It's been years since I listened to that. I had forgotten all about it. Thanks for reminding me.
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Abbey Road
- Thread starter Gorn
- Start date
It's been years since I listened to that. I had forgotten all about it. Thanks for reminding me.
I agree it is a really great album, but it is third in my Beatles list behind Rubber Soul and The White Album. Rubber Soul was their first breakaway from the "She Loves me, yea, yea" style and pointed the way to the later albums. IMHO, they already had their ultimate vision in mind, but knew their fan base would not be able to make the leap from Please Please me to I want You in one album. I recall when I first heard it how shocked I was. I was hearing something really different from anything I had heard up until that time.
Definitely my all time favorite Beatles album, as if you can really pick! And although this is open to debate, I also think that this was when the Beatles 'looked" the coolest. John and George with the Amish beards, Paul and Ringo with the long hair and funky jackets. They were ultra hip at that point. I still feel sad that it ended there but in another way, it cemented their legacy and ensured that they never really made a completely crappy album.
A couple of years ago I read Danny Goldberg's book Bumping into Geniuses. And in it he relayed a tale of going to visit Atlantic Records exec Jerry Wexler at his home. Jerry was listening to a couple of things: an early pressing of a Delaney & Bonnie record along with Abbey Road. And even a grizzled industry vet like Wexler could say with admiration as he was listening to that final Beatles album "Those guys sure know what they're doing".
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It would be hard for me to pick a favorite.
From Rubber Soul on, I have cases to make for just about every album. The White Album holds a special place for me, but I don't know that I can say its BETTER than Abbey Road.
Even their early albums have some great rockabilly, ballads, and truly inspired songs that go beyond the "She Loves You Yeah Yeah Yeah" style. I recommend going back and listening to some of those for some surprisingly good songs.
Alkali Ike
Gold Supporting Member
- Jan 1, 2011
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Heh. It's easy to call out, say, the covers of Beatles songs. Most of them are, well, not good.
The flip side is The Beatles started as a covers band and I can't think of a single one of their covers that's not good, at least among the official releases.
This thread prompted me to give a fresh listen to Abbey Road, all the way through. It stands the test of time so well, it could have been recorded today. All of it is exemplary, including the lowly-regarded (by some) Maxwell's Silver Hammer & Octopus Garden.
What a great studio recording achievement. We all dream of writing and performing and recording 1 song in our lifetime that's as good as anything on Abbey Road.
1+1+1+1+1+1 = 11
The flip side is The Beatles started as a covers band and I can't think of a single one of their covers that's not good, at least among the official releases.
This thread prompted me to give a fresh listen to Abbey Road, all the way through. It stands the test of time so well, it could have been recorded today. All of it is exemplary, including the lowly-regarded (by some) Maxwell's Silver Hammer & Octopus Garden.
What a great studio recording achievement. We all dream of writing and performing and recording 1 song in our lifetime that's as good as anything on Abbey Road.
1+1+1+1+1+1 = 11
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