Beatles' WORST song?

[danbind]

Okay, we all know how Great and Important the Beatles were--and I'm not being facetious--but which Beatles song makes you cringe? Some tunes haven't aged very well, but what I am looking for here are the ones that, when you hear them, you think "Ugh--that really IS a clunker, isn't it?". Considering the size of their catalog, this list is probably pretty short. Compare that to, say, the Who, whom I'm a big fan of, but for every "A Quick One", there is a "Fiddle About".

My personal vote is for "Octopus' Garden". I got the "Blue" album when I was about 11, and I remember even then thinking "this is all frosting and no cake" (I sure I used a different metaphor then). Great slide guitar, but the backing vocals and bubble sounds--arghh!

PS: apologies to beez for hijacking his ideas. Another good poll for this group might be "favorite Beatles guitar solo."

[jz63]

I would vote for "When I Get Home". Does "Revolution #9 count as a song? My "Rev #9 story is as follows... I was in a bar in Tulsa once that had gone from being a cool little dive to being "the" Univ of Tulsa frat hangout. The new owner had put both discs of the WHITE ALBUM on the jukebox. I was so sad to see the change in atmosphere that as I left I put $4 worth of quarters in the jukebox and punched up "Rev #9" over and over.

[Paul G.]

A cover, but still lousy.

P.

[J-man]

Not a Beatles song but that really cheesy one that Paul McCartney did on that beach somewhere in the UK about that village. (anyone who can fill me in on what it's called appreciated)

[bo]

"The Inner Light", "You Know My Name (look up the number)", "Flying", "Only a Northern Song" and the covers of "Mr. Moonlight" and "Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey". For that matter, I'd chuck in half the White Album, most of "Abbey Road" and all of "Let It Be".

[BB]

Originally Posted by jz63

I would vote for "When I Get Home". Does "Revolution #9 count as a song? My "Rev #9 story is as follows... I was in a bar in Tulsa once that had gone from being a cool little dive to being "the" Univ of Tulsa frat hangout. The new owner had put both discs of the WHITE ALBUM on the jukebox. I was so sad to see the change in atmosphere that as I left I put $4 worth of quarters in the jukebox and punched up "Rev #9" over and over.

That is soo funny! Too bad you didn't have $8 worth of quarters!

[Telemaniac]

Originally Posted by J-man

Not a Beatles song but that really cheesy one that Paul McCartney did on that beach somewhere in the UK about that village. (anyone who can fill me in on what it's called appreciated)

M(D)ull of Kintyre? It's even got bagpipes (sorry Scotland!)!

[danbind]

Not a Beatles song but that really cheesy one that Paul McCartney did on that beach somewhere in the UK about that village. (anyone who can fill me in on what it's called appreciated)

"Mull of Kintyre". I actually like that one!

If we expanded this thread to Sir Paul/Wings, it would bring the Internet to its knees! The guy is a genius, but talk about someone who needed an editor! "No, Paul, Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" may be chock full'o hooks, but...please, try to turn that one annoying song into maybe four GOOD songs." "Mamunia"? Try to think of a different title--one that makes sense. "Magneto and Ti"--oh, I give up.

[FUMoney]

"You Know My Name" I guess they were just having fun with it but I do really hate that one.

Ed

[mark norwine]

goodnight.

pointless dreck

[TheGoodTexan]

There are some orchestral arrangments on Yellow Submarine that are awful.

[DAK]

If so, I'd pick Mr. Moonlight. Wasn't crazy about the way they did the Miracles' "You Really Got a Hold on Me," either. The covers they seemed to make their own were "Boys" and "Anna."

As far as Beatles originals, hmmm... can't think of anything I'd call a "worst" song. The song I was probably less fond of than all the others was "Yellow Submarine." Not a bad song... just didn't live up to rest of stuff on "Revolver," IMHO.

[snoglobe]

and so does that song, much to my dismay.

[Cassady]

This was only released on Anthology 2, but it's pretty bad--it sounds absolutely great, but the lyrics don't make much sense. I can see why they didn't release it until the Anthology series.

Really, though, the Beatles worst moments are better than most bands best ones.

[GopherTele]

There are so many that have been played and played and played and played and played and played and played for years and years and years...that I instinctively turn the station whenever almost any Beatles song comes on.

But if I had to pick ONE, I would have to say In My Life--it's maudlin and cheesy and so chocked full of baby-boomer nostaglia I just wince every time I hear it.

[Pigsfootpeete]

Originally Posted by Cassady

Really, though, the Beatles worst moments are better than most bands best ones.

AMEN!! :)

[tiktok]

Originally Posted by jz63

I would vote for "When I Get Home". Does "Revolution #9 count as a song? My "Rev #9 story is as follows... I was in a bar in Tulsa once that had gone from being a cool little dive to being "the" Univ of Tulsa frat hangout. The new owner had put both discs of the WHITE ALBUM on the jukebox. I was so sad to see the change in atmosphere that as I left I put $4 worth of quarters in the jukebox and punched up "Rev #9" over and over.

Revolution #9? That's a great piece. But maybe not appropriate for casual public listening.

Once I was in a bar an punched up an hour's worth of "Maggot Brain". After about three plays the room had visibly sunk lower, and the bartender walked over and unplugged the juke box to reset it.

[Bob Rogers]

I nominate The Word. The worst song during my favorite period: Rubber Soul/Revolver. Beatles worst song polls are kind of a personality test to see which sets your teeth on edge more - Paul's sentimentality or John's sanctimony. Guess its not hard to see which side I fall on.

On some of the comments above - I always thought that Mr. Moonlight was tongue in cheek, a chance to clown around, No? I never liked The Inner Light until Jeff Lynn did it on The Concert for George. That's an excellent version. When I Get Home is probably topped in the "wife beating is my hobby" category by Run for your Life but that has a better tune.

[Bob Rogers]

Originally Posted by TheGoodTexan

There are some orchestral arrangments on Yellow Submarine that are awful.

All George Martin. Does the count as Beatles? Probably yes.

[jz63]

Originally Posted by Pigsfootpeete

AMEN!! :)

You said it brother!

I am constantly amazed at how many people know the words to obscure Beatles tunes. I've been at parties and gatherings where there have been guitars and and someone will pick something obscure from the HELP soundtrack, or something off of the third side of the WHITE ALBUM, and it never fails that most everyone knows the words and sings along. Not just the musos but everyone.

[BB]

It amazes me how few stinkers there are in the Beatles catalog. For the volume of work they produced, I do believe their entitled to a clunker now and then. While some of their early lyics have a pretty high cheese factor compared to what passes for todays jaded "pop" music, back then it was cutting edge stuff. The only songs I really don't care for are some of Georges ( and I love and respect the man ) forays into the sitar. The whole eastern, microtonal scale thing is akin to nails on a blackboard to me. Some of the scales sound cool when used sparingly ala Beck in Over, Under, Sideways down and Heart full of Soul, ect, and the psuedo dano sitar effects of Steely's "Do it Again" and Tommy Tedescos studio work on pop songs is great, but whole songs of the real thing make me want to jump in the Ganges for a cleansing!

[David Barnett]

Originally Posted by FUMoney

"You Know My Name" I guess they were just having fun with it but I do really hate that one.

But that one's got Brian Jones of The Stones on alto saxophone.

While I'm still pissed that you guys beat me to the punch with "Mr. Moonlight" and "The Word", here's a couple of real stinkers that haven't been mentioned yet: "Dr. Robert" and "What's The New Mary Jane".

[Geo]

Three way tie here
Octopus' Garden
Yellow Sub
Oh Bla De Bla Da (or however)

None of these were too bad in moderation but
I got over exposure to 'em in the late '60s to the
point where it got irritateing hearing them.
Almost but not quite like Freeway and Stairbird
in the '70s.

[jwsamuel]

Originally Posted by Cassady

This was only released on Anthology 2, but it's pretty bad--it sounds absolutely great, but the lyrics don't much sense. I can see why they didn't release it until the Anthology series.

If you want to include songs that were not released during the beatles lifetime as a group, I'd say the worst is "What's The New Mary Jane"

You rarely get lyrics like these:

She looks as an African queen,
she eating twelve chapattis and cream,
she tastes as Mongolian lamb,
she coming from out of Bahran.

What a shame Mary Jane
had a pain at the party.
What a shame Mary Jane.
What a shame Mary Jane
had a pain at the party.

She like to be married with Yeti,
he grooving such cooky spaghetti,
she jumping as Mexican bean
to make that her body more thin.

What a shame Mary Jane
had a pain at the party.
What a shame Mary Jane.
What a shame Mary Jane
had a pain at the party.

She catch Patagonian pancake
with that one a gin party makes.
She having all the ways good contacts,
she making with Apple an contract.

What a shame Mary Jane
had a pain at the party.
What a shame Mary Jane.
What a shame Mary Jane
had a pain at the party.

All together now:

What a shame Mary Jane
had a pain at the party.
What a shame Mary Jane.
What a shame Mary Jane
had a pain at the party.

She looks as an African queen,
she tastes as Mongolian lamb.

What a shame Mary Jane
had a pain at the party.
What a shame Mary Jane.
What a shame Mary Jane
had a pain at the party.

What a shame Mary Jane
had a pain at the party.
What a shame Mary Jane.
What a shame Mary Jane
had a pain at the party.


Jim

[shakedancer]

They were and are the greatest group of all time. If you were not there in 1964 you'll never really understand. Their throwaway songs are better than any of the garbage thats out today.