The Beatles

What, no massive Beatles collection? Hey, give me a break, the Beatles were (with extreme emphasis on WERE, and let's keep it that way!) a pretty good band, but I'm just so sick of this marketing thing, like that bullshit "Anthology" set, and that "1" greatest hits thingy they're pushing now. Jesus Christ, let them give up the ghost for Christ's sake.

All four Beatles members have had successful solo careers, but the only one I own any CDs by is Paul McCartney.

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"

  1. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (2:02)
  2. "With a Little Help from My Friends" (2:44)
  3. "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (3:28)
  4. "Getting Better" (2:47)
  5. "Fixing a Hole" (2:36)
  6. "She's Leaving Home" (3:35)
  7. "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" (2:37)
  8. "Within You Without You" (5:05)
  9. "When I'm Sixty-Four" (2:37)
  10. "Lovely Rita" (2:42)
  11. "Good Morning Good Morning" (2:41)
  12. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (reprise)" (1:18)
  13. "A Day in the Life" (5:33)

There are two very good reasons why my Beatles collection is growing so slowly: 1) Their CDs never, EVER turn up used, and 2) their retail prices are insanely high. Like that "Red" album -- the original double crappy vinyl could have EASILY fit on one CD, but noooo, they put it on 2 discs and charge $32 for the fucking thing!!! Even their regular CDs retail for $18-20...well, I was at Sam's Club with my mom and went off to check their CD section, which was pathetically small -- just huge boxes of those dumb "Now That's What I Call Music" things and piles of other discs I already have or don't want. But they DID have a big stack of Beatles discs (in longboxes, even...god I haven't seen those in years), all for $12.48 apiece, so I said "What the hey," and closed my eyes and picked one at random. :)

NOW...I know all the mainstream critics idolize this album, calling it a masterpiece and one of the greatest recordings of all time, but come on, let's get real. It's not even a real concept album, like so many people think (except that supposedly the Beatles are pretending to be a different band called...well, you know.) And although the Fab Four did write some truly great songs ("Day in the Life" and the eerily psychedelic "Within You Without You" are two of my favorites), they also wrote some really DUMB ones: "Lovely Rita", "Getting Better", and "Fixing a Hole" being prime examples. I'm also totally annoyed by the title track and "Lucy in the Sky" by now (the latter has been covered by Elton John, by the way.) Oh well, now all I need is Abbey Road and I can officially call myself a true classic rock fan. :)

(By the way, about Beatles never turning up used...a day after buying this I went to the used store and GUESS WHAT I FOUND...sheesh, this happens to me EVERY FUCKING TIME!!!)

"The Beatles" (aka The White Album)

    disc one:
  1. "Back in the U.S.S.R." (2:42)
  2. "Dear Prudence" (3:55)
  3. "Glass Onion" (2:17)
  4. "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" (3:08)
  5. "Wild Honey Pie" (1:01)
  6. "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" (3:05)
  7. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (4:44)
  8. "Happiness is a Warm Gun" (2:42)
  9. "Martha My Dear" (2:28)
  10. "I'm so Tired" (2:02)
  11. "Blackbird" (2:18)
  12. "Piggies" (2:04)
  13. "Rocky Raccoon" (3:41)
  14. "Don't Pass Me By" (3:41)
  15. "Why Don't We Do It in the Road?" (1:40)
  16. "I Will" (1:45)
  17. "Julia" (2:54)
    disc two:
  1. "Birthday" (2:42)
  2. "Yer Blues" (4:00)
  3. "Mother Nature's Son" (2:47)
  4. "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey" (2:24)
  5. "Sexy Sadie" (3:14)
  6. "Helter Skelter" (4:29)
  7. "Long, Long, Long" (3:03)
  8. "Revolution 1" (4:15)
  9. "Honey Pie" (2:40)
  10. "Savoy Truffle" (2:53)
  11. "Cry Baby Cry" (3:10)
  12. "Revolution 9" (8:12)
  13. "Good Night" (3:12)

I've never been much into the Beatles' early works, but their later progressive stuff I can really groove on. This double album has some highly experimental tracks, in particular the infamous "Revolution 9" (I've played it backwards but hell if I can hear any backmasking...) I don't understand why "Revolution 1" is different from the version you hear most often on the radio (and the Nike commercial.) "Helter Skelter" has been covered by NUMEROUS artists, just a few are Mötley Crüe, Pat Benatar and U2. "Back in the U.S.S.R." was performed by Billy Joel at his Leningrad concert, Bobby McFerrin did an a cappella version of "Blackbird", Dream Theater performed "Happiness is a Warm Gun" at their "Uncovered" gig, and I've also got an mp3 of Soundgarden doing "Everybody's Got...My Monkey" but I have no idea where it came from.

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