Revolution - Official ILX Beatles tracks poll results

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPpT3jeQtJI

COMPULSORY PREFACE
(This Means You)
Beatle surveys have previously been undertaken with the object of exalting them. The object of this ballot is to console the ILXor. No other Beatles poll does this.

Ranking the songs has not been done with regard to what you thought was important or significant. It was done on the basis of what songs you can still enjoy. All other Beatles history fatigues itself and all around.

This is the only Memorable Beatles History of Merrie England, because all the Songs that you can remember is in this survey, which is the result of weeks of research in oh I dunno where, etc.

I'd like to take this opportunity of acknowledging an inestimable debt to the mass of educated men and women ILXors whose historical intuitions and opinions this work enshrines. Damn Right it does.

Beatles History is now at an end (see p. 123); this History is therefore final. Hopefully.

Wrong board, mate

Right, as I said previously, I was looking to start the countdown proper on Monday.

As the fifties results are still rolling, and how fine they are, I'd like to wait until that one is done before beginning this one.

However, I thought I'd add a couple of tantalising tidbits of info that you may find interesting until the main feature begins.

So, on with the show, good health to yough...

xpost oh buggr...

got it

Wrong board, mate
(I'd just like to point out it's been moved now - I'm not insane)

Something tells me my #1 "Rare Jam Session" didn't make the cut.

To begin with, these are the noteable songs (i.e. not cover versions) that received absolutely no votes at all!

No Votes At All

When I'm 64
I'm Down
It's only love
Yer Blues
From me to you / Thank You Girl
Doctor Robert
Little Child
I wanna be your man
Good Day Sunshine
Run for your life
What Goes On
Wild Honey Pie

Kinda surprising about "Yer Blues"!

almost voted "Good Day Sunshine"! one of my last cuts

Little Child
I wanna be your man

So then I was prolly the only vote for "All I've Got To Do."

"Yer" was certainly a surprise, it used to be the 6th form common room's Beatles choice.

"Good Day Sunshine" I think lost out to people voting "got to get you into my life" instead.

I had "It's only love" at pos 22 on mine.

And, clearly, judging by the first song on the list, I didn't get a Geir ballot.

xpost that'd be telling...

When I'm 64 - awww! I didn't vote for it obviously, but it's a cuet little song. Always assumed there were fans of Dr Robert, and Good Day Sunshine. Run For Your Life is controversial and creepy, but not a bad song. And it's a shame that anything off Rubber Soul didn't get a vote.

I'm sort of mortified that "I'm Down" didn't get one, not even from me.

I nearly voted for Good Day Sunshine and When I'm 64.

Considered "I'm Down" but it wouldn't have made a difference as it turns out.

can't we just start the countdown?

Conversely:

All songs from these albums got vote(s)

Abbey Road

Hard Days Night

Yellow Submarine (side 1)

Magical Mystery Tour

xpost I hear you, but I need to get ready and sort out youtubes and fancy stuff..

i'm into the idea of respecting other polls by waiting until they conclude, it also amps up the excitement!

that's weird, i didn't vote for anything from yellow sub--maybe mine didn't get counted :(

oh my bad, sorry, i see what you are saying (just woke up, no coffee)

This means that someone voted for Your Mother Should Know.

That was probably close for me, but I did not.

I nearly voted for Run For Your Life because I fucking love it, I don't care about the lyrics.

...as one of the 20 best songs by the Beatles musical group.

This means that someone voted for Your Mother Should Know

OH YEAH

Let's all get up and vote for a song...

also Maxwell's Silver Hammer and You Know My Name

I love You Know My Name, although it didn't make my list.

Leaving Yer Blues off my list was VERY tough.

"I'm Down" would be the biggest surprise for me from your no-vote list. I think it's right there with "She's a Woman" and "Helter Skelter" as the hardest rock the Beatles ever did.

I voted for Your Mother Should Know and You Know My Name. The latter very high up.

So fuck you.

(jks, lol!)

('o')

hang on Mark, I voted for "It's Only Love" at #20 on my list - did you not get it? (sent July 7th to beatlespoll at hotmail dot co dot uk). do I need to resend?

will check.

So Paul did vote in this after all--excellent!

John, George, Ringo,

(always wanted to do that)

was totally thinking of throwing "I'm Down" points

Aw, I love Doctor Robert, it's just not quite as good as the other songs that sound like it on Revolver.

Right, I've reviewed a few songs' totals on my spreadsheet calc, and I'm finding a whole bunch of wrong ones.

I've not missed anybody's totals, I'm pretty sure, but I shall mail you to confirm I have yours.

Hopefully, this won't delay proceedings.

I'll honestly sleep easier tonight knowing that you've got my ballot.

I'll email confirmations tomorrow.

(lol)

You're the best, Mark G. Thanks for doing this

Right, have assimilated the votes properlt now, and used a SQL database to calculate it.

Boy, did I miss a fair bit out!.

Anyway, as a present:

A taster, the song that came in last place.

195: Misery (points: 12, votes: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXDIHujKpBM

195: Misery (points: 12, votes: 1) (LP: Please Please Me)

I shall try to indicate the primary source.

nice tune, i never heard it before

No Votes At All

When I'm 64
I'm Down
It's only love
Yer Blues
From me to you / Thank You Girl
Doctor Robert
Little Child
I wanna be your man
Good Day Sunshine
Run for your life
What Goes On
Wild Honey Pie

Thanks again for doing this, Mark. Are you going to count down every song or just the top 50 or...?

Top 64 surely.

Just the Number Nine

Was the order the songs were submitted in supposed to be relevant? My submission was alphabetical as i picked my favorites from the Wikipedia list linked to.

Did you totally miss the scoring as it was laid out in the first thread? Copied verbatim from all the other single-artist threads?

A Hard Day's Night is going to clean up

Currently kicking myself for not voting "Long Long Long" as my number one, and in fact, forgetting to vote for it entirely!

Love Misery.

hehe i voted "long long long" as my number one

That song really surprised me the first time I heard it again in my early 20s. As a teenager it was always the quiet dull thing after "Helter Skelter". Fast forward 5 or so years later and at the end of a long, drunken, fun summer day with friends we were listening to this album and one of them made sure when it got to that song the volume was turned up all the way. It was like hearing it again for the first time. And the ending always sends chills up my spine more than perhaps any other music I've ever heard.

Heh, glad to have helped "Misery" attain this exalted position.

I am really hoping this all happens between Monday and Wednesday next week, because I'll be totally away from computers on Thursday and Friday. If not, that's okay.

no NOW NOW NOW

Yeah, or NOW NOW NOW would be cool.

I just hope it doesn't happen over a weekend, I only ever really use the computer during the week.

let's have a poll to decide! seriously, don't wait until next week, some of us don't have a life

also it is reaaaallllly slow at work today

also: i'm impatient.

NOW NOW NOW works for me!

NOW

"Misery" was one of my last cuts and now mocks my bottom 5. How can my feelings about the Beatles be so changeable after 30+ years?

GO!

There were 58 voters, thanks for all your hard thinking. 195 songs got votes, umm, let's do it!

(And Yes, Lee26, I did manage to invoke your properly listed version, so all is well)

60. Eight Days A Week Beatles For Sale (Points: 155, Voters:6, Number ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs5qsk0pc6Y

Not a favourite.

59. Lovely Rita Sgt. Pepper (Points: 156, Voters: 7, Number Ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l87Vvb7JcDU

Lovely Rita was on my shortlist, just missed out on the top 20.

58. Let It Be Single, and LP Let It Be (Points: 158, Voters: 7, Number Ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SswjdoAAJb8

ha actually one of my favs tho admittedly I really don't know more than a third of the beatles
catalog.
xp 8 days a week

"Eight Days" almost made my list. Love the desperation in Lennon's voice, esp on the chorus.

Love the intro & outro of 8 Days A Week, the rest is a bit meh.

Hurray! I've been eagerly looking forward to this.

Wow these are going very quickly. All of these were outside my top 20, but not by too much.

57. You Won't See Me Rubber Soul (Points: 160, Voters: 8, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc-sOgSgRG8

None of these are faves yet. I find Lovely Rita to be one of these slightly cumbersome mid-period tracks (like Good Morning, Good Morning and Dr Robert) that just sound contrived (the internal rhyme of Rita/Meter). Just not my thing.

56. All My Loving With The Beatles (Points: 160, Voters: 7, Number Ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWvurnpKjE4

You Won't See Me is good. One of the tracks on Rubber Soul that goes with my theory that that album has a theme of invisibility, a longing to evade the material world (cF: Nowhere Man, I'm Looking Through You).

hey MArk, slow down pls!

Yeah, where is "Slow Down" then?

55. I'm So Tired The Beatles (Points: 162, Voters: 9, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_h9OyyM3QU

YWSM - #11 on my ballot, and one of my fav McCartney's songs. I'm So Tired - #7. IMO both should score a bit better.

I'll do a batch at a time for the lower downs, then more time between for the higher ups.

Reason: I need to have finished before Friday next week..

So, will break off for a bit, and will hopefully get that youtube fixed for Let it be..

I like I'm So Tired well enough, but I associate it with Cry Baby Cry and I'm Only Sleeping, and both of those are much better.

Eight Days A Week is completely unremarkable (for them!). Let It Be is fabulous, a proper universal, and its neglect in these things is incomprehensible to me.

I'm So Tired my no.15. I had I'm Only Sleeping at no.14! What can I say, I relate to the sentiment.

I saw that, and yes it made me smile.

I'm glad to see Rita made it. That was #2 on my ballot. That sound at the end is a bong hit right? I don't see why Mark should have to slowly roll them out all day.

You Won't See Me is a bit throwaway; All My Loving a little also, but far more skilled with it. Lovely Rita I like and considered for its rich texture, but cut it quite early.

Let It Be is a beautiful song - great to sing along to no matter how bad your caterwaul.

I do love I'm So Tired, and any John Lennon songs about tiredness and apathy.

Blimey, have they changed it already?

(looks:) Ah, no.

I'm doing U2 in a couple of polls' time and plan on getting the results out quickfire. No need for single-band polls to take a week.

two i voted for so far -- always have had a soft spot for "Let It Be" and my wife's mother sang "All My Loving" to her as a child and now she sings it to our son

yeah weeklong rollouts are kind of interminable more often than not imo.

results! hooray!

Two of mine have shown so far, "Eight Days a Week" and "You Won't See Me"

You Wont See Me was my #6. None of the others on my ballot so far.

re Rubber Soul and invisibility, i'm trying to remember if it was You Won't See Me or I'm Looking Through You which was used very nicely in the reasonable Ricky Gervais movie Ghost Town.

From memory, I don't remember "You won't see me" in it.

54. I Will The Beatles (Points: 178, Voters: 7, Number Ones: 2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxm3x6wiiD4

I Will is the epitome of McCartney-esque schmaltz. I can usually stomach that, but here it's just a bit too saccharine. I do like the rising harmony at the end, and the clip cloppy rhythm.

Boy, I'm batting zero percent, but I can't find fault with anything so far...especially happy to see YWSM--I might be turning into a McCartney fan, my god

53. I Want To Hold Your Hand Single (Points: 179, Voters: 9, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeBm46WJOxQ

52. Revolution Single (Points: 182, Voters: 7, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzCjGgrewYY

People who are bothered: Revolution 1 (from "The Beatles" or, indeed, from the "Take 20" mp3 that circulated..

124. Revolution 1 (including 2 votes total 38 points for take 20) Points: 50 Voters: 3

also:

90: Revolution 9 Points: 146 voters:6

i love the version of the revolution video where they are doing the live vocals and shoo-bee doo-wops

That's it there (isn't it?)

too low!

thanks for filling us in on the variant versions!

I Will is way too low. for me is the epitome of McCartney's melodic prowess. my #1, as I said in the previous thread - IMO it's THE perfect pop song about love. it's the aura of peace, calmness and patience that makes the song for me.

I think "Revolution" was my last cut to get it to 20.

hahaha, I am very much not a fan of "I Will"

V79, I Will was also my #1! I don't see it as schmaltzy at all, just earnest. Reminds me a lot of Everyday by Buddy Holly.

so far i've had "Eight Days A Week" and "Revolution" on my list. Surprised to see Revolution so low, but no so much with Eight Days.

"Eight Days a Week" doesn't seem to be very popular on this board--there were a couple of other polls where it didn't do overly well. I had it 4th on my list. To me, it and "Ticket to Ride" pretty much define the Beatles.

(xp) exactly! plus, there is so much strength inside the song, it might be a rather quiet recording, but it's still very powerful.

I Will and I Want To Hold Your Hand both featured in my wedding (in ceremony and 1st dance, respectively) so I had to include them in my list - my #s 13 and 5.

Eight Days A Week is just a bit of a generic early-Beatles song, and one of the last of its kinds.

i love the version of the revolution video where they are doing the live vocals and shoo-bee doo-wops

― Iago Galdston, Friday, July 15, 2011 9:53 AM (8 minutes ago) Bookmark

Me too. Always made me wonder if those were originally on the single.

Looking forward to Sungha Jung's cover of "Helter Skelter."

Had I voted I may very well have put "I Will" as my #1 - or thereabouts. Wonderfully understated and hushed, as if Macca's playing it, post-coital, in the same room as his sleeping partner.

"Eight Days a Week" doesn't seem to be very popular on this board--there were a couple of other polls where it didn't do overly well. I had it 4th on my list. To me, it and "Ticket to Ride" pretty much define the Beatles.

― clemenza, Friday, 15 July 2011 14:01 (8 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

"Eight Days" has done well by placing in this chart, believe me!

51. Something Single/Abbey Road (Points: 187, Voters: 8, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzkhOmKVW08

"8DaW" sounds like The Beatles trying to write a song that sounds like 'The Beatles'.

<3 Pattie

but beating it by one point:

50. Come Together Single/Abbey Road (Points: 188, Voters: 9, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axb2sHpGwHQ

There's a certain type of person who cites 'Something' as their favourite Beatles song (usually psycho ex-girlfriends I'm talking about here).

I think Revolution got hurt by vote-splitting with Revolution #1...I would have voted for the single if I had understood that (rather than take 20, but I was high)

Come Together is such a bum note to start Abbey Road. I don't hate it, but I tend to skip it. It's the Beatles' 'Tender' in that it's a big song full of empty gestures that starts off an otherwise quite weird and wonderful album.

I've really come to like "Something" the last few years. Never liked "Come Together."

It's ridiculous, objectively speaking, that a Beatles poll can not have I Want To Hold Your Hand in the top five, but then I didn't vote for it either; I guess we on ILM are all a bit jaded or just looking for new angles on them now.

I can't stand the lyrics of Something but the melody and production (and that guitar solo! is that Paul?) are beyond george-ous

Come on, Come Together is amazing! So heavy, so unlike anything else they did (except the long coda to Something Take 37, though I'm glad they didn't try a whole LP in that vein). First of mine to place (#3).

Also, John's take 1 vocal is fierce, except when him & Ringo crack up at the end.

See, if I'm gonna pick an early Beatles hit (not a huge early Beatles fan - more of a post Rubber Soul person), it would have to be She Loves You - has everything you want from that song condensed into one.

Come Together has that lovely rolling riff, but I'll raise you Don't Let Me Down and She's So Heavy for lumbering smokewood mantras any day of the week.

That's where you get into everybody having a different version of the Beatles. For me, heavy Beatles is almost always a bad fit; with "Eight Days a Week," they're off in the stratosphere doing what they do best.

I can't stand the lyrics of Something but the melody and production (and that guitar solo! is that Paul?) are beyond george-ous

Definitely George taking the solo there. He finally 1) got more confident as a soloist, and 2) got more confident in telling Paul to fuck off.

Come Together is brilliant. Simultaneously heavy and groovy (man). love those "shhhhhhu" sounds in the rhythm. And yeah the guitar solo is blistering.

Something fails to move me.

Come Together is such a bum note to start Abbey Road. I don't hate it, but I tend to skip it. It's the Beatles' 'Tender' in that it's a big song full of empty gestures that starts off an otherwise quite weird and wonderful album.

― Post-Manpat Music (dog latin), Friday, 15 July 2011 14:17 (28 seconds ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

My old cassette version starts with "Here comes the sun", possibly to make the sides of a more equal length.

49. You've Got to Hide Your Love Away Help (Points: 188, Voters: 9, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jz7IjXu0DfQ

If anyone is wondering how I'm splitting ties, I'm just taking what my SQL query is giving me.

now I start to regret not having voted for Something, I feel it placed a bit too low.

^^ a good place for the song, one of my favs on Help, which I don't even like that much.

I've grown to unfairly hate this one, and In My Life, and Nowhere Man, due to the lionising of Wise Young John in various tv things about a decade ago. He's at his most boring and rhyming-dictionaryesque in these imo.

God, I love that clip from Help! I find some excuse to show it to my class every year.

48. I've Just Seen A Face Help (Points: 192, Voters: 9, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CEZ7KHdApE

Revolution 1 (from "The Beatles" or, indeed, from the "Take 20" mp3 that circulated..

Album version is shit, single version is one of the best things they ever did

Oh wow, I must never have seen Help! - I love that, I take it all back.

I think "I've Just Seen a Face" suffers from a weak demo-esque arrangement. I'd like to have heard them take a stab at it with a slower tempo, more electricity and lusher instrumentation. I do like the opening though.

Come Together didn't make my ballot, but it was one of the last cuts. I am a sucker for songs that are about acid that aren't necessarily ~~~psychedelic~~~. See also Got To Get You Into My Life.

I also just realized that I may have accidentally cut You've Got to Hide Your Love Away from my ballot when I intended to cut You're Going to Lost That Girl. It was close between those too.

now this I love! almost made my list, dunno why it didn't.

I've Just Seen A face is classic! I think I might possibly have voted for it. Should've been a single.

47. There's A Place single (Points: 192, Voters: 8, Number Ones: 2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4L47eDqdQoE

I've Just Seen A Face - I only discovered that when I got the box set. Stunning song, so joyous. My #4.

Never heard this one.

Me either - what is it?

Great to see There's a Place on there, my #19

46. I'm A Loser single (Points: 194, Voters: 9, Number Ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KynpC1e9I9E

I think "I've Just Seen a Face" was my highest Paul. Astoundingly perfect love song.

wow, I wouldn't ever expect There's a Place to place this high! two #1 are quite a pleasant surprise for me.

Funny, until about 3/4 way through, it had only got two votes, but both were number ones.

Nothing from my ballot has appeared yet...maybe I'm being uber-hivemindy on this one.

I'm A Loser was my #11. They sure understood the power of snapping into focus immediately.

45. Two Of Us Abbey Road (Points: 196, Voters: 10, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1Y3PlmwnRM

Yay, I love this one - it's from Let It Be though

44. Helter Skelter The Beatles (Points: 197, Voters: 8, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMfkVGCU_BA

xpost oops typo, yes.

Two Of Us was my #7. The last hurrah for early Beatles style John/Paul harmonies. So glad the song ended up the way it did instead of the more revved up version you initially see in the "Let It Be" film.

43. If I Needed Someone Rubber Soul (Points: 198, Voters: 9, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYzVcFK4Ywc

Thought Helter Skelter would be higher. The slow, 27-minute version is another in the heavy Come Together vibe, come to think.

I'm A Loser was my #1. Sad to see it so low.

If I Needed Someone was my #5, love it

Apt title eh? (xp)

If I Needed Someone - really? Most forgettable song on Rubber Soul.

I thought "Helter Skelter" would be MUCH higher.

That's broken my duck - Helter Skelter was my #2. Kind of surprised it's so low, I had imagined it might be an ILM favourite.

I was going to look for a Hollies performance, but got surprised by actually finding a live perf.

.. of "If I needed someone" obv.

If I Needed Someone - really? Most forgettable song on Rubber Soul.

no way

"If I Needed Someone" is the best song on Rubber Soul!

Hmm I'm a fan of all these songs but they were all outside my 20, I guess I really like the Beatles? Two Of Us was *just* outside Has that thing they do of having depth in apparent simplicity, I think...

xposts wow this moves fast. re IINS, always seemed to me to be an example of how on Rubber Soul (and Revolver to a lesser extent) they focussed on single-note pedals to great effect.

42. Got To Get You Into My Life Revolver (Points: 199, Voters: 9, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEIVI-E0oDM

41. No Reply Revolver (Points: 207, Voters: 10, Number Ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_UGjyM_yOM

shocked Helter Skelter is so low!

Didn't vote for "Got to Get You Into My Life," but I still remember how exciting it was when it was released as a single in '75 or '76, a kind of Beatlemania revisited hooked into the Red, Blue[/i], and Rock 'n' Roll anthologies.

Helter Skelter and Revolution. People not liking heavy Beatles, I guess. xp

40. A Hard Day's Night Hard day's night (Points: 210, Voters: 10, Number Ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hr671HfXSo

I'm sort of trying to have some fairly esoteric videos amongst the 'not often seen' performances, etc.

But that last one could only be:

Anyways, that's it for today, so be back Monday for more totals, but by all means carry on with the chat.....

"Helter Skelter": I kept saying, "Send Charlie a ballot, send Charlie a ballot."

Shitter Skelter more like.

it's sad to see Helter this low.

A Hard Day's Night is way way way too low. It's a perfect song. Didn't make my number one, but it's up there. Along with "Please Please Me" and "She Loves You" it is the apotheosis of early Beatles.

I just realized I didn't vote for Helter Skelter. Maybe I should've spent more than five minutes on my ballot, but I thought "stream of consciousness" voting was more likely to produce honest results.

doing this poll makes me realise there's lots and lots of Beatles songs I'm just a bit "meh" about but won't skip when I hear the albums. They're very much an album band in that respect, for me.

The fast pace really works here. When these songs come at you one after another, you're reminded--and I do understand how, 40 years along, some people would be happy to never hear another word about the Beatles; I understand that--how dizzyingly great they really were.

4/20 for me so far, seems about right. Suspect 20-10 will be the most interesting section of this, can't imagine there'll be too many surprises in the top ten.

can't imagine there'll be too many surprises in the top ten.

Ah. (taps nose..)

6/20 from my ballot has placed so far.

.. put it this way: When we get to number 11, I wil be verry surprised if anyone could guess all 10 'left' tracks.

There's a few in the positions 61 down ...

2/20!

I've had no songs turn up yet.

Don't worry, Ringo's songs placed highly

Light showing of Sgt Pepper's so far makes me think there's gonna be a cluster of that shit toward the top.

i figured most my picks would be either no-shows or bottom half, since i looked at my list and thought "no way is anyone else's list going to be like this!"
so i was pretty happy when i saw what the last place song was because that means someone else voted for Don't Pass Me By!

xpost

.. put it this way: When we get to number 11, I wil be verry surprised if anyone could guess all 10 'left' tracks.

cool. (shades-wearing emoticon goes here)

I only voted for the good Beatles tracks FWIW.

Or even two! (xpost)*2

Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill FTW!

Mark, you really blasted us into the weekend in an excellent way...I like this method of heavy barrage and then the weekend to mull it over and anticipate. Have a great weekend!

Woulda voted Don't Pass Me By if I'd had a couple more options. It's a good song.

In fact, I'd say "Don't Pass Me By" is the "pure essence" of White Album.

I just played the "No Reply" clip--charmingly inept. As someone who's collected something like 4,000 Beatles covers, I think you could do the whole countdown with such versions and you'd be saying something valid about the way the Beatles effect people.

Indeed.

The series "The Exotic Beatles" is four CD volumes of 'odd' cover versions and suchlike.

I've got the first three, so you just gave me something to look for.

Yes.

It has more Klaus Beyer.

you'd be saying something valid about the way the Beatles effect people.

AFFECT, schoolteacher!

(sorry)

No Reply would have been my number one, and it's from Beatles For Sale not Revolver.

also, clemenza otm about Eight Days A Week and Ticket To Ride

I dunno, lots of ladies got preg listening to "revolution number nine"

OK, more than one then.

xpost yeah, another one I forgot to change the album name.

AFFECT, schoolteacher!

Damn--I'm keeping myself in at recess and recopying the entire nomination list 10 times.

Revolution single and Something are waaaaayy too low and both were pretty high on my list. voted for I'm Looking Through You too cuz the organ stabs are hilarious. Agree with whoever said it upthread that the Revolution single is the most rocking thing they ever did, just totally blazes, and the live clip is fantastic.

I'm a Loser also on my list. Lennon's self-loathing is great sometimes.

"If I Needed Someone" was the only song from my top 20 so far. Can't wait for Monday!

oh! somehow i missed "If I Needed Someone". that makes three from my list.

xpost!!!

2 of mine have placed so far, I'm A Loser (my #1) and If I Needed Someone (my #7). Calling IINS forgettable is crazy! The 2nd best song on Rubber Soul by my reckoning.

3/20 (ywsm, ist, ygthyla)

wtfdatlm?!

There's a Place and No Reply are my only two that have placed so far. But I like, if not love, just about every song that has placed so far...

Though I'm sick of Let It Be and to a lesser extent Revolution...

I thought I was sick of Revolution til it got played on the radio on the way home from work earlier, turns out I'm not sick of it at all.

I've only just noticed this poll exists! Must remember to check ILM more rigorously.

#41?? Fuck that. No Reply is in the 10 best songs ever by anyone.

true

"Eight Days a Week" swings so hard and fun, and it's one of the few times where their weirdest harmonies are also their most sing-along--the second "Eight days a week" in the chorus kills. Greil Marcus was totally right about George's playing on the opening too. And I love the slang--distant cousin to Heavy D's "Nuttin' But Love." Like I don't just love you with other feelings mixed in, I've got nothing but love for you. Maybe nothing but love at all. We danced to it like maniacs at my wedding.

My number one, obviously.

We're coming from the same place. I had Marcus in the back of my mind when I expressed puzzlement earlier about the mild reception "Eight Days a Week" seems to get in ILM polls.

as earlier stated, we are in agreement

It's all about context though. Stick Eight Days A Week in a Kinks or a Who poll and it's my #1, easy.

Context is a killer. I can't remember if I voted for Revolution or Helter Skelter, but I've got a feeling they were both squeezed out when I made my final cull - I like both of them, and they work well together, but sound don't sound so great when you're listening to a lot of Beatles stuff from other eras.

I'd forgotten about There's A Place, but it is a proper little miracle. It's not like you have to really read between the lines to see it as a pretty cosmic song about retreating into the timeless oneness inside your head to escape the hard realities of it all. That, pretty unambiguously, is what he's singing about. You could put the lyrics up against Lennon '66 words, including Tomorrow Never Knows, and it still wouldn't look old-hat. And this is all a long time before they heard any Dylan. And the middle-eight is killer. Should have voted for it really.

Since I've learned over the years that "middle eight" in British parlance is roughly equivalent to what Americans call the bridge, I've always wondered: does the "middle eight" have to be eight bars? And this might be a dumb question, but does the terminology have any effect on songwriting practices in the UK (i.e., more conventional songsmiths actually try to make each bridge eight bars)?

In the Beatles' case, I can't think of a bridge that's not eight bars.

"No Reply" was my #1.

Didn't Redd Kross cover "There's a Place"? I can't find it on the internet. Lots of pop-punk covers of that song though. My #2. One thing I love is how you can hear it a dozen times and still not be able to quite remember it or sing it in your mind, it's so harmonically unusual. Marcus right on about this too, for that matter.

"There's A Place" was my get-it-in-the-poll vote. Glad to see it there, but I probably coulda dropped it for "Eight Days a Week," a song I love to pieces but declined to name. In the end I just figured that, objectively, it wasn't really among the Beatles' best work. But I didn't even try to be objective elsewhere, so...decisions, decisions. I'm glad I don't agonize over my choices for these polls except a little bit after the fact - if I did there'd be no climbing out of the rabbit hole.

5/20 so far for me. Does "Not Guilty" have a shot? Should it? I'm questioning putting it on my ballot

In the Beatles' case, I can't think of a bridge that's not eight bars.

― Pete Scholtes, Friday, July 15, 2011 5:35 PM (4 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

The guitar solo section of Day Tripper - which I think of as a bridge because it transposes the riff up from E to B, the only time in the song that occurs - is 12 bars.

xtothenp: hm, never thought of "In My Room" in the context of "There's A Place" before. mere coincidence?

which one came first, Paul?

Wikipedia has release dates for Please Please Me as 22nd March 1963 (UK) and Surfer Girl (and as b-side of "Be True To Your School" single) as Oct 28th 1963. I'm thinking coincidence, parallel mindset. another nice link between the bands, specifically Lennon/B Wilson.

thanks very much, it is telling

sort of thinking i should have had You've Got to Hide... on my list. even the video posted up thread is great.

1/20 so far (Helter Skelter was my #20), I think most of mine will be higher in the list.

Been listening to early Beatles all day today. Conclusion: it's alright, but a bit shit but kinda great in parts but mostly meh.

i am one of probably many people who grew up listening almost exclusively to 1966-70 so the early stuff is really floating my boat

early beatles is my fav beatles

Me too. Everything up to and including Revolver is solid gold. The rest, while often very very good, I find kind of dull in comparison.

Been listening to early Beatles all day today. Conclusion: it's alright, but a bit shit but kinda great in parts but mostly meh.

― Post-Manpat Music (dog latin), Saturday, July 16, 2011 7:27 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark

this post is almost as stupid and meaningless as the one where you said a Beatles song is like their equivalent of a Blue song

you're calling the later stuff dull?!

xpost

obv, i listen to/enjoy the older material less. i can understand preferring it - but i would not say the mid-late Beatles is dull up against the older.

I'm baffled by the love Magical Mystery Tour gets on ILM. Apart from I Am The Walrus, Penny Lane & Strawberry Fields, it's deathly dull and the worst stuff they did. Strangely though, those 3 songs are amongst the very best songs they ever recorded.

I can't believe I'm bringing this on myself, but I find the ILM love for "Flying" completely insane

"Flying" is a classic interlude track.

Yup, it's shit. I meant to point that out when we started the thread by dissing Your Mother Should Know.

MMT & side 1 of Yellow Sub was my favorite era of Beatles last year..

You sort of have to deal with Paul being a huge dork on a lot of his songs (lyrically especially) in their last few years, but the songwriting is still killer.

Except for "Honey Pie".. fuck that shit.

Apart from I Am The Walrus, Penny Lane & Strawberry Fields, it's deathly dull and the worst stuff they did. Strangely though, those 3 songs are amongst the very best songs they ever recorded.

And the latter two were recorded at the very beginning of the Sgt. Pepper sessions, so.

I prefer middle to early or late. I was sort of there for late, but just barely cognizant of who the Beatles were. I would love to have been there for early--I mean, I was, but only 3. It's all of a piece, though, and it all fits together.

I find myself breaking down the music chronologically... For me this makes it easier to view the catalog as a whole. You mention "early" "middle" and "late" which is pretty much how I think of it also.. 3 distinct eras..

The first era is clearly "Beatlemania.." "Love Me Do" and everything up until the "Help!" soundtrack.. Simple enough.

"Yesterday" sort of signaled the end of the first era and foreshadowed Rubber Soul.. Their 3 most focused LP's followed, and the Magical Mystery Tour EP was probably the high-point in their studio experimentation, which they moved away from immediately afterwards.. (this would include side 1 of Yellow Submarine also)

Third era is the only one completely without Brian Epstein who it seems was holding them together more than they realized.. "Lady Madonna/The Inner Light" is definitely the start of this era.. White Album and Abbey Road are clearly 4 individuals and no longer a strictly group effort.. more guest appearances in this era than in the other 2 (clapton & billy preston)

Apart from I Am The Walrus, Penny Lane & Strawberry Fields, it's deathly dull and the worst stuff they did. Strangely though, those 3 songs are amongst the very best songs they ever recorded.

i have two tracks from this album on my list and it's none of these three! i never really got the love for Strawberry Fields.

I sort them out in my mind somewhat close to that, though not as distinctly:

Early -- everything before Beatles for Sale.

Transitional -- Beatles for Sale.

Middle -- from Help! through Revolver.

Transitional -- Sgt. Pepper/Magical Mystery Tour

Late -- White Album forward.

No real explanation--everyone will see that a little differently.

Just read this on the Wikipedia page: "Although their output has come to include vault items and remixed mash-ups, the core Beatles discography recorded during the 1960s is 217 tracks and approximately ten hours of music."

Ten hours. Measure their impact on the world against the idea of ten hours.

"I Me Mine" was recorded early in 1970, but yeah.

It's only about ninety seconds though, a mere rounding error

Any road up, one track that didn't make the chart but I wished it had, was "I feel fine", because I told Alice that they used to make videos in a very simple way back then, in fact one time The Beatles supplied overseas countries with one where they mimed while having their lunch: Fish and chips out of a bag! Take That, Lady Gaga!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG3EJIsJDeI

some quality product, that

This is preaching to the choir, but the mind reels from how many truly great songs they had in a relatively small corpus. Listening to it again all in one piece as I did for this poll was jaw-dropping, I thought I was going to be "meh" but just. wow.

I had "Honey Pie" at number ten on my ballot. To me, that's old world channeling of a deep nature and a very high level, comparable to The Basement Tapes or Tiny Tim.

I don't understand the above post in the slightest.

Been listening to early Beatles all day today. Conclusion: it's alright, but a bit shit but kinda great in parts but mostly meh.

― Post-Manpat Music (dog latin), Saturday, July 16, 2011 7:27 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark

this post is almost as stupid and meaningless as the one where you said a Beatles song is like their equivalent of a Blue song

― dread the flopson (some dude), Sunday, 17 July 2011 18:22 (Yesterday)

When did I say this?

To clarify, there are (what I think of as) early Beatles songs that I really love - "She Loves You" particularly. But there's so much stuff I'd consider throwaway or hugely dated, I found them hard to listen to in anything other than an educational context. The earliest stuff sounds like it's from a completely other time to the Rubber Soul material. IMO it wasn't until after Beatles For Sale that they stopped being scholars and started being masters. Your opinion may differ, of course.

I do have a lot of time for Magical Mystery Tour. It represents the Beatles at their most colourful and psychedelic. Carrollian surreality merging with everyday Merseyside landscapes. The Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields and I Am The Walrus triumvirate might eclipse a lot of moments on here, but there are few songs I don't like. 'Flying' works as one of the only Beatles instrumentals (discounting Yellow Submarine s/t). 'Fool On The Hill' sees McCartney getting wistfully rural and uncharacteristically self-deprecating. 'Baby You're A Rich Man' is gloriously barmy. 'Your Mother Should Know' has a really interesting winding chord sequence that goes all over the place. And it's all rounded off as a concept EP - a stronger concept than Sgt Peppers, one might argue.

39. Getting Better Sgt Pepper (Points: 211, Voters: 10, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCcU2xfvz0o

38. Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight Abbey Road (Points: 211, Voters: 10, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je_VObgUwzM

I made an excutive decision here: Everyone who voted for this track put "Golden Slumbers" only, apart from one voter who had put "Carry that weight" so I combined the votes for this medley.

Apols if you really only like one (or the other) of this songsection..

Oh, and the "Trash" cover above came out ahead of the Beatles version..

Whoop! Getting Better's where Sgt Peppers really hits its stride (along with Fixing A Hole) for me. I feel like that album's got such a big preamble you have to get over. The intro, the hoary tedium of With a Little Help, and the tiresome LITSWD (which is okay really, but a bit obvious and played out).

I couldn't separate them and didn't want to use two votes, so I voted for You Never Give Me Your Money instead.

I made an excutive decision here: Everyone who voted for this track put "Golden Slumbers" only, apart from one voter who had put "Carry that weight" so I combined the votes for this medley.

Apols if you really only like one (or the other) of this songsection..

― Mark G, Monday, 18 July 2011 11:29 (1 minute ago) Bookmark

If I'd known these were gonna be combined, I'd have voted for them. My favourite section on Abbey Road, but they work really well together and are too meagre in themselves to vote for individually. Oh well...

Or what Ismael Klata just said.

37. Hello Goodbye Single (Points: 238, Voters: 10, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLAcxCkjqJs&feature=related

Getting Better was my #10!

Hello Goodbye is good, but something about it irks me. I think it's the lyrics, they sound like a parody - more like something the Rutles would do.

lyrics are kinda stupid, melody is superb though

The true reason why the Beatles split up was songs like "Hello Goodbye" and "Obladi", as John really didn't like them but recognised that they should exist for Paul's sake. Just, that he really didn't want to have to be involved in making them.

I like Paul's story of the Sgt Pepper sleeve - that it all came from a vision he had of a marvellous floral clock, which made him then think of a ceremony where the four of them were getting presented with medals by the mayor of a northern town. Hence the band uniforms. Then the idea of a crowd of family & friends watching, which became the gallery of heroes.

Then come the day of the shoot everything went to plan except someone didn't order enough flowers, so the marvellous floral clock died a death at the last, and instead there's that crappy guitar shape at the front because that's all they could do with the few that were left. But the clock had been the point all along!

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Clock Band

Hmmm none of these were anywhere near my top 20 (Getting Better maybe). From a horse-race point-of-view I guess it's good that they're out of the way now...

This run is "Getting Better" afaic.

Anyone see a parallel, lyrics wise, between "Getting Better" and "She Knows Me Too Well" by the Beach Boys including crepey admissions of being a complete bastard to one's spouse.

One, Two, Three, F***

36. I Saw Her Standing There Please Please Me (Points: 240, Voters: 8, Number Ones: 2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWdqh2PPvTI&feature=related

^^ Ringo totally rules on that clip

This one always gets wheeled out at karaoke nights, despite not exactly being the biggest Beatles hit of all time.

Speaking of karaoke, I always laugh when you get a group of people doing Hey Jude, and someone's always gotta do the "Hey Jud-y Jud-y Jud-y Jud-y Jud-y!" bit every time the chorus roles around.

35. Across the Universe "Our World" charity album / Let It Be (Points: 241, Voters: 12, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCKANiM9tUM&feature=related

I'm always a fan when they do a verse with one melody that goes on forever, like this or Your Mother Should Know.

34. She's Leaving Home Sgt Pepper (Points: 242, Voters: 11, Number Ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFhoLfP8pvI

Am I right in thinking ATU gets a bad rap?

Personally I love this song. It's such a sad existential thing, like watching an episode of Brian Cox and feeling very lonely and hopeless because ultimately we're all going to fizzle out and die.

I'm always a fan when they do a verse with one melody that goes on forever, like this or Your Mother Should Know.

― Ismael Klata, Monday, 18 July 2011 12:16 (1 minute ago) Bookmark

OTM

Only two of mine so far, kind of amazed that "I Feel Fine" didn't make it.

We had to do She's Leaving Home as a text for GCSE English. It was about this time I was taught Blackbird on guitar. These two factors got me interested in the Beatles again and encouraged me to check out their albums outside of the red/blue best ofs my parents kept.

33. I Want You (She's So Heavy) Abbey Road (Points: 246, Voters: 10, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbcTYTpxB_s

I think I Want You is the one song I really wish I'd found room for in my top 20.

32. I'm Looking Through You Rubber Soul (Points: 253, Voters: 11, Number Ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qg5lGNchYM

I Want You has grown to become one of my favourite Beatles songs. So different to anything else they ever did. Nothing comes close in terms of heaviness, funkiness, repetition. Sounds more like stoner rock. And those organs wwwuuuAAAAAHHHHH - Number #4 on my ballot. <3

Love I'm Looking Through You too. Another "invisibility" song from Rubber Soul. I like the spectral tone on some of the vocals, particularly the "Why, tell me why" bit.

wish i'd voted for I'm Looking Through You.

on the other hand, I voted for it and now I wish I haven't forgot about I Want You. oh well.

Love I'm Looking Through You too. Another "invisibility" song from Rubber Soul. I like the spectral tone on some of the vocals, particularly the "Why, tell me why" bit.

― Post-Manpat Music (dog latin), Monday, 18 July 2011 12:27 (49 seconds ago) Bookmark

I meant the "You don't look different but you have changed" - something about the intonation sounds really grave.

31. While My Guitar Gently Weeps The Beatles (Points: 260, Voters: 11, Number Ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbMop1Uloog

also, I wonder if I'm the only one who sees kind of a slight parallel on Help! and Rubber Soul between both I've Just Seen A Face\I'm Looking Through You and The Night Before\You Won't See Me in terms of arrangement, feel and placement.

xp - totally OTM about that intonation - it felt totally chilling for me the first time I've heard the song!

"I Want You" is the longest Beatles song (except for Revolution 9 which isn't really a song). Yes, longer even than "Hey, Jude"!

Also the last time the four Beatles would ever be in the same studio recording together.

Cynthia must have felt a bit slighted the first time she heard John singing "I'm in love for the first time..."

This made my top 5.

I used to like While My Guitar Gently Weeps very much, but now it seems too much overplayed to me

After such an exceptional run, 'While My Guitar' gently bores its way into the top 40.

She's Leaving Home - TOO LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW

i think it was my number 1 actually

I fucking hate Eric Clapton FWIW.

^^^!!!

10 ilxors used to be cruel to their woman, beat her, and kept her apart from the things that she loved.

yeah, but they're changing their scenes and doing the best they can.

While Eric's Guitar Gently Weeps

xp: is "changing your scene" really enough though, when it comes to spousal abuse?

30. Twist and Shout Please Please Me (Points: 267, Voters: 11, Number Ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVlr4g5-r18

not as good as the Chaka Demus & Pliers version ;-)

yeah the three-note "you have changed/learned the game/you're down there" is the best bit on ILTY

Rubber Soul is a pretty spooky record. Even the cover, allegedly taken from the POV of dead Paul as he's being buried. *shiver*

it's such an autumn type of an album

29. Blackbird The Beatles (Points: 268, Voters: 13, Number Ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uqGCqMYaHQ&feature=related

xpost This is true. And also very nostalgic. I discovered it in its entirety while at college, but it will always make me think (very vividly) of walking with my parents around Fairlands Valley park in Stevenage as a kid; kicking leaves and stuff.

Blackbird was one of the first songs I learnt to play on guitar, and largely responsible for my love of finger-picking today.

28. Here, There And Everywhere Revolver (Points: 274, Voters: 12, Number Ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCbINNZH-4o

thanks for reminding me of that Blackbird demo clip! I love this one. Placed the song as my #8, could have been a bit higher.

27. Julia The Beatles (Points: 291, Voters: 12, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHsdvMfvkWY

26. Hey Jude Single (Points: 297, Voters: 15, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgrrQwLdME8&feature=fvst

hey jude placing remarkably low. sorry john, but i never cared for julia.

25. Here Comes The Sun Abbey Road (Points: 300, Voters: 13, Number Ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZeKIkvnAis

Here/There/Everywhere -- first one of today's results to be on my ballot!

'Julia' is one of the few Beatles songs where a cover, the Ramsey Lewis version, is my favourite version if it.

Here Comes The Sun is one of the few canon Beatles songs (the kind that get played on TV ads I mean) that I still enjoy beginning to end. It's the little organ counterpoint towards the end that I love.

24. Help! Help! (Points: 304, Voters: 12, Number Ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJfKNTlyYVE

(What the hell, watch the whole damn movie!)

A few of mine have shown up today, albeit way too low for my tastes.

Hey Jude, I'm Looking Through You, Across the Universe and While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

Probably Here Comes the Sun too, but I can't remember if I made room for it.

23. She Said She Said Revolver (Points: 307, Voters: 14, Number Ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YSoeAQg9g4&feature=related

:) at Julia placing. :( at Hey Jude.

Help! was my number 1. Very much a spur-of-the-moment choice - just a classic bit of pop songwriting imo. Formally perfect but also straight from the heart.

22. Things We Said Today A Hard Day's Night (Points: 310, Voters: 13, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DcV1UI1B6M

Things We Said Today is a surprise. I mean it's lovely, but I don't think I've ever heard anyone talk about it ever.

^^ too high IMO

21. Eleanor Rigby Revolver (Points: 325, Voters: 14, Number Ones: 2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht-qVldmP00

xxpost So is She Said She Said. Never thought of it as more than filler.

And there's my #1, far far far too low

i still love Eleanor Rigby - haunting and familiar. Makes me think of musty old school halls.

20. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) Rubber Soul (Points: 329, Voters: 16, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLrtWMCB09M

And with at norwegian entry, squared,

That's it for today...

Chat continues, of course...

so, I'm not entirely sure i understand the hidden messages in Norwegian Wood. I think I can imagine the innuendo about "sat on her rug, drinking her wine", but "noticed there wasn't a chair"? "I lit a fire"? Is it just Lennonesque absurdity or what?

Eleanor Rigby is one of my least favorite songs. Glad it didn't crack the top 20.

where's sickmouthy itt?

I've seen two of my top five. I fully expect to see two more of them in the top 20, but the one I have my doubts about is Back in the U.S.S.R., which I've seen garner some antipathy on ilm before. Anyone else have a top pick that you just don't think is going to place at this point?

Bungalow Bill, which I placed at #9. Other than that, I'd be surprised if my top ten doesn't place.

Back In The USSR is a drag. I think I feel this way about most Beatles openers.

60. Eight Days a Week
59. Lovely Rita
58. Let It Be
57. You Won't See Me
56. All My Loving
55. I'm So Tired
54. I Will
53. I Want to Hold Your Hand
52. Revolution
51. Something
50. Come Together
49. You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
48. I've Just Seen a Face
47. There's a Place
46. I'm a Loser
45. Two of Us
44. Helter Skelter
43. If I Needed Someone
42. Got to Get You Into My Life
41. No Reply
40. A Hard Day's Night
39. Getting Better
38. Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight
37. Hello Goodbye
36. I Saw Her Standing There
35. Across the Universe
34. She's Leaving Home
33. I Want You (She's So Heavy)
32. I'm Looking Through You
31. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
30. Twist and Shout
29. Blackbird
28. Here, There and Everywhere
27. Julia
26. Hey Jude
25. Here Comes the Sun
24. Help!
23. She Said She Said
22. Things We Said Today
21. Eleanor Rigby
20. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)

Blackbird was one of the first songs I learnt to play on guitar, and largely responsible for my love of finger-picking today.

Chalk another one up for Donovan

Song Connections;

53. I Want to Hold Your Hand
54. I Will

I like this one:

23. She Said She Said
22. Things We Said Today

A lot of ballads today, a couple I love, some I consider lightweight. The opening of Help! just kills me. I played it for a class once, and one of my Indian students was offended: "We're not really like that, you know." Eye-opening experience--I've never played it again--but I do still love it.

Back In The USSR is a drag.

Or a roaring behemoth of a rock song. All opinions are welcome here.

My opinion on Beatles films changed over the years, as AHDN entered my mind as one of the truly great music films of all time, and MMT as underdog experimental art film, with Help! being cast aside as a flimsy thing. Re-watching it lately, I have fallen back in love with it's madcap mid-60s surf-and-spy conventions.

"Help!" (the film) is terrible

Majorly disagree. It's far from perfect, but the opening, together with the "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" and "Ticket to Ride" sequences, make it indispensable.

I haven't seen Help! but from what I understand it's a piece of hackwork. It confuses me that they'd do that after AHDN; and also that they'd take no interest in Yellow Submarine after having put such a lot into MMT.

I guess AHDN was to an extent hackwork too, but it was good and tailored to them. It could've been anyone in Help!

Help! (the film) has its moments, but they were clearly disinterested in making it as good as A Hard Day's Night. At that point, they started developing an eye towards jumping off the constant publicity/touring treadmill. Also, weed.

It's the same director, and one who was far from just a hired hand...I don't see how it could have been anyone in Help! I'm trying to imagine the Dave Clark 5 or Manfred Mann or anyone else in the "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" scene (way above); it doesn't compute.

Dave Clark 5 film >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Help!

Was it John Boorman who directed the DC5 film? I've forgotten the title...

Having a Wild Weekend--yes. I've got the soundtrack, but haven't seen the film. I know it has a following, but it would have to go some to eclipse Help! for me.

"Catch Us If You Can"? Must have had a diff. title in the US!

Yeah, it goes by both titles:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059258/

after seeing none of mine today, my #1 turns up at #21 and then another pick at 20!

I botched the deadline and didn't submit in time but 8 out of my 20 have placed with doubtless more to come. Hivemindy.

I did show Amber and Alice "A Hard Days Night" not long after So, should I let Amber and Alice see the Beatles' "Help" film? and they did decided AHDN was the better film.

They do request "Help" more often, though.

They genuinely had no involvement at all in Yellow Submarine, didn't they? That 'I Feel Fine' video upthread is de Niro in Raging Bull in comparison.

"it's all in the mind"

They genuinely had no involvement at all in Yellow Submarine, didn't they?

You mean apart from appearing in it (singing "All Together Now")!

my votes today: Across the Universe, Here, There and Everywhere, Norwegian Wood, and Things We Said Today

They genuinely had no involvement at all in Yellow Submarine, didn't they?
You mean apart from appearing in it (singing "All Together Now")!

i thought that was the whole reasoning behind having an animated movie - that it was the least possible amount of work for the band.

Yeah, "Help!" is hack-work, but my current perspective is that it's mid-60s surf-and-spy-influenced hack-work, and quite charming hack-work at that. I think any kid nowadays that likes Austin Powers would love it.

kind of amazed that "I Feel Fine" didn't make it.

Don't think it's going to make the top 19?

Help! (the film) has its moments, but they were clearly disinterested in making it as good as A Hard Day's Night. At that point, they started developing an eye towards jumping off the constant publicity/touring treadmill. Also, weed.

that's exactly what i was going to say. and that it's moments were mostly the "videos" for the songs, which totally turned me on to some album cuts i hadn't paid much attention to before i saw the movie. the "acting" was pretty much phoned in (and mumbled to boot) but at that point they really needed a vacation. not sure i blame them!

otoh they weren't really bothered with the yellow submarine movie because of the crappy beatles cartoon that preceded it, which none of them liked. which is kinda a shame, i LOVE the movie but was a little freaked out when i discovered it wasn't actually their voices in the cartoon - like being told there's no santa or something (ok i watched that movie way too much as a kid, i admit) i was freakin thrilled when the late 90's YS rerelease came out with it's all too much and only a northern song, which are great sgt pepper's era outtakes that really deserved to see the light of day (and worked perfectly in the context of the movie) i suppose it's asking too much for one of those 2 to make the top 20...

I'll be shocked if it doesn't show up tomorrow. xp

It was because they were livid at BEpstein agreeing that "Beatles" cartoon series, and assumed that YelSub would be more of the same.

Paul's still a bit "everyone looks cool except me" about it.

Be shocked, I already said so above just so I could post the 'fish and chips' video.

HeLp! isn't total hack-work, it's still Richard Lester, it might be more excusable if it was just made by some hack, as it is it's just really lazy and shoddy

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cMdbfkl3Rz4/Rzbr94ByVhI/AAAAAAAABCk/nH_Yw4P2ibw/s400/submarine.jpg

25. Here Comes The Sun Abbey Road (Number Ones: 1)

^^^this was me FYI

"I Feel Fine" is one of their subtler early blockbusters. The combination of the guitar line with Ringo's ride cymbal beat - where in the world did they come up with something like that? And, of course, the harmonies and John Lennon was in his best voice in '64-'65 imo.

HeLp! isn't total hack-work, it's still Richard Lester, it might be more excusable if it was just made by some hack, as it is it's just really lazy and shoddy

Lester could only do so much with what he was given: a rushed script and four kids baked to the gills. In Anthology they talk about how some scenes took days to shoot because one of them would start giggling uncontrollably.

or the four stars would just ski away and not come back

ALmost ashamed to admit that I was the #1 vote for "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." I guess everyone here feels it's played out, but I always have and still do feel it's a remarkably executed recording, maybe the most aggressive Paul's bass ever sounded on a Beatles record.

The opening of Help! just kills me. I played it for a class once, and one of my Indian students was offended: "We're not really like that, you know." Eye-opening experience--I've never played it again--but I do still love it.

hope it wasn't a comparative religion class!

The bass sound throughout the White Album is great.

I think that's maybe when he went back to using the Hofner (after using the Rickenbacker for a while)?

De Niro's rehearsals for Raging Bull probably did look a lot like that I Feel Fine video, come to think (distant xp to self)

xp Nope, Paul stuck with the Rick throughout the white album, and went back to the Hofner for Let It Be and most (all?) of Abbey Road.

I'm always a fan when they do a verse with one melody that goes on forever, like this or Your Mother Should Know.

I love this too. Is there an ILM thread for songs like this?

My songs today: Blackbird (my #14), Here, There and Everywhere (#13), Here Comes the Sun (#18) and Things We Said Today (#12).

they may not have had much to do with *making* Yellow Submarine but they sure enjoyed watching it

http://www.janetcharltonshollywood.com/images/2010/01/yellow-submarine.jpg

Ok, been busy but just caught up on this, glad to see someone else besides me had 'There's a Place' at #1, such a sharp piece of songwriting. There are a handful of those amazing songs on the early albums that I only really noticed relatively recently ('No Reply' is another although that didn't make my ballot).

The Yellow Submarine film was my introduction to The Beatles, loved it as a kid, I liked Help! as well but I've only seen that once or twice - keen to re-visit it after watching that 'You've Got To Hide Your Love Away' clip.

Also my favourite Song Connection from the countdown so far:

36. I Saw Her Standing There
35. Across the Universe

Well, like I say, the entire "help" film is upthread..

20-1 tonight, Mark?

Things We Said Today is a surprise. I mean it's lovely, but I don't think I've ever heard anyone talk about it ever.
― Ismael Klata, Monday, July 18, 2011 9:55 AM (9 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

^^ too high IMO
― V79, Monday, July 18, 2011 9:56 AM (9 hours ago) Bookmark

http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/williams100.htm

The 20th Century's Greatest Hits
by Paul Williams
1. "Things We Said Today" The Beatles (1964)

It should be top 10 imo.

Can't wait to see A Day In The Life at #1. yawn.

I think DITL will be...#4! Most overrated of their oeuvre, IMHO

I didn't vote for it

me either - but i could understand why one might.

Paul stuck with the Rick throughout the white album

Seriously? Well, it's got to be the Rick with flatwound strings anyway.

Rickenbacker bass with flatwound strings is an intriguing concept! You will not sound like Chris Squire this way.

I'm really surprised so far by the percentage of McCartney songs turning up in this poll. Who knew there were so many old softies on ILM?!

Stats so far:

Lennon/McCartney: 3
McCartney: 20
Lennon: 13
Harrison: 4
Covers: 1

p sure my ballot ended up John heavy & I didn't expect that!

I am doing p badly in this poll b/c I favor the early years & this poll...doesn't?

Yeah, I given up on my early favs like It Won't Be Long even placing at this point.

^^^ depressing

I'm really surprised so far by the percentage of McCartney songs turning up in this poll. Who knew there were so many old softies on ILM?!

― Darin, Monday, July 18, 2011 11:07 PM (41 minutes ago) Bookmark

i'm not sure why anyone would assume there'd be a disproportionate amount of Lennon over McCartney

I would have assumed the same--not disproportionate, but more Lennon than McCartney. I think Lennon will at the very least pull closer over the final 20.

help! the movie is frequently lame but that scene where they walk through the four doors and suddenly it turns out they're living in one big house redeems everything for me.

i'm not sure why anyone would assume there'd be a disproportionate amount of Lennon over McCartney

― drowning cool (some dude), Monday, July 18, 2011 8:50 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark

ILM has a history of slagging McCartney + a lot of the tunes on the list are more FM staples of The Beatles catalog (Let it Be, Hello Goodbye). I guess I expected to see more stuff like Hey Bulldog and And Your Bird Can Sing.

Anyway, I pretty much love all the songs on this list - so not a judgement statement, just an observation.

feel like a lot of the "big" beatles songs have already hit the list, and it's gonna be a quirky top 19. but maybe that's just wishful thinking.

Only song I'm legit surprised didn't place higher is "Here Comes the Sun." Also glad I'm not the only one who put "I Saw Her Standing There" at #1!

it was my number 5

RIght, what I might do is nine today, but stagger them more

19. Long Long Long The Beatles (Points: 347, Voters: 13, Number Ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3GhyjV9jqI

Ach, I mean eight today, leaving the top ten.

aww, i was hoping it would make the top 10, pretty good showing though

Well, top twenty for a track that'd never show up in the 'gambo'/'rolling stone' equivalent, I'd say it did well yes.

wine bottle rattling on amp at 2:45 ish a highlight for me

Was listening to Lennon singing Anna again yesterday. The emotion in his voice is unbeatable

18. Rain Single (Points: 355, Voters: 14, Number Ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AmJWHpBpjA

Honestly can't understand why I didn't vote for Long Long Long. Completely slipped my mind.

Can't listen to "Rain" any more without thinking of Oasis - which knocked it right down my list, alas.

doesn't ian macdonald call 'long long long' george's greatest ever song? definitely a contender for best on the album, so gorgeous and weird.

Long Long Long is another Beatles-track-like-no-other. It reminds me of Ride or some chillwave thing or something. I have a weird thing about English songs about Rain, inherited from my mother who'd always complain a lot if that Travis song came on the radio.

I could never hear Long Long Long 'til I got my (fake) remasters box - just too quiet. I can now report that it is very lovely.

17. She Loves You Single (Points: 360, Voters: 14, Number Ones: 0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj6yLow-SfA

"She Loves You" is the first pop song I remember hearing - it's like Side One, Track One of my whole life. (I didn't vote for it, though.)

It deserves more love than it gets. The coda in particular is astonishing.

Yes!! So why is this the best early Beatles hit? It's the ever so slight melancholy tug during the "yeah yeah yeah" bit. I only really noticed it recently, despite having grown up with the song. The Beatles half-joke about this being a lyrical breakthrough as it introduces a third person to the schematic, but really I think the lyrics are very well thought out.

i really shoulda voted for it - can't remember if i did or not.

never heard Long Long Long before.

It was always *the* Beatles single aiui growing up. I don't think it's in anything like such esteem in the US - I Want To Hold Your Hand has that role there I think.

well, IMO She Loves You really deserves a top ten placement.

"She Loves You" wasn't on Capitol records for the longest time, so probably got less of a promotional push beyond 'being available in shops' and 'not unlike their other current records'...

at least it placed way higher than I Want To Hold Your Hand, which is fair in my book

16. You Never Give Me Your Money Abbey Road (Points: 366, Voters: 15, Number Ones: 2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvA64O2LySc

Love it, voted it #8, didn't really expect it to place.

Amazing song. Didn't vote for it though!

YEah, I voted this one. Beautiful.

15. Paperback Writer Single (Points: 369, Voters: 16, Number Ones: 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQZQXFZpTmQ

haha, I've never seen that video! I love all the riffwork on this one. Didn't vote though.

My #2 (I think. Might've been #3)

Is there a name for the "Paperback Writer" sound - i.e. crazy '60s Austin Powers Scooby Doo adventure romp music, also done on 5th Dimension's 'Age of Aquarius' and pastiched by Belle & Sebastian on 'Legal Man'?

The oddest thing was, about halfway through counting it was at the number one position, but it fell away due to getting absolutely no additional votes (until the last few ballots)...

PW has an amazingly powerful sound, I can't think of anything much like it tbh other than occasionally powerpop trios hitting the spot (though not vocally).

Seven of my top ten have now placed. Still got hope for two of the others, but Mr Kite!'s chance has gone I think.

I'd had this down as an outsider for #1, disappointed it fell away so badly.

What is there, some kind of time difference over in Britain? Gratified by "Long, Long, Long"'s showing. It's a song that rarely gets mentioned in official Beatles history. Glad "Rain" is high too, but I knew that one would do well.

Thought "Long, Long, Long" might do better! Kinda hipster choice, innit?

The kids are all Hey Bulldog and The Long And Winding Road these days.

This, so far, is the only 'record' that has had a remastered vinyl release.

The "record store day" edition has a different catalogue number to the original, and is in stereo.

"Long, Long, Long"'s stock must have risen in the past decade then, maybe connected to George's death. There was a time you'd never read a word about it.

The kids are all Hey Bulldog and The Long And Winding Road these days.

Y' wha'? I thought The LAW Road was like the most hated Beatle track of 'em all or sumthin'? There's a poll about it somewhere about here...

Honeycrack's cover of Hey Bulldog is the best thing to emerge from the mid-90s Britrock scene.

Well admittedly I'm old & out of touch but I have faith in ILM contarianism.

"Long, Long, Long"'s stock must have risen in the past decade then, maybe connected to George's death.

P'raps "Revolution in the Head" might have caused people to listen to it more carefully?

I always liked Long Long Long since I first heard the White Album. It's a pool of tranquillity among a sea of egos, pastiches and Revolution 9.

14. Penny Lane Single (Points: 370, Voters: 16, Number Ones: 2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H6PdlJshCo

Geir will cry @ this only making #14 :(

My #2.

Anyone hating on Penny Lane has gotta have a cold hard rock for a heart.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think Hello Goodbye was my number one, unacknowledged on this thread, but correctly attributed on the accidental post to the News International thread.

Can't imagine such a thing, come on ILM prove me wrong! (xp)

NB&S - Hello Goodbye is on this thread.

A double a-side, a picture sleeve, a special video, and it became the first single since "Please Please Me" (or "Love Me Do" depending on your chart source) not to make Number One!