By Matt Nuccio
With the release of the trailer for Rock Band’s new Beatles Rock Band I’ve become all fired up. As a child of former hippies the Beatles where a staple in our house hold. Till this day they are the band to which I measure all other bands. It is if they are water, the basic necessity for life and all other bands are just flavors added to water. As a parent now I find myself playing Beatles songs for my son. And just like his father and his father before him he has taken to the fab four. Below is a list, in no particular order, of a few our favorite child friendly Beatles songs.
1) Yellow Submarine
Written by John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Donavan for Ringo to Sing on the 1966 Revolver Album. It tells the tale of an old sailers travels through the land of submarines. In 1968 the song was used as the theme for animated movie of the same name. The film told a story about the fab fours travels in Submarine Land. Perhaps one of the Beatles greatest sing alongs.
2) Octopus’s Garden
Only the second song ever written by Ringo Starr. It took 32 takes for the Beatles to finally get the sound the way they wanted it. Luckily for us they got it right. Great fun both children and parents alike. It was originally released on the alum Abby Road (1969)
3) Rocky Raccoon
This tale of a lost love set in the old west was primarily written by Paul McCartney and appears on The Beatles (“The White Album”) (1968)
4) Cry Baby Cry
Based on an old nursery rhyme that John Lennon remembered from his childhood, Cry Baby Cry is cute bedtime song for any child. It is the last track on the album The Beatles (“The White Album”) (1968)
5) When I’m Sixty-Four
This Vaudeville styled ditty from the seminal 1967 Sgt Peppers Lonely Heart Club band tells the tale of young love looking forward to growing old with one another.
6) Your Mother Should Know
Written for a dance sequence in 1968 film Magical Mystery Tour, Paul McCartney crafted this tune to have an old fashion feel to appeal both parents and teens like.
7) The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
The story of a young man full of Bravado who tells exaggerated tales of hunting his excruciations. This is cute song has theme of morality with a taste of witty sarcasm. Based on a incident that occurred on their famed trip to vist to Marta Rishi in India. This song was originally released on the album The Beatles (“The White Album”) (1968)
8 ) Hey Bulldog
This fun and cheerful piece was written for the 1969 Yellow Submarine fiim. This is one the few Beatles song to be structured around a piano riff and one of the last to have been performed by all four Bealtes at the same time in the studio. Children love it for all of it’s barking and howling. I love it for it’s great guitar and piano riffs.
9) For the Benefit of Mr Kite
Written for the seminal 1967 Sgt Peppers Lonely Heart Club band. John Lennon took inspiration from a nineteenth century circus poster he had hanging on his wall. Full of swirling sounds and high flying excitement it creates a fantastic circus atmosphere.
10) Blackbird
Musically Inspired by Bach’s Bourrée in E minor, Paul McCartney wrote the lyrics to this song as a response to escalating racial issues in the U.S. The term bird actually does not refer to our feathered friends but is used as British slang for girl. But even without it’s social relevance it is family friend piece that children and adults can love. It was released on the album The Beatles (“The White Album”) (1968)
11) Good Night
Written by John Lennon as a lullaby for his son Julian. This song can lull even the crankiest child to sleep (that would be me). It was originally released on the album The Beatles (“The White Album”) (1968)
Of course there are many many great Beatles songs. This list barely touches the surface. What Beatles songs do you and your family enjoy? I’m curious to know.