The Beatles album that could have been

[Rosewood99]

If the Beatles hadn’t broken up and you take the best songs from each of their first solo albums here’s what could have been. For Ringo I’m skipping to the third solo album because the first two were remakes and these two songs he actually wrote. Most of these were actually written (or partially written )before they broke up.

Maybe I’m amazed
My sweet lord
Working class hero
Every night
Love (updated)
Beware of darkness
It don’t come easy
Wah Wah
Junk (updated)
Phonograph
God
All things must Pass

Any omissions or substitutions?

[jdinco]

A lot of those were rejected by the Beatles for Beatles albums if I remember correctly. What a list.

[Brucebubs]

I prefer 'Junk' over 'Teddy Boy' and probably go for 'Imagine' or 'Instant Karma' over 'God'.

I think Ringo's song is 'Photograph' not 'Phonograph'.

'My Sweet Lord' might be a little contentious given that George lost a plagiarism case against him over that song.

[Chickee]

What a terrific, fun observation! Nicely done my friend, nicely done.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

I prefer 'Junk' over 'Teddy Boy' and probably go for 'Imagine' or 'Instant Karma' over 'God'.

I think Ringo's song is 'Photograph' not 'Phonograph'.

'My Sweet Lord' might be a little contentious given that George lost a plagiarism case against him over that song.

You are right, I should have put Junk over Teddy Boy, I will correct that. Imagine wasn't on the first Lennon solo album

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by Rosewood99

You are right, I should have put Junk over Teddy Boy, I will correct that. Imagine wasn't on the first Lennon solo album

I realized that but as you were skipping over the first couple of Ringo solo albums I thought I might just jump to John's 'biggie'.

'Maybe I'm Amazed' is one of Paul's best - I prefer it over the somewhat similar style 'Oh, Darling' on Abbey Road.

[TBman]

Even though it was years later and doesn't qualify as a first solo album tune, Live and Let Die was good.

[Bob from Brooklyn]

A lot of George songs. I don't know how the other two would've felt about that.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by Brooklyn Bob

A lot of George songs. I don't know how the other two would've felt about that.

My theory is to keep the group together they would start to realize that george had a treasure trove of songs.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

I realized that but as you were skipping over the first couple of Ringo solo albums I thought I might just jump to John's 'biggie'.

'Maybe I'm Amazed' is one of Paul's best - I prefer it over the somewhat similar style 'Oh, Darling' on Abbey Road.

I was going to save imagine for their second album that could’ve been.

[The Watchman]

I'd sub What is Life for My Sweet Lord. More upbeat and different.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by The Watchman

I'd sub What is Life for My Sweet Lord. More upbeat and different.

Great song. When I think about it, I think of all of their first solo albums george’s by far was the strongest. I could probably pull out seven or eight great songs from all things must Pass. Lennon and McCartney’s first solo I think probably have three or four truly good ones and the rest are just Solid but not spectacular.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Rosewood99

My theory is that to keep the group together they would start to realize that George had a treasure trove of songs.

Originally Posted by Rosewood99

I was going to save "Imagine" for their second album that could’ve been...

There was unquestionably enormous talent within the group, but also enormous egos: I always saw "Imagine" as John's belated would-be counter to Paul's "Yesterday" (just as Paul's one-take screamer "Long Tall Sally" was a one-up on John's iconic performance on "Twist and Shout"), and for that reason alone I doubt it would have made it to a group album had there been one. Similarly, given John and Paul's well-known refusal to help George with his songwriting skills, and his emergence as a formidable craftsman in his own right, with a distinctive and very different compositional voice, would have placed the band's songwriting powerhouses in the position of "eating crow" - again an untenable state of affairs that IMO would have merely postponed, albeit briefly, the ultimate breakup of the band...

[Brucebubs]

'It Don't Come Easy' was Ringo's first single release after the break-up of the Beatles, produced and co-written by George... with piano played by Stephen Stills!

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by Rosewood99

You are right, I should have put Junk over Teddy Boy, I will correct that. Imagine wasn't on the first Lennon solo album

'Jealous Guy' was also from the 'Imagine' album.