The ultimate ‘what-if’ question for Beatles fans – what if the band had not split up and they made one more album? What songs would have been included? This is an extremely in-depth look at the later years of The Beatles, the split and their early solo careers. I found it quite an absorbing read and it was meticulously researched too. The author must’ve spent many hours listening to recording sessions, albums and demos, in addition to reading books and articles.
This is a book of two halves. First, the main narrative. Second, the hypothetical tracklist. The lost album is titled The Four Sides of The Beatles and is inspired by John Lennon’s idea that they each have an equal number of songs, separately. The author gives convincing arguments for the inclusion of each track. I don’t have strong feelings about this, but others might. It made me feel quite sad that the album doesn’t exist, because the book makes it seem real.
If you’re a Beatles nerd, this is a must-read. If you’re not, there’s probably way too much detail for you.
Originally published as Like Some Forgotten Dream in 2021. This paperback edition published in 2023. Thank you to the publisher Cassell for the digital copy via Netgalley.