This Is Beautiful: The Beatles Get Back

 Over Thanksgiving break I, like many Beatles fans I'm sure, watched the entirety of The Beatles: Get Back documentary on Disney+. It's a marathon, there's about eight hours of footage split into three parts. But man is it fun to watch! 

You really feel as though you're in the studio with the musicians, seeing them have these intimate conversations and recording sessions. There's footage of Paul McCartney just pulling "Get Back" out of thin air, or John taking playful bites out of his microphone. There's many instances of them just noodling around and playing songs that they enjoy on their instruments. And slightly meta conversations about what they want this project to look like. It's all been wonderfully restored too, I cannot believe that this is from 1969!

Of course it culminates in the performance on the roof of their recording studio, with Paul gleefully embracing the possibility of them being arrested. The entire concert was included, along with captions detailing which recordings made it on the album, which in nice. In general I think it's edited really well, they tell you who everyone is and explain obscure references with images and text so it isn't hard to follow.

I totally get it if an 8 hour Beatles documentary isn't your thing, but it was a ton of fun to watch! You can put it on in the background, or sit and pay attention to every detail. The project rewards you either way.

This Is Beautiful: McCartney 3, 2, 1

 (Yes I am working on writing about my vacation, but this also has to be said.)

The Hulu series "McCartney 3, 2, 1" is surprisingly good! I am a card-carrying Beatlemaniac but whenever I see a new Beatles thing I am a little skeptical. There's only so much you can pull from 10 years of a band being together and at some point it's just a money grab since so many people are so into them. But this show is really cool to watch and listen to!

It features Sir Paul talking with Rick Rubin about his life and primarily his music. It takes place entirely in a studio with the two of them playing old tracks, separating out the different parts, and discussing how the song was made and came about. It's a lot like "Song Exploder", a podcast that does a similar thing, but Beatles edition. And there's a good amount of McCartney's solo work in there as well.

It honestly was really engaging since they paired the conversation excellently with old footage of the boys and of artists that influenced them. Plus, McCartney talks very openly about different songs and how they wrote all of the parts while putting it together. The focus is really on the music rather than anything else, which is quite refreshing since I didn't need another dive into his personal life or whatever. I've spent a lot of time reading about the Beatles' writing process and I learned quite a few things from watching this!

There's going to be a lot of Beatles content coming out later, and this show has set the bar pretty high! Definitely worth a watch if you are a Beatles fan, or just a fan of music and music production in general.

“All You Need is Ears” by George Martin with Jeremy Hornsby

I feel like I’ve been trying to find a copy of this book for ages. George Martin is one of my heroes so when I saw that he had written a memoir, of course I wanted to read it. But it isn’t very popular since while The Beatles are very popular, not many people know who their producer was. I found it in the end though at a used bookstore, and I am very glad I did.

Martin takes you through his life, starting with his childhood and upbringing, getting into the music business, and his projects with The Beatles and after. I quite liked how this was clearly a book about Martin, not The Beatles. Obviously they factor heavily into the story, but they are not highlighted and in many ways Martin tries to make it clear that they were one of many artists he was recording.

My favorite aspect of the book is how Martin clearly explains sound recording techniques he used, as well as how he thought about arranging. It gives a really cool insight into the music industry of the 60s and his thought process when coming up with music. It is almost certainly all outdated, but it still is a neat snapshot of how things were done.

To be fair, the book is a bit jumbled. Martin sometimes seems more interested in going from topic to topic rather than chronologically. The result is we keep jumping around and I had to double check the years a couple times to see whether this was pre- or post-Beatles.

Regardless, I loved reading this book. Getting a peak into George Martin’s head was incredible and I would definitely recommend this to any Beatles fan, or to any music fan in general.

Variations on a Theme: My Favorite Songs

The playlist to end all playlists!

1. “Emoticons” by The Wombats

I love this song, it’s the opening track from their third album, “Glitterbug.” It’s so catchy and melodic, I could listen to it all day!

2. “What A Catch, Donnie” by Fall Out Boy

Taking things down a little here, this is a song that really goes on a journey. It starts off slow but slowly builds and builds into this insane number. You just have to listen to it to really understand what I mean.

3. “Reckless Serenade” by the Arctic Monkeys

Another favorite band of mine, off of my favorite album of theirs, “Suck it And See.” I’ve always been into slow songs by the Arctic Monkeys, and less the faster single-like songs. This is classic, angsty them with plenty of emotion and elegant guitar riffs.

4. “Starman” by David Bowie

This playlist would not be complete without our man Bowie. I was first introduced to his music through this song/album and have been hooked ever since. It’s a gorgeous song, one that never quite seems to age, only grow more timeless.

5. “The Asphalt Jungle” by Duke Ellington

I first found this tune through a youth jazz group I was in, funnily enough. We performed an arrangement of it and I’ve been hooked since. It’s a very catchy melody, heightened by Ellington clapping along with the beat. Originally I believe it was for a tv show called “The Asphalt Jungle” but I have yet to find a clip or anything of it so I don’t know much about it’s plot.

6. “Oh Love” by Green Day

This song was everywhere for like a month and now I never hear it. It’s such a good song though, very catchy melody. It doesn’t really sound like typical Green Day, much more lyrical and less angry, but I think it’s A+.

7. “In the Stone” by Earth, Wind, & Fire

One of my favorite Earth, Wind, & Fire songs. Also have heard a couple decent jazz band arrangements of it. The rhythms in it are so good, very danceable. Definitely deserves more attention than it gets.

8. “Somebody to Love” by Queen

Queen is one of my favorite bands and this is definitely one of my favorite songs by them. It really doesn’t get much better than this.

9. “Give Me Love” by Ed Sheeran

This is the closing song off of Sheeran’s first album, and I just think it’s so good. It’s fun to yell and is a great note to end an album on. The fact that there’s a lil bonus song thrown in is just icing on the cake.

10. “All You Need is Love” by the Beatles

Yeah, can’t forget my favorite band and my favorite song on this list. And that’s just the way I want to end my last playlist.

Thanks for listening, I’ve had fun with this experiment. 😊

Variations on a Theme: Cover Songs

This month we are exploring cover songs! I’m defining a cover song as a version of lyrics or recognizable melody performed by a group that did not write it. Regardless of which version is the most popular, the people who did not write the song is the cover. This playlist mainly explores either little known covers that I enjoy, or reveals some songs you may not have known to be covers. Have fun!

1. “Got To Get You Into My Life” by Earth, Wind, and Fire

Yeah so little known fact, this is a cover of a Beatles song off of the “Revolver” album. And I have to be honest, I like this version much better. With the different layering of the horns and the snapping at the beginning, it feels like a much more complete version than the original one by the Beatles.

2. “Everybody Wants To Be A Cat” by The Electric Swing Circus

Originally from the animated classic “The Aristocats” this is a more jazzy version of an already pretty jazzy tune. I’ve heard numerous versions of this song, and they are all fun, but this is the most upbeat one that I’ve seen and therefore my favorite. Because this song is meant to be fun and jazzy!

3. “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” by Jake Shimabukuro

This is the song that made Jake Shimabukuro famous ages ago! It’s a stunning cover of the Beatles classic song on ukulele. His talent really shines through in what he does with the song and the liberties that he takes with it. Honestly though, all of Shimabukuro’s work is incredible, would highly recommend!

4. “Come On Eileen” by Save Ferris

Originally by Dexy’s Midnight Runners, this is a ska version of what is probably their biggest hit. The horns make it jazzy and very danceable, while the lyrics (sung by a woman!) are more upbeat as a result. Both versions of the song have their pros to them, but I know for sure which one I’ll be putting on during a party. Ska all the way!

5. “Please Mister Postman” by The Beatles

So having included two covers of Beatles songs, here is a Beatles song that is actually a cover! The original is by The Marvelettes, an African-American girl band from the US. Bands like them were popular just before the British Invasion, but they were eventually overwhelmed by Beatlemania. They had a profound influence on the Beatles though, so much of their sound came from black American bands.

6. “Skinny Love” by Ed Sheeran

This is an old one, from before Ed Sheeran blew the fuck up and changed his sound quite a bit. It’s a cover of Bon Iver’s song of the same name, and I think he does a beautiful job with it. Keeping it simple with just the guitar is a great choice for this song, with its bare-bones lyrics. I miss this Sheeran, now he overdubs everything and is so flashy, but this I could imagine hearing at a local coffee shop.

7. “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” by George Harrison

I love this song, I choreographed to it once in college. It’s a cover of the classic jazz tune, but it features Harrison playing ukulele. I wish there were more recordings of him on the uke, he supposedly loved the cute lil instrument and always had multiple with him to share with friends. It does not get much cuter than this.

8. “Nice Work If You Can Get It” by Frank Sinatra

Another jazz cover, this one is a classic singer covering a classic tune. But what I like about this version is how upbeat it is. Most singers with this song tend to slow it down and make it sad, but here Sinatra keeps it light and, in my opinion, captures the essence of it more. Because there’s something whimsical about equating love to a job, sure the similarities are very real, but you don’t think of it that way.

9. “Take On Me” by Reel Big Fish

Another ska cover! This time it is another 90s band taking on the hit from a-ha. This one stays very close to the original, just making it louder and faster and adding horns. The result is so much fun to listen and to dance to, I dare you to try and stay still.

 10. “I Want You Back” by Lake Street Dive

This is a cover of the Jackson 5 song, and to be honest it took me ages to even realize that it is a cover it’s so different from the original. Once you realize what it is, you do see similarities in the melodic structure, but man do they make this song their own. And with the jazzy feel, it’s almost like a Postmodern Jukebox version of a song!

So those are only a small subset of some covers that I am into. Stay tuned for next month, the theme will be WALKING MUSIC.

Variations on a Theme: Songs to Belt

With this playlist, I tried to highlight songs that you don’t usually think of when you want to just scream along a little. Everyone knows the Ke$ha and the Madonna ones, but I hoped to introduce you to a little something different to pull out the next karaoke night.

1. “Hollywood” by Jukebox the Ghost

This is actually one of my favorite songs from this band. The contrasting styles present, and how well it illustrates the subject of the lyrics, make it stand apart from the rest. The song is about how having a Hollywood relationship would really just break your heart rather than be like it is on screen. So there is the slow, dramatic intro, and then a rollicking chorus that interjects. It is so fun to sing along to (the repetitiveness helps as well) and to just belt a lil.

2. “Blow, Gabriel, Blow” from Anything Goes!

Similar to the last one, this song starts off slow and then really gets going. Anything Goes! is one of my favorite musicals, with music by the impeccable Cole Porter. This part of the musical is when the characters seem in dire straits, but then the token nightclub singer comes out and sings a rousing chorus to get everyone in good spirits again, this time with a hefty dose of spirituality thrown in. I think it’s wonderful, and having been in the chorus for this number it is iconic and so much fun!

3. “Oh! Darling” by The Beatles

This is Paul’s song to his wife, Linda. It’s also a bit of a pastiche, not exactly the Beatles’ usual style. It was also written while they were in the middle of breaking up, so there is very little Lennon influence on this, awkwardly enough. It’s definitely not my favorite Beatles tune, but it’s so fun to sing along to.

4. “Water Under the Bridge” by Adele

An Adele song was probably a prerequisite on this playlist. Nearly everything that she does sounds great and involves belting. I particularly like this one because I think it keeps being overlooked. Think about it, usually other songs come to mind when you think of Adele. But the balance of this song and the harmonies are just so good here!

5. “Take On Me” by a-ha

Often covered, here’s a-ha’s biggest hit! It’s inspired things like this funny video among others. I still think it’s so good, and if you are saying that you haven’t done that silly dance while screaming the lyrics you are either lying or haven’t really lived yet. Get on out there and do it!

6. “Schumacher the Champagne” by The Wombats

I love this band and all that they do. This is from one of their earlier albums, and it’s just such an unashamedly sleazy song. It’s so satisfying to scream “take me as I am! Or not at all!!!” and own your faults.

7. “As We Stumble Along” from The Drowsy Chaperone

“The Drowsy Chaperone” was a musical made to embody all of the tropes of the musical genre. And this was made to be the rousing number. So of course it’s on this playlist. Seriously though, I love this song and this whole production in general. Because even though it was made to be a cliché, it’s still so relatable and good!

8. “The Good Life” by Frank Sinatra

There had to be a Sinatra song on here. This is one of his lesser known ones, still a fun song to sing and belt to. Especially the end. One of the issues I ran into with this playlist was that it just keeps building so it’s hard to put some kind of a progression to it. Thankfully, this song starts more mellow so it flows alright and doesn’t just leave you constantly at the top of the hype.

9. “Movin’ Out” by Billy Joel

Billy Joel has a couple of good yelling songs out there, thought I’d throw this one into the mix as well. It’s so good and so gratifying to sing, very cathartic. Not many belting songs are so snarky as this one, makes a nice change.

10. “What a Catch, Donnie” by Fall Out Boy

Ah yes, this song. If you didn’t spend some of your pop punk phase with Fall Out Boy, you’re probably lying. It’s a classic, you all probably know it, just enjoy it.

And that the belting playlist done with! Hope it was cathartic and fun for you. Next month we will be covering classical saxophone pieces so keep an eye out for that! (Yeah I know that classical music is a drag, but classical saxophone is so underappreciated that this is happening.)

“I Me Mine: The Extended Edition” by George Harrison

I read the original version of I Me Mine over a year ago now (see here) and remember feeling slightly disappointed with it. It’s mostly images of the lyrics written out by Harrison, and not so much about his life. However it is the closest that we will ever get to his autobiography, and having his notes on how he wrote several of his songs is invaluable.

For the extended edition, there is an introduction by Olivia Harrison that really sets the book up well. She also points out some details that I noticed the first time around but didn’t quite process, like the fact that one of the pictures is captioned as George eating a cheese sandwich, when it’s really just a picture of him with a guitar. The lyrics also now cover the entirety of his career, so there are plenty of songs that we don’t have his insights into, but simply have the image of the words written out.

Honestly, rereading it was still a great experience. His words stand the test of time and speak to the reader with a perfect blend of humor and insight. It’s too bad that we didn’t have more time with him, but we will have to make do with what he left behind for us.

Variations on a Theme: Album Openers

This month we are exploring various songs that started albums, or album openers. I didn’t include any albums that are put together after the songs were released, like “Best of” or other variations thereof. To be honest, this is one of my favorite playlists that I have done. I really like it, and thing that it flows amazingly well. Because of the nature of this category, I’m adding the album name as well to each entry.

1. “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” The Beatles (Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band)

Of course I start this off with a Beatles song. Sgt Pepper’s was a groundbreaking album, the first concept album of sorts where the songs are linked by a theme rather than just the band playing the songs. For the Beatles, this concept was that they were another band entirely, the Sgt Pepper’s of the album’s name. As the opening number, it introduces the band and sets the stage for it. It’s a great introduction to the album that it’s from, and for this playlist.

2. “Emoticons” by The Wombats (Glitterbug)

This is one of my favorite songs by the Wombats. It opens their third album and I think it really should have gotten more attention than it did from the fans. The music behind the vocals is more similar to ambient noise than anything else, but it sets the lyrics off perfectly and sets the album up as something completely different from what we’ve heard before from this band. Coming out of the previous song, the fade in works perfectly and makes a great, if unexpected, segue.

3. “Babel” by Mumford and Sons (Babel)

I think it’s impossible to hear the opening of this song without jamming out a little bit. There’s just something about the banjo that makes me excited. The fact that the singer is so clearly pumped as well adds to that. It’s just a song that makes you want to yell along. Somehow it works out really well after “Emoticons,” probably because that song sets you up so well to get excited and this delivers just that.

4. “Dirty Paws” by Of Monsters and Men (My Head is an Animal)

Taking it down a notch, here’s some Of Monsters and Men. There’s still a lot of guitar so it sounds similarly to Mumford and Sons and doesn’t sound out of place. This band has an interesting recurring theme of animalistic features popping up in all of its songs. This album is called “My Head is an Animal” which has it right in the title, and the song talks about paws. Not sure what that means other than the band has a theme, since different songs do different things with it, but it’s fun.

5. “Blowin’ In the Wind” by Bob Dylan (The Freewheelin Bob Dylan)

This is arguably Dylan’s most famous song. Written about the racism and the Civil Rights Movement in the 60s, it became a song of social change for the hippies of the day. It sounds similar to Of Monsters and Men, so again flows very well. It’s also probably the slowest song on the list, and fits nicely in the middle here.

6. “Press Restart” by Walk the Moon (What if Nothing)

I saw them live in DC back in February and they opened with this song which was incredible to see live. It’s your standard opener with a slow intro that gradually builds into a high energy song. I thought this fit well as the start of the second half because the slow build segues nicely from Dylan and gets you ready for what’s coming next. Also the title “Press Restart” implies that there was something before that you are now restarting. So on to the second half of the playlist!

7. “FloriDada” by Animal Collective (Painting With)

It’s impossible to feel sad while listening to this song. It’s just so cute and happy, makes you want to bop along with it. Animal Collective is such a strange band, they never stop playing with melody and harmony and what the strangest sound that they can put into a song is. This song is such a great example of that, and how the results of their experimentation can be so great to listen to.

8. “Eraser” by Ed Sheeran (Divide)

Sheeran every once in a while will put out a song like this where he is quasi rapping and talking more than actually singing. I think these songs really don’t get enough attention because he’s literally doing something that very few others are with this. This song in particular has a great beat, but as soon as you start listening to the lyrics you realize what he’s doing. He’s talking about how being in the music industry is so shitty that he’s become a shitty person as a result and has started drinking and doing drugs in order to erase the pain of this. I think it’s bold and brilliant, not to mention the fact that it sounds great.

9. “Nuclear Family” by Green Day (Uno)

Most people know Green Day from the days of their youth and the musical “American Idiot.” I am going to put forward the controversial opinion that this album is just as good as that stuff. In particular, this song is just so much fun to listen to. There’s a bit of wordplay here with nuclear energy and how a nuclear family is the mom, dad, and kids. It’s fun, check out the rest of the CD.

10. “The Phoenix” by Fall Out Boy (Save Rock and Roll)

And we are closing with a solid more recent Fall Out Boy song. You can tell that this was intended to be the opener since he keeps saying “I’m back!” which you wouldn’t normally close with. However, I thought that this was the most high energy song on here and it worked best for the end. Have to end with a bang.

And that’s all of the openers that I have for this week. Like I said, I listened to this playlist myself and thought it was awesome so be sure to do that if you haven’t. For next month, I’ll be doing the opposite of this and making a playlist of album closers. So keep an eye out for that!

Variations on a Theme: Music by The Beatles

This month we are tackling my favorite band, The Beatles! For those of you who don’t know, The Beatles are a group of lads from Liverpool, England whose music spanned a mere decade but spawned millions of fans, cover bands, and the like. You could argue that they are the most influential group of the twentieth century, but I digress. Here I am making a playlist of my favorite Beatles songs.

1. “All You Need Is Love” 

Quite literally, this song captured an entire generation of people. It was performed during the first worldwide broadcast (written by John Lennon, no one knows whether he wrote it specifically for this occasion or not) to convey a sense of unity and togetherness. Which I think it does masterfully. There’s a nice throwback at the end of the song, John starts singing “she loves you yeah yeah yeah” which is, of course, from their earlier hit “She Loves You.” It’s a great song to kick off this list, and happens to be one of my favorite songs ever.

2. “Eleanor Rigby” 

For a change in mood, let’s now go to “Eleanor Rigby.” Despite the fact that the lyrics are rather depressing, it’s a rather upbeat song. I’ve never thought of it as a downer. The lyrics are quite amusing as well, for example she puts on “a face that she keeps in a jar by the door.” And if you listen for the story, the priest and Eleanor come together at the end as he digs her grave, which isn’t the happiest thought. Honestly though, I think it captures modern life quite well as we are so isolated from each other, when literally there’s someone else right next door. In that sense, this song is a foil to “All You Need is Love.”

3. “Let It Be” 

A classic Paul McCartney written song. One fun fact about it is that “mother Mary” is actually his mother, Mary McCartney, and not the Virgin Mary. It’s also about the Beatles breaking up and arguing, and how in times of trouble sometimes you just have to let things be. It’s amazing how such pain (the four members of the group were great friends) can create wonderful art such as this. It’s a great segue from “Eleanor Rigby” since the previous song ended on a sad note, this one adds a bit of hope to the mix.

4. “Strawberry Fields Forever” 

John Lennon wrote this song about his childhood. You can still visit Strawberry Fields if you go to Liverpool, something that every Beatle fan does at some point. What I find fascinating about this song is its wacky lyrics: “living is easy with eyes closed” or “no one I think is in my tree.” John here is trying to talk about how he thinks he’s on another plane from everyone else, and it’s easy for him to just kind of get by in life, but he doesn’t want to do that. Of course, I think that this is applicable to everyone with an ego, we all think that we’re different from everyone else. Just as John here is returning to his childhood, we all have had separate upbringings and separate experiences that have shaped who we became.

5. “Can’t Buy Me Love” 

This is off of the album “A Hard Day’s Night,” which supplemented their first Beatle film as well. It’s just so fun to listen to, even in the movie this is the song for where the four of them escape and get outside and do wacky things on this random lawn. Its also got a great message about how money exists, but it can’t buy the important things in life. Which is something we must remember, especially in this day and age.

6. “Come Together” 

Off of their last studio album, “Come Together” was written by John Lennon about political togetherness and how we need to band together. Its got a bit of a jazzy feel to it, which has made it one of the more popular Beatles tunes. It was also covered by Aerosmith rather famously, but no one needs that in my opinion when the original is around.

7. “For No One” 

This I think is one of the few songs that really sums up what love and breakups are all about. Paul McCartney wrote it, and it’s one of his most underrated songs in my opinion. The melody is gorgeous, especially with the French horn playing it partway through. It just gets it, when you’re fighting with your significant other, you’re upset, but it’s not for you or for your partner. It really is for no one.

8. “Here Comes the Sun” 

George Harrison wrote this tune, and it’s one of his best works. I think it’s lovely. The music is so delicate, like a flower finally opening up to the sun for the first time, and captures the sense of the moment perfectly. This is another song about the Beatles breaking up, and how George knew that eventually everything would be alright. It’s also frequently covered by other artists as well, but again, why would you want that when this perfect original is right here?

9.  “Hey Jude” 

This is a Paul McCartney tune, but it’s written for John Lennon’s son, Julian. John and his first wife Cynthia were going through a divorce, and Paul wanted to write Julian something that would tell him to stay determined and keep going. At the time, it was the longest number one hit due to the absurd number of na na nas at the end. But that also makes it a great sing along song, which is really more important. As we reach the end of this playlist, this makes for a great wrap up.

10. “A Day In The Life” 

This is the last song off of their most famous album, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” I figured that it would be a perfect goodbye song here as well. It finishes off the list of Beatles tunes, and has a distorted ending to remind you that in the end, this was a group of four guys just experimenting and seeing how far they could push the limits of music at the time. Everything that they did has since become commonplace, but they were the groundbreakers and the first to do these things. Music was never the same again.

So you might have noticed that it’s not quite the same as my ranking of Beatles songs that I did a couple years ago. Some songs just work better in a playlist than others. Anyways, I had a lot of fun exploring one of my favorite bands in a new way, I hope that it made you think about the songs differently, or introduced you to a new one! Next month will be something also different, I will be creating a playlist entirely of album openers! We shall see where that takes us, it’s a bit of a challenge to craft a decent playlist when all of the songs are the first one, but let’s see!

Variations on a Theme: Swing Music

This month we are talking about swing music! This is one of my favorite genres of music, the tunes are just so catchy and upbeat. It’s music made for dancing!

1. “Anything Goes” by Cole Porter

This is a classic song by a classic writer. There are lyrics, of course, but I love the piano only version. It’s soothing and somehow also happy. Porter has written several classic jazz tunes that crooners have loved for years, this seems like the perfect way to open the playlist.

2. “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

Frankie Valli and co don’t usually cover jazz tunes, but this is a wonderful exception to the rule. “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” was originally penned by Cole Porter, but it has been covered by nearly everyone in the past 100 years. Valli isn’t really a jazz man, but hey 60s boy band is close enough. This particular version of the song is different from most others as a result. Most strikingly are the harmonies that the boys use to accompany the melody. The result is a smooth sailing song that makes you sway every which way.

3. “Mack the Knife” by Ella Fitzgerald

Ella is my queen and I’m obsessed with her voice and everything about her. This is a really wonderful and unique cover of the tune. “Mack the Knife” is originally from “3-Penny Opera” and the whole point of that show is to put on a dingy and gritty opera, to contrast with the high-class ones that are more of the stereotype. It was also originally in German. Anyways so you’ve got this opera for the lower classes (hence the 3 penny part) that opens with a song about an assassin, not the most reputable of people. Anyways, Ella’s cover of this song is awesome and gloriously quirky. She actually forgets the lyrics partway through and just makes them up! I also don’t think I know of any other female jazz singers who cover this piece. It’s just plain fun!

4. “In A Mellow Tone” by Duke Ellington

And here we get to the master Duke Ellington. Ellington made the big band popular back before the Depression. He also arranged all of their tunes especially for the musicians playing any particular part. “In a Mellow Tone” is one of his pieces that isn’t especially complicated (most high school jazz bands play a version of it) but it still is so fun to hear because the swing is right on point. The entire group is so precise and together that it could just be a bunch of robots perfectly aligned.

5. “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra

No swing set would be complete without this song. I think that would lead to a riot. This Sinatra piece has been beloved for years, even by people who aren’t into swing music as intensely as me. I’ve heard a cappella groups perform this arrangement exactly, and jazz bands love to pull this chart out. There’s something about the lyrics that are a genius expression of love (“in other words…”) and the tune is still so upbeat and fun to dance to! Definitely a high point of the playlist as we hit the midline.

6. “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” by George Harrison

While not technically of the swing genre, this is traditionally a swing tune (the more common version is by Ella Fitzgerald). It’s just being given a bit of a more blues-y folks-y treatment here by the incredible ex-Beatle George, who is playing the ukulele! The ukulele was a bit of an obsession with George who fell for the fun little instrument and started collecting them, as well as playing them. Unfortunately I only know of a couple of recordings of him actually playing the instrument, but in my opinion this is the best one.

7. “Pennsylvania 6-5000” by Glen Miller

Glen Miller is another swing staple, known for his big band work. This is another tune that is fairly ubiquitous among high school jazz bands for its simple, yet catchy melody. It turns up at most swing dance events, so keep your ears peeled!

8. “All of Me” by Louis Armstrong

Armstrong has got to have one of the most distinctive voices in the jazz world, you can identify him almost instantly. In my opinion, he was a much better trumpet player than a singer, but you really can’t beat that distinctiveness. This is one of his best known songs, which he treats with a little New Orleans feel. This style is known for having multiple improvised lines through all of the different wind instruments, which you can hear at the beginning.

9. “I Get A Kick Out of You” by Eileen Rodgers

This is the version from the soundtrack to “Anything Goes” (specifically the 1962 revival) (in case you’re wondering the various revivals can be different). It’s the version that I first fell in love with back in high school when we were putting on the same musical with tons of fun tap dancing and singing. If you haven’t seen it, “Anything Goes” is this ridiculous Cole Porter classic about love on a ship with gangsters and cabaret singers! It’s one of my favorites.

10. “Haven’t Met You Yet” by Michael Buble

May as well end on a more modern note, this is that Buble song from a few years ago that everyone was singing for a while! It’s a rare example of a new swing song that still retains the upbeat melody and catchy rhythm. Perfect for the finale, and we’ll see what is yet to come for the swing genre!

So that’s all for this month, next month we will be doing something slightly different and discussing Beatles music! I’ll be putting together a playlist of my favorite Beatles songs from across their albums, so mark your calendars for that!

Variations on a Theme: Holiday/Winter Playlist

So I got bored of not doing anything creative lately so I decided to start doing a series of posts called "Variations on a Theme." Once a month I’ll put together a playlist based on a semi-random theme of my choosing, and talk about each song as well as its order in the playlist. I’ll put together a post about them all with links to the songs, hopefully this will be a cool way to share some knowledge about obscure songs and fun facts about them!

For the first post, I wanted to do something with all the holiday music blasting around. But here’s the thing: I really don’t like most holiday music, and I am not the hugest fan of the focus on Christmas as opposed to all holidays around this time. So this turned into a mix of holiday and winter themed music, winter is much more than just holidays but there’s also songs that are technically unrelated to holidays, they just pop into my head when I think about this time of year.

So without further ado:

1. “Waltz of the Snowflakes” (From the ballet The Nutcracker) by Peter Illich Tchaikovsky

Let’s get this party started with a little instrumental ballet music. This is one of the most iconic pieces from this holiday production that every dance company and their mom puts on. While the ballet does have to do with Christmas, I think that this specific piece is more about winter in general and the dance within snowflakes falling. It is also a gorgeous piece of music, with the violins and high woodwinds leading the melody. A choir even joins in at certain points, evoking the beauty and wonder at the sight of falling snow. This is it, this is the holiday season for me. Of course the dance is really what makes this piece, but even without any visuals it still does so much to evoke what every kid feels when they see snow falling outside.

2. “Winter Song” by The Head and the Heart

Let’s keep the mood slow and mellow for a second. This song is from the band The Head and the Heart’s self-titled album (and also their first one) released back in 2011. The song opens with simply the guitar, setting the mood for the rest of the piece. The lyrics reference a relationship that’s on the rocks, where the winter is the trouble that has set in. This is an almost perfect offset to the mood that “Waltz of the Snowflakes” evokes, here winter is cold and the absence of life. Instead of wonder, there’s only despair. Having said that, it is a hopeful piece where the speaker will be “back again to stay” at the end.

3. “Danse of the Floreadores” by Duke Ellington

Returning to “The Nutcracker” now, but in a different format. Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington adapted the Nutcracker Suite for a jazzy big band setting back in 1960. This set of pieces is incredible mostly in that there are very few arrangements of classical music into jazz that actually work. Thankfully this is the exception to the rule, all of the Duke Ellington Nutcracker pieces are amazing! This one is my favorite, there’s the opening with all the different instruments featured over a saxy refrain that then contrasts with the section parts later in the piece. This is the Ellington big band at its finest, they are all so tight and perfectly in sync with each other. We’ll be transitioning into more upbeat, swing music soon, so this piece makes the ideal transition being part of both the jazz and classical worlds.

4. “When Winter Comes” performed by Eddy Duchin’s big band

This song was written by Irving Berlin, but I enjoy this performance/recording immensely. You can tell from the sound that it was recorded decades ago. The horns are so together that they could be one instrument, and there’s enough scratch in the voice of the vocalist so bring to mind times long past. The lyrics talk about needing a lover when winter comes, a classic theme for a song from the time. Honestly there isn’t much too this piece, but it’s lovely to listen to.

5. “Ketsad M'rakdin” by The Alexandria Kleztet 

The Alexandria Kleztet is a band in the DC area that specializes in Eastern European and Jewish music. So here’s our token Jewish song! This band gets really great sound though, with the fiddle and the clarinet going nuts over the bass and drums. You can tell that they have been influenced heavily by jazz in the rhythms being played, but they also manage to stay true to their roots and capture the feel of Eastern European dances.

6. “Christmas Swing” by Django Reinhardt 

Reinhardt is the father of the modern jazz guitar player. He was incredible as a musician, self-taught, and made guitar a serious instrument worthy of the shredding solos we hear today. There isn’t anything really overtly Christmas-y about this song besides the title, but it’s a great piece to showcase his talent. It also fits well with the vibe of “When Winter Comes” because they both sound like old pieces, just because of the scratch. The end of the year tends to be a nostalgic time, might as well evoke that in the music being played as well.

7. “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” by Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald is a goddess among mortals. Her voice is lovely and so melodic and clear. I could rant about her for a while. This piece is a little-known gem of hers that really deserves more attention. The backing horns are the perfect compliment to her voice, and you can practically hear her smiling as she’s singing. The trumpet solo reflects her vocals as well, with the phrasing and choice to have it muted. (Sidenote: there’s also a Billie Holiday version of this tune.) The perfect song for cold winter nights!

8. “Greensleeves” arr. Michael Sweeney 

This is a gorgeous arrangement of a gorgeous tune for concert band. I’m not sure why this is considered a Christmas song, but we’re going to go with it. The melody in the high woodwinds is perfectly introduced over the French horns, and it soars through the different sections effortlessly. The backing of the melody also deserves plenty of credit since it perfectly compliments it and reinforces it through the different chord changes.

9. “Happy Christmas (War is Over)” by John Lennon and Yoko Ono

Let’s wrap up this party with one of the few Christmas songs that I can stand. The main reason why I actually like this song has to do with the fact that it adds a little bit of guilt into the holiday season. It opens with “and so this is Christmas/and what have you done?” The holidays tend to be such a decadent time, what if we sat down to think about what we did for each other in the past year? Are we proud of ourselves? What do we want to change in the new year? John Lennon and Yoko Ono bought several billboards saying “War is Over If You Want It” (which I find hilarious) to reinforce their point here that all we had to do was STOP FIGHTING and there wouldn’t be any fighting. Which is a childish, simple idea, but I think that’s the point. A classic song, but a classic song that will make you think if you paid attention to it.

And there you have it, roughly 30 minutes of holiday/winter music! I hope you found some new songs to add to your party playlists, or at least a new perspective on some songs you already knew. The theme for next month is going to be Video Games so look out for that to drop on February 1^st!

50th Anniversary of Sgt. Pepper!

Plot twist: I'm sick so this is going to be short.

LET'S PARTY LIKE IT'S 1967!!!

The Beatles album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" came out this week, 50 years ago! I'm celebrating (or trying to).

This album has been dubbed the best of all time by Rolling Stones, and has won numerous other awards. Whether you're a longtime Beatles fan or not, give it a listen, it deserves that much. :)

"I Me Mine" by George Harrison

Yeah the Beatles fan is back at it, I finally hunted down this book with the intention of devouring it.

So the first part of this book is like an edited memoir of George with edits and contributions from Derek Taylor (good friend of his, more of a writer than George which is why he’s in charge of this). It’s not very long or elaborate, and kind of jumps around a bit as George just goes and talks. Plenty of amusing insights though.

Then there’s a section of pictures. (Some jerk ripped out a few from the copy I got at the library, the nerve of some people.) Surprisingly enough there were some that I hadn’t seen before, which made me very happy.

Then there’s a section where George stuck handwritten copies of the papers he wrote songs on, which is really cool! It’s similar to that other book I read like a year ago, "The Beatles Lyrics" but also includes some of his solo songs. There’s also a blurb from George about each one, which is nice.

Not a long or elaborate read, but contains some nice quirks that show his personality, and a whole bunch of handwritten lyrics, my goodness.

“Autobiography of a Yogi” by Paramahansa Yogananda

Not going to lie, the main reason why I picked up this book was because I know that George Harrison was a fan of it. So there’s that. Beatles obsession aside, I also am into spiritual books and books about spiritual people, so I figured that I would like this.

As the title suggests, it is the autobiography of a yogi, the first one written in English I think. Yogananda was also the first one to come to America and spread teachings here, as well as setting up a community in California that then spread. As you can imagine, he has lived a pretty interesting life, bringing together the Eastern and Western schools of thought.

Most of the book consists of descriptions of various other yogis and people that he has met on his travels, such as other yogis and yoginis (female yogis). There is precious little about his own life, the section on America is pretty short, and when he does discuss it he presents his life as leading to something else. For example, he set up a school for boys in India, he does not really say how just says that it happened when he needs to tell a story of a visitor there. Which is all very humble and everything, but I would have liked more insight into what he did, especially while in America. At one point he does not write anything but takes a passage from his companion’s travel journal!

There are sections when it gets heavy and slightly unbelievable, such as when his guru appears to him in a vision and describes the afterlife. Or the very many descriptions of miracles and visions that he or others have. It gets pretty unbelievable, but I also keep a policy where I will not argue with it until I am also an Indian yogi, these are people who devote their lives to God, so I bet that he pays special attention to them and gives them miracles more often.

In terms of the religions here, literally all of them are present. The Bible is often discussed, as well as Hindu teachings. Buddhism and Islam are also mentioned frequently. Literally no matter what your religious background is, you can find something to relate to here. I found that to be really nice, he takes the teachings from multiple religions and brings them all together in unity.

I will tell you right now that this book is not for everyone, it is pretty religious and a little bit out dated since it was originally published in the 40s. But as someone who is interested in religion, I found it to be a fascinating read, and one that I think was well worth having.

Analysis of My Beatles Ranking by Album

Here’s an album by album breakdown of what I posted two weeks ago.

Might as well start at the beginning with “Please Please Me.” The highest ranked song is “Baby It’s You” at #26 (which is a cover, funnily enough) and the lowest is “There’s a Place” at #187, so it’s pretty spread out over the rankings. Since it is their first album, of course it’s going to be a mixed bag in terms of quality. I have always had a soft spot for this album though, since again it is the Beatles which is still much better than most other bands.

Up next is “With the Beatles.” The highest ranked song here is “All My Loving” at #23 and the lowest is “Money” at #179. “Money” is a bit of an outlier though, most of the songs are higher ranked, around 100 or so. As an album, it’s not one that I usually think of listening to since it is easy to overlook it. Having said that, most of the songs on it are very good, and even the covers do a great job.

Then comes their first soundtrack “A Hard Day’s Night.” Highest song is “Can’t Buy Me Love” at #10 and the lowest is “I’ll Be Back” at #180. Most songs are between numbers 80-140 though. This is their first album with only original songs, and it has gone down in history as one of their best albums as a result.

After that there is “Beatles For Sale.” Top song here is “Eight Days a Week” at #30 and lowest song is “Baby’s in Black” at #195. This song does not come out as high as the others, in fact there is a bit of a divide with about half of the album coming out around #100 and the other half around #175. At this point, they are getting a little tired of the craze about them, so I guess that is to be expected.

Their second soundtrack is “Help!” Best song is “Yesterday” at #46 and worst is “You Like Me Too Much” at #181. The songs are spread pretty evenly between those two. This is not a super great album, probably a by-product of all the pot they were smoking and their general lack of enthusiasm for this film. Still, it’s a fun one to listen to.

Next up is “Rubber Soul.” This album marks a significant shift in their music, away from generic rock n roll and into more experimental sounds. Top song is “In My Life” at #13 and lowest is the incredibly problematic “Run For Your Life” at #169. The majority of the songs here are below the 100 mark, which is pretty indicative of where it stands with me.

After that is “Revolver” which could almost be a continuation of “Rubber Soul.” “Eleanor Rigby” is the highest at #4, and lowest is “She Said She Said” at #170. The songs are actually pretty well spread out between them, probably because “Revolver” in general has a darker tone than “Rubber Soul” (“Run For Your Life” is pretty upbeat and unique for that album anyways).

“Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” is definitely my favorite album from the Beatles. “A Day in the Life” is the highest ranked at #6 and then “Good Morning Good Morning” is the lowest at #95, so they are all below the 100 mark which is exciting. Most of them are clustered around #50 or so. It is often said that this album summed up the 60s, but let’s be honest it sums up my life as well.

This is followed with “Magical Mystery Tour.” It’s a strange album, but it claimed the #1 spot with “All You Need is Love,” and then the lowest is “Your Mother Should Know” at #142. There is a pretty sharp divide here, with some songs below #70 and some above #110. This is clearly a very hit-or-miss album, with quite a few hits and some misses. As an album, it is not nearly as strange as the movie.

“White Album” is next. “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” is #14 but it also claims last place with “Wild Honey Pie” at #208. There are quite a few songs from this album clustered at the end, but also some towards the beginning as well. With an album this big, it is hard to avoid that.

The last soundtrack album is “Yellow Submarine.” Top song is “Hey Bulldog” at #78 and lowest is “Only a Northern Song” at 191. The rest are spread pretty evenly between them, but since I didn’t include the George Martin (*tear*) orchestral things there are only like 5 songs included here.

The next recorded album is “Let It Be.” The title track is #3, and #196 is the lowest with “Dig a Pony.” The songs are spread out below #100, but then there is also a cluster around #180. Overall it is a pretty good album, but there are some duds in it. It happens when a band is in the middle of breaking up.

The last recorded album is “Abbey Road.” Highest is “Come Together” at #8, lowest is “You Never Give Me Your Money” at #203. The songs are spread evenly between them, which is what happens when you break up the medley I guess. This album probably would have been ranked higher if I counted it as one, but I could not really think of a good way to do that.

George Martin

Alright well George Martin died on Tuesday and I was pretty underwhelmed with the statement that Brian Wilson wrote for Time magazine about him, so I'm just going to say a few words here.

George Martin was an incredible man, producer, and artist. The Beatles had gone to many labels looking for someone to record them, and even though Martin had largely done comedy groups before, he decided to take them on. He saw their potential and took a gamble on them.

If anyone deserved the title of "the fifth Beatle," Martin would definitely have a solid argument for it. The reason why so many of their songs sound the way that they do is because of his expertise in the mixing room. Good examples of this go from the strings on "Yesterday" to the explosion of sound at the end of "A Day in the Life."

Martin continued producing beautiful music up until the early 2000s, with projects such as the Beatles "Love" in Vegas and working independently with individual Beatles. His legacy will probably be as the man who made the Beatles, but he was so much more than that. Without him, the world would sound a little bit different. So thank you, George Martin. You will be missed, but not forgotten.

Personal Ranking of Beatles Songs

This is my personal ranking of every Beatles song. And when I say “every” Beatles song, I mean just their studio albums (so not the Anthology) and not soundtrack stuff that George Martin did for them (mostly applies to the “Yellow Submarine” soundtrack). However I am counting all of their singles and covers that they did on their albums.

Note: The ranking here is basically me thinking “which song would I rather listen to on average?” there are times when this list is wrong and I’m in the mood for something different. But I think overall I did an ok job with it.

Another Note: I’ve also classified them according to what album they’re from. AR=Abbey Road, WA=the White Album, FS=Beatles For Sale, HDN=A Hard Day’s Night, H!=Help!, LIB=Let It Be, MMT=Magical Mystery Tour, PM=Past Masters (singles), PPM=Please Please Me, R=Revolver, RS=Rubber Soul, SPLHCB=Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, WTB=With the Beatles, and YS=Yellow Submarine

1.       All You Need Is Love MMT

2.       Hey Jude PM

3.       Let It Be LIB

4.       Eleanor Rigby R

5.       Strawberry Fields Forever MMT

6.       A Day In The Life SPLHCB

7.       For No One R

8.       Come Together AR

9.       Here Comes the Sun AR

10.   Can’t Buy Me Love HDN

11.   Revolution PM

12.   I Want to Hold Your Hand PM

13.   In My Life RS

14.   While My Guitar Gently Weeps WA

15.   Hello Goodbye MMT

16.   Martha My Dear WA

17.   Honey Pie WA

18.   Penny Lane MMT

19.   Girl RS

20.   She’s Leaving Home SPLHCB

21.   Across the Universe LIB

22.   Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds SPLHCB

23.   All My Loving WTB

24.   I Will WA

25.   Blackbird WA

26.   Baby It’s You PPM

27.   This Boy PM

28.   Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (and reprise) SPLHCB

29.   I Am the Walrus MMT

30.   Eight Days A Week FS

31.   A Hard Day’s Night HDN

32.   Here, There, and Everywhere R

33.   P.S. I Love You PPM

34.   Something AR

35.   I Saw Her Standing There PPM

36.   Get Back LIB

37.   From Me to You PM

38.   It Won’t Be Long WTB

39.   With A Little Help From My Friends SPLHCB

40.   Words of Love FS

41.   Julia WA

42.   Yellow Submarine R

43.   Dear Prudence WA

44.   When I’m Sixty-Four SPLHCB

45.   Lady Madonna PM

46.   Yesterday H!

47.   Oh! Darling AR

48.   Nowhere Man RS

49.   Day Tripper PM

50.   You’re Going to Lose That Girl H!

51.   Please Mister Postman WTB

52.   Within You Without You SPLHCB

53.   And I Love Her HDN

54.   I’ve Just Seen A Face H!

55.   She Loves You PM

56.   Getting Better SPLHCB

57.   Drive My Car RS

58.   Fixing A Hole SPLHCB

59.   Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da WA

60.   Don’t Bother Me WTB

61.   The Long and Winding Road LIB

62.   The Fool On The Hill MMT

63.   We Can Work It Out PM

64.   I’m Looking Through You RS

65.   Roll Over Beethoven WTB

66.   Love Me Do PPM

67.   Ticket To Ride H!

68.   Lovely Rita SPLHCB

69.   Paperback Writer PM

70.   Help! H!

71.   Got To Get You Into My Life R

72.   Rain PM

73.   Do You Want To Know A Secret PPM

74.   Her Majesty AR

75.   Cry Baby Cry WA

76.   Helter Skelter WA

77.   For You Blue LIB

78.   Hey Bulldog YS

79.   Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite! SPLHCB

80.   Please Please Me PPM

81.   You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away H!

82.   Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) RS

83.   I’m A Loser FS

84.   She Came in Through the Bathroom Window AR

85.   Tell Me Why HDN

86.   You Won’t See Me RS

87.   I’m Down PM

88.   Michelle RS

89.   Long Tall Sally PM

90.   Til There Was You WTB

91.   I Feel Fine PM

92.   I’ll Follow the Sun FS

93.   Two Of Us LIB

94.   The Inner Light PM

95.   Good Morning Good Morning SPLHCB

96.   Back in the USSR WA

97.   If I Fell HDN

98.   And Your Bird Can Sing R

99.   Hold Me Tight WTB

100.                       She’s A Woman PM

101.                       The Night Before H!

102.                       I’ll Cry Instead HDN

103.                       I Need You H!

104.                       I Should Have Known Better HDN

105.                       Taxman R

106.                       Octopus’s Garden AR

107.                       Twist and Shout PPM

108.                       Rock And Roll Music FS

109.                       Little Child WTB

110.                       Ask Me Why PPM

111.                       If I Needed Someone RS

112.                       I Wanna Be Your Man WTB

113.                       Thank You Girl PM

114.                       Think For Yourself RS

115.                       Magical Mystery Tour MMT

116.                       Piggies WA

117.                       Things We Said Today HDN

118.                       Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby FS

119.                       I’m Happy Just to Dance With You HDN

120.                       I’ll Get You PM

121.                       All I’ve Got to Do WTB

122.                       Wait RS

123.                       The End AR

124.                       Tomorrow Never Knows R

125.                       Boys PPM

126.                       Baby You’re A Rich Man MMT

127.                       What You’re Doing FS

128.                       Another Girl H!

129.                       It’s All Too Much YS

130.                       Flying MMT

131.                       Any Time At All HDN

132.                       When I Get Home HDN

133.                       Blue Jay Way MMT

134.                       I Want to Tell You R

135.                       Chains PPM

136.                       I Me Mine LIB

137.                       Tell Me What You See H!

138.                       I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party FS

139.                       You Really Got a Hold On Me WTB

140.                       Mother Nature’s Son WA

141.                       Anna (Go to Him) PPM

142.                       Your Mother Should Know MMT

143.                       The Ballad of John and Yoko PM

144.                       It’s Only Love H!

145.                       I Call Your Name PM

146.                       Every Little Thing FS

147.                       Not a Second Time WTB

148.                       Revolution 1 WA

149.                       The Word RS

150.                       Bad Boy PM

151.                       Birthday WA

152.                       Devil in Her Heart WTB

153.                       I’m So Tired WA

154.                       I’m Only Sleeping R

155.                       Dizzy Miss Lizzy H!

156.                       Slow Down PM

157.                       Yes It Is PM

158.                       What Goes On RS

159.                       Happiness is a Warm Gun WA

160.                       Maxwell’s Silver Hammer AR

161.                       Good Day Sunshine R

162.                       Matchbox PM

163.                       Golden Slumbers AR

164.                       Don’t Let Me Down PM

165.                       Act Naturally H!

166.                       Mr. Moonlight FS

167.                       You Can’t Do That HDN

168.                       Doctor Robert R

169.                       Run For Your Life RS

170.                       She Said She Said R

171.                       A Taste of Honey PPM

172.                       Because AR

173.                       No Reply FS

174.                       All Together Now YS

175.                       One After 909 LIB

176.                       Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except For Me and My Monkey WA

177.                       Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey! FS

178.                       Misery PPM

179.                       Money WTB

180.                       I’ll Be Back HDN

181.                       You Like Me Too Much H!

182.                       I Want You (She’s So Heavy) AR

183.                       Honey Don’t FS

184.                       I’ve Got a Feeling LIB

185.                       Sexy Sadie WA

186.                       Carry That Weight AR

187.                       There’s a Place PPM

188.                       Yer Blues WA

189.                       Old Brown Shoe PM

190.                       Mean Mr. Mustard AR

191.                       Only A Northern Song YS

192.                       Why Don’t We Do It In The Road? WA

193.                       Dig It LIB

194.                       Maggie Mae LIB

195.                       Baby’s In Black FS

196.                       Dig A Pony LIB

197.                       Long, Long, Long WA

198.                       Polythene Pam AR

199.                       You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) PM

200.                       The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill WA

201.                       Sun King AR

202.                       Savoy Truffle WA

203.                       You Never Give Me Your Money AR

204.                       Good Night WA

205.                       Rocky Racoon WA

206.                       Glass Onion WA

207.                       Revolution 9 WA

208.                       Wild Honey Pie WA

Next time I'll probably do a post analyzing this ranking, which album on average is the highest, which is the lowest, things like that.