Remember my recent series, the Beatles A to Z posts? Well, they were so unpopular (zero comments y’all!), that I’m gonna do another one! This time, it’s just the solo work of the fab four, covered. I’m not doing a zip file this time because nobody seems to care when I do one. (Or at least nobody says thanks.) Dig it! Or don’t.
A is for “All Things Must Pass,” the greatest solo album by my favorite Beatle, George Harrison. Isn’t It a Pity? (Harrison)-Elliot Smith
A is also for the Author of B, which is for Badge, a song by C, which is for Cream! Badge (Cream)-The Subliminal Criminals. This song was actually co-written by George Harrison. Presumably before Clapton wrote “Next Time You See Her,” in which he threatened to kill George Harrison if the man was audacious enough to date his own wife. Rock and roll diss records are so cool.
Three letters in one? Unforgivably lazy on my part. Let’s try another B. Isolation (John Lennon)-Britt Daniel (of Spoon)
D is for Double Fantasy, the classic John Lennon solo record, and the lead song therefrom. Just Like Starting Over (Lennon)-Flaming Lips
E is for Elliot! Jealous Guy (John Lennon)-Elliot Smith
F is for Jet (Paul McCartney and the Wings)-The Features. I love The Features, but I wish this was better quality.
G is for Grow Old With Me (John Lennon cover)-Postal Service
H is for hearing. Listen To What The Man Said (Wings cover)-Ron Sexsmith
I is for I’m a Loser (Lennon)-The Eels
J is for Every Night (McCartney)-Mason Jennings
L is for Let Me Roll It (Wings)-Drive By Truckers
L is also for Lanegan! Working Class Hero (Lennon)-Screaming Trees
M is for My Love (Wings)-The Bordellos
M is also for Monkberry Moon Delight (Paul McCartney)-Robbers on High Street
N is for Mother (Lennon)-Neutral Milk Hotel. This is my favorite Lennon song, but I much prefer his version. It’s so full of pain, so wracking.
O is for Oh No! Someone decided to mash up the idealistic Lennon song, “Imagine,” with the hookers-and-drugs tune, “Walk On the Wild Side” by Lou Reed. O is also for oddly compelling . . . Imagine a Walk on the Wild Side-Party Party.
P is for peace on Earth. Happy Christmas (War is Over)-Low (Lennon).
R is for the first name of two artists:
Jealous Guy (Lennon)-Ryan Montbleau
Mind Games (lennon) /W Sucks-Robyn Hitchcock
S is for Give Me Peace (George Harrison)-Ron Sexsmith
T is for tribute! John Lennon-Citizen Cope
U is for unable to find any Ringo covers. Thank You Ringo Starr-Johnny Vegas. So I’m settling for a Ringo tribute tune.
V is for Give Me Love (Harrison)-Dolly Varden
VW is for Vice Welnick! Watching the Wheels (Lennon)-Vince Welnick (of The Tubes and The Grateful Dead)
W is also for Isn’t It a Pity? (G. Harrison)-Wanderjahr.
X is for ex. As in, ex-girlfriend. Y is for you, the generic pronoun used to describe chicks in songs by men. As in ex-you. As in, losing you. Perhaps Lennon’s least interesting solo tune. I’m Losing You (Lennon)-Corinne Bailey Rae
Z, as I said, is not for zip file. Not this time.
