Beatles tunes that should have gotten more airplay/recognition/acknowledgment

Cafe Society
1

Last ever Beatles thread ever, I promise - your lawyers can phone my lawyers if anything otherwise happens.

I was gonna start a thread about which Beatles tunes should have gotten more airplay/recognition/acknowledgment but figured I’d search it first and came across an old thread about “most underrated” Beatles tunes, which I think is even more subjective than mine, which could possibly (if it got nerdy enough) delve into empirical data like various top of the charts mags/papers, while in the “underrated” thread, there was too much semantics in trying to define “underrated”, itself.
ok there’s a run-on sentence.
Anyhooos, I submit “Hey Bulldog”.
Other than showing up in the “Yellow Submarine” film and soundtrack, I heard it maybe twice on the radio, growing up.
Recorded a day or two before heading off for the India thing, I can’t think of a funkier stone groove they laid down. George’s solo here is one of my favourites - totally classy, jaunty, full of piss and vinegar.
Lennon’s “quiet, QUIET” at Paul was…aaaa whatever.
Too bad stations/people didn’t get into it enough so I could durned-well hear it more often!
There used to be an awesome youtube video (had tons of hits) but alas it went the way a lot of those videos do.

2

Old Brown Shoe. One of George’s best, imho.

3

One of my favourite bass parts - how it bounces along in the bridge.

4

You Know My Name, (Look Up The Number)

It was on the B side of a 45rpm. Later put on an album.
5

“For No One” from Revolver. An absolutely gorgeous melody married to some highly reflective lyrics. Nice horn part too.

6

Martha My Dear- It never gets any love but I always thought it was perfect.

Georges songs on Revolver; Love You To, and I want to tell you, as well as Taxman, make it a rock album. I think that’s his best moment.

7

I really like The Inner Light as well, George’s song that was a 1968 B-side.

Don’t Bother Me deserves more recognition, too, come to think of it – George in 1963! Also his Think for Yourself, from 1965.

Basically, we need to recognize that George didn’t just suddenly become s songwriter during Abbey Road.

8

Hey Bulldog is a great choice.

Rain - since its a single along with Paperback Writer, it doesn’t seem to be as well known, except to big Beatles’ fans who typically rate it as one of the best. I do!!

I would vote for The Night Before and Things We Said Today. The Night Before is just a classic rockin’ song - every part on that song is a hook! It is just perfect songcraft.

Things We Said Today - a perfect melding of rock songcraft with, I don’t know, kind of a Euro ballad set of minor chords. Alternating between two simple chords, then busting out with that harmony at “Sometimes when we’re dreaming, deep in love…” it is perfect, as is the bridge key change “Me I’m just a lucky guy…” - McCartney at his finest.

9

No one thinks that needed better airplay. It’s just another Revolution #9 (though I don’t mind either).

Hey Bulldog is a great choice. I’d also add George’s “Only a Northern Song.”

10

I agree with Rain and I’ll add Don’t Let Me Down, featuring some of Paul’s best bass playing and Billy Preston’s keyboards

11

I wouldn’t argue with any of the submissions so far.

But the Beatles tune I think always gets overlooked is “This Boy”.

LINK

One of John’s best lead vocals - starts off quietly, then gradually increases in intensity until the “…'til she sees you cry-y-y -y”, then back to earth again with “this boy…”

And the three part harmony - no wonder the girls were screeching.
mmm

12

All the new stuff on Yellow Submarine is criminally underplayed.

“We’ve Got to Hide Our Love Away” from Help. *Help *was generally undervalued because of the movie and the way the album got cut in America. Stuffed with songs that were too pretty to be the good rockers associated with Beatlemania. “I Need You” was the best early Harrison. “The Night Before” was already mentioned. Add on “You’re Going to Lose That Girl” and “It’s Only Love.” Lots of gorgeous stuff that’s not as popular as they should be.

13

Hey Bulldog is the first one I thought of as well.

14

Yeah, I can never hear enough of “All Together Now”. Not.

Beg to differ on Geos best early tune: “If I Needed Someone” was the only Harrison original ever to be played live by the Beatles, with great harmonies. I need You was a pale rewrite IMO.

“It’s Getting Better” has one of the great moments of all time, when everything drops out and it leaves minimal backing while they go “I used to be mean to my woman…”

15

Hey Bulldog is a great choice. I was introduced to that one listening to the Rock and Roll Music album on my sister’s mono kid’s record player. It wasn’t until years later I actually heard the vocals in the verses because of the extreme stereo mix.

16

She’s Leaving Home.

17

Hmm, yeah, I might have got those mixed up.

18

I just heard this on the radio a few days ago, for the first time in I don’t know how long. It’s a great song.

19

Agree that If I Needed is a gem, but All Together Now is a good kid’s song that I don’t mind at all.

I don’t know if it’s an under-praised song, or just not everyone’s cuppa tea, but “It’s All Too Much” is a favorite. It’s drenched in that organ sound, has a great contrast between the bold chorus and skittering verse, and unlike most of GH’s spiritual songs it has a sense of humor. (The "get me home for tea " line.)

20

“And Your Bird Can Sing.” Buried on side two of the British Revolver, consigned in the U.S. to the patchwork that is Yesterday and Today, not released as a single.

Never hear it on the radio, and it’s in my personal Top Five.