Sunday, September 7, 2014

Top 4 Beatles Songs You May Not Know

The Beatles have had a LOT of well known songs over the years. Probably more than any other artist out there. However, beyond all those classics lay some gems that don't always get the attention they so truly deserve. They are unique, peculiar, and some times even outlandish. Tonight I'm going to go over some of them for you.


1. Why Don't We Do It in the Road?

This is a pretty simple tune written by McCartney for The Beatles (aka The White Album). The subject matter pertains to when The Beatles were in India and he saw a couple of monkeys quickly having sex in the middle of the road and then going about their business like it was no big deal. What got to Paul was that no one really seemed bothered by it or even noticed it at all. The music itself is a pretty straight up 12 bar blues pattern played on piano and drums. Paul absolutely howls on the vocals and seems to take this subject matter fairly seriously, which makes it all the more fun to listen to.


2. Nowhere Man

The melodies and chord progressions of this song are simple and pleasing, but if you really listen to the lyrics and take them to heart, it hits you straight in the feels. You feel bad for whoever Lennon is singing about and just want to give them a hug and tell them it will be ok. It was written after Lennon had been up all night, taken a walk, and had to come up with a song by the next day for the Rubber Soul album. I wouldn't be surprised if he had written it about himself. It's just another example of how The Beatles could make a tune that sounds upbeat and somewhat cheery but actually make it sad if you really listen to it.


3. She Came in Through the Bathroom Window

This is a pretty short tune from Abbey Road, but it has a really smooth groove to it. The song was inspired by the fans of the band aka "Apple Scruffs". The particular incident in question though was one night when fans crawled into McCartney's slightly open bathroom window with a ladder they found in his garden. They ended up taking quite a few things that belonged to McCartey such as trousers, photos, etc.. That being said, it's a pretty amusing song and worth the two minutes to check out.


4. Glass Onion

This song while also on The Beatles almost reminds me of their earlier work. The only thing that makes any difference is that while it is upbeat rhythmically, the chord progression in the verses seems a bit more minor and less cheery than what they originally hit the scene with. They reference past songs of theirs such as Strawberry Fields Forever, I Am the Walrus, Lady Madonna, The Fool on the Hill, and Fixing a Hole. The subject matter is about the changing relationship between Lennon and McCartney at the time as well as the urban legend that in 1966 McCartney had died during the making of the Sergent Pepper album and was replaced by someone who sounded and looked just like him. It's kind of weird, but it's nothing you wouldn't expect to hear out of The Beatles' later work.

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