I Need You

I was at a work conference the other day and there was this peculiar man who had his ukulele with him and in between sessions of the conference (as people moved in and out go the rooms) he began to play 'I Need You' on his ukulele. Now I have always enjoyed this song but hearing it played on a ukulele during a typically boring conference (on a Saturday mind you when all you want to do is be doing your own stuff) really piped up my day! It also made me realise that this is indeed a fantastic song. Found on the 'Help!' album, this is George's second entry into the Beatle canon and it has a gorgeous structure and feel to it. I have always been impressed by his double use of the word 'to' in this song, you know, the bit that goes, '...said you had a thing or two to tell me...' The support in vocals from John and Paul are exquisite and really support the song, and in essence allow it to have a life of it's own! A great song!

All I've Got To Do

I love the assuredness of this song. A young group, knowing they are onto a good thing, knowing they ARE good and just knocking out this little gem in a day just to fill their second album, 'With The Beatles'. Delving a little more into the history of this song I realised that The Beatles in fact only performed this once! Well, this version took 15 takes, the 15th being some overdubs, BUT they played this song ONCE!!!! Never before the recording session and NEVER after the recording session! This is crazy. Any band worth their salt would realise that this song is a cracker and we are going to flog it for years (how many times have U2 played 'With Or Without You'?). Not The Beatles though. They had far too much on and far too many other majestic creations to create! Legend has it that John had this song floating in his head for sometime and when it came for The Beatles to produce another song for the upcoming album he put this one up and the other three Beatles learnt their part there and then on the day and ..... that was it! Never to be played again!!!! The harmonies, the drumming, the guitars..... and THE VOICE! BRILLIANT.

Good Morning, Good Morning

What a cacophonous pleasure delight this song is! Brilliantly constructed but more startling than that is the brilliant playing in the song. I never knew that it was Paul who played that wicked guitar solo! Just put your headphones on and LISTEN to it! He just smashes the song from pillar to post and elevates it to such an exciting level. Ringo's playing on this is manic as he somehow manages to switch between 4/4 to 3/4 to 5/4 ... and that's just the verses!!!! This song fits brilliantly before the penultimate track of Sgt. Pepper, that being Sgt. Pepper's reprise.

Eight Days A Week

A song of sheer joy and happiness. This is The Beatles at their effortless best! Again a slight twist to The Beatles formula in that it is not just a 'pop' song, it has a swagger of 'blues' infused into it... the faded intro to the faded ending was another milestone of song presentation. The hand-claps, the voices, the guitar that 'picks' along and just the confidence of this song has always made me a massive fan of this song.
And to THINK they didn't bother to release it as a single!!!! Just an album track for this masterpiece!!!!

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Oh this is a very, very classy song. I just love the feel to this song beginning with the 'ey up' vocal from John after 'Bungalow Bill'.... George's vocal in this song is sublime and Paul's harmony is brilliant. You get the feeling that Paul really helped George out in this song... almost a collaboration in much the same way as he and John worked.... After all this was perhaps only the second George song (after 'Taxman') that either John or Paul took a real interest in!!!!
It also teases you in that if you think if The Beatles had have continued on after Abbey Road, then George's flurry of songs (ie. 'All Things Must Pass' album) would have had that 'Beatle' touch and The Beatles brilliant legacy would have continued in a slightly different, but no less brilliant, vein due to a lower out put from John, the continued red-hot form from Paul and the genuine emergence of George as a 'heavy-weight' in The Beatles' song-writing department!

Two Of Us

'The two of us riding nowhere...' Ah such a sweet, sweet gentle song.... Has been and always will be one of my most adored songs of The Beatles' catalog. From the introduction, to the opening duet vocals, the solo Paul vocal, the 'rolling' drums of Ringo and just the beautiful, beautiful atmosphere to this song makes it one of their best.
I love how this opens up 'Let It Be'... The Beatle formula of opening up with a rocker takes a twist here...

You Won't See Me

Ah this song is seriously one of the 'magical' lost Beatle songs.... You know it, you play it, you enjoy it and then.... BOOM.... it hit's you right between the eyes (and the ears) about just how bloody great this song is!!!!
It really comes back to those beautiful harmonies... those voices just blending into one that support the laconic lead vocal... I've always had the thought that Paul was doing his best to do a 'John' vocal on this song.... like his famed 'Little Richard' vocal on 'Drive My Car' or 'I'm Down'....
This is also one of those songs that can just sit in your head for a whole day.... it doesn't leave you.... and you just hum along to it in your own little world!!!!