Ep21 Complete Beatles Journey "No Reply" & "I'm a Loser" | HBK Luke Reaction

[@edgarsnake2857]

No Reply has such killer vocals. Great song. Ringo is terrific here. Your analysis is spot on. The Beatles are evolving at this point. I'm A Loser is just freakin' perfect! As you said, Luke, "Sensational!" When my friends and I heard these songs we were absolutely flattened.

[@pilesovinyl]

These should have been a two sided single IMO. No Reply was a #1 single that didn't get issued. Two of their best from this era.

[@MrJohndl]

No auto-tune. No computer enhanced vocals etc. Pure brilliance.

[@michaelt6218]

One thing about "I'm a Loser" is that we get to hear (once again) how the Beatles not only were amazing songwriters and terrific singers, but *also* superb instrumental musicians. Luke, you mentioned George's lead guitar, which is excellent, but man, Paul's bass line is incredibly good, John's harmonica really stands out, and of course Ringo is Mr. Reliable on drums. It's a perfectly executed song from the greatest band of all time.

[@lindakelly9552]

“I Nearly Died” the way it was written and sung still hurts my heart, it doesn’t get the attention from Beatles catalogue it deserves.

[@Monetize_This]

Love your analysis of The Beatles catalogue. Totally refreshing to hear someone who actually listens to the instrumentation, the vocals, the arrangement AND the lyrics while being cognizant of their development. Makes me feel like I’m experiencing the songs in a new light. 👍

[@patticrichton1135]

TOTALLY AGREE with your comments on Luke's analysis!

[@forwardpeace]

It's impossible to talk about favorite songs with the Beatles, but these are 2 of my favorites.

[@reinacarbetta388]

This album is so good. “No Reply” is exceptional. The angst in those harmonies 🤌🏽 This album has so many gems… “What You’re Doing” (I’m obsessed with it, one of my all time favorites.) There’s also I’ll Follow the Sun, Every Little Thing, Baby’s in Black, Eight Days a Week… 60 years and still a top notch album.

[@DaniiXerr]

in this same album is the song "I follow the sun" is one of my favorite songs and is very underrated for being on this album, It was written by Paul when he was 16 years old shows how talented he is

[@scottandrewbrass1931]

It was massively re-written for Beatles For Sale. A home recording from 1960-1 exists and it's hardly the same song.

[@jeanmank742]

"No Reply" is my favorite Beatles song. Period.

[@robertszekely8686]

Two great songs here. Both of them touch on losing a lover. However, in No Reply you feel the disappointment with what this person is doing. In I'm a Loser you can hear the heartbreak of losing your loved one. Both excellent songs with the rhythm and music in each of them.

[@susieq9801]

I loved Beatles '65. The harmonies in "Baby's in Black". 👌I remember eagerly anticipating every LP as they came out!

[@patticrichton1135]

@susieq9801. I agree with you, I TOO couldn't WAIT until their next LP came out, because we NEVER knew WHAT to expect, and we were NEVER EVER disapoointed!

[@deniseg812]

please Dont wear Red

[@edwardmeradith2419]

I’m a Loser + Help were both honest expressions of what Lennon was going thru internally, I think, fame wasn’t all he thought it would be, and his facade was starting to crack

[@Bekka_Noyb]

Beatles For Sale is under rated

[@edwardmeradith2419]

Absolutely!

[@debjorgo]

Two favorite Beatle tracks from the early era.

[@melaniesmith2917]

Ive said before that Beatles for Sale is one of my fav "no skip" albums. The passion in No Reply is unmatched, well untill you get to "Oh! Darling". John's writing being more and more personal for the most part, from here on out.

[@kbob1163]

You're not seriously going to skip the "Long Tall Sally" EP, are you? Came out a month before the Hard Day's Night album.

[@yes_head]

Isn't all that covered by the Past Masters releases? But yeah, all that stuff needs attention as well.

[@kbob1163]

@@yes_head He's been doing the Past Masters stuff more or less chronologically, in between the albums.

[@jameskelly8586]

Note that, up until Sgt. Pepper, all of the Beatles albums released in North America were different from those in the U.K.--even when they had the same title. And in Canada some of our albums were different from those in the States. Capitol got more Beatles LPs out of cutting and pasting tracks and putting less songs on each album. I didn't get to hear those Parlophone records until the 1980s when they were re-issued. Great analysis as usual.

[@wayne_twentyfive]

Never understood why "Beatles For Sale" gets such a comparatively bad rap when their albums are discussed .. To me it's absolutely wonderful .. Not many of their most known songs on it, but instead it's full of hidden gems like these 2 rippers .. They're up there with my very favourite Beatles songs, and yes Luke, they were both quite different from anything they had done before .. Love them !

[@patticrichton1135]

@wayne_twentyfive... FINALLY someone else who feels the same way I DO about "Beatles For Sale" getting a bad rap when their albums are discussed. It has been one of my FAVORITE Beatles albums since it came out. SO many brilliant songs on it, that seem to be ignored or dismissed by a lot of people, I never understood WHY!

[@wayne_twentyfive]

@patticrichton1135 Yes, it's great to find other big fans of "Beatles For Sale" .. And like the album itself, there's so many great under-recognised songs on it .. Apart from these 2 wonderful ones that Luke reacted to here, some other faves from it are "Every Little Thing", "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party", "What You're Doing", and "Baby's In Black" .. But nearly every song is a winner .. Love it !

[@ruthwilfong2342]

Love seeing you discover the greatest band. As you’re noticing, everything was different. They rarely sounded the same. ❤

[@starwood213]

I love this album, especially No Reply. At this stage the Beatles were not only writing and recording so many quality songs, but also touring constantly and making movies. No wonder they are still considered the greatest.

[@v.2080]

Enjoying your analysis, as you hear the Beatles further developing their style and gloriously tuneful songs! 🎉❤

[@terrygosney3316]

One of their best albums in my view, love lennons voice on this album!

[@jnagarya519]

Lennon DOMINATES on this LP, as he had on "A Hard Day's Night".

[@dawndriscoll3344]

Wow! I'd forgotten those stunning harmonies on 'No Reply'

[@dodojack1045]

Well done. Well done. So enjoyed your comments. Thank you.

[@BOOMNERD51]

I have Beatles '65. Loved the songs and harmonies from this period..

[@jackkilman8726]

No Reply has to be one of the most sinister pop songs of the early 1960s. The implied threat in the bridge ("If I were you...") is absolutely chilling. People who dismiss the early Beatles as "bubblegum" need to take a closer listen to this one. By the time of BFS, the Beatles were already weary of Beatlemania, and that weariness showed in more pessimistic lyrics. "Beneath this mask I am wearing a frown" was a lot more true than people realized at the time.

[@donniemoder1466]

The harmony on No Reply is like a sonic explosion. Lennon's doubled melody also is a wonder.

[@robertbrown7408]

Love the funny out takes of No reply where John sings. You walked hand in hand ,with another man in your face 😅

[@patakigeo]

Let's not forget "She's a Woman" from the same album.... What a fine cut!

[@joseeugeniogomezalmodovar2446]

She is a woman no estaba en 'Beatles for sale'

[@hungfao]

On 'No Reply', their harmonies and the backing chords are brilliant, IMO. It conveys the emotion and angst so perfectly. They go from Am on the lyric the first time they sing 'I nearly died' and then to F7 on the next 'I nearly died' but they don't actually change the notes they're singing. It gets me every time. 'I'm A Loser' is a bit autobiographical. John was acting like a clown but was inwardly frowning. These guys were being worked into exhaustion at the time.

[@juanita6479]

As you progress through their music you will listen something quite different from before each time. These two songs are very good with a slightly preference for the second one, anyway always telling a story and this time a sad one on both. PS Of all the albums this is one of my favorite covers along with 'Let it be'.

[@agnetamalmqvist3776]

They are so great! ❤️

[@make725daily1]

This is the content I've been seeking! Subscribed and excited for the journey ahead! - "Challenges are opportunities for growth and self-discovery..."

[@coffee-xg6my]

One of the things I also like on No Reply is Ringo doing that bossanova rhythm rim shot on the snare in the verses. I never really noticed that before,

[@danielk2829]

It still amazes me how they can do this many songs (albums, singles, EPs) in such a short period AND all that touring around the world (well UK, USA, Europe, Australia , New Zealand, Japan, Malaysia just to name a few!!! And the all the songs are good to great and evolving each 6months!!

[@johnshannon9656]

This is a great album.

[@debbiechang5781]

I don’t know how I missed this a week ago. I have been following your Beatles journey and loving every minute! You will probably never read this but it was another great reaction to two more amazing songs. 🌺✌️

[@NoviJimB]

I've seen a lot of people criticize this album and call it their weakest. Part of the reason for that is that, after 'A Hard Day's night, where they wrote all the songs, they went back to doing several cover songs. Well, they had just made a movie, were appearing on TV shows all the time and touring the world, all the time having to write. I think it's a fantastic album. And what a start, with these two songs. John was in another world back then. He had written the majority of the songs from AHDN himself for the most part, and his songs on this album are incredible, and all very different. Each song has it's own feel, and their harmonies on both of these songs show you how perfectly their voices blended together. Like you said, Geroge's guitar work on 'I'm A Loser' adds so much to it. He also had that similar twangy, vibrato style on 'Baby's In Black', to such good effect. Here in the states we had 'Beatles 65', which was the first side of this album minus 'Kansas City', with the second side the a and b sides from their single that came out back then, two more form the b side of this album, and a 'leftover' from AHDN ('I'll Be Back'). Those folks at Capitol music did some strange things to their album releases, but we didn't know it back then and were perfectly happy with what we were getting, even if many of the albums were strange 'mashups'.

[@RullXov]

They had the best melody. I like when they start clapping in No Reply.

[@npc3po301]

As with Twist And Shout they - on No Reply manage to own it so much you barely notice they're even using latin rhythms, it's just 'Beatle music', similarly with I'm a Loser you barely notice it's as you say bluesy country and could be quite hokey in other hands, it's these subtle features that are priced into them being unsurpassed

[@Kathmak]

The harmonies are sublime! Listen again to I'm a Loser and check out Paul's bass work. Fantastic!

[@strathman7501]

No Reply. Sensational.

[@patticrichton1135]

I always felt that "I'm a Loser" had such a "rock-a-billy" style with a nod to Carl Perkins (who the Beatles were fans of and also became close friends with). The only that sounds Dylanesque to me was John's harmonica part, and I LOVE Paul's "walking bass" line. That's another thing that the Beatles would do is have musically a happy/cheerful song, but the lyrics could be sad and dark, which was unexpected.

[@NoAntidoteMusic]

Great work .... So Enthusiastic !

[@dougsusie2319]

I always say that beginning with the last track on "A Hard Days Night" with "I'll Be Back" you can hear John showing signs of more mature songwriting. Just several months later with these two and later on this record his "I Don't want To Spoil The Party" you can hear John maturing. Two brilliant John ones here and on "I'm A Loser" Dylan's DNA is stamped all over it. John once laughingly joked that on this one that he was "Doing Dylan better than Dylan". George's Carl Perkins rockabilly influenced guitar work is outstanding. This is one of my all time favorite Beatles tracks. John even gives us a proverb "Pride comes before a fall" "Pride Goethe Before A Fall" pretty creative stuff for 64. Enough with this stupid first boy band BS that started a few years ago. There is nothing boy band about any of these two songs. They were never a boy band, they were a great band from their first album on. For me the definition of a boy band is groups like NSYNC and Backstreet Boys" are boy bands. 5 kids so singing and dancing around the stage. Don't play any instruments and write any songs so enough of this stupid BS. Now we have this stupid K Pop BS with seven Koreans singing and dancing around a stage and of course "Bigger Than The Beatles" just as the previous two mentioned were. Where are they now. Just like this stupid Taylor Swift BS now. Bigger than The Beatles, shattering all of their records. Newsflash! She ain't shattering any of their records. If she's bigger than The Beatles than I'm Jesus Christ. I forgot, Donald shit stain Donald Trump is Jesus Christ, more like Judas in my eyes. Peace ❤

[@terrymcbride2104]

Leave the politics out of it.

[@jnagarya519]

@@terrymcbride2104 Which politics -- the correct comments about the "boy-band" BS?

[@terrymcbride2104]

Trump has nothing to do with The Beatles.

[@jnagarya519]

@@terrymcbride2104 The only people who object to the facts about Trump being reported are Trump supporters.

[@dougsusie2319]

@@terrymcbride2104 Enough already dude. Why would this trigger you. Didn't bother anyone else. I'm done with you. Peace

[@StuartBiliack]

The degree of sophistication of the writing, the harmonies, Paul's bass, John's writing/voice/harmonica, etc., etc., is absolutely remarkable for 1965. As someone wrote below, Paul's bass in the chorus of I'm a Loser was very advanced for this time. I was 10 when the Beatles hit the US, and they broke up just as I finished high school, so their journey was my journey, too. Most remarkable 6 years in modern history for many reasons, but the evolution from Love Me Do to Abbey Road is indicative of the times. The Beatles led us through it.

[@garyarnett1220]

Yes yes Harrison shines on this. His idol was Carl Perkins so he was totally starting to get that style. (Getting darker? Next song is "Baby's In Black".)

[@nthdegree1269]

Great analysis and thoughts!

[@musicaficionado2974]

I absolutely adore Brazilian Bossa Nova. Never thought of this song from this standpoint. But now, that you've mentioned it, I can really see it. Especially in the rhythm guitar and the drums. Bossa Nova and, maybe, a bit of a slow Samba. Brilliant observation! Thank you, HBK Luke!

[@tjdomerny4847]

This on No Reply was one of your best reactions.

[@sourisvoleur4854]

As you run through the catalogue, don't forget the singles that didn't appear on British albums.

[@wpollock1]

This is the turning point....when The Beatles changed from singing about love to wider societal subjects......I'm A Loser is that point. You can feel the turn on this album. These are writers that are taking in all the outside influences (Dylan being just one) and flexing their subject matter muscles. Very soon it will be "Help!" which is a cry to help handle the fame.

[@LarryNeie-lj7zc]

As much as I love Dylan, Van Morrison, Neil Young, the Beatles are so damn above everyone!

[@imaginemyshock8067]

"There are no losers here." Well, maybe, until I turned up.

[@janescribner8258]

This is fun. I enjoy the surprise and delight of your reactions!! Do you ever check what other music is on the Billboard Top 40 at the same time/era. It will really give you the perspective of just how important and fantastic The Beatles were. (Fyi, Stevie Wonder used the harmonica a lot, too.)

[@markandresen1]

A very underrated album. I prefer it to 'With The Beatles.'

[@jnagarya519]

This LP was (also) a tribute to George's idol Carl Perkins. It's in the lead guitar throughout, and, of course, in the Carl Perkins covers. So George was "allowed" to contribute more than so many seem aware.

[@deniseg812]

Beatles 65 in the UA, around Christmas

[@Bill_Jones.]

The twangy guitar you’re hearing on “I’m A Loser” is George Harrison at his most brilliant.

[@evillemike2009]

On "I'm A Loser", McCartney gives us a taste of why he's going to be considered the best bass player ever. He changed it. He would make it into a voice that could provide counterpoint for the melody, and not just rhythm. You're bringing some good insight to these tunes, BTW. Keep doing that.

[@christinemorgen4441]

❤️🎶❤️

[@CharlesHarris-cy6sl]

HEY HBK I LOVE THE BEATLES CHARLES LENNON NANCY LENNON❤

[@reddiamondstone]

Saying they were a bit worn out at this time is in my opinion spot on. Having lived through these times and following the Beatles all the way through, I rate this as their weakest album ever. So if you come to the same opinion, don't be put off. The magic is back on the next album. There are still of course, some amazing tracks on it. A much more folky approach.

[@jnagarya519]

This has always been in my top three. The magic is as much here as in any of their other recordings. The playing on "No Reply" is killer. Perhaps you should st down and listen to it straight through.

[@mikeking-lc3vl]

While your on Beatles 65, "I Feel Fine".

[@AcidicSceptic]

For 'I'm A Loser', John has the Dylan thing going with an acoustic guitar, harmonica rest, & mic. He was definitely hugely influenced by Bob, for sure.

[@cathyortiz1280]

I really like "No Reply." Guess being "Ghosted," isn't new. No quite as fond of "I'm a Loser."

[@daveman_50]

This is probably my favorite Beatle era. No Reply: is it about a cheating partner, or a stalker?!

[@jnagarya519]

It's John's "rewrite" of the song "Silhouettes". There wasn't "stalking" in those days.

[@joseeugeniogomezalmodovar2446]

Una pareja infiel, pienso yo

[@lavitroladeldiablo]

They seemed to always go after a complete concept in each album. He realise that her GF has crossed him, and then he is a looser. Just an example. Cheers M8.

[@rickenbacker9]

👏👏👏

[@yes_head]

A very transitional album. This is the start of the second phase of the Beatles history. The fatigue is captured on the cover photo, and comes through in the songs, with a return to covers revealing how dry the well was. But at least we start off with two of the strongest tracks. It was hard for them to get a good vocal take on "No Reply" if you listen to the EMI studio records. Something about the vocal made John and Paul crack up over and over, although it is a bit stiff compared to previous efforts. "I'm a Loser" is easily the better of the two songs, and is an early and important foray into folk rock. But yeah, John's lyrics are getting a bit darker, aren't they? More of that to come. Luke: As someone mentioned lower down, be sure not to skip the "Long Tall Sally" EP tracks from 1964. Since the U.S. didn't have EP's, they were sprinkled across some of Capitol's American releases. But because you're following the UK releases you'll need to be sure to include the Past Masters albums in your journey through the Beatles discography.

[@jnagarya519]

But if you LISTEN to the LP you'll find it both relaxed and warm -- no sign of fatigue. This LP showed where they came from -- the covers -- and where they were at that moment. It's always been in my top three.

[@johnshannon9656]

British versions in mono.

[@johnshannon9656]

George.

[@saboteur1001]

Better MONO that such STEREO. EMI remasters suck!

[@henriksrensen3220]

Beatles were the quintessence of instrumental mediocrity. George Harrison was a pathetic guitarist, compared with the London guitarists of those days Townshend of the Who, Richards of the Rolling Stones, Davies of the Kinks, Clapton, Beck and Page of the Yardbirds, and many others who were less famous but more original

[@richardjacobs7632]

Hahaha!

[@alvarojaviercarrillokirkman]

🤡🤡🤡👍

[@radiationsnowman]

great break down Luke! Cheers!

[@joseeugeniogomezalmodovar2446]

Son 2 temas de John Lennon. Es que John era un tio muy auténtico. Y se sentía un looser en muchos momentos y en muchos aspectos. Por eso es superior a Paul. Mas directo, más auténtico. Un crack

[@ristovirtanen6396]

Notice in No reply verses Ringo plays different accents on each bar in the four bar sequence that’s repeated twice.🤔👌