Weakest Song from Abbey Road?

[materamagic]

Such a great album but I can find some weak songs on it. Maxwells Silver Hammer is not in the league of the other songs on this album and a couple of the segements in the side two medley would not stand alone as great songs but because of their fusion sound like one great song.

It is difficult to find the best song on this album but the song that sticks out like a sore thumb is Maxwell, many people like it but Abbey Road is all about class and musicianship and that song had neither

 

[W W Biscuit]

The story goes that McCartney was determined that Maxwell's Silver Hammer would be the hit single on Abbey Road. His persistent, anal attitude was driving the other Beatle's to distraction. In later interviews, Lennon regarded the song as one of Paul's greatest pieces of sh1t, and recalled the long, arduous sessions that they were forced to endure to get the song 'right.' In typical acid style, Lennon espressed immense pleasure that George's song eventually became the single ('Something'), and that Maxwell's Silver Hammer was not, and never would be 'up to it.'

Personally, I don't mind Maxwell's Silver Hammer as a piece of McCartney fluff, but it is obvously one of the weakest songs on the album. It's also interesting for its first and only use of a Moog synthesizer on a Beatles recording.

 

[hotpie]

Maxwell's ok. Not a bad novelty song, something which the Beatles became quite expert at.

My vote is for Oh Darling. Overrated in the extreme with overindulgent vocals. ( I was ghoing to vote for One After 909 until I remembered i had the wrong album).

 

[The Dice Man]

I love the melody for Oh Darling, cant see how you would consider that over-rated or indulgent, especially when stacked next to Maxwell (which gets my nomination as one of the Beatles crappiest songs of all time, not just Abbey Road).

 

[hotpie]

Oh Darling tries to be a blues song, and IMO it doesnt come across properly. Beatles never did blues particularly well. McCartneys screaming is trying to compete with the music rather than complement it.

Its just a dull song. IMO.

Maxwell might be artistically inferior, but its a disposable fun pop song, and doesnt have any pretensions to be any more than that. Its no worse than Octopusses Garden, Yellow Submarine, Oh-Blh-Di-Oh-Blah-Dah,Why Dont We Do It In The Road, or All Together Now, all of which have inherent charm and capture the personalities of the band.

 

[CharlieG]

Octopus' Garden.

As others have said - Maxwell isn't a classic and doesn't try to be... but it's fun to sing along too.

 

[AngelEyes]

im a massive fan of Abbey Road, and an even bigger fan of Oh Darling! I thought the song was fantastic. Not only the melody in OD but the harmony I just love it to pieces.

I agree with Maxwells Silver Hammer being the weakest mainly because it's stacked between Something (my favourite Beatles song) and Oh Darling which I also loved. And hat kind of drew my attention away from Maxwell's to be honest.

 

[materamagic]

One of the things I love about AR the most is Georges guitar work throughout, in particular in the instrumental sections of the song segments "You Never Give Me Your Money" and "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window" and in Ringo's Octopuses Garden a song which George helped out alot in.

The song I Want You can be seen as Lennons song of indulgance if Maccas was the dreadful Maxwell, which George described as fruity in a interview.

Moog was used on Here Comes The Sun and on several recordings from 68 onwards by the way, George had one and used it alot listen to Blue Jay Way and some of the MMT songs.

Oh Darling is a ripper of a song I thought.

The medley on side 2 is nothing short of outstanding, for a bunch of throwaways in terms of lyric qualities, these songs have incredible and intricate instrumentation and George Martin had alot to do with this. Paul tried this concept a few times on his solo records.

But perhaps the 2 most popular songs are Georges Here Comes The Sun and his signature tune, Something.

Not many talk about Because which is absolutely stunning with Moonlight Sonata playing backwards as an inspiration.

Golden Slumbers just sends chills up my spine and shows the ease that McCartney could go from a tender sweet voice to a gravely emotive growl in a matter of seconds.

Maxwell Silver Hammer simply would be the song to drop of the album if there ever was one.

I wonder if Led Zeppelin were listening to I Want You?

 

[- PC -]

The song I Want You can be seen as Lennons song of indulgance

Yep ..Maxwells was never meant to be dissected the way Something or Shes Leaving Home from Sgt Pepper were . Its fun and its catchy. I Want You bores me to tears and I am just glad its last song side 1. Flip forward change sides.

 

[DaveW]

Her Majesty.

The second half of the album flows so well from one song to another until you get to Her Majesty tacked on at the end, rather out of place

Does nothing for me. And I'm not just saying that because I'm a republican.

 

[materamagic]

the sneaky addition of her majesty was the response to when john sneaked revolution 9 on the white album

 

[Topher]

I liked Maxwell's Silver Hammer. One of the best on the album IMO. But all songs on that album are great.

 

[materamagic]

How about Golden Slumbers? I loved it when Paul did this live in 89/90 and hopehe considers it again because it really is gold.

The ease at which he switches from his sweet tender voice to an emotive gravelly bellow in a matter of seconds is something only very few vocalists can do. As a vocalist Paul is up their with Roy, Elvis, John and co.

 

[- PC -]

How about Golden Slumbers? I loved it when Paul did this live in 89/90 and hopehe considers it again because it really is gold.

The ease at which he switches from his sweet tender voice to an emotive gravelly bellow in a matter of seconds is something only very few vocalists can do. As a vocalist Paul is up their with Roy, Elvis, John and co.

Golden Slumbers was a 16th century poem ..some say written by Henry VIII , it was used as Adelaides Channel 9 end of broadcast music ( back in the dark days when tv actually stopped) But yes great song and segue

 

[lihei]

Oh Darling - hands down

 

[hotpie]

Oh Darling - hands down

HOORAY!!!

 

[materamagic]

HOORAY!!!

i have heard jimmy barnes doing a rendition of Oh Darling! It's great but not as good as Paul's who basically wore his vocals out to achieve the effect not disimilar to what John did for Twist and Shout

 

[hotpie]

i have heard jimmy barnes doing a rendition of Oh Darling! It's great but not as good as Paul's who basically wore his vocals out to achieve the effect not disimilar to what John did for Twist and Shout

I rest my case. If if Jimmy Barnes sings it, its gotta be crap.

 

[materamagic]

you cannot deny the fact that Paul was one of the very best vocalists especially from the mid 60's to the mid 70's. his range was superb, certainly not as spectacular or moving as an Orbison or Presley but a hellava more versatile. his voice has since aged admirably and better than all contempories. the song isnt moving or a classic but it is a belter and great vocal exercise, can be seen as a throwaway but most definately can never be classed as crap.

 

[hotpie]

I rate Paul's vocal big time, especially singing ballads, but even at times as a full-on rock vocalist he can hit the mark at times. Hey Jude's chorus is one song where his screaming really made the song. Cant think of many other examples where he belted his lungs out successfully (like Robert Plant or Jim Morrison), I guess Rock Show or Jet are another examples. Did he sing Helter Skelter?

I just dont rate Oh Darling too highly, the song sounds a bit too try-hard for my liking.

Looks like we'll have to agree to disagree on this.

Cheers

 

[The Hitman]

I wouldn't call any song on their "weak", but Octopus' Garden would probably be my choice. Musically better than Maxwell's Silver Hammer, but at least Maxwell is catchy. I find Octopus' Garden a tad labouring.

 

[materamagic]

I rate Paul's vocal big time, especially singing ballads, but even at times as a full-on rock vocalist he can hit the mark at times. Hey Jude's chorus is one song where his screaming really made the song. Cant think of many other examples where he belted his lungs out successfully (like Robert Plant or Jim Morrison), I guess Rock Show or Jet are another examples. Did he sing Helter Skelter?

I just dont rate Oh Darling too highly, the song sounds a bit too try-hard for my liking.

Looks like we'll have to agree to disagree on this.

Cheers

Yes Paul sung Helter Skelter and did it live last year at Glastonbury! Wings Over America is the best example of his raw rock vocals he was on fire there.

About Octopuses Garden, the only redeeming thing there for me is Georges guitar work, isn't it great? The song has a nostalgic feel to it and Ringo does a Paul making a great sounding song and melody albeit with forgettable lyrics which has hurt some peoples perception of mccartney in his solo years.

I can see your point about Oh Darling being Try Hard, it was very much an ego song, not the only one on the beatles later albums, mind you.

Paul belting out vocals. Listen to his 12 minute epic "Rinse The Raindrops" from his recent album, Driving Rain. This song was not promoted but you must hear it, it is a relentless rocking jam where he repeats poetic phrases in every trademark rock voice imaginable and lets loose with a massive primal scream in the 11th minute.

 

[KingyOrTheKing]

Silver Hammer is the worst Beatles song there is.

 

[lioness]

I thought the song was fantastic. Not only the melody in OD but the harmony I just love it to pieces.

Yep I agree 100%, I love it also!! I can't put my finger on why, perhaps for me it's just the way Paul sings it, so raw and intense, which kind of complements the lyrics.......it's the same with 'Maybe I'm Amazed' really. Paul has a real way of making a love song unique.

Anyways for mine, Maxwell is definitely the weakest song on Abbey Road. The lyrics have always amused me, but it's a very boring song!