The Beatles II Black Album (1974)

This is a response to the videos posted with interviews of the individual Beatles who still liked to play music with one another but not so much as Beatles any longer.

In January 1975 (actually December 1974 in Disney World), the band officially dissolved, all four members signed. This is also to acknowledge 45 years since The Beatles – White Album was released. This is a theoretical in that each songwriter used the others to be a backup band with a rare backup vocal. Gone were the three and four way harmonies like in With a Little Help From My Friends or What Goes On.

The White Album was just a really good album they all helped each other do. Not much co-writing at all. In this version we put Elton John as guest musician in place of Eric Clapton with John’s Whatever Gets You Through The Night. We see Bluebird instead of Blackbird. Blackbird is the better of the two admittedly. It was recently learned that Eric Clapton helped on on My Sweet Lord playing acoustic with George under Phil Spector production. Tremendous sound, I hope they one day really mix down a record like this officially. Maybe Paul and Ringo could oversee it as a last cool thing before we pull the curtain. Miss the old Beatles, sorry it was so crazy, love the four lads from Liverpool.

This collection is the most “Beatle-like” or best material to present from the four guys, Paul only on one Ringo song, nobody on Paul’s. Obviously they were pretty ticked at the time. But music was made by Paul that shows he has bass lines that are most Beatle-like. Imagine that. And this is set up to be a four CD set though it is continuous for over 2 hours. Enjoy, don’t watch just listen to what magic they still had. John said so anyway, do a collection of their post-Beatle songs and you’d get a 2nd White Album basically. This has the sad version of All Things Must Pass because you can tell no one was really giving it its due except George who wrote it. It’s a reminder, but ends on a happy note with a co-mingled John Lennon-Ringo Starr version of Only You last song. Original Ringo version that was on the radio is on Side 1.

This is not intended to infringe any copyright and all rights reserved by respective parties, EMI and UMG.

The Beatles II — The Black Album (Dec. 1974)
Side 1
1. My Sweet Lord (Harrison-Starr with guest Eric Clapton)
2. Uncle Albert (McCartney)
3. I’m The Greatest (Starr-Lennon)
4. Give Me Love (Harrison)
5. Instant Karma (Lennon-Harrison)
6. Another Day (McCartney)
7. Only You (Starr-Lennon cover tune)
8. Maybe I’m Amazed (McCartney)

Side 2
9. Imagine (Lennon)
10. Band On The Run (McCartney)
11. Whatever Gets You Through the Night (Lennon with guest Elton John)
12. Sunshine Life (Starr-Harrison)
13. Bluebird (McCartney)
14. Number 9 Dream (Lennon)
15. What Is Life (Harrison-Starr)
16. Junior’s Farm (McCartney)

Side 3
17. It Don’t Come Easy (Starr-Harrison)
18. Come and Get It (McCartney Version)
19. Love Is Real (Lennon)
20. Six O’Clock (Starr-McCartney)
21. Oh My Love (Lennon-Harrison)
22. Jealous Guy (Lennon)
23. Photograph (Starr-Harrison)
24. Let Me Roll It (McCartney)
25. Back Off Boogalow (Starr)

Side 4
26. Live and Let Die (McCartney)
27. Mind Games (Lennon)
28. My Love (McCartney)
29. Crackerbox Palace (Harrison)
30. Too Many People (McCartney)
31. All Things Must Pass (Harrison-Lennon-Starr-McCartney)
32. You’re Sixteen (Starr cover)
33. Wah Wah (Harrison-Starr)
34. Only You (blended version of Lennon and Starr)