If you could catch a full-on Beatles set with today's standards, what would be your dream set list?
Let's say it's 2024 and magically The Beatles have reunited and will perform a show passing through all of their career just for you. What would be the perfect tracklist? I decided on a standard of 30 songs which is what Paul plays today on his shows. I also tried to split evenly with every member being a lead singer proportionally to their released tracks (I came up with 10 for John, 10 for Paul, 4 for both, 3 for George, and 3 for Ringo).
I haven't adventured myself much into their solo works, so this show would be 100% Beatles.
This was my favorite outcome:
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Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - Paul
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With A Little Help From My Friends - Ringo
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Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds - John
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Penny Lane - Paul
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Strawberry Fields Forever - John
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I Am The Walrus - John
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While My Guitar Gently Weeps - George
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Blackbird - Paul
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Yellow Submarine - Ringo
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Yesterday - Paul
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In My Life - John
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Ticket To Ride - John
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Love Me Do - Paul
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She Loves You - John/Paul
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Can't Buy Me Love - Paul
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A Hard Day's Night - John/Paul
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Please Please Me - John
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I Want To Hold Your Hand - John/Paul
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Get Back - Paul
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Don't Let Me Down - John
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Let It Be - Paul
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Across The Universe (World Wildlife Fund Version) - John
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Come Together - John
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Something - George
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Oh! Darling - Paul
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Octopus's Garden - Ringo
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Here Comes the Sun - George
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A Day In The Life - John/Paul
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Now And Then - John
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Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End - Paul
I also tried splitting the singers evenly through the show, but I also found it interesting to separate the show in a few eras, that's why even though you have little George songs, 2 of them are within 4 tracks. I also avoided the most to repeat the vocalists back-to-back but this still happened.
Speaking of eras, and given the complexity of some shows today, I split them into these. The number in parentheses is the song number.
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Sgt. Pepper's/Magical Mystery Tour (1-6)
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White Album (7-8)
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Middle Era (9-12)
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Early Era (13-18)
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Get Back (19-22)
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Abbey Road (23-27)
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Closing/Encore (28-30)
I think it would be possible for each era to tell a little story, in the same vein as the Sgt. Pepper's concept/Yellow Submarine movie. Not to deviate too much from the music, it could be some quick 5 minutes videos of them rehearsing or telling a narrative as the YS movie, and depending on the complexity, even era-accurate clothing (Sgt. Pepper's costume for 1-8; Suits for 9-18, Abbey Road cover clothing for 19-30)
Ringo singing revolution 9
Firing a machine gun with live rounds for authenticity.
And acting out the lyrics including becoming naked on stage. Peace and love.
In another lifetime...
Beatles reunion show in 1979. I decided to run with it, given the following:
Music fleshed out by adding Billy Preston and Denny Laine, strings and horns
No Yoko
No Linda
2 solo songs each
Approximately 2 hrs
Not just hits
All periods
The theater goes dark...we hear John's voice..."We're just a band that made it very, very big."
Opening Set (Sgt. Pepper “Suite”)
Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
With A Little Help
Strawberry Fields
Penny Lane
Early Days/Hamburg Set (4 Beatles only!)
5. Slow Down
6. Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey
7. Roll Over Beethoven
8. Honey Don’t
Solo Set 1 - All Musicians
9. Whatever Gets You Thru The Night (special guest: Elton John)
10. Band on the Run
11. All Things Must Pass
12. Photograph
Acoustic Set
13. In My Life
14. Blackbird
15. Here Comes The Sun
“Rock Set”
16. Come Together
17. Got To Get You Into My Life
18. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (special guest: Eric Clapton)
19. Octopus’ Garden
20. Hey Bulldog
21. Paperback Writer
22. Day Tripper
23. Flying (A cool extended version. Let musicians stretch out a bit)
Solo Set 2
24. Imagine
25. Maybe I'm Amazed
26. Give Me Love Give Me Peace On Earth
27. It Don't Come Easy
Finale
28. I Saw Her Standing There (4 Beatles only)
29. Twist and Shout (4 Beatles only)
30. I Want To Hold Your Hand (4 Beatles only)
31. A Day in the Life (all musicians)
Encore
32. Something
33. I’ve Got A Feeling (John/Paul duet)
34. Hey Jude
35. Abbey Road Medley (start with Because)
Set length: 2 hrs 12 mins
This is just a show I would really enjoy. Maybe you could make your own!
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2FQKhDEnExrfQcQVXLOJ6b?si=sF3PefPURQ2UgqbFI3XA7w&pi=YkXsvjK1SsGjH
That is a fantastic way to open the show with that John quote, and then straight into Pepper!
Getting Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane out of the way early on feels like a very ‘them’ thing to do too.
i pick like all their trippiest songs prob lol. tomorrow never knows/its all too much are a must
Honestly, I would kill to see one of their Hamburg shows.
Wild Honey Pie like 240 times in a row.
Rocky Raccoon