I've decided that power pop started in 1963 with the Beatles' "I Won't Be Long."

I mean "It."

Mods?

Ellison? Soto? May? Padgett? Anyone?

This album, "With the Beatles",actually deserves its own thread. This may be the best one- "Hold Me Tight" is a great ballad and Lennon really delivers on "Postman" and "Gotta Hold on Me." Not to mention "Money." Plus Lennon's songwriting is really strong.
. ("Not a Second Time," ""All I've I Got To Do."

This is Lennon's band!

Lennon is the answer to that greatest rock vocalist thread!

I first heard "It Won't Be Long" as covered by a so-called punk cover band (though more than half of what they covered wasn't really punk). I also heard "Friday on My Mind" for the first time as covered by them. I have nothing insightful to say, but I've always love this song.

x-post:

May very well be.

I had this Chrysler in the '80s, with an 8-track in it. I made an 8-track of some Beatles stuff and played it in the car. One night, I was tripping my brains out driving around in Clarksville, Tenn. smoking weed and drinking beer in this car with some girls I picked up at a convenience store, who smoked all my bad pot. "It Won't Be Long" hit me like a ton of bricks--the sheer verve of the voices. Great song. Origin of power-pop? I dunno, not enough guitar, but it's one fantastic peformance.

One of my favorite songs on "Meet the Beatles" before I completely played the thing out. "It won't be long yeahYEAH!yeahYEAH!yeahYEAH!" fucking great. Origins of power pop? Sure, but I'm not buying "Hold Me Tight" as a ballad.

"Not A Second Time," oh man. Yeah, I agree, this is really a strong record for John Lennon The Rock Vocalist. NOOOOOO, no no, not a second time. He still has some kick-ass performances ahead of him (You Can't Do That, Mr. Moonlight, Dizzy Miss Lizzy, etc etc) before he gets all stonery and saves the real shredding for special occasions (Yer Blues etc).

Ellison? I thought you were Ellison, in some kind of sock puppet form.

Now that I think of it, you may be right.

I Won't Be Long sounds like something John would have sung from the bog.

"Please don't be long" is something George Harrison did sing...