Articles by: Kit O'Toole

The Beatles, "Mother Nature's Son" from The White Album (1968): Deep Beatles

The Beatles, “Mother Nature’s Son” from The White Album (1968): Deep Beatles

The Beatles deep cut “Mother Nature’s Son” proves Paul McCartney’s mastery of simplicity in melody, subject and arrangement.

The Beatles, "Don't Pass Me By" from The White Album (1968): Deep Beatles

The Beatles, “Don’t Pass Me By” from The White Album (1968): Deep Beatles

The off-kilter charm of “Don’t Pass Me By” showcased Ringo Starr’s personality, while also serving as the first step on a path away from the Beatles.

The Beatles, "It's All Too Much" from 'Yellow Submarine' (1969): Deep Beatles

The Beatles, “It’s All Too Much” from ‘Yellow Submarine’ (1969): Deep Beatles

George Harrison’s struggle to balance a simple existence with a rock star’s hedonistic lifestyle is chronicled in the Beatles deep cut “It’s All Too Much.”

The Beatles, "Glass Onion" from The White Album (1968): Deep Beatles

The Beatles, “Glass Onion” from The White Album (1968): Deep Beatles

John Lennon turned a satirical pen on himself and his bandmates for this stand-out deep cut from the Beatles’ self-titled 1968 studio project.

The Beatles, "Your Mother Should Know" from 'Magical Mystery Tour' (1967): Deep Beatles

The Beatles, “Your Mother Should Know” from ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ (1967): Deep Beatles

“Your Mother Should Know” may not break new musical ground, but it further exemplifies how the Beatles drew from seemingly unlikely sources in their compositions.

The Beatles, "Long, Long, Long," from The White Album (1968): Deep Beatles

The Beatles, “Long, Long, Long,” from The White Album (1968): Deep Beatles

The Beatles’ darkly experimental “Long, Long, Long” foreshadows a frequent trope in George Harrison’s solo work: comparing spiritual and romantic love.

The Beatles, "Bad Boy" from Past Masters (1965): Deep Beatles

The Beatles, “Bad Boy” from Past Masters (1965): Deep Beatles

Like the Beatles’ other covers, Larry Williams’ “Bad Boy” reveals their roots: In this case, rhythm and blues.

Vinyl

Laurence Juber – Standard Time (1982; 2018 reissue)

‘Standard Time’ launched Wings guitarist Laurence Juber’s highly respected career as a sophisticated yet graceful finger-style solo performer.

The Beatles, "Act Naturally" from Help! (1965): Deep Beatles

The Beatles, “Act Naturally” from Help! (1965): Deep Beatles

“Act Naturally” came, well, naturally for Ringo Starr. He had flirted with country music long before joining the Beatles.

The Beatles, "Words of Love" from Beatles for Sale (1964): Deep Beatles

The Beatles, “Words of Love” from Beatles for Sale (1964): Deep Beatles

The Beatles, particularly John Lennon and Paul McCartney, were avid students of the Texas-born singer-songwriter Buddy Holly.