Eonwe, it means you’re a damned fine guitarist!
Hey! Finally someone who shares my bemusement. I think this is the album where my tastes diverge a bit from the canonical “great Beatles songs” (though I did vote “Dear Prudence” here, it’s more like that a lot of the “great” songs are only so-so to me.)
I don’t get the love for “Dear Prudence.” It’s always struck me as boring.
I ultimately voted for “Back in the USSR,” though it was a difficult choice; there are several strong candidates.
Macca’s stuff on this album is pap. [GertrudeStein]There is no there there.[/GertrudeStein]
WMGGW is great, as are HIAWG, IST and DP.
An overrated album, IMO: lots of filler that probably seemed like actual material at the time. Not the best Beatles record.
Yer fulla beans.
Back in the U.S.S.R. - Great rockin’ song with a Lennon-worthy sense of humor. My choice for the poll.
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - Pushing the envelope: how many other white rockers were doing ska in 1968?
Wild Honey Pie - Just a quick throwaway.
Martha My Dear - If you hate Macca’s old-timey/rooty-tooty side you’ll never love this, but it’s a cleverly constructed tune with some nice tricksy rhythms.
Blackbird - Lovely, understated song with a stone classic guitar part.
Rocky Raccoon - Okay, it’s silly. It’s still fun.
Why Don’t We Do It in the Road? - Great raw minimalism; I’ve often heard it misattributed to Lennon.
I Will - Not one of my favorites, but the poll shows it has its defenders.
Yeah, this is the first album that had what felt like filler to me, in particular the sillier stuff like Do It In The Road and Wild Honey Pie. They sounded like throwaway stuff they did on a lark and wouldn’t have released except that they had a double album to fill.
On my choice of Dear Prudence: I love the way the same two notes on guitar over the descending chord pattern create the dreamy feel of the song, and turn utterly sublime at the turnaround when Lennon sings “Won’t you come out to play”. The buildup to the climax is helped out by some unusually flamboyant drumming from Ringo, with a conclusive change of beat for the final verse. And the final fade out with the guitar trailing off like a playful afterthought, in keeping with the intent of the lyrics. I think it’s a wonderfully crafted song from beginning to end.
And I respectfully disagree with the cover by Souxie and the Banshees. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a singer sound so casual and disinterested in her lyrics. Without the unique flavour that the Beatles gave it, it’s just another song.
Actually (unless I’m totally confused, which is possible), Paul played drums on this song.
You’re correct; that’s one of the tracks recorded during the brief period when Ringo walked out on the sessions.
You might be right - I read a biography a while ago (I think it was Bob Spitz’s?) that said they attended the same school that started at age 11 and met on the bus, so they could have been friends from a pretty early age, but chances are they were out of the “children” zone.
Anyway, my least favorite Beatles song of all time has to be “Wild Honey Pie.” Something about it just grates on my nerves. I mean, at least things like “Revolution 9” are so bizarre they’re kind of entertaining - WHP is just . . . bleah. Sometimes I wonder why it got on the album - even bland filler would be superior.
While I know that’s Paul, that sure as hell sounds like Ringo to me. “Back in the USSR” clearly sounds like non-Ringo drumming, but “Dear Prudence,” just nails Ringo’s style.
Whenever I make mention of drumming in a Beatles’ song, a voice in the back of my head wonders if it’s really Ringo. This sounded so much like him that I didn’t bother checking.
No. Pap.
Discussion over!
Lol
Well, except that for a discussion to be over, there has to have been, y’know, a discussion.
It got on the album because Patty Boyd liked it. It was supposed to be left out.
Can we do a poll eventually on just the singles? [Even tho some have shown up on later albums-Strawberry Fields, for ex.]
Octarine has indicated (s)he will probably do Past Masters, vol. 1 and 2 (?) (which omit the tracks on the full-length US MMM LP).
I voted for “Happiness”, but “Guitar”, “Prudence”, “Blackbird” and “Rocky Raccoon” were all in the running.
Sorry, I meant MMT (Magical Mystery Tour). I was confusing its initials with those of our fellow Doper Mean Mr. Mustard.