Love Songs by the Beatles (Vinyl record album review)

Album name: Love Songs

Group name: the Beatles

Year: 1977

Number of discs: two

Label: Capitol Records

Collection: Selman

Distinguishing characteristics:

Scratched into side one of LP: SKBL-1-11911 F2

Scratched into side two of LP: SKBL-2-11911 F2

Scratched into side three of LP: SKBL-3-11911 F2 1-S

Scratched into side four of LP: SKBL-4-11911 F2 #2

Buy it on Amazon: $52.99

My review

Level of familiarity before listening

I was not aware that this compilation existed, but I’ve heard all of the songs on it before. Here are the previous Beatles records that I’ve reviewed:

Revolver (1966): 5/5

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967): 5/5

The White Album (1968): 4/5

Abbey Road (1969): 5/5

MORE get back session (1969?): 3/5

Studio Sessions Volume One (1973): 4/5

Rock ‘n’ Roll Music (1976): 5/5

The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl (1977): 5/5

What I expected

It seems pretty straightforward: 25 of the Beatles’ love songs (out of order).

What it was actually like

This was a ton of fun. I normally would not think to classify Beatles songs by subject matter – though obviously Rock ‘n’ Roll Music classified them by style – and mainly think about their oeuvre in terms of record (or era) or writer (or singer).

But yeah, the Beatles did some love songs!

I may have mentioned it elsewhere, but Girl was the first song in my life that I distinctly recall liking, when I was very young, and besides that, Michelle was also one of the first songs I can remember hearing in my childhood, in my mother’s brown Volvo station wagon.

I also note that Yesterday, the most covered song in blah blah, is not actually one of the Beatles’ best songs. I would even say that it’s one of their worst!

And She’s Leaving Home is not even a love song!

Here are each of the sides’ songs, ranked:

Side one

Girl

In My Life

I’ll Follow the Sun

I Need You

Words of Love

Here, There and Everywhere

Yesterday

Side two

Something

Tell Me What You See

And I Love Her

I’ll Be Back

If I Fell

Yes It Is

Side three

Michelle

For No One

It’s Only Love

Every Little Thing

She’s Leaving Home

You’re Going to Lose That Girl

Side four

Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)

You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away

P.S. I Love You

I Will

This Boy

The Long and Winding Road

Grade

5/5: love it