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Ranking the medley songs from Abbey Road (+ "Her Majesty")
10 August 2014
11.20pm
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Funny Paper
America
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I agree for the most part with your philosophy of ranking and I enjoyed reading your analysis of the songs.  To me, it’s more impressionistic than rigorous, and your point about different contexts makes sense.  One thing I don’t relish is considering a “best” Beatles song (there have been threads here asking fellow BBers which song is the “best” on a given album, or even overall).  As I remarked on this forum many moons ago, often such a prospect is like choosing which child you don’t want King Solomon to kill.  Even so, I have a vague sense in my mind of a few songs jostling or bubbling their way up to the vicinity of the top — Penny Lane , Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da , You Never Give Me Your Money , Hello, Goodbye , Good Morning, Good Morning, Come Together , Back in the U.S.S.R., etc. — but I don’t like thinking about this too carefully.

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UnidentifiedFiendishThingy, paulramon1962

Faded flowers, wait in a jar, till the evening is complete... complete... complete... complete...

10 August 2014
11.53pm
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StrawberryWalrus
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I can’t really rank this as I consider it a whole piece by itself.

But what I can say, however, is my favourite song. And that’s The End .

It features the solos that really energise you with everything rock’n’roll represents. It’s that primal excitement. As I like to think of myself as a “rocker dude”, this is the pinnacle of r’n’r to me. It’s that something.

And not to mention the final words. It might seem funny but I kinda get too emotional thinking about last songs for any performer or band, and this one is the best example. But the words, man. Those are words to live by.

11 August 2014
2.28am
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paulramon1962
Cedar City, Utah
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Funny Paper said
I agree for the most part with your philosophy of ranking and I enjoyed reading your analysis of the songs.  To me, it’s more impressionistic than rigorous, and your point about different contexts makes sense.  One thing I don’t relish is considering a “best” Beatles song (there have been threads here asking fellow BBers which song is the “best” on a given album, or even overall).  As I remarked on this forum many moons ago, often such a prospect is like choosing which child you don’t want King Solomon to kill.  Even so, I have a vague sense in my mind of a few songs jostling or bubbling their way up to the vicinity of the top — Penny Lane , Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da , You Never Give Me Your Money , Hello, Goodbye , Good Morning, Good Morning, Come Together , Back in the U.S.S.R., etc. — but I don’t like thinking about this too carefully.

 

I don’t think there is a “Best” Beatle song. I don’t even have a favorite; it changes day to day. Honestly, I consider Strawberry Fields, Penny Lane , and A Day In The Life to be their so called crowning achievements because they were so revolutionary. After that point, they weren’t as influential, which isn’t to say they weren’t, but just not to the extent as on those three songs. They also mark a convenient apex, after which their breakup truly begins.

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Matt Busby

Favorite Beatle of the moment: Paul McCartney

4 April 2018
5.43pm
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Elementary Penguin
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9.Her Majesty – This song is low hanging fruit but I don’t mind it. I think it better placed at the end rather than in the actual medley plus I don’t mind it following The End .

8.Sun King – Beautiful song but I like the other songs more than this one.

7.Carry That Weight – A good little reprise of You Never Give Me Your Money . I’m glad it comes back around after a break.

6.Golden Slumbers – Paul’s vocals make this song great. 

5.Polythene Pam – I like the guitars on this song. 

4.Mean Mr. Mustard – This is another fun little song. 

3.The End – This song has it all. A drum solo, a three way guitar solo, nice orchestration and one of the best endings to a song and a career of all time. 

2.She Came In Through The Bathroom Window – I love this song. It could stand as a song on it’s own but it fits well as part of the medley. 

1.You Never Give Me Your Money – In my opinion this is the best song in the medley. A bit like the The End it has a lot going on and of all the songs in the medley it probably has the best lyrics.  

And in the end the lunch you take is equal to the lunch you bake.

5 April 2018
6.55am
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Timothy
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StrawberryWalrus said
I can’t really rank this as I consider it a whole piece by itself.

But what I can say, however, is my favourite song. And that’s The End .

It features the solos that really energise you with everything rock’n’roll represents. It’s that primal excitement. As I like to think of myself as a “rocker dude”, this is the pinnacle of r’n’r to me. It’s that something.

And not to mention the final words. It might seem funny but I kinda get too emotional thinking about last songs for any performer or band, and this one is the best example. But the words, man. Those are words to live by.  

The melodic power of Paul. Ringo’s drumming. George’s technical guitar play. John’s edgy personality with the distorted guitar. They managed to capture their strengths really well, and that’s another reason why I love it too. A great way to end things, considering A Day In The Life would’ve been amazing in that capacity. 

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9.A Hard Day’s Night 10.Please Please Me 11.Beatles For Sale 12.With The Beatles 13.Yellow Submarine

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14 March 2020
7.32am
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Dingle Lad
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Carnegie Hall
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What is happening? And tell me how you've been.

14 March 2020
2.06pm
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Vera Chuck and Dave
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16 May 2020
3.47pm
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alittlebitolder
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Love all the songs in the medley, though it is probably really two medleys, but in reverse order!

9. Her Majesty – was a nice surprise when I first heard it when I bought the vinyl album back in the late 70s.

8. Carry That Weight – always associate this with ‘Golden Slumbers ‘, but it is a bit slight on its’ own.

7. Sun King – lovely guitar and vocals, but a bit similar to ‘Because

6. Polythene Pam – kinda wish it was longer as it is very catchy.

5. Mean Mr. Mustard – goes really well with Polythene Pam

4. The End – A great end to the greatest band ever! Loved the guitar solo when I realised in which order they played!

3. Golden Slumbers – Such a beautiful song and again, wish it was a bit longer

2. She Came In Through The Bathroom Window – Paul was in such top form on the second side of this album.

1. You Never Give Me Your Money – A medley within a medley … a McCartney classic!

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