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PODCAST

Ranking The Beatles

Jonathan and Julia Pretus

Musician and self-described Beatles fanatic Jonathan Pretus ranked the entire recorded catalog of the Beatles, because he"s a big, big nerd. Then he decided to make a podcast to talk with other people and learn about their connection with The Beatles" music. Tune in as Jonathan and his guests, joined by his co-host/wife Julia (a more level-headed, casual fan) discuss the rankings, what they think makes each song so great (or not-so-great), and see if it really is a fool"s errand to try and rank

music music history

All Episodes

01:10:56

#185 - The Night Before with singer/songwriter Ben Labat

Ranking The Beatles ·

2021/01/26

This week's song is an "all-Paul" track (writing-wise, at least John says it is) that found a home on the Help! film and soundtrack. On celluloid, the boys craft "The Night Before" in a field, surrounded by tanks and assailed by wind. In real life, they knocked it out in 2 takes in Abbey Road in February of 65, the track marking the first time we hear Lennon on keys, and a key part that drives the entire song. It's a fun, upbeat song that gives Paul a place to shine in the film, while the

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01:39:57

#186 - Don't Pass Me By - Drummer Roundtable with...

Ranking The Beatles ·

2021/01/19

There's an old joke...What was the last thing the drummer said before getting fired? "I've written a song..." Ringo first brought "Don't Pass Me By" to the Beatles when he joined the band in 1962. Not until the free-for-all spirit of The White Album in 1968 did the band agree to take up his jolly country tune, and when we say the band, we mean just Paul. Dueling sources place both Beatles behind the drum kit, strangely, and we're frankly not sure who it is because while it's messy enough to be Paul,

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01:48:36

#187 - Run For Your Life with guest Diana Erickson,...

Ranking The Beatles ·

2021/01/12

The Beatles kicked off sessions for Rubber Soul with a song John wrote based off a lyric lifted from an Elvis song. It's an interesting case that on a record where they tap into the idea that "the word is 'Love'" but close that record out with "Run For Your Life," perhaps the most aggressive and threatening song Lennon ever wrote. The lyrical content being at odds with all things "fab," it's a shame that a band so known for bringing joy and happiness never took the time to second guess what they

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01:32:27

#188 Little Child CROSSOVER! with The Oasis Podcast

Ranking The Beatles ·

2021/01/05

John & Paul often talk about some songs as being "work songs"....tunes they knocked out for other artists, or George and Ringo, or tracks to fill out the album. They often referred to #188, "Little Child," as one of those songs. It's a fairly simple, uptempo rocker intended for Ringo's vocal spotlight on With The Beatles, though John eventually handles the vocal on it. Simple as it may be, it's part of a period where the band starts realizing they're not beholden to the standard pop song

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01:19:40

#190 There's A Place & #189 Devil In Her Heart -...

Ranking The Beatles ·

2020/12/22

One of the great things this podcast has given over so far is a chance to re-examine songs you've heard hundreds of times. Through that, "There's A Place" revealed itself to be the roots of the introspective and sensitive Lennon who goes on the bring us songs like "Nowhere Man," "Strawberry Fields Forever," all the way to "Watching The Wheels." And it's brave as hell to put a song that low-key is commentary on mental health on your debut album in 1963, a time when those things weren't really

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01:29:32

CROSSOVER! Ranking The Beatles Christmas Fan Club...

Ranking The Beatles ·

2020/12/15

Every holiday season from 1963-1969, members of the Official Beatles Fan Club would receive a special present from the Fab Four: a limited edition, fan-club-only flexidisc record, made just for them. What started out as a brilliant turn of PR, scripted to strengthen the appeal and bond between band and fan turned into an outlet for the boys to create whimsey and weirdness without consideration of commerciality. As they got turned on, so did the Christmas records. Bringing in elements of their

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01:13:48

#191 - Maggie Mae with Bruce Spizer (Beatles...

Ranking The Beatles ·

2020/12/08

At the onset of the Get Back/Let It Be project, John had a dilemma: he was short on songs. Paul and George had them falling out of their back pockets, but John was...going through some things, and didn't have a ton of material. He looked to the past, as the rest did, to old Lennon/McCartney tunes, rock & roll standards, covers, and old folk songs, like "Maggie Mae," a tale-as-old-as-time story about a prostitute robbing her...John. This tune, with's it's equally odd history, shows up between

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01:49:31

#192 - What You're Doing with author Rich Tupica...

Ranking The Beatles ·

2020/12/01

One of the first songs The Beatles worked on for their fourth record, Beatles for Sale, ended up being one of the last ones they finished, and along the way, I argue, the create the blueprint for what becomes power-pop. A catchy, repeating guitar riff on a jangly 12-string, a signature drum part, earnest, powerful, heart-on-the-sleeve vocals, and MELODY MELODY MELODY. "What You're Doing" may not be the high-water mark on the album, but it's impact on bands would be felt for generations to come. One

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01:19:08

#194 Back In The U.S.S.R & #193 Why Don't We Do It In...

Ranking The Beatles ·

2020/11/24

The White Album is definitely a high water mark for The Beatles. This expansive, now-classic album lifts off with the Chuck Berry-meets-The Beach Boys flavored rocker "Back In The USSR." The rocking Beatles are back from their psychedelic trips, and the gang's all here...except for Ringo, who walked out during the recording of this track. Paul takes over on the drums, adequately, and the original Threetles create a classic Beatles tune. But it's also the first time they look backwards, and it's the

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01:17:53

#195 When I Get Home CROSSOVER with El Vinilo

Ranking The Beatles ·

2020/11/17

"When I Get Home" is a great example of peak early-period John Lennon. It's a raucous track with interesting harmonies, an amazing vocal delivered with all the attitude and swagger of someone who'd dared to take on the world and won. It's a brutal, rocking punch that found it's way to the second half of the "A Hard Day's Night" album. It's really got nothing going against it, other than it's maybe the most "throwaway" of John's early peak. Well, that, and maybe one of the worst bits of lyric the man

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01:18:39

#196 Til There Was You with actor/musician Michael...

Ranking The Beatles ·

2020/11/10

There's always been something about The Beatles that made them really shine on screen. Their charisma and ease on camera seems to come from a rounded appreciation of the arts, including literature and theatre. That they only ever released one cover of a Broadway tune is interesting, especially when you consider it's kind of what got them their shot with George Martin, but that's what happened with "Til There Was You." They really nail it on this song from The Music Man, despite John's own

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01:22:04

#198 Don't Bother Me & #197 Ask Me Why with Jak Locke...

Ranking The Beatles ·

2020/11/03

As a musician, I couldn't ever imagine having the world hear the first song I ever wrote...or have the guts to put that first song on a record that's expected to sell millions of copies. But that's just what happens with #198, George's "Don't Bother Me." It checks all the 60's early rock boxes, all while in a minor key! Impressive? George called it "not a great song," and maybe he's not wrong, but its not awful, and it certainly shows a better beginning than anything I ever wrote. #197, "Ask Me

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01:07:26

#199 - 12 Bar Original with Adam Hill, Memphis based...

Ranking The Beatles ·

2020/10/27

Few can dispute the fact that The Beatles were masters at the craft of songwriting. Melding music and lyrics was literally THEIR THING. They were GREAT at it. So it's an odd move for them to undertake recording a Memphis R&B styled instrumental during the sessions for Rubber Soul. A track owing more than just a tip-of-the-cap to Booker T. & The MGs' "Green Onions," "12 Bar Original" finds the band doing their best to step WAY out of their lane. The track gets tossed into the archives

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01:03:23

#200 Act Naturally with Chapel Hart

Ranking The Beatles ·

2020/10/20

Country music always played a part in The Beatles' story, more so than it probably gets credit for. Cavern and Hamburg sets featured covers of songs from the likes of Chet Atkins and Carl Perkins, while George's early lead style is massively influenced by them as well, all the way down to his choice of guitar. Ringo's love of country ends up with him doing a full on country album with studio giants in 1971 in Nashville, but before that, he dips his toes in the the country pool with his own songs and

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01:17:19

#202 - Ob-La Di Ob La-Da & #201 What's The New Mary...

Ranking The Beatles ·

2020/10/13

This episode drops into the contentious White Album sessions. Paul's perfectionism can be such a blessing, but also a curse. In trying to craft the joy and fun of #202 "Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da," he ends up infuriating other band members and fighting with George Martin. Not the easiest way to get to a happy, silly, family friendly song. But then again, happy and family friendly are nowhere on the docket when John and Yoko enlist George and Mal Evans on the auditory equivalent of a bad acid trip, #201,

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01:16:39

#204 The Word & #203 Flying w/ Debbie Davis (singer,...

Ranking The Beatles ·

2020/10/06

There's a reason The Beatles are so associated with the word "love." While they wrote a huge amount of songs about romantic love, they became the flag-bearers for love as a universal cause. #204 "The Word" marks the first time we see the Fabs stepping into that spokesperson role, espousing the power of love and peace. Just two years later, on the heels of telling the world love was all they needed, they found a way to turn the most simple melody into an absurdly catchy instrumental for a spaced out

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01:15:37

#205 Words of Love w/ Kyle Melancon (drummer, The...

Ranking The Beatles ·

2020/09/29

Buddy Holly was one of the biggest influence on the Beatles, particularly John and Paul. They covered at least 13 of his songs during their early days. He inspired them to be both singers AND songwriters. So it's kind of surprising they only released Buddy Holly cover. As much as I enjoy "Words of Love," it feels like it's never gotten above the "that's nice" level for me. It's a track that struggles to stand out in an album that struggles to standout amongst the best of the Fabs. It's not that I

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01:07:53

#207 What Goes On & #206 A Taste of Honey w/ Brett...

Ranking The Beatles ·

2020/09/22

Under the gun for material to complete Rubber Soul, the Beatles dusted off an old Quarrymen-era tune, sprinkled a bit of Buck Owens on it, and gave Ringo his vocal turn with #207, "What Goes On." An earlier version was considered as a single to follow up "Please Please Me," but it found it's home as a nice bit of album filler in 1965. Featuring nice guitar and bass work, a solid vocal, and done in one take, it lands as not a bad song, not a great song, but good enough. #206, "A Taste of Honey," is

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01:01:14

#209 Her Majesty & #208 Dig It w/ Justin Molaison...

Ranking The Beatles ·

2020/09/15

Paul McCartney and John Lennon are, inarguably, two of the greatest songwriters of all time. On this episode, we tackle what may be the most inconsequential songs they penned during their time as Beatles. These songs also show the different paths they'd found themselves on in 1969...Paul, able to be fully self-sufficient on his own, creating on whim; John, searching for something while in the throws of addiction, and pulling the band behind him to try and manufacture inspirado. We're joined this

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01:15:15

#210 I'll Get You - CROSSOVER! With Blotto Beatles!

Ranking The Beatles ·

2020/09/08

It's our first ever crossover episode! We're putting our heads together with Tommy, Scotty, and Becker, the hosts of Blotto Beatles, a podcast where they discuss a different Beatles song over a handful of adult beverages, then decide where it should rank in their personal rankings. Great minds think alike! In this episode, we discuss "I'll Get You," the b-side to the "She Loves You" single. It's a song that really has no downside to it, it shows the Fabs already learning how to work the crowd, even

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