Lame-o alert: I’ve actually been thinking of this for some days now and couldn’t decide whether I should post this or not.
Question: What are your top 5 songs from the Post-Beatles works of John, Paul, Ringo and George?
A few guiding points:
For me, if I’m whittling the list to Top 5, Ringo and George don’t make the cut on my list. For Ringo, we have Photograph/It Don’t Come Easy/You’re 16 and a few more (The No, No No song for example) that are half decent but there’s no way he can crack the top five. Same with George. I googled Harrison’s Greatest Hits to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anything by George and he’s out as well.
Now then, before I reveal my selections, I would like to clarify that this is based on personal favorites and not a list of what you think are the 5 Greatest / Most Influential / Well-known, etc. tunes. In other words, this isn’t an exercise of what should be on the list, but rather your actual faves. For that reason, I don’t have **Imagine **nor My Sweet Lord since they just don’t do it for me.
Since there’s no accounting for taste (you’ll see when I unveil my number one) your rationale can be nothing more than you like what you like.
Alright here goes:
**God **/ Lennon. (It’s the “I don’t believe in…” a bunch of things). It comes on the heels of the break-up and serves as Lennon’s mantra for where he now stands. One of his most personal offerings, musically great, vocals are strong and it’s Ringo on the drums so he makes it indirectly onto the list.
Starting Over / Lennon. I like it. All of John’s hits from Double Fantasy are excellent. He had a great supporting band that gave him a professional, tight, clean sound. John said these songs were him reconnecting with those from his generation after his lengthy layoff. Then the lyrics take on a sad poignancy after what happened on December 8. This is one of those stop-what-you’re-doing songs for me.
Mull of Kintyre / McCartney. Some find this one monotonous and flat. I think it’s a big song with a great crescendo. Great lyric –certainly as good as anything Paul’s written and hey it’s got bagpipes.
Live and Let Die / Another song with big sound. Switches to a little reggae vibe in the middle and it’s the best song associated with a James Bond movie.
[Slipping into flame-retardant suit]
Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey. –Just gimme a second alright. I just heard this on the radio a few days ago which is what set this idea in motion. It’s two songs rolled into one, it has a “Yellow Submarine / When I’m 64” feel to it and I think it was a gutsy choice for Paul coming after the tepid response from his earlier solo trials.
There you have it. Flame away if you wish. I won’t be surprised if someone claims that that one would be on their Top 5 Worst Post-Beatles’ Works –an OP I’m sure will be along any minute now.
Like the OP, I also like “Uncle Albert” quite a bit. To quote Mozart in Amadeus: “It’s a funny little tune.”
IMHO, “Imagine” has reached and gone way beyond the saturation point with me. Rolling Stone voted it the 3rd greatest rock song of all time or something. Really? :dubious:
McCartney, “Junior’s Farm”
Lennon, “Isolation”
Harrison, “Isn’t It a Pity”
Lennon, “Instant Karma”
McCartney, “Maybe I’m Amazed” (the live version esp.)
I think as a whole record Harrison’s All Things Must Pass might get the nod, provided I ignore the atrocious jam stuff stuck on the end. Lennon’s anger grates on me more the older I get and I don’t really like any of McCartney’s all the way through. Ringo’s “Goodnight Vienna” might dent this list in the 20s.
You may be right. I always associate While My Guitar Gently Weeps with Harrison because of the incredible guitar work. But, maybe it was released on a Beatles album.
I didn’t include Pauls duets. Ebony and Ivory and The Girl is Mine are fantastic. I rate them as personal favorites.
Just popped in to say I heard a live version of Mull of Kintyre and, even though I hate hate hate some of Paul’s latest “efforts” (Nod Your Head? I think not), I love the Scawttish Priiide that infuses this.
And Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey was the song that convinced me that life would go on after the Beatles.
I understand this attitude, but surely *The Concert For Bangladesh *was a ray of hope, coming as it did in a troubled time for Africa, for The 'Nam Generation, and for mourning Beatles fans.
5- “What Is Life” by George Harrison
4- “It Don’t Come Easy” by Ringo Starr
3- “Junior’s Farm” by Paul McCartney & Wings
2- “#9 Dream” by John Lennon
1- “Venus & Mars/Rock Show” by Paul McCartney & Wings
I’d almost like to count some of the Travelling Wilbury songs as George solo material. I’d also love to include “On the Wings of a Nightingale,” which Paul wrote for the 1984 Everly Brothers comeback.
George Harrison-Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)
and Crackerbox Palace
Ringo Starr-It Don’t Come Easy
John Lennon-Imagine
Paul McCartney-Hope For Deliverance
The older I get the angry rocker stuff gets tougher to listen too. I find this to be the same with almost all Blues music.