It's not a song you'll find on many of The Beatles' best-of compilations, but if you wade deep into the "White Album" of 1968, there at the end of side 2, you'll find a soft, beautifully pensive acoustic number sung by John Lennon entitled "Julia."

For my money, it's one of the best songs Lennon ever penned: Its lyrics echo the impressionism of the better known "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds," describing an "oceanchild" with "seashell eyes" and "windy smile"; but where "Lucy" was all playful psychedelic wonder, "Julia" is more poignant and heartfelt, an ode to a memory, the studio frippery of producer George Martin shorn in favor of a stark voice and guitar arrangement. (In fact, it's the only time Lennon sang and played solo on a Beatles record.)

Many fans will know that Lennon's song was written for his mother, Julia Lennon, who died in a traffic accident when the singer was only 17. Of course, Lennon's feelings about his mother weren't just those of loss, but also abandonment. Just listen to "Mother," on his "Plastic Ono Band" album, where he yowls: "Mother, you had me, but I never had you. I wanted you, but you didn't want me."