
Two minutes of piano-driven pop perfection followed by a raucous blues-rock B-side. A high-energy bridge between the Beatles' shadow and power pop's future.
December 5, 1969 · Apple Records
Listening to this single is like catching a glimpse of a parallel universe where the Beatles never broke up but instead leaned into a leaner, more aggressive pop sound. The A-side, Come and Get It, is an explosion of melodic confidence. It is built on a foundation of staccato piano and a bouncing bassline that feels both effortless and mathematically perfect. There is a sense of swinging London cool here, a cinematic brightness that feels tailor-made for a Technicolor montage. It is the sound of opportunity knocking, delivered with a wink and a perfectly harmonized chorus. It is impossible not to feel a surge of optimism when those first few chords hit; it is a song that demands you walk a little faster and hold your head a little higher. However, the true character of the release is found in the contrast with the B-side, Rock of All Ages. Where the A-side is manicured and polite, the flip side is a sweaty, throat-shredding rock anthem. It reveals the band's range, proving they were not just McCartney's puppets but a formidable rock unit in their own right. Owning this single is about owning that duality: the pristine pop perfection of the A-side and the gritty, bar-band energy of the B-side. It is a foundational document for anyone interested in the history of power pop, capturing the exact moment when the melodic sensibilities of the 60s met the harder-edged production of the 70s. It is a short, sharp shock of musical joy that remains as infectious today as it was in 1969.
How does Come and Get It sound next to the rest of Badfinger's catalogue?
Playful saturates this record far more than the artist's norm.
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