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Do you consider "Free as a Bird", "Real Love", and "Now and Then" to be 'canon' Beatles songs?
What DO you consider canon?
I'm thinking their 'cleaned up' catalogue of the 12 UK albums, the US "Magical Mystery Tour" album and "Past Masters (the collection of released material not on the albums) to perhaps be "core canon" and the newer singles to be "expanded canon"?
What about the "My Bonnie" era recordings, or later releases like "Live at the Hollywood Bowl"? or "Live at the BBC", or the "Anthology" series?
What do you consider some sort of "core" and what is not?
Beatles fans - question!
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Sean Faust
That's honestly a great question!!!!
I guess Now And Then is canon now since it was added to the "red set" (as I've called it since my youth).
I guess because John is on it I'll accept it as canon. The production has a very very very Jeff Lynne vibe, though.
I think canon, though 'expanded canon'.
I mean, it is a Beatles release and all four on the recording (not every 'traditional' Beatles song has all four of them)
I hear you on the Jeff Lynn production, but hey, Let It Be had that very Phil Spector vibe after all.
by Cranky Old Witch; ; Report
Exactly. Lots of session cats on them (Purdie!!!).
It's... side canon? I don't know the word I'd use.
I will say.... I was so so so so so so happy to get a new George Harrison slide guitar solo when Now & Then was finally "out".
by Sean Faust; ; Report
No secret that I'm a simpering old George girl!
by Cranky Old Witch; ; Report
Ringo was my favorite growing up ("Go to the winnnndow!") but as my musical tastes developed over the years, it leaned heavily toward George (Cheer Down, anybody?).
George also has the BEST post-Beatles solo album out of the 4!
by Sean Faust; ; Report
Agreed on all fronts!
Also, I noticed you're a musician from NJ. Turns out, on that OTHER social media thingy, we have 23 mutual friends
What strikes me about Ringo is that he was absolutely the most professional of the four!
by Cranky Old Witch; ; Report
Guilty as charged. I wonder who the 23 mutual friends are. Musicians? Feel free to add me at that other place if you'd like.
Ringo is my very very very close 2nd favorite. Such an underrated drummer.
by Sean Faust; ; Report
A left-handed drummer, leading with his left, on a right-handed set up!
And so many of his beats and fills served the song and not an ego!
by Cranky Old Witch; ; Report
I don't think he gets enough credit as a creative drummer. However, the people who outright list him as their number 1 inspiration to play (Mike Portnoy being one) will go to bat about his tasteful playing all the time.
by Sean Faust; ; Report
So many young drummers back in the day couldn't WAIT for a new Beatles album just to see what he was going to do!
Average listeners figure him to be understated (especially in a post 1970s world), but he was so innovative!
by Cranky Old Witch; ; Report
Think of how many modern drummers that everybody loves list him as their number one inspiration. He's incredible.
by Sean Faust; ; Report
Yeah, he's on my short list with Gene Krupa and Neil Peart
by Cranky Old Witch; ; Report
Krupa and Peart aren't so shabby themselves! :)
by Sean Faust; ; Report
julian
If all four of them were involved then it’s canon in my book.
All four were on Now and Then, of course, but non-consensually.
I'm inclined to say "yes"l it's the Beatles, but maybe not so much canon.
by Cranky Old Witch; ; Report
I know it’s a very late reply but then by that logic Maxwell Silver Hammer isn’t a canon Beatles song since all 3 members were technically forced by Paul, ergo, non-consensual.
I haven’t read much of Now and Then’s making but all 4 of them were involved in the making of the song willingly, even if it was decades ago from each member.
by julian; ; Report
Lol, by your initial logic, songs like Blackbird or Within You Without you shouldn't count because they involved only one Beatle
I count it as 'expanded' rather than 'core', but it's been decades since the band legally split up.
by Cranky Old Witch; ; Report
Pretty much! When I wrote that comment I completely forgot that not every song of theirs involved all of them in one song.
by julian; ; Report