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The Album Everyone Should Own

Joe Hutch said:
This true. But the other huge advantage Hard Day's Night has over other Beatles' albums is that Ringo doesn't sing. That's right - no lame Carl Perkins covers, no cute kiddies' songs, no godawful C&W shite, just John, Paul and George singing perfect pop songs
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He drums beautifully though. I don’t mind the odd Ringo vocal. The harmony singing is incredible on this record, just sounds so natural.
 
Woodface said:
I think an album everyone should own needs to be accessible. I generally put forward a Beatles record when asked this kind of question as I’m always amazed how little people know of their album tracks.

The reason I suggested ‘Hard days night’ comes from an incident a few years ago when I had some friends round for dinner; playlist via Sonos in the background. The track ‘Things we said today’ came on, one of our guests who is a pretty gifted musician, recognised it as the Beatles but had never heard it.

I believe ‘Things we said today’ is one of the greatest songs ever written, it’s utterly perfect & it is tucked away on side two of said album. It’s what makes the Beatles great.
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Whilst not really a fan of anything pre Rubber Soul, I had a similar experience to that you describe when I first heard 'It's All Too Much', clearly and instantly recognisable as The Beatles/Harrison but because it was on Yellow Submarine I'd rightly never heard it.
 
matt j said:
Whilst not really a fan of anything pre Rubber Soul, I had a similar experience to that you describe when I first heard 'It's All Too Much', clearly and instantly recognisable as The Beatles/Harrison but because it was on Yellow Submarine I'd rightly never heard it.
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Hard Days Night is one of my favourites, it just has an inherent joy to it. I reckon a lot of people are not that familiar with Revolver also.
 
Joe Hutch said:
This true. But the other huge advantage Hard Day's Night has over other Beatles' albums is that Ringo doesn't sing. That's right - no lame Carl Perkins covers, no cute kiddies' songs, no godawful C&W shite, just John, Paul and George singing perfect pop songs
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And it's only 30 minutes long. ;)
 
miktec said:
Astral Weeks

(despite his recent wierdnesses)
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I suspect you have to be emotionally dead to derive nothing at all from Astral Weeks.

OTOH, I had a conversation with a neighbour the other day. She's a bit younger than me (isn't everyone?) and likes to see herself as a 'Rock Chick'..though she's around 60ish..maybe a bit more. She agreed that vocals are very personal and that many can't abide certain vocalists however good their music. We iscussed Dylan, Cohen and Morrison (Van) in that context.

Given her alleged 'wide' taste in music, I suggested she might like to hear Jenny Warnes 'Famous Blue Raincoat/Hunter etc.. but she just isn't interested. If I'm honest.. I feel much the same about most heavy rock and prog. From my perspective I grew out of all that stuff after about 1970...yet I never tire of certain pop stuff from classic bands such as the Phil Spector lot, Motown, and the Drifters, Chiffons, Shirelles etc..

Where's the logic?

Who knows?
 
Yank said:
Out to Lunch - Eric Dolphy
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I have it. I think I've played it once. I recall someone on here saying that it was a bit 'out there', but he 'thought he was beginning to see what he was doing' or thereabouts.

Music doesn't work like that for me. It moves me.. or it doesn't. If I have to analyse it.. it is not serving its purpose.
 
Woodface said:
He drums beautifully though. I don’t mind the odd Ringo vocal. The harmony singing is incredible on this record, just sounds so natural.
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I too can't fault his drumming. I don't recall what I made of his 'singing' back in the day. I was 13 when 'Love Me Do' was released.

If I was pushed I'd say I saw Ringo as just a part of the wide appeal of the Beatles. They were 'cutting edge' one minute and 'Yer Grannie's Favourites' the next. In the early days.. they, like everyone else.. did covers. Outside of that.. Lennon was abrasive and harsh, but not lacking in angst and emotion. McCartney was all melodic, but also rooted in Music Hall. Harrison was increasingly spiritual. It's complex...it's capable of endless analysis ...and it's all part of the mystique...

Someone upthread mentioned 'Things We Said Today'. For me, it is that quality of songwriting.. for what many might even still regard as 'filler'..which marks out the Beatles as all time classics. Good as most of their chart singles were.. you have to look to the albums for the gems. Can anyone name another band which came up with so many original and enduring songs? Can anyone name another band whose album tracks and 'B' sides were so staggeringly good?

I suspect I'm in the minority here in having actually been there..on the ground..when the Beatles 'broke'. Trust me.. they were out there on their own...
 
Mullardman said:
I too can't fault his drumming. I don't recall what I made of his 'singing' back in the day. I was 13 when 'Love Me Do' was released.

If I was pushed I'd say I saw Ringo as just a part of the wide appeal of the Beatles. They were 'cutting edge' one minute and 'Yer Grannie's Favourites' the next. In the early days.. they, like everyone else.. did covers. Outside of that.. Lennon was abrasive and harsh, but not lacking in angst and emotion. McCartney was all melodic, but also rooted in Music Hall. Harrison was increasingly spiritual. It's complex...it's capable of endless analysis ...and it's all part of the mystique...

Someone upthread mentioned 'Things We Said Today'. For me, it is that quality of songwriting.. for what many might even still regard as 'filler'..which marks out the Beatles as all time classics. Good as most of their chart singles were.. you have to look to the albums for the gems. Can anyone name another band which came up with so many original and enduring songs? Can anyone name another band whose album tracks and 'B' sides were so staggeringly good?

I suspect I'm in the minority here in having actually been there..on the ground..when the Beatles 'broke'. Trust me.. they were out there on their own...
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It was me who mentioned ‘Things we said today’, I think it is one of the greatest songs ever written & would go further in saying it is absolutely perfect. All the pieces fit together yet it is so much more than the sum of its parts.

Your point about granny songs is very pertinent as I always think wide appeal is a part of greatness. Who else wrote songs like ‘when I’m 64’, a seemingly jaunty, throwaway ditty with rather biting & cynical lyrics?
 
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