Reworked Beatles Albums and Compilations (1966-1970, 1978)

In honor of what could have been John Lennon's 83rd birthday - as well as the upcoming release of the final ever Beatles song "Now and Then" (it's about time they finished it!) - here's a post from me showing how a few select Beatles albums could've gone in how they distributed their non-album tracks.

A Collection of Beatles Oldies (But Goldies) (December 9, 1966)

Side A (16:13)

1. She Loves You - 2:21

2. From Me to You - 1:58

3. We Can Work It Out - 2:16

4. This Boy - 2:16

5. She's a Woman - 3:03

6. I Feel Fine - 2:20

7. Matchbox - 1:59

Side B (17:05)

8. Long Tall Sally - 2:03

9. Bad Boy - 2:21

10. Day Tripper - 2:50

11. I Call Your Name - 2:09

12. Slow Down - 2:56

13. Paperback Writer - 2:19

14. I Want to Hold Your Hand - 2:27

Ah yes, the first ever Beatles compilation album, released when it was believed the Beatles were finished, but really, they were working on Sgt. Pepper. The Beatles themselves didn't even like the album to the point that it was de-canonized in 1987, and Past Masters took its place the following year. A Collection of Beatles Oldies has a place in the heart of many Beatles' fans who missed out on the wave of Beatlemania in the mid-1960s, but is there a way to make the album once again fit within the canon?

First things first, I took out any songs that were previously included on the original British albums - "Help!", "Michelle", "Yesterday", "Yellow Submarine", "Can't Buy Me Love", "A Hard Day's Night", "Ticket to Ride" and "Eleanor Rigby" - as I want to focus solely on non-album tracks. Of the songs I picked as replacements, "This Boy" was a very popular song during the Beatles' 1964 tours, as was "She's a Woman", even being played at their final concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco - Paul even played it live solo for his MTV Unplugged performance. Both tracks also show up on Side A.

The Beatles' cover of "Bad Boy" - recorded for the American album Beatles VI - sticks out like a sore thumb. What's the point of buying a compilation just for a lackluster cover, many fans thought? Ideally, some would replace it with "Please Please Me" or "Love Me Do", but, keeping with the "no overlap" rule, I brought in the tracks from the Long Tall Sally EP so that "Bad Boy" wouldn't be the only cover included. "Long Tall Sally" is one of the Beatles' best covers, and it was also performed at their final concert at Candlestick Park as their encore (tragically, that was also when the tape ran out, cutting the performance short). Not only that, "Matchbox" gives Ringo a vocal spot, replacing "Yellow Submarine", and along with "Slow Down", the inclusion of a few more covers really sells the "oldies" part of the title more.

Sadly, George doesn't get any vocal representation here, but that was also the case with the official A Collection of Beatles Oldies, so fair's fair. Also, to better match the official albums, there are now fourteen tracks instead of sixteen.

One final change to the album was the artwork; instead of the 60s pop art drawing done by David Christian, I've opted to use the Beatles' joint painting "Images of a Woman", which was painted at their Tokyo Hilton suite over three nights, for the cover, giving the album more of a personal touch. I even used the same font that was featured on the Yesterday and Today album. I can't really say if my revisit of A Collection of Beatles Oldies is better than the official version, as it does lose some really strong songs, but if it means that overlap doesn't take place, then it's a sacrifice worth making.

Yellow Submarine (August 26, 1968)

Side A (21:30)

1. Yellow Submarine (Remix) - 2:52

2. Only a Northern Song - 3:24

3. All Together Now - 2:11

4. Hey Bulldog - 3:12

5. It's All Too Much - 6:26

6. Revolution - 3:25

Side B (20:11)

7. Hey Jude - 7:08

8. The Inner Light - 2:37

9. Lady Madonna - 2:18

10. Across the Universe - 3:49

11. You Know My Name (Look Up the Number) - 4:19

Magical Mystery Tour and Yellow Submarine are often viewed as being sister albums, since three songs from the latter album were recorded in 1967 and would've been at home on the former. But rather than mash the two albums together, I'm making Yellow Submarine a full-on Beatles album. The title track is the enhanced sound effects remix as found on the Revolver 2022 box set, and Side A ends with "Revolution" instead of "All You Need is Love". Side B consists of the remaining 1968 non-album tracks, as well as "Across the Universe" (first worked on during the "Lady Madonna" sessions) and "You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)" (being started on as early as 1967). As for the George Martin score? Let's assume they're part of an extended play released alongside the album.

Why the Beatles didn't consider going in this direction, I'll never understand. The Yellow Submarine film was released in July 1968, and the "Hey Jude" single the following month. Releasing the album then would've given the album a boost and tided fans over until the release of The White Album three months later.

Let It Be (May 9, 1969)

Side A (21:05)

1. The One After 909 - 3:08

2. All I Want is You - 3:55 [Dig a Pony]

3. I've Got a Feeling (Everybody Had a Hard Year) - 3:42

4. Old Brown Shoe - 3:40

5. Don't Let Me Down - 3:52

6. Get Back - 2:50

Side B (20:01)

7. You Know It Ain't Easy - 3:27 [The Ballad of John and Yoko]

8. On Our Way Home - 3:29 [Two of Us]

9. Maggie Mae - 0:45

10. Because You're Sweet and Lovely - 2:50 [For You Blue]

11. The Long and Winding Road - 3:32

12. Can You Dig It? - 1:54

13. Let It Be - 4:04

An update to my recreation of Let It Be that I did a couple of years ago. For this upgrade, I've dropped both "Not Guilty" and "Across the Universe" in favor of "Old Brown Shoe" and "The Ballad of John and Yoko", respectively, and held off on "All Things Must Pass" for a future project. The two new songs are both from a similar timeframe as the Get Back period, give or take a few months, and in order to fit the sound of the project, I've used the stripped versions as included on the Abbey Road 50th anniversary box set.

As for the track listing, Side A is unchanged save for "Old Brown Shoe", focusing on the three songs recorded live on the rooftop and the "Get Back"/"Don't Let Me Down" single. Side B is reshuffled and opens with "The Ballad of John and Yoko", followed up by "Two of Us", both retitled. I think it makes for a strong one-two opener, as John and Paul are singing about their respective lives, with the latter also singing about his friendship with John alongside his love for Linda. The pair then ham it up for "Maggie Mae" before delving into "For You Blue" (using its original title) and "The Long and Winding Road". The album concludes with a custom edit of the jam "Dig It" and the unedited take of "Let It Be", to which John remarks was "rather grand". In between tracks, I've kept the studio chatter to make it feel "live" throughout.

Even though only one song - "I Me Mine", recorded January 1970 - was cut, I like how this version of Let It Be flows, with one side being mostly electric and the other mostly acoustic.

Hot as Sun (April 17, 1970)

Side A (24:38)

1. It Don't Come Easy - 3:01 [remix]

2. Every Night - 2:31

3. Give Me Some Truth - 3:16 [Take 4; edit]

4. Let It Down - 4:13 [Take 1]

5. Teddy Boy (Mama Don't Worry) - 2:22

6. Jealous Guy - 4:14 [Take 29; edit]

7. Isn't It a Pity? - 5:01 [Take 27]

Side B (23:32)

8. Maybe I'm Amazed - 3:53

9. Oh My Love - 2:44 [Take 20; edit]

10. Junk in the Yard - 2:43 [extended edit]

11. Cold Turkey - 5:01 [Take 2; edit]

12. All Things Must Pass - 3:31 [Day 1 Demo; edit]

13. Falling Rain - 2:18 [Glasses/That Would Be Something; custom edit]

14. Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) - 3:22 [Take 10; edit]

Now here's a project that I've tweaked constantly until I'm fully satisfied with how it sounds, and will likely continue to do so. The last time I made an upgrade was back in February 2022, so what's changed since them?

Side A retains the "Easy"/"Night"/"Truth" opening sequence, and similarly closes with "Jealous Guy" and "Isn't It a Pity". In between, however, "Let It Down" and "Teddy Boy" are moved up from Side B, and "I Me Mine" is dropped. Side B, of course, has been given a major reshuffle, and it now opens with "Maybe I'm Amazed", Paul's finest solo song, followed up with "Oh My Love" and "Junk", a reverse from their original order. "Cold Turkey" comes next to fill the void left behind by "I Me Mine", and was actually suggested by John for the next Beatles single but rejected; now it gains a place on the album. Hot as Sun concludes with "All Things Must Pass", a custom edit of "Glasses" and "That Would Be Something", and John rounds things off with "Instant Karma".

Obviously, I didn't want to include anything from either Plastic Ono Band or Ram, as my thinking here was that following Hot as Sun's release, the Beatles take a hiatus so that they can focus on solo projects, but they leave the door open for another album if they're interested. All Things Must Pass has more than enough songs leftover to still make a complete album, and the leftover Imagine tracks could be mixed in with some of Yoko's songs from Fly, making it a Plastic Ono Band album. McCartney was a no-brainer to take songs from, and Hot as Sun essentially takes its place for release. The majority of the songs by John and George are either raw mixes or use alternate takes, and "It Don't Come Easy" is a custom stripped back remix; this was in order to match the sound of Paul's songs.

Is Hot as Sun really the Beatles album that wasn't? Maybe not, but it's at least one possibility, using mainly songs that were rejected from previous albums, with a couple of new ones thrown into the mix. I think what makes this believable is that it sounds like they're all in the same room; Klaus Voormann on bass is close enough to Paul, and Paul recorded his songs by himself, given that his solo debut sounded the most like the Beatles. What also helps is that John, George and Ringo appear on each others' songs, making it feel more like a group effort and not a collection of solo careers.

Another Day (April 17, 1970)

Side A (7:49)

1. Another Day - 3:41

2. Coochy Coochy - 4:08 [earlier fade out]

Side B (7:24)

3. Medley: Hot as Sun/I Me Mine - 3:04 [custom edit]

4. Oh Yoko! - 4:20 [Take 1; edit]

A bonus extended play that would've been released alongside Hot as Sun upon release. Another Day consists of songs that the Beatles wrote while together, but didn't fit what I had in mind for Hot as Sun. The title track is now part of a medley with "I Me Mine", the only actual Beatles song on the EP. I imagine that the instrumental would've been recorded as a jam between Paul, George and Ringo while John is away. Speaking of whom, he probably would've forced "Oh Yoko!" onto the group as a tit for tat against Paul for "forcing his granny music upon the group". (Typical ego madness between the pair, am I right?) The remaining track, "Coochy Coochy", goes back to the same timeframe as "It Don't Come Easy".

Rarities (December 2, 1978)

Side A (25:11)

1. Love Me Do (1962 Single Mix) - 2:24

2. Yes It Is - 2:43

3. One After 909 (1963 Version) - 2:56

4. You Know What to Do - 1:59

5. I'll Get You - 2:06

6. Thank You Girl - 2:04

7. Komm, gib mir deine Hand - 2:27

8. Sie liebt dich - 2:20

9. What's the New Mary Jane - 6:12

Side B (23:38)

10. Rain - 3:02

11. That Means a Lot - 2:27

12. If You've Got Trouble - 2:48

13. Come and Get It - 2:30

14. Not Guilty - 4:20

15. Leave My Kitten Alone - 2:57

16. I'm Down - 2:32

17. Christmas Time is Here Again - 3:02

The UK version of Rarities was originally included with the original studio albums (except Magical Mystery Tour) as part of The Beatles Collection in 1978, but was later released separately. Unusually for a compilation album, it included an array of non-album B-sides and tracks recorded for other projects like a German single, an extended play and a charity album. Like A Collection of Beatles Oldies, Rarities was superseded by Past Masters.

As a good chunk of songs have already been included on previous reworked albums - in this case, a record breaking ten - I set about filling the gaps with material that would eventually be released down the road. The album now starts with the original single version of "Love Me Do", featuring Ringo on drums, per the American version of Rarities. Eight of the "new" songs were considered for the unreleased Sessions album for a 1985 release, but it was rejected at the last minute by the surviving Beatles. The tenth remaining song, "You Know What to Do", remained unreleased until 1995, having been rediscovered two years prior. You could probably sub it in for "How Do You Do It?", also considered for Sessions, since they're more or less the same length. I kept the remaining seven songs in their original positions, but swapped "What's the New Mary Jane" and "Sie liebt dich" around as it feels awkward not having the two German songs back to back.

Also like A Collection of Beatles Oldies, I changed the cover to Rarities as the official version is quite plain. I utilized the Mount Rushmore portrait of the Beatles, as featured on the Love Songs compilation, to make it look a little more visually interesting. The color scheme isn't that much different from the official Rarities. I think this reworked Rarities has more of a unique selling point to it as Beatles fans can get not only the remaining tracks that haven't appeared on an album, but also some previously unheard songs from the archives. It's very much a combination of two separate ideas put onto a single project.

Final Thoughts

This was a fun little experiment to tackle, and one that I didn't think I needed to do. As it stands, the majority of the Beatles' official canon is unchanged, with the albums most affected being Yellow Submarine and Let It Be due to being released earlier. On top of this, we also now have versions of A Collection of Beatles Oldies and Rarities that fit snuggly amongst the official works, and we got a new Beatles album and extended play package for all of our troubles. And in the end, nothing was wasted and we gained new songs in the process.

Beatlesque Vol. 4 - "Between the Lines" (1978)

Well, the last post went down better than I'd anticipated! Fortunately for those of you who'd taken interest in the previous Beatlesque album All for Love, I've got several more lined up for publication. They'll be posted in a non-linear fashion as there are time periods that interest me more than others, but rest assured, there will be enough posts that'll keep this blog going up until at least autumn 2024.

I'm also going to establish some ground rules for this series, and they are as follows:

1. No songs by solo Beatles or relatives like Mike McGear and the Lennon sons (Julian and Sean). They'd most likely overshadow the rest of the songs included on these fake Beatles albums, and that wouldn't be fair.
2. No songs written by solo Beatles but recorded by other artists allowed; Badfinger's "Come and Get It" (written by Paul McCartney) and Gary Moore's "That Kind of Woman" (written by George Harrison) are prime examples of this.
3. No intentional Beatle parodies like the Rutles and Deface the Music by Todd Rundgren's Utopia.
4. No tracks written before 1970, the year the Beatles broke up; if you were expecting something like the Knickerbockers' "Lies" to show up at any point, sorry. I could end up doing a Vol. 0 at some point, creating a mid-1960s album that wasn't, but we'll see.
5. Only one track per artist; otherwise, most of these lists would feature multiple songs by Badfinger, ELO, Oasis, etc., thereby making this exercise pointless. I may list some songs towards the end of these posts that didn't make the cut; maybe they could be hypothetical B-sides? Speaking of which...
6. At least twelve songs per album must be included and the total length has to be below 50 minutes, per the limits of vinyl at the time. For the later albums, as shown with All for Love, that rule will not apply as much as those albums would have likely been released on CD anyway; however, for those who prefer vinyl, I'll list those as double albums.
7. If the songs included are unable to fit on a single vinyl record, then a double album shall be made. Again, this only applies to albums pre-1990, but it will not be enforced as much.

Now that those rules have been established, here's the next entry in Beatlesque, Between the Lines, focusing on the period of 1976-1979, and named for the John Lennon solo album that wasn't. This album as a whole just screams late 1970s, or at least, the non-disco side of that era.

Listen to the album

Side A

"Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" (Klaatu) - Ah yes, the band that everyone thought was the Beatles reunited under a pseudonym. Their debut album, 3:47 EST, was said to pick the Beatles as amongst Klaatu's influences, which was both a blessing and a curse for the group, although they didn't take being compared to the Fabs that seriously despite being flattered by it. Guitarist Dee Long even met Paul McCartney himself, who recalled that he'd been asked if he was actually singing "Calling Occuptants", but said he'd never heard of the song. Now that makes for a great rock and roll story!

"Hand in Hand" (Elvis Costello) - This deep cut from This Year's Model has some opening guitar feedback that evokes "It's All Too Much", and the music provides a Merseybeat shuffle, juxtaposing the dark lyrics.

"Carbona Not Glue" (The Ramones) - This track was originally a part of Leave Home before being removed due to legal reasons. Music journalist Legs McNeil called it "such a great song, so radio-friendly—like a song the Beatles or the Rolling Stones would have written if they were just starting out in 1976, with great harmonies and catchy lyrics."

"Spread Your Wings" (Queen) - Queen is another band who have sourced the Beatles as an influence on their work, and like the Fab Four, they've covered a lot of musical ground the time they've been together. John Deacon's narrative songwriting recalls the likes of "Eleanor Rigby" and "Penny Lane".

Side B

"Love is Like Oxygen" (Sweet) - Well known for their 1973 hit "Ballroom Blitz", Sweet's nearly seven-minute song off of Level Headed has often been confused in the past for being one by Electric Light Orchestra (more on them later) due to their similar sound. The vocals do sound almost Lennon/McCartney-esque, which may have further fueled the confusion.

"The Things We Do for Love" (10cc) - The subject matter in the lyrics is as Beatle-ish as it gets; a guy braves bad weather just to see his girlfriend when the phone lines are down. It's very much the "We Can Work It Out" of the 1970s. Co-writer Eric Stewart would later go on to collaborate with Paul McCartney for a few albums in the 1980s with rather interesting results.

"The Killing of Georgie (Part I and II)" (Rod Stewart) - Part II's melody was based upon that of "Don't Let Me Down". Apparently, John Lennon seemed to be cool with it, according to one of his final interviews in 1980.

Side C

"Voices" (Cheap Trick) - One of Cheap Trick's most well-beloved songs, this is definitely a song of theirs that sounds very close to what the Beatles might have recorded. Rick Nielson's guitar emulates that of George Harrison, and Robin Zander sings much like Paul McCartney does.

"This is Pop" (XTC) - Yet another band who wears their Beatles influence on their sleeves. According to Andy Partridge, the opening F chord was based upon that of "A Hard Day's Night".

"Julie's Been Working for the Drug Squad" (The Clash) - "It's Lucy in the sky and all kinds of apple pie."

"Mr. Blue Sky" (Electric Light Orchestra) - Why wouldn't "Mr. Blue Sky" be on a Beatles-inspired compilation? This is unquestionably the most Beatlesque song that wasn't recorded by the Beatles, so what can I say about this that hasn't been said already?

Side D

"Give a Little Bit" (Supertramp) - According to songwriter Roger Hodgson, the song took inspiration from "All You Need is Love". He would also preform it live with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band in 2001.

"See You Tonite" (Gene Simmons) - This was the Kiss lead singer's attempt at making a Beatlesque pop song. What helps that he got two of the performers from Beatlemania (Mitch Weissman, Joe Pecorino) to perform backing vocals on it.

"American Girl" (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) - I saw a Spotify playlist that listed this song as sounding like the Beatles. I looked around on the internet to see if there was merit to that, but my guess is that it's the imagery of the lyrics that's reminiscent of Lennon/McCartney. Some listeners upon release have compared the Heartbreakers to the Byrds, who, in turn, were once regarded as the American Beatles.

"Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" (Billy Joel) - Between the Lines opens and closes with a seven-minute epic! I think that makes for some interesting symmetry there. Billy Joel cited the Abbey Road medley as one of the influences for "Italian Restaurant", in which song fragments are stitched together to form a cohesive medley. Another track off of The Stranger, "Just the Way You Are", was listed by Paul McCartney as being one of the few songs he wished he'd written. I'd include it if I could, but perhaps in this scenario, it could be a B-side.

Final Thoughts

This is a pretty lengthy album overall, running at 63 minutes total. In fact, there's four songs that run for well over six minutes, with the first and final tracks running at over seven minutes! Even if I used single edits, that obviously wouldn't be enough to squeeze everything into a single disc, so you may as well make it a double album. I've compiled a shortened version of Between the Lines that mainly features the epic rockers, with the shortest track "Give a Little Bit" running at a little over four minutes:

Side A: Calling Occupants / Give a Little Bit / The Killing of Georgie / Mr. Blue Sky

Side B: Voices / Love is Like Oxygen / Spread Your Wings / Scenes from an Italian Restaurant

But overall, regardless of length, I enjoy this compilation. In fact, I'd dare say I prefer it to All for Love! Half of the time, I can almost picture the Beatles making an album like this, going for more of a space rock sound in their music, and it would've been very timely with the release of the first Star Wars film.

Beatlesque Songs That Didn't Make the Cut

As I mentioned in my rules above, I'll be listing songs that were excluded either due to space or because I preferred another song by a certain artist. First off, the songs that didn't make All for Love:

"Why Don't You Get a Job?" (The Offspring) - I'll get to it, just not there.

"All Around the World" (Oasis) - Sorry, folks; not gonna do it. Why? Let this take on this song by a certain shadowed music critic provide the answer.

And now, the song that didn't make Between the Lines:

"Just the Way You Are" (Billy Joel) - As I mentioned above, I can only go for one track per artist, and in Billy Joel's case, I ended up sticking with "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant".

Sources

• Jim Bessman's Ramones: An American Band (1993)
• Chalkhills: Song of the Week - Andy's Take: "This is Pop"
• Dayton Daily News' review of Queen's News of the World (1977)
• Timothy English's Sounds Like Teen Spirit (2007)
• Far Out Magazine's The Billy Joel song Paul McCartney wishes he wrote
• Goldmine Magazine's Being compared to The Beatles proved to be a mixed blessing for Klaatu
• Jeff Lynne Song Database: This is NOT Jeff Lynne
• Billy Joel's An Evening of Questions & Answers... & A Little Music (1997)
• PopMatters' deconstruction of Elvis Costello's This Year's Model (1978)
• Songfacts' interview with Roger Hodgson
• TJR's "4 Songs That Sound Like the Beatles... But Aren't"

Beatlesque Vol. 9 - "All for Love" (1997)

And now for something completely different.

Because the Beatles left a major impact on the music world despite recording together for only seven years, you'd be hard pressed to find an artist today that wasn't inspired by the band, either directly or indirectly. Many artists could tell you how much the Beatles inspired them in their youth, and some of their music has a Beatle-esque flavor to them, whether they know it or not. And that's what this post is all about; I've compiled fourteen tracks into a playlist that, in some form or another, took inspiration from the Beatles. Sometimes, it even sounds like something the Beatles themselves would've recorded.

For the first post in a potential series of possibly ten, I picked 1995-1998 as the timeframe for this false Beatles album and picked the name All for Love after the song that was rumored to exist during the Anthology era, but was never completed. Although it would've been theoretically released during a time where CDs were a popular format, I'll be splitting this album into four vinyl sides as it runs up to about 62 minutes total.

Listen to the album

Side A

"Beetlebum" (Blur) - There couldn't be a better way to kick off this Beatlesque playlist than a song that shows clear nods to the Beatles from an artistic view, especially in the chorus. Interestingly, this is also the first track on Blur's eponymous 1997 album. Stephen Thomas Erlewine described "Beetlebum" as "[running] through the White Album in the space of five minutes."

"What I Got" (Sublime) - The melody is very similar to that of "Lady Madonna". Outside of that, I didn't find much else talking about the influences taken from the Beatles. What's noteworthy, though, is that David Kahne, who produced this track, would later produce Paul's 2007 album Memory Almost Full, as well as his live album Back in the U.S.. Small world indeed.

"Big Me" (Foo Fighters) - Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain called John his favorite Beatle, even feeling a personal connection with him. Dave Grohl was also inspired by the Beatles from a young age, and "Big Me" almost sounds as if Paul had written it himself. Had Kurt not killed himself, one scenario for Nirvana is that Kurt and Dave could have become the Lennon/McCartney of grunge.

"Joel" (The Boo Radleys) - As part of an update to the track listing, I've decided to throw in this acoustic six-minute epic that includes backwards guitarwork akin to the Revolver era.

Side B

"Shine a Light" (The Apples in Stereo) - The second of six tracks that I wasn't originally going to include, but after listening to it, it definitely sounds a bit like the Beatles during their Rubber Soul days. The vocals sound a little like a mix between Lennon and McCartney.

"Not the Girl You Think You Are" (Crowded House) - Last minute entry #3; Neil Finn wrote this song as an homage to the Beatles, even writing it like they would've. As the last song released before Crowded House broke up first time around before reuniting, it almost feels like something from either Abbey Road or Let It Be.

"Sonnet" (The Verve) - A simple, aching ballad that's almost in the vein of "For No One". John is clearly present when Richard Ashcroft sings.

"Karma Police" (Radiohead) - The chord progression of the piano and acoustic guitar is very similar to that of "Sexy Sadie", and the title may be a reference to John's solo single "Instant Karma". In addition to this, according to a 1969 interview with John, Smokey Robinson's "I've Been Good to You" was one of his favorite songs, and the lyric "Look what you've done, you made a fool out of someone" was later loosely adopted for "Sexy Sadie". Perhaps indirectly, a link between Smokey and Radiohead had been established. How crazy is that?

Side C

"Lemon Tree" (Fool's Garden) - The fourth eleventh hour entry of the playlist; lyrically, this almost sounds like something John Lennon could've written during the early phase of his solo career, blended together with a juxtaposing Paul McCartney-esque medley. The backing vocals during the chorus are fairly reminiscent of "Girl".

"That Thing You Do!" (The Wonders) - Eleventh hour entry the fifth; although this was recorded by a fictional band for a film, it's too damn good to leave off. It sounds as if Lennon and McCartney could have written it during the Beatles' early years; appropriately, the film the song is in takes place in the 1960s.

"She's Electric" (Oasis) - I'm sure most of you were expecting "Wonderwall" to show up on this playlist, or maybe, if you're too much of a fan off excess, "All Around the World". However, I could only go for one track per artist; otherwise, this entire playlist would be Oasis songs from the 1990s, making his exercise pointless. Instead, I went with "She's Electric", which takes cues from the chorus of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and the outro of "With a Little Help from My Friends".

"Lily (My One and Only)" (Smashing Pumpkins) - A baroque pop number from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness that's akin to the likes of "When I'm Sixty-Four", "Martha My Dear" and "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", all written and sung by Paul. On an interesting note, "Lily (My One and Only)" was said to be about Billy Corgan's cat, and "Martha My Dear" was about Paul's sheepdog, which may further the belief that this was inspired by the Beatles. On the other hand, it may just be a random coincidence.

Side D

"My Before and After" (Cotton Mather) - The sixth and last of the last minute entries I included for the album. Stewart Mason of AllMusic described the album it was on, Kontiki, as "a brilliant fusion of the Beatles, Squeeze, Guided by Voices, and some less obvious influences." Cotton Mather were another band like the Apples in Stereo that I discovered as having drawn comparisons to the Beatles.

"All Those Yesterdays" (Pearl Jam) - This closing track from Yield almost sounds as if it was ripped straight out of the White Album; interestingly, both albums were released thirty years apart. The title also seems to riff on George's "All Those Years Ago". Maybe it could've been a co-write between John and George? On Yield, it's followed by a hidden track, "Hummus"; instead, on this album, it's followed up by...

"Indus" (Dead Can Dance) - It takes about halfway to get there, but this nine-minute instrumental borrows a bit from "Within You Without You", even crediting George as a songwriter after he gave them permission. My guess is that, after what he went through with the "He's So Fine"/"My Sweet Lord" lawsuit, he didn't want the same thing happening with DCD.

Final Thoughts

Interestingly enough, at least half of the songs inspired by the Beatles trace their origins to around the 1967-68 timeframe, with some taking influence from the White Album. It's rather fitting, of course, that the White Album is the Beatles' most eclectic album and never sits still for very long. All for Love is almost like the grandson of the White Album, covering genres like Britpop, garage rock, alternative rock, worldbeat and punk rock, therefore keeping the spirit of the Beatles alive.

That being said, I'd love to do another post like this if there's enough interest. I've already got a late 1970s Beatlesque album made, and I'm also planning one for the late 1980s and another for the mid to late 2000s. For each album, I'd like to pick out at least eight to twelve tracks from a specific time frame and then arrange them in a way that sounds cohesive. You can try this one out for yourselves if you like; your results may vary.

Sources

• "All Those Yesterdays" on The Daily Beatle
• "Beetlebum" on The Daily Beatle
• "Lily (My One and Only)" on The Daily Beatle
• "Sonnet" on The Daily Beatle
• Cotton Mather on Powerpopulist
• David Bennett's "6 Songs That 'Rip Off' Beatles Songs"
• "10 Perfect Rock Music Songs That Were Inspired by The Beatles" on WhatCulture (entries #10 and #4)

An Alternate Wings Discography + Paul McCartney's Early 1980s Output

When the Beatles broke up, they all went on their own solo endeavors. Paul McCartney, not wanting to do things without a band, hastily formed a new group in 1971 that he dubbed Wings. With himself, his wife Linda and former Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine as the group's three permanent members, Wings were mostly a critical disappointment. Although they had hits like "Live and Let Die" and the entire Band on the Run album, it was largely a vehicle for Paul's solo career brought on by the fact that he was a former Beatle until they broke up in 1981.

Could things have turned out differently for Wings had Paul made some different choices? That's what this post is all about!

Wild Life (1971)

Side A (19:07)

1. Wild Life - 4:49 [edit]

2. Little Woman Love - 2:08 (Ram)

3. Bip Bop/Hey Diddle - 3:35 (Wingspan: Hits and History)

4. I Am Your Singer - 2:15

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

Side B (19:29)

6. Mumbo - 3:54

7. Get on the Right Thing - 4:17 (Red Rose Speedway)

8. Tomorrow - 3:28

9. Some People Never Know - 3:56 [edit]

10. Dear Friend - 3:54 [edit]

Often viewed as Wings' worst album, Wild Life is a bit of a mess that really lacks a certain level of polish, especially as this was right off the heels of Ram, which, in retrospect, became regarded as one of Paul's best albums. Paul had more than enough material for a proper follow-up to Ram, as "Get on the Right Thing" and "Little Lamb Dragonfly" were recorded during those sessions yet they were not included on an album until 1973. I'm rectifying this by including them on this revised Wild Life and giving the album a little more polish. In addition, three songs were edited down to trim the fat and improve the pacing of the album. Overall, Wild Life is still not a great album, but it is at least an improvement over what was officially released.

Red Rose Speedway (1973)

Side A (20:09)

1. Big Barn Bed - 3:48

2. I Lie Around - 5:01

3. When the Night - 3:38

4. Mama's Little Girl - 3:45

5. Seaside Woman - 3:57

Side B (19:52)

6. Live and Let Die - 3:12

7. Only One More Kiss - 2:28

8. Night Out - 2:16

9. I Would Only Smile - 3:23

10. Best Friend (Live) - 3:59

11. The Mess (Live) - 4:34

Side C (20:27)

12. My Love - 4:07

13. Hold Me Tight (I've Waited All My Life)/Lazy Dynamite - 5:12

14. Jazz Street - 5:08

15. Hands of Love/Power Cut - 6:00

Side D (20:28)

16. Loup (First Indian on the Moon) - 4:23

17. C Moon - 4:34

18. Tragedy - 3:21

19. Single Pigeon - 1:52

20. Country Dreamer - 3:10

21. Hi, Hi, Hi - 3:08

Red Rose Speedway was originally intended to be a double album, but it ended up being cut down to a single album, meaning fans only got half the story regarding its extremely productive sessions. Several other tracks that were recorded during those sessions ended up being released as singles or left in the vaults until 2018. Having moved "Little Lamb Dragonfly" and "Get on the Right Thing" onto the revised Wild Life, that left plenty of room to include more non-album tracks like "Live and Let Die" and "Hi, Hi, Hi", which really helps to give Wings more rock credibility. The resulting album may seem esoteric, but so was The White Album. The first disc is largely Wings as a group effort, and the second is Paul doing what he loves best - silly love songs and other assorted genres.

Band on the Run is released as is, with "Helen Wheels" appearing in the middle of Side B per the North American release. No reason to change it whatsoever.

Hot Hits & Cold Cuts (1974)

Side A (22:54)

1. Another Day - 3:42

2. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey - 4:41

3. Give Ireland Back to the Irish - 3:44

4. Mary Had a Little Lamb - 3:32

5. Hi, Hi, Hi - 3:08

6. My Love - 4:07

Side B (24:22)

7. Live and Let Die - 3:12

8. Helen Wheels - 3:46

9. Jet - 4:09

10. Band on the Run - 5:12

11. Sally G - 3:40

12. Junior's Farm - 4:23

Side C (23:48)

13. A Love for You* - 4:08

14. I Lie Around - 5:01

15. Love is Strange* - 4:14

16. Walking in the Park with Eloise* - 3:10

17. Oriental Nightfish* - 2:49

18. The Back Seat of My Car - 4:26

Side D (23:09)

19. Oh Woman, Oh Why - 4:35

20. Wide Prairie* - 4:33

21. Send Me the Heart* - 3:35

22. Bridge on the River Suite* - 3:11

23. Seaside Woman - 3:57

24. Thank You Darling* - 3:18

Ah yes, the infamous Paul McCartney compilation album that never came to be. He went through so many iterations between 1974 and 1987 before ultimately scrapping the project for good. For this scenario, I'm imaging that the first disc consisted of all of his Top 20 hits in the United Kingdom and the United States as well as the new single "Junior's Farm" and "Sally G", tacked on at the end as new tracks. The second disc is primarily outtakes from 1970-1974, as well as a few tracks that were released as lead singles or B-sides. "The Back Seat of My Car" peaked at #39 in the United Kingdom, and "Seaside Woman" at #59 in the United States. "Oh Woman, Oh Why" and "I Lie Around" are the B-sides to "Another Day" and "Live and Let Die", respectively. Hot Hits & Cold Cuts becomes Paul's final release under Apple Records, as I believe was originally intended.

Once again, nothing changes about either Venus and Mars or Wings at the Speed of Sound.

London Town (1977)

Side A (23:51)

1. I've Had Enough - 3:02

2. Café on the Left Bank - 3:25

3. Don't Let It Bring You Down - 4:34

4. Name and Address - 3:07

5. London Town - 4:10

6. Children Children - 2:20

7. With a Little Luck - 3:13

Side B (23:38)

8. Girls' School - 4:38

9. Deliver Your Children - 4:17

10. Famous Groupies - 3:34

11. Mull of Kintyre - 4:42

12. Morse Moose and the Grey Goose - 6:27

"Mull of Kintyre" was the biggest non-charity single of the United Kingdom after it was first released, and the fact that it was excluded from London Town was a decision that ended up hurting the album. Around that time, Jimmy McCulloch and Joe English had left Wings, once again leaving the band as a trio. "Girlfriend" and the "Backwards Traveler/Cuff Link" medley were recorded after Jimmy and Joe left, so they are thereby excluded, assuming London Town was released in time for the Christmas market. "I'm Carrying" was recorded prior to their departure, but I excluded it to make room for "Mull of Kintyre" and "Girls' School", making it feel more like a Wings album, as well as the final part of a trilogy that includes Venus and Mars and Wings at the Speed of Sound.

Back to the Egg (1978)

Side A (22:51)

1. Rockestra Theme - 2:35

2. Getting Closer - 3:22

3. So Glad to See You Here - 3:20

4. Spin It On - 2:12

5. Again and Again and Again - 3:34

6. Old Siam, Sir - 4:11

7. Arrow Through Me - 3:37

Side B (25:28)

8. Daytime Nighttime Suffering - 3:23

9. To You - 3:12

10. Weep for Love - 4:32 (Japanese Tears)

11. Winter Rose/Love Awake - 4:58

12. Maisie - 2:12 (Standard Time)

13. Goodnight Tonight - 4:22 (McCartney II)

14. Baby's Request - 2:49

Much like the situation with "Mull of Kintyre" and "Girls' School" being excluded from London Town, "Goodnight Tonight" and "Daytime Nighttime Suffering" both should've been on Back to the Egg. How the album would've fared with them, no one can say for sure, but I'm pretty sure it would've charted better, along with proper promotion on Capitol Records' part. To make Back to the Egg feel like the beginning of Wings 3.0, I brought forth Denny's "Weep for Love" and Laurence Juber's "Maisie" to replace "Reception", "We're Open Tonight", the "After the Ball/Million Miles" medley and "The Broadcast", and I moved "Rockestra Theme" and "So Glad to See You Here" to Side A.

McCartney II (1979)

Side A (22:44)

1. Front Parlor - 3:32

2. Temporary Secretary - 3:14

3. On the Way - 3:38

4. Mr. H Atom - 2:23

5. Summer's Day Song - 3:25

6. You Know I'll Get You Baby - 3:33

7. Bogey Wobble - 2:59

Side C (21:14)

8. Darkroom - 2:20

9. One of These Days - 3:35

10. Secret Friend - 5:14

11. Waterfalls - 3:20

12. Nobody Knows - 2:52

13. Coming Up - 3:53

And now for something completely different; this re-arranging of McCartney II is based upon Paul's proposed track listing for the album before it was cut down and some songs left in the vaults until 2011. The first side is basically the second with "Front Parlor" starting things off, while the second side is an abridgement of the second disc. "Secret Friend" is the shortened edit that's on The 7" Singles Box, released not too long ago.

Wings Greatest 1975-1980 (1980)

Side A (14:47)

1. Listen to What the Man Said - 3:57

2. Letting Go - 3:36

3. Venus and Mars/Rock Show - 3:46

4. Silly Love Songs - 3:28

Side B (16:47)

5. Let 'Em In - 3:42

6. Maybe I'm Amazed (Live) - 5:10

7. Mull of Kintyre - 4:42

8. With a Little Luck - 3:13

Side C (15:45)

9. I've Had Enough - 3:02

10. London Town - 4:10

11. Goodnight Tonight - 4:22

12. Old Siam, Sir - 4:11

Side D (14:56)

13. Getting Closer - 3:22

14. Arrow Through Me - 3:37

15. Coming Up (Live) - 4:08

16. Wonderful Christmastime - 3:49

A compilation of all of Wings' Top 40 singles in the UK and US from 1975 to 1980. For American releases, "Girls' School" replaces "Mull of Kintyre", and for single disc releases, "Letting Go", "Maybe I'm Amazed (Live)", "I've Had Enough" and "Old Siam, Sir" are cut. Yeah, even with single edits, the double disc version of Wings Greatest 1975-1980 is pretty lengthy.

Tug of War (1981)

Side A (22:46)

1. Tug of War - 4:22

2. Take It Away - 4:14

3. Average Person - 4:33 (Pipes of Peace)

4. Somebody Who Cares - 3:19

5. Keep Under Cover - 3:05 (Pipes of Peace)

6. Rainclouds - 3:13

Side B (21:34)

7. Ballroom Dancing - 4:07

8. The Pound is Sinking - 2:54

9. Wanderlust - 3:49

10. No Values - 4:12 (Give My Regards to Broad Street)

11. Dress Me Up as a Robber - 2:41

12. Ebony and Ivory - 3:50

Wings broke up in 1981, and part of that came down to Paul being afraid to go on tour in case he got hurt, especially given that this was after John Lennon had been killed. In addition to this, Denny Laine had become dissatisfied with his role in Wings, having decided to leave in April that same year, though he still contributed a little to Paul's Tug of War and Pipes of Peace. My reimagining for these two albums is fairly straightforward; make them about Paul as much as possible. Tug of War focuses mainly on the sessions from November 30, 1980 to February 28, 1981, when "Ebony and Ivory" was recorded, for which I've used the solo version. I'd imagine that the duet version with Stevie Wonder, along with "What's That You're Doing", would be a standalone single.

Pipes of Peace (1983)

Side A (20:54)

1. Pipes of Peace - 3:56

2. Say Say Say - 3:55

3. The Other Me - 3:58

4. I'll Give You a Ring - 3:09 (Tug of War)

5. Be What You See/Christian Bop - 2:36 (Tug of War/Pipes of Peace)

6. So Bad - 3:20

Side B (19:17)

7. Not Such a Bad Boy - 3:19 (Give My Regards to Broad Street)

8. Sweetest Little Show - 2:54

9. Ode to a Koala Bear - 3:48

10. Hey Hey - 2:54

11. Tug of Peace - 2:54

12. Through Our Love - 3:28

Much like the official Pipes of Peace, my take on it collects the leftover tracks from the late 1980-early 1981 sessions ("I'll Give You a Ring", "Be What You See/Christian Bop", "Sweetest Little Show", "Ode to a Koala Bear", "Hey Hey") that didn't fit my take on Tug of War, along with the new songs that were recorded between May 1981 ("Say Say Say") and March 1983 ("Not Such a Bad Boy"). "The Man" has been relegated to a B-side for "Say Say Say", and "We All Stand Together" was passed over due to not fitting the theme of the album.

The Second Coming - The Beatles Definitive Discography (1963-1976)

I've already done a few individual posts on this, but since doing so, something in my head had been telling me to make some upgrades to my Beatles albums for Strawberry Peppers: The Second Coming, mostly the 70s albums. I guess I should've seen that coming, but here we are, and here is (hopefully) the definitive version of the Beatles' album discography for The Second Coming!

Like what I've done with the original posts, I'm going off of the idea that the Beatles put out all original songs from the get-go, as a suggestion made by Brian Epstein.

Please Please Me (April 12, 1963)

Side A (15:27)

1. I Saw Her Standing There - 2:55

2. Misery - 1:49

3. Hello Little Girl - 1:40 (Anthology 1)

4. Thank You Girl - 2:04 (Past Masters)

5. Like Dreamers Do - 2:36 (Anthology 1)

6. Ask Me Why - 2:24

7. Please Please Me - 1:59

Side B (14:22)

8. Love Me Do - 2:24 (Past Masters)

9. P.S. I Love You - 2:04

10. Do You Want to Know a Secret - 1:56

11. Cry for a Shadow - 2:22 (Anthology 1)

12. Love of the Loved - 1:47 (I Saw Her Standing There)

13. There's a Place - 1:51

14. From Me to You - 1:58 (Past Masters)

Unable to afford more studio time, the Beatles resorted to including their upcoming single, "From Me to You", on their debut album, resulting in it being delayed by three weeks. As that wasn't enough, they turned to their audition tape for Decca to include three more original songs - "Hello Little Girl", "Like Dreamers Do" and "Love of the Loved" - and even included the one original song from the Tony Sheridan sessions, the instrumental "Cry for a Shadow" credited to George and John. Although Please Please Me was rather disjointed in terms of quality, especially with the presence of three different drummers, it sold well commercially and critics praised the songwriting of Lennon and McCartney. Clearly, they were destined for greater things...

With the Beatles (November 22, 1963)

Side A (14:40)

1. It Won't Be Long - 2:13

2. All I've Got to Do - 2:02

3. All My Loving - 2:07

4. Don't Bother Me - 2:28

5. Little Child - 1:46

6. I'll Be on My Way - 1:58 (Live at the BBC)

7. I'll Get You - 2:06 (Past Masters)

Side B (15:51)

8. She Loves You - 2:21 (Past Masters)

9. Hold Me Tight - 2:32

10. This Boy - 2:16 (Past Masters)

11. I Call Your Name - 2:09 (Past Masters)

12. I Wanna Be Your Man - 1:59

13. Not a Second Time - 2:07

14. I Want to Hold Your Hand - 2:27 (Past Masters)

The Beatles were kept busy between July and October, recording for their sophomore album and doing shows in between. And yet With the Beatles was an album that exceeded Please Please Me in terms of songwriting quality, especially the two singles "She Loves You" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand", both managing to make it big in the United States. Suddenly, Beatlemania was in full swing.

A Hard Day's Night (July 10, 1964)

Side A (16:23)

1. A Hard Day's Night - 2:34

2. I Should Have Known Better - 2:43

3. If I Fell - 2:19

4. I'm Happy Just to Dance with You - 1:56

5. And I Love Her - 2:30

6. Tell Me Why - 2:09

7. Can't Buy Me Love - 2:12

Side B (15:58)

8. Any Time at All - 2:11

9. One and One is Two - 2:11 (fan remix)

10. I'll Cry Instead - 1:45

11. Things We Said Today - 2:35

12. When I Get Home - 2:17

13. You Can't Do That - 2:35

14. I'll Be Back - 2:24

The world simply couldn't get enough of the Beatles. So much so, in fact, that a film starring the Fab Four was inevitable. With director Richard Lester at the helm, A Hard Day's Night focused on a fictionalized account of the Beatles' daily lives in which they prepare for a show while also dealing with Paul's troublemaking grandfather played by Wilfrid Brambell. A soundtrack album was recorded to go along with the film, and like With the Beatles, it improved upon the previous album in terms of quality.

Beatles for Sale (December 4, 1964)

Side A (16:36)

1. No Reply - 2:15

2. I'm a Loser - 2:30

3. Baby's in Black - 2:04

4. One After 909 - 2:56 (Anthology 1)

5. I'll Follow the Sun - 1:49

6. You Know What to Do - 1:59 (Anthology 1)

7. She's a Woman - 3:03 (Past Masters)

Side B (17:37)

8. Eight Days a Week - 2:43

9. Michelle - 2:40 (Rubber Soul)

10. What Goes On - 2:47 (Rubber Soul)

11. Every Little Thing - 2:04

12. I Don't Want to Spoil the Party - 2:33

13. What You're Doing - 2:30

14. I Feel Fine - 2:20 (Past Masters)

As the end of 1964 drew to a close, the Beatles were feeling burnout from having to tour alongside recording three albums and a slew of #1 hits. When it came to recording Beatles for Sale, they once again dipped into their archives by bringing in older songs like "One After 909" and "What Goes On", as well as helping George complete his second song for the group, "You Know What to Do". There was a pretty heavy Bob Dylan influence on the album, which pointed towards a maturing direction in their songwriting.

Help! (August 6, 1965)

Side A (17:01)

1. Help! - 2:18

2. The Night Before - 2:34

3. You've Got to Hide Your Love Away - 2:09

4. I Need You - 2:28

5. Another Girl - 2:05

6. You're Going to Lose That Girl - 2:18

7. Ticket to Ride - 3:09

Side B (16:46)

8. I've Just Seen a Face - 2:05

9. It's Only Love - 1:56

10. You Like Me Too Much - 2:36

11. Wait - 2:12 (Rubber Soul)

12. If You've Got Trouble - 2:48 (Anthology 2)

13. Yesterday - 2:05

14. I'm Down - 2:32 (Past Masters)

Once again, the Beatles found themselves starring in another feature film directed by Richard Lester; this time in a comedy-adventure film in which they have to protect Ringo from an eastern cult and a pair of mad scientists who want to obtain a sacrificial ring sent to him by a fan. As with A Hard Day's Night before it, Help! was recorded as a soundtrack for the film, with the most notable song being "Yesterday", penned by Paul and would go on to have well over two thousand covers of it, although the song did not appear in the film.

Rubber Soul (December 3, 1965)

Side A (17:37)

1. Drive My Car - 2:25

2. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) - 2:01

3. You Won't See Me - 3:18

4. Nowhere Man - 2:40

5. Think for Yourself - 2:16

6. The Word - 2:41

7. We Can Work It Out - 2:16 (Past Masters)

Side B (17:22)

8. Day Tripper - 2:50 (Past Masters)

9. Girl - 2:30

10. I'm Looking Through You - 2:23

11. In My Life - 2:24

12. That Means a Lot - 2:26 (Anthology 2)

13. If I Needed Someone - 2:20

14. Run for Your Life - 2:18

Despite being recorded within a month for the Christmas market, Rubber Soul was once again a new peak for the Beatles in terms of songwriting. Musically speaking, it was their first album in which they would get more experimental, including instrumentation from the sitar, harmonium and fuzz bass. Pop music was now starting to change from a passing fad to an art form, and many music artists down the road would have the Beatles to thank for that.

Revolver (August 5, 1966)

Side A (18:33)

1. Taxman - 2:36

2. Eleanor Rigby - 2:11

3. I'm Only Sleeping - 2:58

4. Love You To - 3:00

5. Here, There and Everywhere - 2:29

6. Yellow Submarine - 2:40

7. She Said She Said - 2:39

Side B (18:43)

8. Good Day Sunshine - 2:08

9. And Your Bird Can Sing - 2:02

10. For No One - 2:03

11. Doctor Robert - 2:14

12. Isn't It a Pity - 4:45 (All Things Must Pass) [Version 2]

13. Got to Get You Into My Life - 2:31

14. Tomorrow Never Knows - 3:00

1966 would be a memorable year for the Beatles, both for better and for worse; in the case of the latter, it would be because of an interview with John Lennon in which he supposedly said that the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus", sparking backlash in America. It was also one of the contributing factors that led to the band to stop touring, along with not being able to hear themselves performing on the stage, wanting to focus on their work in the studio. It wasn't all bad news, however: Prior to their final tour in America, they recorded Revolver, which focused more on studio experimentation, and for the first time, George Harrison would have more than two songs on a record, and he would slowly gain recognition as a songwriter alongside John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

Album cover art by Auran on Discord.

Merseyside (May 26, 1967)

Side A (21:46)

1. A Beginning/Strawberry Fields Forever - 4:55 (Anthology 3/Magical Mystery Tour)

2. Getting Better - 2:48 (Sgt. Pepper's)

3. Piggies - 2:04 (The White Album)

4. Fixing a Hole - 2:36 (Sgt. Pepper's)

5. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds - 3:28 (Sgt. Pepper's)

6. I Want to Tell You - 2:30 (Revolver)

7. She’s Leaving Home - 3:25 (Sgt. Pepper's)

Side B (22:13)

8. Penny Lane - 3:00 (Magical Mystery Tour)

9. Good Morning Good Morning - 2:42 (Sgt. Pepper's)

10. Only a Northern Song - 3:23 (Yellow Submarine)

11. Lovely Rita - 2:42 (Sgt. Pepper's)

12. When I'm Sixty-Four - 2:37 (Sgt. Pepper's)

13. With a Little Help from My Friends - 2:42 (Sgt. Pepper's)

14. A Day in the Life - 5:07 (Sgt. Pepper's)

Now that the Beatles were no longer committed to playing live before screaming crowds, they were free to experiment more in the studio. Their first release for 1967 was the double A-side "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever", inspired by their childhoods, which became the basis for what would become Merseyside. When released towards the end of May, it, along with the Beach Boys' Smile, was the album for the Summer of Love, reaching #1 in many countries (both bands were even said to have appreciated the other group's work). And yet the Beatles were not quite done yet...

Magical Mystery Tour (December 8, 1967)

Side A (23:58)

1. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band - 2:00 (Sgt. Pepper's)

2. Magical Mystery Tour - 2:48 (Magical Mystery Tour)

3. Within You Without You - 5:05 (Sgt. Pepper's)

4. Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite - 2:37 (Sgt. Pepper's)

5. The Fool on the Hill - 2:59 (Magical Mystery Tour)

6. Blue Jay Way - 3:54 (Magical Mystery Tour)

7. I Am the Walrus - 4:35 (Magical Mystery Tour)

Side B (22:54)

8. Hello, Goodbye - 3:24 (Magical Mystery Tour)

9. Baby You’re a Rich Man - 3:07 (Magical Mystery Tour)

10. Your Mother Should Know - 2:33 (Magical Mystery Tour)

11. All Together Now - 2:08 (Yellow Submarine)

12. It’s All Too Much - 6:27 (Yellow Submarine)

13. Sgt. Pepper’s Reprise - 1:18 (Sgt. Pepper's)

14. All You Need is Love - 3:57 (Magical Mystery Tour)

Tragedy almost befell the Beatles when Brian Epstein overdosed on drugs; thankfully, their manager had been found by his assistant Peter Brown in time, and he was rushed to the hospital where he made a complete recovery, even swearing off drugs of any kind all together. None of the Beatles were more shaken up than Paul, who had decided to stop using recreational drugs and cleaned up (eventually, the others would follow suit). While recording for Magical Mystery Tour was going on, the Beatles had begun work on their own corporation - Apple Corps - which would eventually become one of the biggest success stories of the 20th century. Magical Mystery Tour was seen a successful follow-up to Merseyside, ending 1967 on a high note for the Beatles.

The Beatles I/White (November 22, 1968)

Side A (21:28)

1. Dear Prudence - 400 (1967-1970) [2023 reissue]

2. Mother Nature's Son - 2:48 (The White Album)

3. The Inner Light - 2:37 (Past Masters)

4. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill - 2:39 (The White Album) [Take 2]

5. Blackbird - 2:38 (The White Album/Past Masters)

6. Across the Universe - 3:38 (Let It Be… Naked)

7. Long, Long, Long - 3:08 (The White Album)

Side B (21:41)

8. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - 2:48 (The White Album) [Take 3]

9. Julia - 2:55 (The White Album)

10. Rocky Raccoon - 3:33 (The White Album)

11. Dehradun - 3:39 (All Things Must Pass: 50th Anniversary)

12. Junk - 1:54 (McCartney)

13. Cry Baby Cry - 2:35 (The White Album)

14. I Will - 1:46 (The White Album)

15. Good Night - 2:31 (The White Album) [Take 10]

For a couple of months, the Beatles and their entourage took a trip to India to learn about transcendental meditation under Maharishi Mahesh Yogi; although the course wasn't finished, they did write up a huge quantity of songs for their next album... or two. Yes, there was so much material written up that the Beatles had decided to release two back-to-back albums. It wasn't all smooth sailing, however, as John Lennon would begin divorce proceedings with his wife Cynthia Powell, due to his affair with American actress Mia Farrow, whom John had met in India. (Paul would end up marrying his girlfriend Jane Asher that same year.) This divorce would inspire Paul to write "Hey Jude" to comfort John's son Julian, although it did not end up on their of the two albums. The Beatles I, often nicknamed The White Album due to its cover, was mainly stripped-down and acoustic, which was quite a shock to the public following the psychedelic Merseyside and Magical Mystery Tour. Among the album's biggest fans was Neil Young, who in 1999 praised the album for its simplicity.

The Beatles II/Black (November 22, 1968)

Side A (23:39)

1. Back in the U.S.S.R. - 2:46 (1967-1970)

2. Glass Onion - 2:18 (The White Album)

3. Not Guilty - 4:20 (The White Album) [Take 102]

4. Sexy Sadie - 3:15 (The White Album)

5. Honey Pie - 2:41 (The White Album)

6. Don't Pass Me By - 3:51 (The White Album)

7. Why Don't We Do It in the Road? - 1:41 (The White Album)

8. Happiness is a Warm Gun - 2:47 (The White Album)

Side B (24:04)

9. While My Guitar Gently Weeps - 4:45 (The White Album)

10. Hey Bulldog - 3:09 (Yellow Submarine)

11. Birthday - 2:42 (The White Album)

12. Yer Blues - 4:01 (The White Album)

13. Savoy Truffle - 2:54 (The White Album)

14. I'm So Tired - 2:03 (The White Album)

15. Helter Skelter - 4:30 (The White Album)

Released alongside its twin sister album, The Beatles II, otherwise known as The Black Album, featured more of a hard rock sound, as could be heard with the likes of "Back in the U.S.S.R.", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Happiness is a Warm Gun" and "Helter Skelter". As the band's heaviest album up to this point, it initially sold more than The White Album, but soon fans would end up buying both in order to even out sales. However, for the next fifty years or so, fans would go on to debate which songs should've been kept from both of them to make an even stronger album; imagine that!

Get Back (March 28, 1969)

Side A (23:10)

1. Get Back - 3:15 (Past Masters)

2. Dig a Pony - 3:38 (Let It Be… Naked)

3. Old Brown Shoe - 3:18 (Past Masters)

4. I’ve Got a Feeling - 3:30 (Let It Be… Naked)

5. Oh! Darling - 3:27 (Abbey Road)

6. For You Blue - 2:27 (Let It Be… Naked)

7. Don’t Let Me Down - 3:35 (Past Masters)

Side B (21:35)

8. Every Night - 2:31 (McCartney)

9. Octopus’s Garden - 2:51 (Abbey Road)

10. Mean Mr. Mustard - 1:13 (Abbey Road) [Take 20]

11. Polythene Pam - 1:15 (Abbey Road) [Take 27]

12. She Came in Through the Bathroom Window - 1:59 (Abbey Road) [Take 27]

13. Let It Down - 4:11 (All Things Must Pass) [Take 1]

14. Get Back (reprise) - 3:16 (Anthology 3/Let It Be)

15. You Know My Name (Look Up the Number) - 4:19 (Past Masters)

The psychedelic experiments had worn off by the start of 1969, and so for the Beatles' next album, they decided to go back to basics and record their songs without any overdubs; newly signed Apple Records artist Billy Preston was brought in for keyboards. Alongside this, a documentary film would be made to show the world how a Beatles album was made, which was Paul McCartney's idea. Like the two self-titled albums, many songs were written up for Get Back, but up to fourteen would be chosen, with some being held back for future albums. The documentary concluded with the Beatles' famous rooftop concert on top of the Savile Row building, which took place on January 30, 1969. After the Get Back album was released, John Lennon would marry Mia Farrow.

Two of Us (November 21, 1969)

Side A (23:48)

1. Introduction: Teddy Boy - 1:34 (McCartney; edit)

2. Ted: I’d Have You Anytime - 2:54 (Early Takes: Volume 1)

3. Ted: Martha My Dear - 2:29 (The White Album) [without brass and strings]

4. Guru: Come Together - 4:19 (Abbey Road)

5. Guru: Cosmically Conscious - 1:50 (Off the Ground)

6. Narrator: Another Day - 3:41 (Ram)

7. Martha/Guru: I Want You (She’s So Heavy) - 5:27 (Abbey Road) [Trident recording]

8. Ted/Guru: I Me Mine - 1:34 (Let It Be) [Glyn Johns mixes]

Side B (24:17)

9. Ted: Jealous Guy - 4:14 (Imagine)

10. Martha/Ted: Behind That Locked Door - 3:29 (Early Takes: Volume 1)

11. Ted: Look at Me - 2:51 (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band)

12. Ted/Martha: The Back Seat of My Car - 4:26 (Ram)

13. Narrator: All Things Must Pass - 3:30 (Early Takes: Volume 1)

14. Ted/Martha: Two of Us - 2:47 (Let It Be; edit)

15. Ending: (You Know) It Ain't Easy - 3:00 (Past Masters)

That May saw the release of the Who's groundbreaking rock opera Tommy; John Lennon was said to have bought a copy and loved it. Along with the Pretty Things' S.F. Sorrow, he felt that the next Beatles album should be a rock opera about a couple and a spiritual quest between the two. Again, most of the songs were stripped down, although songs like "Jealous Guy" and "The Back Seat of My Car" had a bigger sound to them, with the producer's credit being shared between the Beatles and George Martin. Although the story was divisive, the music for Two of Us was praised, and alongside the release of the Kinks' Arthur, 1969 would go down as the year of the rock opera. Alongside their live performances at Woodstock and the Isle of Wight, the Beatles would end the decade on a high note. It would remain to be seen how they would survive the 1970s...

Everest - A Rock Symphony (September 25, 1970)

Side A (21:10)

Movement I - Sonata of Romance

1. Because - 2:45 (Abbey Road)

2. What is Life - 4:22 (All Things Must Pass)

3. Oh My Love - 2:44 (Imagine)

Movement II - Adagio for the Cosmic Empire

4. Golden Slumbers - 1:31 (Abbey Road)

5. Carry That Weight - 1:36 (Abbey Road)

6. Hear Me Lord - 5:46 (All Things Must Pass)

7. Sun King - 2:26 (Abbey Road)

Side B (22:20)

Movement III - Triumph of Light

8. Here Comes the Sun - 3:05 (Abbey Road)

9. Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) - 3:18 (Power to the People: The Hits)

10. Beware of Darkness - 3:48 (All Things Must Pass)

11. Let It Be - 4:03 (Let It Be)

Movement IV - The Love You Take

12. Awaiting on You All - 2:45 (All Things Must Pass)

13. Gimme Some Truth - 3:16 (Imagine)

14. The End - 2:05 (Abbey Road)

Ever since Revolver, it would be safe to say that George Harrison's confidence as a songwriter had grown, usually getting up to three songs on an album, although in the case of Merseyside and Two of Us, he had four each. On Everest, George would have five songs included; Paul's idea for that album was that it would be a rock symphony, but it ended up being George who stole the show, which caused friction between the two and eventually led to Paul temporarily quitting the group and retreating to his farm in Scotland. During Paul's retreat, he got a phone call from George, having recently lost his mother Louise Harrison to cancer and the two made up for their falling out and Paul returned to the group to finish the album. Everest is regarded today as the Beatles' magnum opus, with Rolling Stone magazine ranking it as the fifth greatest album of all time in 2020.

Back in Your Safely Beds (December 11, 1970)

Side A (21:30)

1. Momma Miss America - 4:04 (McCartney)

2. Out of the Blue - 11:14 (All Things Must Pass)

3. What’s the New Mary Jane? - 6:12 (Anthology 3)

Side B (20:34)

4. It’s Johnny’s Birthday - 0:49 (All Things Must Pass)

5. Plug Me In - 3:18 (All Things Must Pass)

6. Valentine Day - 1:39 (McCartney)

7. Revolution 19 - 10:33 (The White Album; remix)

8. Kreen-Akrore - 4:15 (McCartney)

Back in Your Safely Beds is a curious oddity in the Beatles canon, as the album was not credited to the group upon release; instead, the credit went to Winston O'Boogie and the Wild Prairies, and the album was released under Zapple Records. The album was comprised of jam sessions by George Harrison and Cream during the Everest sessions, a few solo instrumentals by Paul McCartney, and two outtakes from The White and Black Albums in 1968, most notably "Revolution 19". Although fans debate whether or not Back in Your Safely Beds was a true Beatles album, it's still regarded as an interesting footnote in their history.

Imagine (September 9, 1971)

Side A (22:42)

1. Imagine - 3:01 (Imagine)

2. Get on the Right Thing - 4:17 (Red Rose Speedway)

3. Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll) - 3:48 (All Things Must Pass)

4. Eat at Home - 3:18 (Ram)

5. Hot as Sun - 1:29 (McCartney)

6. Working Class Hero - 3:48 (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band) 

7. It Don't Come Easy - 3:01 (Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo Starr)

Side B (22:20)

8. Woman Don’t You Cry for Me - 3:18 (Thirty-Three & ⅓)

9. Remember - 4:33 (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band)

10. Tomorrow - 3:28 (Wild Life)

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

12. Love - 3:21 (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band)

13. Maybe I’m Amazed - 3:53 (McCartney)

Within the span of only a few years, the Beatles had changed the music landscape, and every album that they'd put out explored new sonic territory for them. The inevitable question for them was, where do they go next? Well, Imagine didn't have the storytelling aspect of Two of Us nor the grand atmosphere of Everest, but it stood up to fans and critics as a fine collection of songs, most notably the title track, "Maybe I'm Amazed" and especially "It Don't Come Easy", Ringo Starr's very first self-penned A-side for the Beatles. Imagine was also the first album in which John Lennon and Paul McCartney were credited separately for their respective songs; this change was made as John believed the Lennon/McCartney credit to have been a lie since at least the Revolver period.

1971 also saw the release of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory under Apple Films, in which Ringo starred as the titular chocolatier, as well as the Concert for Bangladesh, spearheaded by George Harrison, which took place on August 1 at Madison Square Garden with additional performers like Ravi Shankar, Badfinger, David Bowie, Joan Baez, Elton John, the Beach Boys, James Taylor, Eric Clapton and his supergroup Derek and the Dominos, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Leon Russell, Neil Young, Billy Preston, and of course, Bob Dylan. A film featuring the highlights of the concert was later released the following year.

Ram (July 28, 1972)

Side A (21:27)

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

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

3. Crippled Inside - 3:47 (Imagine)

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

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

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

Side B (22:09)

7. Apple Scruffs - 3:04 (All Things Must Pass)

8. Power to the People - 3:22 (Imagine) [Take 7]

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

10. Art of Dying - 3:37 (All Things Must Pass)

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

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

With such a strong start to the new decade, it almost felt as though nothing could stop the Beatles, especially with the tenth anniversary of their debut single "Love Me Do". Unfortunately, even the best of us are far from infallible. When Bloody Sunday took place in Ireland on January 30, 1972, John Lennon and Paul McCartney quickly recorded what would be known as "the Irish single", and it was a commercial disappointment by the Beatles' standards both in America and the United Kingdom. By that point, the pair were recording their own individual solo projects - Paul's Wild Life and John's Dirty Plastic Band - which each received mixed reviews upon release, but have since gone on to be the forerunners for indie pop and punk rock, respectively. George would also put out a solo record in 1972, Through Many Years, featuring the hit single "You", as did Ringo with Beaucoups of Blues, having released Sentimental Journey the previous year.

In between all of the solo stuff, the Beatles' seventeenth album Ram was released, and was considered to be a disappointment both critically and commercially due to having a disjointed feel as an album, what with the politically-themed songs being mixed in with the likes of "Back Off Boogaloo", "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey", "Crippled Inside" and "Miss O'Dell". Although Ram's critical reception would improve over time, it, along with the inconsistent quality of the solo albums, showed that the Beatles were human beings just like everyone else. The only question now was, was this the end of their dominance in the pop charts?

Mind Games (September 28, 1973)

Side A (23:54)

1. I'm the Greatest - 3:21 (Ringo)

2. Big Barn Bed - 3:48 (Red Rose Speedway)

3. Don't Let Me Wait Too Long - 2:57 (Living in the Material World)

4. Rock and Roll People - 4:21 (Menlove Ave.)

5. Photograph - 3:56 (Ringo)

6. Living in the Material World - 5:31 (Living in the Material World)

Side B (23:40)

7. Mind Games - 4:13 (Mind Games)

8. C Moon - 4:32 (Red Rose Speedway)

9. Devil Woman - 3:50 (Ringo)

10. Be Here Now - 4:09 (Living in the Material World)

11. I Know (I Know) - 3:49 (Mind Games)

12. Hi, Hi, Hi - 3:07 (Red Rose Speedway)

The Beatles' personal lives were beginning to fall apart by 1973; John had gotten drunk at a party on election night and had sex with another woman in the presence of Mia Farrow, which marked the beginning of the end in their marriage, eventually leading to a divorce two years later. George's wife Pattie Boyd had begun having an affair with Eric Clapton, and George would end up sleeping with Ringo's wife Maureen Cox, which sent shockwaves throughout the music scene. Only Paul and Jane's marriage seemed to be rock solid, what with the birth of their son James Alexander McCartney that year (their daughter Kate was born in 1970), and Paul releasing his second solo album Red Rose Speedway in April.

With Brian Wilson brought in as co-producer, recording for Mind Games took place entirely in America; the first Beatles album to be recorded outside of the United Kingdom. Now feeling confident in his abilities as a singer, Ringo now wanted to have more vocal spots on Beatles albums, meaning that each Beatle got to sing three songs on the album, a first for them. Although reviews were mixed, Mind Games took up the top spot in America and the United Kingdom, thanks to the lead single "Photograph", a co-write between George and Ringo. Following the album's release, the Beatles would embark on a tour across the United States that would seemingly last all the way up to 1975, with breaks in between. George went along with the tour as he didn't want to return to an empty house, but it was during this rough patch in his personal life that he would meet his new girlfriend, Olivia Arias.

From left to right: George Harrison, Peter Boyle, Paul McCartney, Gene Wilder, John Lennon, Madeline Kahn, Mel Brooks, Marty Feldman, and Ringo Starr.

Band on the Run (October 25, 1974)

Side A (18:58)

1. Band on the Run - 5:12 (Band on the Run)

2. Jet - 4:09 (Band on the Run)

3. Intuition - 3:08 (Mind Games)

4. Dark Horse - 3:54 (Dark Horse)

5. (It’s All Down to) Goodnight Vienna - 2:35 (Goodnight Vienna)

Side B (16:42)

6. Whatever Gets You Thru the Night - 3:28 (Walls and Bridges)

7. Let Me Roll It - 4:51 (Band on the Run)

8. Only People - 3:23 (Mind Games)

9. So Sad - 5:00 (Dark Horse)

Side C (19:11)

10. Snookeroo - 3:24 (Goodnight Vienna)

11. Mrs. Vandebilt - 4:40 (Band on the Run)

12. Simply Shady - 4:38 (Dark Horse)

13. Helen Wheels - 3:44 (Band on the Run)

14. Meat City - 2:45 (Mind Games)

Side D (18:14)

15. Junior's Farm - 4:23 (Venus and Mars)

16. Step Lightly - 3:15 (Ringo)

17. Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out) - 3:09 (Mind Games)

18. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five - 5:28 (Band on the Run)

During the Mind Games sessions, John had landed himself a cameo spot on Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles, set to be released under Apple Films the following year, and while on set, he met with rising film starlet Madeline Kahn, who was playing the role of Lili Von Shtüpp. One year later, John had been cast as the leading role in Young Frankenstein, with Madeline portraying his fiancé Elizabeth. Clearly, their relationship was growing closer than either of them had realized, although in between filming John would get into drunken antics with Harry Nilsson in Los Angeles, which nearly derailed the filming schedule. At the same time, John would get reacquainted with his estranged son Julian, and their relationship would certainly grow stronger over the years.

After filming for Young Frankenstein had completed, John got back with the other Beatles to record their follow-up to Mind Games, titled Band on the Run. The photoshoot for the cover saw John being reunited with Madeline, as well as Mel Brooks, Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle and Marty Feldman, making for one of the most iconic album covers of all time. George had finished up his next solo album, Give Me Love, which was released that June, although his songwriting had taken a bit of a dip, as had John's, leaving Paul to carry the weight of the album on his shoulders, with surprisingly successful results. Band on the Run was hailed by critics as a return to form for the Beatles, with many even calling it their greatest album since Everest; the presence of Elton John on "Whatever Gets You thru the Night" and "Snookeroo" was also welcomed, and that November, the Beatles would play three shows at Madison Square Garden with Elton John and Queen as their opening acts. Backstage, following the first show, John would profess his love to Madeline Kahn.

Rock Show (July 15, 1975)

Side A (22:19)

1. Venus and Mars/Rock Show - 3:46 (Wingspan: Hits and History)

2. Going Down on Love - 3:54 (Walls and Bridges)

3. Tired of Midnight Blue - 4:51 (Extra Texture (Read All About It))

4. Easy for Me - 2:20 (Goodnight Vienna)

5. Letting Go - 4:33 (Venus and Mars)

6. Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox) - 2:55 (Walls and Bridges)

Side B (23:17)

7. Oh My My - 4:16 (Ringo)

8. What You Got - 3:09 (Walls and Bridges)

9. Sally G - 3:40 (Venus and Mars)

10. Old Dirt Road - 4:11 (Walls and Bridges)

11. You Gave Me the Answer - 2:15 (Venus and Mars)

12. His Name is Legs (Ladies and Gentlemen) - 5:46 (Extra Texture (Read All About It))

Following up on Band on the Run would be no easy task, and so the Beatles decided upon another change of scenery - this time, in New Orleans. John's songwriting was back on form, and Rock Show would showcase some of his most funky-sounding in the Beatles' discography. During the sessions, he recorded a single with David Bowie, "Fame", which hit #1 for him that same year. Harry Nilsson was also present during the sessions, even giving a song for Ringo to sing, as George had only brought in two songs during the sessions, given that most of the songs he'd brought in were rather depressing sounding. Still, Rock Show managed to reach #1 to a warm reception, although it would be the first Beatles album in which neither of its singles - "Oh My My" and "Venus and Mars/Rock Show" - would reach #1. That summer saw the end of the Beatles' Never Ending Tour in America, having lasted well over a year.

Roots: The Beatles Sing the Great Rock & Roll Hits (January 30, 1976)

Side A (24:19)

1. Be-Bop-a-Lula - 2:39 (Rock 'n' Roll)

2. Twenty Flight Rock - 3:03 (Choba B CCCP)

3. You're Sixteen - 2:48 (Ringo)

4. You Can't Catch Me - 4:51 (Rock 'n' Roll)

5. Lucille - 3:13 (Choba B CCCP)

6. Tight A$ - 3:37 (Mind Games)

7. Bye Bye, Love - 4:08 (Dark Horse)

Side B (24:04)

8. Stand By Me - 3:26 (Rock 'n' Roll)

9. Brown Eyed Handsome Man - 2:27 (Run Devil Run)

10. Pure Smokey - 3:56 (Thirty-Three & ⅓)

11. Only You (and You Alone) - 3:26 (Goodnight Vienna)

12. Call Me Back Again - 4:58 (Venus and Mars)

13. Ya Ya - 2:17 (Rock 'n' Roll)

14. Just Because - 3:34 (Choba B CCCP)

In 1973, John Lennon had been hit with a lawsuit by Morris Levy claiming that the Beatles' "Come Together" had stolen a line from Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me" - "Here come ol' flat top." Although an attempt had been made to settle the lawsuit out of court, Levy stated that the Beatles would have to record three songs by Big Seven Music on an album. For an entire week in October, the Beatles recorded twelve cover songs for Roots at EMI's recording studio in London, as well as three originals with a 50s vibe - "Tight A$", "Pure Smokey" and "Call Me Back Again". Nostalgia for the 1950s was a big deal in America, particularly with American Graffiti and Happy Days, so who would the Beatles be to ignore that?

January 1976 marked the end of the Beatles' contract with EMI, and so it was decided that Roots would come out around that time; as John put it, "[they]'d be killing two birds with one stone." The surprise release of Roots initially shocked listeners, but once it had worn off, people recognized that these songs were a part of the Beatles' childhood - "Be-Bop-a-Lula" and "Twenty Flight Rock" both recalled the time John and Paul had first met after a Quarrymen show on July 6, 1956, the day the Beatles' story truly began. "Ain't That a Shame", a duet by the pair, was relegated to the B-side for "You're Sixteen", the Beatles' final single released under EMI before they switched over to Warner Brothers as a distributor.

Beatles at the Speed of Sight (September 17, 1976)

Side A (16:27)

1. Let 'Em In - 4:00 (Wings at the Speed of Sound)

2. Crackerbox Palace - 3:57 (Thirty-Three & ⅓)

3. Out the Blue - 3:23 (Mind Games)

4. It's What You Value - 5:07 (Thirty-Three & ⅓)

Side B (18:18)

5. Silly Love Songs - 3:37 (Wings at the Speed of Sound)

6. Cookin' (In the Kitchen of Love) - 3:41 (Ringo's Rotogravure)

7. Beautiful Girl - 3:39 (Thirty-Three & ⅓)

8. You Are Here - 4:08 (Mind Games)

9. Warm and Beautiful - 3:13 (Wings at the Speed of Sound)

Side C (18:38)

10. Bless You - 4:38 (Walls and Bridges)

11. Dear One - 2:40 (Thirty-Three & ⅓)

12. Beware My Love - 6:28 (Wings at the Speed of Sound)

13. Six O’Clock - 4:52 (Goodnight Vienna)

Side D (18:02)

14. #9 Dream - 4:47 (Walls and Bridges)

15. Learning How to Love You - 4:13 (Thirty-Three & ⅓)

16. Mull of Kintyre - 4:42 (London Town)

17. Oh Madeline! - 4:20 (Imagine)

That April, the Beatles made a guest appearance on Saturday Night Live, performing "She Loves You", "Get Back" and "In My Life". After the performance of the latter, John Lennon had asked Madeline Kahn to marry him, to which she said yes. It was also after this bombshell that she revealed she was pregnant. Shortly after their appearance on SNL, the Beatles decided that their next album would be their last one as a recording group, with John about to become a father again and the others wanting to pursue their own individual careers. The resulting album was Beatles at the Speed of Sight; the working title was Between the Lines, but after a quip by Ringo, it was changed. John, Paul and George each contributed five songs to the album, with the former two each providing a track for Ringo to sing - John's "Cookin' (in the Kitchen of Love)" and Paul's "Six O'Clock". Everyone was on top form to make sure that their send-off was a good one.

Beatles at the Speed of Sight quickly reached #1 on the charts, especially as it was to be their final ever album, after fourteen years of recording. "Silly Love Songs" had reached #1, as did the follow-up singles "Crackerbox Palace" and "#9 Dream". A fourth single, "Mull of Kintyre", reached #1 in the United Kingdom in 1977 and broke the Beatles' previous record for the highest-selling non-charity single there, having done so with "She Loves You" back in 1963, and has kept that record since, having sold over two million copies worldwide. The song was written by John and Paul in the latter's farm in Scotland, following their respective fathers' deaths in 1976, and the liner notes included a dedication to Alfred Lennon and Jim McCartney.

John and Madeline were married that summer, and took a honeymoon in Greece before moving into the former's estate in Durness, Scotland, which he'd managed to purchase a couple of years back thanks to Brian Epstein, where he used to take summer holidays in his childhood. John and Madeline's first child, Frederick Jerome Lennon, was born on December 15. Paul had began work on a duet album with Brian Wilson titled West 119th and Forthlin, for which both would use as the measuring stick for future projects. George remained involved with Apple Films, but would still put out the occasional album, as did Ringo. 1976 also saw the deaths of Keith Moon (from a drug induced heart attack) and Keith Richards (from a car crash while under the influence of cocaine an LSD), which respectively led to the Who bringing in John Bonham as their replacement drummer and the Rolling Stones breaking up, to which some critics believed was "the death of the 60s." John Lennon, however, would dismiss that, especially with Apple Records bringing in punk artists like Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, the Damned and the Clash, claiming that they were "keeping the spirit of the 60s alive through their music, just in a different way."

Rock 'n' Roll Music (March 6, 1978)

Side A (17:36)

1. Rock and Roll Music - 2:31 (Beatles for Sale)

2. Searchin' - 3:00 (Anthology 1)

3. Three Cool Cats - 2:25 (Anthology 1)

4. Words of Love - 2:04 (Beatles for Sale)

5. Please Mr. Postman - 2:34 (With the Beatles)

6. Honey Don't - 2:57 (Beatles for Sale)

7. Long Tall Sally - 2:05 (Past Masters)

Side B (18:26)

8. Roll Over Beethoven - 2:45 (With the Beatles)

9. Slow Down - 2:56 (Past Masters)

10. Baby It's You - 2:40 (Please Please Me)

11. Till There Was You - 2:14 (With the Beatles)

12. Leave My Kitten Alone - 2:57 (Anthology 1)

13. Anna (Go to Him) - 2:55 (Please Please Me)

14. Matchbox - 1:59 (Past Masters)

Side C (18:11)

15. Kansas City/Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey - 2:38 (Beatles for Sale)

16. Dizzy Miss Lizzy - 2:54 (Help!)

17. Chains - 2:23 (Please Please Me)

18. Boys - 2:24 (Please Please Me)

19. Besame Mucho - 2:37 (Anthology 1)

20. Money (That's What I Want) - 2:49 (With the Beatles)

21. Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby - 2:26 (Beatles for Sale)

Side D (17:31)

22. Act Naturally - 2:30 (Help!)

23. You Really Got a Hold on Me - 3:01 (With the Beatles)

24. Bad Boy - 2:21 (Past Masters)

25. Devil in Her Heart - 2:26 (With the Beatles)

26. Mr. Moonlight - 2:38 (Beatles for Sale)

27. A Taste of Honey - 2:03 (Please Please Me)

28. Twist and Shout - 2:32 (Please Please Me)

The end of 1976 saw the release of the first Beatles compilation album under Apple Records, The Best of the Beatles: 1962-1966, otherwise known as The Red Album due to its border. This was followed up in March and June by 1967-1970 and 1971-1976, also respectively known as The Blue and Green Albums. The three albums compiled all of the Beatles' hit singles in the United States and the United Kingdom throughout 1962 to 1976, with a few B-sides and some album tracks sprinkled in between. EMI, who owned the Beatles' master recordings up until January 1976, wanted to hop on the trend by releasing some themed compilation albums of their own, but Apple caught wind of this and put those plans to an end.

Instead, an album compiling all of the cover songs that the Beatles recorded during 1963 to 1965 for extended plays and B-sides would be released, titled Rock 'n' Roll Music. A few outtakes were also included on the compilation to fill up four sides, such as "Searchin'" and "Three Cool Cats" from the ill-fated Decca audition, and "Besame Mucho" from their first session at Abbey Road Studios on June 6, 1962. Now fans could have the opportunity to own all of the early Beatles covers in one place, and some would begin to wonder what the early albums would've been like had covers actually been included.

Past Masters (November 16, 1979)

Side A (21:52)

1. My Bonnie - 2:08 (Anthology 1)

2. Ain't She Sweet - 2:13 (Anthology 1)

3. Love Me Do (Original Recording) - 2:32 (Anthology 1)

4. How Do You Do It? - 1:57 (Anthology 1)

5. Komm, gib mir deine Hand - 2:27 (Past Masters)

6. Sie liebt dich - 2:20 (Past Masters)

7. Yes It Is - 2:43 (Past Masters)

8. Tell Me What You See - 2:37 (Help!)

9. 12-Bar Original - 2:55 (Anthology 2)

Side B (21:22)

10. Tomorrow Never Knows (Take 1) - 3:32 (Revolver: Special Edition)

11. Paperback Writer - 2:19 (Past Masters)

12. Rain - 3:02 (Past Masters)

13. And Your Bird Can Sing (Take 2) - 2:14 (Revolver: Special Edition)

14. Strawberry Fields Forever (Take 1) - 2:39 (Sgt. Pepper: 50th Anniversary Edition)

15. Christmas Time is Here Again - 3:02 (Free as a Bird single)

16. Flying - 2:16 (Magical Mystery Tour)

17. Lady Madonna - 2:18 (Past Masters)

Side C (24:33)

18. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Acoustic) - 3:22 (Love)

19. Hey Jude - 7:08 (Past Masters)

20. Revolution - 3:25 (Past Masters)

21. Something - 3:02 (Abbey Road)

22. Give Peace a Chance - 4:54 (Gimme Some Truth: The Ultimate Mixes)

23. Come and Get It (Demo) - 2:42 (Abbey Road: 50th Anniversary Edition)

Side D (25:39)

24. The Long and Winding Road - 3:34 (Let It Be… Naked)

25. Cold Turkey - 5:01 (Gimme Some Truth: The Ultimate Mixes)

26. Bangla Desh - 3:57 (Living in the Material World)

27. Live and Let Die - 3:12 (Red Rose Speedway)

28. One More Kiss - 2:28 (Red Rose Speedway)

29. Ding Dong, Ding Dong - 3:40 (Dark Horse)

30. Wonderful Christmastime - 3:47 (McCartney II)

One of Apple's biggest priorities when it came to re-issuing the Beatles' output was making sure that their discography was streamlined, especially in America; in the early to mid-1960s, Capitol Records would re-arrange the albums from their original order and even include covers in some cases. Most infamously, three tracks were taken out of Revolver and included instead on Yesterday and Today, and so from Merseyside onward, the albums would share the same track listings on both sides of the Atlantic. In 1979, the Beatles' first seven albums were all re-released simultaneously in the United States with their original track listings intact, and alongside them, a compilation album titled Past Masters was released, including all of their non-album tracks, as well as several outtakes, from 1961 to 1974, plus a new single for the Christmas market, "Wonderful Christmastime".

With the inclusion of the Rock 'n' Roll Music compilation, the Beatles had recorded and released over 350 songs spread out across 24 albums between 1963 and 1979, a period of sixteen years. Yet despite this large quantity in songs (and that's not even counting those that had been released as solo artists), there were fans who wanted to hear more from the Fab Four, curious to know if there were any songs that they'd never released before.

Album cover art by Auran on Discord.

Real Love (May 2, 1997)

1. The Song We Were Singing - 3:55 (Flaming Pie)

2. Free as a Bird - 4:26 (Anthology 1)

3. Any Road - 3:52 (Brainwashed)

4. The World Tonight - 4:06 (Flaming Pie)

5. King of Broken Hearts - 4:44 (Vertical Man)

6. Somedays - 4:15 (Flaming Pie)

7. Real Love - 3:54 (Anthology 2)

8. Stuck Inside a Cloud - 4:04 (Brainwashed)

9. Young Boy - 3:54 (Flaming Pie)

10. Help Me to Help Myself - 2:17 (Double Fantasy)

11. Never Get Over You - 3:26 (Brainwashed)

12. Little Willow - 2:58 (Flaming Pie)

13. Now and Then - 3:02 (fan remix)

14. Really Love You - 5:18 (Flaming Pie)

15. I’ll Be Fine Anywhere - 3:39 (Vertical Man)

16. Rising Sun - 5:27 (Brainwashed)

17. Flaming Pie - 2:30 (Flaming Pie)

18. Grow Old with Me - 3:21 (Gimme Some Truth: The Ultimate Mixes)

Total length: 69:08

Although the Beatles have had reunions throughout the 1980s and into the early 1990s such as Live Aid and MTV Unplugged, never was there any talk of the group recording another album of new material as they all had their own individual projects to focus on. However, eighteen years since the last recording sessions for Beatles at the Speed of Sight, the Beatles were once more in the studio with Electric Light Orchestra frontman Jeff Lynne in the producer's chair. All of that happened because John Lennon had brought in a few demos that he'd recorded in the late 1970s, saying that he had "saved them for a special occasion." That "special occasion" was the Anthology documentary series with interviews being conducted by Jools Holland, and to go along with the project, a new Beatles album would be recorded.

In a time where music was dominated by the likes of Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Oasis, the Spice Girls, Radiohead and the Backstreet Boys, the Beatles' Real Love managed to reach #1 in several countries, as did the first two singles "Young Boy" and the title track, with "Any Road" and "King of Broken Hearts" also becoming Top 10 hits. All four singles were released before the album proper in conjunction with the four Anthology albums, covering alternate versions of their tracks from their twenty-four studio albums as well as outtakes from the 1960s and 1970s. In short, the Beatles were once again a huge deal despite all four members being in their fifties, and there were talks of a tour to go along with the album, but that was dropped as George had been diagnosed with lung cancer and needed treatment for it. This also left John to take care of his wife Madeline, who had recently undergone surgery to remove her ovaries.

2000 onwards

The Beatles would kick off the new millennium with a two-disc compilation album titled 1, featuring all forty of their number one hits in both the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as a mashup of "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You", produced by Phil Ramone and recorded in 1987. This would be the final Beatles album released in manager Brian Epstein's lifetime, having died following a stroke on December 27, 2000; Peter Brown had been picked as his successor.

In 2006, a remix album titled Love was released as the soundtrack for the Cirque du Soleil show of the same name, with George Martin producing alongside his son Giles; it was also the last Beatles album George Martin would be involved with prior to his death in 2016. The Beatles and their families attended the premiere of Love in Las Vegas, as did George and Giles Martin.

Although there have been no talks of another album following Real Love, the Beatles would continue to make appearances together, whether they be for interviews, reunion tours or celebrations such as birthdays and Christmas gatherings. Among the most noteworthy reunions were John's birthday bash at Madison Square Garden in 2010, and the Beatles History Tour from 2013 to 2014, marking fifty years since Beatlemania first kicked off. This would turn out to be the Beatles' final ever tour as John Lennon would be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease some time after the final show. He died on August 21, 2019 following a stroke at the age of 78.

Paul, George and Ringo would release a joint statement following their bandmate's death, announcing that the Beatles as a partnership would be no more after being together for nearly sixty years. However, they did play together as a group at The Concert for John on October 9, 2020, marking what could have been John's eightieth birthday, with their short setlist including "In Spite of All the Danger". The show would conclude with a rousing rendition of "Imagine", featuring everyone who partook in it, including John's daughter Alice Lennon, guitarist and frontwoman for the Spyders.

With the three surviving Beatles all into their eighties, the road ahead looks shorter than before, but their legacy will outlive them, and they are still, to quote a song of theirs from 1973, the greatest. And you'd better believe it, baby!