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Favourite Lennon Beatles song today
Was listening to some Beatles vinyl tonight and “Norwegian Wood” came on, and what magic. It has such an appealing emotional pull. While my favourite Beatles anything constantly change, in December of 2023, it’s “Norwegian Wood”. Across the Universe, In My Life, Girl are some other fave Lennon Beatles songs over the years.
Do you have a favourite or particular John Lennon Beatles song that come to mind to mention.
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18 Replies
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I think I’d agree with your list, Jung. For my musical taste, John’s songwriting talents peaked sharply on Rubber Soul, although I’ll give props to Strawberry Fields Forever also.
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Hi David
Good point, and I think Rubber Soul was the turning point when the Beatles stopped the focus on live shows and endless touring and went into the studio to produce their most creative music. I think Paul said up until that point they focused on what their screaming fans wanted, but with Rubber Soul it was the artistry they went after, and that move placed Rock music on the same pedestal as classical and great literature and paintings. And indeed some of John’s best work started then. Brian Wilson took notice, as did the Stones, the Who, Pink Floyd…etc. Rubber Soul and focus to studio work started the Rock Renaissance. In the Beatles repertoire, if you compare songs before Rubber Soul, and after (including Rubber Soul), I think the music became so much more complex, refined, and innovative.
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Hi Jung,
at the beginning of my „Beatles career“, many of my favorite songs were John Lennon’s songs. That changed at some point and later I focused more on the songs of George Harrison, from whom I also bought solo albums. The Beatles’ music accompanied me for so many years of my life and I think my personal development was always reflected in my preferences for the individual songs. When I was 14 or 15 years old, the cry for “Help” came from my soul. A few years later I was the “Nowhere Man” and then “The Fool on the Hill” (which brings us to Paul McCartney). Yes, I think those were songs that always really impressed me. I’ve always had a lot of fun discovering the Beatles’ music over the years and also seeing how I’ve changed. And today? “In my life” faith reflects the sentimental feelings of getting older. It is the time to let your mind wander, to seek out forgotten places and to enjoy things that were once so present and are now just a breath in the course of life. And then I feel like the Nowhere Man again.
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Hi Jurgen
Thank you for sharing your experiences with the Beatles music growing up. It sounds like those songs really resonated for you with what you were going through. It is magical that certain songs/music can express so profoundly what you are feeling, in ways you could not express through words. I found when that happens, it helps you to cope, soothes, and even heals sometimes. At least that is what music has been for me, and it sounds like for you too. That live performance of Nowhere Man is great, the sound is the real track from the live performance. You can enjoy it with all the rawness and passion.
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Jung! Norwegian Wood has always been my favorite Beatles song. Also “Here Comes the Sun” and “I’ll Follow the Sun”. I guess I like hot things (suns or burning bedrooms). Other than that I’m kind of all over the board so I don’t know that I favor one’s compositions over another’s.
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Hi Roger
Here Comes the Sun has always stood out for me as well, a really beautiful melody. I’ve heard it covered over the years but the Beatles were the best, until I heard Mona’s voice on it, wow.. And the harmonies. Best bar none.
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To me, “Dear Prudence” shows the Beatles (well, 3/4 of the Beatles) at their best. It’s John’s song, and it was recorded during one of the most turbulent parts of their career, but they manage to pull it together to produce a gentle, but powerful song. George’s lead, John’s fingerpicking, and Paul’s bassline, with the beautiful harmonies from all three, show them at the top of their game. Bonus points to Paul for showing what a talented musician he is, playing the bass, piano, and drums, plus a tiny bit of flugelhorn, on it.
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Hi Dan
Thanks for the explanation around the song. Listening to it closely, there is a lot going on there. The guitar work/finger picking really sounds wonderful, and the vocals and instrumentation are very complex. The vocals have quite the range. They utilize so many cool effects with the vocals, guitar sounds and drums working off each other. Truly some master work going on there.
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Hi Dan
I love the white album. It was the first Beatles album I actually owned and listened to extensively. So many great songs from John, Paul and George. I always liked John’s singing voice better than Paul’s, even on their earlier records like Twist and Shout and Help. There was something so cool about that cry in his voice. I think Paul was the best songwriter and liked more of Paul’s solo work than John’s. On the white album I liked all of John’s songs like Dear Prudence, Glass Onion, Bungalow Bill, I’m So Tired. I really liked Happiness Is A Warm Gun. It includes another lyric that I always misheard. When he says “I need a fix ’cause I’m going down, down to the bits that I left uptown”, I always thought he said bitch, Lol. I still sing it that way.
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What a crazy, amazing album, isn’t it? A bit of everything, really, from rockers to ballads, and then the truly bizarre. It really shows some of their best songwriting, in spite of the tensions and squabbles that were starting to take over the studio.
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Yeah it certainly is amazing. I just think they were all growing in different directions and becoming individual artists, each with his own ideas. Maybe that’s why it seems to go in so many different directions as opposed to creating songs for the band. There’s so many great ones on there I forget some of them until I listen to the album.
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Jung,
John had so many great songs and I always liked his Beatle songs more than Paul’s. It’s funny because I liked Paul’s solo work more than John’s with exceptions for Imagine, Instant Karma and a few others. I remember first hearing Come Together on the jukebox of one of our local cafe’s. I thought it was the coolest song ever even though I had no clue what they were singing about. I was only about 10 years old when it came out. I still don’t know what they’re singing about but I still love it.
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Hi Tim
Yeah whenever I hear this, it sounds so unique like no other before it. When the Beatles first came out with this song, it must have been so mind blowing to everyone, such an innovative sound.
In that Making of Rubber Soul video, Paul said: “…we always wanted every single record to have a different sound. We never want to get trapped in this ver Mersey Beat”
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Jung, that sounds familiar. I often hear Mona and Lisa saying they like to change things up or try different things to make it interesting, different harmonies, different instruments. I think real accomplished musicians get bored doing the same things no matter how good it is, I’m sure the Beatles were the same.
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Hi Tim
I love how Mona and Lisa have the same creative philosophy to never repeat themselves. Between their 3 original albums, each one is very different from each other, exploring new sounds and styles. There is constant innovation and change. Even across all the Christmas Advents, each year it is different trying new a creative ideas mixing it up. This years has been the most fun, engaging and memorable.
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I joined the club on Dec. 16 2022. Not sure why it says Oct. 2022 on my profile. That’s when I ordered my first MLT Cd. I only got to experience the last 7 days of last years advent as it was happening. I did go back and and watch all the previous years advents and livestreams several times. I agree this years advent has been the best yet. To be able to join the Twins so often and chat amongst all the club members has been a unique experience. It is like a family sitting around the living room sharing stories, enjoying the season and the spirit of Christmas. This has been very special and I’ll be a little sad when it’s over but can’t wait to see what they do next.
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Jung
I always liked John Lennon singing this one. There’s a great live version of the Beatles doing this one on YouTube but when I first found the Twins a little over a year ago it was one of the ones I kept replaying, it blew me away, Mona completely owns it like nobody else. The whole band just nails it. I had the same feeling with their version of Nowhere Man. Two of my favorite Beatle songs and I couldn’t believe any one not named The Beatles could play it like that. I’ve listened to it 100 times and it still blows me away like it did the first time.
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Hi Tim
Yes, I like MLTs version of this and Nowhere Man better than the Beatles. Their vocals/harmonies are second to none. I put their harmonies above Beatles, Beach Boys, and Everly Brothers and more….
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