4. The Beatles
The cover is not just white, it’s clean. Except for the
band’s name in plain gray text on the lower right hand corner with a unique
serial number (on original pressings). But apart from that, what else do you
see? What does it remind you of? Blank space? Is it about using an eraser to
start all over again? If that’s so, that’s a great idea for the follow up to Sgt. Pepper. To begin anew…
But if you are going to start over fresh, where do you go
from there? Apparently, the Beatles’ answer to that question is everywhere I
reckon. It is such an eclectic album with everything for everyone and even some
songs reaching out to some who may have scoffed at them previously for mainly
writing love songs. At a loud enough volume, “Helter Skelter,” becomes a head
banging heavy metal song that was around before Black Sabbath, and quite
shocking to hear in ‘68. “Revolution #9” is the longest Beatle track ever
released, and when applied to your imagination, becomes a trip inside John
Lennon’s mind. Perhaps this song is the musical equivalent of what an LSD-ridden
mind is like. “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” is an evolutionary step up for
Harrison, and even Ringo has a self-penned tune on here, “Don’t Pass Me By.”
The first quarter of the album finds the Beatles on
relatively familiar ground, but like with any double album (especially one
running 93 minutes), it isn’t without some studio experiment sounds that could
have been trimmed or left out completely. For instance, I doubt “Wild Honey
Pie” or “Savory Truffle” are keepers. Sorry. But among otherwise questionable
tracks, we also get gifts in the form of “Julia,” “Blackbird,” “Revolution #1,”
“Yer Blues,” “Long, Long, Long,” and one of my personal favorites, the
orchestraic conclusion, “Good Night.” Ringo was whispering “Good night,
everybody. Everybody, everywhere. Good night,” to the world in 1968, as one of
the most hellish years in world history was also mirrored in the Beatles’
relationship with each other. I cannot begin to describe the conditions of
1968, nor could I ever do so accurately since I wasn’t born then, but to think,
at the end of another day, at least these guys could put aside their
differences, and come together to tuck the world into bed every night.
3. Rubber Soul
To think that Bob Dylan is going to be performing at our
very own Parkview Field in less than a month is awe-worthy. I’m not sure if his
voice has held up well over the years, but to have that very man who released
music that got the Beatles worked-up into a frenzied obsession, should be
lauded as a historic event for Fort Wayne. That, and having Dylan introduce pot
to the Beatles was as monumentally influential. Point being, nothing and no one
can guess what the Beatles music would have sounded like if history had not
taken place, and Bob Dylan had not intervened. But I do know it would be a very
different, possibly sadder world. Lennon perhaps had the biggest obsession with
Dylan, as he even molded his voice to sound like a British Bob Dylan on,
“Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown).” He even had a cap and harmonica like
Dylan’s too.
There is nothing but great music on this album, but I admit
that I am annoyed by the U.S. version for two reasons: 1) the British hogged
all 14 original tracks for themselves, even great rockers like “Drive My Car,”
and 2) The U.S. version gets a leftover from Help!, “I’ve Just Seen a Face.” Sure, it’s a great song and a great
opener, but I don’t understand why Europe and U.S. versions have to be
different.
Wait, what am I saying? Hell, I’m extremely grateful that I
have a mom who was cool enough to give me her old Beatles albums, this one of
which was included. To have this on the original pressing vinyl is quite
special to me. I’m also incredibly thankful my U.S. version at least has,
“Michele,” “In My Life,” Harrison’s “Think For Yourself,” and “Run For Your
Life.”
2. Revolver
I have this idea in my head that somehow Rubber Soul and Revolver are twin albums. Whenever I listen to the two back to
back, I am curious by how similar they are in structure. Only, Revolver definitely has one edge over Soul: a more adventurous feel that is
made possible by fresher ideas for sound manipulation.
I cannot imagine the amount of dedication that was required
from Harrison when he spent close to 9 hours in the studio just to record a
brief guitar solo that was prompted by a mistake from engineer, Geoff Emerick.
I am referring to “I’m Only Sleeping,” where that trippy solo we hear in the
middle was inspired by Emerick’s accident when the tape ran backwards, creating
a sound similar to what is on the record (with Paul saying, “My God, that’s
fantastic! Can we do that for real?”). The notes for the original solo was then
transcribed in reverse by Martin, and Harrison, as I mentioned earlier, spent 9
hours with headphones clamped on his head, as well as being hypnotized by his
own concentration and desire to pull this fantastic stunt.
Back to my ‘twin’ theory, I invite you to listen to the two
albums back to back. I think you’ll find that the folk rock we get on Rubber Soul is translated to a
psychedelic feel with Revolver. It is
also on this album where Harrison gains the coveted first track slot for
“Taxman,” and Lennon closes the album with “Tomorrow Never Knows,” another
malapropism inspired by Ringo, which sounds like the excitement one feels when
undertaking something exciting, yet dangerous. We also receive gems like
“Eleanor Rigby,” “Doctor Robert,” “And Your Bird Can Sing,” “Here, There and
Everywhere,” and a kiddie favorite sung by Ringo, “Yellow Submarine.”
Likewise with Rubber
Soul, I’m not sure why the U.S. and European versions have to be different,
but again, I’m happy to have this one on original vinyl as well. To think that
an album this radical was produced in 1966, is remarkable considering it knows
what decade it belongs to, but still seems as fresh as when it was first being
written.
1. Abbey Road
This album is the reason why I insist on having all of the
Beatles’ work on vinyl. In fact, this album is one of the reasons why I
insist on having vinyl at all. This ranks among my favorite albums of all time
because while there may be just one or two songs on the other Beatle albums I
could probably skip over without much regret, here, I cannot afford myself the
opportunity. This is their last hurrah before John decided he was fed up with
Paul’s dominance over the group, and quit in 1969. Not Let it Be, which may have been released in 1970, but was recorded
concurrently with The Beatles. No,
this is the last official testament to the Beatles’ staggering legacy.
Given all the in-fighting and knowing that this was going to
be the last album, there’s no way it should sound like the Beatles’ masterpiece
album, but it is. Ironically, it is also on this album where each member
realizes their full potential. George even puts out two of the best songs of
his entire career with “Something,” and “Here Comes the Sun.” Ringo’s best
known song, “Octopus’ Garden,” is also on here. There’s also a medley, which
has only been done once before on Beatles
for Sale. Only, instead of using two songs from other artists, the Beatles
use 8 of their own compositions in this grand finale.
Overall, I consider it their best work because of how the
production of the album itself ended. The last song all four Beatles cut
together was the opener, “Come Together,” and displays the embers of a once
burning kinship between four wonderful musicians. Lennon invites us to come
together as members of the human race, Paul provides a grooving low-end, Ringo
provides the framework for said groove, and George delivers a faintly screaming
guitar solo. Listening to the song end is bittersweet because while it merely
introduces the album, the fact that the Beatles would never again gather in a
studio to play, is undeniably sad. The album itself ends with the upbeat and
triumphant, “The End,” where John, Paul and George play tag-team with guitar
solos in one of their last displays of brotherhood.
Despite the already-crumbled relationships between the
Beatles, it is unquestionably special that they managed to put out an album
like this. Usually bad communication, bad tempers, and bad collaborations result
in horrible albums. For me, this is the music equivalent of The Shawshank
Redemption, where all four Beatles had to crawl through a half-mile pipeline of
raw sewage, only to come out clean on the other side.
Just because I’m feeling especially generous, here are the
remaining albums ranked:
13. Yellow Submarine
12. Help!
11. With the Beatles
10. Beatles for Sale
9. Let it Be
8. A Hard
Day’s Night
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