Ten Underrated Beatles Songs

No band or artist in modern music history has influenced more people than The Beatles.

It’s astonishing to think that four common men from Liverpool, England created the sum total of 275 original songs that were all essentially written and recorded within only a six-year period — between 1963 and 1969.  Six years!  That basically means The Beatles pumped out a new song about once a week.  Some of them even sold a few copies.  Imagine that.

To put this into perspective, think back just six years ago, from 2007 to the present.  Now, try and think of any musician who’s posted 20 number one hits and composed several dozen classic songs.  Within a six-year time frame.  Moreover, give me any artist who revolutionized modern music more profoundly — the way songs and albums are composed, packaged, marketed, and performed.  In short, there was before The Beatles and there is after The Beatles.  What took place during the last half of the 1960s at Abbey Road Studios in North London was nothing short of a seismic global shift in music and culture.

Unfortunately, greatness sometimes begets saturation.  And ultimately boredom.  Most of us have heard every song they recorded — hundreds if not thousands of times.  Nothing seems fresh anymore.  In fact, some of the music that once had teenage girls fainting in the aisles may be considered stale in the same way many people may now doze off while listening to Mozart.  The comparison fits.  Indeed, during his day Mozart was what The Beatles were to their time.  Now, his greatest compositions have been reduced to background music played in the waiting rooms of doctors’ offices.  No doubt, the same sad fate awaits The Beatles and all other masters.

Since The Beatles burst into global consciousness fifty years ago, everything the group has done has been dissected and over-analyzed.  Their music is overplayed.  Critics even claim, with some justification, The Beatles are overrated.  In some ways, they’re correct.  The Beatles never really had a brilliant guitar player, although Paul McCartney could certainly rip apart a bass with a catchy riff.  But no one would rank either John Lennon or George Harrison among the greatest guitar players of all time (Note:  I beg to differ with Rolling Stone’s ranking of George Harrison in the top 20, which is absurd.  Imagine instead if The Beatles included Eric Clapton in George’s shoes).  None of the Beatles’ singing voices are particularly striking either.  Yes, Lennon and McCartney matched the greatest of rockers.  But neither was a Freddy Mercury or Roger Daltrey.

Furthermore, The Beatles never really had much of a stage presence.  In fairness to them, the group stopped touring during the Fall of 1966, before their best music was to be written.  But many of their concerts and the footage that exists now seems terribly dated.  And even had The Beatles continued to tour into the late 1960s during the period of their greatest energy, it’s hard to imagine any of the bandsmen turning into either Mick Jagger or David Bowie.  Prince makes The Beatles seem lame, by comparison.

The negatives acknowledged, it’s even more mind-boggling to consider The Beatles musical achievements.  They initially recorded on ancient 4-track and later 8-track soundboards.  They utilized tiny speakers during their stage shows, the likes of which now sell for $75 at a pawn shop.  In short, the technology of the day had serious trouble keeping up with the Beatles’ evolving sound, which matured with each and every Billboard-busting album.  Take the years 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, and 1969 separately and you’re essentially listening to musical group light-years improved than the year before.  They never took a step backward nor did they stand still.  Each album was a step way ahead of the last (except for Magical Mystery Tour, perhaps).

You already know the timeless masterpieces — from Twist and Shout to Yesterday to Eleanor Rigby to Hey Jude to Let It Be.   As strong as this archive of hits is, what makes The Beatles an unequaled creative force is, in fact, their secondary material.  By secondary, I mean songs that didn’t quite make it to number one and weren’t considered hits.

Listen to the following ten songs on my countdown list and you’ll immediately realize two things.  First, these songs could have been released a decade or two later and still would be received widespread acclaim.  Second, these non-hits could have been signature songs for just about any other artist.  But since The Beatles already dominated the radio airwaves with so many mega-hits, little additional space or market options existed for these extra songs at the time.  Fortunately, the passage of years now gives us a greater perspective.  I’d even argue some of these songs are better than the far more popular, universally familiar material.

Of course, any discussion of The Beatles would be incomplete without mentioning the astounding stream of recorded music that was released during pop music’s boom years when Rock ‘n Roll and Motown gave the entire world a treasure trove of incredible sounds.  Indeed, The Beatles themselves had to compete for supremacy in what’s unquestionably the most creative era of modern music history.

That said, here are ten Beatles songs that I believe to be underrated (Note:  If the link does not initially open, then click again, which leads to the page at YouTube):

10.  Helter Skelter (1968) — Unfortunately, this early heavy-metal classic from The White Album was hijacked about a year after its release by wacko psycho-killer Charles Manson which meant the song never quite received its proper due from either critics or the public.  Nevertheless, Helter Skelter is undoubtedly a hard-rock forerunner of a new sound — a brilliant pulsating guitar blast of energy that would dominate the following decade.  This song is especially powerful since it was written by none other than Paul McCartney in late 1967, right before the group’s infamous trip to India.  McCartney was celebrated (and criticized, in part) mostly for being a writer of what many considered milquetoast ballads.  So, he decided to make a departure and ultimately blew everyone away with this unique composition which he intended as the rawest, dirtiest sound imaginable.  Give a quick listen to this very unusual rendition and see if you agree.  Note that the link to the clip above is a melding of The Beatles Helter Skelter with Led Zeppelin’s classic song Whole Lotta’ Love.

9.  If I Needed Someone (1965) — This is arguably George Harrison’s first serious contribution to the group.  On early albums, George and Ringo were each afforded one song apiece, which were considered as little more than album filler.  But once Harrison became introduced to a new musical sound in the sitar in 1965, his musicianship began to flourish and he penned a number of songs every bit as good as the best compositions by Lennon-McCartney.  This song, If I Needed Someone appeared on the Dylan-inspired Rubber Soul album and is performed here in concert in Tokyo during The Beatles’ final world tour during the summer of 1966 — which was rocked with several controversies and led to the groups “retirement” from live performances.  Harrison would later solo write and record timeless rock classics including While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Here Comes the Sun, and Something.  But this was a groundbreaking first.

8.  Why Don’t We Do It in the Road? (1968) — This song title was scandalously suggestive when it appeared on The White Album and was subsequently banned from radio play.  The Beatles, once again demonstrating their genius not only as musicians but global marketers, were eager to push the boundaries of popular acceptance.  Here’s yet another song that shatters the image of the good wholesome mop-tops of just a couple of years earlier.  This song is almost exclusively McCartney at his rawest, pounding out a catchy riff on piano and screeching into the microphone.  It had no shot of ever becoming a hit due to its racy title and short duration but was still included as an excerpt on the only double album The Beatles ever released while together as a group.

7.  Good Night (1968) — This is the largely-forgotten and widely-ignored final song on The White Album.  Few rock fans have ever heard this rare tune because it followed the dreadfully inappropriate Lennon solo composition titled Revolution 9, which was John and Yoko’s torturous avant-garde recording that ran eight full minutes, the longest recording (and most reviled) of any song ever recorded by The Beatles.  What’s truly special about this wondrous gem is hearing more than a dozen rollicking, rocking masterpieces leading up to its conclusion — songs including Back in the USSR, Birthday, Happiness is a Warm Gun, Dear Prudence, and many other timeless classics.  Then, at the very end of the duel album, Ringo Starr unexpectedly takes the microphone and performs some syrupy Perry Como-like ballad that seems better suited as a polka waltz on The Lawrence Welk Show.  This song shows The Beatles at their “we don’t give a damn what anyone else thinks” best, with the drummer who can’t sing a lick being thrust in front in the spotlight asked to croon like a wedding singer.  Even more remarkable, Starr was terribly uncomfortable while recording this song.  He was extremely self-conscious about his voice and didn’t think he was up to the task.  Indeed, virtually all his other songs were camp-like recordings such as Act Naturally, Octopus’s Garden, and Yellow Submarine.  To have Starr close out one of the most eclectic albums in rock history with his choir boy voice amidst a chamber of violins wasn’t just shocking, it was pure unexpected genius.

6.  Don’t Let Me Down (1969) — Wonderful bluesy Lennon composition recorded and performed without much refinement during the Apple recording sessions of January 1969.  As you watch the video, imagine that it was 43 degrees outside with the wind blowing.  Two of the members of the group are wearing fur coats while they perform.  The Beatles all later talked about how dreadful the Let It Be recording sessions were.  Everyone seemed to know that divorce was imminent.  But this short three-minute clip reveals that the magic was still there, even if fleeting.  An under-rated and under-appreciated song that stands up well over time, especially considering how difficult the recording conditions were that day.

5.  You Really Got a Hold on Me (1963) — The Beatles mostly recorded original compositions, and were the first mainstream performers to do so.  But during their earliest years, they performed several cover songs written by established artists.  The very best were Motown originals such as Money, Shout, and You Really Got a Hold on Me.  This tune originally written by Smokey Robinson (Miracles) in 1962, was to be one of The Beatles’ favorite studio songs for many years.  Not only did they record this version on their own in 1963, their recording sessions over the years often warmed up with this chestnut.  Indeed, one of the highest compliments to any musician is having his/their work covered by another artist.  The Beatles paid the Motown sound the supreme compliment by covering this tune (and others) during one of their earliest recording sessions.

4.  Within You Without You (1967) — This is a song many of us skipped over when we first heard the Sergeant Pepper album.  No one liked it.  In fact, we rockers hated it.  This is George Harrison on his beloved sitar performing a song that sounds like it’s right out of India.  Imagine if you will, the world’s most popular rock band posting this “weird” song on what’s widely considered to be the greatest album in rock n’ roll history.  Bold, daring, controversial, despised, and over the course of time now acknowledged as yet another groundbreaking moment for the group, Within You Without You is such a departure from mainstream rock n’ roll, virtually to the point of being offensive, that it deserves our admiration as yet another exemplification of pushing the boundaries of expectation.  Performers tend to give the audience what they want to hear.  But in the case of The Beatles, the group proved themselves to be actual artists, asking their audience to grow and try to connect with new sounds, cultures, and ways of looking at life.  They didn’t always succeed.  But they asked us to consider the possibilities.

3.  Something (1969) — Frank Sinatra called Something, “the greatest love song of the past 50 years,” an astounding compliment.  The story goes that while “Old Blue Eyes” was still married to the much younger actress Mia Farrow, she put the Abbey Road album on the couple’s living room turntable, music which Sinatra hated.  But once he heard Something, Sinatra was so impressed with the song that he performed it during most of his concerts over the next thirty years.  George Harrison wrote this song during his most creative period, which was towards the end of the group’s existence.  In fact, he built up such a backlog of excellent songs that his first album as a solo artist, All Things Must Pass (1971) became a three-album set — virtually unheard of at that time, or since then.  This is a beautiful song made even more poignant by the backdrop of very real romances of each of the four Beatles.  In this video, we see each of the members of the group falling in love and realizing there’s a life after The Beatles.  The group would dissolve less than a year after this song was released.

2.  I’ve Got a Feeling (1969) — One of the last and greatest Lennon-McCartney duets.  Stunning McCartney vocals and energy completely steals the scene away from Lennon.  Recorded atop the Apple offices in London’s central business district on a cold blustery day in January 1969, this would be the group’s last “public” concert.  Part of the then-called “Get Back” recording sessions, this song is a perfect mix of over-the-top musical power and marvelous synergy between the two leads.  One wishes this song might have been polished a bit more, but then the imperfect version also reveals the group to be quite capable of live performers had they continued touring.  Guest keyboardist Billy Preston’s improvisation on the electric piano also gives this song just the right edginess, which simply can’t quite be captured in the more sterile environment of the recording studio.  Flawed, imperfect, raspy, and astoundingly brilliant, this song foreshadows the kind of unique sound The Beatles likely would have produced had they stayed together as a band and played into the 1970s.  You almost hear an entirely new sound emerging here, which isn’t quite developed to full maturity.  Indeed, The Beatles were never known for their live performances.  But these few precious moments reveal the magic and the potential.  At the time this song was recorded, no one knew this would be close to the group’s end.  This song was released more than a year after it was recorded, and months after the group announced it had disbanded.  The clip above is a nice mix of the Let It Be sessions interspersed with film from the actual recording.

1.  Rain (1966) — This is a stunning creation way ahead of its time.  Recorded in the interim period between the young and innocent period (1963-1965) and the drug-infused Sergeant Pepper phase (1967), many Beatles fans cite this as this era when The Beatles were at their creative height, unmatched by any other musical entity in the world.  Oddly enough, Rain didn’t appear on the famed Revolver album released about the same time, which is arguably the most transitional collection of songs ever recorded.  Indeed, Rain was largely overshadowed by three other monumental works released at the same time, including Paperback Writer (Side A), Strawberry Fields Forever, and Penny Lane.  As strong as those other three songs are, Rain may actually be better.  First, this is Ringo Starr’s best work as a drummer, hands down.  Never known for working particularly hard, Starr later admitted that he rehearsed these drum sequences more than any other song.  His unique drumming sound is enhanced by being left-handed, which makes this somewhat difficult for others to re-create.  Then, there’s McCartney’s driving bass, which peels plaster off the walls.  This isn’t a lame 1966 sound — it could have come out in the 1980s and probably been a hit all the same.  The lyric is also Lennon as his very best, ridiculing the hypocrisy of society.  Alas, people complain whether it rains or it shines.  Listen carefully to the lyric  — If the rain comes, they run and hide their heads, they might as well be dead…..when the sun shines, they slip into the shade, and drink their lemonade.  So Lennon surmises people aren’t happy whether the sun shines or it’s raining.  Brilliant.  This clip is also historically important as it represents the first real MTV-style clip.  Back then, music videos consisted of performances inside the studio or on stage.  For the first time, The Beatles shattered conventional practices and filmed a music video.  Moreover, this is the first track to use backward music as the clip shows (listen carefully to the closing 30 seconds where RAIN is sung backward in the fade).  This video was shot in late 1966 at Kew Gardens in South London.  It’s a remarkable song and video that is at least a decade ahead of its time.