The best Beatles songs you haven't heard of
Apparently I follow Charles Dickens on my facebook. I must have listed him as a favourite author back when I first joined and now facebook's powers that be have decided it appropriate that I receive posts in his name, probably posted by a #millennial working in a social agency, whose favourite book is Twilight or Mocking Jay or whatever the latest flavour is.
So yesterday my favourite 19th century author (or #millenial in disguise) enlightened my day with an article entitled "10 Better books by Authors you read in School', featuring the great bearded man himself (I was told to forget Great Expectations and make a beeline for Bleak House) and other biggies like F Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemmingway. A nice article, which I recommend separately, but it gave me an idea.
1) Any time at all
Let's start with a catchy one, shall we? Right from the first hit of the snare drum, 'Any time at all' has so much energy for 1964 that you wonder why it wasn't a big hit. I personally think it was because it was too fast to dance the 'twist' to. And it had the misfortune of being featured on the album that featured the unforgettable 'Hard Day's Night'
5) For no one:
A sad song that describes the end of the relationship rather poetically. Yes, this is the break-up song on this list for when you are feeling like crap but want to feel even more crap rather than listening to uplifting music. My fondness for this song, like many Beatles songs, just derives from the sheer quality of the melody, chord progression and McCartney's perfect vocal.
6) All my loving
Now to be completely honest, this song isn't that obscure and anyone with more than a passing interest in the Beatles has definitely heard it. They even played it in the famous Ed Sullivan show that made them big stars in America. But still, I feel this is one of the Beatles' most underrated love-songs, completely overshadowed by the likes of 'She loves you', 'Ticket to ride' and 'Can't buy me love'. Listen to this when you want to believe in simple, old fashioned love.
If you like these six, hit me up and I can tell you six more. Or even sixteen;)
So yesterday my favourite 19th century author (or #millenial in disguise) enlightened my day with an article entitled "10 Better books by Authors you read in School', featuring the great bearded man himself (I was told to forget Great Expectations and make a beeline for Bleak House) and other biggies like F Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemmingway. A nice article, which I recommend separately, but it gave me an idea.
The Beatles and their popular songs like 'Yesterday', 'Let it be' and 'Hey Jude' (to state just three) are just about as ubiquitous as Great Expectations or the Great Gatsby. Given the Fab Four's massive and varied discography which I have had the pleasure of listening to in full for more than a decade, could I write a similar article featuring 'better' but relatively unknown songs by the Beatles? And so I decided I could.
1) Any time at all
Let's start with a catchy one, shall we? Right from the first hit of the snare drum, 'Any time at all' has so much energy for 1964 that you wonder why it wasn't a big hit. I personally think it was because it was too fast to dance the 'twist' to. And it had the misfortune of being featured on the album that featured the unforgettable 'Hard Day's Night'
2) How do you do it:
A cute number which anyone who has ever been in a crush can associate with. Who can disagree with the lyric ' How do you do what you do to me? I wish I knew. If I knew how you do it to me, I'd do it to you'? This song won't fail to put a smile on your face. Best listened to when you are feeling infatuated and want to indulge the feeling.
3) Your mother should know
This is my favourite song here. The melody is simple but honest and one that sticks with you while giving you just the slightest hint of nostalgia even if you are hearing it for the first time. It may have something to do with the fact that the version I'm familiar with (off their Anthrology 2 album) features a Harmonium, an Indian Accordion like instrument, that I link with my childhood. But still, either with Harmonium or Piano (in the final version), highly recommended.
4) Happiness is a warm gun
This song has the most attitude out of anything the Beatles produced in their 8 years together and could even show modern angsty bands a thing or two. Bad-ass distorted guitar riff, lyrics that mean little but sound incredibly cool like 'She's well aquainted with the touch of the velvet hand like a lizard on the window pane' and vocal stylings in parts that sound like Nirvana ripped the Beatles off (listen to the "I need a fix' part). This is the bad ass side of the Beatles, far removed from their poppy love songs and demonstrating the range they had, just like their psychedelic works of arts like Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds did.
5) For no one:
A sad song that describes the end of the relationship rather poetically. Yes, this is the break-up song on this list for when you are feeling like crap but want to feel even more crap rather than listening to uplifting music. My fondness for this song, like many Beatles songs, just derives from the sheer quality of the melody, chord progression and McCartney's perfect vocal.
6) All my loving
Now to be completely honest, this song isn't that obscure and anyone with more than a passing interest in the Beatles has definitely heard it. They even played it in the famous Ed Sullivan show that made them big stars in America. But still, I feel this is one of the Beatles' most underrated love-songs, completely overshadowed by the likes of 'She loves you', 'Ticket to ride' and 'Can't buy me love'. Listen to this when you want to believe in simple, old fashioned love.
If you like these six, hit me up and I can tell you six more. Or even sixteen;)
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