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The Beatles - Former Members Top Five Records

The other thread about the Beatles got me thinking. I'm not a fan of the Beatles first four records, I personally don't think they put anything decent out until Help. Everything that came out after Help was phenomenal. I appreciate the significance of The Beatles in 63 and 64, I just found their music from that period a drag.
All four members released records from 1970, below are a list of five albums that I think are better than the first four Beatles records. I could probbaly list more, but five is a good number. Anyone else?

1. Imagine - John Lennon
2. Band on the Run - Wings
3. Ram - Paul McCartney
4. Tug of War - Paul McCartney
5. All Things Must Pass - George Harrison
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Comments

  • charlton_hero
    charlton_hero Posts: 4,665
    McCartney II.
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,221
    Ringo - Photograph

    Also lots of good stuff on the early albums and singles (Twist and shout, I saw her standing there) and some nonsense on the White album.
  • Karim_myBagheri
    Karim_myBagheri Posts: 12,715
    John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band 
  • MrWalker
    MrWalker Posts: 4,106
    I think there's only one - Sound of the Suburbs, though Offshore Banking Business was big in the USA.
  • killerandflash
    killerandflash Posts: 69,846
    edited April 2020
    A Hard Day's Night is a really good album, and entirely Lennon and McCartney compositions too. To me it's better than Help or It is what it is Let it Be
  • raytreacy69
    raytreacy69 Posts: 955
    My sweet Lord
    Another day
    Power to the people 
    It don't come Easy

    All in the charts at the same time in 1971
  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    John Lennon with the Beatles.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxQB0fUMkGQ
  • golfaddick
    golfaddick Posts: 33,627
    PopIcon said:
    The other thread about the Beatles got me thinking. I'm not a fan of the Beatles first four records, I personally don't think they put anything decent out until Help. Everything that came out after Help was phenomenal. I appreciate the significance of The Beatles in 63 and 64, I just found their music from that period a drag.
    All four members released records from 1970, below are a list of five albums that I think are better than the first four Beatles records. I could probbaly list more, but five is a good number. Anyone else?

    1. Imagine - John Lennon
    2. Band on the Run - Wings
    3. Ram - Paul McCartney
    4. Tug of War - Paul McCartney
    5. All Things Must Pass - George Harrison
    Maybe substitute Double Fantasy for Ram  
  • Fumbluff
    Fumbluff Posts: 10,126
    Thomas the Tank Engine vol 1
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  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,221

    Mark Lewisohn
    · 2h
    1959; Paul, John and George, 17, 19 and 16, history shining in every dimly-lit detail. Four years on, they’d have attained the inconceivable level of allure that still maintains, out from this Liverpool room and across the universe. http://shorturl.at/ikoq6 http://tracks.co.uk


  • Six-a-bag-of-nuts
    Six-a-bag-of-nuts Posts: 8,127
    edited April 2020
    PopIcon said:
    The other thread about the Beatles got me thinking. I'm not a fan of the Beatles first four records, I personally don't think they put anything decent out until Help. Everything that came out after Help was phenomenal. I appreciate the significance of The Beatles in 63 and 64, I just found their music from that period a drag.
    All four members released records from 1970, below are a list of five albums that I think are better than the first four Beatles records. I could probbaly list more, but five is a good number. Anyone else?

    1. Imagine - John Lennon
    2. Band on the Run - Wings
    3. Ram - Paul McCartney
    4. Tug of War - Paul McCartney
    5. All Things Must Pass - George Harrison
    I'd be more interested to know which pop/beat group albums you feel were better than the Beatles first 4 albums in 1963/64 
    Preferably without scrambling for Google Search etc
    (NB For the record, Bob Dylan was not a pop group in 1963/64).
    Also, how old were you in 1963/64
  • iainment
    iainment Posts: 8,039
    The Animals first album is really good. At the time I was 8 and not really aware of music apart from the top twenty.
  • golfaddick
    golfaddick Posts: 33,627
    PopIcon said:
    The other thread about the Beatles got me thinking. I'm not a fan of the Beatles first four records, I personally don't think they put anything decent out until Help. Everything that came out after Help was phenomenal. I appreciate the significance of The Beatles in 63 and 64, I just found their music from that period a drag.
    All four members released records from 1970, below are a list of five albums that I think are better than the first four Beatles records. I could probbaly list more, but five is a good number. Anyone else?

    1. Imagine - John Lennon
    2. Band on the Run - Wings
    3. Ram - Paul McCartney
    4. Tug of War - Paul McCartney
    5. All Things Must Pass - George Harrison
    I'd be more interested to know which pop/beat group albums you feel were better than the Beatles first 4 albums in 1963/64 
    Preferably without scrambling for Google Search etc
    (NB For the record, Bob Dylan was not a pop group in 1963/64).
    Also, how old were you in 1963/64
    Also it was common back then (early 60's) for artists to record covers, or at best, record songs written by others in "tin pan alley". The Beatles broke the mould in writing their own songs......and lots of them. Their first few albums contained quite a few covers as that was the norm, and the record bosses didn't trust releasing a whole album of just their own material. 
     
  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,348
    edited April 2020
    PopIcon said:
    The other thread about the Beatles got me thinking. I'm not a fan of the Beatles first four records, I personally don't think they put anything decent out until Help. Everything that came out after Help was phenomenal. I appreciate the significance of The Beatles in 63 and 64, I just found their music from that period a drag.
    All four members released records from 1970, below are a list of five albums that I think are better than the first four Beatles records. I could probbaly list more, but five is a good number. Anyone else?

    1. Imagine - John Lennon
    2. Band on the Run - Wings
    3. Ram - Paul McCartney
    4. Tug of War - Paul McCartney
    5. All Things Must Pass - George Harrison
    I'd be more interested to know which pop/beat group albums you feel were better than the Beatles first 4 albums in 1963/64 
    Preferably without scrambling for Google Search etc
    (NB For the record, Bob Dylan was not a pop group in 1963/64).
    Also, how old were you in 1963/64
     NOT better than but VERY good .. I'd say from a different genre the many superb Motown acts and recordings, the Beatles covered Motown songs (Mr Postman e.g.) .. and possibly the Beach Boys .. however, the Beatles were by far the most innovative, versatile, tuneful and original act of their time .. that's what happens when two geniuses and two other competent musicians of totally different character come together (right now lol) and write and make music
  • PopIcon
    PopIcon Posts: 5,970
    PopIcon said:
    The other thread about the Beatles got me thinking. I'm not a fan of the Beatles first four records, I personally don't think they put anything decent out until Help. Everything that came out after Help was phenomenal. I appreciate the significance of The Beatles in 63 and 64, I just found their music from that period a drag.
    All four members released records from 1970, below are a list of five albums that I think are better than the first four Beatles records. I could probbaly list more, but five is a good number. Anyone else?

    1. Imagine - John Lennon
    2. Band on the Run - Wings
    3. Ram - Paul McCartney
    4. Tug of War - Paul McCartney
    5. All Things Must Pass - George Harrison
    I'd be more interested to know which pop/beat group albums you feel were better than the Beatles first 4 albums in 1963/64 
    Preferably without scrambling for Google Search etc
    (NB For the record, Bob Dylan was not a pop group in 1963/64).
    Also, how old were you in 1963/64
    I wasn't born in 1964, I'm also not sure what relevance other bands are to the topic.
  • PopIcon said:
    PopIcon said:
    The other thread about the Beatles got me thinking. I'm not a fan of the Beatles first four records, I personally don't think they put anything decent out until Help. Everything that came out after Help was phenomenal. I appreciate the significance of The Beatles in 63 and 64, I just found their music from that period a drag.
    All four members released records from 1970, below are a list of five albums that I think are better than the first four Beatles records. I could probbaly list more, but five is a good number. Anyone else?

    1. Imagine - John Lennon
    2. Band on the Run - Wings
    3. Ram - Paul McCartney
    4. Tug of War - Paul McCartney
    5. All Things Must Pass - George Harrison
    I'd be more interested to know which pop/beat group albums you feel were better than the Beatles first 4 albums in 1963/64 
    Preferably without scrambling for Google Search etc
    (NB For the record, Bob Dylan was not a pop group in 1963/64).
    Also, how old were you in 1963/64
    I wasn't born in 1964, I'm also not sure what relevance other bands are to the topic.
    In your opening post you said that "personally I don't think they put out anything decent until Help".
    I was really just trying to get some context to your point of view.
    For example, I'd be shocked if anybody who lived through those times would say they were not decent, as they were hugely innovative and influential at the time and arguably better than anything anybody else released in 63/64.
    Having said that, of course, they may sound primitive by comparison with what came later but that in itself is testament to the pace of change and innovation driven by the Beatles themselves.
  • PopIcon
    PopIcon Posts: 5,970
    I grew up listening to 60s music, our house was always full of music when I was a kid.
    I'm fully aware the significance of The Beatles in the early 60s. I have no doubt it was amazing at the time to be discovering their music and others. It just just hasn't stood the test of time. A lot of music I listened to in the 90s which I thought was ace just sounds awful now.

    Some records are timeless, Sg Pepper, Led Zep IV, Dark Side of the Moon, The Bends, Grace, Rumours, Born to Run. 
  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    One early pretty unique feature of some bands like the Beatles, the Stones and a few others was that they had a seemingly democratic veneer. It wasn't Paul McCartney and the Beatles like it was Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, or Gerry and the Pacemakers.
    We were still interested in who was the 'leader' of the band(s) but bands transmogrified away from being one star with a service crew.
  • RaplhMilne
    RaplhMilne Posts: 4,601
    Can anybody explain the bloke in the suit and tie playing the tambourine. He looks so out of place in the band..... ....???
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  • killerandflash
    killerandflash Posts: 69,846
    Can anybody explain the bloke in the suit and tie playing the tambourine. He looks so out of place in the band..... ....???
    That's Mal Evans I think, the long time Beatles roadie
  • A Hard Day's Night is a really good album, and entirely Lennon and McCartney compositions too. To me it's better than Help or It is what it is Let it Be
    The Beatles co wrote very few songs, although put their names to most of them.
  • lordromford
    lordromford Posts: 7,783
    Thomas the Tank Engine
  • johnny73
    johnny73 Posts: 4,567
    Love a lot of those mentioned earlier especially George's all things must pass. My favourite though is Paul's Red Rose Speedway.
  • PopIcon
    PopIcon Posts: 5,970
    PopIcon said:
    The other thread about the Beatles got me thinking. I'm not a fan of the Beatles first four records, I personally don't think they put anything decent out until Help. Everything that came out after Help was phenomenal. I appreciate the significance of The Beatles in 63 and 64, I just found their music from that period a drag.
    All four members released records from 1970, below are a list of five albums that I think are better than the first four Beatles records. I could probbaly list more, but five is a good number. Anyone else?

    1. Imagine - John Lennon
    2. Band on the Run - Wings
    3. Ram - Paul McCartney
    4. Tug of War - Paul McCartney
    5. All Things Must Pass - George Harrison
    Maybe substitute Double Fantasy for Ram  
    I find the Yoko stuff inaccessible, which is about half of the album. Kiss Kiss Kiss had potential, until it goes full on Japanese sex tape.

    I'd now replace The Travelling Wilburys Vol 1 for Tug of War.
  • Nadou
    Nadou Posts: 1,725
    I love the first four albums. Maybe you had to be there in order to feel the freshness and energy that came bursting into a rather grey world.
  • Nadou
    Nadou Posts: 1,725
    PopIcon said:
    I grew up listening to 60s music, our house was always full of music when I was a kid.
    I'm fully aware the significance of The Beatles in the early 60s. I have no doubt it was amazing at the time to be discovering their music and others. It just just hasn't stood the test of time. A lot of music I listened to in the 90s which I thought was ace just sounds awful now.

    Some records are timeless, Sg Pepper, Led Zep IV, Dark Side of the Moon, The Bends, Grace, Rumours, Born to Run. 
    "Some records are timeless" for whoever is the listener. Only one of the records on that list would get in my top thirty albums. Beauty is in the ear of the belistener.
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,221
    Nadou said:
    PopIcon said:
    I grew up listening to 60s music, our house was always full of music when I was a kid.
    I'm fully aware the significance of The Beatles in the early 60s. I have no doubt it was amazing at the time to be discovering their music and others. It just just hasn't stood the test of time. A lot of music I listened to in the 90s which I thought was ace just sounds awful now.

    Some records are timeless, Sg Pepper, Led Zep IV, Dark Side of the Moon, The Bends, Grace, Rumours, Born to Run. 
    "Some records are timeless" for whoever is the listener. Only one of the records on that list would get in my top thirty albums. Beauty is in the ear of the belistener.
    One more than me, then although i like Sgt P, Born to Run and some of Rumours. Who was Grace by?
  • lordromford
    lordromford Posts: 7,783
    Nadou said:
    PopIcon said:
    I grew up listening to 60s music, our house was always full of music when I was a kid.
    I'm fully aware the significance of The Beatles in the early 60s. I have no doubt it was amazing at the time to be discovering their music and others. It just just hasn't stood the test of time. A lot of music I listened to in the 90s which I thought was ace just sounds awful now.

    Some records are timeless, Sg Pepper, Led Zep IV, Dark Side of the Moon, The Bends, Grace, Rumours, Born to Run. 
    "Some records are timeless" for whoever is the listener. Only one of the records on that list would get in my top thirty albums. Beauty is in the ear of the belistener.
    One more than me, then although i like Sgt P, Born to Run and some of Rumours. Who was Grace by?
    Jeff Buckley
  • PopIcon
    PopIcon Posts: 5,970
    Nadou said:
    PopIcon said:
    I grew up listening to 60s music, our house was always full of music when I was a kid.
    I'm fully aware the significance of The Beatles in the early 60s. I have no doubt it was amazing at the time to be discovering their music and others. It just just hasn't stood the test of time. A lot of music I listened to in the 90s which I thought was ace just sounds awful now.

    Some records are timeless, Sg Pepper, Led Zep IV, Dark Side of the Moon, The Bends, Grace, Rumours, Born to Run. 
    "Some records are timeless" for whoever is the listener. Only one of the records on that list would get in my top thirty albums. Beauty is in the ear of the belistener.
    Objectively, i don't agree that all records are timeless. The first five Beatles albums sound very 60s esq, it's where production really comes into its own.

    I get it that taste is subjective. I've tried on multiple times to get into the Stones, but nothing has landed yet for me. Although the intro to Gimme Shelter is sublime.

    @Henry Irving Grace by Jeff Buckey.