The Second Coming - The Beatles' 1972 Album and Solo Projects

Yep, I've pretty much decided upon a retcon for The Second Coming; the Beatles end up releasing an album for 1972 after all. That's the funny thing about stories, isn't it? Sometimes, they just don't go the way you want them to, and they end up taking a life of their own. So, here it is, the 1972 Beatles album that now is...

Ram (July 28, 1972)

Side A (20:38)

1. Back Off Boogaloo - 3:19 (Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo Starr)

2. Power to the People - 3:22 (Imagine; Take 7)

3. Give Ireland Back to the Irish - 3:44 (Wild Life)

4. Crippled Inside - 3:47 (Imagine)

5. That Would Be Something - 2:38 (McCartney)

6. Deep Blue - 3:47 (Living in the Material World)

Side B (20:05)

7. Too Many People - 4:10 (Ram)

8. Sunday Bloody Sunday - 5:00 (Some Time in New York City)

9. Miss O'Dell - 2:33 (Living in the Material World)

10. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey - 4:49 (Ram)

11. Happy Xmas (War is Over) - 3:33 (Gimme Some Truth: The Ultimate Mixes)

Fresh from the success of their Imagine album and the Concert for Bangladesh, the Beatles recorded a few tracks for a potential follow-up - "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey", "Back Off Boogaloo", "Crippled Inside" and "Miss O'Dell". However, John, Paul and George were at the crossroads; each of them had more than enough material to fill up two sides of an album, and even if they made a double album, some tracks were bound to be cut. And so, it was decided that they would each put out a solo album for next year, save for Ringo, who had released his own solo album earlier that same year, Sentimental Journey. The Beatles do end up recording a single for the Christmas market, John's "Happy Xmas (War is Over)", with George's "Miss O'Dell" as the B-side.

1972 began with a literal bang as thirteen people were killed in a massacre in Northern Ireland (a fourteenth died months later from his injuries), later to be known as Bloody Sunday. John and Paul, both of Irish descent themselves, got together with Ringo in New York to record four new songs under the Beatles' name - George was too busy with his solo album, so John and Paul both took turns on lead guitar. "Give Ireland Back to the Irish" was released as a single on February 25, the first to be written by Lennon/McCartney in two years, and it was banned by the BBC despite reaching #16 there.

The four songs recorded in New York - "Give Ireland...", "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "Power to the People" and "Too Many People" - helped to further build upon the next Beatles album, as did a 1970 solo recording by Paul, "That Would Be Something", and an outtake from the Imagine sessions, "Deep Blue". The resulting album was Ram, one of the most scattershot and inconsistent albums in the Beatles' discography to date, and their first to have no involvement from George Martin whatsoever. Critical reception was rather dismal by the band's standards, becoming their first album to not reach the top spot in either the United States for the United Kingdom. However, the first single, "Back Off Boogaloo", managed to chart in the Top 10 in both countries, but the second single, "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey", was only released in the United States, where it reached #1.

The Beatles would partake in one final recording session in October for "Live and Let Die", the theme song for the James Bond film of the same name, with George Martin back in the producer's chair. It was during this session that the band discussed where to go next for 1973...

Singles:

• "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" / "Miss O'Dell" - December 1, 1971
• "Give Ireland Back to the Irish" / "Sunday Bloody Sunday" - February 25, 1972
• "Back Off Boogaloo" / "Crippled Inside" - May 12, 1972
• "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" / "Deep Blue" - July 31, 1972
• "Live and Let Die" / "Power to the People" - June 1, 1973

Does Ram have any effect in the long run? For the most part, no. However, I can see said album being ranked by critics amongst the Beatles' lower reaches of their talents, although it will have its share of defenders, largely because of "Back Off Boogaloo" and "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" being the album's biggest songs, as well as "Too Many People" (which I've re-interpreted as being a jab against politicians) for sounding relevant today. But overall, Ram is an underdog that we root for, even though we know it won't succeed in the end.

And as a bonus, the solo albums by John, Paul, George and Ringo during the 1972-1975 period: (For those who are wondering, Sentimental Journey is released on March 26, 1971 with the inclusion of "Stormy Weather" on Side A as track five and the official version of "Good Night" to close off Side B.)

Paul McCartney - Wild Life (May 15, 1972)

Side A (23:59)

1. Oo You - 2:48 (McCartney)

2. Smile Away - 3:51 (Ram)

3. Ram On - 3:00 (Ram)

4. Oh Woman, Oh Why - 4:36 (Ram)

5. Man We Was Lonely - 2:56 (McCartney)

6. Wild Life - 6:48 (Wild Life)

Side B (24:02)

7. Heart of the Country/Can You Take Me Back - 2:48 (Ram/The White Album)

8. Monkberry Moon Delight - 5:21 (Ram)

9. Maxwell's Silver Hammer - 3:39 (Anthology 3)

10. Long Haired Lady - 5:54 (Ram)

11. Little Lamb Dragonfly - 6:20 (Red Rose Speedway)

Wild Life serves as TTL's equivalent to Paul's solo Ram from OTL; a forerunner in indie pop music. A good chunk of this album comes from OTL's Ram, along with the title track from Wild Life (I like to imagine a shortened version, eliminating the repeated lines and shorter instrumentals), a couple of holdovers from McCartney and two Beatles outtakes ("Can You Take Me Back" is unlisted, serving as an interlude, and "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" feels better off as a Paul solo song). "Little Lamb Dragonfly" was first started on back in 1970, and it works well as an album closer. Oh, and "Ram On" is now a single track, with the opening to "Big Barn Bed" removed at the end.

John Lennon - John Lennon and the Dirty Plastic Band (June 12, 1972)

Side A (20:48)

1. Mother - 5:34 (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band)

2. It's So Hard - 2:29 (Imagine; Take 6)

3. Attica State - 2:54 (Some Time in New York City)

4. Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey - 2:24 (The White Album)

5. Isolation - 2:51 (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band)

6. I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier - 4:36 (Imagine; Take 11)

Side B (21:35)

7. Bring on the Lucie (Freda Peeple) - 4:12 (Mind Games)

8. John Sinclair - 3:28 (Some Time in New York City)

9. Angela - 4:06 (Some Time in New York City)

10. Well Well Well - 5:59 (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band)

11. How? - 3:47 (Imagine; Take 31)

12. Nutopian International Anthem - 0:03 (Mind Games)

Again, I compiled whatever leftover tracks I could from both Plastic Ono Band and Imagine, and even threw in a few non-Ireland tracks from Some Time in New York City as well as "Everybody's Got Something to Hide" to offset the heavier stuff. I've used alternate takes of the Imagine tracks featured to give the album more of a raw sound. I've also recently heard about Some Time having an ultimate mix this year, and if there are alternate versions present, I'll use those here. "Bring on the Lucie" was first started in late 1971, which is contemporary with when these songs would be recorded.

And who are the Dirty Plastic Band themselves? Besides John himself, they consist of Klaus Voormann on bass guitar, Jim Keltner on drums, Nicky Hopkins on piano, and Duane Allman (who survives his motorcycle accident in 1971) on guitar.

George Harrison - Through Many Years (September 29, 1972)

Side A (19:37)

1. Window Window - 1:53 (All Things Must Pass 50th Anniversary)

2. My Sweet Lord - 4:38 (All Things Must Pass)

3. Going Down to Golders Green - 2:24 (All Things Must Pass 50th Anniversary)

4. I Dig Love - 4:55 (All Things Must Pass)

5. Cosmic Empire - 2:12 (All Things Must Pass 50th Anniversary)

6. I Live for You - 3:35 (All Things Must Pass)

Side B (19:24)

7. You - 3:41 (Extra Texture [Read All About It])

8. If Not for You - 3:29 (All Things Must Pass)

9. Try Some, Buy Some - 4:08 (Living in the Material World)

10. The Day the World Gets 'Round - 2:53 (Living in the Material World)

11. Om Hare Om (Gopala Krishna) - 5:13 (All Things Must Pass 50th Anniversary)

Not only have I included the All Things Must Pass tracks that didn't feature on previous Beatles albums, I even included some outtakes which I imagine would've sounded more complete. Why George never considered re-recording them for an album, I'll never understand. "You" and "Try Some, Buy Some" were both written around 1971 for Ronnie Spector to sing, but her recording of the former has yet to be released.

Paul McCartney - Red Rose Speedway (April 30, 1973)

Side A (21:55)

1. Night Out - 2:16 (Red Rose Speedway)

2. My Love - 4:07 (Red Rose Speedway)

3. Bluebird - 3:23 (Band on the Run)

4. When the Night - 3:38 (Red Rose Speedway)

5. Love is Strange - 4:50 (Wild Life)

6. Mama's Little Girl - 3:41 (Wild Life)

Side B (23:17)

7. Mamunia - 4:51 (Band on the Run)

8. Little Woman Love - 2:11 (Wild Life)

9. Single Pigeon - 1:52 (Red Rose Speedway)

10. Country Dreamer - 3:09 (Red Rose Speedway)

11. Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands of Love/Power Cut - 11:14 (Red Rose Speedway)

Like Wild Life above, I compiled this album by using tracks from 1972 that Paul was working on, as well as a few tracks from OTL's Wild Life that didn't make TTL's Wild Life. In addition, "Bluebird" is believed to have been written as early as 1970 or 1971, being first performed live in the latter year during a live interview, and I think it and "Mamunia" both fit pretty well. As a side note, Paul should've considered going for a solo career in the 1970s; who knows how much differently his reputation may have fared had he not tried doing things by himself?

George Harrison - Give Me Love (June 10, 1974)

Side A (21:05)

1. Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth) - 3:36 (Living in the Material World)

2. Mother Divine - 2:45 (All Things Must Pass 50th Anniversary)

3. The Light That Has Lighted the World - 3:31 (Living in the Material World)

4. Let It Be Me - 2:56 (Early Takes Volume 1)

5. Who Can See It - 3:52 (Living in the Material World)

6. Māya Love - 4:24 (Dark Horse)

Side B (21:50)

7. The Lord Loves the One (That Loves the Lord) - 4:34 (Living in the Material World)

8. See Yourself - 2:51 (Thirty-Three & ⅓)

9. Far East Man - 5:52 (Dark Horse)

10. Is It "He" (Jai Sri Krishna) - 4:50 (Dark Horse)

11. That is All - 3:43 (Living in the Material World)

One of two solo albums released during the Beatles' Mind Games-Between the Lines period, Give Me Love compiles the leftover tracks from both Living in the Material World and Dark Horse that didn't feature on any Beatles albums. A couple of more outtakes were also included to fill up Side A, even though "Let It Be Me" was recorded in 1983, the song was written back in 1955, so hopefully I'm not messing up any time frames here. "See Yourself" was first written back in 1967.

Ringo Starr - Loser's Lounge (November 25, 1975)

Side A (18:37)

1. Beaucoups of Blues - 2:33 (Beaucoups of Blues)

2. Sunshine Life for Me (Sail Away Raymond) - 2:45 (Ringo)

3. Fastest Growing Heartache in the West - 2:34 (Beaucoups of Blues)

4. Husbands and Wives - 3:34 (Goodnight Vienna)

5. Call Me - 4:07 (Goodnight Vienna)

6. Down and Out - 3:04 (Ringo)

Side B (18:41)

7. All by Myself - 3:21 (Goodnight Vienna)

8. Cryin' - 3:18 (Ringo's Rotogravure)

9. Wine, Women and Loud Happy Songs - 2:18 (Beaucoups of Blues)

10. No No Song - 2:33 (Goodnight Vienna)

11. Coochy Coochy - 4:48 (Beaucoups of Blues)

12. Loser's Lounge - 2:23 (Beaucoups of Blues)

A rather unique entry in this section; the actual Beaucoups of Blues album consisted of songs written in Nashville and donated to Ringo to sing. Not only have I included some tracks from said album, I've also included some other country songs that Ringo recorded for both his 1973 album and Goodnight Vienna, as well as "Cryin'" from Rotogravure, even though it was recorded a year later, but it fits pretty well. I just like to add a little variation to the album.

I've also just realized that most of these albums are eleven tracks long, with Side A having six tracks and Side B five. I swear that this was completely unintentional on my part.