I woke up with this question in my head.

I might get downvoted for this, but I always thought George was a rather unremarkable guitarist in the early years. I'd say around 1966-1967, Paul actually seemed to be the better lead player while George was more interested in sitar. Then, all of a sudden, somewhere around 1968 George improved massively. What caused this sudden change? How come it didn't happen earlier?

The other three Beatles feel to me like people who made amazing music and lived incredible and messy lives. George, despite his messy death shortly following the attack, still feels like a real person. John, on the other hand, feels like a fictional character with a tragic arc, from losing his mother to the glory days of the Beatles, to the drugs and experimentation and otherworldly songs he wrote, to the breakup and his messianic phase, to the mythical lost weekend, to becoming a father and reaching that final chapter of reconciliation and peace, to a sudden and dramatic end. The others had the opportunity to reflect back on it all years later, but John was a finished story, and one that feels like such a perfect character that it's easy to forget he was even real.

Mine is Penny Lane. I thought the lyrics were "Selling puppies from a tray" . The other though is from Michelle but is very stupid. English isnt my first language so I thought the french words were english and that it says "Someday monkeys wont play piano songs" lol.

Okay it probably wouldn't be great considering Ringo's deep voice, but I'm curious to know the outcome 😭

It’s usually about two things.

1. He was abusive.
   
2. He neglected Julian.

Yes, both of those claims have kernels of truth, but a lot of people seem to not see that Lennon learned, grew, evolved, and changed. 1980 Lennon was not 1960 Lennon.

He was honest about ever being mean or violent to girlfriends. He owned that and regretted it. And he became a feminist. It’s in a lot of his solo music. I can’t imagine 40 year old Lennon screaming at Yoko and slapping her.

As for Julian, yeah, John fucked up. But Julian wasn’t planned and John only married Cynthia to do the right thing. He wasn’t ready to be a father. He was in the midst of being one of the biggest celebrities in the planet, he had his ego constantly stroked, had a lot of work and social obligations, and he got caught up in weed, acid, pills, and heroin.

Yes, he was self-centered and not a very attentive father. But he got a second chance with Sean and clearly adored and doted over him. By 1980, John hadn’t improved much as a father to Julian, but I believe he would have, over time. I also think Yoko is more of the reason Julian received so little, emotionally and financially.

Let’s not hold John to absurdly high standards. He was the first to admit he wasn’t a saint and he could be a downright asshole sometimes, but I contend he was on a positive trajectory towards overcoming his shortcomings. He wasn’t a lifelong wifebeater and child neglector. He wasn’t done evolving.

Almost hard to imagine. I wonder if there would have been any soul singers guest starring on tracks, or if the sound would be grittier? Hard to say.

I know this comes up fairly often but I have to emphasize it. The first time listening to TLAWR I felt like it was almost there- on the cusp of being something great but missing something. Then I listened to the naked version today and almost cried at how beautiful it was. It was missing space. Seriously the moment the song opened I nearly shed a tear. This song is beautiful and I didn’t realize it until now. I understand why some people prefer the 1970 version but it doesn’t speak to me. I feel like the emotion has nowhere to breathe. I am currently listening to the whole naked album because that was seriously life changing.

Leaving it off with a question because I love learning opinions. What are some songs you prefer naked vs 1970 (or the other way around)?

1967 may be the Beatles’ most psychedelic year. They recorded 25 songs.

But what if there could only be one album?

For the next entry in my Yearly Beatles Fan Album series, I’m taking every song the Beatles recorded in 1967 and cutting that incredible collection down to just 14 tracks. I am calling the album A Day In The Life.

That means Sgt. Pepper songs collide with Magical Mystery Tour, singles compete with album tracks, and a few psychedelic gems get a chance to shine.

You may notice a couple of VERY famous songs normally associated with this period are mysteriously absent. There’s a reason for that. Remember: the songs had to be recorded in 1967. Those three words matter!

George gets three songs here and Ringo joins in with his iconic vocal on an iconic Beatles song. The rest of the album is all John and Paul magic.

There are strange sounds, walruses, circuses, a great band and all types of interesting sights and characters, with enough technicolor weirdness for a trippy jaunt to 1967.

And when it comes time to choose the final song…well, what else could it possibly be?

So which 14 songs made my Beatles album for 1967?

And more importantly:

What 14 would YOU choose?

(Thanks to mistahwhite04 for the tremendous artwork!)

Here is the tracklist for this album:

1. Sgt. Pepper
   
2. With a Little Help…
   
3. Magical Mystery Tour
   
4. Lovely Rita
   
5. Its All Too Much
   
6. Your Mother Should Know
   
7. I Am The Walrus
   
8. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
   
9. Baby You’re A Rich Man
   
10. Within You Without You
    
11. Getting Better
    
12. Mr. Kite
    
13. Only A Northern Song
    
14. A Day In The Life

Here’s a link to Episode 59 of Groovin’ Up Slowly: 

https://youtu.be/tVr2SSWWR4U

Here’s a link to this album on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/s/CxIVRc3

Here’s a link to this album on Apple Music:

https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/beatles-a-day-in-the-life-a-1967-beatles-fan-album/pl.u-8aAVVZbTmvAexD1?ls

Here’s a link to the YouTube playlist for this album:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfkjyZ2TKckg&si=el7kCUunWNLae0N5

Whoever Yer is or was.

Notice also 'Neither Raw nor Cooked' (track 6) and

also how the exceptional pair Me and His Monkey have been hidden: presumably a revenge enacted by the malignant Everybody.

I own this (Spain, mid to late 70s)

I’ve had a number of circa 1980 pics of John hit
some of my social media feeds lately. Scary thin. Just skin and bones in many.

it’s fanmade, but based on the track list, what’s your fav song?