The Beatles: Favorite Period in Career?

If you are a BEATLES fan, which time period in their career is your favorite?

 

1963-1966

 

Every single second of every single day that they ever made an iota of music.

Except Mr Moonlight!

 

They were great pretty well to the end - yes even Mr. Moonlight! But if I were to narrow it down it would be from Rubber Soul to Pepper.

Allthough I wouldn't want to be without AHDN either.

 

From October 12, 1965 to December 29, 1966. I think.

 

1966-1969.

But, I do appreciate the earlier stuff more than I used to, aside from the hits.

 

Man, they had a few dips but the quality and consistency -- WOW! If I absolutely had to choose it would be 1964-1966.

 

I prefer the early period: PLEASE PLEASE ME, WITH THE BEATLES, A HARD DAY'S NIGHT, and BEATLES FOR SALE. I prefer the hot **** R&B quartet to the self-conscious album artists.

I'm one of those curmudgeons who thinks THE WHITE ALBUM is a great single LP in search of an editor (George Martin); LET IT BE is surprisingly mediocre; and that the vaunted side two suite of ABBEY ROAD is the rock equivalent of a three-card Monte hustle -- "if we keep the production moving fast enough, no one will notice these song fragments aren't drawn from good songs."

Also, for me, the post-PEPPER albums are reduced by too many novelty numbers: "Ob La Di Ob La Da," "Octopus's Garden," "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," "Rocky Raccoon," "Her Majesty," etc. Most everyone else finds those songs charming and cute, but I find them cloying. Give me "Mr. Moonlight" any day.

Before you send me those virus-laden PMs, I will add that the later singles remained unassailable as ever. PAST MASTERS V2 stands alongside any rock and roll ever recorded.

 

1967-1969

 

From 1961-2003

 

1963 through the end of 1966. Each album and single recorded in this timeframe seemed to break new ground, with consistently excellent writing and musicianship. This was the period when the Beatles were working and collaborating as a "group".

Jim W.

 

I have favorites that I love in all eras. I also have one or two songs I could do without from all eras. I don't think anyone has matched the quality and consistency of their output ever!

 

No "virus-laden PM's" from me. I agree with much of what you say. The first four albums (except maybe for BFS) have great energy and enthusiasm. The White Album is too sprawling for its own good (although I still love it, warts and all). Let It be is their worst album,: uninspired although it does have its moments.

I also agree with you that some of the McCarney numbers from the later years are a little too cute, perhaps presaging some of the his solo career, although the Beatles' era songs are more polished lyrically.

I see you've adopted Lennon's view of side 2 of Abbey Road about the unfinished songs. it's a valid criticism, but the sheer artistry in making if flow together cannot be denied. The powerful and pithy The End and the irreverent (both towards the queen and the album itself) make up a perfect ending to the Beatles' swan song.

I can think of no other band who was so consistently brilliant and who progressed (even though some may not like the direction the progress took) so quickly. It's still astounding, given their influence and popularity to this day, that their recording career for EMI lasted less than eight years.

 

I love it all, but my absolute favourite period is late 1964 to early 1969, "I Feel Fine" / "She's A Woman" to The Beatles (White Album) and "Only A Northern Song", "It's All Too Much".

 

Although I have more Beatles material from January 1969 than any other period (66+ hours), I REALLY LOVE the early music through the A Hard Day's Night LP. I just LOVE the remaining music.


"She Loves You" is, to me, Beatlemania summarized in 2 minutes!

 

My favorite is the "middle period" Rubber Soul and Revolver, maybe going back to AHDN.

I have a Beatles mp3 CD with 161 hand picked mp3's. There are actually more songs but I combined songs that run together. I think it's criminal that "Please, Please Me" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" were left off "1"

Tim

 

OF COURSE, it's ALL good, BUT, my favorite periods are Revolver/Pepper and Let It Be/Abbey Road (with adjacent singles included). (And some days, I'd give the LIB period the nod, overall). MMT/White Album is my least favorite period. For some reason, I still think of everything up through Rubber Soul as one long ride—it seemed to go by pretty fast at the time. But again, the great thing about this catalog is the consistency. I can only speak about relative preferences.

 

None; from beginning to end, something to love.


ED

 

1966 - 1970

 

1962-70

 

Amen, brother.

 

I Agree.
Mr. Moonlight was always my least favorite Beatles song also, until I heard the live version from the Hollywood Bowl. I love that version!

 

1966-1970.

I've never really gotten into their really earlier stuff. It starts to get interesting to me around the time of Help. I really like Rubber Soul, and then from Revolver on, they're amazing.