I was listening to Big Star‘s “Watch the Sunrise” the other day, a song that I know is not considered “cool” in the Big Star catalog, but I like it anyhow. I like the hyperkinetic acoustic guitar strumming and the song’s fresh-faced, Hostess brand hippie idealism. It seemed to me that this particular type of song was common in the mid-’70s. I think these acoustic-based songs are a little different than the related country-rock songs by the likes of America and others working in that post-Neil Young/Eagles vein.

What led to these sunny, strumming number? I hear early Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, like “Suite Judy Blue Eyes” and “Marrakesh Express” mixed with George Harrison‘s “Here Comes the Sun.” Is there some earlier template that I’m missing? Is it an English folk thing?

This style of music never eclipsed that of its country-rock cousin, but I think it led to two musical dead ends: Boston (the band) and the 128-String Guitar songs we’re frequently tempted to skip on Matthew Sweet‘s Girlfriend. Boston may not be so obvious, but there’s something about them, in songs like “Long Time,” that seem indebted to that style of early ’70s song, despite the big electric guitars and other pompous trimmings.

Does this make any sense, and has this style of music ever progressed beyond these perceived dead ends?

Have you ever wished a favorite artist could do-over a particular album, song, or period in its career? I’ve always wished that The Beatles could have finished their final 3 albums in a more satisfying, more unifying way. I believe I speak for most Beatles fans in saying that there’s a lot to be gained by our shared experiences with the band. In a world where there is little consensus, Beatles fans are pretty much in step with each other over the first two periods of the band’s career:

• After acknowledging the greatness of the band’s entire output, Beatles fans states their preference for “Early Beatles” (ie, everything up to and usually including Rubber Soul, which few Beatles fans criticize in any way) or “pot-smoking Beatles” (ie, the period beginning with Rubber Soul and Revolver, when they became known for crafting albums).
• Next Beatles fans take a moment to state that Sgt. Pepper’s is “overrated,” only pausing to differentiate whether it’s “grossly overrated” (a sign that something slightly less than a true Beatles devotee is among our ranks) or “still a remarkable achievement, despite the fact that we’re all a little sick of having had it jammed down our throats for 40 years!”
• A brief discussion among Beatles fans is likely to ensue over the band’s worst and most underrated song ever.
• We’ve all got a favorite Beatle, but no true Beatles fan dislikes any one member, not even Paul.
• We may have a laugh over the issue of the Fifth Beatle.

For all there is to discuss concerning our love for The Beatles, there aren’t too many issues over which we have great differences. These days, only those who’ve been living under a rock the last 30 years may have an issue with Yoko “breaking up” the band. One area over which Beatles fans can divide, sometimes painfully so, is over their last three studio releases: The White Album, Let It Be, and Abbey Road. I don’t have to tell you all the points of contention, do I?

In my do-over, The White Album‘s best songs would have been the band’s straightforward, stripped down release – not to mention a single album.

This morning, for the first time, I listened to Volume 3 of the old Anthology series of releases. I bought the first two volumes when they came out and was mostly disappointed with what I found after having peeked behind the Wizard’s curtain. I’m one of those Beatles fans who’s always wished that The White Album could have been a single album – maybe even an EP – and I’ve also got problems with large chunks of Abbey Road and its influence on one of my close personal friends. On the other hand, I actually love Let It Be.

Listening to the outtakes, demos, and raw tracks of these albums on Anthology, Volume 3, I had a revelation. I wish I could call for a do-over of the band’s final leg. Dig.
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