This band formed in Liverpool, England, in 1960. While it has had a number of different members, the main four have always been John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. They were one of the most influential and best-selling bands in the history of rock & roll, as well as other genres and subgenres.
1962-1966
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Also known as "the Red Album", this is a greatest hits collection released in 1973, alongside "the Blue Album" (1967-1970). I remember listening to both the Red and Blue albums on records at my grandparents' house (in my Uncle Wayne's room) many years ago, probably in the 1990s, or possibly as early as the late 1980s. I finally got both albums on CD in 2026. The albums were re-released in 2023 with several songs not included on the originals, and I wish I had those songs on CD, but what I have has the original track lists. Which is still pretty damn good.
Disc One
1. "Love Me Do" (originally a single in 1962, and included on the album "Please Please Me" in 1963): Their debut single, and I must say it's a strong start to their career. Not sure how much of that is because of how familiar it is, now, but I think I would have liked it a lot even if I'd been around to hear it when it was first released. It's got a bluesy harmonica and a good beat and fairly simple but good lyrics.
2. "Please Pease Me" (1963): This also has a harmonica, but I wouldn't call it bluesy. Basically, it's just a fun rock & roll song.
3. "From Me to you" (1963): I feel like this easily could have come out in the 1950s. It just has that sound. Seems to have a more positive feel than the first two songs on the album. More about loving someone than wanting to be loved, y'know?
4. "She Loves You" (1963): Very upbeat and poppy. It's hard to say for sure (because there are so many Beatles songs I love), but this might be one of my favorite Beatles songs.
5. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" (1963): This is another of my favorites, for sure. Nowadays I probably couldn't listen to it without thinking of the cover version from an episode of Glee, which is very different vibe, more sad, whereas this one is totally happy. It's got some nice clapping going on at some points. And at every point it's romantic and fun.
6. "All My Loving" (1963): This is another one that I think has a '50s vibe. Maybe not as upbeat as some of their songs, but certainly not downbeat. It's romantic, but with a touch of wistfulness.
7. "Can't Buy me Love" (1964): Wow, another one of my faves, the bad 1980s teen comedy notwithstanding. It's just a fun song.
8. "A Hard Day's Night" (1964): This song is also really fun. Maybe not one of my absolute favorites, but it's way up there.
9. "And I Love Her" (1964): A ballad, rather than a rock song. Definitely romantic, but then most of their songs are. Sounds to me like it has a bit of a Spanish influence.
10. "Eight Days a Week" (1964): Another song in which clapping is an important part. And, you know, another fun, poppy, romantic song.
11. "I Feel Fine" (1964): Not one of my favorites, but I still like it a lot. Because the Beatles just don't have bad songs.
12. "Ticket to Ride" (1965): At a mere 3:11, this is still the longest song on the album. I don't really know what else to say. As far as Beatles songs go, I find it kind of mid, but the bar is so high than a mid song is still really good.
13. "Yesterday" (1965): This is easily the most melancholy, sad song on the album. It's got a classical vibe, with some of the instruments used on the song. Downbeat, but I still like it a lot. And there's a 2019 film called "Yesterday" that I'd like to see sometime.
Disc Two
1. "Help!" (1965): I guess I always thought this song was fine. I think I like it a little more when I actually listen to the lyrics, even if it's still not one of the band's deepest songs. (Though it's a bit deeper than some.)
2. "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" (1965): This one's got a prominent tambourine, and a rather folk sound, which is nice. Actually, I feel like it's a little too short.
3. "We Can Work It Out" (1965): Another folk song, but this is a bit more poppy than the last one. I guess the message is good.
4. "Day Tripper" (1965): This is one I don't normally remember, when I'm thinking about the Beatles. But I remember it when I listen to it, and I guess it's cool enough. It's got a good beat, and I can bop my head to it.
5. "Drive My Car" (1965): I guess I never really listened closely to the lyrics, because I never really knew what it was about. I thought the guy was offering the girl a chance to drive his car, for whatever reason. But the reverse is true, and she was offering him a job as chauffeur. Though Wikipedia also says the title is a euphemism for sex, which doesn't really shock me, but I'd probably rather not know that.
6. "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" (1965): This is a title I always remember, but I never remember what it sounds like, unless I'm listening to it. It's raga rock, with an Indian influence, which is cool.
7. "Nowhere Man" (1965): Another folk rock song, which isn't one of the most memorable for me, but I've never quite forgotten it. I like it, even if I'm not quite sure what it's about. It reminds me of a TV show with the same name, which I think bears no relation to the plot of the song.
8. "Michelle" (1965): This includes a bit of French, and is apparently sung to a French woman. It's a song I've always found moderately memorable, and I like it.
9. "In My Life" (1965): Not really a title I ever think of, but I know the song when I hear it. It's relatively soft, and sort of introspective or whatever. It's also got a little baroque segment. The whole song is quite nice, even if it's not one of my favorites.
10. "Girl" (1965): Not a title I remember at all, and I don't really remember it as I listen to it now. I'm pretty sure I've heard it before, but I don't know how much I care for it. It's rather depressing, and I don't love the sound. But it's not bad.
11. "Paperback Writer" (1966): I've always liked this song, mainly because I've always thought of myself as a writer. I don't think I ever listened closely to the lyrics, but I think it's cool, anyway. And I do quite like the sound of it.
12. "Eleanor Rigby" (1966): A baroque pop song, which I've always thought of when I think of the Beatles. It's quite depressing, but in a good way, mainly because I like the sound and the lyrics. I think of it as one of the band's deeper songs, and sort of experimental, though not as much as their more psychedelic songs.
13. "Yellow Submarine" (1966): This is a fairly silly, fun song, which I think just barely touches on psychedelia (though I expect more of that on the Blue album). I once wrote a parody of it called Bull & Finch. There's also an animated film based on the song, which I saw at some point, but now I don't remember anything about it. I'd like to see it again someday.
So, anyway, yeah. Almost all of the songs on the album are pretty memorable to me, and most of them I love, to one degree or another. The album is a good example of why the Beatles remain one of the most popular bands in history.