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[Loco Mo]

Do any of you think there is a song that we could label as the last greatest song of the Beatles?

So, this could be from any album really.  It doesn't have to be Abbey Road or Let it Be simply because they were the last two albums.

For some reason and without any thinking, Let it Be (the single) comes to mind.  But I really want to ponder this a while.  Let it Be is mostly Paul anyway.

You might also ask if there was a truly great first Beatles song as well.  I know I referenced Please Please Me in my most recent post but I'm not sure about its status in terms of importance to the song catalogue.

Just to be clear:  I'm not asking what were their two best songs.  I'm asking if there's a song we can single out as their last great song.  Just as all of the Beatles were fully present on PPM, maybe their last major song would require equal participation, too.  And keep in mind that the last great song does not have to be their best song.  I will continue to ponder this question.  Thanks for your feedback!

[tkitna]

Take your pick off of Abbey Road.  Come Together, Here Comes The Sun, Something, You Never Give Me Your Money, The End, etc,,,,

[Normandie]

Todd, you took the words right out of my mouth. My knee-jerk reaction was "the Abbey Road medley," but Loco Mo, you specified a single song, so I'd go with one of th ones Todd listed.

[Loco Mo]

tkitna:  The problem with Abbey Road is I see "Come Together" as John; "Here comes the Sun" and "Something" as George; and "Let it Be" as Paul.  The medley doesn't work for me because it is a medley.  I am seeking a single song that represents their last great effort.  I am looking for one which illustrates themselves as a unit working together and not as individual performers alternating in the spot light.  I'm still not sure if I'm expressing my idea clearly.  It doesn't have to be a standout song.  It's just got to be somehow a way of thinking of an early Beatles song as "A" and a later Beatles song as "Z."  Does this make sense?

I guess I'm thinking of those magnificent harmonies of the early Beatles.  Do we really see that later in their career?  This question could be its own thread.

[Normandie]

I'm still not sure if I'm expressing my idea clearly.  It doesn't have to be a standout song.  It's just got to be somehow a way of thinking of an early Beatles song as "A" and a later Beatles song as "Z."  Does this make sense?

That makes perfect sense to me, Loco Mo.

I guess I'm thinking of those magnificent harmonies of the early Beatles.  Do we really see that later in their career?  This question could be its own thread.

That would be an interesting thread. In my own opinion we didn't see those great harmonies later in their career, with the notable exception of "Because." But Ringo did not have a part in that, if I recall correctly (key phrase there), so it wouldn't meet the criteria.

I'll have to think on this one a bit.

[Loco Mo]

Normandie:  The fact that we don't see the harmonies in the latter Beatles seems due to the individuation of the Band members.  It's as if they were all going "solo" in their songs or they wanted fans to recognize that a song was their particular creation.  And ultimately, the Beatles split.  It wasn't the original Beatles as a group anymore.

I wonder if they could have replicated those earlier harmonies in newer songs if they had tried.  Maybe they just didn't have a desire to do that anymore.  It must have been quite a challenge to write songs like that considering all the vocal roles they played in them.  And there were a lot of long held notes in those early songs, oftentimes during or toward the end of the songs.  Also, the "ooooooooo" sound they made.  Oh, for sure, I miss the early Beatles.

[Moogmodule]

tkitna:  The problem with Abbey Road is I see "Come Together" as John; "Here comes the Sun" and "Something" as George; and "Let it Be" as Paul.  The medley doesn't work for me because it is a medley.  I am seeking a single song that represents their last great effort.  I am looking for one which illustrates themselves as a unit working together and not as individual performers alternating in the spot light.  I'm still not sure if I'm expressing my idea clearly.  It doesn't have to be a standout song.  It's just got to be somehow a way of thinking of an early Beatles song as "A" and a later Beatles song as "Z."  Does this make sense?

I guess I'm thinking of those magnificent harmonies of the early Beatles.  Do we really see that later in their career?  This question could be its own thread.

I think in particular Paul gave great input on Something. His harmony and bass playing lift what is already a great song into the stratosphere. So while there isn’t the classic three part backing from the early Beatles, it’s pretty close. Ditto on Here Comes the Sun, with the addition of Ringo’s great drumming on that track.

Given Here Comes the Sun is consistently at the top of Beatles streamed songs I think it’s definitely up there. But as others have pointed out, there’s half a dozen off Abbey Road which can fit the bill.

And Abbey Road does have one of their greatest three parts with Because, as well as some great backing vocals together throughout the medley.

[Moogmodule]

Although rereading your post the big downside I suppose of HCTS is that it’s a Threetles song,  as John was recovering from his car crash. Given that I’d plump for either Come Together or Something. While John isn’t very obvious on Something we know at least he was on it.

[Moogmodule]

Or You Never Give me You Me Your Money is great as well. With nice guitar and backing vocals.

Damn Abbey Road is a good album.

[blmeanie]

I think there were harmonies, but generally in the background, thinking of Hey Jude and All you need is love and other songs.

The lead being harmonies was a thing of the early 60 beatles.  They evolved.