The Long And Ringo-Less Road

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Last week, with a Twenty FIVE EURO voucher to spend at any of the many Golden Discs stores nationwide on offer we asked: what is the best post-Beatles tune by a Beatle?

You answered in your droves.

But there could only be one winner.

In reverse order so.

John Lennon- Mind Games

Please writes:

Nothing really encapsulates the Yoko Ono era and her influence – mostly for good in my opinion like the stunning crescendo to “Yes is the answer” in that song.

George Harrison – My Sweet Lord

Gareth writes:

… because of the way the song builds with each instrument joining makes for great listening. Also it is a very singable song.

Dub Spot writes:

…because of that Phil Spector produced wall of sound blended harmomic, chant-like chorus of the Hari Krishna and Christian dieties and because the song’s power reached the inner mind to the extent that Harrison was found to have subconsciously plagiarised “He’s So Fine”, a 1963 hit for the New York girl group the Chiffons. Great introduction to Mr H’s slide guitar technique too.

 

George Harrisson – Wah Wah

Seanydelight writes:

… because its what they would have made if they didn’t split up. Also, because of that brass layer

Oisin writes:

… because it sounds as fresh as the day it was first recorded and should have been on Abbey Road.

Winner!

Paul McCartney – Back Seat Of My Car

Ivan writes:

The finest post-Beatles song by a Beatle is Macca’s The Back Seat of my Car because for me, it could’ve sat on Abbey Road and nobody would turn a hair.

It’s pedestrian enough really for the first 3 minutes, if you can call that achingly lovely melody ‘pedestrian’ but it’s at around the 3 minute mark where the repeated ‘We believe that we can’t be wrong’ gets repeated that it really starts to cook.

First there’s a key change, a slowdown of tempo, a wee drum fill and then fuppin’ hell does he cuts loose with the kind of screech that ten years earlier was puttin’ manners on lairy sailors in Hamburg.

Meanwhile, underneath the yowling there’s an orchestral motif/descending baseline thing that I’m pretty sure Guns’n’Roses had their eye on when they were winding down November Rain, which falls into a false ending, it all goes a bit mad for twenty seconds and all you can think is ‘Jaysus’.

If the song stopped before any of that McGubbins kicked off, it’d *still* be better than 75% of John’s solo output; the fact that it doesn’t and instead he just spends the last minute and a half simply showing off (because he’s Macca) in the way he does is mesmerising and sickening in equal measure. Probably rather like the man himself.

Thanks all

Golden Discs

Last week: Frog Chorus, Anyone?

Thanks Bertie

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10 thoughts on “The Long And Ringo-Less Road

  1. Johnny Keenan

    Well done Ivan. Good call.

    If I had got to see it in time I would have given it to John for his powerful and productive song ‘John Sinclair’.

    Sinclair was former manager of the ultimate rock n roll band MC5. He set up the White Panthers in solidarity with the Black Panthers.
    He played a pivotal role in both the anti Vietnam war movement and decriminalise cannabis movement. He was a hero of the American counter culture back in the 60’s & 70’s. So obviously a torn on the American administration.
    The ‘Man’ eventually caught up with Sinclair when he gave 2 joints to an undercover cop.
    The judge sentenced John S for 10 years for 2 joints.
    This sentence rocked the whole Beatnik Hipster community to their beautifully rolled cones.
    When Sinclair began his 10 year sentence in 1969 his name would become synonymous with Woodstock. The political activist Abbie Hoffman bravely charged the stage in the middle of ‘The Who’ set and grabbed the mic and said ‘I think this is pile of shit! while John Sinclair rots in prison.
    https://youtu.be/F-JKVwHlRJ4

    People who weren’t already aware would begin to wonder who is John Sinclair and why is rotting in prison?

    John Lennon stepped up and wrote a song called ‘John Sinclair’ and when a Freedom Rally Concert was planned to free Sinclair in his home state of Michigan.
    Lennon duly added his name to the illustrious bill.
    Sinclair had already served 3 and half years of his 10 year sentence. However after this legendary gig on December 10th 1971 John Sinclair was a free man just 3 days after the the mammoth show of support.

    This proved something to Lennon that would have a profound affect on him and his music. That if people were united for a common cause they could achieve a common goal.
    It gave him the basis and belief to write ‘Imagine’ ‘Power To The People’ and
    ‘Give Peace A Chance’ around this time.
    As a lifelong beatnik and stoner Lennon knew the power of music and knew that if the peaceful people came together it would pave the way for the start of the end of nuclear war which was led at the time by the massive CND campaign.
    Someone put an end to that when they had their patsy assassinate John Lennon in December 8th 1980, but that’s another story.

    I had the pleasure and privilege of organizing an Irish tour with John Sinclair and Howard Marks (RIP) in 2013 https://www.google.ie/search?q=breathing+air+irish+tour+john+sinclair&client=safari&hl=en-ie&prmd=isnv&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj3h6nA6IveAhWKOsAKHYI0DFUQ_AUIESgB&biw=320&bih=438#imgrc=sfzAAy0OTBkR6M

    I got to ask him why he would give an undercover cop 2 joints as opposed to just one.. ‘Because she was cute’

    John Lennon – John Sinclair
    https://youtu.be/fZJLInCgem8

    John Sinclair – Revolutionary Interview
    https://youtu.be/WmB8iYX3SeQ

    1. Bertie Blenkinsop

      I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt that you were just looking for an opportunity to tell us you met John Sinclair, Johnny, there can be no other earthly reason that you could possibly think that’s the best solo Beatle track. :)

      1. Johnny Keenan

        Bertie old bud music is subjective. It moves people in different ways. This is a personal song to me.
        If you put an insect inside my ear I’d be forced to say John Lennon is my favorite Beatle. He had many wonderful songs. ‘Watching Wheels’ ‘Woman’ and ‘Mind Games’.
        Maca’s ‘Pipes of Peace’ is another personal favorite and George Harrison’s ‘Here Comes The Sun’ is legendary especially Nina Simone’s rendition.
        Ringo peaked with ‘yellow submarine’ but that’s not post Beatles. I’m not mad about his Tomas the tank engine phase.
        I digress!
        The point is music can save lives and the example I gave is the reason I gave above. I’m hardly expected to be ashamed that I’ve met and worked with a living legend while acknowledging the power of music and arguably the best singer songwriter of a generation.

        Give Greece A Chance!

        1. Bertie Blenkinsop

          Ah Johnny, nobody asked you to be ashamed now, that’s a bit of a stretch.

          I know it’s subjective, I LOVE The Beatles, I LOVE John….. but John Sinclair is dirge imo, whatever way you dress it up.

          “Here comes the sun” was a Beatles track btw, not George solo.

          Anyhooo, no sense arguing about music when there’s a new Dublin keeper’s jersey to drool over.

          All You Need Is Love.

          Bertie.

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