- Overview
-
Reviews
- Compare Prices
User ReviewRead All Reviews »
284
Mission accomplished.
Pros
Some great tunes; delivers just what is promised.
Cons
Does a Beatles fan really NEED this?
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
The number ones. No frills. Just as advertised.
Sometime right around late 2000, the attitude of my more musically-inclined acquaintances was something resembling the following: "Gasp! A new Beatles compilation is being released! Number ones! Joy of joys! Ah, it's as if the heavens have opened up and showered their blessings upon my soul, awash in Sgt. Peppers-esque psychedelia..."
Or something to that effect. Perhaps slightly less eloquent. Regardless of the annoying press this thing received, the Beatles compilation 1 is certainly a worthwhile purchase. Beatles fans will have no reason to buy this, except they will, because all ardent Beatles fans are collectors--- die-hards!--- and they're not going to pass anything new from the Fab Four up. Those who aren't ardent Beatles fans will have less Beatles material, thus making 1 essential to their collection as well. I must say, this marketing ploy is just sly enough to work.
Quibbles with the tracklisting of 1 have plagued the record's release since day one. This, therefore, makes me question my faith in the human race. If the record is titled 1, and it's generally understood that the Beatles' 27 number-one singles are collected on said record, why would you dispute the tracklisting? If it's an album of frickin' number one singles, if a certain single--- no matter HOW good it was--- only reached two or ten or frickin' 37, it doesn't matter. No one is disputing the quality of the Beatles' number twos or their number fives, but you can't include them on a collection of number ones. It would be ethically wrong--- a falsehood for the unsuspecting consumer. Sheesh--- if Earth is ever invaded, we'd be overtaken in a second. (Probably because all of our fightin' men were in their basements, scanning the tracklist for 1 yet again in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, "Across the Universe" or "Revolution" will be there this time.)
Did I just enter rant mode? Hmm... not my shtick, but it's fun sometimes.
Anyway, all of the Beatles' number one singles--- if you've somehow not picked up on this fact--- are collected on 1. The 27 hits are ordered chronologically, thus making it a lot easier to chronicle the evolution of the band. 1 spans eight years, from fluffy Lennon/McCartney compositions to weirder, more experimental Lennon/McCartney compositions. And, of course, one spiffy George Harrison number.
Myself, I'm a fan of the Beatles in their later years--- I've no use for "She Loves You" and "Can't Buy Me Love" and the like. I haven't a problem with sugary pop confections--- I can sink my teeth into the Who's early catalogue with gusto--- but these early hits seem rather contrived, boring, manufactured.
Yet, when the Beatles were at their creative peak in the late '60s, they could write a really frickin' good pop tune. "Penny Lane," "Yesterday," and... aww, heck... even "Yellow Submarine," they're all really fun pop records. "Hey Jude" has one of the best rock melodies EVER--- and the best outro; I swear, the "na na na"s do it every time--- and "Get Back" exhibited a more-than-competent Ringo Starr behind the drum kit for once. (Oh, come on, he's all well and good, but you know as well as I that he's not particularly great. A mere timekeeper--- Charlie Watts, now there was a drummer.)
The gorgeous lilt of George Harrison's "Something" gives way into bluesy psychedelia with the off-kilter "Come Together." And I'd be utterly remiss if I neglected to mention "Eleanor Rigby," one of the most heartbreaking pop songs ever penned. Of course, the best song here remains "Let It Be"--- STILL the most beautiful thing the Beatles ever recorded. Simply amazing. George Harrison--- probably the only truly great musician in the group--- lays down one of the most pleasant guitar solos of his career on this track.
Overblown experimental psychedelia and frustrating pop confections aside, the Beatles had some worthwhile stuff to say/do, a mere sampling of which can be found on 1. It's a great starting point for Beatles novices, and, really, can you find much fault with an album that offers no less than it promises?
Or something to that effect. Perhaps slightly less eloquent. Regardless of the annoying press this thing received, the Beatles compilation 1 is certainly a worthwhile purchase. Beatles fans will have no reason to buy this, except they will, because all ardent Beatles fans are collectors--- die-hards!--- and they're not going to pass anything new from the Fab Four up. Those who aren't ardent Beatles fans will have less Beatles material, thus making 1 essential to their collection as well. I must say, this marketing ploy is just sly enough to work.
Quibbles with the tracklisting of 1 have plagued the record's release since day one. This, therefore, makes me question my faith in the human race. If the record is titled 1, and it's generally understood that the Beatles' 27 number-one singles are collected on said record, why would you dispute the tracklisting? If it's an album of frickin' number one singles, if a certain single--- no matter HOW good it was--- only reached two or ten or frickin' 37, it doesn't matter. No one is disputing the quality of the Beatles' number twos or their number fives, but you can't include them on a collection of number ones. It would be ethically wrong--- a falsehood for the unsuspecting consumer. Sheesh--- if Earth is ever invaded, we'd be overtaken in a second. (Probably because all of our fightin' men were in their basements, scanning the tracklist for 1 yet again in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, "Across the Universe" or "Revolution" will be there this time.)
Did I just enter rant mode? Hmm... not my shtick, but it's fun sometimes.
Anyway, all of the Beatles' number one singles--- if you've somehow not picked up on this fact--- are collected on 1. The 27 hits are ordered chronologically, thus making it a lot easier to chronicle the evolution of the band. 1 spans eight years, from fluffy Lennon/McCartney compositions to weirder, more experimental Lennon/McCartney compositions. And, of course, one spiffy George Harrison number.
Myself, I'm a fan of the Beatles in their later years--- I've no use for "She Loves You" and "Can't Buy Me Love" and the like. I haven't a problem with sugary pop confections--- I can sink my teeth into the Who's early catalogue with gusto--- but these early hits seem rather contrived, boring, manufactured.
Yet, when the Beatles were at their creative peak in the late '60s, they could write a really frickin' good pop tune. "Penny Lane," "Yesterday," and... aww, heck... even "Yellow Submarine," they're all really fun pop records. "Hey Jude" has one of the best rock melodies EVER--- and the best outro; I swear, the "na na na"s do it every time--- and "Get Back" exhibited a more-than-competent Ringo Starr behind the drum kit for once. (Oh, come on, he's all well and good, but you know as well as I that he's not particularly great. A mere timekeeper--- Charlie Watts, now there was a drummer.)
The gorgeous lilt of George Harrison's "Something" gives way into bluesy psychedelia with the off-kilter "Come Together." And I'd be utterly remiss if I neglected to mention "Eleanor Rigby," one of the most heartbreaking pop songs ever penned. Of course, the best song here remains "Let It Be"--- STILL the most beautiful thing the Beatles ever recorded. Simply amazing. George Harrison--- probably the only truly great musician in the group--- lays down one of the most pleasant guitar solos of his career on this track.
Overblown experimental psychedelia and frustrating pop confections aside, the Beatles had some worthwhile stuff to say/do, a mere sampling of which can be found on 1. It's a great starting point for Beatles novices, and, really, can you find much fault with an album that offers no less than it promises?
