Ultimate Battle of The Beatles

Reberetta

Group A

Here Comes The Sun vs In My Life

IML is a classic. I enjoy the harpischord effect on the piano solo. Good lyrics.

But how many instruments are on HCTS? A lot according to Beatlesbible -and most of the work done by George. What I think are ascending/descending chords repeated at intervals, appearing first @0:24 inject an energetic groove and are one of my favourite parts of the track. The lyrics are simple but with a powerful, universal message. Sometimes you don't have to be Shakespeare.

Two standouts but George deserves the accolades.

Get Back vs We Can Work It Out

GB features some of the best solos in the fab four's oeuvre, all fairly short but sweet. The crashing riff and cymbals, the groovy guitar and drumming like a galloping horse, the vocal hook all make it the winner here.

Group B

Come Together vs Paperback Writer

I can't hear any ingenious in CT. Generally when the Beatles decelerated their music the results, for me, were coma-inducing e.g. Something and The Long and Winding Yawn. Generally I preferred it when they picked up the slack as in Paaaaaaaapperrback Writtteeeerrrrr. No contest.

For No One vs Eleanor Rigby

FRN is another song where they just started the vocals off the bat; you don't see that much these days. It's grand and it's nice to hear some clavichord but it sounds a little like Thomas The Tank Engine theme music, complete with a honking horn. Do trains have horns? Hopefully.

ER is the most haunting, menacing, morbid and mournful Beatles song all in one, superb string arrangement and good lyrics which was always an unexpected bonus with the fab four in my view.

Group C

I Feel Fine vs Blackbird

IFF has such great hooks throughout; it's perfectly constructed pop. I'm surprised it beat Day Tripper and I think I underrated it a tad earlier in truth.

Blackbird is a soothing number, the sort of song you'd sing on a Summer day surrounded by nature whilst sharing lettuce sandwiches with your hippy friends. Unlike some Beatles fans, I don't think the lyrics are anything special.

Both outstanding songs, but the more exciting and catchy singalong gets the nod.

A Day in the Life vs I Am The Walrus

The strings on IATW are expertly arranged and not repetitive; new elements are sprinkled throughout. The song becomes more and more bizarre and I'm guessing like Lucy In The Sky some substances might have been at hand. I like the highs of "I'm crying.." @1:21. I'm not surprised Oasis covered this as it suits them down to the ground, the orchestral stuff reminds me of their song Whatever.

I enjoy Ringo's drumming on ADITL, masterfully fits like a glove. @1:45 it becomes psychedelic and nightmarish, like something you'd find on The Wall. It reminds me of the tornado in The Wizard Of Oz, and it might be a suitable score for that scene. @2:16-2:48 it turns into granny music briefly, like When I'm Sixty Four or something, which is a shame, but it doesn't ruin the song. The couplet "He blew his mind out in a car, He didn't notice that the lights had changed" really is striking.

ADITL gets my vote because of its more sombre, serious tone and it's a trifle more strange. Plus, the words to I Am The Walrus are complete and utter bollocks and I'm not 'aving that.

Declan A Walsh

Reberetta wrote: »

..........................................................

A Day in the Life vs I Am The Walrus

....................................... @2:16-2:48 it turns into granny music briefly, like When I'm Sixty Four or something, which is a shame, but it doesn't ruin the song. ...............................................................

.........................................

I'm guessing you are talking about the section in the middle of the song sung by Paul that starts: "Woke Up, Got Out Of Bed". Paul actually wrote that particular section. John needed something extra in the song so he asked Paul for help.

Sawduck

Group A

Here Comes The Sun
Get Back

Group B

Come Together
For No One

Group C

Blackbird
I Am The Walrus

Nerdlingr

Group A

Here Comes The Sun
We Can Work It Out

Group B

Paperback Writer
For No One

Group C

I Feel Fine
A Day in the Life

Reberetta

Declan A Walsh wrote: »

I'm guessing you are talking about the section in the middle of the song sung by Paul that starts: "Woke Up, Got Out Of Bed".

Yes. If Paul had come to me with that contribution, I'd have taken him back to the drawing board.

On another note, I was reading that the prime composer of In My Life is in dispute; both Paul and John laying claim. Some say it's one of the few genuine 50/50 collabs.

Perhaps it's just me, but sometimes I have difficulty telling who is singing the separate parts on Beatles songs. The only one I can pick out with certainty is usually Ringo; although I don't think they're similar sounding, I also don't think they're all in their own right remarkably distinctive.

They were very talented singers, but I wouldn't use the adjective "great" for any of them. Some call John a great singer; I don't agree. The choral harmonies were fantastic, often the highlight of their arrangements; but left to their own devices, solo, they all fell short of the upper tier. To compare them with some peers; The Beach Boys, Jim Morrison, Colin Blunstone (The Zombies), The Mamas and The Papas and others were all superior in my opinion.

My favourite Beatles vocalist is George; I enjoy his performances on Chains, Devil In Her Heart, Here Comes The Sun, I'm Just Happy To Dance With You, Do You Want To Know A Secret, Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby, Taxman and Savoy Truffle in particular, to mention a few!

Arghus

Group A -

Here Comes The Sun vs In My Life: Quality sky high in this match-up, but I'll give it to IML. It moves me a bit more.

Get Back vs We Can Work it Out: Both outstanding songs, but of the two I'd more readily listen to Get Back, but I could vote a different way on a different day here.

Group B -

Come Together vs Paperback Writer - I don't know if I can write much more about Come Together, well, that's a lie, I can, but I'll spare people. It's awesome, fantastic, 11/10. PW is great, but it's definitely the weakest song left. I don't know how people voted it through at the expense of While My Guitar Gently Weeps tbh, but, sure, that's democracy I guess.

For No One vs Elanor Rigby - Ahhh, the miserable McCartney ballad six pointer. Gas how these two have been drawn together. ER marginally - very marginally - shades it because it's a tad richer and more engaging experience for me. Even if I really rate For No One. Very tight call this.

Group C -

I Feel Fine vs Blackbird - I Feel Fine is pretty much faultless and has just a few more strings in its bow - the cool use of feedback, the great guitar work, sexy drums, amazing vocal hooks - than the otherwise fantastic Blackbird has.

A Day in The Life vs I am The Walrus - At first glance I thought this was going to be hard, but it isn't really. It has to be A day in The Life. Walrus is one of my favourite Beatles songs, but it doesn't have all the things going in there that ADITL has. ADITL is just too good, at least Walrus has the honour of going out to a truly great song.

JP Liz V1

Group A

Here Comes The Sun
Get Back

Group B

Come Together
Eleanor Rigby

Group C

I Feel Fine
I Am The Walrus

quickbeam

I like the "Woke Up, Got Out Of Bed" bit of ADITL.

speckle

group b

come together
eleanor rigby

speckle

group a
here comes the sun
we can work it out

speckle

group c

blackbird
a day in the life

daftdave23

Group A

In My Life
We Can Work It Out

Group B

Come Together
For No One

Group C

I Feel Fine
A Day In The Life

Cheese Wagstaff

Group A

In My Life
We Can Work It Out

Group B

Paperback Writer
For No One

Group C

Blackbird
A Day In The Life

El Gato De Negocios

And then there were 6....

Through to the next round

Group A
Here Comes The Sun
We Can Work It Out

Group B
Come Together
For No One

Group C
Blackbird
A Day in the life

El Gato De Negocios

Semi Final


For No One

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELlLIwhvknk

vs

A Day in the Life

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usNsCeOV4GM

We Can Work it Out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qyclqo_AV2M

vs

Blackbird

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Man4Xw8Xypo

Come Together

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45cYwDMibGo

vs

Here Comes the Sun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQetemT1sWc

For No One vs A Day in the life
We Can Work It Out vs Blackbird
Come Together vs Here Comes The Sun

Zaph

For No One
We Can Work It Out
Come Together

Purgative

For No One
We Can Work It Out
Here Comes The Sun

Reberetta

For No One vs A Day in the life
We Can Work It Out vs Blackbird
Come Together vs Here Comes The Sun

All easy decisions for yours truly.

Zebrano

A Day in the life
Blackbird
Here Comes The Sun

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Semi Finals

A Day In The Life
We Can Work It Out
Come Together

Six great songs here, love them all so regardless of what happens, I'll be happy.

In the first match, quite simply, I feel A Day In The Life offers everything For No One does and then some, getting a bit more bang for your buck so to speak.

As for the second match, if you had told me before the tournament I'd be voting We Can Work It Out over Blackbird I would not have believed it as I adore Blackbird, but We Can Work It Out has been the dark horse of the whole tournament, has moved up the ranks for me and now comtortably sits in my Top 5 Beatles songs, and at this point I'd love to see it win the lot.

Finally, I've been a bit dismissive of Here Comes The Sun the past few rounds (not openly, but in my own mind) even though I voted it through without hesitation in the early rounds and had previously held it in high regard, so not sure why I turned against it... Anyway gave it a fair listen again there now and I admit to myself I had been harsh because I do love it and wouldn't be at all disappointed to see it in the final or indeed win the lot, but Come Together is still the more interesting song to me, so gets my vote.

Rigor Mortis

A Day in the life
We Can Work It Out
Here Comes The Sun

EmmetSpiceland

Semi Final

A Day in the life
We Can Work It Out
Here Comes The Sun

Ficheall

For No One vs A Day in the life - There's a lot going on in ADITL, and it is impressive, but there's no part of it that I prefer to FNO. Should ADITL get extra kudos just by virtue of being long enough to fit in some extra parts? I don't feel so.



We Can Work It Out vs Blackbird - WCWIO is an excellent song. Blackbird is the sophisticated guy who finds a guitar at a party's Wonderwall.


Come Together vs Here Comes The Sun - Has some substance. One needs to be in a certain mood for the unavoidable feelgoodness of HCTS to have an effect.

Declan A Walsh

I think all six songs are great so I would be happy with any of them, even though I have voted against Blackbird in the last few rounds. It just demonstrates the quality of the Beatles' songs.

For No One vs A Day in the life. For No One was one of the surprises in this tournament but it's finally met it's match. ADITL is now the bookies favourite!

We Can Work It Out vs Blackbird. Both of these songs were surprising dark horses, but only of them can go through. WCWIO has a great contrast between the main bit sung by Paul and the bit in the middle sung by John.

Come Together vs Here Comes The Sun. This is a tough one. I think George just barely tips the balance with his sunny (melodically as well as lyrically!) acoustic guitar led song.

Reberetta

Reberetta wrote: »

For No One vs A Day in the life
We Can Work It Out vs Blackbird
Come Together vs Here Comes The Sun

All easy decisions for yours truly.

I had a look at the albums.

ADITL is the joint best song on Sgt. Pepper, along with the title track.

FNO I'd put as seventh or eighth best on Revolver.

Blackbird, on The White Album, I place fifth behind Back in the USSR, Savoy Truffle, Julia and Dear Prudence.

HCTS is far and away the best on Abbey Road.

We Can Work It Out never appeared on an album; it was a joint a-side single with Day Tripper and the seventh best selling single of the sixties in the UK according to Wikipedia.

Nerdlingr

Semi Final

A Day in the life
We Can Work It Out
Here Comes The Sun

quickbeam

Semi Final

For No One vs A Day in the life
We Can Work It Out vs Blackbird
Come Together vs Here Comes The Sun

First two were easy choices. Third was a lot more difficult.

rainbowtrout

For No One
We Can Work It Out
Here Comes The Sun

Eggonyerface

A Day in the life
We Can Work It Out
Here Comes The Sun

Arghus

Semi Final

For No-One vs A Day in The Life

We Can Work it Out vs Blackbird: On another day I'd vote Blackbird, but today I'm voting for WCWIO, which is as much to do with the fact that it's a whole band affair, whereas Blackbird is more of a solo effort.

Come Together vs Here Comes The Sun - I really, really like HCTS but it just loses out to Come Together, a matter of taste really: I prefer the toughness of Come Together, rather than the softness of HCTS, but it is a brilliant tune in its own right.