How to Collect The Beatles' Solo Work, And Deep Cuts

There's been a lot of news about Beatles' solo releases in the past few months. Paul has re-signed with Capitol Records after a gap of several years (with Concord Music), and has resumed his series of deluxe re-issues (with "Flowers In the Dirt"). George has a vinyl boxed set out with all of his solo albums (but no extras!). In watching all of this, I realized that there are people who just want THE HITS and maybe some other key tracks, and don't feel like shelling out hundreds of dollars for solo albums which, sad to say, had few highlights after 1982. I do see a lot of those albums in the used bins these days, and I wonder if a young kid who is into the Beatles might accidentally pick up a weak entry like "Gone Troppo" (George, 1982) or "Wings at the Speed of Sound" (1976) and be HUGELY disappointed, assuming all Beatles' solo stuff is crap... which is wrong.

In this post, I'll cover John, George and Ringo's work. Paul has more releases, and more complex ones; he'll be in tomorrow.

RINGO:
Most of Ringo's albums involve him recording a mix of covers plus tunes written with (or by) his friends, in an "All-Starr Band" format. The best example is 1973's "Ringo," which features all three of his bandmates, plus The Band, Harry Nilsson and many others. The LP is always in the vinyl dollar bins, but the 1992 CD reissue adds the great single, "It Don't Come Easy" (really written by George, but given away to his buddy).

You could also just grab 2007's "Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo Starr." Most of the best stuff is on this CD.

For deep cuts, I would add "Blue Turning Grey Over You" (from 1970's "Sentimental Journey"), plus "$15 Draw" and "Wine, Women and Loud Happy Songs" from 1970's "Beaucoups of Blues." That LP, which I wrote about here, is a minor country classic, with lots of Nashville sessions cats laying down the backing... it could be any random country LP from that era, but Ringo adds a dollop of charm. The b-side to the "Beaucoups of Blues" 45 is a loud, jamming outtake titled "Coochy Coochy," which is infectious. It's also added to the 1995 CD reissue.

Two guilty pleasures are "Drowning In the Sea of Love," a 1978 attempt at disco that's usually derided for being out of Ringo's range. It's still catchy. And 1981's "Private Property" (from "Stop and Smell the Roses") was written and produced by Paul. Sounds like a could-have-been-single.

JOHN:
John started his solo career with three experimental LPs, then came half of a ragged live album ("Live Peace In Toronto 1969"). He also released five non-album singles in this period. His first "proper" LPs are the classic and soul-baring "Plastic Ono Band" (1970), followed by 1971's "Imagine" (called "POB with marshmallow coating" by John). However, I have to say that "POB" is a tough listen in spots, especially given what happened during the rest of John's life. Almost as good (and much more polished) is 1974's "Walls & Bridges."

In the LP bins, I often see the great 1982 compilation "The John Lennon Collection," which contains the non-album 45s, almost all of John's tracks from 1980's "Double Fantasy," and all of John's other hit singles.

If you'd rather go digital, and get more tracks to boot, get 2005's double-CD "Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon." Not only does it contain all the hits, it adds most of the "Imagine" LP and the best outtakes that came out after "John Lennon Collection."

If I were to add any more deep cuts to "Working Class Hero," they would be "Rip It Up/Ready Teddy" from 1975's "Rock and Roll," plus the live "Yer Blues" from the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus (taped 1968, but issued in 1996). That blistering performance has John backed by Mitch Mitchell, Keith Richards and Eric Clapton. Amazing. Another track that's out there is "India, India." That's a demo that John recorded in the late 1970s, which was issued in 2010 on "The John Lennon Signature Box." A version with tasteful Indian backing (which I prefer) has been easily findable on bootlegs/online for years.

GEORGE:
"All Things Must Pass" still stands as George's masterpiece, but 1987's "Cloud Nine," 1976's "33 1/3" and 1988's "Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1" are also worth seeking out. Unfortunately, the latter two are not represented on the excellent 2009 CD compilation, "Let It Roll: Songs By George Harrison." It's his only compilation that includes material from both the Apple Years (1968-75) and the Dark Horse era (1976-92), but it's also incomplete!

For deep cuts, I would start with the charting singles "Faster," "Ding Dong, Ding Dong," "You," "Crackerbox Palace" and "Love Comes to Everyone." (I'm not including the the single "Bangladesh," which hit #23 but is just not a great song). Then, add tracks like "This Guitar (Can't Keep From Crying)," "Pure Smokey," "Don't Let Me Wait Too Long" (almost released as the second single from "Living In the Material World") and "Mystical One." After that, if Dhani could dig out his dad's demo of "Sour Milk Sea" from 1968, it would be great to hear that in pristine sound. It would also be nice to include the B-side that birthed The Traveling Wilburys, "Handle with Care." A guilty pleasure is the very non-rocking "Drilling a Home" from 1968's "Wonderwall Music" soundtrack.