The Beatles 20 to 1 (non singles)

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It would've been interested to see what direction the Beatles might've taken with heavy metal music - by late 1969 the band was finished, which was the Segway period that saw bands like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and many others enter the foray into heavy metal music. The Beatles clearly had the musical and vocal abilities, but we shall never know.
Some say ELO is the Beatles of the 70s. ie this is the direction the Beatles may have taken.

Yet I can see an argument that they follow/pioneer that early 70s Bread , Led and Deep Purple push into long guitar playing and heavier influences
 
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There is a video of Paul signing the breakup papers in 74’ and he’s pouring his eyes out. From what I can tell it was just too many things going wrong at once and it all became too complicated, too business centric, too hard to get a John and Yoko out of their creative world etc..

It would have been emotionally very, very difficult.

Paul took it really hard for the first few years, drank and so forth..

At least it gave George a platform to release his archives. That’s something.

John mentioned something like, had they gone on, the pressure on the success of the next record would have been huge anyway.

But yeh, that unknown from their momentum leading into the 70s, who knows what they could have achieved for another decade.

Interestingly they were all very close, finish each other’s sentences etc, at least in the late 70s their were signs of happenings.
 
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worbod

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Just out of curiosity, after the first chorus when Paul sings the line in the second verse which goes "Writing fifty times..." can anyone else detect Paul suppressing a laugh?

 
Just out of curiosity, after the first chorus when Paul sings the line in the second verse which goes "Writing fifty times..." can anyone else detect Paul suppressing a laugh?


Yes :) There might be a clip of various little things like this in Beatles songs - if not there should be!

Here's on - 1:32 on here
 
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screech

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For whatever reason, these remaining three songs seem to blend into a specific order in my brain. So this is my third best non single:

3.
Yesterday (1965, Help!)

The most covered song in history; it was covered 1186 times within the first eight years after its release. Perhaps the most famous non single ever? Or is it Stairway to Heaven? Whatever the case may be, this was the first Beatles song to feature just one group member playing. Well known for coming to Paul in a dream and for having the working title Scrambled Eggs. Even if Paul had stopped writing songs at this point in his life, he probably still would have remained a wealthy man.



Was released as a single in the UK in 1976, peaked at #8
 

worbod

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Was released as a single in the UK in 1976, peaked at #8

Very true, but in this thread I am dealing with the period from 1962 to 1970 when The Beatles themselves controlled which songs they wanted as their singles.
 
19.
Back in the USSR (1968, The Beatles)

A great rocker to open The White Album, this song imitates the sound of The Beach Boys, as it is said to be Mike Love who inspired McCartney to write the song when they were in India in 1968. Love made a comment to Paul “Wouldn’t it be fun to do a Soviet version of Back in the USA”, referring to Chuck Berry’s 1959 song. Paul acted on Love’s suggestion, and of course there’s the classic line “That Georgia’s always on my mind”. This is probably the first Beatles song wherein one of the group did not want to be part of the session, with Ringo walking out and Paul playing drums.

At the end, Paul ad libs a few lines as the song draws to a close. One suggestion by the Paul is Dead brigade was that you can hear John speaking, and that he states “Take this bass man. Paul won’t need it where he’s going.”



Surprised I didn't see this thread when it was started. I liked you selections, I didn't realize most of my favourite Beatles songs were not released as singles, including this one, which is my favourite.
 
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Zuma

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my top 20 Beatles (non singles)
In no particular order:

Hey Bulldog
A Day in the Life
It’s All Too Much
Across the Universe
Taxman
For No One
And I Love Her
Here Comes the Sun
Good Day Sunshine
It Won’t Be Long
You Can’t Do That
I’ll be Back
Things We Said Today
Drive my Car
Michelle
Got to get you into my life
Getting Better
I am the Walrus
Back in the USSR
Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
 

DFWGrapher

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The lack of love for Blackbird in this thread is somewhat astounding to me.

Overall a pretty solid thread though. Blackbird, Helter Skelter, and Norwegian Wood all would make my list for sure.
 

worbod

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For anyone who has never heard Jim Carrey sing I Am The Walrus. This was from a compilation album titled In My Life which George Martin put together in 1998 featuring various celebrities singing or interpreting Beatles songs.

 
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