B-sides and Deep Cuts Prove the Beatles' Supremacy

At this point, just about 50 years after they made their debut, it's sort of a cliche to heap any more praise on the altar of The Beatles. Recently though, I made a discovery about their music, and I think it warrants some further attention. What sets The Beatles apart seems to be not just the profound and prolific way in which they wrote catchy, popular, beautiful and amazing music, but that they also put tracks on their albums that most other artists would never have thought to include on their own records.

It's that kind of artistic integrity, that kind of diversity, that sets The Beatles apart. So here now are a few more songs that may just prove (pseudo) scientifically that The Beatles are in fact the greatest band of all time.

"Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" - Its lyrics are heavily lifted from an old circus poster that John Lennon found. The song itself becomes a musical soundscape with organs and snare drums and a cadence that makes one feel like they are actually sitting in a big top tent, watching the goings on of Mr. Kite's circus. This song was on the same album as iconic songs like "A Day in the Life" and "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds," which to some may be a curious decision, but what it really demonstrates is just how free to experiment the group was, and that they were not afraid to put those tracks out for public consumption as if they deserved the same respect as any other song.

"Tomorrow Never Knows" - It's pretty much all written on the back of one open chord, but the way in which their producer George Martin was able to masterfully weave the instrumentation and the various "found" sounds within this track gave it levels, textures and beats that are infectious. Based on John's first experiments with Eastern philosophy, it's a song that sounds like a rock and roll mantra, rounding out the album "Revolver" with frenzy of a sonic assault.

The "White" Album - Pretty much the fact that this record exists is a testament to how important The Beatles were and still are. It's a double-album that runs the gamut from acoustic singer-songwriter tunes to the full-bore aural attack of "Helter Skelter" and "Back in the USSR." This album gives the listener treats like "Savoy Truffle," "Piggies," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Glass Onion." Then it gets funky and displays "Revolution 9" and "Everybody's Got Something To Hide (Except For Me And My Monkey)." It's a tour de force of eclectic tastes, and could be a dark horse for the best Beatles album of all time.