The Beatles – Goodnight Vienna 1974
Paul did not give up his idea of life show the following year either, and tried to convince the others that 1974 was finally the right time for a comeback concert. After much hesitation and persuasion (and lots of money involved), the other Beatles finally agreed to perform at the all-day festival at the Vienna Prater Stadium as the main attraction of the evening.
Paul started organizing the whole thing, John wrote, in addition to his songs, one for Ringo, which was to be the main hit of the concert.
Unfortunately, George’s laryngitis ruined the whole show, when he couldn’t even speak, let alone sing, and as a mere guitarist, he didn’t want to participate in such an important event. And the others agreed.
So at least a new album was made.
Side One:
- Goodnight Vienna
- No 9 Dream
- Helen Wheels
- Ding Dong, Ding Dong
- Scared
- Junior’s Farm
- Goodnight Vienna (Reprise)
Side Two:
- Surprise Surprise (Sweet Bird Of Paradox)
- Mrs Vandebilt
- Try Some Buy Some
- Whatever Gets You Through The Night
- Let Me Roll It
- Old Dirt Road
Compared to the previous album, it is definitely a step backwards in quality, but it still is an entertaining and surprisingly positive record.
John, who, for some ´unknown reason´, seemed full of energy again, took on the lead role, and Paul and George at least used the leftovers and unreleased songs from the last year.
They also finally listened to the producer´s advice and shortened the songs on the new record again, so they could fit twelve tracks (plus reprise of Goodnight Vienna) instead of ten like on the previous one, when the fans felt a little robbed.
Some songs may sound overproduced. And over-saxed. In the seventies, somehow everyone used too much saxophone for my taste. I´m not sure I like it.
To be honest, it’s quite disappointing album, a bit letdown. The more albums I make the more disappointed I am. It is OK, it is a pleasant pop record. But it was going nowhere. And the more I think about it, the more glad I am they split up at the right time. Although it makes me kind of sad. All their songs from 70s sound somehow dated now, unlike those from sixties. They are good but none of them are groundbreaking or revolutionary like those in that previous decade. There is no more progress like there was – step by step from Love Me Do to The End.
I was pretty much certain that this exercise would bring me more great Beatles albums. And they are not great. They are only good. Is it enough? I’m not sure..
Apart from Ding Dong Ding Dong(terrible)it’s a decent album.
Yeah.. I actually agree. The problem is, contrary to popular myth, I really don’t think George was ´the chosen one´ and made anything really good after All Things Must Pass. What’s the difference between this and the worst Paul’s Granny shit? I wouldn’t call the song terrible, I like it, same like Paul´s. But definitely sub par. But I wanted something pleasant, not too complicated, or God forbid, something religious, something that would fit into the overall concept of (basically) Ringo’s album. After all, in this universe the song was made for happy times and big comeback concert. And it’s really hard to find something when I want to have at least two songs by George on the album.
Dark Horse for me would have been a better choice.
I’m glad you listen to albums chronologically, year by year, and don’t skip 🙂 Dark Horse is on next one. Although I used the unplugged version, I don’t think the laryngitis one should have been released.