Ranking The Beatles

Jonathan and Julia Pretus

Musician and self-described Beatles fanatic Jonathan Pretus ranked the entire recorded catalog of the Beatles, because he's a big, big nerd. Then he decided to make a podcast to talk with other people and learn about their connection with The Beatles' music.

Tune in as Jonathan and his guests, joined by his co-host/wife Julia (a more level-headed, casual fan) discuss the rankings, what they think makes each song so great (or not-so-great), and see if it really is a fool's errand to try and rank the music of the greatest band of all time.

Subscribe Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

160 episodes
Updated July 3

Episodes160

Newest first

Sep 6, 2022 · 1 hr 24 min
#139 - Eight Days A Week with guest Dr. Duncan Driver
The break's over friends! We've missed you all, but we're tanned, rested, and ready to rank! Well, actually we're still quite pasty (Jonathan especially), we're still always tired, but we're definitely ready to get back to the business of ranking! To say the Beatles were working hard in 1964 is more than an understatement. Tours, bbc sessions, t.v. appearances, movies, recording sessions, sometimes multiple of these things in the same day...yeah, it was a lot. So in this situation, one would maybe be excused to not turn out their BEST work. Of course, even the Beatles' not-best-work is still classic, and that's what Eight Days A Week is. It's the first time the band ever took a song to the studio that was incomplete, such was the pace at which they needed to churn out material. It's got all the catchiness and melody of a classic Beatles tune, but it maybe KIIIIINDA feels a bit tossed off as well, in that "too big to fail" way. It's the intersection of the band's need to maintain chart dominance while also starting to experiment in studio and stretch their legs as artists. It's a great tune, for sure, but is it also an early sign to a new direction? A new direction apart? Joining us this week is Dr. Duncan Driver, who, if you listen to other Beatle podcasts, you've no doubt heard (he's frequently featured on One Sweet Dream, among others) wax eloquently about the Fabs. We're delighted to finally have him on our show, and we touch on all kinds of points, everything from the pop song firsts, Beatles by numbers, Big Mac and Crossroads songs, and Duncan flips the script on our rapid fire questions! Be sure to follow Duncan on social media at https://twitter.com/drduncd, and catch him on episodes of One Sweet Dream! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rankingthebeatles, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to check out RTB's official website, www.rankingthebeatles.com and our brand new webstore!! RANK YOUR OWN BEATLES with our new RTB poster! Pick up a tshirt, coffee cup, tote bag, and more! Enjoying the show, and wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!
Jun 18, 2022 · 2 hr 38 min
BONUS EPISODE! Paul's 80th Birthday - A Paul appreciation chat and song discussion with guest Sean Nelson
We've been on a break between seasons, but being Paul McCartney's 80th birthday, we felt we wanted to contribute our little part to the conversation and global love fest. When our friend and previous guest, musician Sean Nelson reached out and asked if we wanted to chat about our favorite Paul songs, it seemed the perfect way to do so. There's certainly no shortage of words being written to sing his praise, but to us, the best way to show our appreciation is with his music. What can be said that hasn't been said 1000 times already? Probably a lot really, there's so much to talk about with the Beatles, especially Paul, who continues creating and working into his's 8th decade. So we each chose our top 5 Paul Beatle songs and top 5 post Beatle Paul songs. The songs aren't ranked the same way we normally do them. Jonathan's Beatle songs are more a "top 5 unappreciated" list, not reflective of what's in the official RTB ranking...can't let the secrets out!! And like everyone, our list probably has changed since we compiled them, but these are songs we love wanted to share of love of, along with our love of Paul. Happy birthday Paul, here's to another 80 years of sharing your gifts with all of us! This is a free form, largely unedited conversation, recorded today, June 18th, 2022, Paul's birthday. We wanted to "Instant Karma" it and record and post same day, so please forgive any extra "um's" or dog noises in the background. Check out Sean's most recent single, "Viral Love" on Apple Music or anywhere you stream good music. What are your favorite Paul songs? Drop us a line on Facebook at facebook.com/rankingthebeatles, Twitter at @rankingbeatles, or Instagram at @rankingthebeatles. And be sure to check out our website, www.rankingthebeatles.com, where you can also grab a tshirt or a Rank Your Own Beatles poster!!
Apr 20, 2022 · 1 hr 21 min
#140 - Roll Over Beethoven with guest Tim Hatfield (author, "When We Find Ourselves in Times of Trouble")
“If you tried to give rock and roll a different name, you might call it ‘Chuck Berry." - John Lennon To say Chuck Berry was influential on the Beatles would be an understatement. They covered more of his songs during their career than any other artist, and "Roll Over Beethoven" was in their live set all the way back in 1957. So when recording their 2nd album, With The Beatles, in 1963, and having a bit more say on what songs they would record, it's not surprising they went with paying tribute to one of their heroes with a song that, by this time, was in their DNA. It's an exciting, if a bit controlled, rock & roll rave up, with George in the forefront, handling the classic intro riff with skill and finesse. He gives what might be his best and most energetic sounding vocal of the Beatles early output (he does tend to sometimes sound a bit non-plussed in his vocal delivery), and plays a great solo (even if he kind of muffs a note or two at the end). The band are cooking behind him, especially Ringo, who absolutely drives the track. Chuck's original served notice to the establishment that rock and roll was here to stay, and for a while that was true. Following the late 50's/early 60's more mellow, crooner boom though, when the Beatles brough rock and roll back to the forefront, their cover of "Roll Over Beethoven" serves much the same purpose....a statement piece informing the establishment that, again, rock and roll was here, youth culture was here, and the days of old were gone. Joining us this week is author, PhD, lifelong Beatles fan (and retired professor) Tim Hatfield. What began during the pandemic as Tim's daily, Beatles-themed inspirational email chain to cheer up friends and family, is now a book, "When We Find Ourselves in Times of Trouble - The Beatles: All Their Songs with Encouraging Words for Challenging Times." It's a fantastic read, finding uplifting and inspirational ideas from all the songs in the band's catalog! We had a great time chatting with Tim, talking about the Beatles' influence on his teaching career and style, passing the torch of a Beatle-influenced world to students, learning his own tenacity in working on the book, faithful cover songs, and what produces an energy in a song that some people hear, while others (looking at you, Julia) may not. Pick up Tim's book on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Beatles-their-songs-encouraging-challenging-ebook/dp/B0974LRBYV. It's a beautiful read. What do you think? Too high? Too low? Just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rankingthebeatles, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to check out RTB's official website, www.rankingthebeatles.com and our brand new webstore!! RANK YOUR OWN BEATLES with our new RTB poster! Pick up a tshirt, coffee cup, tote bag, and more! Enjoying the show, and wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!
Apr 12, 2022 · 1 hr 33 min
#141 - Any Time At All with producer/author Jerry Hammack ("The Beatles' Recording Reference Manuals")
It’s interesting to think that in 12 months the Beatles had gone from recording almost an entire album in one day, to showing up at EMI’s Abbey Road studio with songs half complete. But by the spring of 1964, needing to finish their 3rd album (which would accompany their first film), that’s just what they did with John’s “Any Time At All.” Coming up with an inventive instrumental bridge in the studio, and a cracking arrangement, the band, George Martin, and the EMI production staff turn in an inspired performance all around for what would be considered by any other band’s standard, a “filler song.” But as with so many Beatles tracks, there’s a lot hiding behind the surface. John’s vocal melody seems to be pulled more from the Paul school of melody writing, with a melody moving all over the place, as opposed to more single or double note melodies where the lyric is the focus, a trait John would lean on throughout his career. It’s a gorgeous line, buoyed by a great low-key verse vocal and a scorching, raspy chorus. A swinging Ringo groove (while on the verge of collapsing from tonsillitis the next day), a chiming George 12 string, and great support from Paul on bass and piano (as well as figuring out the instrumental bridge), and that classic 1964 Beatlemania production shimmer all add up to a filler track that probably would’ve been a hit for any other band. The icing on the cake is the rare example of a single snare hit that’s just as much a hook as the chorus itself. All in all, it’s a great song (aren’t they all), but by no means the best they’d come up with. But oh man, isn’t it exciting? Our guest this week is Canadian-American recording artist, producer, recording and mix engineer Jerry Hammack, author of the brilliant "The Beatles Recording Reference Manuals." If you want to know how these songs were made, from demo to final take, Jerry’s books are the Bible for how they were done. He’s got great points of view as a producer and musician, and honestly, we could’ve talked to him all day. We talk about putting your all into filler tracks, a producer’s role of saying “yes,” the Beatles as a measuring stick in recording, putting in the work in the studio, and so much more! You can learn more about his work as a mix-engineer at www.jerryhammack.com, his music at www.throttlebodymc.com and more about The Beatles Recording Reference Manuals at www.beatlesrecordingreferencemanuals.com. What do you think? Too high? Too low? Just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rankingthebeatles, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to check out RTB's official website, www.rankingthebeatles.com and our brand new webstore!! RANK YOUR OWN BEATLES with our new RTB poster! Pick up a tshirt, coffee cup, tote bag, and more! Enjoying the show, and wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!
Mar 29, 2022 · 1 hr 15 min
#142 - Magical Mystery Tour with Sean Gaillard (author "The Pepper Effect" and host of "Principal Liner Notes" podcast)
Riding a serious creative hot streak in 1967, Paul was inspired by the "mystery tour" trips of his younger years, a bus trip to an unknown destination, and developed an idea for a film version of that, starring the Beatles. Of course, being the psychedelic year of 1967, it'd be magical, a Magical Mystery Tour. In needing a theme song or fanfare for the project, not dissimilar to what the band needed for the Sgt. Pepper album a few months prior, the band put together a bombastic track, with rocking drums, blasting horns, and multiple tempo changes. It's great to hear the band ROCK in 1967, and the horns are just piercing and powerful. The sped up vocals add to the trippiness of the affair, and it has a wonderful fade off into the mysterious unknown. It's does a great job as a theme song for MMT, both the film, and album (or EP), but as far as "a song" it doesn't necessarily carry much weight. But as always, it's fun, it's catchy, and it's exciting...it's the Beatles, after all isn't it? Joining us this week is Sean Gaillard, author of "The Pepper Effect: Tap into the Magic of Creativity, Collaboration, and Innovation" as a look at the intersection of the Beatles and education. Sean's also the host of "The Principal Liner Notes Podcast," and has contributed articles to PBS and Culture Sonar. AND he's a big Monkees fan, so you know we're gonna get along smashingly. We talk about exactly what IS "the Pepper effect," having confidence in your ability to explore and be creative, being willing to fail, Beatle rituals, and Julia's desire to never go on a trip without a destination. Be sure to follow Sean on Twitter and Instagram at @smgaillard, and subscribe to "The Principal Liner Notes" wherever you get podcasts. We dedicate this episode to the memory of Taylor Hawkins, drummer of the Foo Fighters, who passed away Friday March 25th, the night before recording this episode. The music he created and the joy and love he helped share will live on, and he will be very, very missed. What do you think? Too high? Too low? Just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rankingthebeatles, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to check out RTB's official website, www.rankingthebeatles.com and our brand new webstore!! RANK YOUR OWN BEATLES with our new RTB poster! Pick up a tshirt, coffee cup, tote bag, and more! Enjoying the show, and wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!
Mar 22, 2022 · 1 hr 4 min
#143 - Sexy Sadie with musician Elroy Finn (ELROY, Crowded House, Liam Finn, Wild Nothing)
It's no secret that John Lennon was often trying to fill the hole left his parents' absence. His need of a father figure had definite impacts on his relationships with men his senior and of perceived power, like Brian Epstein and George Martin. The same could be said about Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Once turned on to his teaching, John immediately dove into his teachings of transcendental meditation and was eager to study at his ashram. Stories (along with video and pictures) show John jockeying for proximity to the guru, most comically when he made his way into the lone passenger seat of the Maharishi's helicopter ride, later telling the others he hoped that he might "slip him the secret." So when it appeared that Maharishi may not be the more-than-mystical figure they'd thought him to be, John's wrath was quick and sharp. It was in the taxi ride out of Rishikesh that he began singing a VERY explicit melody to himself about Maharishi, George Harrison asking him not to be quite so brutal in his lyrics. In changing the subject from a man accused of sexual misconduct to "Sexy Sadie," an imaginary woman who made a fool of everyone, he may be doing a disservice to both the song and himself. That said, it's a fine song, however, to me, it feels uncomfortable in inself, never quite settling in. The recording was incredibly labored over, hours and hours of overdubs, arrangements and effects recorded and removed. In that light, it makes one wonder if that's maybe an attempt to distract from a story John maybe wasn't quite as upset about months later. Joining us this week from the future (and the past) in his New Zealand home is musician Elroy Finn. While on a pandemic-induced break from touring in Crowded House (he's the youngest son of Neil Finn), he wrote, recorded, produced, and mixed his debut solo album, "ELROY." It's a vibey, mellow collection of synthy-psychedelic melody, and we highly recommend it! We chat with Elroy about different Beatles records soundtracking different parts of your life, growing up in a musical household, whether this is a replaceable song on the White Album, meeting Paul, and much more! Be sure to check out his record, follow him on Facebook at facebook.com/elroyelroyelroy and on Instagram @elroytf! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rankingthebeatles, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to check out RTB's official website, www.rankingthebeatles.com and our brand new webstore!! RANK YOUR OWN BEATLES with our new RTB poster! Pick up a tshirt, coffee cup, tote bag, and more! Enjoying the show, and wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!
Mar 15, 2022 · 1 hr 50 min
#144 - Wild Honey Pie w/ Phoebe Lorde, host of Another Kind of Mind
OK WE'RE FINALLY HERE!! Let's get down to it. During the creation of the White Album as tensions built among the ranks of the Beatles, the members often found themselves working on their own tracks in different studios, sometimes bringing in other members as needed, or working by themselves. While John and Ringo tended to a mix session for Revolution 9, which Paul hadn't been a part of, Paul was in another studio overseeing overdubs on his own "Mother Nature's Son." Following work on that tune, and feeling a creative streak, Paul demoed a (still) unheard song, "Etcetera," and then began building a track based on a guitar riff he came up with in Rishikesh. Adding additional guitars, percussion, and wild vocal acrobatics, Paul and the staff of Abbey Road finish the evening by mixing this weird track, and using their hand against the tape machine to manipulate the speed of the song, giving it it's even weirder sonic warble. In about an hour "Wild Honey Pie" was born, a track that had no real precedent in 1968, as far as it it's experimental nature and sound. It's weird, disjointed, grooves, and works within itself in ways that don't always make sense in passing listens. In headphones, it reveals how dual guitars weave together to form this strange, almost atonal melody, while the man who, at the time, had arguably the greatest voice in popular music throws his voice around in ways others wish they could. It's Paul at his experimental best, giving you just enough to do be different and not overstay its' welcome, and it's the beginning of a through-line that appears throughout his career, whether in his early home solo works, the synthy-strangeness of McCartney II, his collabs with producer Youth as The Fireman, all the way up to his tape loops and sounds he created for his Rockdown album, McCartney III. As Julia puts it, "Wild Honey Pie" walked so "Temporary Secretary" could run. But fear not, listener, Julia's just as perplexed at this ranking as you might be. Joining us this week to talk about this track is the fantastic Phoebe Lorde, one of the hosts of Another Kind of Mind, which, in our humble opinion, is one of the best Beatle-pods around. Challenging well-worn tropes and narratives about the band, and examining their history with more nuance and deeper, more candid discussion, AKOM is part of a rejuvenation of the discussion of the legacy of the Beatles, refreshing the story and opening it up to new light after all these years. We're big, big fans. With Phoebe along for the ride, we touch on all kinds of points, like trying to break through historical biases in the Beatles' story, finding the space to be creative, defining "experimentation," the weirdness of 1964 Beatles songs on an album called "Beatles 65," and much more! Be sure to listen and subscribe to Another Kind of Mind anywhere you get podcasts, and follow along on their socials on Twitter @akompodcast and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/anotherkindofmindpod. What do you think? Too high? Too low? Just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rankingthebeatles, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to check out RTB's official website, www.rankingthebeatles.com! Enjoying the show, and wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!
Mar 8, 2022 · 1 hr 51 min
#146 - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band & #145 - With A Little Help From My Friends with guest Sam Whiles (host of "Paul or Nothing" and "Macca In Your Attic" podcasts)
After enjoying the anonymity of traveling incognito during the Beatles 1966 post-touring break, Paul came up with the idea of creating alter ego for The Beatles as a band, allowing them the freedom to do whatever they wanted, without the weight of the Beatles name attached. Once the project began with that idea in mind, he (along with Beatles' tour manager and assistant Mal Evans) wrote what would essentially be the intro, fanfare, and title track of the album of same name for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band ("the band"). It's a loose, heavy rocker, with really interesting harmonies, a fantastic Paul vocal, fantastic Paul guitar, and a killer drum sound from Ringo. With some help from George Martin, they really create a movie of the mind, starting with the murmur of the crowd, the tuning of instruments, laughter, applause. And it all segues into the spotlight for Ringo, "With A Little Help From My Friends." A song custom tailored to Ringo's strongest points as a vocalist, as well as his personality, this song really cements the persona of Ringo as everyone's lovable uncle. It's also probably more of a biographical song for the drummer, as he so often talks of his love of playing and being with others, he truly craves that camaraderie of friendship and community. It's his signature song, and for good reason, you can't not smile when listening to it. Returning to the show this week to talk about these songs, as well as berate Jonathan for many-a-previous rankings, is our pal Sam Whiles of the "Paul or Nothing" and "Macca In Your Attic" podcasts! Sam chats with us about the dawn of Paul's creative dominance in the Beatles, Beatle podcast tshirts, whether the concept of Sgt. Pepper is genius or pretentious, and the idea of songs versus tracks. We also touch on emotional response versus energy response, presidential impressions, and the Kim Kardashian of the Beatles story! Be sure to check out "Paul or Nothing" and "Macca In Your Attic," and follow Sam on Twitter @McCartneyPod and Instagram @paul_mccartney_pod. He's one of the best! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rankingthebeatles, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to check out RTB's official website, www.rankingthebeatles.com! Enjoying the show, and wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!
Feb 23, 2022 · 1 hr 8 min
#147 - I'm A Loser w/ musician & songwriter Hilarie Sidney
Even after conquering the world and experiencing the highest highs celebrity had maybe ever known, by summer 1964 John found himself at odds with the public persona he'd been living with. After a journalist told him he felt John was more revealing in his offbeat poetry and prose than in his music, and with a little help from their new friend Bob Dylan and the party supplies he turned them on to, John began looking inward more than he had previously on the band's 4th lp, Beatles for Sale. The album's 2nd track, "I'm A Loser," sees Lennon embracing his trademark wordplay and wit, alternating the idea of a loser as both someone who isn't cool and confident (at least not as he pretends to be) with someone who's lost something, or someone. It's an important song in John's songwriting journey, as the track has that trademark early Beatle excitement, with a first taste of introspection that he begins to master on albums like Help! and Rubber Soul. Another clue to the new direction. Joining us this week is songwriter and musician Hilarie Sidney of The High Water Marks (and formerly of Apples In Stereo). We talk about being born into a Beatles family, life in Norway, hamburger snobs, and the similarities between the Beatles' Apple Corps. and Elephant 6 Recording Collective, which she helped found in the late 80s/early 90s, which gave rise to such indie bands as Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control, and her own Apples In Stereo among others. We also talk about her current band The High Water Marks, their new album Proclaimer of Things which came out Feb 4th, and is a fun blast of 60s influenced indie pop rock. This episode features samples of the tracks "Jenny" and "Proclaimer of Things." Pick up a copy of the album at their Bandcamp page https://thehighwatermarks.bandcamp.com, and be sure to follow along on Facebook! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rankingthebeatles, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to check out RTB's official website, www.rankingthebeatles.com! Enjoying the show, and wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!
Feb 16, 2022 · 1 hr 5 min
#148 - Do You Want To Know A Secret? with Jim Berkendstadt
Written in Hamburg at the end of 1962, and inspired by a very early memory of his mother, "Do You Want To Know A Secret?" is a John tune given to George (or maybe a John & Paul tune written specifically for George, depending on who's telling the story) to sing on their debut album. It's genetic make up is a bit all over there place...a dash of Disney, a pinch of Spanish soap opera dramatics, a hint of a band called The Stereos, and just a kiss of the doo-wah-doos. It makes for a perfectly pleasant song, one that would released as an American single in 64 and go all the way to #2, while Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas would cover it and take to #1 in the UK. Despite that, by the summer of '63 the Beatles were well and done with the song, and maybe that's rightfully so. It doesn't seem to have any of the hallmarks of what made a great Beatles song, nor does it necessarily sound very different from any other number of pop groups of the day. But that said, it's charming and catchy and a pleasant way to spend 1:58. Joining us this week to chat is "The Rock & Roll Detective," Jim Berkenstadt! Jim's the author of a number of books including Black Market Beatles, Classic Rock Albums: Nirvana - Nevermind, The Beatle Who Vanished, and his newest one, Mysteries In The Music: Case Closed. We discuss run-ins with rock legends, working with Apple Corps, George Harrison and his estate, the mystery and excitement of bootlegs, and so much more! Check out Jim's goings-on at rockandrolldetective.com, on Twitter @rockdetective, and on Facebook! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rankingthebeatles, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to check out RTB's official website, www.rankingthebeatles.com! Enjoying the show, and wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!
Feb 8, 2022 · 1 hr 8 min
#149 - I'll Be Back with Kit O'Toole (Queen of Beatles Media!)
On the A Hard Day's Night album, John is absolutely on fire creatively, and at his most prolific. Tossed off on vacation, possibly as a tribute to Del Shannon's "Runaway," "I'll Be Back" is an oft-overlooked song deserving of way more attention than it usually gets. It's unique in that on a really upbeat album, it serves as a darker closer than one would expect. It features really smart 3 part harmonies that only serve to add to a real maturity found on this track. With the song's journey tracked as it moves from an electric waltz, to a straight electric pop tune, to an acoustic and nylon string driven song show the Beatles really working hard at refining what they're doing to get the best track possible. The end result is an early clue to the new direction, as you get introduced to the Beatles for Sale era right there at the end of A Hard Day's Night. Joining us to chat this week is the wonderful Kit O'Toole, a writer, music journalist and video podcaster. She's the author or of Songs We Were Singing: Guided Tours Through the Beatles’ Lesser-Known Tracks and Michael Jackson FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the King of Pop, a writer and associate editor for Beatlefan Magazine, among other writing jobs. She also co-hosts Talk More Talk : A Solo Beatles Videocast, which is a wonderful dive in to the solo career of the Fabs. We chat about all manner of things, like never clapping on the 1 and 3, challenging the idea of a pop song, and the multitude of ways the Beatles seem to impact people. On Feb 15, through Monmouth University, Kit is co-hosting (with our pal Ken Womack) a Tuesday Night Record Club event discussing Prince's Sign O' The Times, album, its a free event, you can sign up here! Follow along for future courses and events, as well as her upcoming books and more at kitotoole.com, and check out Talk More Talk as well! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rankingthebeatles, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to check out RTB's official website, www.rankingthebeatles.com! Enjoying the show, and wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!
Feb 1, 2022 · 1 hr 2 min
#150 - Dizzy Miss Lizzy with guest Sanjay Karnik
Guess who's back? It's your old pals at Ranking The Beatles! It's 2022, and we're back for Season 4, with new episodes and ready to rank more Beatles songs. We're starting this season off by looking at a track the boys recorded because Capitol Records wanted a couple of new songs to tack onto yet another cobbled together American release. So the boys reached back into their Cavern/Hamburg bag of tricks, and dusted off a few belters by (fellow New Orleanian) Larry Williams. They liked the end results of "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" so much, they decided to tack it on to the end of the 5th album (and the soundtrack to their 2nd film - the color one) Help! It's a barn burner of a rocker with a Lennon vocal that's coming straight from the gut. It's a rocker for sure, but a questionable arrangement choice, and some less than inspired guitar work, keeps this song from reaching the heights it maybe should've. It still smokes though, and is a ball to listen to. We're excited to start this season off a little differently. When we first started up this podcast, one of my oldest and dearest friends texted me that whenever it came about in the list, he wanted to talk about "Dizzy Miss Lizzy," and after 25 years of friendship, you gotta do right by your buddy. So we're happy to be joined by Sanjay Karnik, a New Orleans native, now living in Chicago, and one of the finest people we have the pleasure of knowing. We chat about a number of different things, including the Beatles influence in realtime on India (as opposed to the often discussed influence of India on the Beatles), learning western pop music in an Indian-American household, the speed of the bands trajectory, the advantage of knowing your creative partners so well, and beautiful story about his parents and "Love Me Do." If you enjoy our chat, feel free to follow him on Twitter at @SKar1789 for a slew of progressive politics, sports, music, and other assorted shenanigans. What do you think? Too high? Too low? Just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rankingthebeatles, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to check out RTB's official website, www.rankingthebeatles.com! Enjoying the show, and wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!
Dec 17, 2021 · 1 hr 8 min
Bonus: A Tribute to Michael Nesmith
In honor of the late Michael Nesmith, we wanted to take the opportunity to talk about the man, his art, his amazing life journey, and the impact it's had on us. His career will always be somewhat intertwined in the Beatles story as a member of the Monkees, a tv show about a band, created in the image of the Beatles, so we think it's not too far a stretch to do this in the confines of a Beatles podcast. To say his music plays a big role in our lives would be saying the bare minimum. Our lives have been greatly enriched because we have his songs in it. In light of his passing, it only seems appropriate to put his music out there in anyway we can, so we're presenting a baker's dozen of our favorite Nez tunes, some well known, some not so well known. We think/hope they're songs you might enjoy and be able to take into your lives as well. If you dig them, and we hope you do, we've built a playlist for you to enjoy those songs, plus a bunch more, all songs from both his time with the Monkees and as a solo artist. We tried to give a cliffnotes version of his incredible life, but this was all done fairly off the cuff, so we've no doubt forgotten things here and there. But it seemed a good way to do our part to help keep his memory alive. We hope you enjoy this bonus episode, and more so the music contained within. https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/michael-nesmith/pl.u-kv9lbmmT6E3al https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7qQkGLA1jBSAXRIykkP0UR?si=b0ade223d4e84027 (note: Spotify doesn't have Nesmith's entire catalog, so about an hour of music is missing from this playlist compared to the Apple playlist). Songs featured in this episode include: Sweet Young Thing - The Monkees You Told Me - The Monkees Circle Sky - The Monkees Listen To The Band - The Monkees Nine Times Blue - Michael Nesmith & The First National Band Hollywood - Michael Nesmith & The First National Band Propinquity (I've Just Begun To Care) - Michael Nesmith & The First National Band Keep On - Michael Nesmith Dance - Michael Nesmith Yellow Butterfly - Michael Nesmith Me & Magdelena - The Monkees Elusive Ragings - Michael Nesmith
Dec 14, 2021 · 1 hr 11 min
#151 - Real Love with guest Jack Lawless (@BeatlesEarth)
Written during his house-husband years in the late 1970s, John wrote "Real Love" as part of a planned musical about his and Yoko's life. Despite demoing it a number of times, he didn't record it for his Double Fantasy album in 1980. The song was given a new life though when it was chosen by the remaining Beatles as a song to work on for the Anthology project, eventually making it's home as the second "new" Beatles song associated with the landmark project. It's the more uptempo of the two, and some say it's emerged as the more popular of the two. As a song that was mostly complete before the Threetles got to it, the final version ends up pretty smothered in Jeff Lynne's production style, which maybe prevents it from quite taking off like it should, but despite that, it's a song that's always made me feel happy. Seems I'm not the only one.... Joining us this week is Jack Lawless, the brains behind the Beatles twitter account @BeatlesEarth. With almost 50,000 followers, it's one of the most active Beatle twitter accounts, and one of the best representations of how Beatles fandom has adapted to social media. We chat with Jack about all kinds of things, from the cross-generational fun of chatting about the Fabs, soundtracking parts of your own life to Beatles eras, to run-ins with Yoko and Sean. Be sure to follow Jack on Twitter @BeatlesEarth, and keep an eye out for his upcoming podcast! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rankingthebeatles, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to check out RTB's new official website, www.rankingthebeatles.com! Enjoying the show, and wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!
Dec 7, 2021 · 57 min
#152 - We Can Work It Out with Matt and Samer of Super Awesome Mix
Imagine a world where your favorite band could release a new album, and a double-A side single with two songs not from that album on the same day. That's exactly what happened when The Beatles released Rubber Soul along side the double-A sided "We Can Work It Out/Day Tripper" single. Paul's side featured a relatively autobiographical tale of ongoing relationship woes with his long time girlfriend Jane Asher. Paul's verses are pleading with her to just understand and see things the way he sees them, if she wants things to work out, while John's more dour bridge section actually gives a bit of hope to proceedings somehow...there's no time for fussing and fighting. It's a stone Beatles classic but does it deserve the praise it gets? Joining us this week to hash it all out are Matt and Samer, the brains behind Super Awesome Mix! It's a platform and podcast that celebrates the power of a good ol-fashioned mix tape (or mix cd, or mix 8 track, or mix reel-to-reel), where every element of the mix, from the track order to song selection to handmade cover art, is poured over before presenting it to it's benefactor. A mix has the power to say all the things we sometimes can't, and in the age of playlists, that personal human element of the mix is gone. Super Awesome Mix is an app where you can create your own mix, add personal notes or voice memos custom artwork and send it to someone, just the way we used to with mixtapes, only...in a digital platform. It's miles more personal than a playlist. Super Awesome Mix is also a podcast, where Matt and Samer and their guests discuss the art of the mix, and go over different themed mixes each show. If you grew up making mixtapes like we did, this is right up your alley. Download the app and start playing with it, it's so much fun, and be sure to subscribe to the podcast as well! You can also follow along on Twitter and IG. What do you think? Too high? Too low? Just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rankingthebeatles, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to check out RTB's new official website, www.rankingthebeatles.com! Enjoying the show, and wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!
Nov 30, 2021 · 1 hr 9 min
#153 - Yellow Submarine with Scott Durbin and Kyle Melancon of Imagination Movers
It's hard to imagine any other band in history who could pull off recording an album that contains both a genre-defying acid journey like "Tomorrow Never Knows," and full-on children's song like "Yellow Submarine," but that's exactly what the Beatles pulled off on their 1966 album Revolver. In needing a customary Ringo track, Paul, with help from John (as well as Donovan), managed to come up with the perfect vehicle for Ringo's "jovial uncle" persona, while also creating a song that embodied the youthful side of psychedelia and at the same time, a vehicle for ongoing multi-generational fandom. "Yellow Submarine" envisions a utopia where we can all be happy and carefree, and that's one of the best things The Beatles have been able to provide in their legacy. Of course, it's also the springboard for the classic animated film and merchandise mega-product of same name. Joining us this week to talk what might be the ultimate pop children's song is Scott Durbin, progenitor and keyboardist for children' rock band Imagination Movers! Of course, it only seemed appropriate to also bring back the Movers' drummer, and friend of the pod, Kyle Melancon to join in. We talk about a number of topics, from the Movers' recent songwriting award nominations, their work on their Disney Channel show, what makes children's music work, coming to the Beatles late, merchandising, and much more! Follow the Imagination Movers at imaginationmovers.com as they get ready to celebrate their 20th anniversary next year, and check out their super enjoyable most recent album, Happy to Be Here! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rankingthebeatles, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to check out RTB's new official website, www.rankingthebeatles.com! Enjoying the show, and wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!
Nov 30, 2021 · 2 hr
BONUS EPISODE - Get Backchat! A roundtable discussion of the Get Back series
Y'ALL. HOW GOOD IS GET BACK? We're absolutely reeling over this masterpiece docuseries. There's so much to absorb, so much to learn, so much to love. It's going to take many, many, many more viewings to take it all in. We were delighted when our pod pals Tommy, Scotty and Becker from Blotto Beatles invited us to join them online for a conversation with more pod pals, Sam from Paul or Nothing, Allison and Erika of BC The Beatles, and Ethan of Fans on the Run at the end of release weekend to talk about what we all just watched. We talk about our favorite moments, the most enlightening moments, the most surprising moments and a whole lot more. A splendid time was had by all, and we wanted to share it with all of you. So here's a bonus episode, graciously provided by the Blottos for us to share and you to enjoy. Make sure to follow and subscribe to all of their shows! Blotto Beatles Paul Or Nothing BC The Beatles Fans on the Run Recorded live Sunday, November 28, 2021
Nov 23, 2021 · 1 hr 8 min
#154 - When I'm 64 with Debbie Davis (singer, Debbie Davis & The Mezmerizers, Oh Crap! It's Christmas)
Not many bands in history could, within the space of a few days, go from recording the genre-bending "Strawberry Fields Forever" to the genre-specific "When I'm 64." Then again, not many bands are...The Beatles. Written by Paul at the ripe old age of FOURTEEN, and frequently utilized as a way to kill time when stage power blew at the Casbah or Cavern Club, this jazzy, music hall number may seem worlds apart from the preceding "Within You Without You," but on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the Beatles establish the fact that in music and art, there are no rules. Much like "Your Mother Should Know," it's almost punk rock to put a song like this on such a major album. It's delivered with no hint of irony, and full respect for the music of the time it seems to be pulled from. That's how a song like this ends up as a standard, all these years later. Joining us this week for the second time is jazz singer and all around badass, Debbie Davis! One of the premier jazz vocalists in New Orleans, Debbie joins us to talk the through line between jazz and the Beatles, the pop landscape of 66, how to raise a cool kid who's into rock music, and much more! As the world opens up, be sure to follow Debbie to see when you can catch her live, or check out her records. All available at debbiedavismusic.com. What do you think? Too high? Too low? Just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rankingthebeatles, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to check out RTB's new official website, www.rankingthebeatles.com! Enjoying the show, and wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!
Nov 16, 2021 · 1 hr 28 min
#155 - I Want To Tell You CROSSOVER - El Vinilo Returns!
By 1966, The Beatles, particular George Harrison, are growing in all sorts of ways. George is living out the most incredible life experiences, immersing himself in eastern religion and culture, and truly blossoming as a songwriter. For the first time, he gets three songs on the band's new album Revolver, and on "I Want To Tell You", he's letting the listener know that there's so much he's seen and learned that he wants to relay, only, he can't find the right way to do it. The frustration turns into music as dissonant chords echo the feeling of hanging one's head against the wall. And this isn't just a fab gear pop rock song. It's a song with pounding piano, a glitchy guitar riff, and melodically oozing the influence of the Indian music he's now studying under Ravi Shankar. It's a real inclusion of eastern music and western pop, and it's the last time we hear George writing as a guitarist for the next year and a half or so. A song with this much going for it is destined to be a stand out on any album in any band's catalog, right? Right? Bad news this week: Julia's M.I.A. for the first time in RTB history. So I understand if you Julia Stans are like, "nah, see you next week, pal." But the good news....our friends Matt, Adam, and Grace from El Vinilo return to the show this week! All the way from across the pond in Liverpool, our old pod pals return to talk about George and his underdog story, running a podcast based on Rolling Stone's top 100 albums only to have Rolling Stone update those top 100 albums in the middle of your podcast, Liverpool adventures, and more! El Vinilo is one of our favorite podcasts, discussing the albums in Rolling Stone's top 100 list, and comparing them to a current chart topping album. Listen and subscribe to them anywhere you get podcasts, and follow along on Instagram @elvinilo! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rankingthebeatles, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to check out RTB's new official website, www.rankingthebeatles.com! Enjoying the show, and wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!
Nov 9, 2021 · 1 hr 32 min
#156 - Tell Me Why with Jude Southerland Kessler (author, The John Lennon Series)
By the time The Beatles were writing songs for their first film A Hard Day's Night, John was absolutely on fire. "Tell Me Why," a song he went on to consider as nothing more than a throwaway, was a song he seemed to be able to just toss off with no problem at this point in time, absolutely on top of his game. But what comes off as a perfect slice of early Beatle songcraft may actually have way more meaning than what it seems on the surface, and this meaning may be one that appears way more regularly throughout his writing than we realize. Also, I may have completely blown it on this particular ranking. Joining us this week is author and historian Jude Southerland Kessler. Jude has been spending decades researching the life of John Lennon for her on-going The John Lennon Series, a 9 volume collection detailing the life of Lennon with more detail and fact based information than any other book. The most recent book, volume 5, "Shades of Life," is now available at johnlennonseries.com or anywhere you buy your Beatles books! We chat with Jude (and avoid saying "hey" as much as possible) about her 30 years of researching John, how a north Louisiana woman got enraptured in his story, songs like "Tell Me Why" being the crux of Lennon's story, adventures with Allan Williams, and so much more! What do you think? Too high? Too low? Just right? Let us know in the comments on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rankingthebeatles, Instagram @rankingthebeatles, or Twitter @rankingbeatles! Be sure to check out RTB's new official website, www.rankingthebeatles.com! Enjoying the show, and wanna show your support? Buy Us A Coffee!