Beatles – Solo works

[Timothy Connelly]

Great question, Jung!

Personally, I think quite a bit of their solo work is as good as their work together. All Things Must Pass has the title cut, My Sweet Lord and What is Life- those are three really great songs surrounded by many other excellent songs. And George got a much better recording of All Things Must Pass (the song) with Phil Spector than with George Martin.
Later on, I think Blow Away, Crackerbox Palace, Got My Mind Set On You, When We Was Fab, This is Love, Marwa Blues, Devil’s Radio, Any Road, Give Me Love- would be terrific additions to the Beatles catalog.
With Ringo It Don’t Come Easy is better than any of his Beatles songs. With Paul, Maybe I’m Amazed, Too Many People, Here Today, Band on the Run, Mull of Kintyre are great songs. John has Instant Karma, Happy Xmas, Mind Games, Love, Mother, Jealous Guy, Woman, Watching the Wheels- all great songs.
My own view of their solo work is that it’s just a continuation of their Beatles work- albeit- most of it not as inspired. But John Lennon didn’t cease to be a genius because Paul McCartney and George Martin weren’t in the studio with him. The guys had laid themselves bare during the Beatles years so there wasn’t as much in the tank but I love solo Beatles.

[Howard]

I’m with the Twins on this one Jung. While Paul, George and Ringo had a few decent songs during their solo careers, John Lennon is the only one I was really interested in. To Tim’s Lennon selection, I’d add the following:

‘Working Class Hero’, ‘Whatever Gets You thru the Night’, ‘#9 Dream’, ‘Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)’ and especially ‘Gimme Some Truth’.

[Timothy Connelly]

I’ll let Paul and Ringo know that you approve of a “few decent songs” by them. I’m sure they’ll be flattered.

Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But I think George’s best post Beatles work is better than his work with the Beatles. John’s work on Plastic Ono Band and Imagine is nothing short of exceptional and Paul’s Band on the Run album has flashes of what makes him so amazing.

On most of the solo albums- you can see how much they miss one another with the album cuts which are frequently pretty weak. But the best songs- every bit as good as most songs in the Beatles catalog!

It would be very interesting to hear recordings by Lisa and Mona without one another and without Rudolf. I think what you would find is a fairly similar thing as the solo Beatles. Over 10 to 12 songs- the quality would diminish because the other Twin brings so much good to the table. They would certainly miss the spark of genius that Rudolf offers. But I guarantee you that both Lisa and Mona would hit some home runs because they’re such talented musicians. Whether with covers or with originals- I guarantee you that both of them would produce something we all would enjoy!

[Michael Rife]

Hi Tim;

I’d have a difficult time saying that George’s post Beatle work is better than “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”, “Here Comes the Sun”, and “Something”.  But, judgment about songs and art remains subjective.  Mike.

[Jung Roe]

The truth may be in the pudding (the sticky toffee pudding kind).  

I think most people today if you quoted a bunch of solo Paul, John, George, or Ringo songs would be less familiar with them compared to Beatles songs, except for the more musically savvy.  This might suggest the Beatles as the fab 4 had more momentum as a musical force and each of their songs had a more profound impact on a larger scale of people over the decades than the solo works ever did.  After the Beatles break up, as solo artists they certainly would have enjoyed the fame, and anything they produced would have been received with the same level of attention as they did when they were the Beatles, but it does not appear their solo works had the same level of traction with the people as the Beatles works did.  Just my opinion.

 

[Howard]

Now Tim, my suggestion that Paul, George and Ringo had some decent songs during their solo careers was meant in comparison to what they produced while with the Beatles. Personal preferences again here as I always preferred John’s Beatles contribution to Paul’s after their collaboration ended. John was the only one whose solo career I really followed, brief as it was, cut short by his five year hiatus and his untimely death.

I would never have bothered with a Wings concert in the past, but if I was offered a ticket to a Paul McCartney concert today I’d take it as the recent live shows of his I’ve seen on YouTube have been nothing short of brilliant and he has always had excellent backing musicians. By the way Tim, Paul and Ringo wouldn’t be the least bit concerned with what I thought of their solo careers – ‘Howard who?’

You have raised again the issue of a potential Mona and Lisa solo career. I personally can’t see this happening for reasons unique to them. Unlike other singing/playing/songwriting collaborations of the past, MLT are a very special operation. They are twins who have learned their harmonies together with their father from a very young age. They attended the same guitar and drumming music classes from their second year at high school.

They both collaborate with their father whenever they get stuck writing new compositions, they travelled half way around the world together to a city where no one spoke German, to improve their English. They have travelled to both California and Ireland together to improve their public performing opportunities and finally, they moved to Liverpool from where things have taken off for them.

Watching Lisa’s performance on ‘Still a Friend of Mine’, I could imagine her  undertaking a solo career, but to do that successfully she would need to become part of the music industry she has so strongly avoided. She would need a record contract and all that comes with it, thereby surrendering the artistic freedom she now has. The obvious question is, if you were Lisa, why would you do that? Fame and fortune isn’t as important to Lisa as her musical and personal integrity. How do I know this? By researching her life from the start of MLTs musical career, watching/listening to all their video and radio interviews and from her participation in the MLT Club.

Also, when the very question of a possible solo career was put to Lisa in the Rodriguez radio interview, without a moments hesitation she said something to the effect of ‘I couldn’t imagine working without Mona’!

The final consideration is, without the musical collaboration of Mona and Papa Rudi, Lisa’s song writing would become that much more difficult for her. Did I say final? Well not quite final. Finally, I could not imagine Rudolf considering collaborating with Lisa without Mona being involved.

The only possible negative intrusion on the MLT juggernaut I can foresee is if some Hollywood movie mogul discovers Mona’s acting talent, makes her an offer she can’t refuse and steals her away from us!  I think we need to hide MLTs videos of ‘Bus Stop’, ‘Maxwell’s Silver Hammer’ and ‘Won’t You Listen Now’ at least!

And a final final! ‘Finally’, I hear you all saying. For anyone who had the musical talent, integrity, moral strength, passion and genuineness of Lisa Wagner, along with the support of a loving talented family, why would you even contemplate going over to the dark side. Mona and Lisa together are worth much, much more than the sum of their parts.

I don’t think we are going to lose the MLT experience anytime soon!

 

 

[Jung Roe]

Well stated Howard.  Mona and Lisa’s vocal harmony alone is a precious enough gem that must never be broken apart.  They are so beautiful together in every way, so tight as a musical duo, as I listen to Little Drummer Boy, I can’t imagine them pursuing solo paths.  The beautiful music they make together is a force of nature, so unique in the whole world.

“One person can have a profound effect on another.  And two people…well two people can work miracles.  They can change the world”… Andrew Schneider

[Timothy Connelly]

Great comments, Howard!

Just as I prefer the Beatles to McCartney solo, I prefer the Twins together to the Twins separately. But that hasn’t stopped me from buying something like 20 McCartney solo albums and it wouldn’t stop me from supporting Mona and Lisa if they ever decided to do something without the other. No matter how good George was with the Beatles- I think it was a good thing that he did the Concert for Bangla Desh without John and Paul. I hope that Mona and Lisa never pursue solo paths but if either decide to do a solo project- count me in as being very supportive of it. However, I hope they do another 10 or 15 together before that happens!

[Howard]

I agree. I’d also support them solo but can’t imagine that happening without their father’s involvement. I’m sitting in the dark as we’re currently experiencing a blackout. Been a couple of hours now. Why am I thinking of ‘Count On Me’!

Fortunately, thanks yo my wifi, I’m still able to communicate. I’m listening to the Twins ‘Little Drummer Boy’ on repeat on headphones at the moment. Never get sick of it!

[Jacki Hopper]

I admit to liking the solo works of George and Paul and John more than Ringo… Sorry Ringo… In particular .. George’s collaboration with Travelling Wilburys… John’s Imagine… I do enjoy Paul’s Wingspan stuff…. ????????????

[Michael Rife]

By a number of sales and songs charting…..Paul wins, I believe when he had Wings….at least during the 1970s and early 1980s with Wings and solo work.  But, in terms of quality…..about the only work Paul did during the solo years on par with the Beatles is Band on the Run….almost……I also like Red Rose Speedway.  I personally didn’t care for John’s solo work, but it is all due to personal taste.  George’s All Things Must Past cannot fairly be compared to his Beatles’ work…there was such a backlog of songs there.  On this album some songs almost equal his work….My Sweet Lord, etc. Of their solo work the songs that sound most like the Beatles are:  Paul (No Words For My Love), John (Woman), George (Blow Away).  Those three are closest in style to the Beatles for me.  But, again we are in a subjective area.  Mike

[Howard]

Hi Mike. I also like the Paul and George songs you refer to. However, commercial success isn’t the only determinant of quality and remember too that Lennon only had around a five year period where he was actively working on music during the period you are assessing.

[Michael Rife]

Howard;

I agree that commercial success is not the only determinant of quality….only one indicator.  How else can we explain that “Sugar Sugar” was considered by some to be the song of the year in 1969 or explain disco in the late 1970s.  Those records sold a lot, but I would not consider those songs to be very good.  Again it is subjective.  There are bands and musicians who have had very little commercial success but are very high on quality, e.g., Poco, PPL, NGDB.  These bands are in the country-rock category but can really play their instruments and some of their songs are very good.  From there I found out about groups like Marshall Tucker, Outlaws, and Unicorn (more recently).  Unicorn is an interesting band from the mid 1970s…..they are from England and play country-rock.  Other artists that never found commercial success but worth a listen:  Frank Walsh (a current day country-rocker from England) and Nick Drake (not sure how to classify his music).  Mike.

[Martin]

I’m a huge fan of most of George’s and John’s solo work, and I like some of Ringo’s and Paul’s as well.

The Beatles together though, were greater than the sum of their parts.

[Jung Roe]

Martin, well stated.  I agree Beatles (fab 4) were greater than the sum of their 4 parts.  Reflects the view of MLT as well.