In early 1964, John was certainly on a hot streak as a songwriter. He had the lion's share of material on the band's 3rd album, the soundtrack to their film "A Hard Day's Night." He wrote the title song essentially on command. He was the main or sole writer on the majority of the album, and had the most lead vocals. In the film, he's presented as the cocky, confident leader of the group, an image Lennon would be saddled with to present day. Yet that image isn't really the truth. In reality, he's actually filled with fear of abandonment, jealousy, self-image issues, and questions of self-worth, and all of these issues come to the forefront in the very self-aware "I'll Cry Instead." It's a propulsive, rhythmic tune, with a great Lennon vocal, and the height of economy in songwriting. In under 2 minutes, he exposes his jealousy and desire for revenge while also being too afraid to show the hurt he keeps inside. Pretty heady stuff for a pop song, which is probably why director Richard Lester chose to leave this one out of the film. We're thrilled to welcome back the always wonderful Phoebe Lorde, co-host of the brilliant podcast Another Kind of Mind. AKOM is one of the most fascinating Beatles podcasts around these days, challenging longheld tropes and narratives about the band with commentary, educated criticism, and original, thought-provoking analysis. Their work was recently featured in by the GRAMMY Foundation in an article about the history of LGBTQ+ people in the Beatles story. If you're not already listening to AKOM, check them out wherever you get podcasts, follow on Twitter or join the convo on Facebook! What do you think about "I'll Cry Instead" at 109? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠Facebook⁠, on ⁠Twitter⁠, or on ⁠Instagram⁠! Be sure to check out ⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠ for all your RTB needs, and tell a friend to come join in the fun! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

George Harrison's journey as a songwriter began later than his other bandmates. After delivering his first self-penned track for the band's 2nd album, he had to rely on a Lennon/McCartney song for the 3rd, and a Carl Perkins cover on the 4th. But by the time of the Help! album, he had 2 on the table, and found his abilities starting to really grow. With "I Need You," he drops the dour, bitter persona he is sometimes known for to deliver an open, honest, vulnerable track that's economical in length, has some gorgeous key changes, and features the band starting to stretch in terms of trying new sounds in the studio. George plays rhythm guitar on a nylon string acoustic, Ringo plays percussion on the back of a guitar, John (?!?!) delivers the back beat on the snare drum, while Paul delivers a really interesting bass part that eschews the normal root note bass mentality. The band aren't afraid to venture into new territory, and George seems unafraid to show his actual vulnerability and own real life turmoil, which all coalesces into a track that's better than people remember. This week, we're thrilled to welcome back the Queen of Beatles media, Kit O'Toole! Fresh from speaking on a whopping 7 panels at the Chicago Fest for Beatles Fans, we chat with Kit about her upcoming course on the British Invasion at Monmouth University (sign up here), the legacy of the Help! film and album, George's growth as a writer, memories of cds and cassettes, and so much more! Follow Kit on Facebook for more fun! What do you think about "I Need You" at 110? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram! Be sure to check out rankingthebeatles.com for all your RTB needs, and tell a friend to come join in the fun! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

The friendly creative rivalry between the Beatles and the Beach Boys arguably hit it's peak in 1966 when the bands released two albums that routinely top "best album ever" lists, the Beatles' Revolver and the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds. Lennon and McCartney had been inspiring Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson to up his songwriting, and vice versa. On Revolver, this influence shines through in the harmony-laden "Here, There, and Everywhere," a song Paul managed to scribble together while waiting for John to wake up for a songwriting session. Not a bad way to kill some time. It's an absolutely gorgeous song that, honestly, I'm not sure why in the hell I have it ranked at #111. I must've been in a weird mood the day I did this ranking, or maybe I was halfway through a bottle wine (I did make this list during quarantine afterall), but this song is just beautiful. Between the melody and the 3 part harmony, I pick up real mid 60s Brian Wilson vibes here (not surf era, more the Summer Days.../Pet Sounds era), and it makes me think that while "Here, There, and Everywhere" has a really basic backing track, I wonder if it might have benefited from a more intricate style Brian Wilson production? To chew on my latest ranking abomination, we're happy to welcome back Death Cab for Cutie guitarist Dave Depper! Since we last chatted with Dave, his band has released the fantastic album Asphalt Meadows, as well as an acoustic version of the album, and he's released a solo album which is an entire cover of the Air album Moon Safari. Busy fella! Dave calls this song "the most beautiful song ever recorded by anyone," but in shocking news, Julia's not quite feeling it! We chat with Dave about creative spontaneity, remixes, Paul's stunning dexterity as a singer, God-level songwriting, and one of the best stories about meeting a Beach Boy (not that one, and probably not the other one you're thinking of either). Check out Dave on tour with Death Cab for Cutie and the Postal Service this fall (if you can snag a ticket), and head to davedepper.com or deathcabforcutie.com to pick up his tunes and DCFC's, or anywhere you choose to listen to/buy music. What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Follow along and let us know your thoughts on Facebook, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter (I'm never calling it X) @rankingbeatles. Be sure to visit rankingthebeatles.com for all your RTB needs, tshirts, posters, you name it! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

One of the first songs The Beatles worked on for the Get Back sessions of 1969, Paul's "Two of Us" was inspired by his road trips to nowhere with his new love, Linda; piling in the car, picking a direction and getting lost, just for fun. When he brought it to the band, it was originally conceived as a fast, chugging rocker, with a dual harmony vocal for Paul and John to harness their inner Everly Brothers on. This is the song the band were working on when George has his infamous "I'll play whatever you want me to play, or I won't play at all, whatever it is that will please you, I'll do" moment in the Let it Be film. Despite it's peaceful, loving origins, it was a track that caused major head bumping. However, in it's final form, it's a breezy, easy, track, with effortless vocals from Paul & John, and just the right amount of everything from the band musically. I've got to say, I adore this song, and what I was thinking when I ranked this at #112, I have no idea. Honestly, maybe I was drunk. I don't know, I ranked these during lockdown so it's possible. To rightfully question my sanity this week, we welcome Brian O'Connor and Simon Barber to the pod. Better known as the duo Sodajerker, Brian and Simon are a songwriting team who also host the absolutely brilliant podcast Sodajerker on Songwriting. For the last 10 years, they've been interviewing the cream of the crop of the world's biggest and most successful songwriters, legends such as Elvis Costello, Lindsey Buckingham, Nile Rogers, Diane Warren, Paul Simon, Noel Gallagher, and an up-and coming writer you may have heard about named Paul McCartney. They've amassed the largest archive of songwriter interviews in the world, and it's one of my absolute favorite listens, both as a musician, and as a music lover. Brian and Simon join us to talk about all manner of things, sculpting air, esoteric songwriters like Van Dyke Parks and Michael Nesmith, bad Scouse acting, how badly Jonathan blew it here, and their absolutely EPIC meeting with Sir Paul. Check out Sodajerker at www.sodajerker.com, or on Apple podcasts or anywhere you get podcasts! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingthebeatles⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingbeatles⁠⁠⁠! Be sure to visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Wanna show your support? ⁠⁠⁠Buy us a coffee⁠⁠⁠! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

By the time of the White Album, George Harrison had mellowed considerably, thanks in part to his immersion in meditation. His newfound enlightenment replacing the dour, bitter side that came out in earlier songs like "Don't Bother Me," or "Taxman." So it's interesting that this chilled out version of George would decide to pickup the abandoned-in-1966 song "Piggies" to complete for the band's 1968 album. But indeed he does, and with a big assist from Abbey Road engineer Chris Thomas, turns in an Orwellian baroque classical-influenced social commentary track about class inequity. It's an outlier on a album with many outliers, but it's a really fun, light-hearted yet heavy-handed track that wouldn't work nearly as well without the harpsichord work of Thomas, who happened to be overseeing the session and had the gumption to suggest, and then perform that part that essentially drives the whole track. Whether it's essential is another argument for another podcast, but it wouldn't be the White Album without "Piggies." Bringing a close to 3 Weeks of The Walrus is the caboose that makes our Beatley engine work, Andre Bohren. Andre is commonly known in musical circles as a drummer, mainly holding it down for Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes and being one of the busier drummers for hire in the area. He's the drummer in the Walrus, but he's also the keyboardist/pianist and he often plays drums and keys at the same time. You see, he's a classically trained pianist, who, when he's not playing drums, also does classical performances at clubs and festivals all over town. And since I know nothing about classical music, he's the guy for the job. We chat about some of the intricacies of classical music, the chronological proximity of the Beatles to classical composers (its about the same from then to now, terrifyingly enough), Chris Thomas, MVP, and the playful "screw you" that is "Piggies." Check out everything Andre, and get a copy of his fantastic classical piano record Resonance at https://www.andrebohren.com/. What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingthebeatles⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingbeatles⁠⁠! Be sure to visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Wanna show your support? ⁠⁠Buy us a coffee⁠⁠! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

Though George was still a budding songwriter in 1964, deadlines and heavy workloads meant he didn't have anything ready for the band's 4th album. John and Paul didn't seem to have the time to write him something new either, so when the clock was ticking, the band reached back into their bag of beloved covers to find a spotlight for their lead guitarist. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby, a song by one of their heroes Carl Perkins (or was it?) proved a formidable track to give George a chance to flex his well honed country guitar muscles, and give the band a fun rocking moment to end their most mellow record to date, Beatles For Sale. It may be a cover, but it's a great band performance. George is really confident in his singing and playing, and really seems to be going for it vocally. It's a really fun track on a more serious album, and though the track is a good time, live, it's an absolute stomper. At Shea Stadium, they sound like the world's best garage band. I maybe wonder if I associate that smoking like track more with the song and that may bump the ranking up a bit more in my subconscious, but maybe not. I just love this song. We're in week two of the Three Weeks of Walrus here on Ranking the Beatles, and who better to talk George with than our own quiet one, Felix Wohlleben? Our lead guitarist joins us to talk about the origins of The Walrus and his own journey as a guitarist, the influence Jazz has on the Beatles (and their influence in Jazz), Carl Perkins: Song Thief, Beatles Vs. Stones, and more! Though we have no Walrus album for you to check out (I mean, the Beatles did it first), check out the record Felix just made with Jenn Howard! Get yours here! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingthebeatles⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingbeatles⁠! Be sure to visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Wanna show your support? ⁠Buy us a coffee⁠! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

When you're cranking out 2 albums a year, plus singles, plus a movie, plus BBC sessions, plus tv appearance, AND touring, it can be a little difficult to crank out nothing but brilliance. While most of us hardcore Beatle fans are not quick to deride many songs in their catalog, the Beatles themselves certainly could be, and both John and Paul minced no words in describing this Help! album track. "Abominable," "Abysmal," "Lousy," and "Not literature" are just a few of the descriptors they gave to this song. That said though, I tend to think it's actually got some real merit, despite the slight lyrics and weak rhymes. Melodically, it's actually quite lovely, and John's vocal is beautifully understated throughout, with just enough ache in the chorus to sell it, followed by a wonderful falsetto Roy Orbison-esque sendoff. It's always been a bit of a sleeper for me, as a great melody can cover up all manner of sins. For the next three episodes, we'll be welcoming on my bandmates from The Walrus - A New Orleans Beatles Tribute to chat songs and Fabs. After playing more shows than our band ever has in the last couple of years, I thought it'd be interesting to see how our immersion into the catalog has influenced the work we do outside of it. And I just like hanging with these folks. Joining us this week (for the 3rd time!) is David Pomerleau, bassist and singer in The Walrus (as well as New Orleans institution Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, and the country trio Desert Nudes). We chat with Dave about his songwriting process, being allowed to hate your own work, chaos brains, Phish and Rush, embarrassment and so much more! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingthebeatles⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingbeatles⁠! Be sure to visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Wanna show your support? ⁠Buy us a coffee⁠! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

It takes a certain higher level of creativity to write a song based around the more mundane and every-day-type affairs. Obviously, that's something Paul McCartney has in spades, as he was able to turn an encounter with a meter maid into the Sgt. Pepper track "Lovely Rita." A bouncing song held down with a really funky groove from Ringo, a ridiculously cool bass part from Paul, all manners of vocal effects and sounds, it's the kind of track that they Beatles could've only put out on the Sgt. Pepper album. There's a humor to the whole process that belies the fact that it's author is one of the smoothest bachelors in the world, but ultimately strikes out in his attempt to woo said meter maid. Who would write a song about this? Paul McCartney, of course. Joining us for our 100TH EPISODE (!!!) is Atlanta-based-by-way-of-New-Orleans songwriter Matt Hobbs. Matt's the brains behind Puppy Songs, the creator of viral songs inspired by his dogs (and listeners dogs), a master at taking the mundane, every-day-type affairs, like the goofy things we sing to our pets, and turning them into insanely catchy songs. His recent song "Cheese Tax" landed him, as well as his pups Leni and Mar Pup on NPR, The Today Show, and a list of other sites, podcasts, and interviews, including a sponsorship with Kraft Sings, who made their own Cheese Tax pack. Puppy Songs has been a constant source of smiles in our house, and we think you should give a follow on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, or check it out on Spotify, even if you don't have pups of your own. Also, check out Matt's new-non-puppy single, "How Amazing," which is out now! We chat with Matt about finding ways to stand out, sharing your authentic self, White Album summers, the REAL Rita, and living (musically) by the idea of WWPD? What would Paul Do? What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingthebeatles, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingbeatles! Be sure to visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Wanna show your support? Buy us a coffee! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

The Beatles's love of Motown is no secret. They were HUGE fans. So it's no shock that their second album featured 3 different songs from the Motown catalog. In fact, the first song cut especially for the album was their powerful cover of Smokey Robinson's "You Really Got A Hold On Me." Now, even though a business deal between Brian Epstein and Motown head Barry Gordy assured its' placement on the record, the band hold nothing back in delivering their heartfelt performance. Buoyed with a great harmony vocal from George, John delivers an absolutely scorching lead vocal, progressing from fragile and intimate to pleading to devastatingly heart wrenching. There's nothing extraordinary needed from Paul and Ringo, and like any rhythm section worth their salt, they hold down the track and let the song do the talking. It's one of my favorite of their early covers, and one I wish we had more live versions of, one can only imagine how this was in person in the Cavern. Joining us this week is author and self-described enlightened dumbass Robert Dean. His work's been featured in outlets like Mic, Eater, Fatherly, Austin-American Statesman, Consequence of Sound, USA Today, and he's appeared on your TV and radio through places like CNN and NPR. Though based in Austin now, we've known him since his days and night in New Orleans, much of which time informs the essays in his brilliant new book Existential Thirst Trap. We chat about writing with authenticity, the punk rock ethos, slouching towards irrelevance, his least favorite Christmas song, and much more! Pick up a copy of Existential Thirst Trap, and follow him on Instagram at @literallyrobertdean. What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingthebeatles, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingbeatles! Be sure to visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Wanna show your support? Buy us a coffee! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

If Revolver is the record where The Beatles remove any illusion to their drug use, "She Said She Said" may be one of the cornerstones of that moment. A song with origins from an evening of tripping on LSD in Los Angeles, it's a song that straddles a number of different lines. It rocks, but it's not rocking. It's psychedelic but not trippy. It's autobiographical but filled with illusion. It's probably my favorite guitar tone of all time. It's also a song that's a bit mysterious. Whoever "She" is, what she's saying is confusion. What's it like to be dead? How does she know? Who the hell is playing the bass? Regardless of the answers to these questions, it's just a killer track, and one that really sums up the Revolver ethos, in my humble opinion. Joining us this week is songwriter, singer, guitarist and producer Jon Auer. Jon first made his name in the 90s as a founding member of now-defunct power-pop heroes The Posies, whose albums Dear 23 and Frosting on the Beater landed them all over MTV and alternative radio in the 90s, as well as landing a track on Ringo's Time Takes Time album ("Golden Blunders," originally from Dear 23). He also spent 17 years as member of the reunited legendary Big Star. With surviving founding member Jody Stephens, Jon recently joined Wilco's Pat Sansone, R.E.M.'s Mike Mills, and Chris Stamey of the dBs for a tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of Big Star's debut release, #1 Album. Jon joins us to talk a number of things, including this LSD-soaked Revolver track, who played bass on it, his Ringo & Peter Asher connection, the recent Big Star tour, and more! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingthebeatles, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingbeatles! Be sure to visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

What was originally a song given away to fellow Liverpudlian singer Billy J. Kramer, "I Call Your Name" is claimed to be one of John's earliest song attempts, pre-dating the Beatles when he was first learning to play guitar. The song was spruced up with Paul for Kramer, but then reclaimed by the Beatles in early 1964 in consideration for songs for A Hard Day's Night. That plan fell by the wayside, but the track found its' home on the Long Tall Sally EP and The Beatles Second Album in the US, though managed to stay somewhat of an obscurity, as far as Beatles songs go at least. However, that doesn't prevent it from being an ripping, if not adventurous slice of music from the boys. For such an early song, it goes to some interesting places melodically, showing John possessed his knack for songwriting at an early age. It features some fantastic 12 string work George, though he's still getting comfortable with the instrument. It's a song about being absolutely devastated by loss, to a point of not even being able to cry, and if the timing is correct as John claims, it seems like it may be about something really, really hurtful from his past. It's all held together by a phenomenal vocal performance from John, hitting the peak his of his early phase vocals. Then of course, there's that rhythm change in the solo, an imaginative, experimental move the band had never tried, completely out of left field. It's a fantastic song and recording, as evidenced by the fact that it was covered contemporaneously by acts like The Mamas & The Papas and The Buckinghams, among others. When we need to get deep on John, few are better to speak on it than Jude Kessler, author of the on-going 9 volume "The John Lennon Series." She's been researching Lennon's life since the 80s, and her books are becoming known to be the benchmark for deep diving on John and his history and what makes him tick. Plus we just like talking to her because she's incredibly nice! She's released 5 of the 9 volumes so far, and the audiobook for the 3rd volume, "She Loves You," is out now! Check it all out and get a copy at thejohnlennonseries.com! We chat with Jude about the Fest for Beatles Fans, John's family life, Beatle b-sides and so much more! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingthebeatles, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingbeatles! Be sure to visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠! Wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

After almost a half a year of intense work on the Sgt. Pepper album, it's hardly surprising that, though there was plenty of work to be done for future endeavors, the Beatles were looking to blow off some steam and take things a little bit lighter. "All Together Now," a song that even by Paul's own admission is pretty slight in the grand scheme of things, certainly fits that bill. It eventually found its' home in the Yellow Submarine film and accompanying soundtrack. In the film, it's the finale, when we finally get a glimpse of the real life Fabs, looking different than their cartoon counterpoints, not quite Beatlemania, but not quite the longhair, bearded phase they'd be into after the film. It's a weird, inbetween phase, highlighted by John's brilliant mutton chops. But musically, it's just a blast of simple, pure joy...nothing more, nothing less. Driving acoustic guitars, hand claps, harmonicas, honking horns, and a call and response vocal of what's essentially nonsensical children's song lyrics are all the ingredients of what's basically musical ice cream...no real nutritional value, but boy is it delicious. This is a song that always puts a smile on my face and makes me move, regardless of the mood I'm in. The Beatles can be all things to all people, and one of the things I genuinely appreciate about them is the fun they can bring, and this is one of my favorite examples of that. I think I may be in the minority on here, but it's my list, so hate on, haters!! :) Joining us this week is author Madeline Bocaro, author of "In Your Mind - The Infinite Universe of Yoko Ono." Having been a fan of Yoko from before she was with John, Madeline's been working towards this book for years. She tracks Yoko's life and journey through her artwork and music, delivering a fantastic book that is best described (at least in our conversation) as hitting the imaginary nail on the imaginary head. You can get a copy at conceptualbooks.com or any of your usual bookstores, and follow her blog at https://madelinex.com/. What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@rankingthebeatles, or ⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠@rankingbeatles! Be sure to visit ⁠⁠⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠⁠⁠! Wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

In the fall of 1964 as the Beatles began working on what would become their 4th album, Beatles for Sale, it was only a couple of months after their 3rd album hit stores. They'd been constantly touring, making their first feature film, recording BBC sessions, essentially going non-stop. Time for songwriting was becoming precious and hard to find, so consequently, they started looking back at more of their favorite covers and originals that had been pushed to the back burner. One of those was Paul's "I'll Follow The Sun," a song with origins that traced all the way back to 1958. What was originally a bit of a jauntier song was transformed into an introspective, folksy ballad, given some lyrical tweaks and a fresh arrangement, and turned into a really beautiful moment on an album that often gets overlooked. It provides somewhat of a throughline for Paul's love of ballads and more tender material, a throughline that starts with their first album and continues all the way through to today. And for a song that he wrote when he was 16...it's pretty darn beautiful. If it loses any points, it's not its' own fault, its just part of such a storied song catalog of songs written by a more learned songwriter. But what a melody. Don't sleep on this one. Joining us this week is New Orleans-based alt-pop musician and songwriter Julie Elody! After finding some initial success with her college band, she's now working solo, collaborating with producers and artists from around the world. She's recently released a couple of new singles, the gorgeous "Hate Myself," and most recently, "Get Fit," a banger about working out so that we can eat all the chips and good food we actually want to eat. We talk with Julie about how the Beatles impact her coming from a pop perspective, not growing up with a ton of Beatles, ungooglable band names, the damage of pep band arrangements of Beatles songs, and more! Check out her music at www.julieelody.com, and follow her on Instagram @julieelody. You can also catch Jonathan's recent appearance on her Tub Talk Tuesday here! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠@rankingthebeatles, or ⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠@rankingbeatles! Be sure to visit ⁠⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠⁠! Wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

The Beatles' love of r&b, Motown, and especially Smokey Robinson are no secret. They were such fans, their 2nd album, 1963's With The Beatles featured 3 motown covers, including "Please Mr. Postman," originally by the Marvellettes, and the first chart topping single for the Motown label. While it wasn't as big a hit in the UK, it was a hit with the Beatles, who added it to their set as early as December 1961. By the time they were working on their second album, they had turned it into a scorching, passionate tune, with one of John's finest early vocals, great backing vocals from Paul and George, and as always, rock solid support from Ringo. Their love of the material shines through, making for one of my favorite Beatles cover songs of the early era. It's just got...that thing. We're excited to team up with our OG podpals for this episode! Those boys from Beantown are back, Becker, Tommy, Scotty C., and RB, the crew behind Blotto Beatles, the best ranking-while-drinking-Beatles podcast around! We love hanging and chatting with this crew, it's always a blast. We finally meet RB, the newest Blotto, and talk about his Beatle journey, Motown songs, Beatle covers good and bad, Blotto episode titles, and so much more! Be sure to listen to Blotto Beatles anywhere you get podcasts, on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and at blottobeatles.com for all things Blotto (incl. great merch!) What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Instagram ⁠@rankingthebeatles, or ⁠Twitter ⁠@rankingbeatles! Be sure to visit ⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠! Wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

Lennon and McCartney were masters at finding inspiration all around them, not just from their own personal lives. On the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album, John was inspired by a poster in his house and wrote "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite." Paul found inspiration in reading a news story about a young teenage runaway, and turned that into the harp and string-laden drama ballad "She's Leaving Home." Another of those great Macca Mind Movies where the story is so vivid you not only can see it in your mind's eye, but you sympathize with the characters in the song. It's a song that often gets overlooked, as it's surrounded by so many big hitters on the album, but it's an absolutely gorgeous tune.  Joining us this week is Olivia Nilsson, daughter of the late, great Harry Nilsson, who was so taken by "She's Leaving Home," he recorded his own version of it just days after the release of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. With a gorgeous horn arrangement and spotlighting Harry's brilliant vocal range, his version has always been one of our favorites in his catalog. Olivia runs the fantastic Nilsson social media accounts, where she shares stories of her dad, histories of songs, and behind the scenes tales all with a much more personal touch than one would normally find from an artist, especially a legacy artist. She's instrumental in the ongoing resurgence in the interest in Harry's music, and a fantastic guard of his legacy. We talk building her dad's legacy, his Forrest Gump-ian career, mutual inspiration between Harry and the Beatles, his cover of She's Leaving Home, and much more! Be sure to follow on Instagram at @officialnilsson, TikTok at @theofficialnilsson, or on Twitter at @officialnilsson to see what she's sharing!  What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to visit rankingthebeatles.com! Wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

From the moment he joined the band, Ringo's popularity meant he'd have a song or two to sing each night. This was a practice for The Beatles even when Pete Best was in the band, but once things really took off, and Lennon and McCartney were becoming more solidified songwriters, they knew it'd be good to have an original for Ringo to sing. "I Wanna Be Your Man" was written while the band was working on their second album, and according to some tellings, was written on the spot for a young, upstart band called The Rolling Stones, who were looking for a song that might be a hit. Whether it was written specifically for the Stones or for Ringo, it turned into Ringo's vocal turn on the With The Beatles album, and also provided the Stones with their first chart hit. It's a simple but effective rocker, a glimpse to what the band might've sounded like bashing it out in the Cavern, and it stuck in the band's live set all the way through the end of their touring days in 1966. It swings, it's fun, it's got a really cool turn around, and Ringo really goes for it vocally, which isn't what he usually does.   Joining us this week is Narada Wise, an Ohio-based drummer who plays with New Orleans-based kirtan band Sean Johnson & The Wild Lotus Band. We talk about just what kirtan music is, how Ringo influences Narada's playing even in a genre that's very different from the Beatles, the brilliance of Ringo, rock & roll lazers, and much more! Follow Narada and the band at www.seanjohnsonandthewildlotusband.com, check out their music, and see when they're coming to your town! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to visit rankingthebeatles.com! Wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

Self-care isn't always something that gets prioritized when we're in our 20s. But the notion of taking the time to check in with yourself, to be mindful of the things going on around and inside of you seems to be something that Paul McCartney was tuned into in 1967. He credits this with the freedom to discover himself that he found through mind-expanding stimulants of the time, namely marijuana and LSD. "Fixing A Hole" is the result of this, a metaphorical look at taking personal stock and learning to look after one's self. It's an interesting tune that doesn't really sound like anything else on Sgt. Pepper, it's not overtly psychedelic, and personally, it's a bit of a sleeper for me. A sleeper in that I seem to forget about it but when it pops up I remember how lovely it is. There's some interesting questions about it too...did Mal Evans get a co-write on it? Did John really play bass? How did George get that rad guitar tone??  Joining us this week is the wonderful Sonia Tetlow, an Atlanta, GA-based singer/songwriter by way of New Orleans. She's got a fantastic new solo album out, "Better Days," which Jonathan played guitar on, and features previous RTB guests Andre Bohren and Paul Sanchez. We talk about what it takes to make a really great record, a mysterious Beatles song Sonia doesn't like, and much much more! Follow Sonia on Facebook, and you can stream "Better Days" anywhere you stream quality music, or download it or buy it on CD through her Bandcamp! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to visit rankingthebeatles.com! Wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

Originally sketched out in a notebook of song ideas started in Rishikesh, Paul's "Mother Nature's Son" is part of a trifecta of White Album songs where he emerges as fully formed solo artist, the only Beatle on the track. It's a beautiful acoustic-based song about the solitude and peace one finds in nature. Featuring a nice bit of Nilsson-influenced brass, it provides fantastic imagery and scenery, another of those great Beatle mind movies. And to my ears, it's also a LOT more autobiographical than it gets credit for. Paul had been somewhat isolated from the other 3 Beatles for a few years, socially, living in the city area of London, while the other three relocated to the stockbroker belt. The others took to LSD long before he did. He left India before John and George. In a lot of ways, he kind of HAD to become a self-contained solo artist to get out all the creativity he had inside him because he didn't have his partners around him as much. Maybe this poor young country boy is more telling of a track than we realize? Regardless, it's certainly one of his more beautiful acoustic tracks that he can just churn out so easily. This one feels so effortless and delicate and unguarded, in a way a lot of these songs don't for him. Joining us this week for our 90th episode, and our season finale, is Dr. Susan Shumsky. Her new book is called The Inner Light: How India Influenced the Beatles. It's a topic she knows a thing or two about, as she spent several decades under the mentorship of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and has spent years teaching thousands of people meditation. We chat with Dr. Susan about her own experiences with Maharishi, his thoughts on the White Album, Paul being more of an open book than we realize, and much much more! Grab a copy of her fantastic book (we read it on vacation shortly after taping, it's great) at your local bookstore or online at drsusan.org. What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to visit rankingthebeatles.com! Wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

"We made a mistake," said John. "We thought there was more to him than there was, you know?" said Paul. After their stay in Rishikesh ended, the Beatles' overall disillusionment with the Maharishi lead to John and Paul publicly distancing themselves from the Eastern philosophy and path to enlightenment that George had lead them all to pursue. And while the unit a whole distanced themselves, marking the end of that phase for the group, George continued his practice and involvement for the rest of life. He felt the group viewed him at fault for they saw as public embarrassment, but in his mind, they were free to make any choices they wanted, and to follow any path they chose. It wasn't his fault. And thus was born "Not Guilty," a song recorded during the summer of '68 for the White Album. The band spent more time on "Not Guilty" than any other song in their recorded catalog, and after all that work, it was left in the archives until the Anthology project in the 1990s. George re-recorded it in the late 70s for his self-titled solo album, albeit in a much mellower version. The Beatles version though seethes in a moody, angry way. George's fully self-referential lyrical style is on display, singing a song about something obviously very personal, maybe almost too much so though. It's a much darker, heavier song than The Beatles typically are known for, with some interesting instrumental and arrangement choices, leading them to spend over 100 takes trying to get the track right. But everyone comes to play here. John's harpsichord track moves things into a kind of demented carnival territory, with George adding a sublime, almost detached lead vocal, and a stabbing electric guitar part. Ringo gives a dynamic, grooving part, while Paul provides one of the coolest bass parts he ever laid down. Maybe John and Paul weren't comfortable with letting George be the one to air the dirty laundry at this point, but to me, leaving this song off the White Album was a rare mistake in their catalogue. It makes the album a bit more of a rocking album, and shows another side of the band musically. We're always pleased to catch up with this week's guest, our old pal Sam Whiles. Sam hosts the brilliant podcast "Paul Or Nothing," the place to get all Paul, all the time. We chat about George's knack for pointing the finger at others, whether this should've been on the White album, George solo albums, and we talk a good bit of smack about other Beatle podcasts (all joking of course!). Check out Paul or Nothing anywhere you get your podcasts! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to visit rankingthebeatles.com! Wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support

They say there's no rest for the wicked, but throughout the 60s, there was often no rest for the Beatles. As soon as work was done on the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album, they began working on more songs with an eye towards the recently-contracted-Yellow Submarine film. Inspired by an acid-fuled evening spent at the 14 Hour Technicolor Dream and his immersion into the hippy scene of '67, John began working on a song called "One of the Beautiful People." At some point, he paired with a song fragment Paul had, possibly inspired by their want for manager Brian Epstein to start enjoying himself and some of the money they'd all made, and "Baby, You're A Rich Man" was born. One of the coolest grooves the Beatles (especially Ringo) ever laid to tape, the tune bounces from detached, light-hearted falsetto to a boisterous, joyous chant of the chorus, all held together with a musical equivalent of a mosquito in flight, John's performance on the clavoiline (possibly played with an orange?), an instrument that was lying around Olympic Sound Studios, the studio the band was recording in on that evening. It's an absolute jam of a track, and incredibly fun, but the track maybe hiding that fact that the song itself is maybe lacking a bit in substance. Joining us this week is our old pal James C., host of The Oasis Podcast. He recently undertook the ill-advised task of ranking the entire catalogue of Oasis, as well as the Gallagher bros post-Oasis work. We wanted to compare notes on how we each went about our rankings, and what we took from it. Of course, I'm always up to talk about Oasis, as they're one of my other favorite bands. We touch on all kinds of things like musical and emotional growth (or lack thereof), memories triggered by music, and the difference between American and British podcast guests. Check out his brilliant Oasis Podcast anywhere you listen to podcasts about Oasis! Trigger Warning: in regards to a long-held rumor about a lyrical variation on this song supposedly sung by John about Brian Epstein, we do discuss the cultural differences between the F-word, and the word is mentioned in that conversation, but purely in a contextual sense. If you'd rather skip this discussion, it starts at an hour and 3 minutes in, and lasts for about 6 minutes, feel free to skip ahead, and know that in no way do we condone or support hate speech or language of that type. What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to visit rankingthebeatles.com! Wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support