Been a long time since we did a two-fer episode! Here we go!

The Beatles often seemed to turn in some of their best work when up against a deadline. A handful of songs that would make up most the Help! album seemed to come about in short order, as the band had to write and record a big majority of the album before leaving to film. "You're Going to Lose That Girl" is one John knocked out in short order that really shows the band's growth as a unit, and represents them at maybe the most professional sounding of the early Beatles era. A killer, classic John vocal with pitch perfect call and response vocals from Paul and George and rock solid foundation from Ringo, pushed forward by a frantic bongo overdub. It just seems to be the epitome of early-Beatles cool, especially in light of the brilliant performance footage of it in the Help! film.

And in very different times, the band turn in one of their most straight ahead rocking performances with "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)." By the end of the Sgt. Pepper sessions, the band hadn't really done a true out and out fast rocker since maybe the middle of 1965. Ready to put their masterpiece to bed, the band spent the last day of the sessions letting it all out on the uptempo penultimate track. With some of Ringo's most killer grooves (the Beastie Boys would sample the intro on Paul's Boutique, their own hip-hop Sgt. Pepper), absolutely killer guitar from George and John, and some of Paul's most frenzied shouting, the band showed that even though they were branching out in all directions, they could be the best rock and roll band in the world.

Joining us to talk these two songs this week is Mary Lasseigne! The bassist for The Cowsills (formerly of Cowboy Mouth, just like me - there's a lot of us) stops by to talk backing into the Beatles via Wings, playing with 60s legends, Now and Then, and these two very different Beatles tunes. Catch her on the road with The Cowsills!

What do you think about "You're Going to Lose That Girl" at #103 and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)" at #102? Too high? Too low? Or just right? Let us know in the comments on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Be sure to check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rankingthebeatles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and grab a Rank Your Own Beatles poster, a shirt, a jumper, whatever you like! And if you're digging what we do, don't forget to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Us A Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!