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I’m usually right at the other end of the popular taste barometer in all of Gezza’s various rates so this is something of a surprise for me.
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60th: 153 points

Octopus’s Garden

 

 

Voters:

 

jimwatts 35

WhoOdyssey 32

Brer 23

Chez Wombat 20

gooddelta 16

steve201 10

JulianT 9

ben08 6

…ready for it 2

 

This is the only song in the rate that was written by Ringo, though there are a couple of others fronted by him. He only wrote 2 songs for The Beatles in total in fact, the other being “Don’t Pass Me By” from the “White Album”. This was included on “Abbey Road” and released as a single in a few countries.

 

Aww it may not be one of the greatest pieces of music we’ll be encountering here but I do think it’s such a sweet and joyous little number, delivered in Ringo’s slightly unrefined but endearing and carefree way.

Michelle a big tune in the 60's so a little surprising to see it so low, I guess the old-fashioned vibes don't appeal so much these days. Nostalgia certainly affects my judgement on it.... :)
Well that takes me into the bottom 3 of the voters' chart -_- just because they were such great innovators doesn't mean they couldn't produce some classics out of lighter subject matter too.
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59th: 156 points

Free As A Bird

 

 

16/12/1995 The Beatles Free As A Bird {2}-3-8-15-25-48-60-75->8

 

Voters:

 

steve201 31

King Rollo 27

popchartfreak 22

gooddelta 22

JulianT 16

Notorious D.O.T. 12

WhoOdyssey 12

Jade 7

danG 6

Bjork 1

 

This was originally recorded as a home demo by John in 1977, and in 1995 the other 3 got together to record a studio version and the track was co-produced by Jeff Lynne. It was done as part of the “Anthology” project, which included a documentary and a compilation album. The single reached #2 in the UK and #6 in the US.

 

This received points from 10 voters but mostly fairly low scores. There’s certainly a big difference in the quality of John’s vocals on the final track on this and “Now And Then”, reflecting the advances in technology over the intervening 28 years. Despite that I find it a very beautiful and wistful track.

 

 

 

I’m usually right at the other end of the popular taste barometer in all of Gezza’s various rates so this is something of a surprise for me.

Me as well, so I'm pleased to be in second place.

 

'Don't Let Me Down' I believe was in my votes to begin with but must've got shoved out in the end. Would be like 51st-53rd at least for me.

 

'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' is a very silly sounding one but fun as well lol. 'Drive My Car' is fine too. Mostly associate it with Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway though lol!

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58th: 158 points

Within You Without You

 

 

Voters:

 

Chez Wombat 36

JulianT 32

Jade 31

King Rollo 26

Brer 24

dandy* 9

 

This was included on “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band”, and was the second song by George fully written in the Indian classical style after “Love You To” on “Revolver”. George recorded the song without the rest of the band using various traditional instruments including the sitar and the tabla. On the 2006 “Love” album of remixes this was mashed up quite successfully with John’s Indian inspired song “Tomorrow Never Knows”.

 

Despite some big supporters this only received points from 6 voters, and becomes the first song to exit from Disc 1 of the blue album.

 

'Within You Without You' is brilliant :wub: I was so pleased that it was a good discovery for others/already loved by some on SyncTube too. I'm a sucker for psychedelic George <3

 

I feel like 'Free As A Bird' has been on my mind more than ever recently with the 'Now And Then' release completing the intended 90s trilogy and it popping up on '90s TOTP repeats now too. The Jeff Lynne stamp is evident but I do really like it, even if the vocals aren't quite as clean as on their final release.

I'm guessing it'll be their last two number 1s coming up tomorrow, they are pretty weak links in that field, or maybe I'm forgetting something x

 

Within You Without You was one I didn't know previously, and was a really nice discovery with some great Eastern influences from George. Octopus's Garden is iconic as well, made even more wholesome by the fact it was written to help Ringo to escape hostilities going on in the group.

 

 

Free As A Bird I cant hear without seeing the video in my mind, which was a nostalgia fest. It was a gift nobody expected. The Love-mash-up of Within You/Tomorrow was a goodie, and to be honest the Love version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps is my favourite version. Should have been a single.
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57th: 175 points

From Me To You

 

 

Voters:

 

ben08 33

…ready for it 31

jimwatts 29

Bjork 24

Brer 19

Severin 18

gooddelta 11

JulianT 10

 

Chart run: 23-3-{1}-1-1-1-1-1-1-2-4-8-13-16-15-17-20-27-37-41-44->21

 

This was their first official UK #1 (although most of the charts published at the time that did not become the official one listed “Please Please Me” as a #1), but only reached #41 in the US. George Martin said that he asked them to bring them another song as good as “Please Please Me” and this is what they brought. The song didn’t appear on any of the original studio albums.

 

I’m surprised all the early singles have made it this far as they’re sometimes considered to be a bit cheesy and lightweight, but I think this shows that there is still quite a bit of love for them.

 

 

The Blue era is easily far better than Red creatively but some of those early singles remain among the finest pure Pop songs ever written
I'm fond of From Me To You, reminds me of my childhood (of course it does! :lol: ) but I wouldnt say it was my favourite record at the time - that would have been the Fireball XL5 theme tune :lol: But prob enough to grab one week at the top of my hypothetical personal charts of 1963, but not enough to vote it into my top 50 Beatles tunes.
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56th: 181 points

The Ballad Of John And Yoko

 

 

Chart run: 4-{1}-1-1-3-3-11-15-22-27-37-38-47-50->14

 

Voters:

 

Severin 48

popchartfreak 35

Roba. 27

danG 17

steve201 16

Bjork 10

WhoOdyssey 9

gooddelta 6

Notorious D.O.T. 6

dandy* 6

ben08 1

 

Having had their 1st UK #1, we now have their last for 54 years. It was a non album single in 1969 and chronicles the events surrounding John and Yoko’s wedding. It was recorded by John and Paul without their other bandmates. The crucifixion reference led to it being banned by some radio stations.

 

The style of this is more like an old fashioned rock ‘n’ roll ballad from 10 years prior than a late 60s Beatles song, but if nothing else it’s interesting as an account of John’s troubles at the time.

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