The Beatles: Past Masters Vol. 2
The second of two excellent compilations of non-album singles, 'b' sides and rarities here. As I said with the first one, they play out like credible albums in their own right.
Arguably, Day Tripper was the moment that The Beatles became more of a serious rock band. Yes, it is a chart-aimed pop song, but it is also a credible rock number, featuring some fine rock guitar. It should have been on Rubber Soul, shouldn't it? Lennon later described it as a "drug song", something that also marked a change in The Beatles' approach/image.
Written mainly by McCartney about his problems in love with Jane Asher, We Can Work It Out is extremely infectious, with a hooky chorus (and verses too). I've always felt there was something a bit Motown-y about it, but that is probably not to do with The Beatles' version but because Stevie Wonder did a really good upbeat cover of it in 1970. Deep Purple covered it too, on their 1968 Book Of Taliesyn album.
Paperback Writer was a fine McCartney non-album single rocker with countless hooks, both lyrical and musical. Like Day Tripper it was another highly credible Beatles rock song. Notably for McCartney at the time, it was not a lovelorn song addressed at Jane Asher, but one featuring an imaginary character who wants to be a successful author. Its lyrics are wry and clever, sung from the aspirant young man's point of view.
One of The Beatles' best ever 'b' sides here in Rain. It is a psychedelic delight, maybe the group's first such number. Interpreted as a drug song (as was usual for Beatles songs from this period) it is probably just as Lennon said "a song moaning about people moaning about the weather", albeit written under the influence. While it doesn't contain the Indian instruments so popular with the group at the time, its jangly guitar lines most definitely have that Indian sound to them. Lennon's singing has a droning, chant-like tone to it as well. Its whole sound is an Eastern-influenced hippy one. Check out the bass and drums too. Most impressive. It is a partner to Revolver's Tomorrow Never Knows. By now the Beatles were finally turning into a proper, serious adult rock band - at last. The Jam subsequently covered the song, by the way, acceptably.
Moving on a few years now, here we have an ever-so-slightly underwhelming non-album single in Lady Madonna, led by McCartney's barrelhouse, clunking piano and lyrics in praise of a hard-working housewife. Just a little patronising? Maybe. "A tribute to women everywhere", said McCartney, the man who resented Jane Asher's career. Hmmmm. The song is upbeat and enjoyable, but I've never been a huge fan although I can't really explain why. Maybe I find it a bit trite. I like the blaring saxophone on it though.
George Harrison continued the Indian hippy raga thing he had begun on Love You to and Within You Without You. As Lady Madonna's 'b' side The Inner Light was, amazingly, the first Harrison song to appear on Beatles 45. It is chock full of wailing, swirling sitars and lyrics about finding oneself and inner peace. They are derived from the Tao To Ching and are designed to reflect the experience of meditation. Cool, man. Sly digs apart, I've always liked Harrison's Indian stuff.
Get those hands in the air, light up those phones - now all you girls sing, now all you guys....McCartney's seven minute-plus singalong Hey Jude remains my favourite Beatles song of all. Why? Pure nostalgia. Simple as that. I first heard it at half time at a football match in October 1968. I was nine years old and I can still remember its effect on me - the minimalist, haunting opening, the timbre of McCartney's voice, the joy of the chorus. They ate into my DNA and remained. It was special and it now may be hackneyed and over-played but I still love it. Oh, and Lennon gets away with saying "fucking hell" a few minutes in and no-one - including the über-sensitive BBC censors - noticed!
For me, this fuzzy, rocking version of Revolution is by far the best one of Lennon's cynical, angry rant. I love the fuzzy guitar and the general upbeat, in-your-face confrontation and turmoil expressed throughout the song. Possibly the group's best rock number. It's just so 1968 too. Good God Almighty the new 2023 new remaster has some speaker-shaking power to it. Arguably the group's best rock song. Is Hey Jude backed with Revolution one of the best-ever 45s too? By anyone.
Nobody can really argue with Get Back as a copper-bottomed rocker, particularly with regard to the totally barnstorming version that appears on the Let It Be album. It is possibly The Beatles' best ever true rock song. Only right at the very end of their career did they start properly rocking. The version included here is the single version, which, to be honest, is just as good. This, along with Revolution, are both killer rockers.
The Beatles got the blues on this underrated deep cut, Don't Let Me Down, featuring Billy Preston on keyboards. It was a Lennon blues rock number, written pleadingly to new love Yoko Ono. To me, it has always carried bluesy hints of McCartney's Let Me Roll It that we did with Wings and also I've Got A Feeling from the Let It Be album, another McCartney song. I so like the Beatles when they rock like this. Proper blues rock.
A perhaps surprise number one here. The Ballad Of John And Yoko was a slightly country-tinged rocker that told of John and Yoko's travails in trying to get married. Only Lennon and McCartney appear on the recording. It must have been a piecemeal recording. It sounds like a full band, so a good job was done in the studio. Lyrically, Lennon makes the song all about him and he tells us all how they're all out to crucify him. Yeah right. Love that big bassline though.
Another deep cut here. Harrison's upbeat country blues Old Brown Shoe is catchy and pleasant enough, but nothing special. I like the twangy guitar and piano lines on it, though.
I have never quite understood the opprobrium often thrown at Across The Universe. I find it most atmospheric and haunting. Give me that over Rocky fucking Raccoon or Martha My Dear any day you care to name. David Bowie did a fine cover of it on his 1975 Young Americans album too, another one that I seem to be alone in liking! There was, though, an earlier incarnation of the song dating from 1968 that Lennon wanted releasing as a single but it was (probably) rightly rejected in favour of Lady Madonna. The original version is weak and lacking in any real cohesion. This is definitely a song that Phil Spector's production improved immeasurably. Unfortunately, it is the original that is included here!
I have always enjoyed the more raw, edgy cut of Let It Be - with its muscular guitar solo and infectious percussion - that was used on its album to this single version included here. Over-sentimental it may often be accused of being, but I can't help but get a tingle down my spine whenever I hear it. It makes me emotional every time, so there you go. It works, whatever Lennon thought (he hated it, of course).
You Know My Hame (Look Up The Number) - the 'b' side to Let It Be was a throwaway piece of music-hall nonsense from 1967 to end with. Lennon said of it - ".....that was a piece of unfinished music that I turned into a comedy record with Paul. I was waiting for him in his house, and I saw the phone book was on the piano with 'You know the name, look up the number.' That was like a logo, and I just changed it". McCartney once claimed it was his favourite Beatles track. Tongue-in-cheek surely?
