This post is going up automatically for me today as I will be in Erie, PA campaigning for Obama. (It was supposed to be Cleveland, OH, but last minute changes occurred.) Follow me on Twitter, and wish us luck!
The other week, I decided that for some fun, I’d start doing occasional “Top 5″ Beatles lists complete with YouTube videos and fighting out the picks with fellow fans in comments. I didn’t intend for this to be the first Top 5, but hey, (good) shit happens.
So without further ado . . .
The Top 5 Songs I Want to Play on Beatles Rock Band
1. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
One of my all-time favorite songs ever. This, my friends, should be a no-brainer. I wanted to play this song on Guitar Hero from the moment I heard of the concept. And now, with Rock Band, improved game play and multiple instruments? Whoa.
2. I Want You (She’s So Heavy)
Groovy vocal, awesome guitar, and oh my god Paul outdid himself on the bass here. Another one where all of the parts are just amazing.
3. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Obviously. One of the Beatles’ greatest rock songs.
4. Revolution
And another. Do I want guitar or vocals? Decisions, decisions.
5. The Whole Fucking Abbey Road Medley.
I am an Abbey Road Medley freak. Every time I hear You Never Give Me Your Money reprised in Carry That Weight I get the same “OMG THAT’S FUCKING BRILLIANT” chills up my spine as I did the first time I heard it.
I don’t care how they make it work. Golden Slumbers is their problem, and the brief game play lull for most game-players is well worth it. Just make it happen, Giles and team.
(Second video should be started as the first video ends)
So there you have it. Of course, it’s impossible to narrow it down truly to only 5 songs. I mean . . . Day Tripper! Taxman! Come Together! And so on. That’s why they’re making a whole game, after all. Your picks?
Also, I’ve got quite a few list ideas of my own, but feel free to leave your own suggestions in the comments.
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Hey Bulldog
Come Together
Polythene Pam
Northern Song
Nowhere Man
…
I think I may have talked myself into wanting this game…I don’t even own a TV!
Two words: Helter. Skelter.
I don’t care if I won’t be able to talk afterwards, I want to play and sing that so hard.
Would be cool if they introduced an option to let you sing and play easily — I’ve tried to do it on Rock Band but the darn claps always mess me up — no way to do that when I’m also playing. Then it’d be nice to open up lead and rhythm guitar sections in addition to bass.
Golden Slumbers is just too beautiful a song to ever be described as a problem for anything lol. Damn, do I love that song.
My list would be the Abbey Road medley, Come Together, Oh! Darling (clearly, I’m an Abbey Road fan), Helter Skelter and Happiness Is a Warm Gun.
I could jam to those songs all day every day.
I am such a loser noob. My immediate thought was, “The Beatles have a relatively small catalogue; can’t they just put all of them in?” Well, I mean, save for Revolution 9 and Wild Honey Pie and stuff.
(clearly, I’m an Abbey Road fan)
Dude, Abbey Road is my favorite album ever forever and all time! For real. If I could only ever listen to one record for the rest of my life, Abbey Road it would be, in a heartbeat. Also, Happiness is an excellent pick.
L.E. Hairstylist, I actually like the way you think. In fact, the thought crossed my mind, too — but I’m trying to be realistic. And also certain songs like Yesterday and Julia or piano driven songs like . . . I don’t know, it’s late and I’ve been driving and canvassing all day . . . Long and Winding Road, just wouldn’t work. Also, the last sentence of your comment made me laugh so hard because IT’S SO TRUE.
Beth, I agree that rhythm guitar would be awesome. I’ve also been thinking about it and how with the way that Beatles music is constructed, it’d be almost necessary. It’ll be interesting to see how they make things work . . . I’m not silly enough to expect them to introduce rhythm for the purpose, but it’d be nice :)
Apparently the game will take players throught the entire Beatles cataloge, at least according to the articles I’m reading. :-D
Apparently the game will take players throught the entire Beatles cataloge, at least according to the articles I’m reading. :-D
That would be SO COOL.
The main thing I’m hoping for right now is that they will make Beatles avatars, like they did with the Aerosmith Guitar Hero. I don’t want to just play guitar (etc.) on a Beatles song . . . I want to play guitar on a Beatles song as George Harrison (etc.). :) But the reason that this ties into the above comment is because I’m such a huge Beatles dork, and I also want the songs to go in chronological order, and for the Beatles appearances/outfits to change accordingly based on what period they’re in. Oh, and I also totally want appropriate venues (Cavern, Palladium, Shea Stadium, Abbey Road Studios, the Apple rooftop . . .)
Cara
are there any Beatles songs you don’t like – i know you mentioned months ago that there were some you thought were weak
Paul — you know, I was typing a whole comment here but then remembered that there are a couple of lists I have in mind that might fall into this category, and I don’t want to give all the answers away :)
So suffice it say that: there are a couple of sounds that I think are just bad. There are a number that I think are weak/lazy, and also a few that I think are pretty good songs that could have been better for a couple of reasons.
Are you entirely certain that As My Guitar Gently Weeps is by the Beatles? Cuz, I know that song, and we’ve determined I know nothing about the Beatles, so that can’t be true. ;)
Anna:
There was a really funny moment on our local oldies station a couple of weeks ago when a caller to a trivia contest – the question was about Beatle member’s solo hits – had to be reminded by the DJ that “Here Comes the Sun” was an actual Beatles song and “Imagine” wasn’t.
I agree about Abbey Road: it’s just brilliant! We have a copy, burned from iTunes (from the original CD) where iTunes inserted automatic space between the tracks, and it just about ruins the album: 4 seconds of silence before “She came in thru the bathroom window” seems like FOREVER!
Eldgienphila — oh no! There is a way to fix that in iTunes, you know! (I know from running into the same problem.) Highlight everything, right click and go to “get info” and then click on the “options” tab and the last option on the page is “gapless album.” Just check the box, and you’re good to go! And if you reburn the CD, it will work there, too. Because we most certainly cannot have gaps in Abbey Road. Blasphemy!
I am glad that you know about the 16 minute 20 second Abbey Road medley, Cara. In truth, I would love to play all four of the Beatles medleys — three of which are on the 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
1.Helter Skelter
2.Taxman
3.Something
4.Dizzy Miss Lizzy(Probably won’t be on it)
4.The End!!!
Helter Skelter
I love Hello Goodbye, I’ve Just Seen a Face & Getting Better*
* has some misogynistic tendencies
“I used to be cruel to my woman I beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved”
No argument with your picks, Emma, but I do always disagree with the argument that there are misogynistic tendencies to Getting Better. It does if you leave out the next lines of “man I was mean, but I’m changing my scene” — which would have been quite a radical statement at the time about how being cruel to women is wrong, and if John Lennon’s comments are to be believed, it was also a statement about his own personal transformation that he was currently making.
ok, first i immediatly thought of ‘All You Need Is Love” and Hey Jude. and who could forget Let It Be.
Happiness Is A Warm Gun
Come Together
I’ve Just Seen A Face
Definitely nodding in agreement with the fellow Abbey Road fans!
Might get shot down for this, as being pre-Revolver. But the Lennon’s guitar riff on “I Feel Fine” would likely be a blast to play!
Oh Mike, you will never be shot down here for showing love to I Feel Fine :) I was actually just thinking the exact same thing about this song last night. There’s some good drums and bass going in there, too, so yes . . . I really want to see it make an appearance in the game.
If nobody answered already, George Harrison wrote While My Guitar Gently Weeps. I cant make a top 5, there’s too many!
1. Come Together 2. Helter Skelter 3. Get Back 4. While My Guitar Gently Weeps 5. Yesterday 6. Hello, Goodbye 7. Sgt Pepper 8. I am the Walrus 9. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds 10. Let it Be…….The list goes on and on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nah the top 5 songs will def. have to be:
-Revolution
-Come Together
-Twist and Shout
-Here Comes The Sun
and
-Help!
Yeah, too bad Help! isn’t in the game. :(
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