The Beatles – Alone Again (1975)
Continuing our journey in the alternate universe in which the Beatles did not break up, we reach the year 1975. As three years earlier, the four members brought their songs together for another double album. Of course, our four friends had grown musically; solo projects and collaborations with other big names had amplified each member”s distinctive style ““ except, perhaps, for Ringo. But even he chipped in with a number he had co-written (with Vini Poncia), All By Myself (in real life, Lennon played the guitar on this track from Goodbye Vienna). Ringo”s other two contributions, I”m The Greatest and Photograph, were written by John and George respectively.
The most prolific writer had been Paul. Alas, some of what he brought into the studio was so bad, he would record it under the pseudonym Wings, the better to avoid soiling his good reputation (Ringo almost left the group because of Paul”s insistence to record Listen To What The Man Said. Happily). What remained, however, was some of his finest work. Let Me Roll It especially is outstanding. As Beatles tradition demanded it, this album had to include one drippy number which all the serious fans would hate but which their girlfriends would love. Hence the inclusion of My Love (which I rather like myself, being a big girl”s blouse).
John was in a dark mood: Nobody Loves You When You”re Down And Out is Lennon mired in self pity, gloriously so. But Mind Games is utterly gorgeous ““ almost a soul song — and rarely did Lennon write something as wistfully sweet as #9 Dream.
George may be under-represented here, but his tracks here are very good. With poetic justice, the often under-appreciated Harrison would boss the final Beatles album, released after John”s death, which I will post next week. As always, this mix should fit on a standard CD-R
Side 1
1. Band On The Run (Paul McCartney)
2. What You Got (John Lennon)
3. I’m The Greatest (Ringo Starr)
4. Mind Games (John Lennon)
5. Let Me Roll It (Paul McCartney)
Side 2
6. Give Me Love (George Harrison)
7. #9 Dream (John Lennon)
8. You (George Harrison)
9. Photograph (Ringo Starr)
10.Jet (Paul McCartney)
Side 3
11. Little Lamb Dragonfly (Paul McCartney)
12. Nobody Loves You When You’re Down (John Lennon)
13. One Day At A Time (John Lennon)
14. My Love (Paul McCartney)
Side 4
15. Letting Go (Paul McCartney)
16. Dark Horse (George Harrison)
17. All By Myself (Ringo Starr)
18. Junior’s Farm (Paul McCartney)
19. Whatever Gets You Thru’ The Night (John Lennon)
Hmmm. Not sure I agree with the ‘George is under represented’ comment. While I love his stuff, more so than J,P or R’s solo work, I think we can all imagine that a 1975 Beatles LP, even a double, wouldn’t have featured any more than a bit of tokenism in George’s direction. While the giant egos would have carved it up, George would have got his sole contribution tagged on (maybe two in the event of a double LP), and John or Paul would have been insisting that THEIR song got sung on the usual Ringo contribution.I imagine we’d still have ended up with something like ‘Cook of the House’ in place of a George song.
Another great “album”, I loved the last one and look forward to the final installment. It makes me think of some of the crazy “fan fiction” they write about our favorite movies and tv shows. Why not imagine that the band lived on for another album or two, how much better could some of these songs have been with a little bit of the synergy from earlier in their days when they actually helped and inspired each other.