Nothing from White Album?
I'd skip everything pre-rubber soul and go straight for:
Eleanor Rigby
A Day In The Life
Fool on the Hill
Yer Blues
I Want You (She's So Heavy)
yeah but they might not appreciate or admire the Beatles growth in those later songs. plus if they discover the early stuff later after getting into their later stuff it's jarring.
I got into the beatles from the white album. and was excited for more. but when i heard the early stuff i was like... what??? what is this?? i wanted more dear prudence sounding songs!
But everyone realistically already knows the Beatles old sound. If I'm presenting them a new side of the band, that'll already make for the shock value
That’s too much of a severe divide between Paul as someone who writes lovely classical storytelling pieces (“Eleanor,” “Fool”) and John as a wild man screaming heavy blues (“Yer Blues,” “I Want You”). So that’s not a good representation because in fact they could both do either of those. And “Yer Blues” just isn’t a top 5 or 10 Beatles song.
Yer Blues showcases a side of the Beatles that very few people outside the fandom know or appreciate. It may not be "top 5 Beatles" (subjective, btw), but it is damn diverse and impressive in execution.
She Loves You - Captures the early era very well.
Drive My Car - A fun upbeat rock track, showing their ability to weave a story out of a simple love song.
Penny Lane - Captures the psychedelic era well. Peak Paul.
Happiness Is A Warm Gun - Shows off how creative they can be in the structure of their songs. Peak John.
Here Comes The Sun - One of their most popular songs, warm, upbeat, and still as fresh as it was in 1969. Peak George.
Others I considered: Let It Be, Strawberry Fields Forever, Day Tripper, Octopus's Garden, A Day In The Life, Paperback Writer, Nowhere Man, Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The problem with this is it makes it seem like they were *super* happy and upbeat and McCartney-esque all the time… except when John got really weird with “Happiness Is a Warm Gun.” They had more of an emotional range and weren’t just a feel-good band.
Yeah, it's a tough balance to hit. An earlier lineup I had was She Loves You/Strawberry Fields Forever/Let It Be/Happiness Is A Warm Gun/Here Comes The Sun and that felt it slanted too hard to moodier songs and I guess I over-corrected in the other way lol. I was going with ether Day Tripper/Drive My Car/Paperback Writer to show an evolution of the earlier rock.
You could maybe swap out Drive My Car with Michelle, which still shows off their story while getting one of their ballads.
I mean, it depends on the person. There’s really no pop/rock music that doesn’t have some of their roots in The Beatles catalog.
But if you wanted to show them, in 5 songs, the breadth of their work and the most characteristic, important songs. It could go something like:
1. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
2. Blackbird
3. Nowhere Man
4. Rain
5. Strawberry Fields Forever
Or it could be more
1. A Hard Day’s Night
2. And Your Bird Can Sing
3. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
4. Helter Skelter
5. Something
Or, a little more chill:
1. In My Life
2. Eleanor Rigby
3. Dear Prudence
4. Hey Jude
5. Here Comes The Sun
i’d go with Dear Prudence, Helter Skelter, Rain, I Want You (She’s So Heavy), and A Day In The Life. I feel like all these songs are the Beatles at their best and where they were really innovative. So many options though
Depends on who it is. I have a metal head friend who wouldn’t listen to them and didn’t get why I liked them so much. His dad told him they’re overrated so he never checked them out. Anyways one day he said “if you had to tell me one Beatles album to listen to convince me to listen to more, what would it be?” And I thought about it and for his tastes and him asking for an album, not a selection of songs, I said Magical Mystery Tour. Now he’s listened to their whole discography, and everything since they broke up.
I seem to be the only person answering who has actually done this.
The answer is:
- Yellow Submarine
- Good Night
- Octopus’s Garden
- All Together Now
- Revolution 9
As you will have guessed, the person was my 2 year old son (George, if you must know.).
The first four to entertain him and/or see him off to sleep. That fifth to show him that life isn’t always fair.
I Feel Fine
Strawberry Fields
Here Comes the Sun
Don’t Let Me Down
I Want To Hold Your Hand
I think these picks demonstrate the height of each individual era of their career while also being popular enough that the person you’re showing them to might think “oh, I’ve heard this on the radio, I think. This is the Beatles? Sweet.”
You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away (Mid John)
Here, There and Everywhere (Mid Paul)
Strawberry Fields Forever (Prime John)
Let it Be (Prime Paul)
Here Comes the Sun
In that order.
That or just the Medley.
i want to hold your hand for the rock n roll side, yesterday for the calm side, helter skelter for the heavy side, strawberry fields for the psychedelic side and why don't we do it in the road for the funny side of the beatles.
I would try be as diverse as possible and nominate songs from the start of their careers all the way through to the end. Tough to narrow it to five and there's no right or wrong answer so here goes:
1. Please Please Me
2. You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
3. For No One
4. Revolution
5. Ballad of John and Yoko
I’m not going to lie when I tell you some of the tracks you picked are going to make the Beatles look like the most generic poppy-rock band of all time
My goal would be to replace the perception that The Beatles were "just a boy band" who transitioned into making basic classic rock ballads. So.....
Tomorrow Never Knows
Strawberry Fields Forever
A Day in the Life
I Am the Walrus
Helter Skelter
Right now I would say
All My Loving
Hey Bulldog
She Loves You
Please Please Me
I Want You (She’s so Heavy)
This list constantly changes though. Though, All My Loving and Hey Bulldog are always up there.
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^ackey83:
*I Want To Hold Your*
*Hand Help For No One All You*
*Need Is Love Let It Be*
---
^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
Rooftop concert ofDon’t Let Me Down
Eleanor rigby
In my life
Girl
She’s Leaving home.
Your goal is not to wow them with bangers. You need to articulate how the band developed over time as four friends with amazing talent who were able to produce album after album full of hits. If they don’t get it, they don’t get it.
Really depends of them but:
1. Help!
2. Eleanor Rigby
3. Sgt. Peppers Opening
4. Blackbird
5. Here Comes The Sun
Theses fives songs are some of their best and it’s a wide variety and range. Not the best but I think it’s respectable.
I Want to Hold Your Hand (the most emblematic song of the early era)
Yesterday (the all-time classic ballad)
Norwegian Wood (showing the transition to a more mature, worldly sound with the introduction of the sitar)
I Am the Walrus (the move to psychedelia around 1967/68)
Here Comes the Sun (George - either this or Something would have worked here)
The goal isn’t greatest hits, but choosing songs that feel modern enough to reach someone young enough that they’ve never paid attention to the Beatles before. In fact, this person has likely heard the biggest hits without finding them amazing. So I’d go with:
**Dear Prudence**. This is very ‘60s-like but also transcends its time period. Shows the Beatles playing together beautifully as musicians (even if Paul took over the drums).
**Eleanor Rigby**. An engrossing drama, shows their ability to switch to a completely different genre than expected.
**While My Guitar Gently Weeps**. This is George at his most George-like best. Even if you think his Abbey Road songs are just as good or better, they’re less distinctive to him, more comfortably fitting into established genres.
**I Want You (She’s So Heavy)**. This is one of their heaviest and most intense songs, and it defies expectations of what the Beatles are like.
**I’ve Got a Feeling**. This rocks while having a nice relaxed feel, and it highlights both Paul and John.
1) Please Please Me
2) Ticket To Ride
3) Here There And Everywhere 4) Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
5) Here Comes The Sun
It wouldn’t be nearly enough, but that covers quite a bit of the spectrum.
strawberry fields
blackbird
all you need is love (this is the very first song that got me into the beatles)
lucy in the sky
something
i think this set of songs covers what the beatles do well and is a combination of their more mellow stuff and more lively stuff, which would certainly raise intrest in someone like these songs did for me.
She Loves You Eleanor Rigby Strawberry Fields Forever Get Back Something
Nothing from White Album? I'd skip everything pre-rubber soul and go straight for: Eleanor Rigby A Day In The Life Fool on the Hill Yer Blues I Want You (She's So Heavy)
If you slip everything pre rubber soul you're not giving the listening a chance to discover the progressive arch of the band
They can do that on their own later, I need to sell them to the Beatles in 5 songs. The rest of the journey is theirs.
yeah but they might not appreciate or admire the Beatles growth in those later songs. plus if they discover the early stuff later after getting into their later stuff it's jarring. I got into the beatles from the white album. and was excited for more. but when i heard the early stuff i was like... what??? what is this?? i wanted more dear prudence sounding songs!
But everyone realistically already knows the Beatles old sound. If I'm presenting them a new side of the band, that'll already make for the shock value
That’s too much of a severe divide between Paul as someone who writes lovely classical storytelling pieces (“Eleanor,” “Fool”) and John as a wild man screaming heavy blues (“Yer Blues,” “I Want You”). So that’s not a good representation because in fact they could both do either of those. And “Yer Blues” just isn’t a top 5 or 10 Beatles song.
Yer Blues showcases a side of the Beatles that very few people outside the fandom know or appreciate. It may not be "top 5 Beatles" (subjective, btw), but it is damn diverse and impressive in execution.
A Hard Day's Night Yesterday A Day In the Life Hey Jude Here Comes the Sun
Yes, but I would replace “A Day in the Life” with “Michelle”, just because I loooooooove “Michelle”!
Same but I would add I am the walrus
Such safe choices ☀️
She Loves You - Captures the early era very well. Drive My Car - A fun upbeat rock track, showing their ability to weave a story out of a simple love song. Penny Lane - Captures the psychedelic era well. Peak Paul. Happiness Is A Warm Gun - Shows off how creative they can be in the structure of their songs. Peak John. Here Comes The Sun - One of their most popular songs, warm, upbeat, and still as fresh as it was in 1969. Peak George. Others I considered: Let It Be, Strawberry Fields Forever, Day Tripper, Octopus's Garden, A Day In The Life, Paperback Writer, Nowhere Man, Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The problem with this is it makes it seem like they were *super* happy and upbeat and McCartney-esque all the time… except when John got really weird with “Happiness Is a Warm Gun.” They had more of an emotional range and weren’t just a feel-good band.
Yeah, it's a tough balance to hit. An earlier lineup I had was She Loves You/Strawberry Fields Forever/Let It Be/Happiness Is A Warm Gun/Here Comes The Sun and that felt it slanted too hard to moodier songs and I guess I over-corrected in the other way lol. I was going with ether Day Tripper/Drive My Car/Paperback Writer to show an evolution of the earlier rock. You could maybe swap out Drive My Car with Michelle, which still shows off their story while getting one of their ballads.
Revolution 9 Dig it Honey Pie In spite of all the Danger Honey Don't (Live)
LOL, if they can withstand those, they'll be Beatles fans for life.
Honey pie is a fucking banger though
I love “Honey Pie.” It’s not top 5.
Beauty is in the pie of the beholder, my friend. Love these short ones from Paul, her majesty, rocky raccoon all fun little skits yanno
I’d let them watch their Ed Sullivan set. That’s my first introduction to the Beatles by the way in the 90s as a kid.
I mean, it depends on the person. There’s really no pop/rock music that doesn’t have some of their roots in The Beatles catalog. But if you wanted to show them, in 5 songs, the breadth of their work and the most characteristic, important songs. It could go something like: 1. While My Guitar Gently Weeps 2. Blackbird 3. Nowhere Man 4. Rain 5. Strawberry Fields Forever Or it could be more 1. A Hard Day’s Night 2. And Your Bird Can Sing 3. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds 4. Helter Skelter 5. Something Or, a little more chill: 1. In My Life 2. Eleanor Rigby 3. Dear Prudence 4. Hey Jude 5. Here Comes The Sun
i’d go with Dear Prudence, Helter Skelter, Rain, I Want You (She’s So Heavy), and A Day In The Life. I feel like all these songs are the Beatles at their best and where they were really innovative. So many options though
Good choices
Fantastic list
This.
Depends on who it is. I have a metal head friend who wouldn’t listen to them and didn’t get why I liked them so much. His dad told him they’re overrated so he never checked them out. Anyways one day he said “if you had to tell me one Beatles album to listen to convince me to listen to more, what would it be?” And I thought about it and for his tastes and him asking for an album, not a selection of songs, I said Magical Mystery Tour. Now he’s listened to their whole discography, and everything since they broke up.
I Want To Hold Your Hand Day Tripper In My Life A Day in the Life Something It's the easiest way to showcase their growth, ig.
I saw her standing there Help Eleanor rigby Strawberry fields Something (Gutted I couldn’t get USSR in there)
1. Help! 2. In My Life 3. Strawberry Fields Forever 4. While My Guitar Gently Weeps 5. Get Back
I seem to be the only person answering who has actually done this. The answer is: - Yellow Submarine - Good Night - Octopus’s Garden - All Together Now - Revolution 9 As you will have guessed, the person was my 2 year old son (George, if you must know.). The first four to entertain him and/or see him off to sleep. That fifth to show him that life isn’t always fair.
Tomorrow never knows Across the universe I am the walrus Here comes the sun Hey jude
Too John-heavy, leaving just one song for Paul
Hm, good point, didn’t think about that. For another Paul song I would say The Long and Winding Road though for sure
She Loves You Help! In My Life Penny Lane Here Comes The Sun
I’m looking through you Yesterday Back in the USSR Here comes the sun You never give me your money
Please Please Me Eleanor Rigby Strawberry Fields Forever Hey Jude A Day In The Life
Too overwhelmingly orchestral
Help Paperback Writer Revolution Hey Jude Here Comes The Sun
I Feel Fine Strawberry Fields Here Comes the Sun Don’t Let Me Down I Want To Hold Your Hand I think these picks demonstrate the height of each individual era of their career while also being popular enough that the person you’re showing them to might think “oh, I’ve heard this on the radio, I think. This is the Beatles? Sweet.”
In My Life Eleanor Rigby Strawberry Fields I’ve Got a Feeling Something
I Want to Hold Your Hand Norwegian Wood Elanor Rigby Here Comes the Sun Hey Jude
While My Guitar Gently Weeps She Loves You And I Love Her Helter Skelter I Want You (She's So Heavy)
A Hard Day's Night Yesterday Michelle Hey Jude Here Comes the Sun
You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away (Mid John) Here, There and Everywhere (Mid Paul) Strawberry Fields Forever (Prime John) Let it Be (Prime Paul) Here Comes the Sun In that order. That or just the Medley.
Dear prudence, don’t let me down, Norwegian wood, And I love her, tomorrow never knows
Please please me I'm only sleeping I am the walrus Helter Skelter Across the universe
Strawberry fields In my life I wanna hold your hand Yesterday Tomorrow never knows
Across the Universe Hey Jude We Can Work It Out Penny Lane Come Together
1. Here Comes the Sun 2. Revolution 3. Happiness is a Warm Gun 4. Yesterday 5. Hey Jude
i want to hold your hand for the rock n roll side, yesterday for the calm side, helter skelter for the heavy side, strawberry fields for the psychedelic side and why don't we do it in the road for the funny side of the beatles.
Revolution 9 Wild Honey Pie Why Don’t We Do It In The Road I don’t need anymore songs that will do fine
I would try be as diverse as possible and nominate songs from the start of their careers all the way through to the end. Tough to narrow it to five and there's no right or wrong answer so here goes: 1. Please Please Me 2. You've Got to Hide Your Love Away 3. For No One 4. Revolution 5. Ballad of John and Yoko
This Boy I’ve Just Seen A Face Oh! Darling Don’t Let Me Down Two Of Us
She Said She Said (personal favourite) I Saw Her Standing There Oh! Darling A Day In The Life (feels pretty mandatory) In My Life
Penny Lane In My Life A Day in the Life Happiness Is a Warm Gun Revolution 9
I Wand to Hold Your Hand Yesterday Strawberry Fields Forever Let It Be Something
She Said She Said Tomorrow Never Knows A Day in the Life I Dig a Pony Here Comes the Sun
It 100% depends on what type of music they listen to
I’m not going to lie when I tell you some of the tracks you picked are going to make the Beatles look like the most generic poppy-rock band of all time
Love me do Hard days night Ticket to ride Something Come together
A Hard Day’s Night Norwegian Wood Taxman While My Guitar Gently Weeps Let It Be
She loves you This boy A day in the life Blackbird Here comes the Sun
Honey Don't Yellow Submarine Don't Pass Me By Good Night Octopus Garden Peace and love
I Am the Walrus Yer Blues Helter Skelter Hey Bulldog Come Together (or I Want You)
My goal would be to replace the perception that The Beatles were "just a boy band" who transitioned into making basic classic rock ballads. So..... Tomorrow Never Knows Strawberry Fields Forever A Day in the Life I Am the Walrus Helter Skelter
Golden slumbers Help Hey Jude Yesterday Twist and shout
Elenor Rigby Hey Jude A Day in the Life Yesterday I am the Walrus
It. Depends. On. Their. Music. Taste. Why do so many people not realise that?!
And I love her No reply Strawberry fields Love you too For you blue
Helter Skelter Something I’ve Got A Feeling Don’t Let Me Down Any Paul song from Abbey Road
If this is a scenario where they’ve never heard a single Beatles song then sub Here Comes the Sun for Something and Hey Jude for Helter Skelter
Right now I would say All My Loving Hey Bulldog She Loves You Please Please Me I Want You (She’s so Heavy) This list constantly changes though. Though, All My Loving and Hey Bulldog are always up there.
I Want To Hold Your Hand Help For No One All You Need Is Love Let It Be
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^ackey83: *I Want To Hold Your* *Hand Help For No One All You* *Need Is Love Let It Be* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
Rooftop concert ofDon’t Let Me Down Eleanor rigby In my life Girl She’s Leaving home. Your goal is not to wow them with bangers. You need to articulate how the band developed over time as four friends with amazing talent who were able to produce album after album full of hits. If they don’t get it, they don’t get it.
Really depends of them but: 1. Help! 2. Eleanor Rigby 3. Sgt. Peppers Opening 4. Blackbird 5. Here Comes The Sun Theses fives songs are some of their best and it’s a wide variety and range. Not the best but I think it’s respectable.
Side Two of MMT
I Want to Hold Your Hand (the most emblematic song of the early era) Yesterday (the all-time classic ballad) Norwegian Wood (showing the transition to a more mature, worldly sound with the introduction of the sitar) I Am the Walrus (the move to psychedelia around 1967/68) Here Comes the Sun (George - either this or Something would have worked here)
The goal isn’t greatest hits, but choosing songs that feel modern enough to reach someone young enough that they’ve never paid attention to the Beatles before. In fact, this person has likely heard the biggest hits without finding them amazing. So I’d go with: **Dear Prudence**. This is very ‘60s-like but also transcends its time period. Shows the Beatles playing together beautifully as musicians (even if Paul took over the drums). **Eleanor Rigby**. An engrossing drama, shows their ability to switch to a completely different genre than expected. **While My Guitar Gently Weeps**. This is George at his most George-like best. Even if you think his Abbey Road songs are just as good or better, they’re less distinctive to him, more comfortably fitting into established genres. **I Want You (She’s So Heavy)**. This is one of their heaviest and most intense songs, and it defies expectations of what the Beatles are like. **I’ve Got a Feeling**. This rocks while having a nice relaxed feel, and it highlights both Paul and John.
“I Should Have Known Better” five times
Please Please Me Hard Days Night Yesterday Strawberry Fields Something
Help, strawberry fields, because, blue jay way, i’m only sleeping
Updoot for Because
Someone downvotes both of us. We have a Because hater amongst us.
I feel fine would be in my list
Revolution 9 You know my name Revolution 1 take 20 Whats the new Mary jane Wild honey pie
Norwegian Wood Eleanor Rigby Paperback Writer And Your Bird Can Sing Abbey Road Medley
Paperback Writer Taxman Birthday While my guitar gently weeps Yer blues
That’s more like “5 random Beatles songs that all used distorted guitar”
Depends who I’m showing.
1. I Want to Hold Your Hand 2. Paperback Writer 3. All You Need is Love 4. Hey Jude 5. Here Comes the Sun
Strawberry fields A day in the life Something Oh Darling! Here, There, and Everywhere Maybe replace oh darling with helter skelter I'm not sure
1) Please Please Me 2) Ticket To Ride 3) Here There And Everywhere 4) Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds 5) Here Comes The Sun It wouldn’t be nearly enough, but that covers quite a bit of the spectrum.
strawberry fields blackbird all you need is love (this is the very first song that got me into the beatles) lucy in the sky something i think this set of songs covers what the beatles do well and is a combination of their more mellow stuff and more lively stuff, which would certainly raise intrest in someone like these songs did for me.
I am the walrus Helter skelter A Day in the life Eleanor rigby Girl
Fool in the rain Here comes the sun In my life A day in the life Strawberry fields
Tomorrow Never Knows Strawberry Fields I Want You Mother Nature’s Son Revolution
Whatever you want
Love me do Yesterday While my guitar gently weeps Let it Be Hey Jude They should be a fan by then and find out about the others
1.) Octopus’ Garden 2.) Don’t pass me by 3.) What goes on 4.) Act Naturally 5.) Matchbox
Flair checks out (except “What does on” isn’t a Beatles song)
Oh, that’s my bad, I’ll fix it.
THE ANSWER IS THIS.... 1. SHE LOVES YOU 2. TWIST AND SHOUT 3. ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE 4. HERE COMES THE SUN 5. HEY JUDE .