Sunday, January 17, 2010

Can’t Do it Wrong by Ringo Starr – ***

First released: 2010

Modern Country-sounding track from the Ringo album "Y Not". It almost sounds like "Scouse the Mouse".

Good Rockin’ Tonight by Paul McCartney – ***

First released: 1991

McCartney does a live take of the song on "Unplugged (The Official Bootleg)" in 1991 and a different live version for 1993’s "Paul is Live".

Good Night by The Beatles – ***

First released: 1968

Since it was a double album, Ringo needed something besides "Don’t Pass Me By", so Lennon of all people composed this slushy ballad to follow the jarring "Revolution 9", and pulled it off well. Only Ringo could have done this and done it well. If any of the others sang it, it would totally seem insincere. If it wasn’t put on the “White Album”, it would have made a welcome addition to Ringo’s own "Sentimental Journey" album. A demo version is included on "Anthology 3" in 1996.

Good News by Ringo Starr – ***

First released: 1998

To date, I still don’t have a pristine quality copy of this song as it was only released as part of a "Best Buy Bonus Disc" accompanying Ringo’s "Vertical Man" album. Only problem was, there were no Best Buy stores in Northern California near where I lived when this came out, so I have had to resort to illegal downloads, and I still haven’t found a good one. It’s a pretty-good thumper and could have been released as part of the album. If someone bothers to re-release any of Ringo’s later albums on CD, I hope they add all of these elusive tunes as bonus tracks.

Good News by Attitudes – ***

First released: 1977

Attitudes performed this song on their Dark Horse album produced by George.

Good Morning Good Morning by The Beatles – ****

First released: 1967

I love John Lennon. (I should, or I wouldn’t be writing this book!) He claims that he was in a rush to compose enough good material to compete with the diarrhea of compositions that McCartney was writing at this time and took inspiration from whatever and wherever he could. In this case, he took it from a Kellogg’s cereal commercial and didn’t claim much for it. For me, it is one of my favorite Beatles tunes of all time and a highlight of the "Sgt. Pepper" album. A demo version appears on 1996's "Anthology 2".

Good King Wenceslas by The Beatles – ***

First released: 1963

Apparently a Beatles favorite as they sing it on "A Beatles Christmas Record", in both English and German, Later on John sings it solo on "The Beatles' Seventh Christmas Record" in 1969. Both renditions are the "The Beatles Christmas Album" from 1970.

Good For God by Harry Nilsson – **

First released: 1975

Harry Nilsson song in which Ringo guests from Harry’s album "Duit on Mondei". Not one of Nilsson’s better moments. Kinda dull.

Fill in the Blanks by Ringo Starr – ****

First released: 2010

Great leadoff track from the Ringo album "Y Not", with a hard-rocking thumping beat.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

"Good Evening New York City" by Paul McCartney – ***

First released: 2009

This just in: Paul McCartney has just released his 347th album since leaving The Beatles, where he sings "Let Me Roll It" for the 45,652nd time in his career. The 94-year-old ex-Beatle said of the release, "I just need to milk it one more time before I join John and George in the sky!" Ringo was more impressed with "Two Virgins", and has now approached Paul as he now qualified as an All-Starr. George Martin was quoted as saying, "What?" McCartney hopes to outsell (and outlive) Yoko Ono's new CD, "I'm Screaming My Head Off and I Don't Know Why".

Good Dog Nigel by John Lennon – ***

First released: 1964

Lennon performs a snippet of poetry from his book "In His Own Write" on the show "Not Only…But Also". This performance is now available on DVD.

Good Day Sunshine by The Beatles – ****

First released: 1966

McCartney was at his compositional peak in 1966. Never before or since has he composed so many EXCELLENT tunes in one short period of time that featured equally as many diverse styles, tempos, and lyrics. All you have to look at is "Got to Get You Into My Life", "For No One", "Here, There and Everywhere", "Paperback Writer", to see what I mean. Originally this was on "Revolver". One of the songs McCartney chose to remake in an inferior version for "Give My Regards to Broad Street" in 1984. A live version by Paul appeared on the b-side of the "Birthday" CD single in 1990.

Gonna Get My Baby Back by Doris Troy – ***

First released: 1969

George and Ringo play on this Doris Troy recording from her Apple album.

"Gone Troppo" by George Harrison – ***

First released: 1982

Coming a year after "Somewhere in England" came George’s "Gone Troppo". As successful as "Somewhere in England" was, "Gone Troppo" was not. This was not necessarily due to the content; rather it was due to the lack of promotion given by both Warner Bros. and George himself. I rather like the album, but I’ve tended to like all of George’s latter day albums because even though they are a bit quirky at times, George expressed much more confidence in his recording. Contradictory, George also seemed to lose the will to live after Lennon died and even though he had success again with "Cloud Nine", George’s heart was never completely in recording again for the long term. The CD came out in 1991 and the CD reissue in 2004 with a lengthy demo version of "Mystical One" added.

Gone Troppo by George Harrison – ***

First released: 1982

A nice tropical sounding song from the album of the same name, signaling George’s five year retirement, although at the time it seemed like it might be permanently. Fortunately, George did record a few more fine albums after his return, but at this time, he had indeed "Gone Troppo"! The song was also included on "Best of Dark Horse 1976-1989".

Gone, Gone, Gone by The Beatles – ***

First released: 1985

The Beatles performed a version of this Carl Perkins track during their "Get Back" sessions in 1969. Later, George performed it with Perkins in "Carl Perkins and Friends: A Rockabilly Session" and also live in 1987.

Gone From This Place by John Lennon – (NR)

Unreleased.

Unreleased Lennon demo dating from the late 70s.

Gone Are the Days by Ringo Starr – ***

First released: 2008

Another great track from Ringo’s "Liverpool 8".

Golden Slumbers by The Beatles – ****

First released: 1969

Sweet highlight of the "Abbey Road" medley, the violins is what makes it really work for me. A live version was performed by Paul on 1990’s "Tripping the Live Fantastic".

Golden Earth Girl by Paul McCartney – **

First released: 1993

Borrriing! Mainly because Paul recycles "Maybe I'm Amazed" and "Warm and Beautiful" to less effect, from "Off the Ground". An instrumental version appears on "Working Classical" in 1999.

Golden Blunders by Ringo Starr – **

First released: 1992

With a title like this, it seems like this is a parody of The Beatles’ "Golden Slumbers". I really like the chorus on this otherwise unmemorable tune on Ringo’s "Time Takes Time" album.

Going Up the Country by The Beatles – **

Unreleased.

The Beatles performed a version of this Canned Heat hit during their "Get Back" sessions in 1969.

Going Down to Golder’s Green by George Harrison – ***

Unreleased.

George Harrison outtake from the "All Things Must Pass" sessions in 1970. This song is extremely catchy and I wish it was commercially released.

Going Down on Love by John Lennon – ****

First released: 1974

What a great song! What a great opening to John Lennon’s "Walls and Bridges" album. Starting from the simple bongo beats to a more elaborate production, this is a classy song all the way. It’s also on 1990’s "Lennon". A demo version called "Going Down on Love (Instructions Only)" appears on 1998’s "The John Lennon Anthology" and 2006’s "Remember".

Going Down by Ringo Starr – **

First released: 1983

This song along with "Everybody’s in a Hurry But Me", dragged Ringo’s "Old Wave" album to a halt with two so-so instrumentals ending a somewhat encouraging album.

God Save Oz/God Save Us by John Lennon – ***

First released: 1998

Bill Elliot and the Elastic Oz Band had almost a hit with this Lennon-penned tune in 1971. He called it "God Save Us", but when Lennon’s original was finally released on 1998’s "The John Lennon Anthology" and "Wonsaponatime", the title had been changed to "God Save Oz".

God Save the Queen by The Beatles – **

Unreleased.

The British national anthem was attempted many times. The Beatles performed it on their "Get Back" sessions, and it replaced the opening notes of the "Party at the Palace" version that Paul performed of "All You Need is Love" in 2002.