Oaeen were Beatles fans way before they became one of C-pop’s biggest bands. In fact, when they were still known as Sodagreen, they made a pilgrimage to Liverpool in 2010 to pay homage. That they’ve been deeply influenced by the Fab Four is a well-known fact, and here, the band have made a playlist of their favourite songs. Read on for rare personal insights into their selections. “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” “When I [guitarist Kay Liu] was in college, I watched I Am Sam, a movie that pays tribute to The Beatles and has a soundtrack of Beatles classics. In the story, the father, who has an intellectual disability, is a huge fan and name his daughter Lucy after this song. John Lennon said it’s a tribute to Alice in Wonderland, but rumour has it that it’s actually about psychedelic drugs—LSD is the initials of the song’s title.” – Kay Liu, guitarist “Blackbird” “A short but profound song amid their vast catalogue. ‘Blackbird singing in the dead of night… You were only waiting for this moment to be free’. Behind these touching lyrics, Paul McCartney is playing guitar with only two fingers, making for a very special sound—one that’s different to when a guitarist is intent on showing off their skills. The outcome is fresh, unique and original. It’s Kay’s most played Beatles song.” “Hey Jude” “Yesterday, from 2019, is another movie that pays tribute to The Beatles. The story is set in a world where no one but the protagonist can remember The Beatles. The protagonist plays Beatles songs, pretending they’re his own, and becomes a rock star—even Ed Sheeran has to surrender to his ability to write songs. (There's also a scene where he asks the protagonist to rename ‘Hey Jude’ to ‘Hey Dude’.) It pays tribute to the Beatles in a sweet, hilarious way.” “The Long And Winding Road” “There are disputes over the production and arrangement of this song, but it’s impossible to deny its commercial success. Looking back, it seems like a farce. Does it really suit The Beatles? Does it go against their original creative vision? Regardless, it was their 20th song to top the Billboard charts—and also their last.” “Strawberry Fields Forever” “When I [guitarist Afu] was 30 years old, I had the opportunity to visit Liverpool and go on a Beatles-themed bus tour. The tour guide was telling the story of The Beatles, and we eventually came to the door of a strawberry farm. [Drummer] Wei and I jumped excitedly off the bus, eager to see the inspiration behind the song. But it turned out to be an abandoned-looking red iron gate with ‘Strawberry Field’ written on the wall next to it. ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ also has a special place in Kay’s heart as The Beatles’ most psychedelic song.” – Afu, guitarist “Yesterday” “‘Yesterday’ is a super classic that many people have re-arranged and covered, but our favourite is the incredibly simple version that they pioneered with just guitar and singing on [1965's] Help!” “Here Comes the Sun / While My Guitar Gently Weeps” “As well as being lead guitarist, George Harrison wrote moving tracks like these. Playing these two songs when you’re in a bad mood is very healing. It’s said that ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ was inspired by the I Ching (Book of Changes), proclaiming a kind of love that is deeply asleep inside of us, while ‘Here Comes the Sun’ celebrates moments where the worst times have passed.” “Yellow Submarine” “[1966's] Revolver has a British rock flavour that still endures today. The album includes ‘Yellow Submarine’, ‘And Your Bird Can Sing’, ‘For No One’, ‘I Want to Tell You’ and ‘Got to Get You into My Life’, all songs worth listening to.” “Maxwell's Silver Hammer” “We’re recommending a lesser-known song. When we recorded the song ‘After Playing’ on Sodagreen’s Daylight of Spring, this was constantly on our mind.” “All You Need Is Love” “We really like the simple side of The Beatles. It’s shocking to think this was released in 1967. How could such a classic song be written more than 50 years ago and still be so relevant today? Love will aways the solution to all things. And, George’s solo in the middle is highly recommended listening.” “Come Together” “‘Come Together’ comes from [1965’s] Abbey Road, where their creative expression was at its peak. This song has reached the point where nobody in the rock scene doesn’t know it. The drums on the right and the bass on the left echo each other from start to finish. The arrangement of the whole song is so simple but so dense, and the music and lyrics also seem to fit together just right.” “Let It Be” “In high school, the music my [Kay’s] classmates were listening to was either the Japanese metal band, X Japan, or American folk artist, Richard Marx. Nobody was listening to The Beatles! I took advantage of a discount at the record store to buy [1970's] Let It Be and I was immediately touched by the melody of the title track. I later realised this was the last song they released, but it was also my first step into their fascinating musical world.” “A Day In the Life” “‘A Day In The Life’ is from [1967's] Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. This was The Beatles’ first concept album. It’s also Wei’s favourite album.” “Day Tripper” “It sounds like a classic ‘60s rock song, with a strong, well-arranged melody. Today, fewer people think about how to create a classic melody progression—but that’s what makes this so impressive.” “Her Majesty” “The special thing about this track, the last on Abbey Road, is that all the sounds gradually pan from far right to far left. Although it’s only 23 seconds long, it leaves a strong impression.”