Ranking The Beatles
141 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago -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. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support
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Episodes
#177 - She's A Woman with guest Kyle Melancon (drummer - Imagination Movers, Dash Rip Rock, etc)
March 23, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 46.3 MBThe morning of Oct 8, 1964, Paul came up with a song idea he was so excited about, he had the band work on it at their recording session that day. He saw it as a Little Richard-esque r&b rock tune, something they hadn't been able to write yet. The track, "She's A Woman," became the b-side for "I Feel Fine," but the band must've had a soft spot for it. It became a staple of their live show from the time of release until their final live tour date at Candlestick Park in 1966. It's certainly got...
178 - Octopus's Garden (with guests The Beths)
March 16, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 70.7 MBSometimes, all it takes to write a signature song is...quitting your band. During a sabbatical from the tense White Album sessions of 1968, a trip on Peter Sellers' boat gave Ringo the inspiration for "Octopus's Garden." With a little help from his friends, George in particular, he was able to put together something that's incredibly charming and fun, and the last example of the band all pulling together to support their beloved drummer; it's a stellar performance all around, and a sonic gem...
#178 - Octopus's Garden (with guests The Beths)
March 16, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 43 MBSometimes, all it takes to write a signature song is...quitting your band. During a sabbatical from the tense White Album sessions of 1968, a trip on Peter Sellers' boat gave Ringo the inspiration for "Octopus's Garden." With a little help from his friends, George in particular, he was able to put together something that's incredibly charming and fun, and the last example of the band all pulling together to support their beloved drummer; it's a stellar performance all around, and a sonic gem...
#179 - Maxwell's Silver Hammer (with guest Sam Whiles, host of "Paul or Nothing" podcast)
March 09, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 60.6 MBOne of the most divisive tracks in the Beatles' catalog is another classic example of Paul McCartney being able to invent stories out of thin air, wrap them in insanely catchy melodies and arrangement, and somehow draw the ire of all of his band mates, and like, 50% of the general population. "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" gets a bad rap...if his bandmates hadn't literally trashed it in the press upon release (and on through the 2010s), or had it been recorded a couple of years earlier, would it ...
#180 - Honey Don't (no guests, just us!)
March 02, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 37 MBYou can really chart the band's early growth with all the different versions of this Carl Perkins' tune. "Honey Don't" appeared in the band's live set in 1962, and found a home on the Beatles for Sale album. It made multiple appearances over the years on BBC sessions, and each time, it's done a bit different. The band's growth from rough and ready, garage rock band to seasoned, attentive recording artists can be tracked over these versions. And while Jonathan may find that interesting, Julia...
#181 - The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill (with filmmaker Paul Saltzman)
February 23, 2021 07:00 - 57 minutes - 39.4 MBIn early 1968, the Beatles journeyed to Rishikesh to seek the fulfillment they realized they weren't finding in fame, drugs, money, and success. While the results of the trip on the group are debatable, there's no denying it provided them with tremendous inspiration for songs. One fellow student, and his mother, provided the inspiration for this Saturday morning cartoon adventure, "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill." The song joins "Rocky Raccoon" and "Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da" in the category ...
#182 - Rocky Raccoon with Celeste Faia (PhD candidate in Microbiology and Immunology)
February 16, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 56.8 MBEven though the Fabs had shown some affinity for country, it's on the White Album where they dive headfirst. Paul's turn at spinning a country story comes via "Rocky Raccoon," one of the numerous songs written by the band in India early in 1968. Leaning on a cheeky, twangy vocal, the tale of Rocky, Dan, and Lil has a bit of everything: a love triangle, a shootout, a drunk doctor who doesn't appear to actually help Rocky with his gunshot wound. Thankfully, he finds a Bible in his room and the...
#183 - Drive My Car with Sean Nelson (ex-Harvey Danger, singer/songwriter, journalist, writer)
February 09, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 65.8 MBAs the opening track on Rubber Soul, "Drive My Car" represents the line in the sand in which The Beatles shake off their beat-group roots, and firmly enter a smokey, hazy world, influenced by the world they've conquered and toured, and made in their image. Their continuing love of R&B manifests itself in the bass driven tune, propelling a story of a would-be star persuading the narrator to be her "chauffeur" (nudge nudge wink wink say no more) before she even has a car. A great example of a ...
#184 - Wait with Micah McKee (singer/songwriter, host of American 100 podcast)
February 02, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 58.3 MBTo finish the break-neck recording sessions for Rubber Soul, the band dug back into the archives for the song "Wait," originally recorded and shelved during the Help! album soundtrack. A new overdubs, and voila! A fine album track, it's a great performance from all parties, but it also has a hint of the beat-group that the band had outgrown by this album, so it's got an interesting vibe of being a Help song in a Rubber Soul costume. One wonders if late 65 Beatles would've recorded this in th...
#185 - The Night Before with singer/songwriter Ben Labat
January 26, 2021 12:58 - 1 hour - 40.6 MBThis week's song is an "all-Paul" track (writing-wise, at least John says it is) that found a home on the Help! film and soundtrack. On celluloid, the boys craft "The Night Before" in a field, surrounded by tanks and assailed by wind. In real life, they knocked it out in 2 takes in Abbey Road in February of 65, the track marking the first time we hear Lennon on keys, and a key part that drives the entire song. It's a fun, upbeat song that gives Paul a place to shine in the film, while the la...
#186 - Don't Pass Me By - Drummer Roundtable with guests Kyle Melancon and Andre Bohren
January 19, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 57.2 MBThere's an old joke...What was the last thing the drummer said before getting fired? "I've written a song..." Ringo first brought "Don't Pass Me By" to the Beatles when he joined the band in 1962. Not until the free-for-all spirit of The White Album in 1968 did the band agree to take up his jolly country tune, and when we say the band, we mean just Paul. Dueling sources place both Beatles behind the drum kit, strangely, and we're frankly not sure who it is because while it's messy enough to ...
#187 - Run For Your Life with guest Diana Erickson, co-host of Another Kind of Mind podcast
January 12, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 62.1 MBThe Beatles kicked off sessions for Rubber Soul with a song John wrote based off a lyric lifted from an Elvis song. It's an interesting case that on a record where they tap into the idea that "the word is 'Love'" but close that record out with "Run For Your Life," perhaps the most aggressive and threatening song Lennon ever wrote. The lyrical content being at odds with all things "fab," it's a shame that a band so known for bringing joy and happiness never took the time to second guess what t...
#188 Little Child CROSSOVER! with The Oasis Podcast
January 05, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 63.5 MBJohn & Paul often talk about some songs as being "work songs"....tunes they knocked out for other artists, or George and Ringo, or tracks to fill out the album. They often referred to #188, "Little Child," as one of those songs. It's a fairly simple, uptempo rocker intended for Ringo's vocal spotlight on With The Beatles, though John eventually handles the vocal on it. Simple as it may be, it's part of a period where the band starts realizing they're not beholden to the standard pop song ar...
#190 There's A Place & #189 Devil In Her Heart - Ranking & year-end wrap up with Jonathan & Julia
December 22, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour - 54.7 MBOne of the great things this podcast has given over so far is a chance to re-examine songs you've heard hundreds of times. Through that, "There's A Place" revealed itself to be the roots of the introspective and sensitive Lennon who goes on the bring us songs like "Nowhere Man," "Strawberry Fields Forever," all the way to "Watching The Wheels." And it's brave as hell to put a song that low-key is commentary on mental health on your debut album in 1963, a time when those things weren't really...
CROSSOVER! Ranking The Beatles Christmas Fan Club Releases with 12 Songs of Christmas Podcast
December 15, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour - 61.5 MBEvery holiday season from 1963-1969, members of the Official Beatles Fan Club would receive a special present from the Fab Four: a limited edition, fan-club-only flexidisc record, made just for them. What started out as a brilliant turn of PR, scripted to strengthen the appeal and bond between band and fan turned into an outlet for the boys to create whimsey and weirdness without consideration of commerciality. As they got turned on, so did the Christmas records. Bringing in elements of thei...
#191 - Maggie Mae with Bruce Spizer (Beatles historian and author)
December 08, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour - 42.2 MBAt the onset of the Get Back/Let It Be project, John had a dilemma: he was short on songs. Paul and George had them falling out of their back pockets, but John was...going through some things, and didn't have a ton of material. He looked to the past, as the rest did, to old Lennon/McCartney tunes, rock & roll standards, covers, and old folk songs, like "Maggie Mae," a tale-as-old-as-time story about a prostitute robbing her...John. This tune, with's it's equally odd history, shows up between...
#192 - What You're Doing with author Rich Tupica (There Was A Light: The cosmic history of Chris Bell and the Rise of Big Star)
December 01, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour - 75.2 MBOne of the first songs The Beatles worked on for their fourth record, Beatles for Sale, ended up being one of the last ones they finished, and along the way, I argue, the create the blueprint for what becomes power-pop. A catchy, repeating guitar riff on a jangly 12-string, a signature drum part, earnest, powerful, heart-on-the-sleeve vocals, and MELODY MELODY MELODY. "What You're Doing" may not be the high-water mark on the album, but it's impact on bands would be felt for generations to co...
#194 Back In The U.S.S.R & #193 Why Don't We Do It In The Road w/ John Thomas Griffith (songwriter, guitarist)
November 24, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour - 45.3 MBThe White Album is definitely a high water mark for The Beatles. This expansive, now-classic album lifts off with the Chuck Berry-meets-The Beach Boys flavored rocker "Back In The USSR." The rocking Beatles are back from their psychedelic trips, and the gang's all here...except for Ringo, who walked out during the recording of this track. Paul takes over on the drums, adequately, and the original Threetles create a classic Beatles tune. But it's also the first time they look backwards, and i...
#195 When I Get Home CROSSOVER with El Vinilo
November 17, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour - 53.5 MB"When I Get Home" is a great example of peak early-period John Lennon. It's a raucous track with interesting harmonies, an amazing vocal delivered with all the attitude and swagger of someone who'd dared to take on the world and won. It's a brutal, rocking punch that found it's way to the second half of the "A Hard Day's Night" album. It's really got nothing going against it, other than it's maybe the most "throwaway" of John's early peak. Well, that, and maybe one of the worst bits of lyric...
#196 Til There Was You with actor/musician Michael Cerveris (The Who's "Tommy", Marvel's AntMan & The Wasp, The Blacklist, The Good Wife)
November 10, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour - 63 MBThere's always been something about The Beatles that made them really shine on screen. Their charisma and ease on camera seems to come from a rounded appreciation of the arts, including literature and theatre. That they only ever released one cover of a Broadway tune is interesting, especially when you consider it's kind of what got them their shot with George Martin, but that's what happened with "Til There Was You." They really nail it on this song from The Music Man, despite John's own mi...
#198 Don't Bother Me & #197 Ask Me Why with Jak Locke (Jak Locke Rock Show) & Angie Tusa
November 03, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour - 56.4 MBAs a musician, I couldn't ever imagine having the world hear the first song I ever wrote...or have the guts to put that first song on a record that's expected to sell millions of copies. But that's just what happens with #198, George's "Don't Bother Me." It checks all the 60's early rock boxes, all while in a minor key! Impressive? George called it "not a great song," and maybe he's not wrong, but its not awful, and it certainly shows a better beginning than anything I ever wrote. #197, "Ask...
#199 - 12 Bar Original with Adam Hill, Memphis based engineer/producer (Big Star, Jack White, Klaus Voorman, Low Cut Connie)
October 27, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 46.3 MBFew can dispute the fact that The Beatles were masters at the craft of songwriting. Melding music and lyrics was literally THEIR THING. They were GREAT at it. So it's an odd move for them to undertake recording a Memphis R&B styled instrumental during the sessions for Rubber Soul. A track owing more than just a tip-of-the-cap to Booker T. & The MGs' "Green Onions," "12 Bar Original" finds the band doing their best to step WAY out of their lane. The track gets tossed into the archives eventua...
#200 Act Naturally with Chapel Hart
October 20, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 43.5 MBCountry music always played a part in The Beatles' story, more so than it probably gets credit for. Cavern and Hamburg sets featured covers of songs from the likes of Chet Atkins and Carl Perkins, while George's early lead style is massively influenced by them as well, all the way down to his choice of guitar. Ringo's love of country ends up with him doing a full on country album with studio giants in 1971 in Nashville, but before that, he dips his toes in the the country pool with his own ...
#202 - Ob-La Di Ob La-Da & #201 What's The New Mary Jane with Stephen Turner (guitarist, The Breton Sound, Epic, tWeezer)
October 13, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 53.1 MBThis episode drops into the contentious White Album sessions. Paul's perfectionism can be such a blessing, but also a curse. In trying to craft the joy and fun of #202 "Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da," he ends up infuriating other band members and fighting with George Martin. Not the easiest way to get to a happy, silly, family friendly song. But then again, happy and family friendly are nowhere on the docket when John and Yoko enlist George and Mal Evans on the auditory equivalent of a bad acid trip, #2...
#204 The Word & #203 Flying w/ Debbie Davis (singer, Debbie Davis & The Mezmerizers, Oh Crap! It's Christmas)
October 06, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 52.6 MBThere's a reason The Beatles are so associated with the word "love." While they wrote a huge amount of songs about romantic love, they became the flag-bearers for love as a universal cause. #204 "The Word" marks the first time we see the Fabs stepping into that spokesperson role, espousing the power of love and peace. Just two years later, on the heels of telling the world love was all they needed, they found a way to turn the most simple melody into an absurdly catchy instrumental for a spac...
#205 Words of Love w/ Kyle Melancon (drummer, The Imagination Movers, Dash Rip Rock)
September 29, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 51.9 MBBuddy Holly was one of the biggest influence on the Beatles, particularly John and Paul. They covered at least 13 of his songs during their early days. He inspired them to be both singers AND songwriters. So it's kind of surprising they only released Buddy Holly cover. As much as I enjoy "Words of Love," it feels like it's never gotten above the "that's nice" level for me. It's a track that struggles to stand out in an album that struggles to standout amongst the best of the Fabs. It's not t...
#207 What Goes On & #206 A Taste of Honey w/ Brett Milano, music writer & lead content creator for The Beatles Rock Band
September 22, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 46.6 MBUnder the gun for material to complete Rubber Soul, the Beatles dusted off an old Quarrymen-era tune, sprinkled a bit of Buck Owens on it, and gave Ringo his vocal turn with #207, "What Goes On." An earlier version was considered as a single to follow up "Please Please Me," but it found it's home as a nice bit of album filler in 1965. Featuring nice guitar and bass work, a solid vocal, and done in one take, it lands as not a bad song, not a great song, but good enough. #206, "A Taste of H...
#209 Her Majesty & #208 Dig It w/ Justin Molaison (singer/songwriter)
September 15, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 42 MBPaul McCartney and John Lennon are, inarguably, two of the greatest songwriters of all time. On this episode, we tackle what may be the most inconsequential songs they penned during their time as Beatles. These songs also show the different paths they'd found themselves on in 1969...Paul, able to be fully self-sufficient on his own, creating on whim; John, searching for something while in the throws of addiction, and pulling the band behind him to try and manufacture inspirado. We're joine...
#210 I'll Get You - CROSSOVER! With Blotto Beatles!
September 08, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 51.7 MBIt's our first ever crossover episode! We're putting our heads together with Tommy, Scotty, and Becker, the hosts of Blotto Beatles, a podcast where they discuss a different Beatles song over a handful of adult beverages, then decide where it should rank in their personal rankings. Great minds think alike! In this episode, we discuss "I'll Get You," the b-side to the "She Loves You" single. It's a song that really has no downside to it, it shows the Fabs already learning how to work the crowd...
#212 Love Me Do & #211 The Long & Winding Road w/ Paul Sanchez (singer/songwriter)
September 01, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 49.2 MBAncient philosophers once wrote "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." No, wait, sorry, that was Semisonic. It's true though. Beginnings and endings are fascinating because of what comes from both. "Love Me Do" was the beginning for the Beatles, but the end of the proverbial black & white life society was living in. Boom! Color. "The Long and Winding Road" marked the end of the Beatles, but the beginning of their respective solo careers, and the beginning of the hindsig...
#214 That Means A Lot & #213 Tell Me What You See w/ Andre Bohren (drummer of Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes, classical pianist, producer)
August 18, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 46.1 MBYou know how when a puppy's paws get big, and they get real clumsy and don't know what to do with them, and it's super cute, but they need to grow into their paws? That's how Jonathan sees "That Means A Lot," a song from the "Help!" album sessions, shelved until the Anthology release in the 90s. We're joined this week by drummer and classical pianist Andre Bohren to discuss this song, as well as "Tell Me What You See," a song that features a lyric Andre calls "unforgivable." GASP! We also d...
#216 - If You've Got Trouble & #215 - How Do You Do It? w/ Jeffrey Roedel (writer, director, producer)
August 11, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 52.8 MBThis 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 co...
#218 Hold Me Tight & #217 You Like Me Too Much w/ Mike Patton (Vista Blue, The Robinsons, The Radiant Radish radio show)
August 04, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 37.2 MBHeads 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 ...
#219 - Love You To w/ Alex Rawls (writer/critic, MySpiltMilk.com, 12 Songs of Christmas, Rolling Stone, Spin)
July 28, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 36.6 MBSorry 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.my...
#220 - P.S. I Love You w/ Dave Pomerlau (bassist, Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes)
July 21, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 45.7 MBThe 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 b...
#221 - Mr. Moonlight w/ Adam Hill (producer/engineer, Big Star, Jack White, Klaus Voorman)
July 14, 2020 06:00 - 48 minutes - 39.2 MBNot 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...
#223 Sie Liebt Dich & #222 Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand w/ Kyle Melancon (Dash Rip Rock, Imagination Movers, Big in the 90s, Daphne Moon)
July 07, 2020 06:00 - 42 minutes - 29.3 MBAnd 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 music...
Teaser #2
June 16, 2020 00:54 - 1 minute - 1.36 MBOut 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. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatle...
A(nother) Beginning: Meet Your Co-Host
June 14, 2020 19:34 - 24 minutes - 16.6 MB"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...
A Beginning: Meet Your Host
June 14, 2020 19:33 - 21 minutes - 17.1 MBHi! 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...
Teaser
June 14, 2020 19:25 - 46 seconds - 540 KBGet ready to dive into a total fool's errand.... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rankingthebeatles/support