DM's Beatles forums
Beatles forums => Songs => Topic started by: Penny Lane on February 19, 2009, 09:01:58 PM
-
All right. There are some Beatles songs out there that get a negative rap (you can guess which ones I mean), but I'm sure not everyone thinks they're bad. (And really, even their not-so-great stuff is still pretty good.)
Defend your favorite "bad" Beatles songs and let us know why you like them. 8)
-
Here's one to start with: http://www.dmbeatles.com/forums/m-1098065376/
-
I have always loved "Why Don't We Do it in the Road" because of Paul's awesome vocals (low, and then falsetto). I also love "Wild Honey Pie" ("honey piiiieeeee!"). I can't believe that people bash these two songs all the time.
-
I have always loved "Why Don't We Do it in the Road" because of Paul's awesome vocals (low, and then falsetto).
I love this song because it's so unabashedly ridiculous and funny. "Yeah, let's do something naughty in the road, who cares!"
I also like:
"Yellow Submarine" because it's really adorable. It gets slapped with a "cheesy" label, but it's a great children's song.
"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" because it's simply fun and high-spirited. I also like hearing John (and George?) being weird and silly in the background.
"Tomorrow Never Knows"--well, I'm not sure if this is generally considered "bad", but I'm sure its strangeness turns a lot of listeners off. I just love the droning, bizarre sound of it.
"The Long and Winding Road", but it's only "bad" if it's the version with Phil Spector's overdone production. The stripped-down version is more breathtaking and beautiful, I think.
I'm sure there's more but I can't think of any at the moment.
-
I also have a very soft spot for "Why Don't We Do It In the Road."
Personally, I feel like "Old Brown Shoe" takes an unfair drubbing-- I adore that song. I love "Blue Jay Way," too, which always seems like an unpopular choice. And my favorite track from Beatles for Sale might just be "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party," which I think a lot of people just forget about!
One more: don't throw eggs, but I actually kind of like "Revolution #9" when I'm in the mood for it.
-
I love "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da." I've heard it get bashed many times, but I find it a fun song with a lot of strange sounds that is interesting to listen to.
There is only one song I cannot defend. It is the only Beatles song I can't listen to all the way through; literally, the only one:
"The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill"
Ayyye!
-
Jethro-- is it because Yoko is singing on it? :) I could totally understand an aversion to that. (Though that song has always been OK with me.)
-
'All Together Now'
Funnest song ever when your drunk off you ass.
-
Honey Pie is great because it's such a dead-on pastiche of Scott Joplin-era ragtime numbers. It's really catchy, and Paul's vocals are great.
Michelle, although popular outside the Beatles community, gets a lot of flak from Beatles fans for being soppy or twee. I say it's a great little song. The bass line is excellent, and their harmonization is spot on. This song captures an American view of French music rather well for a British band!
Maggie Mae is just plain fun. I don't care what anyone else says.
OH and YESTERDAY! Another song popular amongst common folk but hated by Beatles fans. Well. I say it's popular for a reason. it's a really well-written song, and deceptively simple sounding. Another great vocal from Paul and his guitar playing is really pretty. I love the production on this one. Honestly if it wasnt so overplayed I'm sure Yesterday would be on more Beatles fans' top ten lists, It's suffered from hype backlash for sure.
-
Honey Pie is great because it's such a dead-on pastiche of Scott Joplin-era ragtime numbers. It's really catchy, and Paul's vocals are great.
I love Paul's old-fashioned stuff: "Honey Pie", "When I'm Sixty-Four", and also "You Gave Me the Answer" and "Baby's Request" from his Wings era. ("Baby's Request" is more WWII in the way it sounds instead of 20's/30's, but it's still old-timey.) I love old music and movies so these songs are right up my alley. Anyway, people can hate these songs if they want, but they leave me in awe of Paul's musical prowess.
OH and YESTERDAY! Another song popular amongst common folk but hated by Beatles fans. Well. I say it's popular for a reason. it's a really well-written song, and deceptively simple sounding. Another great vocal from Paul and his guitar playing is really pretty. I love the production on this one. Honestly if it wasnt so overplayed I'm sure Yesterday would be on more Beatles fans' top ten lists, It's suffered from hype backlash for sure.
I agree. IMO, there's no reason to hate "Yesterday" aside from the fact it's so overplayed. It's a really beautiful song with excellent vocals and good lyrics, and it's poignant without being maudlin.
Anyway...
Most of the time, I actually like "Octopus' Garden." It's far better than Ringo's other song "Don't Pass Me By" and makes for a fun kid's tune. It's not a strong song by Beatle standards, but it's likeable to me.
I love "That Means A Lot" and am still disappointed it never made it into a Beatles album. Supposedly it wasn't "good" enough but I've always loved the gorgeous harmonies and melody.
-
Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite! I don`t like it much and I can`t defend it. :-/
-
^ I think you got the wrong idea about this thread. :-/
-
Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite! I don`t like it much and I can`t defend it. :-/
Really? That song is the peak in the middle of Sgt. Peppers IMO; I think it sounds really cool and kinda eerie.
-
What shall I do? I got the wrong idea about the thread and I don`t get the coolness of BFTBOMK. For me it`s a bit of a mess and rather dull, but only for me! Maybe because I don`t like circus and this kind of music...
-
^ Jane, is there a Beatles song that you really enjoy that many others do not? :)
-
What shall I do? I got the wrong idea about the thread and I don`t get the coolness of BFTBOMK. For me it`s a bit of a mess and rather dull, but only for me! Maybe because I don`t like circus and this kind of music...
The thread says: 'Defend your favourite "bad" Beatles song'. Something you like, that most people don't.
-
Rocky Raccoon seems to get a lot of crap, but I LOVE it. Same with Ob la di and When I'm 64. I think Paul dipping into those other genres, even though a lot of people find it corny, is one of the reasons they are considered so ground breaking. Their music is so incredibly diverse. I even like Maxwell's Silver Hammer. A song about a serial killer. What's not to like? Paul was one clever fellow.
-
So, I see.
It could be Yellow Submarine. Some don`t like it too much. But for me it is a special song. Once when I was still at school my parents and I were going by ship from Britain across the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. The journey was fantastic and the ship was big, it had everything: restaurants, cafes, bars, saloons, cinema, discotheque. And one evening I stayed longer at a discotheque where some smart young people from different countries, I remember they were from Germany mostly, were dancing and having fun. The music was great too but when they suddenly played Yellow Submarine something unimaginable began, everybody went crazy, formed a circle and took hands while dancing. It was something. It was the song. Since then I love the song and it is for me one of the merriest that makes you happy. :)
-
I think I'd probably hate Yellow Submarine if it was sung by any of the four except Ringo. It's a song that needs someone who can't quite cut it as a singer, because that's the only kind of voice that fits the song. And visualising his sad-sack face makes it an enjoyable experience.
-
revolution 9.absolutely excellent if you ask me....this,my friends,is what insanity sounds like.the most sinister beatle song going-and also the most interesting.it always gets slagged off.the white album would not be the same without it!!
martha my dear also-great tune,although i am not sure this one gets a kicking?i love this one-;all odd time signatures.top tune!!
-
I've always loved You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) especially the extended versionin Anthology. I love that despite the rough times that they were experiencing while recording the vocals, it seems surprising upbeat, and happy.
-
I also have a very soft spot for "Why Don't We Do It In the Road."
Personally, I feel like "Old Brown Shoe" takes an unfair drubbing-- I adore that song. I love "Blue Jay Way," too, which always seems like an unpopular choice. And my favorite track from Beatles for Sale might just be "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party," which I think a lot of people just forget about!
One more: don't throw eggs, but I actually kind of like "Revolution #9" when I'm in the mood for it.
I really like "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" a lot too, I don't hear many others say that! I especially like the middle part, that key change and the harmonies are beautiful.
-
I really like "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" a lot too, I don't hear many others say that! I especially like the middle part, that key change and the harmonies are beautiful.
I agree with you, Alexis. About 2 1/2 years ago, I defended this song by stating: "It heralded what was about to happen with Rubber Soul. I've always liked this song."
Someone said that it was a mediocre song.
-
I agree with you, Alexis. About 2 1/2 years ago, I defended this song by stating: "It heralded what was about to happen with Rubber Soul. I've always liked this song."
Someone said that it was a mediocre song.
Well "someone" must have been sniffing the old model airplane glue a little too long, wouldn't you say!
I also like this song because the harmonies in the verse are very unusual for the Beatles, to my ears anyway. Is that Paul singing a 3rd or so below John? Reminds me a bit of the harmony Paul did in "You Really Gotta Hold on Me".
-
Rocky Raccoon seems to get a lot of crap, but I LOVE it.
I love love LOVE Rocky Raccoon. My dad describes it as one of their "novelty songs" but I disagree. I think it's a really great song and I love Paul trying to be country..."Somewhere in the black mountain hills of Dakota there lived a young boy named Rocky Racoon" His vocals are great too.
-
I love "Every Little Thing", which Paul considered as just a filler. I think it has a nice and strange melody, a good guitar solo and the most idyllic lyrics the Beatles ever wrote. I especially like the part "I will love her forever for I know love will never die".
-
I love "Every Little Thing", which Paul considered as just a filler. I think it has a nice and strange melody, a good guitar solo and the most idyllic lyrics the Beatles ever wrote. I especially like the part "I will love her forever for I know love will never die".
i agree, it is a wonderful song, great beatles gem! :)
-
Why Don't We Do It In the Road. Paul gets down with his bad self, and I love it. Sweet vocals.
-
I really like the song 'Honey Pie'. It's cute and makes me smile, but no one else seems to like it that much!
-
I've always liked 'Hold Me Tight' too. I think it could be made into a nice rocker if a cover band took it inot their setlist.
-
Obladi-oblada
The biggest Jamaican influence in any Beatles song. Lyrically adventurous, with a gloriously complex arrangement. A genuine feelgood song.
-
Obladi-oblada
The biggest Jamaican influence in any Beatles song.
That cheered me up. Yes, Ob Li Di does kick into touch all those "is that a little bit of Jamica I hear" in other Beatle songs.
-
i like the rough sound of Hold Me Tight, but the lyrics are pretty weak.
-
I say Julia. It's boring.
-
^ The point of this thread was to defend a Beatles song that no one else likes. :P
I love "Julia", BTW.
-
whatever.
I like the Jamaican vibe of Ob la Di
-
Sometimes, I think that my very favorite Beatles song is "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey."
I LOVE that song! I think a lot of people just think it's slight, or that it's not polished, or that the words are kind of dumb, and all of that may be true-- but I know I dance all around my kitchen when I listen to it.
-
Sometimes, I think that my very favorite Beatles song is "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey."
I LOVE that song! I think a lot of people just think it's slight, or that it's not polished, or that the words are kind of dumb, and all of that may be true-- but I know I dance all around my kitchen when I listen to it.
i love your blog megan....nicely done...is there a video of you dancing around on there somewheres????? ;)
-
"Hey Bulldog"............I think it was a "throw away" song, but I love it!!! Love the video on youtube of it......
-
"Hey Bulldog"............I think it was a "throw away" song, but I love it!!! Love the video on youtube of it......
totally agree, amazing bass by paul & the end always makes me laugh, good old john & paul havin a larf!! :)
-
^I also agree. I love the end with John and Paul.
It's official! The Beatles invented rap music! :P
-
^ There's a section in the "Hey Jude" end chorus where it sounds like Paul is rapping, I think.
-
I think the first "rap" song ever is "Bummer In The Summer" by the band Love, from their great album Forever Changes (1967). Here's who used to be Love's leader, an old Arthur Lee performing that song:
FDVj1X5Qjew (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDVj1X5Qjew)
"Come Together" also sounds a bit like a rap tune, doesn't it?
-
I really like 'Why Don't We Do It In The Road?', I have no idea why either lol. Another I have heard people bash but I like is 'Baby, Your A Rich Man'. I have no idea what other people think of it though lol.
-
You Won't See Me is one of the lesser regarded songs on Rubber Soul, but I think it's one of the Beatle's strongest. It has a perfect pop stucture featuring some nice piano and one of Paul's first truly great bass parts. It has beautiful counterpart vocals from John and George that follow the chords throughout the verse. It even has great drum fills from Ringo. It's very light and catchy, yet it's suffused with melancholy lyrically as well as harmonically giving it a pensive quality that was new for them at that stage.
-
Baby You're a Rich Man is a fun song. I think MMT is not as well-regarded as it should be. Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields Forever are classics, of course, but the other songs on that album aree great too. Your Mother Should Know, etc, may not be popular Beatles songs but I love them.
-
^ Yeah it is fun! lol. I think it is less regareded because of the movie not being a classic like 'AHDN' or 'Help!' but that is just my opinion. And yeah it has ones like 'Strawberry Fields Forever' and 'Penny Lane' so give it some credit! lol
-
A lot of people bash Paul's 'granny songs' (Honey Pie, Martha, My Dear, and When I'm Sixty-Four) but I love them and think they're sweet :)
I also cannot believe the amount of people that don't like Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da! I LOVE that song! Oh, and I agree with someone who said earlier in the thread the the 'naked' version of The Long and Winding Road is just beautiful, it's so much better (and the way Paul intended it!!)
-
A lot of people bash Paul's 'granny songs' (Honey Pie, Martha, My Dear, and When I'm Sixty-Four) but I love them and think they're sweet :)
I also cannot believe the amount of people that don't like Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da! I LOVE that song! Oh, and I agree with someone who said earlier in the thread the the 'naked' version of The Long and Winding Road is just beautiful, it's so much better (and the way Paul intended it!!)
yeah you go I_Will, i agree with you, Paul is a master of that kind of writing, very clever, i think Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da
is a fun song and great i parties kind of thing. and i have always preferred the Naked version of Long & Winding Road,
the sound of paul's voice and piano are so clear and better i think.
-
From Me To You, anyone? ;D
-
From Me To You, anyone? ;D
haha, I doubt anyone can come up with a defense for that one!
-
haha, I doubt anyone can come up with a defense for that one!
I'll give it a go ... best middle eight they had ever written to date ; and, at the very end of the song, really really cool chords (with vocal harmonies to match!)!
The defence rests!
-
George's "Don't Bother Me".... much derided, but LOVED by me :) In the full context of the original 'With The Beatles' album, it really stood out amongst all the other upbeat 'happy' love songs - George sounds SO p*ssed-off with the girl! A nice counterpoint.
Steve.
-
The song I am defending, your honor is Maxwell's Silver Hammer. :) I really don't know why that song gets so much guff - I think it sounds fantastic, very modern for the time, has a really interesting arrangement and the lyrics are twisted in a wonderful way. A cheery, happy sounding song about a serial killer - what is not to love? :) Paul even gets the "sociology" right - Maxwell mainly, though not exclusively, kills women, pointing to a probable mother complex and he has a "fan club" just like real life serial killers often do, who think he's just misunderstood(Rose and Valerie).
-
If you like cheery songs about decidedly uncheery things, you might love They Might Be Giants. (Am I plugging them enough? :P They deserve it.)
John described "Revolution 9" as the sound of a revolution taking place, and that's what it is. I love this sort of stuff, sonically but non-musically illustrating a scenario. I've done stuff like that myself before realizing that "Revolution 9" was the first example of it. See "Life In A Fish Tank", "Three Internet Geeks Arguing While Driving In The Rain", and "The Wind Tunnel" in the Audio section of my website (in my signature) for mine.
Another favorite of mine is "Wild Honey Pie". I didn't appreciate this one for a long time, until I read a comment Paul made about its creation, that made it all snap into place for me, and now it's one of my favorites. Obviously it's not about anything, so what is it? Paul mentioned something to the effect that he recorded it all himself, adding layers upon layers of guitars and vocals and other sounds, building it up sculpturally. That's what did it. When I listen to the song as a musical sculpture, it becomes much more enjoyable for me. I realized that everything sounded really unusual, sort of sproingy. It's basically an experiment in creating an experience of sonic texture, sort of like feeling various rough, smooth, cold, warm, etc. surfaces with your fingers. I love this crazy experimental stuff, so it's now one of my favorites.
-
I like ALL the songs mentioned so far, the only exceptions being Yellow Submarine and Why Don't We Do It In the Road. And Yellow Submarine I recognize as cute, fun, and a good song - I just can't listen to it anymore. Lol.
I notice no one's mentioned Dig It... which I thoroughly enjoy. It's just so funny. :P Although... does it even count?
-
I'm defending 'Love You To", that song is bad ass!
It's unique because George was the first rock musician to play something other than a guitar.
The vocal harmonies are extremely awesome sounding!
And, his sitar solo was so cool!
-
I like ALL the songs mentioned so far, the only exceptions being Yellow Submarine and Why Don't We Do It In the Road. And Yellow Submarine I recognize as cute, fun, and a good song - I just can't listen to it anymore. Lol.
I notice no one's mentioned Dig It... which I thoroughly enjoy. It's just so funny. :P Although... does it even count?
Matt Busby! And Doris Day!!
-
I would like "Dig It" much more if the album cut was the same as the much longer film cut, which I enjoy very thoroughly. They only included the least interesting part on the album, for some reason. Therefore, I used Audacity to record the film cut and put it on my MP3 player.
-
The songs I hear people rip apart that I like are Maxwell's Silver Hammer, Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da, Blue Jay Way, and All Together Now. I detest Revolution #9, and anything else that has very strong Yoko levels in it. ha2ha
-
A lot of people bash Paul's 'granny songs' (Honey Pie, Martha, My Dear, and When I'm Sixty-Four) but I love them and think they're sweet :)
Speaking of which, me and my Mum were listening to some of Paul's Wings songs, and we went from Heart Of The Country to Bluebird. Then she just started laughing and saying what adorable songs he could write! And so we listened to a bunch of "cute" and "sweet" Paul songs :)
-
Speaking of which, me and my Mum were listening to some of Paul's Wings songs, and we went from Heart Of The Country to Bluebird. Then she just started laughing and saying what adorable songs he could write! And so we listened to a bunch of "cute" and "sweet" Paul songs :)
Then you could have thrown in the Wings Over America version of 'Soily' just to throw her off ;)
-
Then you could have thrown in the Wings Over America version of 'Soily' just to throw her off ;)
Ha!, that would have been funny ha2ha.
-
from: emmi_luvs_beatles on January 23, 2010, 09:31:10 am
Speaking of which, me and my Mum were listening to some of Paul's Wings songs, and we went from Heart Of The Country to Bluebird. Then she just started laughing and saying what adorable songs he could write! And so we listened to a bunch of "cute" and "sweet" Paul songs
Then you could have thrown in the Wings Over America version of 'Soily' just to throw her off
And that is the genius of Paul McCartney, cute and sweet or wild and screamin'.
-
Revolution 9. If you don't like it, stop thinking of it as a "song" because it isn't. It's a piece of electroacoustic music, a collage, a sonic experience, whatever you want to call it.
-
I've noticed lots of people calling "Little Child" "bad".... I absolutely love it! It's really catchy and fun! :D
-
My friend said that Ob-la-di-Ob-la-da was awful ad nasty. But It is a nice and sweet song. I don't understand why people say that is one of the worst songs that the beatles made.
-
I absolutely LOVE Maggie Mae. Paul's and John's vocals are great and the lyrics and melody are really catchy. I remember when I first listened to it I liked it that much , that I listened to it all day and singing it ! The way John pronounce words like ''her'' , ''more'' and ''robbin'' is simply great! (in my opinion)