Diehard Fab Four fans are always on the hunt for lost, forgotten, bootleg, or unreleased Beatles songs, even today. That’s pretty wild, considering the band has been done and gone for the better part of a century now. Still, it’s always a fascinating experience to come across an unreleased Beatles tune that never got a proper release. Let’s take a look at just a handful of unreleased Beatles songs that are a joy to listen to today.
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“Watching Rainbows”
“Watching Rainbows” was recorded in 1969 during the Let It Be sessions. A lot of music didn’t make the cut, including this underrated and unreleased gem. The recording quality might be lackluster, but there was so much potential for “Watching Rainbows”. Lennon’s vocals are quite passionate, and the whole of the song is quite creative. It’s a shame it didn’t make it to Let It Be.
“Ain’t She Sweet”
This is a deep cut from The Beatles’ early career that I see pop up often. Recorded in 1961, “Ain’t She Sweet” is a real throwback to the more clean-cut, yet unrefined, early years of the Fab Four. The song was recorded when the group was working as Tony Sheridan’s backing band during the Hamburg, Germany era, and Pete Best can be heard on the drums. It’s a very rockabilly-leaning tune with just small hints of what The Beatles would become.
“You Know What To Do”
This old track from 1964 comes straight from George Harrison, who was historically underrated for his songwriting abilities earlier in the band’s career. Technically, this song has seen the light of day officially through its inclusion on Anthology 1. I’ll still include it on this list of unreleased Beatles songs because it’s just that good. I really think this track deserved a place on an album. It’s simple, soft, and pleasant. A fine, more toned-down tune among The Beatles’ discography.
“A Case Of The Blues”
This one is such a deep cut. Admittedly, I’ve never heard it before putting together this list of unreleased Beatles songs. It’s a home recording straight from John Lennon, allegedly recorded sometime in 1968. It’s an (obviously) bluesy little song, and it reminds me a bit of Lennon’s other songs, like “Cry Baby Cry” from The Beatles. This is a fine example of a demo that could have been something stellar on a studio album. Sadly, that will probably never happen. Unless we get another compilation album, of course.
Photo by ITV/Shutterstock
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