The Beatles: Blue Album

Side A opens with me ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ a piece of psychedelic brilliance and tales of ‘John Lennon’s’ childhood in Liverpool. A perfect album opener and one of my favourite Beatles songs. ‘Penny Lane’ follows another track about Liverpool. This is one of the first Beatles songs I have ever heard and it has a childhood like innocence. I still love it. ‘Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band’ is the third track on Side A, a short song which acts as an introduction to something much bigger. ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ follows and sees the band singing about their friendships. A true classic. ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ another track from Sgt Pepper. One of the best from that album and a psychedelic masterpiece. ‘A Day in the Life’ is the penultimate track on Side A and it may be the best thing the Beatles ever recorded. A complex affair which features both Lennon & McCartney at their very best. ‘All You Need is Love’ ends Side A, another song with an innocence about it, a song about the power of love.

Side B begins with ‘I Am the Walrus’ using the word psychedelic to describe this song would be an understatement. It’s bonkers. Lyrically it’s a amalgamation of nonsense. However it’s brilliant. ‘Hello, Goodbye’ follows one of the most underrated Beatles songs in my opinion it’s so catchy and still to this day a brilliant pop song. ‘The Fool on the Hill’ slows things down an almost ballad like song written by Paul McCartney. ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ brings back the childhood innocence, wrapped up in a big psychedelic bubble. Another underrated gem. ‘Lady Madonna’ is next a more rock n roll track, short snappy and straight to the point. A different take on The Beatles sound. ‘Hey Jude’ is the penultimate track on Side B. There’s not much to say about this song that hasn’t already been said a million times before. A classic pop song. ‘Revolution’ ends Side B. A protest song but done in a different way, the song was written in a turbulent time and the band are questioning if a revolution is the best idea.

Side C begins with ‘Back in the USSR’ another snarling track with lyrics a parody of ‘The Beach Boys’ song ‘California Girls’ and reflects the narrators opinions on the USA upon a return to the USSR. ‘While my Guitar Gently Weeps’ is the first George Harrison contribution but by no means the last, a beautiful soulful piece of music. ‘Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da’ is another catchy Beatles song almost childlike again with its lyrics. You cannot help but sing to it. ‘Get Back’ from Let it Be is the next track. A simple song with clever and catchy rhymes throughout. ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ also from Let it Be is present on Side C a much slower affair a song seen as a love song for Yoko Ono, the song is most famous for the rooftop performance at Apple Studios in 1969. ‘The Ballad of John & Yoko’ is the penultimate song on Side C the song itself simply describes the activities of John Lennon and Yoko Ono on there honeymoon. ‘Old Brown Shoe’ ends Side C written by George Harrison on a piano, the song is almost Ska like in sound and unlike anything else on the record.

Side D opens with my favourite Beatles song ‘Here Comes the Sun’ an acoustic masterclass by George, it’s a beautiful piece of music, with a simple yet intricate melody and brilliant lyrics . ‘Come Together’ follows on and it’s a stomper from the Abbey Road album. A big powerful track with a monstrous chorus. ‘Something’ slows things down again and shows George at his very best. Writing beautiful songs. Definitely the best Beatles love song. ‘Octopus’s Garden’ gives Ringo a song on the record and it’s a simple catchy pop song about an octopus what’s not to like. ‘Let It Be’ sees McCartney at his vulnerable best, a song about a dream he had where is late mother visited him and told him things would be ok. ‘Across the Universe’ is the penultimate track on the album. Another slower track, almost ballad like in quality with an acoustic guitar as the centrepiece a brilliant way of bringing a great album to a close. ‘The Long And Winding Road’ ends the record a rather sad piece of music released towards the end of the bands career. A song about the unattainable things that we can never reach.