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Overrated vs. Underrated songs
14 October 2012
8.47am
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bikelock28
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Over-rated:

Please Please Me (it’s just a little bit flat and boring)

I Should Have Known Better (goes nowhere lyrically -the title line makes no sense in context with the rest of the song- and I’m sorry John but the harmonica sounds like a fly in my ear!)

In My Life (the instrumental sounds like a ringtone, and although everybody can relate to the lyrics, they’re kind of bland)

Tomorrow Never Knows (I appreciate it is a breakthrough in psychedilia, but I think critics go on about it too much)

A Day In The Life (I know I’ll make enemies but I just don’t get it. I find it creepy and disjointed)

Something (Controversial again, but personally I find it a bit static)

Under-rated:

I’ll Get You

All of the covers on With the Beatles (Please Mr Postman is brilliant and You Really Got A Hold On Me is beautiful)

Things We Said Today (In my opinions its Paul’s best song pre-Revolver )

Baby’s In Black (awesome harmonies)

I’ll Follow The Sun

I’m A Loser (Great Dylan-esque  lyrics, and Paul’s best bass line)

I’ve Just Seen a Face

You Like Me Too Much (I know it doesn’t make much sense lyrically, but who cares?)

I’m Only Sleeping

Your Mother Should Know

I Me Mine (George’s best song)

 

I think some of McCartney’s “big” songs- Yesterday , Hey Jude , Eleanor Rigby , Let It Be – are overplayed. They’re all incredible but they don’t need to be on the radio every day.

"I don't think we were actually swimming, as it were, with shirts on, 'cos we always wear overcoats when we're swimming,"-

George Harrison, Australia, June 1964

14 October 2012
11.51am
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fabfouremily
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What?? Paperback Writer overrated?!! I remember being pretty gobsmacked when I first heard that song. And John´s voice alone is Nowhere Man makes the song sensational. At least to my ears, anyway.

Agree with most of the underated ones though, in particular the covers. I think that songs like Martha My Dear , Julia and Girl get quite a bit of recognition though so I dunno if I would call them underrated.

Moving along in our God given ways, safety is sat by the fire/Sanctuary from these feverish smiles, left with a mark on the door.

(Passover - I. Curtis)

14 October 2012
2.48pm
mr. Sun king coming together
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Okay, when we say over/under rated, by what measure are we using? Are we using general populace, who know ten songs (maybe). Or, do we mean among the hardcore fans, of the variety we have here? Because it all depends. Because it seems like some of these lists combine both. Because only the hardcore like (or, I should say, know Tomorrow Never Knows – I don’t mean to say you must like TNK to be a hardcore fan) Tomorrow Never Knows , because it never got any commercial spotlight. But if you’re basing your lists on the hardcore, how can Girl be underrated, as most hardcore fans love it? Pick one.

As if it matters how a man falls down.'

'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.

15 October 2012
4.51pm
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fabfouremily
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I meant underrated in the sense that other people don´t know of/don’t appreciate them. People that maybe know a bit of The Beatles catalogue but aren´t that bothered, the press, radio…. maybe. Songs like ‘Girl’ could never be underated among fans, I’m pretty sure that most of us apprciate the beauty of it.

Moving along in our God given ways, safety is sat by the fire/Sanctuary from these feverish smiles, left with a mark on the door.

(Passover - I. Curtis)

18 October 2012
4.54pm
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Zig
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mr. Sun king coming together said
Okay, when we say over/under rated, by what measure are we using?

An excellent question. For the answer, I went to this thread’s first post from its creator Alissa. Her criteria was…

overrated – not as good as the majority believe

underrated – the underdogs which deserve more attention!

Hope this helps.mal-evans

To the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.

18 October 2012
6.10pm
linkjws
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It would be hard for me to think of an overrated song because I think that carries such a negative connotation to it….I know overrated songs are out there, but I couldn’t think of one where I’d go “Yeah that ones overrated”.

However for underrated, I always feel bad for ‘Penny Lane ‘.  I think its a great little song that always lives in the shadows to all of the other Pepper/MMT songs.  In my opinion it’s the best of that year for Paul.  Songs like “I Am The Walrus “, “A Day In The Life ” and “Strawberry Fields..” get all the attention, and yes rightfully so.  But I think Penny Lane is right there with those classics.  Can you imagine if Strawberry Fields was released with any other song?  It wouldn’t be a Double-A in my mind, it would be “Strawberry Fields” and some other B-side.  And I know most people view Strawberry Fields as the superior of the two (even myself), but I think ‘Penny Lane ‘ only adds to its greatness.

19 October 2012
1.04am
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Duke_of_Kirkcaldy
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Zig said

overrated – not as good as the majority believe

underrated – the underdogs which deserve more attention!

For me, overrated has always meant ‘good… but not THAT good (i.e. as good as many people seem to think it is)’.  a-hard-days-night-john-1

19 October 2012
5.19am
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Little Piggy Dragonguy
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mr. Sun king coming together said
Okay, when we say over/under rated, by what measure are we using? Are we using general populace, who know ten songs (maybe). Or, do we mean among the hardcore fans, of the variety we have here? Because it all depends. Because it seems like some of these lists combine both. Because only the hardcore like (or, I should say, know Tomorrow Never Knows – I don’t mean to say you must like TNK to be a hardcore fan) Tomorrow Never Knows , because it never got any commercial spotlight. But if you’re basing your lists on the hardcore, how can Girl be underrated, as most hardcore fans love it? Pick one.

Because this is all kind of subjective, you really can’t say somebody is not picking one way to go about this(!!!!). I could agree with Girl being underrated even by hardcore fans. Same with Yesterday . There can never be enough love for Yesterday , ever. Almost but not quite as true with Girl I would suppose.

All living things must abide by the laws of the shape they inhabit 

20 October 2012
7.12am
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Wildcat
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Yeah, some songs are just completely exempt from being considered ‘overrated’ – someone earlier applied that to Paperback Writer , which nearly triggered a psychotic episode in me. Yesterday , A Day In The Life , She Loves You – just a few examples of what should be unimpeachable classics deserving of never being overrated.

Some contrary, young punk music critics like to say Good Vibrations is overrated; I say so is their most basic competency in understanding music of any kind. How can something completely original, and recognized as completely original, be termed ‘overrated’?

Elvis’ That’s All Right Mama, Chuck Berry’s Johnnie B Goode, Hendrix and Purple Haze, Dylan with Like A Rolling Stone –

one doesn’t personally have to like these songs to appreciate the impact and lasting significance they had, and continue to have, on the people who originally experienced them.

Tomorrow Never Knows , Girl, Don’t Bother Me , Penny Lane – these songs, the ones all we Beatles fans know to fall under the list of those deserving of debate, are among the interesting ones to bother with.

To argue that Hey Jude  , the best-selling single of 1968 and one of the top five of all time, is overrated.. well, overwhelming popular opinion and record sales figures are pointless to argue against, so take these obvious ‘untouchables’ out of the discussion. Nothing wrong with subjectivity, but have a defensible reason to back up your opinion that doesn’t have to do with whether or not you like it!

22 October 2012
9.49pm
mr. Sun king coming together
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unknown said 

Because this is all kind of subjective, you really can’t say somebody is not picking one way to go about this(!!!!). I could agree with Girl being underrated even by hardcore fans. Same with Yesterday . There can never be enough love for Yesterday , ever. Almost but not quite as true with Girl I would suppose.

No. If you are saying that Girl is underrated, I see no way in which Tomorrow Never Knows is overrated. Only if you are a massive Beatles fan will you know Tomorrow Never Knows , because that is the least popular song they ever did, to the general populace. If you say is overrated, then you must be (by logical process) be meaning by the hardcore fans it is overrated. However, Girl is one of those songs that almost always appears near or at the top of the list when these discussions come up as an underrated song.So, the people who are making these lists must make up their ever-loving minds.

As if it matters how a man falls down.'

'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.

22 October 2012
10.37pm
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meanmistermustard
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Is Tomorrow Never Knows “the least popular song they ever did to the general populace”? Most folk dont know it exists and hardcore fans generally appreciate its groundbreakingness if not its musical firstbodings (is that a word?), well thats what i always thought. Would be disappointed to hear otherwise. 

"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)

30 October 2012
2.35pm
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Scoun
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I think that Hey Jude is the most overrated Beatles song. It’s nice and all, but it just gets played way too much.

For underrated, I would say Hey Bulldog (blue-meanie) and a lot of George’s stuff, like I Me Mine or Long Long Long.

Questo abrigado tanta mucho que can eat it carousel

30 October 2012
6.55pm
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frankdialogue
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Over rated: Revolution

 

Under rated: Cry Baby Cry

 

Actually ‘Strawberry Fields Forever ‘ is over rated as a song…As a production piece, it was groundbreaking, but i don’t believe Lennon ever finished it as a song…There was a radio series in the USA called ‘The Lost Lennon Tapes’ and on this you can hear Lennon doing maybe 25-30 versions of the song with just voice and electric guitar, and it sounds like he could never get a handle on it.

 

He has complained about this very point, but blamed George Martin, who made a ‘silk purse out of a sow’s ear’ so to speak.

13 November 2012
10.41pm
rockabillyrex
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I’ve enjoyed reading everyone’s selections, so much so I decided to register and chuck in my tuppence worth.

My absolute underrated song of the moment is I Call Your Name . Fantastic guitar and brilliant Lennon vocal. I trawled the posts and I think there was just one other mention for it.

I also really rate Night Before and Another Girl and think George’s You Like Me To Much is a gem.

I’m A Loser – brilliant Lennon song and mega Macca baseline.

Another fave is From Me To You and This Boy .

I could go on … actually I will with a couple more. Baby’s In Black and She’s A Woman (great chonking opening guitars).

Lastly have to give honourable mentions to She Loves You and I Feel Fine – everything and more you could want from a three minute pop song.

Cheers all and happy listening.
PS If I Fell too :)

26 November 2012
6.28pm
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Linde
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Overrated: 

Hey Jude : Yeah great singalong song and not a bad song at all and great that it sold so much, but there are so many songs that are better than this one.

Yesterday : Kinda boring, I skip it a lot. Don’t give a flying F about whether it’s a classic or not.

Let it be: Overplayed. 

Love Me Do : Now this is a song I really hate. It’s also very boring.

Paperback Writer : Boring. I often skip it. I don’t think it’s bad, but I don’t think it’s special either. I don’t really get how this became #1

 

Oh and I also think Sgt Pepper as an album is overrated, it has some good songs and it works great as an album, but how often do you ever listen to the songs indivually?

 

As for underrated songs, I simply can not choose, as a LOT of Beatles songs are underrated and don’t get enough attention.

29 November 2012
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DrBeatle
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These change for me depending on the day and my mood, but lately:

 

Overrated: Let it Be, Can’t Buy Me Love , All You Need Is Love

Underrated: Hey Bulldog , Dear Prudence , Not A Second Time , The Word

 

And I used to think Sgt. Pepper (the album) was a bit overrated (even though I love it) but lately I’ve been listening to it a lot through headphones and it’s absolutely stunning what they tucked into every nook and cranny of that album, especially given the technology of the time. Plus, I just got the mono box set and the album in mono is a whole other trip!heart

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15 December 2012
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Egroeg Evoli
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Overrated:

  • Yesterday – I like it sometimes, but I think it’s kinda depressing. I don’t know why so many people like it. (Just my opinion.)
  • Love Me Do – Okay for their first single, but it really isn’t all that great. I also read that Ringo didn’t play the drums on it; he just played the maracas or something. I just can’t make myself love a Beatles song without the true Fab Four playing what they’re supposed to. (Well, I know Paul had to play drums on Back in the U.S.S.R. and one other song I don’t remember, but that’s only because Ringo temporarily left the band, and there wasn’t a replacement that was not from the band. There’s probably been other stuff like that, too, but that’s besides the point. Now I’m rambling. Back to the list.)
  • A Day In The Life – It used to be one of my favorite Beatles songs, but then I listened to it a few more times. Now I agree with bikelock28:

bikelock28 said

A Day In The Life (I know I’ll make enemies but I just don’t get it. I find it creepy and disjointed)

Underrated:

  • A lot of George’s songs, like Don’t Bother Me and I Me Mine
  • Nowhere Man – I don’t know if a lot of people like it or not, but to me it doesn’t seem that they do. The harmonies are incredible.

 

There are probably others for both categories, but this is all I can decide on right now.

 

 

 

       

          

Also known as Egg-Rock, Egg-Roll, E-George, Eggy, Ravioli, Eggroll Eggrolli...

~witty quote~

15 December 2012
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meanmistermustard
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Ringo plays on the Past Masters version of Love Me Do (Andy White is on the Please Please Me  album recording and Anthology 1 has Pete Best playing).

I dont play Yesterday  that often but it is a very good song, not too smaltzy or overproduced which could have happened in the hands of another producer.

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6 January 2013
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bikelock28
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I think that Two Of Us is underrated, its one of my favourite songs on Let It Be because its all cosy and nostalgic, but the firm beat keeps it away from “granny music” teritory. The harmonies work well and the lyrics seem simple, but the rhymes are clever.

"I don't think we were actually swimming, as it were, with shirts on, 'cos we always wear overcoats when we're swimming,"-

George Harrison, Australia, June 1964

6 January 2013
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Let it Be is overrated, and I Want To Tell You is underrated. I seem to be the only person I know who likes the song.

"The world is a very serious and, at times, very sad place - but at other times it is all such a joke."-George Harrison

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