The Beatles loom so large in the world of music that it’s easy to forget that their recording career lasted only about seven or eight years, which means their output as a band is quite finite (less than 200 songs officially released in that span). You might think then that their catalog doesn’t have any more surprises to lend. Yet there are certain tracks that, for a variety of reasons, haven’t yet been examined to death, at least by casual fans. With that in mind, we’re going to take a look at seven deep cuts that you either haven’t heard or maybe haven’t given enough attention to.
Videos by American Songwriter
1. “I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party” (from Beatles for Sale, 1964)
Beatles for Sale, The Beatles’ fourth UK album, is a great source for unheralded tracks as a whole. “No Reply,” “Baby’s in Black,” and “What You’re Doing” all fly a bit under the radar. But “I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party” stands out as one of the best early Beatles songs that wasn’t released as a single. It was originally intended as a number for Ringo Starr to sing, which makes sense considering the countryish feel to the music. But Lennon and McCartney decided to trade off on the vocals instead on a tale of an insecure narrator who sees his girl’s absence as a dreadful sign of things to come in their relationship.
2. “Yes It Is” (1965 B-side)
Beatle B-sides which never appeared on a UK studio album have the best chance among their songs of being unheralded since many younger people new to the group learn the Fab Four’s music from either hearing the hit A-sides on the radio or by picking up the albums. “Yes It Is” also was denigrated by its chief composer, as John Lennon explained in a post-Beatles interview that he didn’t think much of the song. But you should judge for yourself and listen to those stunning three-part harmonies. While you’re at it, you’ll find a pretty nifty set of lyrics about a guy who’s begging his new girlfriend not to do anything to remind him of his true love.
3. “I Need You” (from Help!, 1965)
Considering what he eventually became as a songwriter, it’s stunning to think that the Beatles first four UK studio albums (as well as all the singles and B-sides from that period) contained just one George Harrison original composition. And that one song (“Don’t Bother Me” from With the Beatles in 1963) was underwhelming. When Harrison came back with “I Need You,” the leap was incredible. And yet it still doesn’t get the same love as other George evergreens like “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and “Something.” If you haven’t heard it, you’re missing a sweetly vulnerable love song with some shimmering guitar effects and one of Harrison’s finest vocal performances with the group.
4. “You Won’t See Me” (from Rubber Soul, 1965)
There are probably more than a few folks who only know the Anne Murray hit cover version of this song (it reached the Top 10 in 1974.) But the original version deserves to be on any playlist of mid-tempo Beatles tracks where every element is just right and there’s not a single ounce of flab. (And yes, they were so good that you can get a pretty long playlist out of that topic.) “You Won’t See Me” is one of several Beatles songs that were inspired by Paul McCartney’s rocky relationship with actress Jane Asher in the mid-’60s. In this case, the narrator gives an ultimatum to his insensitive girlfriend. The “ooh-la-la-la” backing vocals of Lennon and Harrison keep things from getting too acrimonious.
5. “She’s Leaving Home” (from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967)
Sgt. Pepper’s is among the albums occasionally cited in critics and fans surveys as being the greatest of all time. Yet there were no singles released from the album, which has kept some of its songs in the background a bit. “She’s Leaving Home” was inspired by an item about a runaway that Paul McCartney read in the morning paper. He then imagined what both the girl and her parents might be thinking in such a situation. Casting John Lennon to play the aggrieved parents in the refrains proved to be a stroke of genius. The song features one of McCartney’s most moving melodies, which is brought to life with nary a rock instrument in the mix. It doesn’t get much prettier or more heartfelt than this.
6. “Mother Nature’s Son” (from The Beatles, aka The White Album, 1968)
There are so many songs on The White Album that a few might get lost in the shuffle. In the case of “Mother Nature’s Son,” it also has the disadvantage of being on the same album that also contained “Blackbird,” another Paul McCartney song that travels the acoustic folk route that has become a standard of sorts. But this lovely track deserves its due as well. With its gentle brass accents and pumping bass drum, it’s a bit more filled out than “Blackbird.” But it’s once again Macca in back porch mode singing about the beauties of nature and touchingly revealing his love for the bucolic life.
7. “Hey Bulldog” (from Yellow Submarine, 1969)
Yellow Submarine was an album that wasn’t really an album at all. There were only four new Beatle recordings found on it (and “new” might not be the proper word, since a few of them were sitting around unused for a few years.) The rest of the record was filled out by the already-released “All You Need Is Love” and “Yellow Submarine,” along with a whole side of George Martin’s recordings of the film’s score. Perhaps that’s why those four tracks get a little bit lost in the shuffle. “Hey Bulldog” is the best of the bunch, a John Lennon-penned rocker with lyrics that are hard to follow as a whole but feature killer individual lines. And it’s also the only song we know of where Paul McCartney barks on cue, so there’s that as well.
Photo by David Redfern/Redferns
