John, Love your web sites re Beatles and Solo Beatles Albums etc. Am going to "Something about George" concert tonight here in Dublin. Looking forward to it. Thank you for your wonderful analysis of the various solo albums. My hobby is a funny one. I am collecting Album, CD and Cassette Tapes of each Fab four Solo albums. Doing rather well. Tapes are hard to get now but I keep on looking in markets etc. Not interested in the remastered ones. I only collect original releases, Keep up the good work. My wife says I should be locked up !!!.
I have listened to Beaucoups Of Blues for a long time, I need to revisit that album. And I agree that 'I Dig Love' is underrated, I guess it gets lost among all the great tracks from ATMP. Great list John, looking forward to the next 25. Thanks for sharing.
Superb list. Always interesting to hear everyone’s individual favourites. Agree very much about “I Dig Love” - it gets overlooked. Interestingly, according to Wikipedia: “On release, it was among the album's most popular songs on US radio”. I would imagine that’s not the case nowadays on American radio, where every classic artist has now been boiled down to about half a dozen songs.
John, thank you for the Karl Wallinger mention. Rest in peace, Karl. Karl Wallinger, surely one of Britain’s greatest musicians and songwriters, certainly up there with the best, but criminally underrated. Okay, that’s not everyone’s fault. Just five albums in 35 years (and of course, several stunning B-sides) hard to keep your name going, but he certainly could write a tune. I mean, number one with "She’s the One". Still, nobody seems to realise it was written by him. It would’ve been nice of Robbie to have mentioned him at the BRITs when he won best song. Back in the 90s, me and my girl Jane saw World Party play live on several occasions. They were “our band” and our favourite song together was Love Street from the Goodbye Jumbo masterpiece. That’s one of many moments since we spoke about when I first met Karl in February 2021. He was on holiday in Suffolk. I was doing a bit of work at a holiday village there and I looked up, and there was Karl with his family. His wife, Suzie and children, Louis and Nancy. I’d only just seen World Party a few months before at Shepherd’s Bush Empire. It was certainly one of the best gigs I had seen him play. When Karl and the kids were out playing golf, Suzie and I chatted about Karl’s work and the Shepherd’s Bush concert and many other things. She also told me that Carl had recorded his version of the complete White album, using exactly the same microphones as the Beatles did. It was funny when Karl found out I was a World Party fan he said we should have you taken out and stuffed! Later that weekend on that very same holiday Karl famously suffered a massive brain aneurysm. I only found out several weeks later. We know that he disappeared, into more even obscurity, and spent a few years recovering. Still making music, but none of us were able to listen to it. Fast forward a few years to 2012, and on November 2, my friend Nick and I walked round the back of the Royal Albert Hall, where World Party were playing their reunion spectacle in front of the packed house and cameras. Who is the first person we bumped into smoking a quick fag by the back door? Yes, it was Mr. Wallinger. We had a good chat with him. He offered me a fag. I presume he was trying to calm his nerves before going on stage to such a large audience. Then bizarrely, the comedian and talk-show host Clive Anderson turned up, and we were all standing around having a chat. Wished him luck and said our goodbyes. The last time I saw Karl perform was in Cambridge at the Junction, I think it was the following year. Possibly April 2013. His son Louis was selling merchandise. Another stellar performance by his dad and the rest of the band, of course. And that was it. And I fell back alone. What a beautiful soul. Taken away from us too soon, but when you’ve written a great song, it’s been written forever, it cannot be unwritten. Just like a film star, you are now immortal. You’ve left your legacy imprinted and recorded. Thoughts go out to his friends and family. You’ll be greatly missed. You are a legend. Stephen Dawson
my top 100 also splitted in four parts: bubbling under: 115: Far East Man (George) 114: You (George) 113: This Song (George) 112: Love In Song (Paul) 111: Too Much Rain (Paul) 110: Dear Boy (Paul) 109: Some People Never Know (Paul) 108: Love Comes To Everyone (George) 107: Dark Horse (George) 106: Crackerbox Palace (George) 105: Letting Go (Paul) 104: The Man (Paul) 103: Great Day (Paul) 102: Remember (John) 101: When We Was Fab (George) 100: Wonderful Christmastime (Paul) 99: Once Upon A Long Ago (Paul) 98: Beautiful Girl (George) 97: Wild Life (Paul) 96: Old Dirt Road (John) 95: Steel And Glass (John) 94: Look At Me (John) 93: I'm Losing You (John) 92: End Of The Line (George) 91: Handle With Care (George) 90: I Know (I Know) (John) 89: Art Of Dying (George) 88: Let It Down (George) 87: Too Many People (Paul) 86: Little Willow (Paul) 85: Bless You (John) 84: Queenie Eye (Paul) 83: Arrow Through Me (Paul) 82: Ebony And Ivory (Paul) 81: You Are Here (John) 80: Woman Is The ... Of The World (John) 79: You're Sixteen (Ringo) 78: Wah-Wah (George) 77: Out The Blue (John) 76: So Bad (Paul)
I feel like if someone went back in time to the mid-'70s and told all the ex-Beatles that we would just be lumping all their solo material into one giant list, it would have pissed them off but ... sorry guys, we can't help it. It's too enjoyable of a thing to do, damn it! A few years ago I made a mix called "Boy, You're Gonna Carry That Weight: Solo Beatles in the '70s," which is only 66 tracks long (I suppose I could name another 34 songs to make a top 100 list out of it), but similarly to your list, I found myself pulling from each catalog almost equally: 21 from Paul, 18 from George, 16 from John, 11 from Ringo. Out of your bottom batch, I think we have "Junk," "Some People Never Know," "Loser's Lounge," "Crippled Inside," and "Wah-Wah" in common. Also, Rob Sheffield is my secret nemesis and he may not be aware of this.
Great channel John Heaton. Hey, how about a top 10 best Beatles cover songs? I recently discovered “Tell Me Why” from April Wine and what a great version. I also love The Smithereens versions. Figured you probably know of a few that lots of us are totally unaware of….
Love it! I think the Solo Beatles actually warrant a top 200 list, such is the sheer volume of classic tracks in their respective discographies. I agree that the greatest period is the first 10/11 years 1970 to 1980 which was obviously when they were all most active. Their greatest tracks rank alongside much of their Beatles work.
I love these lists because it inevitably leads to a listening party. Some thoughts: I agree "Ballroom Dancing" belongs on the list. If only one song from Red Rose Speedway is on this list, and it isn't "My Love" then this list is just too short. "Silly Love Songs" is one of my fave songs, period and I would have put it higher. It is my favorite song to play bass and sing to, very challenging to get the syncopation going. Thanks for getting me to listen to Beaucoups Of Blues album today. Related... think of how well "Crippled Inside" would have fit in on Beaucoups Of Blues. How many of Lennon's solo songs revolve around being hurt or damaged. It's sobering and sad. Poor guy. George Harrison solo songs could have kept the Beatles on the charts had they stayed together and Lennon and McCartney got a bad case of writers block. Wondering if "Be Here Now" will make the list. Though not mentioned, "Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands Of Love/Power Cut" sounds like early 70's Beach Boys. Looking forward to the next 3 videos.
i actually never noticed "simply shady" so thanks for pointing that one out. you shouldn't just talk about doing a favorite 150 solo beatles songs: you should do it! i always enjoy your viewpoint.
Love this list. Of course it isn't my top 100 - but that is surely the point? I don't want you to agree with me - I want your list, so I can challenge myself and my own views! Vive la difference!
I noticed that same thing... but if you watch the end of the video - he holds up a list of the songs (at 16:35). It is "Dark Sweet Lady" at #90 (which is what I thought it would be).
Junk at 83 is outrageous..one of Paul’s most beautiful melodies..John botr 82..I know you will have the most ridiculous George songs above botr..come on man..do better 😂
Appreciate all of your videos.
We truly love anything SOLO BEATLES
Love comes to everyone, might be my favorite opener track from all of George's discography. Looking forward to the next parts of your list!
Thanks again enjoyed Crippled inside is a beautiful song.
No John....We truly love your lists....Peace and Love, Terry and Julia Tutor
One day it would be fine to hear a bit about the framed photos and albums on your wall. Thanks for sharing your views on all the music.
Love the Bass on Another Day. My favorite thing about the song.
I enjoy your lists. It always makes me do a list of my own. I may share one later...
John, Love your web sites re Beatles and Solo Beatles Albums etc. Am going to "Something about George" concert tonight here in Dublin. Looking forward to it. Thank you for your wonderful analysis of the various solo albums. My hobby is a funny one. I am collecting Album, CD and Cassette Tapes of each Fab four Solo albums. Doing rather well. Tapes are hard to get now but I keep on looking in markets etc. Not interested in the remastered ones. I only collect original releases, Keep up the good work. My wife says I should be locked up !!!.
John, I hope George’s Who Can See It, made your top 100. His singing Gives me chills everytime I hear it
I have listened to Beaucoups Of Blues for a long time, I need to revisit that album. And I agree that 'I Dig Love' is underrated, I guess it gets lost among all the great tracks from ATMP. Great list John, looking forward to the next 25. Thanks for sharing.
thanks for reminding me of all their great solo work, i haven't played them enough, so thanks much.
Superb list. Always interesting to hear everyone’s individual favourites.
Agree very much about “I Dig Love” - it gets overlooked. Interestingly, according to Wikipedia: “On release, it was among the album's most popular songs on US radio”. I would imagine that’s not the case nowadays on American radio, where every classic artist has now been boiled down to about half a dozen songs.
You are very knowledgeable and your love of music is infectious
John, thank you for the Karl Wallinger mention.
Rest in peace, Karl.
Karl Wallinger, surely one of Britain’s greatest musicians and songwriters, certainly up there with the best, but criminally underrated. Okay, that’s not everyone’s fault. Just five albums in 35 years (and of course, several stunning B-sides) hard to keep your name going, but he certainly could write a tune. I mean, number one with "She’s the One". Still, nobody seems to realise it was written by him. It would’ve been nice of Robbie to have mentioned him at the BRITs when he won best song.
Back in the 90s, me and my girl Jane saw World Party play live on several occasions. They were “our band” and our favourite song together was Love Street from the Goodbye Jumbo masterpiece.
That’s one of many moments since we spoke about when I first met Karl in February 2021. He was on holiday in Suffolk. I was doing a bit of work at a holiday village there and I looked up, and there was Karl with his family. His wife, Suzie and children, Louis and Nancy. I’d only just seen World Party a few months before at Shepherd’s Bush Empire. It was certainly one of the best gigs I had seen him play. When Karl and the kids were out playing golf, Suzie and I chatted about Karl’s work and the Shepherd’s Bush concert and many other things. She also told me that Carl had recorded his version of the complete White album, using exactly the same microphones as the Beatles did. It was funny when Karl found out I was a World Party fan he said we should have you taken out and stuffed! Later that weekend on that very same holiday Karl famously suffered a massive brain aneurysm. I only found out several weeks later.
We know that he disappeared, into more even obscurity, and spent a few years recovering. Still making music, but none of us were able to listen to it. Fast forward a few years to 2012, and on November 2, my friend Nick and I walked round the back of the Royal Albert Hall, where World Party were playing their reunion spectacle in front of the packed house and cameras. Who is the first person we bumped into smoking a quick fag by the back door? Yes, it was Mr. Wallinger. We had a good chat with him. He offered me a fag. I presume he was trying to calm his nerves before going on stage to such a large audience. Then bizarrely, the comedian and talk-show host Clive Anderson turned up, and we were all standing around having a chat. Wished him luck and said our goodbyes.
The last time I saw Karl perform was in Cambridge at the Junction, I think it was the following year. Possibly April 2013. His son Louis was selling merchandise. Another stellar performance by his dad and the rest of the band, of course. And that was it. And I fell back alone.
What a beautiful soul. Taken away from us too soon, but when you’ve written a great song, it’s been written forever, it cannot be unwritten. Just like a film star, you are now immortal. You’ve left your legacy imprinted and recorded.
Thoughts go out to his friends and family. You’ll be greatly missed. You are a legend.
Stephen Dawson
my top 100 also splitted in four parts:
bubbling under:
115: Far East Man (George)
114: You (George)
113: This Song (George)
112: Love In Song (Paul)
111: Too Much Rain (Paul)
110: Dear Boy (Paul)
109: Some People Never Know (Paul)
108: Love Comes To Everyone (George)
107: Dark Horse (George)
106: Crackerbox Palace (George)
105: Letting Go (Paul)
104: The Man (Paul)
103: Great Day (Paul)
102: Remember (John)
101: When We Was Fab (George)
100: Wonderful Christmastime (Paul)
99: Once Upon A Long Ago (Paul)
98: Beautiful Girl (George)
97: Wild Life (Paul)
96: Old Dirt Road (John)
95: Steel And Glass (John)
94: Look At Me (John)
93: I'm Losing You (John)
92: End Of The Line (George)
91: Handle With Care (George)
90: I Know (I Know) (John)
89: Art Of Dying (George)
88: Let It Down (George)
87: Too Many People (Paul)
86: Little Willow (Paul)
85: Bless You (John)
84: Queenie Eye (Paul)
83: Arrow Through Me (Paul)
82: Ebony And Ivory (Paul)
81: You Are Here (John)
80: Woman Is The ... Of The World (John)
79: You're Sixteen (Ringo)
78: Wah-Wah (George)
77: Out The Blue (John)
76: So Bad (Paul)
Love Comes to Everyone should be top 20
100 percent agree. It's a masterpiece.
I feel like if someone went back in time to the mid-'70s and told all the ex-Beatles that we would just be lumping all their solo material into one giant list, it would have pissed them off but ... sorry guys, we can't help it. It's too enjoyable of a thing to do, damn it! A few years ago I made a mix called "Boy, You're Gonna Carry That Weight: Solo Beatles in the '70s," which is only 66 tracks long (I suppose I could name another 34 songs to make a top 100 list out of it), but similarly to your list, I found myself pulling from each catalog almost equally: 21 from Paul, 18 from George, 16 from John, 11 from Ringo. Out of your bottom batch, I think we have "Junk," "Some People Never Know," "Loser's Lounge," "Crippled Inside," and "Wah-Wah" in common. Also, Rob Sheffield is my secret nemesis and he may not be aware of this.
Hello John Heaton…back to my favourite subject…brilliant.
Great channel John Heaton. Hey, how about a top 10 best Beatles cover songs? I recently discovered “Tell Me Why” from April Wine and what a great version. I also love The Smithereens versions. Figured you probably know of a few that lots of us are totally unaware of….
The thing with these top 100s
You could list them an hour later and theyd be completely different
Very hard to compile such a list...
Love it! I think the Solo Beatles actually warrant a top 200 list, such is the sheer volume of classic tracks in their respective discographies. I agree that the greatest period is the first 10/11 years 1970 to 1980 which was obviously when they were all most active. Their greatest tracks rank alongside much of their Beatles work.
I love these lists because it inevitably leads to a listening party.
Some thoughts:
I agree "Ballroom Dancing" belongs on the list.
If only one song from Red Rose Speedway is on this list, and it isn't "My Love" then this list is just too short.
"Silly Love Songs" is one of my fave songs, period and I would have put it higher. It is my favorite song to play bass and sing to, very challenging to get the syncopation going.
Thanks for getting me to listen to Beaucoups Of Blues album today.
Related... think of how well "Crippled Inside" would have fit in on Beaucoups Of Blues.
How many of Lennon's solo songs revolve around being hurt or damaged. It's sobering and sad. Poor guy.
George Harrison solo songs could have kept the Beatles on the charts had they stayed together and Lennon and McCartney got a bad case of writers block.
Wondering if "Be Here Now" will make the list.
Though not mentioned, "Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands Of Love/Power Cut" sounds like early 70's Beach Boys.
Looking forward to the next 3 videos.
Great video,John!
i actually never noticed "simply shady" so thanks for pointing that one out. you shouldn't just talk about doing a favorite 150 solo beatles songs: you should do it! i always enjoy your viewpoint.
Nice list
So, no “My Love” in your top 100! Great song, beautiful guitar solo.
Sorry should have said my favourite solo Beatle Album of all time is "RAM".
Love this list. Of course it isn't my top 100 - but that is surely the point? I don't want you to agree with me - I want your list, so I can challenge myself and my own views! Vive la difference!
On 90, you say it is from the George Harrison album and it is a love song for Olivia, but don't say what song it is. I love that album, what is it?
he meant Dark Sweet Lady
I noticed that same thing... but if you watch the end of the video - he holds up a list of the songs (at 16:35).
It is "Dark Sweet Lady" at #90 (which is what I thought it would be).
There’s no crisis, just you having fun…
You by George should be much higher, John!
I never heard Beaucoups Of Blues, John Heaton, but as for half your list 😡
Noooo way can you leave My Love off your list…
As I say the entries for 101 to 150 would be stellar
Really sad news about Karl.....
Ringo could have maybe three tracks in the top 100. That's not an insult, it's just that the other three have so, so, SO many better songs.
Junk at 83 is outrageous..one of Paul’s most beautiful melodies..John botr 82..I know you will have the most ridiculous George songs above botr..come on man..do better 😂