Waiting for the Train

After spending a few hours with my friends at the Slaughtered Lamb, a bar in Greenwich Village, and feeling very young because they were carding (I’m only 20), I left the place walked down to the 1 train at the Christopher St. station.

While waiting for the train to arrive, and without my iPod, I began listening to the saxophone player on the other side of the tracks. I couldn’t actually see the musician, but recognized the song he/she was playing: “And I Love Her” by the Beatles.

Normally, I don’t listen to the subway players because I’ve either got my headphones on for my iPod or I’m talking with a friend, and also because most of the time, they’re just not very good.

But there was something about the saxophonist that captured me.

The station was very quiet with no train near, allowing the sound of the sax to echo off the walls, making for a very solemn sound—and one that was oddly mature for someone playing in the subway. It didn’t sound like he/she was playing to make money (although I’m sure that had something to do it), but they were also playing because they loved playing the saxophone.

As the song progressed, I find myself singing along quietly under my breath, and soon enough, again from a person I couldn’t see, someone started singing out-loud:

Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
Will never die
And I love her

It was the closest to a Disney “everyone-knows-the-words-and-sings-a-long” moment I’ll ever be a witness to.

Soon, my train came and although I only listened to that unseen saxophonist for a few minutes, I can still hear those notes bouncing around my head, and if I had been on the other platform, I’d have gladly given the guy a few bucks—something I haven’t done yet in New York City.

Five Best...Artists Who Reached Number One Simultaneously in the US and UK

#5. Men at Work

Song: "Down Under"

Lyrics:

Do you come from a land down under?
Where women glow and men plunder?
Cant you hear, cant you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover.

When: 1982

#4. Beyoncé

Song: "Crazy in Love"

Lyrics:

I look and stare so deep in your eyes,
I touch on you more and more every time,
When you leave I'm begging you not to go,
Call your name two or three times in a row,
Such a funny thing for me to try to explain,
How I'm feeling and my pride is the one to blame.
'Cuz I know I don't understand,
Just how your love your doing no one else can.

When: 2003

#3. Rod Stewart

Song: "Maggie May"

Lyrics:

Wake up Maggie, I think I got something to say to you
It's late September and I really should be back at school
I know I keep you amused but I feel I'm being used
Oh Maggie, I couldn't have tried any more
You led me away from home just to save you from being alone
You stole my heart and that's what really hurts

When: 1971

#2. Simon and Garfunkel

Song: "Bridge Over Troubled Water"

Lyrics:

Sail on, silver girl, sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way
See how they shine
Oh, if you need a friend,
I'm sailing right behind

Yes, like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will easy your mind

When: 1970

#1. The Beatles

Song(s): "Can't Buy Me Love," "A Hard Day's Night," "I Feel Fine," "We Can Work It Out," "Paperback Writer," "Hello, Goodbye" and "Get Back"

Lyrics (of just my favorites, due to their being so many):

I'm so glad that she's my little girl,
She's so glad she's telling all the world,
That her baby buys her things you know,
He buys her diamond rings you know,
She said so.
She's in love with me and I feel fine.

Life is very short, and there's no time,
For fussing and fighting, my friend,
I have always thought that it's a crime,
So I will ask you once again

It's a dirty story of a dirty man,
And his clinging wife doesn't understand.
His son is working for the Daily Mail,
It's a steady job,
But he wants to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.

Get home Loretta
Your mother's waiting for you
Wearing her high-heel shoes
And her low-neck sweater
Get on home Loretta
Get back, get back.
Get back to where you once belonged.


When: 1964-1969

Five Best...Songs from A Hard Day's Night

#5. "Tell Me Why"

If there's something I have said or done,
Tell me what and I'll apologize,
If you don't really can't go on,
Holding back these tears in my eyes.

#4. "I Should Have Known Better"

If this is love, you've got to give me more,
Give me more, hey hey hey, give me more.

#3. "A Hard Day's Night"

It's been a hard day's night, and I been working like a dog
It's been a hard day's night, I should be sleeping like a log
But when I get home to you I find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright

#2. "I'm Happy Just to Dance With You"

I don't want to kiss or hold your hand
If it's funny try and understand
There is really nothing else I'd rather do
'Cause I'm happy just to dance with you

#1. "If I Fell"

If I fell in love with you
Would you promise to be true
And help me understand
'Cause I've been in love before
And I found that love was more
Than just holding hands

Five Best...Valentine Songs

#5. "Sleepwalker" by the Wallflowers

Cupid, don't draw back your bow
Sam Cooke didn't know what I know
I'll never be your valentine
The sleepwalker in me
And God only know that I've tried

#4. "When I'm 64" by the Beatles

When I get older, losing my hair, many years from now,
Will you still be sending me a Valentine,
birthday greetings, bottle of wine?

#3. "St. Patrick's Day" by John Mayer

No way November will see our goodbye
When it comes to December, it's obvious why
No one wants to be alone at Christmas time
And come January, we're frozen inside
Making new resolutions a hundred times
February, won't you be my valentine?
And we'll both be safe 'til St. Patrrick's Day

#2. "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" by Bob Dylan

People carry roses,
Make promises by the hours,
My love she laughs like the flowers,
Valentines can't buy her.

#1. "My Funny Valentine" by Frank Sinatra

But don't change your hair for me
Not if you care for me
Stay little valentine stay
Each day is Valentine's Day

Randomness is Essential

And anytime you feel the pain,
Hey Jude, refrain,
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders.
For well you know that it's a fool,
Who plays it cool,
By making his world a little colder.

That's all I wanna say.

My Faves

Yesterday, my dad sent me an e-mail about Frank Sinatra: The Man, The Music, The Legend, an anthology of essays about Ol’ Blue Eyes brought together at a 1998 conference held at Hofstra University. After reading the briefing by Benjamin Schwartz, literary and national editor of the Atlantic, I began to think of how much I enjoy Sinatra, although I hardly mention him on Five Best. From there, my thoughts drifted towards if I could only hear five bands or artists for the rest of my life, who would they be? Here’s what I came up with, in no particular order:

Bob Dylan
-If you’ve read my blog even once, you know how much I love Dylan. Plus, he’s got a long discography of fifty plus albums—and how could I go the rest of my life without hearing my two favorite albums, Blood on the Tracks and Blonde on Blonde.

Frank Sinatra
-Lots of albums, lots of different emotions he can stir up, amazing voice…need I continue?

The Beatles
-Although they didn’t release as many albums as Dylan or Sinatra, they’re the freakin’ Beatles! Of course I’d include them.

And here’s where it gets tough. Those three choices I thought of without even really, well, thinking, but for my final two, I’m left wondering whether I should choose two rock bands. Or maybe some jazz? Can I go the rest of my life without hearing Once More, With Feeling again? So, after much thought, here are my final two:

Louis Armstrong
-When I asked my dad who he’d have on his list, he included Louis (along with Dylan, Sinatra, Paul Desmond and either Bill Evans or Ben Webster) and I didn’t. In an e-mail I sent back to him after getting his choices, I mentioned that I’d probably pick Monk or Coltrane over Louis but upon second thought, I would choose Louis for one main reason: vocals. Although I might listen to Monk and ‘Trane more, I don’t think I could go the rest of my life without hearing his work with Ella Fitzgerald.

For the last slot, I thought about Richard Thompson, Miles Davis, the Kinks, the Ramones, Neil Young, the Velvet Underground, the Rolling Stones, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and David Bowie, but my choice inevitably came down to two: The Clash or Tom Waits. And my last artist is:

Tom Waits
-I may actually like the Clash more than Waits, but it simply comes down to the amount of albums and how good they are. The Clash has two masterpiece albums (The Clash and London Calling) while Waits only has one (Rain Dogs), but there aren’t that many other Clash albums (I mean, I could go the rest of my life without Super Black Market Clash, and I wouldn’t too upset). As for Waits, he doesn’t have a bad album on his résumé, and has a lot more of them as well.

So here they are:







Who would be in your group?

Five Best...Songs from Help!

#5. "The Night Before"

When I held you near, you were so sincere,
Treat me like you did the night before.

#4. "Ticket to Ride"

She said that living with me,
Is bringing her down yeh,
For she would never be free when I was around.

She's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ri-hi-hide,
She's got a ticket to ride, but she don't care.

#3. "Help!"

When I was young, but so much younger than today,
I never needed anybody's help in any way,
But now these days are gone and I'm not so self assured,
Now I find I've changed my mind I've opened up the doors.

#2. "It's Only Love"

Why am I so shy when I'm beside you?
It's only love and that is all,
Why should I feel the way I do?
It's only love and that is all,
But it's so hard loving you.

#1. "I've Just Seen a Face"

Falling, yes I'm falling,
And she keeps calling me back again.
I have never known the like of this I've been alone and I have,
Missed things and kept out of sight
For other girl were never quite like this.

Five Best...Bacon Songs

#5. "Muskrat Love" by the Captain and Tennille

Nibbling on bacon, chewin' on cheese
Sammy says to Susie "Honey, would you please be my missus?"
And she say yes
With her kisses

#4. "What's Good?" by Lou Reed

Life's like a mayonnaise soda
And life's like space without room
And life's like bacon and ice cream
That's what life's like without you

#3. "Death by Cholesterol" by Mucky Pup

Death by cholesterol,
Death by cholesterol,
Eggs, bacon, Crisco, butter, these will make your heart stutter.
Eggs, bacon, Crisco, butter, these will make your heart stutter.

#2. "Piggies" by the Beatles

Everywhere there's lots of piggies,
Living piggy lives.
You can see them out for dinner
With their piggy wives,
Clutching forks and knives to eat their bacon.

#1. "Incomin' Bacon" by Zack Attack

You know, baby, I don’t really dig
Flyin' strips of Porky Pig
Incomin' bacon
Duck 'n' cover
She’s hurlin' bacon at her brother
Duck 'n' cover
She’s hurlin' bacon at her brother
Ow!

(I've never heard of Zack Attack and the only thing I know about them is that they have an album called Constipated, but those are some mighty funny lyrics)

Any post about bacon must include this conversation:

Vincent: Want some bacon?
Jules: No man, I don't eat pork.
Vincent: Are you Jewish?
Jules: Nah, I ain't Jewish, I just don't dig on swine, that's all.
Vincent: Why not?
Jules: Pigs are filthy animals. I don't eat filthy animals.
Vincent: Bacon tastes gooood. Pork chops taste gooood.
Jules: Hey, sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I'd never know 'cause I wouldn't eat the filthy motherfucker. Pigs sleep and root in shit. That's a filthy animal. I ain't eat nothin' that ain't got enough sense enough to disregard its own feces.
Vincent: How about a dog? Dogs eats its own feces.
Jules: I don't eat dog either.
Vincent: Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal?
Jules: I wouldn't go so far as to call a dog filthy but they're definitely dirty. But a dog's got personality. Personality goes a long way.
Vincent: Ah, so by that rationale, if a pig had a better personality, he would cease to be a filthy animal. Is that true?
Jules: Well we'd have to be talkin' about one charmin' motherfuckin' pig. I mean he'd have to be ten times more charmin' than that Arnold on Green Acres, you know what I'm sayin'?

Five Best...Lizzy Songs

#5. “Rag Doll” by Aerosmith

Yes I'm movin',
Yes I'm movin',
Get ready for the big time,
Tap dancing on a land mine.
Yes I'm movin',
Yes I'm movin',
Old tin Lizzy, do it till you're dizzy,
Give it all ya got until you're put out of your misery.

#4. “Lizzy” by Ben Kweller

Like Mama said, don’t ya let it go to your head
When ya know you're being fed
I'm so proud to know you
Lizzy, I'll write, I'll sing
Telegraph, telegram
Telephone, tellin' you
I'll be home soon
Dienu

#3. “I’m a Cuckoo” by Belle & Sebastian

I'd rather be in Tokyo
I'd rather listen to Thin Lizzy-oh
Watch the Sunday gang in Harajuku
There's something wrong with me, I'm a cuckoo

#2. “Sound of Science” by the Beastie Boys

I've got science for any occasion
Postulating theorems formulating equations
Cheech wizard in a snow blizzard
Eating chicken gizzards with a girl named Lizzy
Dropping science like Galileo dropped a orange

#1. “Dizzy Miss Lizzy” by the Beatles

You make me dizzy, Miss Lizzy
The way you rock and roll
You make me dizzy, Miss Lizzy
When we do the stroll
Come on, Miss Lizzy
Love me before I grow too old

Love Is So Simple, To Quote a Phrase

There are millions of songs about love about there, but only a small fraction of them are worth listening to. Even the best artists can fail when it comes to explaining love. For every “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy),” there’s a “Dancing in the Dark.” For every “Can’t Stand Losing You,” there’s a “Every Breath You Take.” For every “Eight Days a Week,” there’s a, well, maybe The Beatles didn’t quite fail at mastering the love song.

To write a great song about love, it’s crucial to have sentimental lyrics that don’t come across as melodramatic or, worse yet, schmaltzy. This is tough to do because, as mentioned before, there’s countless songs about the same subject. Can you imagine trying to write even 20,000 songs about, let’s say, only boxing or tanning? Even with a low number like that, it’s tough— let alone a number with at least six 0’s at the end of it.

Is it possible to write a song about being in love without acting be in love? I have no idea, but I’d have to guess that it’s a lot tougher. Trying to write a happy song when you’re depressed is like trying to write one about the sun when it’s been gray outside for a month. You can’t go on pure emotions, and you’re left relying to on memory.

There’s also different kinds of love. For instance, saying, “Well, she looked at me and I, I could see/That before too long I’d fall in love with her/She wouldn’t dance with another/When I saw her standin’ there” is miles away from

Down by the Riverside Motel,
It's ten below and falling
By a 99 cent store, she closed her eyes
And started swaying
But it's so hard to dance that way
When it's cold and there's no music
Well, your old hometown is so far away
But inside your head,
There's a record that’s playing a song called:
Hold on, hold on
You really got to hold on
Take my hand, I'm standing right here
And just hold on.

One is juvenile, one is grown-up and complicated—but both are love.

There’s a reason that when you Google “love,” there’s over 1 billion hits; it’s different for every person. When Neil Young sings that “Only love can break your heart,” Ian Curtis thinks that “love will tear us apart,” while Randy Newman swoops in to say that “you’re just a prisoner of the one you love.”

Myself, I’ve only been in love twice in my life (including now—there’s always a selfish for writing posts, isn’t there?), and the kind of love and the songs that I associate it with change. But one artist hasn’t, and I believe he can write about the different forms of love in ways that most only can dream about, or only feel but not able to properly explain.

In love:
My love she speaks like silence,
Without ideals or violence,
She doesn't have to say she's faithful,
Yet she's true, like ice, like fire.

Lost love:
Oh, it's shameful and it's sad,
I lost the only pal I had,
I just could not be what she wanted me to be.
I will turn my head up high
To that dark and rolling sky,
For tonight no light will shine on me.

Craving love:
If today was not an endless highway,
If tonight was not a crooked trail,
If tomorrow wasn't such a long time,
Then lonesome would mean nothing to you at all.
Yes, and only if my own true love was waitin',
Yes, and if I could hear her heart a-softly poundin',
Only if she was lyin' by me,
Then I'd lie in my bed once again.

Simple (but pure) love:
Close your eyes, close the door,
You don't have to worry any more.
I'll be your baby tonight.

Confused love:
Sometimes the silence can be like the thunder
Sometimes I wanna take to the road and plunder
Could you ever be true?
I think of you
And I wonder

I'm sick of love, I wish I'd never met you
I'm sick of love, I'm trying to forget you

Just don't know what to do
I'd give anything, to be with you

Abandoned love:
One more time at midnight, near the wall
Take off your heavy make-up and your shawl.
Won't you descend from the throne, from where you sit?
Let me feel your love one more time before I abandon it.

Those are all by Bob Dylan, a man not typically thought of in the same category as Elvis or Sinatra (although neither one of them wrote their material), but for one man to have mastered so many different kinds of love (and there’s plenty of other categories that I didn’t list), that’s impressive. And sort of sad too, when you think about it.

As for me, I would do anything for love, but I won’t…quote Meat Loaf.

55 Favorite...Beatles Songs

Back in July, I posted my 55 favorite Bob Dylan songs and now I'm doing the same thing for The Beatles. The list goes by the US albums, not ones released in the UK, because the track listing is quite different. Disagree with a choice? Please comment.

And I should mention again that these aren't necessarily The Beatles' greatest songs, just ones that mean the most to me.

Introducing…The Beatles (6)
“I Saw Her Standing There”
“Love Me Do”
“Please Please Me”
“Do You Want to Know a Secret?”
“There’s a Place”
“Twist and Shout”

Meet the Beatles! (4)
“I Want to Hold Your Hand”
“It Won’t Be Long”
“All My Loving”
“Hold Me Tight”

The Beatles’ Second Album (3)
“You Really Got a Hold on Me”
“Please Mr. Postman”
“She Loves You”

A Hard Day’s Night (3)
“Tell Me Why”
“I’m Happy Just to Dance With You”
“If I Fell”

Something New (0)
None (many of the tracks appear on A Hard Day’s Night)

Beatles ’65 (1)
“No Reply”

The Early Beatles (0)
None (all previously released tracks)

Beatles VI (1)
“Eight Days a Week”

Help! (2)
“Help!”
“Ticket to Ride”

Rubber Soul (8)
“I’ve Just Seen a Face”
“You Won’t See Me”
“The Word”
“Michelle”
“It’s Only Love”
“Girl”
“I’m Looking Through You”
“In My Life”

Yesterday…And Today (4)
“I’m Only Sleeping”
“If I Needed Someone”
“We Can Work It Out”
“Day Tripper”

Revolver (2)
“Here, There and Everywhere”
“Got to Get You Into My Life”

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (2)
“Getting Better”
“A Day in the Life”

Magical Mystery Tour (2)
“Strawberry Fields Forever”
“All You Need is Love”

The Beatles (5)
“Back in the USSR”
“While My Guitar Gently Weeps”
“I Will”
“Birthday”
“Helter Skelter”

Yellow Submarine (1)
“Hey Bulldog”

Abbey Road (3)
“Come Together”
“Oh! Darling”
“Abbey Road Medley” (Yeah, it’s kind of cheating but I’m including it as one song)

Let It Be (5)
“Two of Us”
“Let It Be”
“I’ve Got a Feeling”
“The Long and Winding Road”
“Get Back”

Singles (3)
“Paperback Writer”
“Hey Jude”
“The Ballad of John and Yoko”

Five Best...Beatles References in Homer's Barbershop Quartet

In the Simpsons episode, "Homer's Barbershop Quartet," Homer tells the family about he time he, Apu, Skinner and Barney were in a successful barbershop group, and of the group's eventual downfall. Much of the story is based around the Beatles, and there's references to the Fab Four throughout the episode.

#5. After arriving in New York City, the Be Sharps hold a press conference just as The Beatles did upon coming to America:

Reporter: I have a question for Apu de Beaumarchais. Isn't it true that you're really an Indian?
Apu: By the many arms of Vishnu, I swear it is a lie.
Reporter: Barney! How did you join the group?
Barney: They found me on the men's room floor.
[Everyone laughs, but a tear rolls down Barney's cheek]
Reporter: Principal Skinner, you've been referred to as "the funny one." Is that reputation justified?
Skinner: [seriously] Yes. Yes, it is.

#4. This interaction:

Skinner: Only one question remains, gentlemen...what do we call ourselves?
Nigel: How about, "Handsome Homer Simpson Plus Three?"
Barney: I like it!
Apu: Wait, I do not.
Skinner: Er, um, we need a name that's witty at first, but that seems less funny each time you hear it.
Apu: How about, "The Be Sharps?"
[Everyone laughs loud at first, then less, then the laughter tapers off]
Skinner: Perfect!

#3. Just as Brian Epstein tells John Lennon to not let the fans know he's married, so to does the Be Sharps manager, Nigel, tell this to Homer:

Homer: Wait till I tell Marge!
Nigel: Oh, yes...Bouffant Betty. Well, I would prefer if we kept your marriage a secret. You see, a lot of women are going to want to have with you, and, er, we want them to think they can.
Homer: Well, if I explain it to Marge that way, I'm sure she'll understand
[scene change to the Simpson home]
Marge: [cries loudly]
Homer: C'mon, honey! It'll only be until we finish our tour of Sweden.

#2. One of the greatest lines in Simpsons history:

Lisa: I can't believe you're not still popular.
Bart: What'd you do? Screw up like the Beatles and say you were bigger than Jesus?
Homer: All the time! That was the title of our second album.

#1. "Where'd you get that brownie?!?" and "It's Been Done."

This is in the episode and has nothing to do with The Beatles, but it's hilarious:

Barney: David Crosby? You're my hero!
David: Oh, you like my music?
Barney: [Surprised] You're a musician?

(Different episode, but here's a clip about Marge's obsession with Ringo Starr)

Five Best...Overrated Albums That Are Still Pretty Good

#5. Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols by The Sex Pistols

I love the album as much as the next person, but is it the greatest punk album ever as many lists would clam it to be? Um, I’ll take The Clash any day, thank you very much.

#4. Tommy by The Who

There are some many better Who albums (let’s start with The Who Sell Out) but much of the time is spent talking about this album. It’s good and interesting, but it’s no “A Quick One” or “Substitute.”

#3. The Joshua Tree by U2

I never miss the chance to make a good U2 joke (or at least cracking on Bono) because of their “epic” status, but when I listen to Tree, I can't help but think how good of a band they are. Also the fact that it has my name in the title and came out the year I was born helps too…

#2. Nevermind by Nirvana

Not their best album (I’d give that honor to Bleach), but the one that everyone talks about and listens to. Still, for any other band, it’d be the greatest thing they could ever hope to release—after all, it is a really good album.

#1. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles

I know the album is beyond influential and I do think some of the tracks are great (“A Day in the Life,” “Getting Better,” “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite”), but there’s no way this is better than Rubber Soul.

Five Best...Goodbye Songs

(As appears in today's issue of the New School Free Press)

#5. “Never Say Goodbye” by Bob Dylan and The Band

This is not a perfect Dylan love song like “Love Minus Zero/No Limit” because the lyrics are a tad corny (“Time is all I have to give/You can have it if you choose”), but the way he sings makes it sound like he really means it. And with Bobby, that can be a rare quality to come by.

#4. “Say Goodbye” by Dave Matthews Band

One of the best songs on one of DMB’s best album, Crash, “Say Goodbye” shows why they’re so popular amongst the 18-25 crowd: “So, here we are tonight, you and me together/The storm outside, the fire is bright/And in your eyes, I see what’s on my mind.”

#3. “Goodbye to You” by Michelle Branch

If you watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you’ll know why this is here. If you don’t, watch Buffy.

#2. “Never Can Say Goodbye” by The Jackson Five

Everyone knows “I Want You Back” and “ABC,” but it’s the lesser hits like “Goodbye” that make the best band from Gary, Indiana still worth a listen to over 30 years later

#1. “Hello, Goodbye” by The Beatles

You say goodbye, I say hello...to a new column! It’ll appear in the next issue of the New School Free Press

(Don't worry, this only affects people who read Five Best in the newspaper. They'll be getting a new column, which I'll post here once it comes out.)

Spectacularly Simple

For all my talk about "the ghosts of electricity" and "scrounging for your next meal," sometimes rock 'n' roll doesn't have to be that complex. It's only a rare great (Dylan, Waits, Springsteen, etc.) that can make the intellectual sound magnificent with the accompaniment of only the guitar, bass and drums.

But this post isn't about the complex, it's about the seemingly simply. Take these few lines of lyrics from different artists:

You're gonna say you'll miss me
You're gonna say you'll kiss me
Yes, you're gonna say you'll love me
'Cause I'm gonna love you too

I'm gonna give you thirty days to get back home
I done talked to the gypsy woman on the telephone
She gonna send out a world wide hoodoo
That'll be the very thing that'll suit ya
I'm gonna see that you be back home in thirty days

Ooh, I need your love babe,
Guess you know it's true.
Hope you need my love babe,
Just like I need you.

Those three songs--"I'm Gonna Love You" by Buddy Holly, "Thirty Days" by Chuck Berry" and especially "Eight Days a Week" by The Beatles--are all compromised of words and lines that you think you could probably write, but never did. And never will. That's the genius of them; it's like seeing a painting in a museum and thinking to yourself, "Psh, I could do." Well, there's a reason why they're Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry and The Beatles and we're not...

Is this why The Beatles reached such massive? Those lyrics that girls at the age of 9 all the way up to men in their 50s could equally relate to, but for completely different reasons. It's surely got to be one of the reasons.

Would I give up "Like a Rolling Stone" so that there'd be no "Aqualung?" No, I wouldn't. Along the same line, I wouldn't give up "I've just seen a face/I can't forget the time or place," even if it meant there'd be no:

I'm just mad about Fourteen
Fourteen's mad about me
I'm just mad about Fourteen
She's just mad about me

Five Best...Songs from Across the Universe

#5. "It Won't Be Long"

#4. "All My Loving"

#3. "Hey Jude"

#2. "Let It Be"

#1. "I've Just Seen a Face"

(Sorry, couldn't find clips from the movie for "All My Loving" and "Let It Be," but "Loving" has essentially the same feel as the original while "Be" takes on a gospel sound. It's actually quite stunning and just shows how great of a songwriter Paul was.)

Happy Birthday...To Me!

As today is my 20th birthday, I'm going to be selfish, think about myself and post birthday related videos:

-An SNL clip of a "new" Happy Birthday song with Jack Black

-A bunch of Simpsons birthday clips: Homer not blowing out his candles, The Ramones (Stones?) singing to Mr. Burns and a performance of "Lisa, It's Your Birthday" by Bart and Leon Kompowski.

-Bob Dylan singing "Happy Birthday" and sounding/looking horrible.

-And, of course, "Birthday" by The Beatles

I've Just Seen a Face

While much of the focus concerning The Beatles is on Sgt. Pepper's or Abbey Road, we sometimes forget how great an album like Help! is. I'd even go so far to say that I'd rather listen to Help! or A Hard Day's Night multiple times rather than Pepper's even once.

Take the song "I've Just Seen a Face" from Help!:

I've just seen a face,
I can't forget the time or place
That we'd just met, she's just the girl for me
And I want all the world to see we've met
Na na na na na na

On the page, the lyrics aren't great but when they're sung by McCartney, the song becomes wonderful and endearing. The chord structure also seems very influenced by jazz, which would become a common trait for Paul's songs.

The first ten seconds of the song have Harrison, Lennon and McCartney playing in a rhythm that won't be heard during the rest of the song; it almost sounds like something from a classical score to me. When Paul starts singing, "I've just seen a face/I can't forget the time or place..." we hear an evolved Beatles that even a year before, with songs like "I'll Cry Instead," couldn't really be heard.

It's a song that doesn't sound complex when compared to "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite," but in a different way, it's more complex rhythmically--and a much better song to boot.

It was recorded during the same session as "Yesterday" and was released on the American version of Rubber Soul, but I don't think it works as well on that album as it does between "Tell Me What You See" and the aforementioned "Yesterday" on the CD version I have.

Another interesting note: Help! came out on my birthday, August 6th--although 22 years before I was born.

Five Best...Songs from With the Beatles

#5. "Please Mr. Postman"

#4. "It Won't Be Long"

#3. "Little Child"

#2. "You Really Got a Hold On Me"

#1. "All My Loving"

Five Best...Songs with Clapping

#5. "We Will Rock You" by Queen (a terrible song, but has a clapping part everyone knows)

#4. "Think" by James Brown

#3. "Cecilia" by Simon and Garfunkel

#2. "No Fun" by The Stooges

#1. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles

Honorable Mention: "Clap Hands" by Tom Waits, although it contains no actual clapping of said hands.