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[Kevin]

The Beatles seem to go all religious. This is not a bad song, but something about it doesn't sit right, and I'm not sure what.
Maybe it's because LM doesn't actually sound like The Beatles. Or maybe again my bugbear with Paul's songwriting style is popping his head up again - once more LM is a great study in a well constructed, well produced pop song, but it lacks a little soul. Sometimes he's just a little too clever.
As for The Inner Light - it's boring.

[tkitna]

I hate both of these songs

I dont know what it is about Lady Madonna but theres something there that irks me. I think its the heavy bass (drum and instrument) fighting against the piano. Instead of the song being pleasant or even energetic, it actually makes me uneasy when I listen to it. The 'Ba ba ba ba' chorus makes me want to cut my eardrums out too.

The Inner Light just sucks like the rest of Georges indian music.

[I_Will]

Well I'm going to be the opposition here I guess. I love Lady Madonna, it's one of my favorite Beatles songs. It makes me want to get up and dance and I can't sit still when I listen to it. I really do like The Inner Light as well, I think it's underrated.

[Bobber]

Maybe it's because LM doesn't actually sound like The Beatles.

It sounds a bit like Wings. But I understand the mixed emotions about Lady Madonna. It's like The Beatles wanted to score another hit like Hello Goodbye (which did fairly well in the charts). I love the brass section, but the bababa chorus is not my thing either. Overall not bad, but no favourite.
Paul McCartney once said about The Inner Light (something like): 'forget about all the Indian thing and listen to the melody. I think it's really wonderful'. Maybe he's right, but it's pretty hard to forget about the Indian thing. I once stated that The Beatles should never have introduced the sitar into their music and that's what I still think. Hence my thoughts about The Inner Light.

[Almighty Doer of Stuff]

The Inner Light is one of my favorite Beatles songs. In addition to the beautiful melody, the lyrics which are very insightful (No, it's not George's insight, but it's insight nevertheless ), and it's extremely peaceful, and alternates back and forth between serenely happy and energetically happy. George is audibly beaming as he sings the lyrics, and that's one of my favorite parts. I'm sure it helps that I have very broad tastes in music and am a big fan of Indian music (at least that which I've heard, which admittedly is just Ravi Shankar, although I do have five of his CDs), but I find that The Inner Light is a great song.

As for Lady Madonna, I think it's a fun song, if not much else, although I think that's basically what Paul was going for. I very much prefer the Back In The U.S. live version, except that Paul flubs the lyrics twice. My mother's boyfriend says the "pa pa pa pa" chorus reminds him of a chorus of chickens, and ever since he said that that's all I can think of. Luckily, that part is done much better in the BITUS version, as well as the failed experiment with putting three guitars including the bass through one amp, which was corrected with separate amps.

[Mairi]

Lady Madonna is another one of Paul's story songs, but I like it. There's somewhere where Paul remarks that's it's really very Elvis style, and I can see that. I feel like it lacks an ending of some sort, though. IDK.

As for the Inner Light I find it pretty boring. Sorry George.

[peterbell1]

I'm not a big fan of either of these songs - I'd probably plump for Inner Light over LM if I had to choose a favourite, but I doubt either would make into my top 100 Beatles songs.

As far as LM is concerned, I do like the intro but it's all downhill from there.
I have never liked brass sections (sorry all you brass instrument players!!!) and this is no exception.
The tune doesn't get anywhere and the lyrics are banal.
And the ba-ba-ba bits are downright annoying.

I'm not anti George's Indian music - I really like Within You Without You - but the Inner Light doesn't do much for me.
Still, it's better than the A-side!

[Tamara]

Lady Madonna does sound like 100% Pauls song. That's probably why I like it. The Inner light is not my idea of a great tune.

[An Apple Beatle]

There is a weird e.q. to this song, from Vocals to kit. Tidy arrangement but was never a fan of the bah bah bahs either and that puts me off from doing it live much myself. I hear that about some kind of pseudo Elvis vibe. I could hear his voice easily singing the song. I do like the Ronnie Scott Jazz out Sax solo, one of the best tones I'v ever heard on a sax and I do like a bit of Coltrane. heheh
I like the gated/reverb drum sound and is this where we 1st get that 'Instant Karma' kit sound?....talking from memory here. Sure I hear that kit sound on Glass Onion aswell.
Not much time for the Inner Light but I should meditate. lol

[Joost]

Lady Madonna does sound like 100% Pauls song.

Well, not 100%. Humphrey Lyttelton deserves some credit too.

Humphrey Lyttelton Bad Penny Blues

Signaling the group's return to a straight rock and roll sound after the wild experimentation of their past few singles, the Beatles' first single of 1968 was inspired by various sources. The rhythm arrangement owes quite a bit to a boogie-woogie recording from 1958, "Bad Penny Blues" by Humphrey Lyttleton, a "trad-jazz" tune the group was quite familiar with (it was the first such song by a British group to break into the Top 20 in their native land). Contrary to legend, the melody of "Lady Madonna" was not taken from the song, merely the rhythm of the intro, which was itself based on a riff by Chicago skiffle musician Dan Burley. (Also contrary to popular belief, producer George Martin did not produce the original "Bad Penny Blues," although he was Parlophone's A&R head at the time; that job went to Joe Meek, who would later gain fame as the British counterpart to Phil Spector.)

[Bobber]

Not much time for the Inner Light but I should meditate. lol

Heh! You don't fool me! 

[Jane]

Lady Madonna is a very nice song. I like it! 

[nyfan(41)]

i didn't know so many people didn't like lady madonna . .
i grew up listening to the blue and red compilation albums so i know it as one of their hits
it's on their 'best of' compilation beause it is one of their hits!
. . . . it's fricking great you morons ! ! 
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ok, let's look at what's good about it -
first and foremost is the left hand bass playing on paul's piano. it's mindblowing !
that's a real 'walking' bassline
second is the religious undertones of the lyric - lets not forget we're talking about two irish boys here (john helped with the words)
kind of commenting on institutionalized christianity without crossing the line and putting it down
think 'eleanor rigby' or certain lines in 'girl' . . did you think that $$ was heaven sent?
the whole lyric is an irish thing (in my opinion)
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see how they run (walrus quote) - children vs stockings - that's good stuff my friends ! !
plus the days of week thing is downright catchy ! i know it is because i just said so and i'm always right and my internet opinons are fact 
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lastly, the bababa and horn - alot of songs had that sound back then. the turtles happy together . . the fifth dimension . . tom jones . . - that was a whimsical style that was throwback cool - some of the instrumental music in the butch cassidy movie in the 70s . .
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and bad penny blues doesnt sound like LM - all boogie woogie sounds like that. paul said his inspriation for LM was . . . FATS DOMINO

[Joost]

and bad penny blues doesnt sound like LM - all boogie woogie sounds like that. paul said his inspriation for LM was . . . FATS DOMINO

I believe it's common knowledge that Bad Penny Blues was a source inspiration too. I don't think any of the parties involved with Lady Madonna ever tried to deny it.

[nyfan(41)]

^^everyone seems to say that but i never found a quote of the beatles saying it
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it's just that bad penny blues seems so derivative itself
- so i listened to some vintage boogie woogie with similar walking bass piano (meade lux lewis) . . .
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aww, who am i kidding - it sounds just like it!  
paul you copycat  ! ! !hahahahaha

[Joost]

^ I've got a book at home with an entire chapter about the Lady Madonna/Bad Penny Blues connection. I don't remember if it says anything about the Beatles or George Martin commenting on on it, but I will check when I get home.

[Joost]

Just checked it, the book ('Het Plaatjesboek' by Leo Blokhuis - a well-known and usually well-informed Dutch writer, DJ and pop historician) does say that Paul admitted that the part was heavily influenced by 'Bad Penny Blues'. Unfortionately it doesn't cite a source or a direct quote.

Also, the book claims that George Martin played the piano part (other sources say it was Paul), which would be interesting since Martin did have something to do with the original recording of 'Bad Penny Blues'.

[Bobber]

I believe there's something about this in George Martin's book 'All You Need Is Ears'. I have it, but it's currently in a box somewhere. I'm about to move.

[An Apple Beatle]

It is...I'll check it out tomorrow somewhen

[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]