Solo Fabs
Posted by Adam Burling on 29 March 2008 - 5:36pm.
I've finally listened to George Harrison's All Things Must Pass LP for the first time. It's a masterpiece, and in my opinion probably the greatest solo work by a Beatle. I can't believe I've coped this long without it.
What do others think is the best Beatle solo LP? Any nominations for Ringo's latest will be instantly rendered void.
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Got it right first time...
All Things Must Pass is easily the best solo Beatle album, let down only by the jams on the third disc. If the Beatles had broken up a year or two earlier, George could have ditched the jams and added 'Something' and 'Here Comes the Sun' and it would have been perfect.
Runner Up - Plastic Ono Band. Lennon's most deeply personal and open record. As others have said, Lennon started well and then quality control fell off dramatically.
Third (by some distance) - Imagine.
Others may suggest Band on the Run, but I remain deeply unconvinced of its merits.
Band on the Run
is cheesy, unbearably so at times, but has some great moments on it (Jet, Let Me Roll It, the title track). I think it was Macca's last true burst of creativity before it all went downhill.
Saying that, I actually thought his last record Memory Almost Full was surprisingly good.
Yeah...
...lose the jams, and you've got a brilliant album. I'd agree with 'Plastic Ono Band' and 'Imagine'. As for McCartney, I'd definitely nominate 'Band On The Run' too, and maybe 'Ram' or more left-field, 2005's 'Chaos And Creation In The Backyard'.
Best Beatles' solo albums
1 All Things Must Pass
2 Plastic Ono Band
3 Ram
4 Band On The Run
5 McCartney
6 Imagine
I am quite confident. . .
. . . that I am probably the only person in the world to firmly believe, with genuine, non-ironic conviction, that the best Beatles solo effort is far and away John Lennon's Rock 'n' Roll.
I think...
... your confidence is justified. I've never heard anyone say that before.
His cover of Stand By Me is brilliant, but a whole covers album is a bit too much to take. Do you really think it's better than, say, Imagine or Plastic Ono Band?
The jams album
It was a bonus. I don't think it detracts from the overall merits of ATMP, which I concur is the best Beatles solo.
I like Band On The Run a lot. Or I did, I haven't played it for many years. I may have been the only person in the world who liked Picasso's Last Words. I never met anyone else who liked it.
You are not alone...
I like it too. Great record, 'Band On The Run'...
Drink to me
Drink to my health.
And I shall do the same for you.
The best of "All Things Must Pass"...
...has a strong claim to be one of the greatest rock records ever made. It represents the only latter day occasion when the wall of sound approach to production didn't result in a headache, the tunes are unbearably melancholy and the sentiments are, no getting away from it, quite profound. Most of this record is about mortality. And how old was he when he wrote it? About twenty-six.
Instead of releasing a Deluxe Edition, or Expanded Edition...
of 'All Things That Pass', the Harrison estate should release a Contracted Edition, get rid of the jams and what an album you'd end up with. One of the finest, as you say.
Every time I listen to the title track I think to myself "How could someone so young have been so wise?" You're so right about that too.
On the vinyl issue
the jams are on a seperate 3rd disc, so easily avoidable really. I just ignore them.
It's only the past couple of years that I've realised just how incredible Harrison's achievements at such an age were. I'm 24 now, and it's frightening to think of what he had achieved by that age.
Apparently Harrison always regretted letting Spector give the album such a huge sound. I think it would be a lesser album without it, though.
On a double CD
All Things Must Pass is pretty neatly split down the middle. The first disc is flawless. The second makes me want to listen to Derek and the Dominos instead.
George and quality control
Agree that with ATMP George hit an early peak.
Incidentally, George had an amazing ability to write songs which are incredibly annoying lyrically but also very catchy...e.g "Awaiting on you all" from ATMP, "The Day the World Gets Round" from Living in the Material World and most bizarre, "Dream Away" from his career nadir, Gone Troppo. Am I the only one who finds the last one addictive...it was also the theme tune from Time Bandits!!
Without a doubt...
Ram.
Agreed!
Awaiting on You All - what a song! Is this Phil Spectors best production? I think so!
Yes!
Awaiting On You All is a fantastic song. It sounds immense. I wouldn't say I find it lyrically annoying though- a little preachy maybe.
I also liked...
...George's 'Cloud Nine'. The Jeff Lynne production is kind of its time but there are some lovely tunes on there, particularly the delightful 'When We Was Fab' and 'Somewhere Else'.
Why not Ringo?
I'd take "Ringo" plus "it don't come easy", "early 1970" and "Back off boogaloo" as bonuses - he managed to get some good songs out of Harrison. Besides it's a welcome break from the other three's when they get tiresome.