Hey I'm bored during a pandemic and I got idea for a new blog series.
I am happy I'm not dying (yet), and I hope you're staying safe as well! We're in a new world and frankly, I want the old one back.
Anyway, with this series, I will be exploring my favorite artist's discography with quick lists off the album. The good news is, if you think my opinions stink, the blog itself will be a pretty quick read. Suffice to say, this was pretty hard to do. There were some amazing Beatles songs that didn't make the cut and singles like "Rain" that aren't on a proper "album". That said, the challenges made it more fun too.
As always, here's my overly-detailed definitions of terms:
Best - this is obvious, what I think is the best track on the album in terms of composition and what it sets out to do.
Worst - also obvious, although, this definitely has more bias in it than "Best".
Overrated/Underrated - As I typically don't talk to people about the Beatles nor am I reading much about them either, this is just a general, what I think others think. Also, the Underrated category acts as another way for me to shoe horn one my favorites into the list. Finally, if I place a song in the overrated category, it doesn't mean it's a bad song, it just means it's overrated. No more, no less.
Favorite - My personal favorite, not always the best track but the one I connected with the most or have a special memory associated with.
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Please Please Me & With The Beatles
Given the lack of original songs, I am just combining these and adding another category. Already with the first two albums and I am already breaking my own rules, I am god of this blog and I do as I like.
Best: "All My Loving"
Worst: "Little Child"
Favorite: "All My Loving"
Overrated: "I Saw Her Standing There" (ducks tomatoes being thrown...something had to go here)
Underrated: "Love Me Do"
Best Cover: "Twist & Shout" (Overplayed? Overrated? Maybe - but still an amazing performance)
A Hard Day's Night
Best: "If I Fell"
Worst:"I'll Cry Instead"/"You Can't Do That" annoying and "You Can't..." is gross lyrically)
Favorite: "If I Fell"/"I Should Have Known Better" (look, it's my blog, there's two, get over it)
Overrated: "And I Love Her"
Underrated:"Things We Said Today"
Beatles for Sale
Look, I never really listen to this album...so, I'm skipping it, although I am partial to "I'm a Loser" and "I'll Follow the Sun".
Help!
Best: "Ticket to Ride" (it's just such an amazing pop song, I can't deny its placement here)
Worst: eh, I dunno,"The Night Before" ? That kinda sucks.
Favorite: "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" (another vocal home run- I'm in love with this song)
Overrated: "Yesterday" (duh)
Underrated:"You're Gonna Lose That Girl"/"I've Just Seen A Face"
Rubber Soul
Best: "In My Life"
Worst: "Run for Your Life" (it's just so gross lyrically but I admit it's an ear-worm)
Favorite: "I'm Looking Through You" (one of my all time fave post break-up songs)
Overrated: "In My Life"
Underrated: "Michelle" (Just a perfect twinge of sweetness and wistfulness that makes me feel warm and fuzzy)
Revolver
Best: "Here There And Everywhere"
Worst: "Doctor Roberts" (it's good but goofy)
Favorite: "I'm Only Sleeping"/"And Your Bird Can Sing"/"She Said She Said" (also like three other songs, I had to stop somewhere).
Overrated: "Eleanor Rigby" and "Yellow Submarine"
Underrated: "Good Day Sunshine" (pure cheese by Paul, but damn, it's good cheese)
Sgt Pepper's
Best: "A Day in the Life" (someone might track me down and hurt me if I didn't place this here)
Worst: "Within You Without You" (I'm the kinda Beatles fan that gets bummed by a Indian-inspired tune - just too drone-y and boring).
Favorite: "When I'm Sixty-Four" (What can I say? I'm a romantic)
Overrated: "A Day in the Life" (it's true)
Underrated: "Fixing a Hole"
Magical Mystery Tour (I know, I know this barely counts as an album)
Best: "Strawberry Fields Forever" (one of the best songs in the history of pop music)
Worst: "Blue Jay Way" (one of the worst songs in the history of pop music - just kidding but it's bad).
Favorite:"Strawberry Fields Forever"
Overrated: "All You Need is Love" (it hurts me to write this but it's true)
Underrated: "Hello/Goodbye" (not sure if this is even possible, but I'm putting it here)
White Album (I'm cheating, so sue me)
Sides 1 & 2
Best:"While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
Worst: "Rocky Racoon"
Favorite: "I'm So Tired"/"Happiness Is A Warm Gun"
Overrated: "Glass Onion" (fun but ya know, a little too cheeky)
Underrated: "I'm So Tired"/"I Will"
Sides 3 & 4
Best: "Long Long Long"
Worst: "Revolution 9" (Should I apologize for this? It was a great choice for the time though)
Favorite: "Long Long Long"/"Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey"
Overrated: "Birthday" (for lack of a better selection...?)
Underrated: "Honey Pie"/"Helter Skelter"
I refuse to do Yellow Submarine.
Abbey Road
Best: "Here Comes the Sun"
Worst: "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" (this song should not exist and it's everyone who has a brain's least favorite Beatles song)
Favorite: The Melody the ends the album/"Here Comes the Sun"
Overrated: "Something"/"Come Together" (Have you heard the Elvis cover of "Something"? - Don't do it, just don't, it might make you hate it)
Underrated: "Oh! Darling!"
Let It Be
Best: "Two of Us"/"Across the Universe"
Worst: "Dig a Pony"
Favorite: "Two of Us"
Overrated: "Let it Be" (duh)
Underrated: "Two of Us"
Well, there ya have it folks, next up I'm going for Nirvana.
