# Best of the Beatles: Abbey Road **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 4, 2014, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315 "2014-04-04T03:13:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/21 "2014-04-04T17:41:08Z")
Let It Be (the film and album) were recorded before Abbey Road but were released after AR was released. There was trouble finding someone willing to mix down the LP. Eventually, they got Phil Spector to do so. And none of the Beatles were satisfied with the results. I can’t vote in this poll. I can’t choose between Come Together, Something, Here Comes The Sun, and I Want You (She’s So Heavy). I like the progressive rock flavours of Lennon’s songs, Something is just beautiful, and HCTS is a nice pretty celebratory song. ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/22 "2014-04-04T17:50:33Z")
Crap, a bit embarassing to admit at this late date, but I never realized that my favorite song of the album - “You Never Give Me Your Money” - along with “Sun King” was considered part of the Medley at all - I just figured they were separate songs, and that the Medley really began with “Mean Mr Mustard” and went on from there. I have had the CD since the mid-1990s (never had the record or cassette, but I don’t recall if anything denotes which songs are part of the Medley or not - hmm, judging from [the image on this site](http://geminismans.wordpress.com/2012/04/13/the-beatles-abbey-road-1969/) of the (CD, I guess) back cover, the answer is NOT. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/23 "2014-04-04T17:53:18Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > If the closing medley was one thing, I’d have voted for that. But Something is really special. Even Sinatra loved and peformed it! And credited it to “Lennon, and also McCartney” (not his exact words). Apparently he later corrected the error. FS declared it “the greatest love song ever written” which was quite an about-face from his extremely dismissive slam of the Fabs several years earlier. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/24 "2014-04-04T19:17:34Z")
I can’t break the medley apart in my head. I tried. Even if I could, whatever vote I cast would be meaningless. Ironically, this is the one album for which I must abstain. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/25 "2014-04-04T19:24:53Z")
I think if I had to pick the Beatles’ single best _performance_ on a record, it would be “Come Together.” The arrangement and the playing — especially Paul’s amazing bass and George’s great fills in the outro —are just stellar. But for best _song_, my vote is for “You Never Give Me Your Money.” An overlooked masterpiece by Paul, it shows him at his most heartfelt without lapsing into sentimentality, and structurally it emulates the Long Medley in miniature; it basically distills everything great on **Abbey Road** into a single song. That was my vote. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/26 "2014-04-04T19:26:06Z")
“Come Together” because it kicks the most ass. Awesome guitar tone. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/27 "2014-04-04T20:16:09Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Ironically, this is the one album for which I must abstain. Why? Trying to save paper? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/28 "2014-04-04T20:19:30Z")
I’m still trying to decide between “Come Together,” “Something,” and “Here Comes the Sun.” The Side-2 medley is arguably the best thing the Beatles ever did, but none of its individual tracks is the best song on the album; and I think Maxwell, Darling, and Octopus are all underrated, but not in serious contention for best song on the album. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/29 "2014-04-04T20:41:49Z")
It was hard to choose between Come Together and Here Comes The Sun, but I didn’t vote for a George song in the previous polls, so I gave it to him this time. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/30 "2014-04-04T21:31:48Z")
I Want You (She’s So Heavy) is one of the coolest songs **EVER**. ---
**Author:** ![RAWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@RAWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RAWDuke)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/31 "2014-04-04T21:43:32Z")
I had to break a long period of non-posting to vote on this thread. Certainly my favorite off all Beatles albums, and since I couldn’t vote for “the medley”, I went with Maxwell’s Silver Hammer. I have to bring to everyone’s attention a tribute band called Yellow Matter Custard. This is a group of heavy metal slashers doing a lovely tribute to the Beatles, and ending their concert with “the medley” Mike Portnoy, Neal Morse, Kasim Sultan and Paul Gilbert. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/U5m8k5UBbVQ/hqdefault.jpg "Yellow Matter Custard - Abbey Road Medley (FULL)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5m8k5UBbVQ) ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/32 "2014-04-04T22:23:45Z")
> [@Nonsuch](#): > > I think if I had to pick the Beatles’ single best _performance_ on a record, it would be “Come Together.” The arrangement and the playing — especially Paul’s amazing bass and George’s great fills in the outro —are just stellar. But for best _song_, my vote is for “You Never Give Me Your Money.” An overlooked masterpiece by Paul, it shows him at his most heartfelt without lapsing into sentimentality, and structurally it emulates the Long Medley in miniature; it basically distills everything great on **Abbey Road** into a single song. That was my vote. I definitely agree with you on “You Never Give Me Your Money.” I voted for “Here Comes the Sun,” but it was basically a tie between those two and “Because.” And “Come Together.” And “Maxwell.” And “The End.” And “Something.” And . . . But seriously, I expected “Because” to be more popular - I love the intricate harmonies (especially the high part) and the lyrics. It’s weird, because it’s one of those songs I never really noticed until a few weeks ago when I listened to it and it just resonated with me. _Because the sky is blue, it makes me cry . . ._ ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/33 "2014-04-04T22:29:20Z")
It’s I Want You ( She’s so heavy ). I know, I know, Here Comes The Sun is a mammoth seminal hit. But it’s not the Beatles. I Want You… it’s… of the time. It’s the band as a whole. Even the drumming is good. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/34 "2014-04-04T22:35:55Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > … > In the end, however, I’ve gone for “Oh! Darling”, in which Paul channels Fats Domino to (IMO) great effect. I’m a little surprised to see I’m the first and only to nominate that one. This is mine also. Like many of the great Beatles songs, at its core it is a simple pop ditty, but this is knocked out of the park so hard by the raw performance that it makes all of the other Beatles works seem like little pop ditties in comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/35 "2014-04-04T22:51:07Z")
I voted before reading the OP, and so I went for **Golden Slumbers** but _meant_ **Golden Slumbers to The End**. I really can’t pick a single track on this album. It’s simply way at the top of my list of greatest, most beloved albums, and the Golden Slumbers medley is one of my favorite pieces of music of all time. ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/36 "2014-04-04T22:53:42Z")
OK, fess up, who picked **Her Majesty**? And only one vote for **Because** , really? That’s surprising. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2014, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/37 "2014-04-05T00:33:57Z")
> [@Octarine](#): > > …But seriously, I expected “Because” to be more popular - I love the intricate harmonies (especially the high part) and the lyrics. It’s weird, because it’s one of those songs I never really noticed until a few weeks ago when I listened to it and it just resonated with me. _Because the sky is blue, it makes me cry . . ._ I’ll be honest. I never realized until a year or two ago that there was a connection between the first clause of each sentence and the end clause: Because the world is _ **round** _ it _ **turns** _ me on Because the _ **wind** _ is high it _ **blows** _ my mind Because the sky is _ **blue** _, it makes me _ **cry** _ ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/38 "2014-04-05T00:51:42Z")
This may be the finest music in the history of rock music. I voted for Because. Tomorrow never knows what I might have voted for. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2014, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/39 "2014-04-05T00:55:55Z")
"Something’ was just a fragment of a song the George made up. It had been inspired by a James Taylor song “Something the way she moves” but does share its melody. When they laid a demo track it evolve into an eight minute monstrosity with a bridge writteb by John and orchestration by George Martin. During break due to Paul wanting to finish some tracks they had be working on, George wrote a whole new bridge which is in the final song.:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Andiethewestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@Andiethewestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andiethewestie)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2014, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315/40 "2014-04-05T01:07:10Z")
Thanks for the intel on Something. It has to be one of the most Romantic songs of all time. If you are not a romantic, it might suffer from schmaultz overload, but for me going back to this album it really stands up. I love both of George songs on this, and I also have to put in a plug for the Martin Scorsese documentary on him. George is just how I imagined him to be. introspective, not quiet, and loved by everyone who really knew him. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-beatles-abbey-road/685315.md?page=3)