Review: 'The Book of Top 10 Beatles Lists'

Music fans love lists. A good one can prompt sometimes vigorous debates, which is always fun. And they also can get you thinking more deeply about your own tastes and opinions.

Beatles fans, especially, will enjoy "The Book of Top 10 Beatles Lists," by Fabs expert Charles F. Rosenay!!!, the multiple exclamation-pointed publisher of the late, lamented Good Day Sunshine fanzine and a longtime organizer of fan tours of Beatles-related sites in London and Liverpool.

Rather than compile a batch of his own lists, Rosenay here has enlisted friends and fellow fans to contribute their own. Those participating include former Beatles drummer Pete Best; legendary talk show host Dick Cavett; Badfinger's Joey Molland; Paul McCartney's step-mother Angie McCartney; former Wings guitarist Laurence Juber, and some unexpected folks, including Run DMC's Darryl McDaniels, "Munsters" star Butch Patrick Munsters, and Fred Schneider of the B52s.

While most of the contributors provide lists of favorite Beatles and solo tunes, the most entertaining lists go a bit farther afield, listing favorite Beatles-related memories or artifacts.

Pete Best's personal Number One, for example, is "Paul McCartney’s 1960 Phone Call: The start of a whole new period in my life."

His step-brother Roag Best, who is the son of Beatles' aide Neil Aspinall and the founder of the Liverpool Beatles Museum, meanwhile, places one of the museum's exhibitions, John Lennon's 1960s-chic "egg chair" on his list.

Dick Cavett, who conducted classic interviews with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, singles out a George Harrison anecdote as one of his choices:

"A memorable moment from my 90-minute show with George Harrison. 'I just realized that the very chair you’re sitting in was recently occupied by another guest, Yoko Ono.' At which point Harrison leaps from his chair, frantically brushing himself off."

Rod Davis a member of the pre-Beatles skiffle group the Quarrymen, lists hearing Lonnie Donegan's "Rock Island Line"for the first time as a highlight, adding: "In 1957, John sold me his copy of 'Rock Island Line' for two shillings and sixpence – and I still have it!"

Meanwhile, Mark Hudson, who produced several memorable Ringo Starr LPs offers these items:

"Holiday Memory #8 - Recording Come On Christmas, Christmas Come On for Ringo’s Christmas album at Abbey Road Studios with an all-star/starr cast of musicians who came in to do hand-claps or whatever was needed.

Holiday Memory #9 - Taking a piece of the Abbey Road floor as a souvenir during the Christmas recording. Ringo didn’t object."

And TV star Mackenzie Phillips, daughter of Mamas and Papas singer John, recalls meeting Paul and Ringo at Mama Cass' house in Laurel Canyon when she was only 5 or 6. "I think I lived a lot of girls’ dreams or fantasies; I fell asleep in a hammock with Paul. Yes, I slept with Paul!," she recalls.

Obviously, there are a lot of fun nuggets in this book, which makes it a fine gift for any Beatles-obsessed folks in your life, or for yourself. You can get a copy here: www.BookOfTop10Beatles Lists.com.