In an alternate universe, Yoko Ono was never born.
So the Beatles in late August of 1970 went back to the recording studio to lay down tracks for their 1970 album.
How about if you give it a name and pick 14 or so tracks. Have fun!
Ringo
Sentimental Journey
Sentimental Journey I'm A Fool To Care
Whispering Grass Blue, Turning Grey Over You
Night And Day Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing
Stardust You Always Hurt The One You Love
Dream Let The Rest Of The World Go By
Bye Bye Blackbird Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?
Beaucoups of Blues
Beaucoups of Blues Love Don't Last Long
Without Her Fastest Growing Heartache In The West
Woman Of The Night I'd Be Talking All The Time
$15 Draw Wine, Women And Loud Happy Songs
Loser's Lounge I Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way
Waiting Silent Homecoming
Singles
Coochy Coochy
It Don't Come Easy Early 1970
John
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
Mother Hold On
I Found Out Working Class Hero
Isolation Remember
Love Well Well Well
Look at Me God
My Mummy's Dead
Singles
Cold Turkey
Instant Karma
Paul
McCartney
The Lovely Linda That Would Be Something
Valentine Day Every Night
Hot as Sun/Glasses Junk
Man We Was Lonely Oo You
Momma Miss America Teddy Boy
Singalong Junk Maybe I'm Amazed
Kreen-Akrore
George
All Things Must Pass
I'd Have You Anytime My Sweet Lord
Wah-Wah Isn't It A Pity (Version One)
What Is Life If Not For You
Let It Down Behind That Locked Door
Run Of The Mill Beware Of Darkness
Apple Scruffs Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Down)
Awaiting On You All All Thing Must Pass
I Dig Love Art Of Dying
Hear Me Lord Isn't It A Pity (Version Two)
I have a feeling even if Yoko wasn’t around, George would’ve exploded. His songs, imo, are heads and tails above the others’ from this list, so I’m going to pretend that George lays down the law and tells John and paul that things are going to be different with this album.
In MY alternative universe, if Yoko had never been born, Lennon would have started a sexual/creative relationship with Soupy Sales.. And events would have carried out along approximately the same lines.
The Two Virgins album cover might have sparked more controversy, though.
I would’ve left this sentence out, both because you run the risk of letting the thread be hijacked by a debate over how much (if any) responsibility Yoko bears for the breakup, and because it obliges us to worry about whether John’s music from that era would have been different without Yoko.
It’s a good idea for a thread, though. I’ve noticed there’s a book that has a similar premise, though I haven’t been willing to cough up the dough for it.
I’m going to have to think on it, after which I may or may not reply. I’m not as familiar with some of those albums as I should be to give a well-informed answer.
John:
Instant Karma
Jealous Guy
Paul:
Maybe I’m Amazed
Teddy Boy
Junk
Every Night
Backseat of My Car
Ooh You
Momma Miss America
Another Day
George:
My Sweet Lord
All things must Pass
The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp
Ringo:
It Don’t Come Easy
They were winding it down, except for Paul who was just starting something else. It was not easy for John to come up with good songs then. My entire opinion is probably clouded by the fact that I don’t like Plastic Ono band.
I’m not qualified to answer, not being fully familar with Plastic Ono, All Things, or Ringo’s albums. But what the heck.
My Sweet Lord wouldn’t make the cut. There were enough problems with the brilliant Chuck Berry homage Come Together to allow Harrison’s total (unconscious) thievery. And I’m not fond of several other things I’ve heard off George’s album… such as Isn’t It a Pity.
If Not for You is a Dylan song, so I doubt it shows up.
I’m fond of Another Day, which dates to 1969. There was a writer that claimed Paul ripped him off on that tune, but I don’t believe it got any legal traction.
John:
Instant Karma
Jealous Guy
Working Class Hero (it would be tricky…)
Cold Turkey
Ringo:
It Don’t Come Easy
Paul:
Another Day
Junk
Maybe I’m Amazed (not a favorite, but I think the Dead played it frequently.)
Back Seat of My Car (John would have to toughen it up a little.)
George:
What Is Life
Apple Scruffs
And… a couple other tracks. I don’t think there’s a single there as good as Here Comes The Sun or Let It Be, but overall a stronger album than Let It Be. It would probably be disjointed in a White Album way, but who knows what would emerge from the studio?
The Beatles would have broken up without Yoko; George felt very constrained by his one or two songs.
And any combination of these songs is problematic. Most of Ringo’s songs are covers, which the group no longer did. He’d be given “It Don’t Come Easy” and that was it. I doubt Lennon would have accepted the religious themes in All Things Must Pass. Much of McCartney was fluff, though it might have worked as a medley like on Abbey Road. Lennon’s things were too intensely personal.
I’d scrape together this. It’s a bit short for an album, though. OTOH, I suspect that there would be other songs written as they worked out things in the studio.
Instant Karma
My Sweet Lord
Cold Turkey
It Don’t Come Easy
What is Life
Working Class Hero
McCartney Medley (Man We Was Lonely/That Would Be Something/Every Night)
Wah-Wah
Apple Scruffs
Maybe I’m Amazed