The Beatles: Ten WORST Songs
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- Maxwell's Silver Hammer? Yellow Submarine? What are the worst Beatles songs. Here is my list of ten, including a few dishonourable mentios at the end.
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I'm always shocked when I see how many people really dislike Within You Without You. Dumbfounded almost. I LOVE the expert Indian percussion in the weird time signatures, the variety of stringed instruments with their variety of tonalities, the hypnotic vocal melody, etc. I was around 8 when Sgt. Pepper came out and I have ALWAYS been perfectly enchanted by this mystical sounding work of beauty. One of George's best!!
Anyone who criticizes within you without you doesn’t understand the song
My favorite Beatles song by far
Agreed.
Within You Without You is the only good song on Sgt. Pepper.
Agreed
There are a few duffers, I will admit but I certainly wouldn't count Sun King among them. I don't mind Act Naturally, either.
There's a great version of Ringo and Buck Owen's singing it together...but it's only available on a bootleg I believe. It sounds great frankly.
Me neither, but "Birthday" is a dud in my opinion.
Sun King is honestly one of my favorite songs they ever did, it’s like the musical equivalent of taking a deep breath outside on a perfect day and just feeling content. I love it for the same reasons I do Albatross by Fleetwood Mac and Hold On by John Lennon. Also, Blue Jay Way is another one of my favorite Beatles tunes. At the time that song dropped, it honestly may have been one of the most psychedelic songs ever made, such progressive production on that tune
That is nice - "musical equivalent of taking a deep breath".
Completely agree on Sun King. If y'all have not seen it, watch Yellow Matter Custard's live performance of the entire Abbey Road B side, including Sun King. The harmonies alone are worth it. Bonus: Paul Gilbert plays lead guitar!
@@texanfournow And yet when Transatlantic covered side two of Abbey Road, they skipped Sun King!
'Do you wanna know a secret' is really let down by George's very weak single track vocal..the song itself is actually pretty damn good..along with 'Bad to me'..its a very tuneful early Lennon piece and definitely demonstrate the young Lennon was talented. Billy J Kramer's versions are far superior. Dont bother me is an interesting one..the verses are very good..actualy tough and good rock n roll..but the 'if I dont get her back again' bits are truely awfull and sound like a real drone of somebody trying to turn around back to verse. If only George had spent more time sorting those week bits he might have had a good track. George was a real beneficiary of double tracking as his voice was week, but he latterly learned how to turn that to his advantage.
It’s truly beautiful 👍
You’ve really got a hold of me? You kidding? This is one of Johns best vocals.
Right on!!👊😛
“Maxwells Silver Hammer” sucks so bad I deleted it from my Beatles catalog of nearly 1000 tunes
Slow Down was my first Beatles 45 that I got when it was released. Loved that song. The riff was something new at the time. Hardly a bad song.
Correction, its awful - along with it's bookend, Bad Boy
@@superannuatedsuperman4261 To each, their own.
Love both of those!
Well, it's a lot better than "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" which also isn't a bad song. It's just that the Beatles ruined it with that irritating guitar lick...
It's on my top 10 favorite covers - by anybody.
There's no way you enjoy Wild Honey Pie more than these songs. Sure, it's less than a minute. But it feels like an eternity!
I'm gonna have to come back with my list. I felt a need to mention this.
Agree with your premise
@@laurala101 Why don't we do it in the road is just as bad
Wild Honey Pie is my least favorite. It's not even close.
agreed. It's an abomination.
I like it. The descending chords are cool.
Another excellent episode, thank you. 10 worst Beatles songs?
The Beatles were the soundtrack to my youth and I love em to bits but there have been dodgy moments.
So…. Out on it’s own at Number 1 has to be the execrable Boys from the PPM album.. it’s supposed to be sung by a girl and even then it’s simply dreadful.
The rest in no particular order are:
- Mr Moonlight from BfS… what were they thinking?
- Run For Your Life from RS… Just clumsy writing and playing. A bum note to end a great album on.
- Honey Don’t from BfS… sorry Ringo, it’s just merde.
- Dizzy Miss Lizzy from Help… just a filler and nowhere near Beatles standard.
- Within You Without You from Sgt Pepper… its simply dull.
- Let it Be… dreary and mawkish, see also Yesterday and The Long and Winding Road.
- Across the Universe… just dull.
- Matchbox from the LTS EP… I know they like to let Ringo sing but this bit of filler does him no favours.
- A Taste of Honey from PPM… I know they were just starting, I know it was part of the early live set, I know Paul sings it well. I just don’t like it.
The Beatles don’t have ten bad songs. It would be difficult to find one bad song. Some are not as good as others of course but bad?
Que buzzer thanks for playing.
I know lists like this are about as subjective as it gets but I can't believe you didn't have "Mr Moonlight" somewhere in here
I like Revolution 9 because I don't think of it as a song, rather as a sound collage. As for Sun King-I like its druggyness. On the other hand, if it weren't for the rescue job done by the production, I couldn't sit through Maxwell Gardens Silver Octopus.
I think you are correct about that. The track can't be described as a song, more appropriately as an avant-garde experiment.
@@jamesdrynan Funny story: I always skipped it when I had the CD version but when I got vinyl I had to listen to it because I won't lift the tone arm over tracks.
Revolution 9 is s fine example of musique concrete. If you've delved into the works of Pierre Henri and Schaefer and you'll appreciate it more.
@@MARK-co1ge - Could you please listen on headphones and tell me if >>'By the children'
Even as a sound collage is Rubbish by this point they could spit on the record and they call them creative because of that
Some bold choices! I'm in the crowd that thinks cover versions shouldn't be included and I am mystified by anyone not liking something Smokey Robinson does, but it was of such pronounced interest that I wrestled with it while on my morning constitutional through the burned out ghetto in which I live.
I came up with a worst non-cover version 12, which does present an interesting theme and a pose a knotty question - that being why do songs like, for example, You Know My Name, It's Only Love, Don't Pass Me By, Love Me Do, Run For Your Life, Yes It Is, Yellow Submarine or She's a Woman (listen to how many times Lennon completely flubs his guitar part) not make this list? But here are 12 songs that I dont think the Beatles should not have touched with a 10 foot pole:
12/11/10 The ARVOS. The ARVOS is the Abbey Road vortex of suck, that depressing trifecta that follows the gripping Come Together, the less gripping but still eminently listenable Something and then suddenly plunges to O Darling/Maxwell's Silver Hammer and Octopuses Garden. Two giant ego strokes for Paul and then someone lets Ringo out to sing. Back behind yer Drukmit, ya Goblin!
9 Within You, Without You. Which proffers that the Summer of Love was as much about this as it was Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds. For a guy who made such funny, lively movies, Harrison is the dullest. most sanctimonious and boring of songwriters.
8. Only A Northern Song. Is this really only 3:24 long? It seems to hang around with the similar persistence and malodour as a fart in a space station
7. Long, Long, Long. I cant understand a word he's saying. Sometimes I think that's for the best
6. I Me Mine. You're welcome to it, George.
5. I Need You. I can see a theme forming here. Given that they were reduced to releasing Act Naturally, I guess they simply couldn't bin third rate garbage like this, or give it to Freddy and the Dreamer or Chad and Jeremey, or some other non-entity du jour. Oh, and by the way, when it comes to Buck Owens, it isn't Buck, it's his superb guitar player Don Rich who is the money man.
4. Piggies. Music to butcher middle aged Angelinos by.
3. You Like Me Too Much. An uptempo I Need You with out the novelty of the guitar swell pedal it would be described as busywork if Lennon or McCartney had of written it, but given its provenance and author, its just run of the mill garbage
2. Savoy Truffle. There's some interesting things happening here, but it just sounds so bad you can't hear through the murk. And the lyrics? What are they A recitation of the 300 names of Vishnu, or a Hindu prayer for enlightenment or perhaps a listing of the naughtiest positions in the Karma Sutra? I'll let the uninitiated find out for themselves, but suffice to say, it just adds to the general uselessness of the song.
1. Wild Honey Pie. The mob has spoken and the mob is right. 45 odd seconds of McCartney plunking his guitar and screaming like a demented howler monkey. If they'd had played this for Dustin Hoffman in Marathon Man, after 30 seconds he would have asked could he have the unsafe dentistry back. And then he does "Why Don't We Do It In The Road"!
So - what have we learned. a) the Beatles were far from infallible b) George Martin could have taken a much more forceful hand in quality control c) Odium and opprobrium will be the fate of those who criticize Sun King and d) George Harrison was a bit shit, really.
Good presentation, keep 'em coming!
Hilarious!
You've said what the world has been too polite to say - George Harrison was, I am sure, a very nice man and a good dad and it's sad he's dead, but the often ignored truth is that he was a middling guitarist and an only occasionally worthy songwriter.
#4 is brutal
You comments are usually vey insightful and witty, but this one is way off the mark. Boo for you!☹
Thank you for this, it was excellent and entertaining. I hope you channel is doing well, and hope you have a wonderful Christmas.
Really can't believe how 'Rocky Raccoon' and 'Why Don't We Do It In the Road' didn't get a mention here,
it's just so hard to believe that a band who produced such classic time defying songs as 'Fool On The Hill,'
'In My Life,' Strawberry Fields Forever and 'Fool On The Hill' to name but four, could release such utter rubbish!!
For me most of their worst songs are on The White Album, Abbey Road and Let It Be,
which, seeing as they were their last three albums means they probably split up around the right time,
give or take a year!!
Surprise that you find Lennon’s vocals on “You Really Got a Hold on Me” ‘uninspired’.
I feel like he’s singing his heart out on that one. And when John does that… it’s magic.
What do you think is his best vocal performance?
@@classicalbum Hard to choose just one. “Twist and Shout” is legendary, of course. But I think these are right up there, too: “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)”, “Help!”, “Money”, “A Hard Day’s Night”, “Yer Blues”, “I am the Walrus”, and “Tomorrow Never Knows” in the “singing his heart out” category.
His standout vocal for his gentler side would be “A Day in the Life”, followed by “Strawberry Fields Forever”, “In My Life”, “Dear Prudence”,
@@Malacandra Soldier of Love on the BBC sessions is also a contender imho.
@@classicalbum My favorites (two different moods): "Don't Let Me Down" and "Dizzy Miss Lizzy."
@@classicalbum I like his Across the Universe singing.
Beatle songs are like orgasms and pizza: even when bad, it's pretty good.
Pizzas make you fat, Jim. Sex makes you slim.
@@SpaceCattttt True dat...
Until one goes blind or suffers from botulism....
@@randymillhouse791 Blindness is a myth, but not on the other hand, carpal tunnel is very likely.
@@troubledsole9104 - Crossed eyes, however is not a myth. Me and all my friends are cross-eyed and we weren't until puberty.
I really like don't bother me.
I for one love Revolution No.9, White Album wouldn't be the same without it. Disappointed to hear such unnecessarily snarky comments about it.
"Don't bother me" is a harsh choice for my money it's probably the best track on With the Beatles. In a list of the worst Beatles tracks I would certainly include "Why don't we do it in the road", and "You know my name" which are both utter tripe. "Run for your life" would certainly warrant an honoury mention for its sh*tty lyrics
I think "Don't bother me" is a great song, I agree it could do without the kindergarten percussion, but still.
I agree with most of this list except for "Act Naturally." I'm not a Country/Western fan, but I always thought it was a fun tune.
No Mr Moonlight?
No Mr. Moonlight.
The Beatles in their later phases would put out oddities or album tracks. Never meant to be played on the radio. The White Album is a perfect example. This album is intentionally eclectic. Beautiful, haunting, catchy, abrasive, experimental. And they pull if off. Playing that entire album late night is mandatory experience for any serious rock music fan.
Btw, I always hate "Mr. Moonlight"
Mr. Moonlight is a cheesy song sung with enormous passion by John. He elevates it to greatness.
Maxwell's Silver Hammer, Oh Darling, Bungalow Bill, Rocky Raccoon, Revolution #1, Wild Honey Pie, Savoy Truffle, It's Only A Northern Song, Only A Northern Song, The Inner Light.
Dishonorable mentions: Your Mother Should Know, Dig It
"Blue Jay Way" gets my vote for the most underrated Beatles song ever. I also really like "Do You Want to Know a Secret"; it's one of my favorite early (pre-1965) Beatles songs.
I don't know if it's their worst, but for me, the most overrated Beatles song has to be "Hey Jude" -- it really doesn't have much going for it aside from its length. "Run For Your Life" would also be in my bottom ten...it's creepy as hell.
I think Hey Jude is one of those songs that is better sung live by you, the listener, rather than just listening to the Beatles' version - which does go on a minute too long.
Its a brave challenge to put a list like this together. Revolution #9 is an obvious #1 or number last as it were. I've taken heat from others when I've expressed this. I'll often get the "its a daring experimental avant-garde master piece" drivel. If one separates from reality and tries to see it in that vein, its still a piece of shit by comparison. The real crime, as you mention, is realized when you consider what was left off the album to make room for it. Hey Jude could have been part of the White Album. Think about it. What a spectacular penultimate ending it would have made, only to be followed up by Good Night in the running order. That would would have been a spectacular one-two punch to end the album. Alas, sigh!
I actually like revolution #9 but it doesn't belong on a beatles album.
I agree. Had it not been released as a single, would have been a perfect fit and made side 4 of the album just as good as the rest, and probably would have made Good Night a little more tolibral. (wich is in my top 10 of worst songs after #9) I think I may have listened to Revolution 9 all the way threw maybe two or three times and maybe more backswords.
@@kendow9370 I often get asked if I skip Revolution 9 when listening to the White Album. I actually don't. I just leave the room.
@@fittobetiedyed5315 Same. But lucky for me my headphones come with me, so I can enjoy that awesome song as a move around the house.
George 's classic line about the avant-garde is that it's called that because they "avant garde a clue!""
I like Flying. Flying on aircraft mostly but this is Flying. If there's a remaster/remix of Magical Mystery Tour, an extended play of Flying should be included.
I love “You Really Got A Hold On Me,” both Smoky and The Fabs’ versions. OTOH, I HATE “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer,” my least favorite Beatles song; I hate it more than”Revolution 9.”
Love flying and sunking🤓 number 9 is my skip song. Take dizzy miss lizzy and act naturally off the help album and it would make a better classic album for me.
Most bands would be happy to have the Beatles worst songs as their own
For such a GREAT band, they sure did release a ton of truly awful songs.
I would add Lovely Rita ,When I'm 64 ,Maxwell Silver Hammer ,Rocky Raccoon , and Ohb Bla Di as among the Beatles worst songs. At least the ones I find to be awful
By the way ,these were said to be among John Lennon's list of Beatles songs he disliked the most
I was never fond of Mr Moonlight although i do like Lennons vocals on it, even a bad Beatles song or cover version is still probably better than most let's be honest, I really struggled to pick 5 let alone ten. Interesting list though Barry and I enjoyed your reasons for picking them
Mr Moonlight
For you Blue
Long and winding road
Your Mother should know
Dizzy miss Lizzy
None of those are bad, just my least favourites
I totally agree with you. They should have replaced Mr. Moonlight with Leave My Kitten Alone.
Mr. Moonlight was a dopey song but Lennon's vocal on it was one of the most passionate deliveries I felt of that period. For that reason I liked it. Long And Winding Road was a great song but yeah, got very tired of it and one of those I don't care if I ever hear again.
@@pilesovinyl For obvious reasons, "I'll Follow The Sun" had a sad problem 16 years later after its 1964 release with its lyrics, "One day you'll look, to see a gun..." ["Beatles for Sale" UK, or "Beatles '65" US albums]
For me the worst Beatles song would have to be You Know My Name (Look Up My Number), though Revolution #9 does rank way up there.
Coming up next: Leonardo Da Vinci’s worst paintings.
Also coming soon...
Astaire and Rogers worst dance routines.
Mozart's worst musical compositions.
🙄
.
@@hathawayrose2183---ya just got on to grab something that somebody else already put out there ---and run in front of everyone else and show it off, don't you?
And dont forget,, Einstein’s worst theories,and also Babe Ruth’s worst homeruns,
I disagree with most of this list. I'll counter with my "worst" Beatles tracks.
1. A Taste Of Honey. I think the Herb Alpert take was pretty amazing, but not Beatles material.
2. Mr. Moonlight. Not John's best vocals, but that organ solo... yeeech!!!!
3. All Together Now. I guess it's okay for a children's ditty.
4. Baby's In Black. WTF is up with that sour sticky finger guitar solo George??? It must be intentional because he reproduced it accurately live!
4. 'Til There Was You. Did Brian make you guys include a show tune???
5. Wild Honey Pie. How freaking bored were you, Paul???
6. Run For Your Life. Not a bad song, but a very bad look for John.
7. Little Child. Another decent performance, but Jeffery Epstein much??? Cringe factor 10!!!!
8. Only A Northern Song. It's on this worst list, but I like it. George was just going through motions to fill a quota for EMI.
9. You Know My Name (Look Up The Number). It's all in good fun.
10. Revolution 9. We can agree at least on one song... or non song. For what it is, it's still cool!
Funny enough, revolution 9 is one of the most influential Beatles track as it helped pioneer loads of techniques used to this day through sampling and “sound collaging”.
To me revolution 9 is not only the worst Beatles song but one of the worst songs of all time
It would be, if it was a song.
I'm glad you did NOT mention Mr. Moonlight, which seems so be everyone's favorite Beatles stinker. I used to think so too when I was a kid but it's actually a very sweet song. It grows on you.
I love the old fashioned organ in that song. It's mezmerizing.
It may be a sweet natured song, but it still stinks musically and lyrically, and does not fit The Fab Four, at all! Doesn't and never grew on me. If it isn't the #1 worst, it's among the Top 20!
I'm a huge Beatles fan like the rest of us, but even I admit there were a few stinkers. I agree that their more child-friendly compositions shouldn't be on this list because they still have their fans and they were a stepping stone to some of The Beatle's better work.
One of the amazing things about the Beatles is those 'child-freindly' songs - literally child-friendly, as in they are often adapted for Primary School Concerts - have heard Hello Goodbye, Yellow Submarine, Here Comes the Sun and Octopuses Garden sung by 10 year olds - and THEY seem to enjoy them ! You never hear songs by the Rolling Stones in Junior Schools funnily enough ! The Beatles were all things to all people !!
Not as hard as you would think!
1 - Revolution 9
2 - Within You Without You
3 - Octopus's Garden
4 - Run For Your Life
5 - All Together Now
6 - Lady Madonna
7 - You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)
8 - What's The New Mary Jane
9 - Piggies
10 - Goodnight....
Even the greatest band ever to pick an instrument up have some stinkers!!
Commenting as we go:
10. I like Lennon’s vocals.
9. Agree Boys is weakest on PPM.
8. Sun King is weakest on AR.
7. AN is weakest on Help!
(re 9 & 7, covers are low hanging fruit)
6. Nah, I’d say Little Child is weakest on WtB.
5. See 6. I like this cover.
4. I prefer BJW to Flying.
3. Yes weakest on B4S.
2. Haha! I said it. Worst on MMT.
1. Fair enough.
Yet again your views echo my own Barry! Valid comments on the merit, or not, of including 'Revolution9 'on 'The White Album'. I remember when playing my original vynil copy feeling compelled to lift the stylus just prior to it ,with the added bonus of also avoiding 'Goodnight' in the process. My only additional 'dishonourable mentions' being 'Savoy Truffle' and ' I me Mine'.
My bottom 10 looks something like this...
10. "Honey Pie" / The Beatles / Album: The Beatles (White Album) (1968)
09. "Boys" / The Beatles / Album: Please Please Me (1963)
08. "Honey Don't" / The Beatles / Album: Beatles For Sale (1964)
07. "You Really Got A Hold on Me" / The Beatles / Album: With the Beatles (1963)
06. "Anna (Go to Him)" / The Beatles / Album: Please Please Me (1963)
05. "Maggie Mae" / The Beatles / Album: Let It Be (1970)
04. “Wild Honey Pie” / The Beatles / Album: The Beatles (White Album) (1968)
03. "Mr. Moonlight" / The Beatles / Album: Beatles For Sale (1964)
02. "Good Night" / The Beatles / Album: The White Album (1968)
01. "Revolution 9" / The Beatles / Album: The Beatles (White Album) (1968)
Not a bad list, of the "bad", I must say. As one who've had the pleasure of the Beatles experience since 1964, only 3 of your selections I'd take exception. Which is pretty good, eh ? You've Really Got a Hold on Me, Don't Bother Me, and Sun King. My list would replace them with Wild Honey Pie, Honey Don't, Mr. Moonlight. To me, these 3 atrocities would add to your other seven for the "worst" !!
I think that many of their covers are their worst. If their original Sun King is pretty week, especially being on such a great album, but The Ballad of John and Yoko, Inner Light, Old Brown Shoe, What Goes On, Wild Honey Pie, Hold Me Tight, Little Child, and Good Night are all worse than Don't Bother Me.
..like a musical Shakespeare there is too much reverence given to the Beatles ‘embarrassing’ songs..especially on the white album and Abbey Road..you can almost hear the moans and groans coming from Lennon and Harrison as they struggle to be inspired to write more songs for a band which had lost its initial impetus and direction..George Martin was right about the White Album..and he did them a big favour in turning a mishmash of half written songs into a half written medley..the Beatles knew that were running out of time so wisely split before becoming just another 70’s band..
George Harrison’s excellent not guilty was bumped off the white album to make room for nonsense like revolution number 9 and why don’t we do it in the road. The Beatles didn’t always use their resources wisely. George was an also ran who developed into a powerhouse singer songwriter. Look where Chicago went with Peter cetera and Fleetwood Mac with Christine mcvie. Not everyone enjoys all their songs but it enabled those aging warhorses to keep going and give us some of the music they did. The Beatles simply had too much talent (Starr included) to be wasting their time with such nonsense
"When I get Home" from the album "Help" is a putrid, noxious, toxic, not-well-sung, snot loogy. The middle eight lyric (as well as the shuffle beat change) of "When I get home tonight I'm gonna treat you right, I'm gonna love you til the cows come home" is a line I would expect from my neighbor's garage band of 8th graders (who I would praise by the way, but not The Beatles).
The mentioned song is on A Hard Day‘s Night, not Help.
Is not Even in help album your opinion is pointless
Sun King? Seriously?😂 Now “Yellow Submarine” that sucked.
I’ve always been a huge Beatles fan, but here are my 10 least favorite “Beatles tracks excluding cover tunes:
10. What Goes On - drags down the consistency of the UK Rubber Soul. I prefer the US version even though it’s not the real sequence because those 12 tracks are perfection.
9. Good Night - the worst climax of any Beatles record. If they had used the acoustic version with the harmonies from the outtakes of the White Album this would have been a better result. Too much gloss and anti climatic coming after Revolution 9 and an album full of magic.
8. Yesterday - always found this from early age depressing and overrated compared to other lesser known gems.
7. Maxwell’s Silver Hammer - Abbey Road’s nearly perfect except for this number. This is filler.
6. When I’m Sixty Four
5 - The Long And Winding Road - another depressing McCartney ballad
4. She’s Leaving Home
3 - Dig It
2 - Honey Pie
1- Hey Jude - IMHO the most overrated and overplayed Beatles tune. Never understood the hype when there are “so many” better Beatles songs.
Wow...never heard anyone hating Hey Jude before....though I agree with some of your other choices to be sure....
Good Morning and within,without you for tainting what,would/should,have been the best album of all time had strawberry and Penny been included instead ,while shunting the other 2 onto Magical Mystery where they would be far less incongruous.I me mine has limited appeal too.
Definitely agree with your take of the Sgt Pepper songs, would have been a perfect album.
Putting sun king on this list is embarrassing
I didn't see "You Know My Name, Look Up The Number" mentioned (although it's a bit of fun). I was a kid when "Do You Want To know A Secret" was released, so I don't mind it as I still see this song through a child's perspective.
And our trivia host used to always say "Number 9, number 9, number 9" when that number came up in a question or raffle ticket. Some of us got the joke. 😄
George's lead on "Do You Want" is fun, and not just through a child's perspective, but as a pre-teen in those growing-up years! Example: person has a secret crush on a member of the opposite sex, when it wasn't that popular at their age when mostly hanging with members of their own gender, example ages: 10-12.
I'm a fan of Obla Di Obla Da although I'm more familiar with the Marmalade version. I've never been particularly struck with All Together now or Octopus's Garden.
I always thought Octopus' Garden was charming because of the way Ringo's scouse comes through. Mind you, this doesn't prove anything, but it's immensely popular and a staple of Ringo's never-ending All-Starr Band tour.
Can’t argue with any of these choices except for Blue Jay Way which I like quite a bit.
Veto on at least three tracks: "Boys" is a nice, funny rocking track, which was always quite effective, especially live. "You really got a hold on me" is an excellent cover, that hardly needs to hide from the original. Lennon sings this quite dynamically and respectfully, the arrangement of the song is absolutely attractive. "Revolution 9" has an interesting aesthetic, the collage was put together in a quite exciting way and sounds like a soundtrack of the rebellious year 1968. However, one shouldn't rate it as a "song", but as what it is: a collage. The Harrison tracks "Blue Jay Way" and "Everybody's trying to be my baby" also have their flaws (Harrison's vocals and "Blue Jay Way" get into an annoying monotony, after an interesting start, over the course of the track), as well as theirs charms. Like "Boys", the Perkins cover was also a live Beatles number worth listening to, with nice guitar work from Harrison. "Sun king" is lyrically... well, but contains a treat for the ears of harmony vocals.
I don’t need anyone’s opinion on the Beatles’ worst songs. I like them all…so there!
splozzzzhhh (raspberry sound)
I'm one of those weirdos who doesn't think Revolution 9 is the Beatles worst song, but I listen to a lot of avant garde stuff,
I love Revolution 9
10. Slow Down - scruffy, fun, the song is interesting.
9. Boys - more, history than song. The dark recording and need for sheer energy proves what a horrid experience life was at the time, how miserable and controlled.
8. Can't remember it, which suggests it's the lull on that otherwise wonderful album -
7. George Harrison wrote some dull songs, but they all made you think. That awful one with the video where the keyboard walks past him, made me leave the room in militant despair week after week.
Funnily enough, I think that was 'Set on You' and this next number you're quoting is, 'You' ve Got A Hold on Me.' Are we sensing a theme, perhaps!?
...
Fast forward
1. Revolution 9 - oh no you've fallen for it! This piece of genius is a crowning glory to an album true to its word from song one. The most difficult, bravest album most often mistaken for a half-arsed pile of tripe by the nervous!
Well, an excellent list, sir, but, When I'm 64 should have had a mention, surely, and, Do You Want To Know A Secret warranted a place in the chart.... And Eight Days AWeek wouldn't have disgraced it!
You have a lot of covers on there. I typically don't include covers on any best or worst list but I like their version of You Really Got A Hold On Me better than the Miracles. It's got that old stroll feel to it. And Act Naturally is a fun number. Ringo liked country music and George got to channel his inner Carl-Perkins. I get that if you're not a country fan this one might not do much for you, but the opening riff is cool, as is the segue into the guitar solo in the middle. Now if you want a complete cover stinker that would be Mr. Moonlight. That cheesy roller-rink organ is a classic example of George Martin overstepping his bounds. And that scream at the beginning? I've heard cat's screwing in a more pleasing manner.
As for songs the band composed, I will agree 1,000% with putting that abomination Revolution 9 at the topper-most-of-the-popper-most. That was John giving his mates and George Martin, who he had a lot of differences at the time with, the bird. He let his woman whose-name-shall-not-be-uttered-here play Beatle for an afternoon and well, you got what you would expect from that no-talent-hack-soulless-grifting-bag-wearing-screaming-piece-of- okay, I'll stop there. Yeah, I have issues with that woman. I have no problem with some of the others, especially that Blue Jay Way tune. Add in Only a Northern Song and everything George wrote that uses a sitar and you could almost make a top-10 list off his stuff alone. Run For Your Life and Not A Second Time are standards on my least favorite Beatle tunes list. Don't Bother Me has actually grown on me over the years. I was never big fan but now I've warmed up a bit to it. It's not great but it's unique in an odd dark kind of way. Another Girl is a McCartney tune I could without and Goodnight is so syrupy it's nauseating. I turn the White Album off right after McCartney sings about "Can you take me back" so I don't think I've heard that one in close to 50 years.
Those are some mine anyway. And thank you for not including Baby's in Black. I have seen that and It's Only Love pop up on a several of these worst-of lists. It's Only Love got there because John made an off-hand comment about not liking it but as Paul pointed out John said a lot of sh*t. Baby's in Black takes me back to my old Beatles 65 days. Love that waltz time. Nobody writes 3/4 time anymore, but I always enjoyed playing songs like Time in a Bottle and Morning Has Broken because they are written in 3/4 time. Maybe you can do a list of favorite songs written in 3/4 time. Bach can always use a nod from the public.
"Love Me Do" is my least favorite Beatles song. I dig "Maxwell's" and "Act Naturally."
There's a lot of virtue signaling in these comments about "Run For Your Life." Art is meant to express the full range of human emotion and motivation, the good, the bad and the ugly.
I really like "Blue Jay Way" because of the effects. For me the very worst of all is the vomit-inducing "Good Night", the final track on the white album. It would have been better had the album finished with "Revolution #9", which I quite like. "Good Night" is like the most sugary, over-the-top pile of drivel ever recorded. Having it sung by Ringo didn't make it any better. Perhaps most people forget it as they never listen to "Revolution #9".
I knew "Flying" would be on here. But I dig it, anyway.
They can't all be stompers. I like the idea of a Beatles Worst LP.
Totally agree with you about Revolution 9-it's horrible and to make it worse I think it's also the longest Beatles track ever. I actually quite like Flying -it's quite slight melodically I guess but I personally don't think it brings down Magical Mystery Tour which is my favourite Beatles album after Sergent Peppers
‘When I’m 64’ I’ve never liked
I always felt that this song throws the flow of the Sgt. Pepper album off.
@erniericardo8140 I don't think "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" really had any unifying flow at all. That's what I expected from "concept" album. It just was not that and it has faded in significance over the yeas. Unlike "Revolver" which seems to reinvent itself
All of the songs written for Ringo were silly songs to go along with his lets call it unique singing vocals, but i don't mind Act Naturally or Octopuses Garden, but Boys & Yellow Submarine aren't for me. Some songs suffer from self-indulgence, leading to long,dull & monotonous songs, which i assume they believed to be new & experimental. Unfortunately, some experiments fail to yield good results.
Side 2 of Abbey Road is mostly one long song so I like Sun King in that context. Revolution #9 is fine with me. Martin wanted to cut that and more and have a single record release. So instead of getting a couple more songs, we're lucky we got what we did.
Mr. Moonlight
Boys
Matchbox
Honey Don't
Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby
Hold Me Tight
Can't Buy Me Love
Maxwell's Silver Hammer
Honey Pie
Wild Honey Pie
Do You Want To Know A Secret?
This is My 11 songs. Or 10 songs, if you combine the Pie songs. All the early songs that Ringo covered are terrible. Pretty much the same with George. Even though John's vocal is superb, I just can't stand Mr. Moonlight. That organ solo is Horrible. I love Paul but these 5 songs of his should've never been recorded by the Beatles, even though Can't Buy Me Love was a hit. I can't listen to it anymore. Speaking of Revolution #9, I hate it but I don't consider it to be a proper song. Therefore the reason it is not on My list. But I agree wholeheartedly with the Commentator. Sour Milk Sea, Not Guilty, Can You Take Me Back ( Long Version) and Revolution ( w/ ShooBeDooWop background vocals) could've and should've been included on The Beatles. It would've made it a Way Better Album and then we would've had 3 Quality versions of Revolution to listen to. They also could've added Across The Universe to The Beatles and maybe eliminated Good Night. That way, they could've released an EP of Hey Jude, Revolution, Dehra Dun or Only A Northern Song and Good Night, kind of a Mini White Album.
Sun King is great. And in the context of side two of Abbey Road it’s even better
Maxwell's, She's Leaving Home
There aren’t many Beatles songs that I don’t like . However , Revolution Number 9 and Wild Honey Pie are complete atrocities . Other than those two , I can live with pretty much everything else that they did . Well , maybe not Boys .
Cheers !
Crikey! I thought I'd heard every Beatles song but somehow "Slow Down" had passed me by. And I quite like it. A cracking Lennon vocal, it definitely shouldn't be in the top ten worst. Whereas "Little Child" from With The Beatles definitely should be. It's dreadful, dated and dire. Worse than all your choices.
Oh Sun King is fantastic! And Blue Jay Way might be a throw way song, I think George should have gone full Indian on it!
Have to agree that MSH gets a bad rap. It has a good melody and the playing and production is great. Unfortunately the sadistic/violent story line elements were a bad choice IMO. Same criticism goes for Lennon's Run For You Life. A good enough song, but tainted by highly questionable lyrics. An unfortunate way to end Rubber Soul. Both songs would have come across much better with different words. --JMO.
My list:
Wild Honey Pie
12 Bar Original
Mr Moonlight
Baby's in Black
Dig It
Honey Pie
Maxwell Silver Hammer
Revolution #9
How can you not like Sun King? I just threw my burrito! And Blue Jay Way has its place… when they wrote Flying, they were indeed flying 😂
Probably agree with 90% of your choices, though personally I have to pick I am the walrus, hate the song. No doubt many will disagree, but it's all a matter of personal opinion.
Interesting Mr Bond 🤔.... err Sun King is outstanding imho .. perfect harmonisation .. and instrumentally sublime . Blu Jay way influenced Zeppelin and countless others into open tunings its marvellous. and flying is a hippies dream .. chill out tune .. you can smell the cloth and feel the heat in an old bus travelling to Blackpool.. the others I'll give you.
Agree with the majority of your list, especially the covers. Would disagree on Sun King and Don’t Bother me. Never cared for Rocky Raccoon or Why Don’t We Do It in the Road or Honey Pie. I’d much rather listen to Revolution 9 than these. Cheers!
Well, if anyone has anything negative to say about his choices I have the solution - EVERYONE NEEDS TO HAVE THEIR OWN CZcams CHANNEL.
My rebuttal will be recorded next week!
Grrrrrr 😡
Revolution 9 ruins side 4. I agree it should have been put on one of John and Yoko’s crap avant garde albums. Imagine if Hey Jude replaced it.
Can't believe you left out Why Don't we Do It In The Road or Rocky Raccoon, just terrible!!
I love Maxwell's Silver Hammer!
MMT not a top notch Beatles album? Idk about that brotha. Worst song has to be the same on everyone's list..and you nailed that.
If he would've said "movie" instead of "album" I would've agreed with him.
@@davidl570 lol, no doubt
I completely agree- one of my favorites too! 👍😃
When I’m 64 is just awful any way you slice it and totally wrong for a youthful forward looking album like Sgt.peppers
If you think Ringo singing a country song is cringeworthy wait until you hear him singing "Act Naturally" with Buck Owens!
Some great choices. Disagree on "Sun King" though. The bass line and harmonies are too rich. Also, "Blue Jay Way' has a dark, moody vibe to it that I've always loved.
I'd have put Run For Your Life on here -- it feels icky in a way that I don't usually associate with the Beatles -- but this is a pretty good list imho!
My Beatles cringe worthy Top 10:
Act Naturally
All Together Now
Don’t Pass Me Buy
Honey Pie
Love Me Do
Maxwells Silver Hammer
Octopus Garden
Piggies
What Goes On
Your Mother Should Know
You picked a band that ended up having too many faces music wise. I like the early stuff but many aspire to the later.Intresting fact Geezer Butler learned to play a guitar to early stuff.The rest is history.Your wearing a motorhead t shirt and met said Geezer Bultler at a Motorhead gig in wolverhampton.They were kindred spirits in both playing a bass guitar like a 6 string on full wack.The Beatles just became too many sounds and therefore had no tap root.A bit like the Beachboys or dare I say most prog rock bands that followed? No staple sound.
Not many that most everyone could agree with. A great body of work they left, even most of these.
Why don't we do it in the road.... Don't pass me by. Even though the white album is my favorite it has the most bad songs too.
Can’t believe you didn’t mention “ Why Don’t We Do It In The Road”.
This was a fun video. Although I disagree with about half of your choices, it's really all subjective, right? My top 10 worst Beatles songs, in no particular order except #1 would be:
1.Revolution 9
2.Blue Jay Way
3.I Dig A Pony
4.Old Brown Shoe
5.I'm Down
6.I Feel Fine
7.Baby I'm A Rich Man
8.Long, Long, Long
9.Dr. Robert
10.You Know My Name, Look Up the Number
"I Am the Walrus" ... CAN'T STAND THAT SONG...
Ignoring the 2 German songs, the 2 song fragments, and the 3 “avant guard” tracks (#9, Mary Jane, You Know My Name), my bottom 10, least bad to worst:
A Taste of Honey
Maxwell’s Silver Hammer
Run For Your Life
What You’re Doing
Rocky Raccoon
Bad Boy
Thank You Girl
Why Don’t We Do It In The Road
Dig It [“I’ve done too many drugs. Dig it, dig it…”]
Wild Honey Pie
Your last statement explains why you like fool on the hill more that blue Jay way. I rather like the full version of Dig it. A taste of honey is dreadful. All good though.
I don't really care for their bread & butter work cover songs so I won't include them.
(FLYING? Seriously? I LOVE that one!)
1. Something - Soppy, drippy, overplayed
2. Michelle my Belle - ditto Something
3. Yer Blues - Everybody loves this overlong jam session, but it bores me
4. Maxwell's Silver Hammer - noisy - ugly, unfunny lyrics
5. All Together Now - not the worst, but I'll pass
6. Yellow Submarine - I even hated this one when I was a little kid
7. I Want You (She's so Heavy) - much like Yer Blues - ugh, just end already
8. Wild Honey Pie - Total earache, but thankfully short
9. Why don't we do it in the Road - Out of character for them, and just NO.
10. Run for Your Life - totally psycho lyrics not aided by a me-eh tune
Overplayed doesnt count. Something is top ten of their best songs.