardly niche, completist, hard to find bootlegs. ...

I agree – although I'm not a Beatles fan and have never owned any of their recordings – but I’ve heard ‘Rain’ often enough on the radio to know I far prefer it to any of the tracks I’ve listed in my earlier post #6 (including “One of George Martin's finest productions” apparently.)

[Pettytom 1]

27 minutes ago, horribleblob said:

I agree – although I'm not a Beatles fan and have never owned any of their recordings – but I’ve heard ‘Rain’ often enough on the radio to know I far prefer it to any of the tracks I’ve listed in my earlier post #6 (including “One of George Martin's finest productions” apparently.)

I’ve only ever bought one Beatles record, a 7” single of Paperback Writer.

 

I didn’t play the a side very much😀