What better way to begin than with The Beatles...

That’s right, there is no better way. But before I get to the good stuff (if I dare call it that), I suppose I should take care of the obligatory blog intro. I am starting this blog on a whim. Why? Because I fancy myself to be a fairly whimsical person. Seriously though, I suppose I started a blog for the same reason any one starts a blog, because I like to think my opinions are interesting and/or important, because I like the idea of speaking frankly to no one when I know that it could really be anyone, because deep down I’m a little narcissistic, because I enjoy writing… you know same old reasons. So this blog is potentially no different than any of the other million and ten blogs written by bored college students who think they’re funny, and I’m okay with that. The important thing is that I’m here and you’re here (supposedly) and we’re all enjoying ourselves (hopefully).

Now, on to matters of substance!!!

If you know me at all, or have seen my iPod or my facebook page, or watched me walk around humming (or possibly straight up singing) you will know that I am a Beatles fan. It’s just a little teeny obsession I have. It’s no secret, I just really love them. Their music, their personalities, their history, their wit… it’s all great. Most of my friends have come to accept this quirk of mine, in fact some feel the need to forward me anything Beatles related they see and occasionally they even give me Beatles themed presents (these are my favorite people;) ). I love that you all associate me with such an amazing legacy!

                As you certainly know, the Beatles music has officially come to iTunes. I bet a bunch of you own Beatles 1 or Abbey Road and you like what you hear. You’re interested in downloading an album or two but which one to choose? That, my dear friends, is what I am here for; to be you Beatles guru! You are also welcome to ignore me if you so chose. So here we go (chronologically of course)...

Album:  Please Please Me (1963)

Songs you probably know: “Love Me Do” and “I Saw Her Standing There”

My favorite songs: “Please Please Me”, “Love Me Do”, “I Saw Her Standing There”

General: This was the first album the boys released. Amazingly, it was all recorded in one day with the help of a big bowl of throat lozenges.  Being so early in their career a lot of these songs are covers of popular songs of the day but their distinct sound is already there.  I love the uninhibited swing of this album. It falls right in the middle of the birth of rock as we know it. Sure it sounds tame to our ears but think back to the stuffy British parents of the day who only condoned classical music and a public radio that played less than an hour of rock per day. This album embodies teenage rebellion before it became cool to be rebellious.

Album: With The Beatles (1963)

Songs you probably know: “All My Loving” and “Roll Over Beethoven”

My favorite songs: “Please Mr. Postman”, “Till There Was You”, “You Really Got a Hold on Me”

General: Another early album. Not terribly different from Please Please Me, there are still quite a few cover songs (my favorite Being “Please Mr. Postman”, which was originally sung by The Marvelettes, a sweet female Motown group) but they’re a little cleaner and more put together, like the guys are really starting to get a feel for the band and what kind of sound they were going for. Essentially it’s the material they would do in a live show because that’s all they knew so far. Just pretend you’re rocking out at the Cavern Club!

Album:  A Hard Day’s Night (1964)

Songs you probably know: “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Can’t Buy Me Love”

My favorite songs: “And I Love Her”, “Things We Said Today”, “A Hard Day’s Night”

General: I think it’s pretty amazing that by this time in their career (only their third album in just about a year and a half) they were already popular enough for this album to do incredibly well for itself as well as support an accompanying full length movie by the same name (it’s hilarious by the way). Beatlemania has started! This is a quintessentially pop-y album, the majority of the songs are upbeat and not very complex, the epitome of 60’s rock. There are, however, a few outstanding tracks which are already venturing away from those standards. Perhaps they are an early sign if the artistic genius the band would soon obtain.

Album: Beatles For Sale (1964)

Songs you probably know: “Eight Days A Week” and “Every Little Thing”

My favorite songs: : “I’ll Follow The Sun”, “What You’re Doing” (largely because of the fun opening drum part), “Every Little Thing”

General: With no accompanying movie or other crazy media tricks this album is more back to normal, just a band playing songs. What I find most notable about this album is the general feeling of security. They are now writing all of their own song and have settled into their own sound.  You can tell that they are already experimenting with studio effects to enhance, alter, and add expression to their songs. “Eight Days a Week” is the first song to feature a fade in, something that they couldn’t do in a live show (yes, I did get that directly from musicology class if you recognized it). There seems to be change in the air for the honest little rock quartet.

Album: Help! (1965)

Songs you probably know: “Help!”, “Ticket To Ride”, and “Yesterday” (see, more and more hits)

My favorite songs: “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away”, “I’ve Just Seen a Face”, “Help!”

General: Yep, they’re pretty much super powers of the music world by now, the swarms of screaming girls are growing with every show.  This album also goes hand in hand with a movie, also by the same name, also hilarious. Ringo (Oh God, spell check doesn’t think that’s a word!) gets a ring in a fan letter from India. Being the fine connoisseur of man jewelry that he is, Ringo puts it on only to find that he can’t get it off. Apparently he who wears the ring must be sacrificed to the dread Kailei, of course the band won’t stand for that and they go on a wild chase that takes them to the Bahamas, the Alps, Stonehenge, and more! It is absolutely ridiculous, thanks in large part I think, to the copious amounts of pot they were all smoking at the time.  The music on this album is good vintage rock. It’s creative and unique but still light and fun.

Album: Rubber Soul (1965)

Songs you probably know: “Drive My Car” and “In My Life”

My favorite songs: “In My Life” (quite possibly my favorite Beatles song) and “Norwegian Wood”

General: Now that I look at it there aren’t really any well known, big hit types of songs on this album which, in my opinion, makes it kind of a secret gem in the Beatles arsenal. I feel like this is the first album where they really started breaking out of the typical 60’s rock band mold. They get into some really cool musical and theoretical stuff in this one. “Norwegian Wood” for example is in Dorian Mode (a really fancy, complicated kind of scale for those of you who are fortunate enough to have never taken a music theory class) and “In My Life” has an amazing harpsichord like solo. This album is half regular old pop and have conservative experimental, it can’t really make up its mind, which is perhaps why there are such mixed feelings about it. It’s got some amazing work and some songs that I wouldn’t listen to nearly as much if they weren’t on the same record as some of my favorites.

                Rubber Soul also marks about the middle of The Beatles recording career and the end of what I will call Part 1. It’s late, there are still 6 more albums to discuss (including some of the most fascinating), and I have a French final tomorrow. I would like to promise you that I’ll do the rest of these tomorrow or the day after but, while I’m excited about this blog right now, there is no guarantee it won’t go the way of oh so many of my dairies and journals throughout the years, neglected until I’m upset about something or procrastinating about something else. But, hey, people might actually be reading this! So I guess I can try to make it not suck… again, no promises.

Peace and Love!