52: Second Guessing The Beatles #2

SATB 52In this episode, Richard and Robert revisit the theme they’d first explored on show 21 – recasting the Beatles’ mid-period albums (Help! – Rubber Soul – Revolver – Sgt.Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band)  in their own image. Songs include “Every Little Thing,” “Day Tripper” and “It’s All Too Much.”

Red = dropped tracks
Blue = added tracks

Help!
Rubber Soul

Y&T

RevolverSgt Pepper
May
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13 thoughts on “52: Second Guessing The Beatles #2”

  1. Trevor Beaumont

    Don’t you just hate American arrogance? In a language he will understand…. What a jerk!! In my world….. he’s a ignorant cunt.

    1. That’s “an” ignorant cunt. (You’d think the nationality who invented the eponymous language would be better users of it.)

      1. Trevor Beaumont

        Thank you, sir! 🙂 It was my lack of typing, proof-reading and editing skills that let me down…..caused by my angry outburst! Peace, brother. 🙂

    2. Relatively few Brits sink to Beaumont’s levels of stupidity and abuse. The vast majority would be embarrassed by it.

      1. Trevor Beaumont

        Today was the first time I’ve listened to a podcast from ‘Something About The Beatles’……. Because I generally feel that American Beatles fans were ripped off by Capitol Records’ compilation releases up to and including Magical Mystery Tour (with the exception of Sgt Pepper, of course) I thought it would be an interesting topic of discussion. The manner of the English guy in the debate was very reasonable – I thought he was by far the most knowledgeable of the two. However, the American really pissed me off. The arrogance of his ‘my opinion is the only one that matters’ – and an incredibly domineering attitude towards the Englishman – deserved my wrath. Maybe I was a tad harsh in my choice of language in reacting to his rudeness, but I stand by my opinion that one guy was very pleasant – and the other wasn’t.

        1. You’re allowed. But I would suggest that starting your listening to SATB with this particular episode is a bit like coming in during a film that’s already underway. When you’ve got a few more shows under your belt, you’ll understand that in offering up a show that’s as much informative as it is entertaining, a certain amount of schtick creeps in – and though we’re serious about the information, we’re not too serious about each other – or ourselves.

          1. Trevor Beaumont

            I’ve just listened to podcast #51 which was far less abrasive…… so I take your point! Now I’m looking forward to #53…….

    3. I usually find myself in accord with Rodriguez but this episode was rather annoying…the US albums are illegitimate and not defensible – only Americans defend them. They were NOT the Beatles vision, and Beatles fans can only truly go by the UK core catalogue. Quite frankly I wouldn’t have either of you in charge of sequence programming – even though I love the show!

  2. Plastic Q Band

    Please don’t make us wait 30 more episodes for Second Guessing #3!! I really enjoy these episodes.

    For HELP! I would get rid of “Act Naturally” and “Dizzy;” replacing them with the b-sides “I’m Down” and “Yes It Is.” For RUBBER SOUL I’d nix “Michelle” and “Girl;” adding “We Can Work It Out” (side 1 closer) and “Day Tripper” (side 2 opener). For REVOLVER Side 1 would be “Taxman,” “I’m Only Sleeping,” “Love You To,” “Here, There and Everywhere,” “She Said, She Said,” “Good Day Sunshine,” “Rain.” Side 2 would be “Paperback Writer,” “And Your Bird Can Sing,” “For No One,” “Dr. Robert,” “I Want to Tell You,” “Got to Get You Into My Life,” “Tomorrow Never Knows.” For SGT. PEPPER I would take out “Fixing a Hole” and “She’s Leaving Home” replacing that spot with “It’s All Too Much.” I’d also take out “Within You Without You” and “When I’m 64” and replace it with “Strawberry Fields” (side 2 opener with no coda) and “Penny Lane.” Then I’d take off the inner groove noise and put in the “Strawberry Fields” coda at the end.

    ::mic drop::

  3. Robert,
    Went back and played your first Second Guessing show where you said you’d sideline “What You’re Doing’ for Help. According to this show, a worthy McCartney track is cast to the four winds.

    As it proved on Beatles VI, What You’re Doing worked better as aside opener, much better than Bad Boy. That said, I like the idea of making side two of Help as close to Beatles VI as possible. Side two of Help is the possibly worst sequence of songs the Fabs and George Martin ever signed off on, terrible flow.

    I think robbing the world of two of the best double a-sides by sticking them on Rubber Soul and Pepper would have been a bigger blunder than self directing Magical Mystery Tour.

    Great show regardless!

    cheers

    1. Thanks, Paul. There were even more snippy comments which we decided to remove for fear of sounding like a pair of bitchy queens (!)

  4. I’ve heard Mr Martin hint that lovely Rota was a song that he wasn’t very found of and from hearing him talk about within without you, I think he would have got rid of those 2 songs. And Mr Rodriguez what are you on, some dodgy choices. Mr kite!!!! She’s leaving home, strings and harp not great fair enough but a great song. But fixing a whole, come on. Great vocal, bass and after the solo the depending harmony ??

  5. Is Within You Without You finally getting the appreciation it deserves? I think it’s held up extremely well over the years. I’m SO enjoying It’s All Too Much! Haven’t paid much attention to that song but I will now.

  6. Nobody got rid of Miss Lizzy! Half hearted lifeless going through the motions rocker with a really annoying repeated ad nauseum guitar riff. I always skip that track
    As for Mr Kite. Robert, I dont think you should lay all the blame at John’s door as Paul has recently been saying (as you know) that it was 50’50 joint composition straight off the poster. Funny how I never ever heard John say that.
    Anyway…… great show as usual, funny and informative

  7. I should add that the only real place in the Fabs catalogue for a real “second guessing” retrospective – is an early 1968 album – featuring the “Yellow Submarine” and other tracks – Across the Universe, The Inner Light et al from that period. The stuff the Fabs were thinking of making an EP out of before the Soundtrack became a reality.

  8. Pardon my ignorance… And though I’ve got a small collection of ‘alternate’ tracks, I’ve never heard the version of Isn’t It A Pity that you played. Without crossing any lines that might not want to be crossed, can anyone offer a clue as to where I might find it? Not the source per say, but an ‘alternate’ CD title perhaps?

    1. Hi Gerry,

      It was a demo recorded at Apple on January 26, 1969, after a Beatles session; the same day you see George and Ringo working on “Octopus’s Garden” in the Let It Be film.

      This take is a “bonus” track to the Let It Roll comp, available for download on iTunes.

  9. Love your shows! I have to agree with Richard that the English Albums are Sacrament when discussing the Beatles recording career! It is apparent to me that our American cousins do not understand the Englishness of them! They were introduced to them after they established themselves and even if in terms of record sales in America was huge that has more to do with populous! Only America would release Here There and The Four Seasons V The Beatles…. And of course they put out that awful Beatles Cartoon series!Its a nice thought to discuss what could have been in terms of listings but the thing is its now taken as read and to any Beatle fan the tracks discussed to add are well known anyway ……

  10. Great thing you guys are doing, especially for beatles fans. Idea from me is how Mccartneys looks played a pivotal roles in their makeup. His good looks played a major role not only in Beatle domain but the social spectrum of the day. This may sound a bit weird or gay, but believe me me, it’s not. He was the coolest looking guy of our generation, and to me, the big reason why cultural Sociology changed in appearance. Am I alone? I don’t think so. He is so under appreciated. Dig?

  11. Nothing wrong with Run For Your Life at the end of Rubber Soul, it fits.

    The Capitol albums are there, millions owned them, it’s time to get over the purity test and accept them for what they are.

    You get used to RR vs. Richard, after so many shows it is getting a bit repetitive with the talking points though.

  12. I thought I was the only one who did this sort of thing. Anyway for what it is worth, here are my alternate Rubber Soul, Revolver and Sgt Peppers albums (I actually went to the trouble of burning these tracks in this order onto CD so I can play them like a “normal” CD). I restricted myself to adding tracks that were recorded around the same time as the album, and also restricted each side of each album to being no more than 20 minutes long.

    My Rubber Soul

    Side 1
    Drive My Car 2:25
    Norweigan Wood 2:01
    You Wont See Me 3:18
    Nowhere Man 2:40
    Think for yourself 2:16
    The Word 2:41
    We can work it out 2:15

    Side 2
    Day Tripper 2:50
    Girl 2:30
    I’m looking through you 2:23
    In My Life 2:24
    Wait 2:12
    If I needed someone 2:20
    Run for your life 2:18

    My Revolver

    Side 1
    Taxman 2:39
    Eleanor Rigby 2:06
    I’m only sleeping 3:00
    Love you to 2:59
    Here, There and Everywhere 2:25
    Rain 2:59
    She Said She Said 2:37

    Side 2
    Good Day Sunshine 2:08
    And your bird can sing 2:00
    For No One 2:00
    Paperback Writer 2:18
    I want to tell you 2:29
    Got to get you into my life 2:29
    Tomorrow never knows 2:57

    My Sgt Peppers

    Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band 2:02
    With a little help from my friends 2:44
    Lucy in the sky with diamonds 3:28
    Getting Better 2:48
    Penny Lane 3:03
    When I’m 64 2:37
    Being For The Benefit of Mr Kite 2:37
    (19:19)

    Within You Without You 5:04
    She’s Leaving Home 3:35
    Strawberry Fields Forever 4:05
    Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band reprise 1:19
    A Day in the life 5:39
    (19:42)

  13. Wow. I thought I knew my late 60s Beach Boys, but I never heard that track “Where Is She” before. And I agree that would have been an interesting approach to “She’s Leaving Home”.

  14. Great show, really enjoying these alternative takes on albums. Don’t always agree but that’s part of the fun. Can I ask is that full version of It’s All Too Much available anywhere? Always one of my favourites and I had no idea it had been truncated.

    By the way I’m a late starter with these podcasts, just discovered them at the Billy Bragg one and went back to the beginning. They are wonderful, thanks so much for them. Didn’t think I could love The Beatles more but I do!

    1. It’s available in mono only on several boots, including the following:

      “The Edit Versions of Monophonic Greatest Collection Vol. 02 (disc 3)”
      “The Alternate Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band & A Little More (Disc 2)”
      “The Alternate Versions Vol. 2”
      “The Alternate Yellow Submarine”

  15. Short-time listener (two months), first-time kvetcher. These are my opinions on everything from this episode but Sgt. Pepper. (More on that album later.) Since the episode came out over 18 months ago, I’m sure this opinion will be read with the audience and critical eye it deserves.

    Help! – Rich
    Side 1
    “Help!” – Lennon – 2:18
    “The Night Before” – McCartney – 2:34
    “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away” – Lennon – 2:09
    “I Need You” – Harrison – 2:28
    “Another Girl” – McCartney – 2:05
    “You’re Going to Lose That Girl” – Lennon – 2:18
    “Ticket to Ride” – Lennon – 3:09

    Side 2
    “Act Naturally” – Starr 2:30
    “Yes It Is” – Lennon – 2:41 (replacing “It’s Only Love”)
    Reason: “Yes It Is” is, in my opinion, the better tune.
    “I’m Down” – McCartney – 2:33 (replacing Dizzy Miss Lizzie and moved up)
    Reason: “I’m Down” is just too good to not be on the album, and “Yesterday” is too strong a track to be followed by a cover (or anything, for that matter.)
    “You Like Me Too Much” – Harrison – 2:36
    “Tell Me What You See” – McCartney w/ Lennon – 2:37
    “I’ve Just Seen a Face” – McCartney – 2:05
    “Yesterday – McCartney – 2:05

    Pulled – Dizzy Miss Lizzy, It’s Only Love
    Singles – I’d stand pat, but make “Yesterday” a UK single.

    ROBERT IS WRONG! Pulling “Yesterday” is sacrilege. Bad Beatles author! Bad!
    RICHARD IS WRONG! I’d limit side one to tunes from the movie.

    So here’s my Help!, side 2:
    Act Naturally – 2:30
    Yes It Is – 2:41
    I’m Down – 2:33
    You Like Me Too Much – 2:36
    Tell Me What You See – 2:37
    I’ve Just Seen a Face – 2:05
    Yesterday – 2:05

    Rubber Soul – Rich
    Side 1
    “Day Tripper” – Lennon w/ McCartney – 2:50 (replacing “Drive My Car”)
    Reason: The Beatles’ decision to begin their albums with a bang is a good one, but “Day Tripper” is the stronger bang. Also, in terms of sound, “Drive My Car” is a better companion to “We Can Work it Out.”
    “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” – Lennon – 2:01
    “Think for Yourself” – Harrison – 2:16
    Reason for move: Musically, the song is underrated, and its very modern sound (that fuzz!) makes it more sonically compatible between Wood & YWSM
    “You Won’t See Me” – McCartney – 3:18
    “The Word” – Lennon, McCartney and Harrison 2:41
    “What Goes On” – Starr 2:47
    Reason for move: It’s no “Day Tripper” – heck, it’s no “Yellow Submarine” – but it is a charming Ringo-sung tune and a good musical progression into “Michelle.”
    “Michelle” – McCartney – 2:40

    Side 2
    “Nowhere Man” – Lennon – 2:40
    Reason: It’s a good lead track for Side 2.
    “I’m Looking Through You” – McCartney – 2:23
    “Girl” – Lennon – 2:30
    “Wait” – Lennon & McCartney – 2:12
    “In My Life” – Lennon – 2:24
    Reason for switcheroos: “Nowhere Man” as the lead-in for side 2 damages the musical flow, thus the rearrangement.
    “If I Needed Someone” – Harrison – 2:20
    “We Can Work it Out” – McCartney w/ Lennon – 2:15 (replacing “Run for Your Life”)
    Reason: “Run For Your Life” is a terrible song. It’s also more a 1964 Beatles tune than 1965 and makes for a weak ending to an album very much ahead of its time in terms of pop music. Plop it onto Beatles VI. “WCWIO” makes for a much stronger closer.

    Singles: We Can Work it Out/Drive My Car; Nowhere Man/If I Needed Someone (Replacing “What Goes On”
    Reason: This change makes a far stronger single.

    Pulled: Drive My Car, Run For Your Life

    ROBERT IS WRONG! Robert’s additions, by adding older tracks (literally and stylistically) makes Rubber Soul sound more retrograde and less like the game-changer it was.

    RICHARD IS WRONG! Taking out the two of the weaker tunes and merely plopping in the single makes the songs on the album better, but the musical flow is thrown off.

    My Rubber Soul is this:
    Side 1:
    Day Tripper – 2:50
    Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) – 2:01
    Think for Yourself – 2:16
    You Won’t See Me – 3:18
    The Word – 2:41
    What Goes On – 2:47
    Michelle – 2:40

    Side 2:
    Nowhere Man – 2:40
    I’m Looking Through You – 2:23
    Girl – 2:30
    Wait – 2:12
    In My Life – 2:24
    If I Needed Someone – 2:20
    We Can Work It Out – 2:15

    Revolver
    Side 1
    “Eleanor Rigby” – McCartney – 2:11
    Reason: I think beginning with ER would give the album a startling beginning, an indication that this was going to be an album that progresses farther than pop had before. “Taxman” is a good song but not a great one. Give the liftoff to Ms. Rigby.
    “I’m Only Sleeping” – Lennon – 2:58
    “Love You To” – Harrison – 3:00
    “Here, There and Everywhere” – McCartney – 2:29
    “Taxman” – Harrison – 2:36
    Reason: song progression. HT&E, sweet; Taxman, grouchy; YS, fun and trippy; SSSS, just plain trippy.
    “Yellow Submarine” – Starr – 2:40
    “She Said She Said” – Lennon – 2:39

    Side 2
    “Paperback Writer” – McCartney – 2:18 (replacing “Good Day Sunshine”)
    Reason: PW is an example of what McCartney writes when he’s on all four cylinders. GDS is an example of what McCartney writes on his lesser days. Toss the latter onto Yesterday and Today.
    “And Your Bird Can Sing” – Lennon – 2:02
    “For No One” – McCartney – 2:03
    “I Want to Tell You” – Harrison – 2:30
    “Got to Get You into My Life” – McCartney – 2:31
    “Tomorrow Never Knows” – Lennon – 3:00

    Added: Paperback Writer
    Pulled: Doctor Robert, Good Day Sunshine
    Singles: same

    ROBERT IS WRONG! The US release of “Revolver” is an unholy mess. It does not need to be improved; it needs to be pitched into a dark hole.
    RICHARD IS WRONG! I understand the desire to double George’s contributions to the album, but I can’t see either “Isn’t It a Pity” or “Art of Dying” as more than filler in 1966. Maybe on the White Album later, but not Revolver.
    FINALLY: WHAT IS IT WITH YOU TWO AND RINGO? Did he steal your lunch money? “Mooommmmm, Ringo took our lunch money again!” “That’s okay, boys: just wait fifty years, and you can demote his songs in a counterfactual universe.” “YAY!”

    So here’s my Revolver:
    Side 1
    “Eleanor Rigby” – 2:11
    “I’m Only Sleeping” – 2:58
    “Love You To” – 3:00
    “Here, There and Everywhere” – 2:29
    “Taxman” – 2:36
    “Yellow Submarine” – 2:40
    “She Said She Said” – 2:39

    Side 2
    “Paperback Writer” – 2:18
    “And Your Bird Can Sing” – 2:02
    “For No One” – 2:03
    “I Want to Tell You” – 2:30
    “Got to Get You into My Life” – 2:31
    “Tomorrow Never Knows” – 3:00

    Toodles!

  16. I just wasted four hours of my life with this crap. Here’s my Sgt. Pepper.

    Side 1
    “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” – McCartney – 2:02
    “With a Little Help from My Friends” – Starr – 2:44
    “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” – Lennon – 3:28
    “Getting Better” – McCartney – 2:48
    “Strawberry Fields Forever” (replacing “Fixing a Hole”) – Lennon – 4:05
    Reason: “Getting Better” and “Fixing a Hole” are similar in style, and GB is the better tune. Plus – let’s face it – Sgt. Pepper is very heavy on the Paul. We could replace with a John song and nobody would complain much… except Paul.
    “She’s Leaving Home” – McCartney w/Lennon – 3:35
    “Within You Without You” – Harrison – 5:04 (moved to side 1)
    Reason: with “It’s All Too Much” added to side 2 (and with three songs over five minutes on one side), I’m bumping WYWY up to the end of side 1. It also provides a better musical flow.

    Side 2
    “When I’m Sixty-Four” – McCartney – 2:37
    “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!” – Lennon – 2:37
    Reason: I think having these two songs open up the second side makes the musical concept stronger. Why? Damned if I know. It just does to me.
    “Penny Lane” – McCartney – 3:03
    Reason: Should be on the album. This, IMHO, is the best placement.
    “Lovely Rita” – McCartney – 2:42
    “It’s All Too Much” – Harrison (replacing “Good Morning Good Morning”) – approx. 5:40
    Reason: GMGM is a weak song (although Ringo’s drumming is top-notch). George should have a second song on the album. I envision a slightly edited IATM (also with good Ringo drumming) with softening trumpets segueing into the reprise.
    “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” – McCartney – 1:19
    “A Day in the Life” – Lennon w/ McCartney – 5:39

    Added: Strawberry Fields Forever, Penny Lane, It’s All Too Much
    Pulled: Good Morning Good Morning, Fixing a Hole

    RICHARD AND ROBERT ARE…perfectly reasonable. I wouldn’t have considered “It’s All Too Much” had they not mentioned the possibility on the podcast. And their other suggestions make complete sense.

    My Sgt. Pepper looks like this:

    Side 1
    Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
    With a Little Help from My Friends
    Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
    Getting Better
    Strawberry Fields Forever
    She’s Leaving Home
    Within You Without You

    Side 2
    When I’m Sixty-Four
    Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
    Penny Lane
    Lovely Rita
    It’s All Too Much
    Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
    A Day in the Life

  17. Never will understand this insistence that an album needs “to flow”. They’re a collection of songs that only share the fact that they were written around the time the current project was being recorded. Neither I’ve Just Seen A Face or It’s Only Love are strong enough to open an album side. Can you imagine Revolver starting with for example Act Naturally? That’s what missing Drive My Car off Rubber Soul in America diminishes it as an album.

  18. Wow, they really don’t like Ringo’s singing, eliminating Act Naturally, What Goes On, and Yellow Submarine!

  19. Sincere apologies, RR, I must agree with Gringo K, above. A very tough listen. Stressful, even. Two simultaneous storylines made me shake my head and eventually turn it off. Good thing I wasn’t also watching the ‘Eberybody Wang Chung Tonight’ video.

  20. I fired up this episode, put on my AirPods, and just let it all wash over me for a couple of hours. The concept is spot-on, the execution amazing, and I think this is truly a labor of love. Chronology is fantasticly detailed, the background events truly immersive, it touches on pretty much everything the Beatles and their era were all about. Kudos!
    It seems that not everyone agrees, but then again some people hated She Loves You when it first came out.

  21. As I said on Twitter, I loved this episode. Just hearing the sounds of the time were fascinating. Plus-it’s The Beatles.

  22. ‘Revolution 9’ meets ‘Anthology’, with a dash of the ‘Free As A Bird’ visuals for additional inspiration. Brilliant work, Robert – I can’t begin to imagine how long it took to put together.

    And as a bonus, I got to hear a song that I haven’t heard since I was (literally) running around in nappies (or diapers, depending on your side of the pond) – ‘I Was Kaiser Bill’s Batman’ by Whistling Jack Smith at the 1:41 mark!

  23. That was epic. I can’t believe the effort this took. It left me breathless at some parts. What a wild ride they (and we) went on.

  24. That was indeed epic. I cannot fathom how much effort that took. It left me breathless at moments. What a gobsmacking ride they went on.

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