Ranking The Beatles

Latest Episodes:

#109 I'll Cry Instead with Phoebe Lorde of Another Kind of Mind Sep 26, 2023

Show notes

In early 1964, John was certainly on a hot streak as a songwriter. He had the lion's share of material on the band's 3rd album, the soundtrack to their film "A Hard Day's Night." He wrote the title song essentially on command. He was the main or sole writer on the majority of the album, and had the most lead vocals. In the film, he's presented as the cocky, confident leader of the group, an image Lennon would be saddled with to present day. Yet that image isn't really the truth. In reality, he's actually filled with fear of abandonment, jealousy, self-image issues, and questions of self-worth, and all of these issues come to the forefront in the very self-aware "I'll Cry Instead." It's a propulsive, rhythmic tune, with a great Lennon vocal, and the height of economy in songwriting. In under 2 minutes, he exposes his jealousy and desire for revenge while also being too afraid to show the hurt he keeps inside. Pretty heady stuff for a pop song, which is probably why director Richard Lester chose to leave this one out of the film. We're thrilled to welcome back the always wonderful Phoebe Lorde, co-host of the brilliant podcast Another Kind of Mind. AKOM is one of the most fascinating Beatles podcasts around these days, challenging longheld tropes and narratives about the band with commentary, educated criticism, and original, thought-provoking analysis. Their work was recently featured in by the GRAMMY Foundation in an article about the history of LGBTQ+ people in the Beatles story. If you're not already listening to AKOM, check them out wherever you get podcasts, follow on Twitter or join the convo on Facebook! What do you think about "I'll Cry Instead" at 109? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠Facebook⁠, on ⁠Twitter⁠, or on ⁠Instagram⁠! Be sure to check out ⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠ for all your RTB needs, and tell a friend to come join in the fun!

#110 I Need You with guest Kit O'Toole (host of Talk More Talk & Toppermost of the Poppermost) Sep 19, 2023

Show notes

George Harrison's journey as a songwriter began later than his other bandmates. After delivering his first self-penned track for the band's 2nd album, he had to rely on a Lennon/McCartney song for the 3rd, and a Carl Perkins cover on the 4th. But by the time of the Help! album, he had 2 on the table, and found his abilities starting to really grow. With "I Need You," he drops the dour, bitter persona he is sometimes known for to deliver an open, honest, vulnerable track that's economical in length, has some gorgeous key changes, and features the band starting to stretch in terms of trying new sounds in the studio. George plays rhythm guitar on a nylon string acoustic, Ringo plays percussion on the back of a guitar, John (?!?!) delivers the back beat on the snare drum, while Paul delivers a really interesting bass part that eschews the normal root note bass mentality. The band aren't afraid to venture into new territory, and George seems unafraid to show his actual vulnerability and own real life turmoil, which all coalesces into a track that's better than people remember.

This week, we're thrilled to welcome back the Queen of Beatles media, Kit O'Toole! Fresh from speaking on a whopping 7 panels at the Chicago Fest for Beatles Fans, we chat with Kit about her upcoming course on the British Invasion at Monmouth University (sign up here), the legacy of the Help! film and album, George's growth as a writer, memories of cds and cassettes, and so much more! Follow Kit on Facebook for more fun!

What do you think about "I Need You" at 110? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram! Be sure to check out rankingthebeatles.com for all your RTB needs, and tell a friend to come join in the fun!

#111 - Here, There, & Everywhere with Dave Depper (guitarist, Death Cab For Cutie) Sep 12, 2023

Show notes

The friendly creative rivalry between the Beatles and the Beach Boys arguably hit it's peak in 1966 when the bands released two albums that routinely top "best album ever" lists, the Beatles' Revolver and the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds. Lennon and McCartney had been inspiring Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson to up his songwriting, and vice versa. On Revolver, this influence shines through in the harmony-laden "Here, There, and Everywhere," a song Paul managed to scribble together while waiting for John to wake up for a songwriting session. Not a bad way to kill some time. It's an absolutely gorgeous song that, honestly, I'm not sure why in the hell I have it ranked at #111. I must've been in a weird mood the day I did this ranking, or maybe I was halfway through a bottle wine (I did make this list during quarantine afterall), but this song is just beautiful. Between the melody and the 3 part harmony, I pick up real mid 60s Brian Wilson vibes here (not surf era, more the Summer Days.../Pet Sounds era), and it makes me think that while "Here, There, and Everywhere" has a really basic backing track, I wonder if it might have benefited from a more intricate style Brian Wilson production?

To chew on my latest ranking abomination, we're happy to welcome back Death Cab for Cutie guitarist Dave Depper! Since we last chatted with Dave, his band has released the fantastic album Asphalt Meadows, as well as an acoustic version of the album, and he's released a solo album which is an entire cover of the Air album Moon Safari. Busy fella!

Dave calls this song "the most beautiful song ever recorded by anyone," but in shocking news, Julia's not quite feeling it! We chat with Dave about creative spontaneity, remixes, Paul's stunning dexterity as a singer, God-level songwriting, and one of the best stories about meeting a Beach Boy (not that one, and probably not the other one you're thinking of either). Check out Dave on tour with Death Cab for Cutie and the Postal Service this fall (if you can snag a ticket), and head to davedepper.com or deathcabforcutie.com to pick up his tunes and DCFC's, or anywhere you choose to listen to/buy music.

What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Follow along and let us know your thoughts on Facebook, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter (I'm never calling it X) @rankingbeatles. Be sure to visit rankingthebeatles.com for all your RTB needs, tshirts, posters, you name it!

#112 - Two of Us with guests Sodajerker (Brian O'Conner & Simon Barber, songwriters and hosts of Sodajerker on Songwriting) Jun 20, 2023

Show notes

One of the first songs The Beatles worked on for the Get Back sessions of 1969, Paul's "Two of Us" was inspired by his road trips to nowhere with his new love, Linda; piling in the car, picking a direction and getting lost, just for fun. When he brought it to the band, it was originally conceived as a fast, chugging rocker, with a dual harmony vocal for Paul and John to harness their inner Everly Brothers on. This is the song the band were working on when George has his infamous "I'll play whatever you want me to play, or I won't play at all, whatever it is that will please you, I'll do" moment in the Let it Be film. Despite it's peaceful, loving origins, it was a track that caused major head bumping. However, in it's final form, it's a breezy, easy, track, with effortless vocals from Paul & John, and just the right amount of everything from the band musically. I've got to say, I adore this song, and what I was thinking when I ranked this at #112, I have no idea. Honestly, maybe I was drunk. I don't know, I ranked these during lockdown so it's possible.

To rightfully question my sanity this week, we welcome Brian O'Connor and Simon Barber to the pod. Better known as the duo Sodajerker, Brian and Simon are a songwriting team who also host the absolutely brilliant podcast Sodajerker on Songwriting. For the last 10 years, they've been interviewing the cream of the crop of the world's biggest and most successful songwriters, legends such as Elvis Costello, Lindsey Buckingham, Nile Rogers, Diane Warren, Paul Simon, Noel Gallagher, and an up-and coming writer you may have heard about named Paul McCartney. They've amassed the largest archive of songwriter interviews in the world, and it's one of my absolute favorite listens, both as a musician, and as a music lover. Brian and Simon join us to talk about all manner of things, sculpting air, esoteric songwriters like Van Dyke Parks and Michael Nesmith, bad Scouse acting, how badly Jonathan blew it here, and their absolutely EPIC meeting with Sir Paul.

Check out Sodajerker at www.sodajerker.com, or on Apple podcasts or anywhere you get podcasts!

What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingthebeatles⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingbeatles⁠⁠⁠! Be sure to visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Wanna show your support? ⁠⁠⁠Buy us a coffee⁠⁠⁠!

#113 - Piggies with guest Andre Bohren (musician, The Walrus, 1000s of others) Jun 13, 2023

Show notes

By the time of the White Album, George Harrison had mellowed considerably, thanks in part to his immersion in meditation. His newfound enlightenment replacing the dour, bitter side that came out in earlier songs like "Don't Bother Me," or "Taxman." So it's interesting that this chilled out version of George would decide to pickup the abandoned-in-1966 song "Piggies" to complete for the band's 1968 album. But indeed he does, and with a big assist from Abbey Road engineer Chris Thomas, turns in an Orwellian baroque classical-influenced social commentary track about class inequity. It's an outlier on a album with many outliers, but it's a really fun, light-hearted yet heavy-handed track that wouldn't work nearly as well without the harpsichord work of Thomas, who happened to be overseeing the session and had the gumption to suggest, and then perform that part that essentially drives the whole track. Whether it's essential is another argument for another podcast, but it wouldn't be the White Album without "Piggies."

Bringing a close to 3 Weeks of The Walrus is the caboose that makes our Beatley engine work, Andre Bohren. Andre is commonly known in musical circles as a drummer, mainly holding it down for Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes and being one of the busier drummers for hire in the area. He's the drummer in the Walrus, but he's also the keyboardist/pianist and he often plays drums and keys at the same time. You see, he's a classically trained pianist, who, when he's not playing drums, also does classical performances at clubs and festivals all over town. And since I know nothing about classical music, he's the guy for the job. We chat about some of the intricacies of classical music, the chronological proximity of the Beatles to classical composers (its about the same from then to now, terrifyingly enough), Chris Thomas, MVP, and the playful "screw you" that is "Piggies." Check out everything Andre, and get a copy of his fantastic classical piano record Resonance at https://www.andrebohren.com/.

What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingthebeatles⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingbeatles⁠⁠! Be sure to visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Wanna show your support? ⁠⁠Buy us a coffee⁠⁠!

#114 - Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby with guest Felix Wohlleben (guitarist, The Walrus) Jun 06, 2023

Show notes

Though George was still a budding songwriter in 1964, deadlines and heavy workloads meant he didn't have anything ready for the band's 4th album. John and Paul didn't seem to have the time to write him something new either, so when the clock was ticking, the band reached back into their bag of beloved covers to find a spotlight for their lead guitarist. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby, a song by one of their heroes Carl Perkins (or was it?) proved a formidable track to give George a chance to flex his well honed country guitar muscles, and give the band a fun rocking moment to end their most mellow record to date, Beatles For Sale. It may be a cover, but it's a great band performance. George is really confident in his singing and playing, and really seems to be going for it vocally. It's a really fun track on a more serious album, and though the track is a good time, live, it's an absolute stomper. At Shea Stadium, they sound like the world's best garage band. I maybe wonder if I associate that smoking like track more with the song and that may bump the ranking up a bit more in my subconscious, but maybe not. I just love this song.

We're in week two of the Three Weeks of Walrus here on Ranking the Beatles, and who better to talk George with than our own quiet one, Felix Wohlleben? Our lead guitarist joins us to talk about the origins of The Walrus and his own journey as a guitarist, the influence Jazz has on the Beatles (and their influence in Jazz), Carl Perkins: Song Thief, Beatles Vs. Stones, and more! Though we have no Walrus album for you to check out (I mean, the Beatles did it first), check out the record Felix just made with Jenn Howard! Get yours here!

What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingthebeatles⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingbeatles⁠! Be sure to visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Wanna show your support? ⁠Buy us a coffee⁠!

#115 - It's Only Love with guest David Pomerleau (bassist, The Walrus, Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes) Jun 01, 2023

Show notes

When you're cranking out 2 albums a year, plus singles, plus a movie, plus BBC sessions, plus tv appearance, AND touring, it can be a little difficult to crank out nothing but brilliance. While most of us hardcore Beatle fans are not quick to deride many songs in their catalog, the Beatles themselves certainly could be, and both John and Paul minced no words in describing this Help! album track. "Abominable," "Abysmal," "Lousy," and "Not literature" are just a few of the descriptors they gave to this song. That said though, I tend to think it's actually got some real merit, despite the slight lyrics and weak rhymes. Melodically, it's actually quite lovely, and John's vocal is beautifully understated throughout, with just enough ache in the chorus to sell it, followed by a wonderful falsetto Roy Orbison-esque sendoff. It's always been a bit of a sleeper for me, as a great melody can cover up all manner of sins.

For the next three episodes, we'll be welcoming on my bandmates from The Walrus - A New Orleans Beatles Tribute to chat songs and Fabs. After playing more shows than our band ever has in the last couple of years, I thought it'd be interesting to see how our immersion into the catalog has influenced the work we do outside of it. And I just like hanging with these folks.

Joining us this week (for the 3rd time!) is David Pomerleau, bassist and singer in The Walrus (as well as New Orleans institution Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, and the country trio Desert Nudes). We chat with Dave about his songwriting process, being allowed to hate your own work, chaos brains, Phish and Rush, embarrassment and so much more!

#116 - Lovely Rita with guest Matt Hobbs (songwriter, creator of "Puppy Songs") May 23, 2023

Show notes

It takes a certain higher level of creativity to write a song based around the more mundane and every-day-type affairs. Obviously, that's something Paul McCartney has in spades, as he was able to turn an encounter with a meter maid into the Sgt. Pepper track "Lovely Rita." A bouncing song held down with a really funky groove from Ringo, a ridiculously cool bass part from Paul, all manners of vocal effects and sounds, it's the kind of track that they Beatles could've only put out on the Sgt. Pepper album. There's a humor to the whole process that belies the fact that it's author is one of the smoothest bachelors in the world, but ultimately strikes out in his attempt to woo said meter maid. Who would write a song about this? Paul McCartney, of course.

Joining us for our 100TH EPISODE (!!!) is Atlanta-based-by-way-of-New-Orleans songwriter Matt Hobbs. Matt's the brains behind Puppy Songs, the creator of viral songs inspired by his dogs (and listeners dogs), a master at taking the mundane, every-day-type affairs, like the goofy things we sing to our pets, and turning them into insanely catchy songs. His recent song "Cheese Tax" landed him, as well as his pups Leni and Mar Pup on NPR, The Today Show, and a list of other sites, podcasts, and interviews, including a sponsorship with Kraft Sings, who made their own Cheese Tax pack. Puppy Songs has been a constant source of smiles in our house, and we think you should give a follow on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, or check it out on Spotify, even if you don't have pups of your own. Also, check out Matt's new-non-puppy single, "How Amazing," which is out now! We chat with Matt about finding ways to stand out, sharing your authentic self, White Album summers, the REAL Rita, and living (musically) by the idea of WWPD? What would Paul Do?

What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingthebeatles, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingbeatles! Be sure to visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Wanna show your support? Buy us a coffee!

#117 - You Really Got A Hold On Me with guest Robert Dean (author) May 09, 2023

Show notes

The Beatles's love of Motown is no secret. They were HUGE fans. So it's no shock that their second album featured 3 different songs from the Motown catalog. In fact, the first song cut especially for the album was their powerful cover of Smokey Robinson's "You Really Got A Hold On Me." Now, even though a business deal between Brian Epstein and Motown head Barry Gordy assured its' placement on the record, the band hold nothing back in delivering their heartfelt performance. Buoyed with a great harmony vocal from George, John delivers an absolutely scorching lead vocal, progressing from fragile and intimate to pleading to devastatingly heart wrenching. There's nothing extraordinary needed from Paul and Ringo, and like any rhythm section worth their salt, they hold down the track and let the song do the talking. It's one of my favorite of their early covers, and one I wish we had more live versions of, one can only imagine how this was in person in the Cavern. Joining us this week is author and self-described enlightened dumbass Robert Dean. His work's been featured in outlets like Mic, Eater, Fatherly, Austin-American Statesman, Consequence of Sound, USA Today, and he's appeared on your TV and radio through places like CNN and NPR. Though based in Austin now, we've known him since his days and night in New Orleans, much of which time informs the essays in his brilliant new book Existential Thirst Trap. We chat about writing with authenticity, the punk rock ethos, slouching towards irrelevance, his least favorite Christmas song, and much more! Pick up a copy of Existential Thirst Trap, and follow him on Instagram at @literallyrobertdean. What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingthebeatles, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingbeatles! Be sure to visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Wanna show your support? Buy us a coffee!

#118 - She Said She Said with guest Jon Auer (The Posies, Big Star) May 02, 2023

Show notes

If Revolver is the record where The Beatles remove any illusion to their drug use, "She Said She Said" may be one of the cornerstones of that moment. A song with origins from an evening of tripping on LSD in Los Angeles, it's a song that straddles a number of different lines. It rocks, but it's not rocking. It's psychedelic but not trippy. It's autobiographical but filled with illusion. It's probably my favorite guitar tone of all time. It's also a song that's a bit mysterious. Whoever "She" is, what she's saying is confusion. What's it like to be dead? How does she know? Who the hell is playing the bass? Regardless of the answers to these questions, it's just a killer track, and one that really sums up the Revolver ethos, in my humble opinion. Joining us this week is songwriter, singer, guitarist and producer Jon Auer. Jon first made his name in the 90s as a founding member of now-defunct power-pop heroes The Posies, whose albums Dear 23 and Frosting on the Beater landed them all over MTV and alternative radio in the 90s, as well as landing a track on Ringo's Time Takes Time album ("Golden Blunders," originally from Dear 23). He also spent 17 years as member of the reunited legendary Big Star. With surviving founding member Jody Stephens, Jon recently joined Wilco's Pat Sansone, R.E.M.'s Mike Mills, and Chris Stamey of the dBs for a tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of Big Star's debut release, #1 Album. Jon joins us to talk a number of things, including this LSD-soaked Revolver track, who played bass on it, his Ringo & Peter Asher connection, the recent Big Star tour, and more! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingthebeatles, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rankingbeatles! Be sure to visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rankingthebeatles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!

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