Why Don't We Do It In The Road?

Love that title.

Anyway, ever since I've seen Across the Universe, I've had Beatles songs running through my head. Nonstop. This is not necessarily a bad thing, though if it goes on for two weeks I might take a Revolver to my head. Ok, that was bad...but you get the point.

So, while I'm in Beatle mode, I thought I might as well list my favorite tunes of theirs, both for me and for you (as I've never put much thought to ranking them, and I'd love to hear what ranks up there for others). Their discography can be found here.

Now, I can already tell you that Mrs. Fletch is not a fan of British Invasion-era Beatles aka the innocent, drug-free version. I also definitely lean towards the groovy, sitar-influenced Beatles as well, though I have nothing against their earlier poppy roots. After all, not much on film tops Ferris Buehler cranking out their version of "Twist and Shout." Here's a special, musical Fletch's Favored Five:

5. "Twist and Shout " - I don't care that it's not their song. I don't care that my love for it is most likely greatly enhance by Ferris Buehler. If you listen to this song and it doesn't get you singing along and/or dancing, there's something wrong with you. That's all there is to it. (As it were, I don't like the original version.)

4. "Eleanor Rigby" - the instrumental version is gorgeous on its own.

3. "A Day in the Life" - As Wikipedia puts it: "The song is actually a merging of two different, but complementary, song fragments originally authored independently by Lennon and McCartney, with McCartney's fragment added to the middle of Lennon's." This is the brilliance of the song, and something not seen much these days - the song that has multiple parts that sounds completely unique from one another. "Layla" is another favorite in this regard.

2. "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" - this has to be considered the apex of the drug-influenced Beatles, doesn't it?

1. "Across the Universe" - It's coincidental that the movie shares its title with my favorite Beatles tune. And yet despite the fact that it is my favorite tune of their, (blasphemy alert) I like Fiona Apple's version more than the original. In case you haven't heard it, it's on the Pleasantville soundtrack (and pretty much nowhere else, unless you wanna pay $21.00 for an import single).

Honorable Mentions:

* "Happiness is a Warm Gun "
* "Glass Onion"
* "I Am the Walrus"
* "Octopus's Garden"
* "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"

(By the way, as I child, I owned the Alvin and the Chipmunks album pictured. I officially rock, as did it.)