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We have all made compilations of Beatles solo material, but within this large group, a smaller group has imagined taking some of this material and arranging it as The Beatles might have, had they recorded this material and issued it as “Beatles,” the collective. There’s actor Ethan Hawke’s famous Black Album; Spencer Leigh’s Finishing School, as well as any number of other efforts out there.
Then, there are the ones created by myself and my guest, Glenn Greenberg. You can find his list here, or else listen to the show and hear our choices and justifications, which are every bit as good as anything you listeners can come up with. See what you think – we can talk about this stuff endlessly!
This is a fun game. But when we’re playing what-if, let’s not forget that one of the many great things about the Beatles was that they ended as an entity in 1970. Individually, they made some good music, but the ineffable magic of the Beatles was preserved within the decade they defined. Their collective inspiration was waning a bit at the end (if you agree that Let It Be is an inconsistent album) but we never had to watch it dissipate significantly. Now I’ll make the obligatory reference to the Stones on record from the mid-80’s onward as an example of titans working well below their previously set standards (even though I love the Stones and am very happy they continued to be the world’s greatest r&r road show). I actually believe that the only positive thing about the nightmare of John’s death is that the inevitably disappointing reunion never took place. Enjoyed the episode, though my interest in solo Beatles music is pretty limited.
Sure it’s fun. That’s what makes the Beatles cool. 4 legit lead men in 1 band. 4 parts of a whole. there is collaboration by 2 throughout the 70’s on several albums of good even great quality. The Stones faltered in the mid 70’s a bit and re-established themselves a bit towards the end of the decade and early 80’s. The peaked in 1972 perhaps…Wings history will be re-accessed hopefully sooner rather than later.
Robert, are going to post your list too?
In my alternate reality where the Beatles still had their disagreements but ultimately kept their contractual obligations to make music together because Paul didn’t sue them, they did their solo albums in 1970 and reconvened in 1971 to put together:
The Beatles – Imagine
(Side One)
1. Imagine
2. Another Day
3. Gimme Some Truth
4. It Don’t Come Easy
5. Crippled Inside
6. Dear Boy
7. Jealous Guy
(Side Two)
8. Deep Blue
9. Oh Yoko!
10. Eat At Home
11. How?
12. Tomorrow
13. Oh My Love
14. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
1972 sees Paul & Linda make Red Rose Speedway (actually Ram still probably happened in a different form too) & “Live & Let Die”, John & Yoko still make New York City, George continues work on Living In the Material World and Ringo releases Back Off Boogaloo…they’re still disagreeing with Paul and there’s definitely a sense that George wants nothing to do with the operation anymore. It still leads to one last album in 1973 before they amicably part ways:
The Beatles – Band On The Run
(Side One)
1. Band On The Run
2. I’m The Greatest
3. Mind Games
4. Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)
5. Photograph
6. Let Me Roll it
7. Out the Blue
(Side Two)
8. Jet
9. One Day (At A Time)
10. Miss O’Dell
11. Country Dreamer
12. I Know (I Know)
13. Oh My My
14. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five
An underappreciated reality about the Beatles is they continued to make great music postbreakup.
Yep! You hit the nail on the head and that needs a little more fleshing out now that the there seems to be room for it 🙂 …and Apple Years compilation box of all the JPGR singles with a book explaining the era would be very nice.
My point of departure is where Ringo, jamming with George, plays a demo of “Early 1970” and convinces George to Split ATMP into two albums, moving “Isn’t It a Pity” to next year. Then the 1970 Solo Albums come out. John Tells Paul, “We can alternate, the solo’s on even years, the Beatles Thing on odd. So we get a Double Album “Imagine…The Beatles” in 71, Paul and John do the 72 Albums, but decide to make a Beatles double A Side for Luck Of the Irish / Give Ireland Back to the Irish Single, and another for “Bangla Desh”/”Bugaloo” ending the Year with “The Beatles Concert for Bangla Desh” with the NY Symphony!. 74 Brings another Dbl Album “Living In The Material World” and 75 gives us another dbl “Band On The Run”. John ‘retires’ until 1980 when they get back with “Starting Over”.
I loved this episode but listened to it on a bike ride, so wasn’t able to jot down the albums you all proposed. Could you please share the track lists here so I can make a playlist?! Thanks for all your great work over the years.
Loved this episode. I do find your fantasy albums lean heavily on the slow and mellow. Like John told George in Jan 69: “we’re a rock and roll band…”
I made a dystopian version of a Beatles fantasy album a few years back. Spotify playlist with my album cover idea are in the website link.
It Don’t Come Easy (1972)
The Mamas and the Papas were forced to record People Like Us in 1971. Result sounded like four people trying to avoid a lawsuit, as per Michelle Phillips. Imagine if EMI or Allen Klein managed to do the same to the Beatles.
McCartney once said the Beatles were getting too democratic for its own good. It was going to be 4 Lennon songs, 4 McCartney songs, 4 Harrison songs and 2 Starkey songs on the next record. What if that had actually happened?
So the Beatles decided to use their platform in the early 1970s to advance their causes with three political songs to kick it off. Rest of the album is mostly angry and depressing. The Beatles have basically succumbed to the times.
Side 1:
Power to the People
Give Ireland Back to the Irish
Bangla Desh
Gimme Some Truth
Oh Woman, Oh Why
Sue Me, Sue You Blues
It Don’t Come Easy
Side 2:
Hi Hi Hi
It’s So Hard
Apple Scruffs
Back Off Boogaloo
Working Class Hero
Another Day
Isn’t it a Pity
solid episode. some great choices and sequencing by the guest.
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