Johnny and the Moondogs

Posted at 8:20 pm on Wednesday, May 16, 2007, in Uncategorized, and tagged beatles, playlist.

I have created what I consider the ultimate Beatles playlist, titled, “Johnny and the Moondogs.”

This playlist tries to capture the raw varietal essence of the Beatles.

I had only my albums to work with (everything since and including Help!). I tried to stay away from A-sides and singles (the only number one song included is Ballad). I wanted to include at least one song from each album. I wanted to get decent coverage of all stages of the Beatles (early, late), but there is an emphasis on the later stuff, as necessary. I wanted to include songs from each bandmember. And I wanted to focus on the more eclectic and groundbreaking material.

And this is what I came up with…

Johnny and the Moondogs¹

1 Doctor Robert – Revolver
2 Revolution 1 – The Beatles (White Album)
3 Tell Me What You See – Help!
4 I’m Only Sleeping – Revolver
5 Happiness Is A Warm Gun – White Album
6 Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) – Rubber Soul
7 Two Of Us – Let It Be… Naked
8 Lovely Rita – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
9 What Goes On – Rubber Soul
10 Baby You’re A Rich Man – Magical Mystery Tour
11 Sexy Sadie – White Album
12 It’s All Too Much – Yellow Submarine
13 For You Blue – Let It Be… Naked
14 Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey – White Album
15 If I Needed Someone – Rubber Soul
16 Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds – Sgt. Pepper
17 Back In The U.S.S.R. – White Album
18 Dear Prudence – White Album
19 Flying – Magical Mystery Tour
20 The Ballad of John and Yoko – Past Masters, Vol. 2
21 I’m So Tired – White Album
22 Here Comes The Sun – Abbey Road
23 Sun King – Abbey Road
24 Mean Mr. Mustard – Abbey Road
25 Polythene Pam – Abbey Road
26 She Came In Through The Bathroom Window – Abbey Road
27 I’ve Just Seen a Face – Help!
28 Tomorrow Never Knows – Revolver
===
78 minutes total (fits on one disc)

BY ALBUM²

Help!
I’ve Just Seen a Face – Paul McCartney
Tell Me What You See – John Lennon / Paul McCartney

Rubber Soul
Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) – John Lennon
What Goes On – Richard Starkey³
If I Needed Someone – George Harrison

Revolver
Doctor Robert – John Lennon
I’m Only Sleeping – John Lennon
Tomorrow Never Knows – John Lennon

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Lovely Rita – Paul McCartney
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds – John Lennon

Magical Mystery Tour
Flying – All
Baby You’re A Rich Man – John Lennon

The Beatles (White Album)
Revolution 1 – John Lennon
Happiness Is A Warm Gun – John Lennon
Sexy Sadie – John Lennon
Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey – John Lennon
Back In The U.S.S.R. – Paul McCartney
Dear Prudence – John Lennon⁴
I’m So Tired – John Lennon

Yellow Submarine
It’s All Too Much – George Harrison

Abbey Road
Here Comes The Sun – George Harrison
Sun King – John Lennon
Mean Mr. Mustard – John Lennon⁴
Polythene Pam – John Lennon⁴
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window – Paul McCartney⁴

Let It Be… Naked⁵
Two Of Us – John Lennon / Paul McCartney
For You Blue – George Harrison

Past Masters, Vol. 2
The Ballad of John and Yoko – John Lennon

¹ The songs are arranged as if to be released under the name Johnny and the Moondogs. How well would this album sell?
² The obvious principal songwriters of Lennon/McCartney songs are listed.
³ Written by Lennon/McCartney.
⁴ Songs that are meant to be run up against one another are as well in this playlist.
⁵ I used Naked because it was what the Beatles officially wanted, and it uses cleaner versions of songs. (By the way, Pepper’s Little Help was kept off as a result of the beginning being unclean.)

Note: I understand this is mostly Lennon’s work, and it probably should be.

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One Response to “Johnny and the Moondogs”

1. chuck (a big Beatle fan) Says:
   May 17th, 2007 at 10:52 am

   I can’t find much fault with your list, especially since it would be like arguing which flavor of ice cream is better–chocolate or vanilla. The only fault I would find, though, is one that you yourself admitted–you chose the songs only from “Help” on. The early albums could (and would, in my estimation) provide a lot of material for your playlist.