#119: Strawberry Fields Forever

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: February 17, 1967
Appears on: Magical Mystery Tour
Lead vocal: John

There's something about "Strawberry Fields Forever" that is hard to pin down, even 43 years after its' release. The song is specifically about John's childhood, almost as if it is a more detailed version of "In My Life". I really believe that it's probably the best song he ever wrote in his life and easily a top-5 Beatles track. 
The lyrics touch on just how difficult it is to be a child in a confusing world and is filled with fantastic lines. That last verse probably sums up John's life, filled with hypocrisy and confusion, more than anything else he ever wrote:
Always know, sometimes think its me
But you know, I know when it's a dream
I think a 'no', I say 'yes,' 
But it's all wrong
That is, I think I disagree
Then there's the extreme psychedelic haze that these lyrics sit in. The track starts with Paul's mellotron notes, before John's subdued vocal comes in - Let me take you down, 'cause I'm goin' to...Strawberry Fields. John plays lead guitar, piano and maracas on the track while Paul adds bass to his mellotron parts. George plays a slide guitar and svarmandal, a unique Indian instrument that adds such a strange 'string' sound. Ringo's drumming reaches a high point, especially during the added coda section. It's a great little sequence, almost as if it was tacked on specifically to highlight Ringo. George Martin also arranged trumpet and cello sections, a pair of instruments that usually don't go together alone, adding another unique layer to the song. 
Probably the coolest part of the Anthology releases is the "Strawberry Fields Forever" sequence that opens up disc two of Anthology 2. It takes the song from demo stage to the first take and finally to the seventh take. For LOVE, George and Giles Martin created a unique mix by mixing all takes of the song into one, so by the time you get to the end, it is the fully realized master that we know and love. Here is the full wacky promo film. 
The song's only LP appearances include the US Magical Mystery Tour and as the opening track to 1967-1970. 
"Strawberry Fields Forever" is easily one of the most important and impacting Beatles songs. You will always hear it on the radio and it is very hard to hold back tears whenever I hear it. I listen to it often to remind myself to calm down whenever I'm stressed. It's a nice escape from reality, but I tend to take it as a reminder that Nothing is real...
    
Let me take you down, 
'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields. 
Nothing is real,
and nothing to get hung about. 
Strawberry Fields forever. Strawberry Fields forever, 
Strawberry Fields forever, Strawberry Fields forever.


Next up: We start...the 'big' one. 

#118: Penny Lane

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: February 17, 1967
Appears on: Magical Mystery Tour
Lead vocal: Paul

It had been two months since a new Beatles release and six months since the last 100% new album. Then, out of the blue, not only did a new, double A-Sided single appear on store shelves, but a new single in a full-color sleeve. 
That single was easily their greatest and probably the greatest ever released by any group. 
"Penny Lane" b/w "Strawberry Fields Forever" (or is it "Strawberry Fields Forever" b/w "Penny Lane"?) blew the top of the lid to the other side of the solar system. Paul's "Penny Lane", an ode to the days of old in Liverpool, is, admittedly, more commercial than John's, so it appeared as the A-Side in Billboard. It hit #1 in the US for just a week before The Turtles' "Happy Together" hit the scene. In the UK, remarkably, did not hit #1 and was stuck at #2 thanks to Engelburt Humperdink! 
The song itself is unbelievable. It kicks off without an intro...In Penny Lane, there is a barber sharing photographs...and goes on to describe real places along Penny Lane. You feel as if you could step into this romanticized world thanks to Paul's intensely detailed lyrics. 
Instrumentation features John on piano and congas, Paul on piano and bass, George on just handclaps and handbells and Ringo on drums and tambourine. There is no guitar part, yet it is one of the Beatles' most heavily orchestrated songs, including piccolos, flutes, flugelhorns, oboes, cor anglais and double-bass. 
This is just a preview of Paul's pop music that would appear on Sgt. Pepper's and considering that the song was once imagined to be on that album, it makes sense. George Martin gave EMI these two songs because they were the closest to being finished and then dropped them from the LP line-up. Thus, the song's first LP appearance was as the third track on the Capitol-manufactured side two of Magical Mystery Tour in November 1967. (This is a topic we'll get to much later when I get to the original songs on that LP.)  
It did not make an LP appearance in the UK until 1973's 1967-1970. It has also appeared on the US 20 Greatest Hits and 1. You can view the wonderful promo film here.    
While "Penny Lane" is a brilliant song, I think I would keep it just outside of my top-10 Beatles tracks. It is such a poppy pop song that includes no great George Harrison guitar solo and a rather basic drum pattern from Ringo. Again, I believe the Beatles were at their absolute best when they worked as a full unit, with all four making significant contribution to the song's sound. "Penny Lane" has Paul's name all over it, making it as much a Paul McCartney song as a Beatles song. 

#102: Rain

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: June 10, 1966
Appears on: Past Masters, Vol. 2
Lead vocal: John


"Rain" is such a special song because it really is the start of the Beatles as technical innovators. The song is just brilliant with its bizarre chorus and backwards vocals that hint towards the most intricate numbers on the next LP.
Ringo has always called "Rain" his best drumming with the Beatles and it's very hard to argue with this. Take away John's brilliant vocal, Paul thumping, in-your-face bass and George's amazing guitar and you're left with easily one of the best drumming in rock history. 
The song's lyric is probably the first time John wrote a song where he seems to make himself an other-worldly being that knows how everybody does everything. When the sun shines, they slip into the shade...This is a guy who knows a lot more than we do. However, John has to get his opinion in: Rain, I don't mind...Shine, the weather's fine! 
The song, which was an obvious B-Side, never appeared on an LP on either side of the Atlantic until  1970's US LP Hey Jude. Then, it failed to make another appearance until another non-LP collection of tracks, 1978's Rarities. Now, it is on the currently available set, Past Masters. 

Like "Paperback Writer", promo films were made with Lindsay-Hogg directing. You can also see it at the official Beatles site and in the Anthology.   
This song is definitely underrated. No matter how many times Ringo talks about it, though, he can't save it from this fate. "Rain" is much more an avant-garde track than anything The Beatles had done up to this point, so it was only ever going to be a B-Side. "Paperback Writer" was definitely the more commercial of the two tracks and is a terrific song, but "Rain" will always be in my top-10 list of favorite Beatles songs. It just shows how far ahead the Beatles were in comparison to the colleges. Can you imagine groups like The Hollies, The Rolling Stones, The Byrds, The Beach Boys or whoever else using backwards vocals? I think not.    

#101: Paperback Writer

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: June 10, 1966
Appears on: Past Masters, Vol. 2
Lead vocal: Paul 


"Paaapaaah Back Writerrrr....writer...writer"


When I said in the last entry that, from now on, the world would never be the same, this is not an over-exaggeration. "Paperback Writer" b/w "Rain" was the first 45 issued in the UK by the Beatles that was not a love song. Still, the British public seemed to like it, as did Americans. 
The song's subject is about as far from what one would expect a rock song to be about. It's basically a pitch for a writer's paperback book. Of course, the singer realized right away that he wasn't going to get a hardcover deal, especially when we're talking about a dirty story of a dirty man, who's clinging wife doesn't understand. 
Technically, this song is amazing. The main highlight, of course, is Paul's bass playing. Anytime you want to prove how incredible he is at the instrument, just play them "Paperback Writer" at the loudest possible setting on your player. No need to put the bass boost up, because Geoff Emmerick already did that for you in 1966. 
When you talk about the song's vocals, I don't really think Paul does any better than he normally does, but the backing vocals are definitely worthy of note. Especially the "Frere Jacques" joke, which is brilliant. 
The track made its first LP appearance later that year on A Collection of Beatles Oldies in the UK, but didn't appear on a US LP until 1970's Hey Jude. Since then, it has appeared on 1962-1966, 20 Greatest Hits and 1. Despite being one of their heaviest songs, Capitol glossed over it on Rock 'N' Roll Music.
The Beatles also made the very first promo films for this 45. The studio performances that were distributed to TV for songs like "We Can Work It Out" and "Ticket To Ride" were just that - mimed performances. However, Michael Lindsay-Hogg's brilliant videos for the two songs hardly ever show The Beatles miming the song. They are both in the Anthology. 
I really think this was a brilliant single release. Neither side of the 45 could possibly fit on their next album...but at the same time, it was definitely a preview. Also, had the 45 not had the misfortune of being released the same year as "Good Vibrations", this would have to have been the single of 1966 (and remember how many other great 45s came out that year!).       

#86: We Can Work It Out

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: December 3, 1965
Appears on: Past Masters, Vol. 2
Lead vocal: Paul & John


"We Can Work It Out" is a true Lennon/McCartney collaboration. Paul wrote the main verses and John wrote the bridge sections. John called Paul's sections optimistic, but, if you actually read the lyrics, you can see that it is hardly the case. Both segments of the song are depressing and about a relationship that is not working and where both people do not understand each other. 
The song's interesting instrumentation was created simply by John's harmonium. It's an interesting instrument that is hardly used today (then again, it was hardly used by rock musicians in 1965), which gives the song its unique sound that we know and love today.
As mentioned in the last entry, "We Can Work It Out" and "Day Tripper" were A-Sides that shared the same piece of plastic. Eventually American DJs somehow decided that "We Can Work It Out" really was the more commercial side and it reached #1 on Billboard. How anyone could decided that this song is better than the other, I'll never know. 

Like "Day Tripper", it also appeared on A Collection of Beatles Oldies and Yesterday And Today. Both sides also appeared on 1962-1966, 1 and 1982's 20 Greatest Hits. The "Day Tripper" b/w "We Can Work It Out" 45 is also the opening tracks on Past Masters, Vol. 2.
Personally, I like "Day Tripper" a lot more, simply because it's a fantastic rock song, but "We Can Work It Out" is just as strong and you can see exactly why they made the single double A-sided. 
You can see the promo film made for "We Can Work It Out" on the left. They made another one where they are wearing their Shea Stadium coats, but this version is much more serious in tone. 

#85: Day Tripper

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: December 3, 1965
Appears on: Past Masters, Vol. 2
Lead vocal: Paul & John


On the same day as Rubber Soul, The Beatles released their first "double-A" sided single. The truth is that both "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work It Out" are such brilliant songs that it was impossible to place the insult of being a 'b-side' on one of them. 
"Day Tripper" is probably one of the most unique songs you will ever hear. The song is dominated by a distinct guitar riff and really interesting vocal interplay, with Paul taking the solo one-liners and John coming in for the rest of the verses. 
The subject of the song is certainly a foreign idea to today's audiences. The term 'day tripper' in the UK meant someone who took a (take a guess) day trip. Today, nobody (at least in the US) ever goes on day trips. Usually, we go out for a weekend or a week. Paul has been quoted as saying that it's about drugs, as if calling the girl in the song as someone who wan't fully committed to the idea of taking them. The idea came from John, although both John and Paul have said that Paul collaborated with him to finish it. 
As John's song, he is allowed to take the rare turn on lead guitar. Although in later years (particularly  throughout 1968-1970), John's playing sounded fairly messy, but here it feels pristine and smooth. This might be in part because he shares the parts with George...or that he just wrote such a damn good riff that there was no way he could screw it up.  
By the time "Day Tripper", "We Can Work It Out" and Rubber Soul were recorded, there was no way the Beatles could take time to do their usual television spots, so they came up with the innovative idea of recording promo spots, which today is known as a music video. "Day Tripper"'s is included in this post. 
As a single-only track, it didn't appear on a UK LP until it's appearance on A Collection of Beatles Oldies a year later. In the US, the song was included on Yesterday And Today. 
For some strange reason, "Day Tripper" did not reach the top of the Billboard charts, only reaching #5. It did reach #1 in the UK, though, which is the reason why both songs are on 1. The song was also anthologized on 1962-1966. As one of the Beatles hardest rockin' songs, it's amazing that Capitol failed to include it on Rock 'N' Roll Music. 


In conclusion, I have to say that this is definitely in my top 10 Beatles songs, without a doubt. 
   

#72: I'm Down

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: July 23, 1965
Appears on: Past Masters, Vol. 1
Lead vocal: Paul



"You tell lies, thinkin' I can't see
But you can't lie 'cause you're laughin' at me!"


"I'm Down" is Paul's final Little Richard rip-off and it's great fun. The song is most famous as the closing number to the famed Shea Stadium concert in 1965. (Here's probably the best version of it on YouTube.) I can never get tired of watching those four sweaty guys singing (and screaming) their heads off. Then there's John playing his organ with his elbow! I think at that point of the show, they were just so exhausted that John just threw out the play book and went with whatever looked wilder! 
While listening to Paul doing his "Long Tall Sally" re-writes is fun, thankfully, this is the last time he did it. "I'm Down" is fun, but we should be thankful that the Beatles made the track a B-Side. It's one of those songs that's actually better live. 


"I'm Down" is one of those rarities in the Beatle world in that it actually became a true rarity. It never appeared on either a UK or US album. In both countries, the song failed to make an LP appearance until 1976's Rock 'N' Roll Music. Capitol skipped all opportunities they had to issue it on manufactured albums like "Yesterday"...And Today or Hey Jude. Parlophone in the UK could have issued it on A Collection of Beatles Oldies...But Goldies but failed to do so then.

#71: Help!

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: July 23, 1965
Appears on: HELP!
Lead vocal: John


Two weeks before the album came out, "Help!" was issued on 45 in the UK and the US. For some reason it was released a few days ahead in the US. Just six days later, the film HELP! opened worldwide. 
The song is John's true cry for help and easily one of his most personal songs. It's the kind of emotional power that lead to his work throughout the rest of the Beatles' career. John always said that he wished the Beatles were able to record it at a slower tempo so people could understand how personal the lyrics actually were. However, this is still 1965, when Beatles songs, especially those with a John lead vocal, are expected to be powerful rockers. 
It's a fantastic song with some great vocals. "Help!" also features the unique idea of having the backing vocals sing the line before the lead. That's another one of those Beatle innovations that we take for granted today, but it was (and still is) a very unique thing. 


In the US, the HELP! album was released as a soundtrack, despite the fact that Capitol was going to issue it instead of United Artists. Capitol used Ken Thorne's whimsical score between the songs, which makes it more of a soundtrack than UA's A Hard Day's Night, which had newly-recorded George Martin pieces that weren't actually in the film. When you dropped the needle on Capitol's HELP!, the first thing you heard was not The Beatles crying "HELP!!! I need somebody!", but instead you got Thorne's hilarious James Bond-esque intro. This is the way Americans heard it. Even on the US version of 1963-1966 (The "Red" Album), where it opened Side Three, the intro was present. When the compilation was issued on CD, however, it was dropped, not to be heard again until the soundtrack was included in The Capitol Albums, Vol. 2. 

#70: Yes It Is

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: April 9, 1965
Appears on: Past Masters, Volume One
Lead vocal: John, Paul & George (John on the bridge)


It's only fitting that the seventieth Beatles song is one of their most heart-breaking songs, taking their harmonies to new heights and adding a new, rare sound to the mix. "Yes It Is" is very similar to "This Boy", but much more mature and technically interesting. George employs a volume pedal to make his guitar fade in and out, which makes what could be a relatively boring song interesting. 
I personally like it, especially the imagery in the lyrics. John requests that the girl not wear red because he associates the color with bad memories. John's vocals are also brilliant, especially during that magical bridge: "I could be happy with you by my side/If I could forget her, but it's my pride/Yes it is, yes it is...oh yes it is!!!" 


In the US, since the song was not going to be in HELP!, Capitol was able to issue it on Beatles VI. In the UK, the song wouldn't make an appearance until Rarities and not again until Past Masters in 1988. (It was on Love Songs, but I don't think anyone has a problem if I try to forget about those silly 1970s compilations.)

#69: Ticket To Ride

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: April 9, 1965
Appears on: HELP!
Lead vocal: John & Paul


"Ticket To Ride" is just a brilliant song, mostly by John, and starts the Beatles' middle period. HELP!, Rubber Soul and Revolver, along with the single sides issued during that period all have a distinct and similar feel that is nowhere else in the Beatles' catalog. The fact is that these songs are more serious and personal than any of the songs before or after. 
"Ticket To Ride" was released nearly five months before its LP appearance, giving listeners a great preview of what the Beatles were going to sound like until 1966. It was also their first single to go over three minutes. Can you imagine that? A single going over three minutes! In 1965, that was amazing. These are the days before "Good Vibrations", before FM radio and...definitely before "Hey Jude". 
I think the song itself is also the Beatles' first 'heavy' song. Paul lays the foundation for his out-of-this-world bass playing that defines the latter half of his Beatle career. Ringo's drumming is brilliant and John & Paul's harmony is great. George plays his 12-string on the song, but he really gets stuck taking a back seat. Paul actually plays lead guitar for the first time on the song and he's great. 
The song is an interesting love song where the singer is happy to get the girl out of his life and she's perfectly fine with it, too. It's not exactly the most positive subject for a single, but with the Beatles, always expect the unexpected.
Of course, the song was a #1 single on both sides of the Atlantic. When Capitol was assembling Beatles VI, they were actually interested in including the song, but since they knew it was going to be in HELP! it could only be released on the soundtrack for that film. Another bizarre note is that on the US 45, Capitol jumped the gun and printed on it that it was "taken from the film 'Eight Arms To Hold You'". This was just a working title for HELP! and this text was never taken off the 45, even on later pressings. In fact, I have a 1980's re-issue (the last time it was issued, I think) that has this under the song title!  

#54: She's A Woman

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: November 27, 1964
Appears on: Past Masters, Vol. 1
Lead vocal: Paul

Remember back when I said Little Richard was a huge influence on the Beatles? That might have been an understatement.

"She's A Woman", which was the B-Side to "I Feel Fine", was Paul's first 'Little Richard' song. It's definitely a fun song, with a pretty basic tune and lyrics. It is the first appearance of "turn me on" in a song, but Paul uses the phrase so innocently, that the drug reference might have slipped. You know, somehow "Turn me on when I get lonely" is OK, but "I'd love turn you on" is a no-no, but that's neither here nor there.

This is also a song that proves that Paul could do a knock-out rock vocal just as well as John on his own song. John wasn't the only one who wrote rockers, and "She's A Woman" certainly proves it.

"She's A Woman" was performed during the '65 tour. It appeared on Beatles '65 in the US, but didn't appear on a UK album until 1978's Rarities.

Next up: Beatles For Sale!

#53: I Feel Fine

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: November 27, 1964
Appears on: Past Masters, Vol. 1
Lead vocal: John

Vvvvveeeerrrrroooowwwwwmmmm......

"I Feel Fine" has another one of those out-of-left-field openings. This is three years before Jimi Hendrix would explode onto the stage, toying with guitar feedback as if it was just another noise a guitar was supposed to make.

Of course, nobody had put that sound on record, that is, until "I Feel Fine". The feedback intro isn't the only great thing about the song, though. It really is a wonderful track, filled with a lot of energy that makes it the perfect single. Sure, it's driven by a single guitar riff by John (meaning that he's actually the dominant guitar on this song), but there's something good about hearing a happy, straight-up love song from John.

Another thing about "I Feel Fine" is that it truly needed to be released as a single only. It really wouldn't fit on Beatles For Sale, whose originals are much more personal than this joyous track. "Eight Days A Week" was going to be the Christmas single, but "I Feel Fine" came out of nowhere. How do make the decision of "Eight Days A Week" or "I Feel Fine"? Personally, I like the decision. The song is a totally different beat than anything on Beatles For Sale and would have stuck out like a sore thumb.

#42: A Hard Day's Night

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: July 10, 1964
Appears on: A Hard Day's Night
Lead vocal: John (verses) & Paul (bridge)

One of my dreams is to see A Hard Day's Night in a movie theater. I'd love to go back in time to 1964 to do it, too. You figure, you'd be in a theater with about 100 to 200 screaming girls who have yet to figure out that The Beatles are not actually going to be there and then that....BANG!

That chord, plucked by George Harrison on his Rickenbacker 12-string, would just come over the speakers and immediately bring your attention to the screen. The first thing you see, of course, is three boys running through London from a mad pack of screaming teenagers....all in glorious black and white.

The title is the first one to come from a Ringo-ism. The story is that after a long day of shooting, Ringo said "It's been a hard day..." and then realized that it was night, adding, "....'s night!" Everyone agreed that that had to be the title...and that John and Paul needed to write a song.

...And, oh, what a song! To me, this is the epitome of the John/Paul writing team. The song is like a barrel that just keeps rolling and never stops, even when John leaves the vocal spotlight for Paul to sing the bridge. "A Hard Day's Night" is easily one of those songs that really proves that the Beatles were something special. I'm not getting cutesy, nor am I intentionally being repetitive - it's a simple fact. "A Hard Day's Night" is the first great Beatles song that no one could ever do and A Hard Day's Night is the first great Beatles LP.

#37: You Can't Do That

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: March 20, 1964
Appears on: A Hard Day's Night
Lead vocal: John

On the flip-side to "Can't Buy Me Love" sits a song by John that is the polar opposite of Paul's lovely, positive love song.

"You Can't Do That" is easily the rockiest early Beatles original and gives us a shade of that 'mean' John Lennon who creeps up every now and then. However, the song is also the 'insecure' John song of A Hard Day's Night. Here's a guy that loves his girl so much, that he is a control freak. A scared, shaken little control freak, who, at the sight of his girlfriend even glancing at another man will let her down and leave her flat. The only thing he cares for is his own image because everybody is so envious of him with this great girl and if she leaves, there goes his image.

"You Can't Do That" also features a fantastic George guitar solo, probably one of his first stand-out spotlights, and some cool backing vocals from George & Paul. John's vocal on the track is also great, but this is only a preview of the other great turns that he takes on A Hard Day's Night.

#36: Can't Buy Me Love

Written by: John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Released: March 20, 1964
Appears on: A Hard Day's Night
Lead vocal: Paul

The big thing about "Can't Buy Me Love" is the unique fact that it starts with its chorus. Today, this doesn't seem like that much of an innovation, but in 1964, it was a little surprising. I think today we take this aspect of "Can't Buy Me Love" for granted, but the fact that it has no instrumental opening whatsoever is truly amazing. Right from the start, Paul gets us in with "Can't buy me love/Love/Can't buy me love/Ooohhhh....I buy you diamond ring my friend if it makes you feel all right...".

I can't imagine how that March day must have felt when "Can't Buy Me Love" came out. It was the first new Beatle product in nearly four months [Pause there for a second: Can you imagine an artist today having to pump out a single every two to four months today? Not only is it unthinkable, it's impossible!] and the first (Capitol) US release since "I Want To Hold Your Hand".

The Beatles were forced to keep such a tight schedule that "Can't Buy Me Love" was forced to become the first Beatles song recorded outside the confines of Abbey Road Studios. In fact, it was recorded at a Paris studio during a short break in their French tour. (During which, the recorded "Sie Liebt Dich" and "Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand", which will be covered much later.) An early and drastically different take is on Anthology 1 and, although they had to finish the track at Abbey Road, the majority of the version we know and love was recorded in the Paris studio.

By the way, in case you're wondering, "Can't Buy Me Love" b/w "You Can't Do That" was released before A Hard Day's Night, so that is why I'm covering them first. Also the "Long Tall Sally" EP was issued prior to A Hard Day's Night, so those four songs will be covered before I get to the Beatles' third LP.