Post by BiteUrLip on Jul 21, 2018 20:09:56 GMT
It's time to concentrate to the most important music artist of all-time, The Beatles. Their music was so groundbreaking so it cannot be unnoticed. From a teenage mania into a musically experimental treasure maker, they made lots of great music.
So, I'll do a list of the studio albums from worst to best, describe my views shortly and mention highlights, super highlights and disasters. I will also state my opinion of the rest of their songs - the songs that didn't appear in their studio albums.
12. With The Beatles
The boys' second album comes as the weakest, though it's really not a weak album. Belonging to their early era, it doesn't offer any beyond brilliant songs, but many reach the "highlight" status. The best song here, that gets the closest to being a "super highlight", is "All My Loving". It's truly a tender, romantic love song that has a brilliant acoustic guitar arrangement. Another one is "'Till There Was You", which is in a similar mood but it's slower. There are bunch of other pretty good songs, some being highlights and some not. The weakest is probably "I Wanna Be Your Man", which is a fine song but a weak in the quality norm of the fab four. Don't understand at all why The Rolling Stones wanted to record it.
Highlights:
All My Loving
'Till There Was You
Please Mr. Postman
Roll Over Beethoven
Devil In Her Heart
Super highlights:
none
Disasters:
none
11. A Hard Day's Night
Most fans would put this one higher, but I don't. It has great content, but like With The Beatles, there are no super highlights, and that's why it won't get higher. There are some songs that get close though - the title track, which is a nicely energetic rocker and "Tell Me Why", which also is an uptempo song. The low spots on this album aren't as low as in With The Beatles, which is a good thing.
Highlights:
A Hard Day's Night
If I Fell
And I Love Her
Tell Me Why
Any Time At All
I'll Be Back
Super highlights:
none
Disasters:
none
10. Beatles For Sale
For some fans, this is the worst. For me, nope - there are great moments in this album and the weak songs are still decent. My favorite song is "I'll Follow The Sun", which is a cool song with a positive message. Rockers like "Rock & Roll Music" and "Kansas City - Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey!" really work well. Believe it or not, but my least favorite song from this one is "Eight Days A Week". It is lyrically okay, but musically not. One of my least favorite early hits of theirs.
Highlights:
Rock & Roll Music
I'll Follow The Sun
Kansas City - Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey!
Words Of Love
Honey Don't
What You're Doing
Super highlights:
none
Disasters:
none
9. The Beatles (The White Album)
Now you're again surprised, this album at number nine?! Why not higher? The reason for this album being this low is simple - it's a double album and not all songs are that great. There are two shockingly bad songs, "Wild Honey Pie" and "Revolution 9", on the album. Both were experimentalism going way too far. It was obvious that the bad relations between the boys made an effect to the music - they were selfishly defending their own songs (at least John and Paul) instead of really co-operating to create a masterpiece. That was about the bad side of the record - so what about the positive side? Of course, there were many successful songs, out of a few reaching the super highlight status. "Blackbird" is probably the best of them - it's a really sweet tune, that really works without drums. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is a dark, haunting ballad, that also reaches the highest rank. "Piggies" I love mainly because of the harpsichord. Also the closing track of the whole record is really impressive - it really wishes you sweet dreams!
Highlights:
Back In The U.S.S.R.
Dear Prudence
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Happiness Is A Warm Gun
Martha My Dear
Don't Pass Me By
I Will
Julia
Birthday
Mother Nature's Son
Revolution 1
Honey Pie
Super highlights:
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Blackbird
Piggies
Good Night
Disasters:
Wild Honey Pie
Revolution 9
8. Please Please Me
The Beatles' debut album occupies the slot number eight. It is a satisfying record without weak points, and inclusion of several highlights. "Twist And Shout" is probably the best of the highlights, a really energetic closer with fun backing vocals that add their impressive power to John's lead vocals. "I Saw Her Standing There" is also a great song - a rock & roll uptempo number. The singles off of the album are great too! Can't really point out any weak spots from this album, and if I had to mention my least favorite song, it would be "Chains".
Highlights:
I Saw Her Standing There
Misery
Ask Me Why
Please Please Me
Love Me Do
P.S. I Love You
Baby It's You
Twist And Shout
Super highlights:
none
Disasters:
none
7. Revolver
Next comes the album highlighted as the number one Beatles album by Ultimate Classic Rock. It is a favorite for many... but not for me. The reason? There are no super highlights on this record, and although all the songs are great, the whole album average score doesn't get enough high. Only two hits can be found from the album, "Eleanor Rigby" and "Yellow Submarine". Signs of psychedelia can be noticed at least from "Yellow Submarine", but also the India -influenced songs "Love You To" and "Tomorrow Never Knows". My favorite non-hit song from here is "And Your Bird Can Sing" - love the mood on that one! If I have to mention my least favorite song, it's "I Want To Tell You".
Highlights:
Taxman
Eleanor Rigby
Love You To
Here, There And Everywhere
Yellow Submarine
Good Day Sunshine
And Your Bird Can Sing
For No One
Got To Get You Into My Life
Tomorrow Never Dies
Super highlights:
none
Disasters:
none
6. Help!
This album is from a period when the boys' music started to get more serious, out from the simple, tender love song mode. "Yesterday" is the absolute superior song from the album, and the rest are not that great but still not bad any way. In fact, "Yesterday" is the most covered song of all-time, telling about it's importance in popular music. What about the rest? I really like "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" sung by Ringo. "Ticket To Ride" is an interesting song and one of the hits. The best non-hit is probably "I've Just Seen A Face", an uptempo number. The album has no bad songs, but my least favorite would be probably "Another Girl".
Highlights:
Help!
You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
I Need You
Ticket To Ride
Act Naturally
It's Only Love
Tell Me What You See
I've Just Seen A Face
Super highlights:
Yesterday
Disasters:
none
5. Let It Be
This is a strange exception in the Beatles' catalog because it isn't much liked, although it's one of the later albums. It's got three superior songs, "Across The Universe", "Let It Be" and "The Long And Winding Road", the second being best of them and my favorite Beatles song. And that is only the end of the super highlight ranked songs, which means the album won't stay too far from the top. I also like "Get Back", which has some kind of a r&b feeling to it, and "I've Got A Feeling". The album's got one quite weak song, "Dig It", which is almost a disaster - and that keeps 'Let It Be' just on the bottom of the top 5.
Highlights:
I Me Mine
I've Got A Feeling
Get Back
Super highlights:
Across The Universe
Let It Be
The Long And Winding Road
Disasters:
none
4. Rubber Soul
This album is a continuation towards the more experimental and serious sound, started by the previous album. It is filled with hits, "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" being my own top pick. "In My Life" got wonderful lyrics and a beautiful harpsichord instrumental break. "Michelle" and "Girl" were composed after the record company started to ask more "Yesterday" -type of ballads. I generally don't like record companies who control their artists' creative work, and this one's not an exception - both of these songs are not that great although they reach the highlight status. But generally, the material on this album is really strong. In my own opinion, the weakest point is "The Word".
Highlights:
Drive My Car
You Won't See Me
Nowhere Man
Michelle
What Goes On
Girl
I'm Looking Through You
In My Life
If I Needed Someone
Super highlights:
Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
Disasters:
none
3. Abbey Road
There is one reason why this album is really an interesting one: It's been rated as the number one Beatles album in rateyourmusic.com, where users can rate their music. So, in my list it is somewhere in the middle. The songs are certainly experimental and unique, and I particularly like to mention "Come Together" and "Here Comes The Sun" as the best songs off the album. The former is instrumentally stripped down song, and it's hard to say what it really is - except that it does work amazingly well! The latter is George's composition, a clearly positive, happy song - it is one of those songs which you want to play when you want to get in a good mood. I have not much to say about the rest of the stronger material on the album, except that "Because" is probably their most unique, but still successful song. So, what is the bad side of the album? Well, the problem is the bunch of short songs in the ending. Only a couple of them reach the highlight status, so that is a bit of a shame.
Highlights:
Something
Maxwell's Silver Hammer
Oh! Darling
Octopus's Garden
Because
Golden Slumbers
Carry That Weight
Super highlights:
Come Together
Here Comes The Sun
Disasters:
none
2. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Here we have an album that could be the number one for me - it is the greatest album of all-time by Rolling Stone magazine's list. My top pick from it is "A Day In The Life", an epic final track. Then there are a bunch of highlights, of course. I've never quite connected to "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds", because I don't like Lennon's vocals in it (especially in the bridge), so it is "just" a highlight. I rather like Elton John's version more. A couple more highlights that I'd like to mention are "She's Leaving Home" because of the tender feeling all over the recording, and "When I'm Sixty-Four", which is a fun song. The weakest track to me is "Good Morning Good Morning", which sounds a bit too chaotic to me.
Highlights:
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
With A Little Help From My Friends
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
Getting Better
She's Leaving Home
Within You Without You
When I'm Sixty Four
Lovely Rita
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
Super highlights:
A Day In The Life
Disasters:
none
1. Magical Mystery Tour
A weird number one pick, you would probably say, at first - but after looking closer to the album, it's not a weird pick at all. There are seven hits on the album, out of which three are super highlights. The non-hits are not as good as the hits, but I can't call them weak either. "I Am The Walrus" is probably the craziest Beatles song ever, but in a good way - and that's why it's a favorite. "Hello Goodbye" has been a favorite for me for a very long time, being in my top 5 Beatles songs. And "Penny Lane" sounds like an anthem really. My least favorite is "Blue Jay Way", which is an average song, as well as "Baby You're A Rich Man" as the 2nd least favorite (the lyrics should be funny at least).
Highlights:
Magical Mystery Tour
A Fool On The Hill
Strawberry Fields Forever
All You Need Is Love
Super highlights:
I Am The Walrus
Hello Goodbye
Penny Lane
Disasters:
none
--------------------
So, there were the main studio releases, but I also want to say my opinion about the rest of the discography. That includes songs from the red and blue compilation albums, the anthology albums, Rarities and a few from here and there.
The top pick of the rest is "Hey Jude". It is divided into two parts, and my favorite is the latter part, which has lots of energy. Then we've got "Revolution", which is far better than the one (Revolution 1) on the White Album. It could be called a pioneer of hard rock music. However, I don't think there are many songs more that should receive special attention. "I Want To Hold Your Hand" is one of my least favorite hits, mainly because it sounds rude.
Highlights:
She Loves You
I Feel Fine
Paperback Writer
Lady Madonna
Revolution
Don't Let Me Down
The Ballad Of John And Yoko
Real Love
All Things Must Pass
Rain
Super highlights:
Hey Jude
Disasters:
Only A Northern Song
Moonlight Bay
You'll Be Mine
What's The New Mary Jane
You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)
So, I'll do a list of the studio albums from worst to best, describe my views shortly and mention highlights, super highlights and disasters. I will also state my opinion of the rest of their songs - the songs that didn't appear in their studio albums.
12. With The Beatles
The boys' second album comes as the weakest, though it's really not a weak album. Belonging to their early era, it doesn't offer any beyond brilliant songs, but many reach the "highlight" status. The best song here, that gets the closest to being a "super highlight", is "All My Loving". It's truly a tender, romantic love song that has a brilliant acoustic guitar arrangement. Another one is "'Till There Was You", which is in a similar mood but it's slower. There are bunch of other pretty good songs, some being highlights and some not. The weakest is probably "I Wanna Be Your Man", which is a fine song but a weak in the quality norm of the fab four. Don't understand at all why The Rolling Stones wanted to record it.
Highlights:
All My Loving
'Till There Was You
Please Mr. Postman
Roll Over Beethoven
Devil In Her Heart
Super highlights:
none
Disasters:
none
11. A Hard Day's Night
Most fans would put this one higher, but I don't. It has great content, but like With The Beatles, there are no super highlights, and that's why it won't get higher. There are some songs that get close though - the title track, which is a nicely energetic rocker and "Tell Me Why", which also is an uptempo song. The low spots on this album aren't as low as in With The Beatles, which is a good thing.
Highlights:
A Hard Day's Night
If I Fell
And I Love Her
Tell Me Why
Any Time At All
I'll Be Back
Super highlights:
none
Disasters:
none
10. Beatles For Sale
For some fans, this is the worst. For me, nope - there are great moments in this album and the weak songs are still decent. My favorite song is "I'll Follow The Sun", which is a cool song with a positive message. Rockers like "Rock & Roll Music" and "Kansas City - Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey!" really work well. Believe it or not, but my least favorite song from this one is "Eight Days A Week". It is lyrically okay, but musically not. One of my least favorite early hits of theirs.
Highlights:
Rock & Roll Music
I'll Follow The Sun
Kansas City - Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey!
Words Of Love
Honey Don't
What You're Doing
Super highlights:
none
Disasters:
none
9. The Beatles (The White Album)
Now you're again surprised, this album at number nine?! Why not higher? The reason for this album being this low is simple - it's a double album and not all songs are that great. There are two shockingly bad songs, "Wild Honey Pie" and "Revolution 9", on the album. Both were experimentalism going way too far. It was obvious that the bad relations between the boys made an effect to the music - they were selfishly defending their own songs (at least John and Paul) instead of really co-operating to create a masterpiece. That was about the bad side of the record - so what about the positive side? Of course, there were many successful songs, out of a few reaching the super highlight status. "Blackbird" is probably the best of them - it's a really sweet tune, that really works without drums. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is a dark, haunting ballad, that also reaches the highest rank. "Piggies" I love mainly because of the harpsichord. Also the closing track of the whole record is really impressive - it really wishes you sweet dreams!
Highlights:
Back In The U.S.S.R.
Dear Prudence
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Happiness Is A Warm Gun
Martha My Dear
Don't Pass Me By
I Will
Julia
Birthday
Mother Nature's Son
Revolution 1
Honey Pie
Super highlights:
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Blackbird
Piggies
Good Night
Disasters:
Wild Honey Pie
Revolution 9
8. Please Please Me
The Beatles' debut album occupies the slot number eight. It is a satisfying record without weak points, and inclusion of several highlights. "Twist And Shout" is probably the best of the highlights, a really energetic closer with fun backing vocals that add their impressive power to John's lead vocals. "I Saw Her Standing There" is also a great song - a rock & roll uptempo number. The singles off of the album are great too! Can't really point out any weak spots from this album, and if I had to mention my least favorite song, it would be "Chains".
Highlights:
I Saw Her Standing There
Misery
Ask Me Why
Please Please Me
Love Me Do
P.S. I Love You
Baby It's You
Twist And Shout
Super highlights:
none
Disasters:
none
7. Revolver
Next comes the album highlighted as the number one Beatles album by Ultimate Classic Rock. It is a favorite for many... but not for me. The reason? There are no super highlights on this record, and although all the songs are great, the whole album average score doesn't get enough high. Only two hits can be found from the album, "Eleanor Rigby" and "Yellow Submarine". Signs of psychedelia can be noticed at least from "Yellow Submarine", but also the India -influenced songs "Love You To" and "Tomorrow Never Knows". My favorite non-hit song from here is "And Your Bird Can Sing" - love the mood on that one! If I have to mention my least favorite song, it's "I Want To Tell You".
Highlights:
Taxman
Eleanor Rigby
Love You To
Here, There And Everywhere
Yellow Submarine
Good Day Sunshine
And Your Bird Can Sing
For No One
Got To Get You Into My Life
Tomorrow Never Dies
Super highlights:
none
Disasters:
none
6. Help!
This album is from a period when the boys' music started to get more serious, out from the simple, tender love song mode. "Yesterday" is the absolute superior song from the album, and the rest are not that great but still not bad any way. In fact, "Yesterday" is the most covered song of all-time, telling about it's importance in popular music. What about the rest? I really like "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" sung by Ringo. "Ticket To Ride" is an interesting song and one of the hits. The best non-hit is probably "I've Just Seen A Face", an uptempo number. The album has no bad songs, but my least favorite would be probably "Another Girl".
Highlights:
Help!
You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
I Need You
Ticket To Ride
Act Naturally
It's Only Love
Tell Me What You See
I've Just Seen A Face
Super highlights:
Yesterday
Disasters:
none
5. Let It Be
This is a strange exception in the Beatles' catalog because it isn't much liked, although it's one of the later albums. It's got three superior songs, "Across The Universe", "Let It Be" and "The Long And Winding Road", the second being best of them and my favorite Beatles song. And that is only the end of the super highlight ranked songs, which means the album won't stay too far from the top. I also like "Get Back", which has some kind of a r&b feeling to it, and "I've Got A Feeling". The album's got one quite weak song, "Dig It", which is almost a disaster - and that keeps 'Let It Be' just on the bottom of the top 5.
Highlights:
I Me Mine
I've Got A Feeling
Get Back
Super highlights:
Across The Universe
Let It Be
The Long And Winding Road
Disasters:
none
4. Rubber Soul
This album is a continuation towards the more experimental and serious sound, started by the previous album. It is filled with hits, "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" being my own top pick. "In My Life" got wonderful lyrics and a beautiful harpsichord instrumental break. "Michelle" and "Girl" were composed after the record company started to ask more "Yesterday" -type of ballads. I generally don't like record companies who control their artists' creative work, and this one's not an exception - both of these songs are not that great although they reach the highlight status. But generally, the material on this album is really strong. In my own opinion, the weakest point is "The Word".
Highlights:
Drive My Car
You Won't See Me
Nowhere Man
Michelle
What Goes On
Girl
I'm Looking Through You
In My Life
If I Needed Someone
Super highlights:
Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
Disasters:
none
3. Abbey Road
There is one reason why this album is really an interesting one: It's been rated as the number one Beatles album in rateyourmusic.com, where users can rate their music. So, in my list it is somewhere in the middle. The songs are certainly experimental and unique, and I particularly like to mention "Come Together" and "Here Comes The Sun" as the best songs off the album. The former is instrumentally stripped down song, and it's hard to say what it really is - except that it does work amazingly well! The latter is George's composition, a clearly positive, happy song - it is one of those songs which you want to play when you want to get in a good mood. I have not much to say about the rest of the stronger material on the album, except that "Because" is probably their most unique, but still successful song. So, what is the bad side of the album? Well, the problem is the bunch of short songs in the ending. Only a couple of them reach the highlight status, so that is a bit of a shame.
Highlights:
Something
Maxwell's Silver Hammer
Oh! Darling
Octopus's Garden
Because
Golden Slumbers
Carry That Weight
Super highlights:
Come Together
Here Comes The Sun
Disasters:
none
2. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Here we have an album that could be the number one for me - it is the greatest album of all-time by Rolling Stone magazine's list. My top pick from it is "A Day In The Life", an epic final track. Then there are a bunch of highlights, of course. I've never quite connected to "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds", because I don't like Lennon's vocals in it (especially in the bridge), so it is "just" a highlight. I rather like Elton John's version more. A couple more highlights that I'd like to mention are "She's Leaving Home" because of the tender feeling all over the recording, and "When I'm Sixty-Four", which is a fun song. The weakest track to me is "Good Morning Good Morning", which sounds a bit too chaotic to me.
Highlights:
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
With A Little Help From My Friends
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
Getting Better
She's Leaving Home
Within You Without You
When I'm Sixty Four
Lovely Rita
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
Super highlights:
A Day In The Life
Disasters:
none
1. Magical Mystery Tour
A weird number one pick, you would probably say, at first - but after looking closer to the album, it's not a weird pick at all. There are seven hits on the album, out of which three are super highlights. The non-hits are not as good as the hits, but I can't call them weak either. "I Am The Walrus" is probably the craziest Beatles song ever, but in a good way - and that's why it's a favorite. "Hello Goodbye" has been a favorite for me for a very long time, being in my top 5 Beatles songs. And "Penny Lane" sounds like an anthem really. My least favorite is "Blue Jay Way", which is an average song, as well as "Baby You're A Rich Man" as the 2nd least favorite (the lyrics should be funny at least).
Highlights:
Magical Mystery Tour
A Fool On The Hill
Strawberry Fields Forever
All You Need Is Love
Super highlights:
I Am The Walrus
Hello Goodbye
Penny Lane
Disasters:
none
--------------------
So, there were the main studio releases, but I also want to say my opinion about the rest of the discography. That includes songs from the red and blue compilation albums, the anthology albums, Rarities and a few from here and there.
The top pick of the rest is "Hey Jude". It is divided into two parts, and my favorite is the latter part, which has lots of energy. Then we've got "Revolution", which is far better than the one (Revolution 1) on the White Album. It could be called a pioneer of hard rock music. However, I don't think there are many songs more that should receive special attention. "I Want To Hold Your Hand" is one of my least favorite hits, mainly because it sounds rude.
Highlights:
She Loves You
I Feel Fine
Paperback Writer
Lady Madonna
Revolution
Don't Let Me Down
The Ballad Of John And Yoko
Real Love
All Things Must Pass
Rain
Super highlights:
Hey Jude
Disasters:
Only A Northern Song
Moonlight Bay
You'll Be Mine
What's The New Mary Jane
You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)
