Ranking The Beatles

Latest Episodes:

#216 - If You've Got Trouble & #215 - How Do You Do It? w/ Jeffrey Roedel (writer, director, producer) Aug 11, 2020

Show notes

This week we travel back to 1963 and 1965 via 1995 with previously unreleased tracks from The Beatles Anthology. The Fabs had a great knack for self-editing and knowing when something wasn't quite working. In the case of "If You've Got Trouble," that knack helps when your song has got "stupid words" and is "the naffest song" (George said so himself. This shelved Ringo vocal from the "Help!" session is a perfect example. He's GOT to have a song on the record, but this one just never really connects.

Another element to their story is how they were always willing to bet on themselves. While the powers that be wanted to release "How Do You Do It?" as their debut, but the boys insisted on one of their own compositions. How would history have been different if this had been their debut though, and does their version have that razz-a-matazz that made it a hit for someone else?

Joining us this week is Jeffrey Roedel, a writer, director, producer, and fellow hardcore Beatlemaniac. We discuss coming of age during the Anthology renaissance and how that impacted our experience of the Beatles story, Jonathan and Julia reminisce about their pilgrimage to Liverpool, and we talk about the often-missed humility and humbleness of the young John Lennon. Wait, what?

Check out Jeffrey's literary magazine Wonder South at www.wondersouth.com and on Instagram @wondersouth, and you can also check out his writing and film endeavors at www.jeffreyroedel.com.

Listen to Jeffrey's Anthology and Outtakes Playlist!

#218 Hold Me Tight & #217 You Like Me Too Much w/ Mike Patton (Vista Blue, The Robinsons, The Radiant Radish radio show) Aug 04, 2020

Show notes

Heads up, Faith No More fans: this ain't your guy, and yes he's heard all the jokes. Power-pop songwriter and dj/music curator Mike Patton joins us as we continue counting down our ranking of all the Beatle songs. At #218, Hold Me Tight is, as Macca describes it, " an attempt at writing a single that didn't quite work out." Sure is snappy though! Mike tells Jonathan why he's way off base with it at #218.

Following that is George's "You Like Me Too Much," a song that, once listened to with modern day thoughts and sensibilities, maybe isn't one of George's finest moments. Jonathan put it at #217, Julia puts it in the dumpster. Note: this portion of the episode does contain discussion of abuse. If you'd like to skip that part, following the "intermission," jump ahead about 23 minutes to continue the show.

We also discuss Mike's music with the bands Vista Blue, Ralphie's Red Riders, his indie label and power-pop radio show. The dude does it all!

Non-Beatles songs in this episode include The Treasures "Hold Me Tight," Vista Blue "Three Chord City" and "I Think Cathy Is Crazy (About You)".

Check out Mike's music at https://wearevistablue.bandcamp.com/music.

His power-pop radio show "The Radiant Radish" can be heard Saturdays at 9:00pm on Radio Free Nashville (103.7 FM) or online here! The archives of his show are available to stream and are a treasure trove of great pop songs, highly recommended for good times in your ear holes!

Be sure to follow along and leave your comments on the rankings, and the show, on Facebook (facebook.com/rankingthebeatles) and on Instagram @rankingthebeatles

#219 - Love You To w/ Alex Rawls (writer/critic, MySpiltMilk.com, 12 Songs of Christmas, Rolling Stone, Spin) Jul 28, 2020

Show notes

Sorry if we offended anyone by approaching something from Revolver so quickly, but alas, here we are. George's first full-on excursion into Eastern music may be one of the more significant and important songs in the Beatles catalog. That doesn't mean it's my favorite of his songs though. I've got it ranked at #219, but music writer/critic Alex Rawls totally disagrees with me. We talk about Alex's history with Beatles music, Christmas music...all kinds of music!

Check out Alex's site www.myspiltmilk.com where he covers the cream of New Orleans music and beyond.

ALSO, if you love Christmas music like we do, check out his Christmas music podcast, 12 Songs of Christmas, and be sure to subscribe!!

Be sure to follow our socials! www.facebook.com/rankingthebeatles and on Instagram @RankingTheBeatles. And lastly, be sure to do your part in keeping everyone safe and healthy by staying home when you can, and wearing a mask when you have to go out. We want to interview our guests in person one day!!

#220 - P.S. I Love You w/ Dave Pomerlau (bassist, Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes) Jul 21, 2020

Show notes

The b-side to the Fabs' debut single has never been my cuppa. It's always seemed a bit too wimpy and lightweight. Yet beneath the surface, might there be the an early sign of a new direction? Dave Pomerlau seems to think so, and does his best to convince Jonathan that this song is maybe trickier than originally thought. We also explore how The Beatles' helped provide healing times for New Orleans musicians post-Hurricane Katrina, Julia establishes the podcast as a Wings-friendly zone, and briefly dip our toes into the world of "Return To Pepperland." Briefly. Like, not long, but enough to know what the temperature is.

Check out Dave's work with Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes at johnnysketch.com and on Facebook

Their new live album, "Melt Your Face" is available now on their website and all streaming platforms.

#221 - Mr. Moonlight w/ Adam Hill (producer/engineer, Big Star, Jack White, Klaus Voorman) Jul 14, 2020

Show notes

Not quite the caboose, but close! At #221, Mr. Moonlight ranks as my 3rd least favorite Beatles song. We’re joined on this episode by engineer/producer Adam Hill (Big Star, Jack White, Klaus Voorman and more). In this epidode, we discuss how a band so known for it’s brilliance could lay such an egg as this. We also discuss Adam’s work with Klaus Voorman on his solo album “A Sideman’s Journey" (with some great Hamburg stories re-told), how the Beatles influenced the work that went into making the classic Big Star albums, Ringo watching bums, and hear the beautiful sounds of birds chirping throughout our episode, as Adam joined us from a cabin while on a woodland get-away with his family for Father’s Day.

#223 Sie Liebt Dich & #222 Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand w/ Kyle Melancon (Dash Rip Rock, Imagination Movers, Big in the 90s, Daphne Moon) Jul 07, 2020

Show notes

And we're off! Counting down Jonathan's own personal ranking of the entire Beatles catalog. Our guest on this episode is musician Kyle Melancon, drummer for Emmy-award winning Disney stars The Imagination Movers and formerly of Louisiana Music Hall of Fame rock band Dash Rip Rock. We get in to the brass tacks of why these songs are where they are on the list, a bit of history and why these songs were made, as well as Kyle's personal Beatles history and how it's impacted his career as a musician. We also get enjoy a spoken-word rendition of the translations of the Beatles' German-language singles, and Julia is pleasantly shocked at Paul McCartney's business acumen. Apologies for Jonathan's continued butchering of the German language throughout the episode!

Kyle also plays in pop rock band Daphne Moon, and with Jonathan in 90s cover band supergroup Big In The 90s. Check out all of Kyle's musical going-ons at:

www.imaginationmovers.com

Facebook.com/biginthe90s

Facebook.com/daphnemoonband

Teaser #2 Jun 16, 2020

Show notes

Out of boredom during COVID quarantine, I decided to rank 224 songs recorded by my all time favorite band, The Beatles. My own opinions, my own $.02. Long story short, all my friends had opinions, and they weren't afraid to share them. They also shared how that music has effected their lives in different ways. It turns out, everyone has a Beatles story. This is a place to share and experience those stories.

A(nother) Beginning: Meet Your Co-Host Jun 14, 2020

Show notes

"There's a great woman behind every idiot." - John Lennon.

This is super true. When the idea came of having a co-host, I wanted someone who didn't share my same obsession with The Beatles, someone who could help keep my scattered brain organized, someone who could make me laugh and was easy to talk to. Also, someone who was, you know, available? We're still under quarantine and all. I just so happen to be married to a woman who checks all those boxes, and was surprisingly willing to follow me down this ridiculous road and keep me from losing the map.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Beatle-people of all ages, meet my co-host, my best friend, the great woman behind my idiot, the one-and-only Mrs. Julia Pretus!

A Beginning: Meet Your Host Jun 14, 2020

Show notes

Hi! I'm Jonathan, and I'm a Beatles nut. I have been ever since I was a little kid. I've bought all the records (and cds and tapes and download), read all the books, poured over the boxsets, the hours and hours and hours of outtakes and isolated tracks and live tracks, made the pilgrimage to Abbey Road, The Cavern, Strawberry Fields, Penny Lane. I've spent what my parents always called "an exorbitant amount of time" on this band. They've always been my musical companion, through good and bad. So with time on my hands during the Covid-19 lockdown, I figured why not add to that exorbitant amount, and rank the entire recorded output of the band?

I began posting the rankings on my personal Facebook to start, and the conversations they sprung were fantastic. So fantastic, that it seemed a shame to not go further in-depth than a Facebook thread would allow. So here we are.

This episode is just a little intro to me and my history...a "get-to-know-your-Captain" informative packet, but in audio form. If you feel the same way I do about The Beatles, or even about any band, let me know! I'd love to hear it. Drop me a line on Facebook or IG @rankingthebeatles, or email rankingthebeatles@gmail.com.

Teaser Jun 14, 2020

Show notes

Get ready to dive into a total fool's errand....

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