Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography
The Beatles - 1967-1970 CD (album) cover

1967-1970

The Beatles

 

Proto-Prog

3.86 | 136 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Matti
Prog Reviewer
3 stars These compilations (Red and Blue) were probably my introduction to The Beatles as a teenager. The early years didn't interest me at all but from here I must have taped several songs. Of course I soon listened to many of the albums too, but naturally both these kinds of compilations and the radio play shapes your Beatles knowledge, and the certain best known songs will be best known to you too.

I can tell you straight away that this tiny essay (not actually a review) won't be any use for anyone, not even myself. I just thought to see how big is the contradiction between The Beatles hit canon (against which it wouldn't make much sense to attack) and my own Beatles relationship today, when I have revisited their later catalogue. My favourite albums are - in this order - Abbey Road (miles ahead!), The Beatles,... Sgt Pepper... maybe I'd find some great stuff from albums like Revolver and Rubber Soul too, but this far my album list hesitatingly continues, and more or less ends, with Let It Be. This doesn't prevent me still enjoying some well known songs outside these mentioned albums, but my personal favourite selection would differ a lot from this compilation.

OK, let's first list the songs I dislike: 'All You Need Is Love' (aaarrgghh!!!!!), 'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La- Da', 'Hello, Goodbye' and 'Magical Mystery Tour' are the most obvious ones, and then there are some theoretically good songs I wouldn't include into my own CD in fear of an earworm effect: 'Penny Lane', 'Get Back', 'Back in the USSR' and 'Here Comes The Sun' (sorry George, still it's a great song really!).

Looking at the rest, I'm beginning to think that after all this is a pretty good treasury of famous Beatles songs. One couln't possibly escape classics like 'Strawberry Fields Forever', 'A Day in the Life', 'With a Little Help From My Friends', 'Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds', 'Hey Jude', 'Fool on the Hill', 'Across The Universe', 'I Am The Walrus' or the admittedly syrupy 'Long And Winding Road'. Great choices are also George Harrison's 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' and 'Something', 'Don't Let Me Down' and 'Come Together'.

Of course I'd replace many songs by others I like more, but finally: are there omitted songs that should be in the canon? I'd suggest 'I Want You (She's So Heavy'), at least 'You Never Give Me Youir Money' from Abbey Road Medley, and then some less played album tracks from Sgt Pepper and The Beatles to increase artistic impact and variety. But they never make compilations with that aspect in mind... Nevertheless, a fairly decent compilation in all its loyalty to the canon of the Fab Four's most played songs 1967-1970.

Matti | 3/5 |

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).

Forum user
Forum password

Share this THE BEATLES review

Social review comments () BETA







Review related links

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.