Don’t ever leave me alone.
“I think it was in a way the feeling that it might be our last so let’s just show ‘em what we can do, let’s show each other what we can do and let’s try and have a good time doing it.” – Paul.
For Christmas last year, my dad bought me Abbey Road - the last album that The Beatles ever recorded.
I’d always loved The Beatles, but a while ago I realised, to my horror, the only CD’s I owned by them were Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1, Love, Anthology, and Live at The BBC.
A bit of a strange mix.
When my dad found this out, he decided to get us an album each as presents that year. My mum got Rubber Soul, my brother got The White Album,
and I got Abbey Road.
Now, firstly, I should admit that the album, as a whole, didn’t bowl me over. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it and realised how special it was, but the problem was: I’d heard all the main hits before. Out of the seventeen tracks on the CD, there were eight that I wasn’t familiar with. And six of those I found unremarkable on first listening.
But there was one - one hidden amongst those seventeen - that completely and utterly blew my mind.
‘Oh! Darling’.
I couldn’t believe I’d never heard it before. It was phenomenal.
Not only did it swiftly become my favourite Beatles song, but ‘Oh! Darling’ even managed to muscle its way into my Top Ten Songs Of All Time. It completely disregarded the fact that the rest of the songs in the Top Ten were long-standing veterans, proudly standing in line, comparing their many medals. Instead, it arrogantly marched up to them, slotted itself firmly between ‘Three Little Birds’ and ‘Bring It On Home To Me’, and then proceeded to act as if it had been there the entire time.
But I was far from outraged.
(Although, ’No Surprises’ still hasn’t really settled in to number 11.)
Do you have a song that you consistently turn to in times of trouble? When you just can’t go on, when you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders, is there a song that can unfailingly part the storm-clouds? ‘Oh! Darling’ became that song for me. Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if I’d never been given Abbey Road. What would I have done all those mornings when I just couldn’t get out of bed?
Not that it’s lyrically inspiring or musically ambitious in any way. It’s far from complex, especially when you put it against some of the other songs The Beatles have written, such as ‘A Day In The Life’, ‘Blackbird’ or ‘Across The Universe’. Its basic structure is just a standard rock & roll chord progression, and the lyrics never really venture much beyond the words, “Oh Darling, please believe me, I’ll never do you no harm.”
But to my mind, it’s the perfect example of when something, although maybe incredibly uncomplicated, gels together seamlessly. It evokes that charmingly naive atmosphere of movie-love that can only be achieved with a certain kind of masterful simplicity.
Every little facet of the song is a lesson in pop songwriting and performing. The minimalist screech of the electric guitar. Ringo’s brilliant over-the-top drum fills. The plodding bass line. The angelic backing-vocal harmonies.
And I think it’s the best vocal track Paul McCartney ever recorded. Which is strange because John Lennon called it, “a great one of Paul’s that he didn’t sing too well. I always thought I could have done it better—it was more my style than his.” How can you say that when faced with that range? That power? That grizzled scream that makes him sound well beyond his years? Apparently Paul put a massive amount of time and practice into the recording. He said “at first my voice was too clear. I wanted it to sound as though I’d been performing it on stage all week.” And that’s exactly how it sounds. Experienced. Explosive. Like he’s trapped, on a little stage inside your speakers, singing it live.
Every time I listen to ‘Oh! Darling’, not only are my spirits lifted and worries erased, but I’m reminded of what The Beatles can do. Sometimes, with the relentless onslaught of new music pouring in from every crack in the wall, it’s easy to forget. Especially when combined with a phenomenon such as The Beatles™ Rock Band™. But when you finish reading this, put the song on, and once again realise why they are widely regarded as the greatest band to have ever walked the Earth.
