It’s all my sister’s fault. She gave me my first records.
They were all Beatles records. When I was a little kid I listened to them all
the time - Rubber Soul, A Hard Day’s Night, Meet the Beatles,
Beatles ’65, and Yesterday and Today. She also gave me a 45 [more
on that later]. All of that music was from their “mop top” era. I remember when
the Beatles were still together. On the night we got our first dog way back in
1966, Help! was on TV. I don’t remember what it was about, I didn’t
watch it [I wanted to play with the dog]. I just remember it being on TV and my
sister watching it. I didn’t find out until many years later that George was
her favorite. When I was old enough to buy my own records with my own money, I
realized I was a “John” guy. His songs were the weird ones. They were the most
interesting songs and they sounded cool on headphones. He was the sarcastic one
with the acerbic wit. It wasn’t until many years later that he was also a bit
of an asshole. Despite all of his foibles, I’m still a “John” guy. I remember
where I was at 1030pm on December 8, 1980. It was a very bad day. The next day
wasn’t any better. On the flipside, when Dana Carvey was on Saturday Night
Live he used to do impressions of Paul McCartney. He often repeated the
phrase [in his best Liverpudlian accent] “Inka Dinka Doo.” It doesn’t mean a
damn thing, but it conveyed the feeling that Paul was a bit of a lightweight.
He was the guy who wrote all the “silly love songs.” He always came across as a
teacher’s pet. He was a bit too cutesy, which meant he was a bit annoying. But
he got better… He’s still annoying, but he did write Back in the USSR and
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, so he’s got something going for
him. Ringo was, well, Ringo. He was the most likeable one [he still is].
Ok, here’s my Top 25 [25+ 1 honorable mention]
Honorable Mention - I Want You [She's So Heavy] [Abbey Road, 1969]
25. A Hard Day’s Night [A Hard Day’s Night,
1964] - the Big Bang - Beatlemania starts here
24. All My Loving [With the Beatles,
1963] - The first song from February 9, 1964 [Ed Sullivan]. If I can play John's rhythm part, I'll die happy
23. I Saw Her Standing There [B-side, 1963]
22. Hey Bulldog [Yellow Submarine, 1969]
21. Old Brown Shoe [B-side, 1969]
20. Let It Be [Single, 1970] - this one and Get Back are a bit repetitive, but I like them anyway
19. Get Back [Single, 1969]
18. Back in the USSR [The Beatles, 1968]
17. I’ve Got a Feeling [Let It Be, 1970] - this one is from the Apple rooftop live
16. Yer Blues [The Beatles, 1968]
15. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) [Rubber
Soul, 1965]
14. Taxman [Revolver, 1966]
13. Rain [B-side, 1966]
12. Tomorrow Never Knows [Revolver,
1966]
11. Revolution [B-side, 1968]
10. While My Guitar Gently Weeps [The
Beatles, 1968]
9. Come Together [Abbey Road, 1969]
8. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band/With a Little
Help From My Friends [Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,
1967] - I can never hear one without the other, so I count these as one song...
7. Nowhere Man [Rubber Soul, 1965]
6. Dear Prudence [The Beatles, 1968] - the best song on the White Album
5. Here Comes the Sun [Abbey Road,
1969]
4. A Day in the Life [Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely
Hearts Club Band, 1967]
3. Strawberry Fields Forever [Magical
Mystery Tour, 1967]
2. I Am the Walrus [Magical Mystery Tour,
1967]
1. Help! [Help!, 1965] – This is the
aforementioned first 45. This was my favorite song the first time I heard it
over 50 years ago. It still is…
