Here Today... Gone To Hell!

What is good about the Beatles?

I just can't see it - they just seem cheesy 60's pop music to me, i neither see lyrical or musical brilliance in their work, so i must be missing something.

This isn't a thread to flame, i'm just intrested in what people like about the Beatles and what it is that has made them so successful and respected. I've been meaning to get some of their stuff and am looking at albums to aim for.

Man, u and me both...

Izzy,
   Serious Question: Have you listened to their WHOLE catalog?  While they started as a pop band, they evolved into something much more.   What makes them so incredible is not just the way the reinvented themselves, but the way they depict the reinvention of an entire generation.

That, and their music and lyrics, especially after their "pop music" phase, is bloody brilliant.

Well, since i haven't listened to their WHOLE catalog, no furthur comments

Exactly. Everyone who wants to know The Beatles should listen the following albums:

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band
White Album
Magical Mystery Tour
Abbey Road
Let It Be
Anthology II
Anthology III

These are The Beatles

Intresting, so behind the singles was actually something resembling talent. That would explain why everything i have heard seems very average but people still rave about them.

Are there any songs in particular that i should look out for, while i don't like the Beatles i ain't determind to keep it that way, and i really do want to know what the fuss is about.

For someone who likes Judas Priest, you have no right to criticize The Beatles!  Go listen to Megadeth fool.  :rant:

they are the most over rated band in the world ,and to me they were the first fucking boy band. :rant:

Can't i like both? My hearing has only just recovered from the Megadeth gig i was at.

How can u like Judas Priest and not Megadeth? :-\

Anyway stop dragging my threads off topic! :hihi:

Songs like She Loves You, I Saw Her Standing There, Helter Skelter you just can't fault them. And it isnt just us who like them, everybody (nearly) likes The Beatles. How can you not? Like Ozzy said "saying you dont like The Beatles is like saying you don't like air".

Strawberry Fields Forever, Here Comes the Sun, I am the Walrus, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Michelle, A Day in the Life, Helter Skelter, Across the Universe, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Something, Hey Jude, Come Together, I Want You, Mean Mr. Mustard, Oh Darling, Julia, Happiness is a Warm Gun, Piggies, Rocky Racoon, Get Back, Let it Be, Sexie Sadie, Revolution, Cry Baby Cry, The Fool on the Hill, Two of Us, The Long and Winding Road, Ticket to Ride, Yesterday, Norwegian Wood, Taxman, Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Lady Madonna, Glass Onion, Why Don't We Do It In The Road...

IZZY- I ORDER you to go to the store tommorow and buy "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band." Listen to "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," and "A Day in the Life." You will be a changed man. 

I have heard LITSWD, i agree it isn't a bad song.

I do intend to buy Sgt Pepper LHCB within the next week or so.

Do yourself a favor and pick up The White Album as well.  Pick up Abbey Road and Let it Be if you have the extra cash, too.

No, you misunderstand.  I'm not saying you don't have a right to comment if you haven't heard their WHOLE catalog.  My question was a sincere one to try to understand Izzy's viewpoint.  If you only listen to the early "boy band" pop music, you really don't get a complete picture of who "The Beatles" really were.  You only see the mop top version, which was a very early, and very small, piece of the Beatles careers.  Their later stuff was pure rock and roll.....

They were the first boy band, that's true.  Their early stuff was certainly indicitive of that.  But their later stuff certainly was not.

That's another of the things to like about The Beatles:  Their diversity.  No mater what type of music you like, from pop to rock....you'll find a good portion of stuff in their catalog that you'll like.

Nobody's mentioned REVOLVER...my favorite Beatles album.  So many great songs on this one and it always seems to get overlooked.  Very underated in my honest opinion. And it has a kickass cover.

Also, try Abbey Road before Let it Be.  I think Abbey Road is far superior in that it doesn't have the cheesy wall of sound treatment from Phil Spector.  Let it Be: Naked is pretty cool though.  More stripped down to the intended sound.

Abbey Road and the White Album are good. The truth is, that most Beatles albums aren't good. They have a few gems, though. Of course, Clapton and Hendrix were the real musical geniuses of the 60's!

Clapton and Hendrix are way overrated. If I had to choose one genius for the 60s, it'd be Lennon.

Cool 8)

Revolver is also one of my favs....and I agree about Let it Be.  It was overproduced to a large extent....and that "overproduction" is one of the "sounds of a band breaking up" that many people refer to in reference to let it be.  The band was basically kaput before Let it Be was released, but it was the straw that broke the camel's back, at least in Paul's eyes.

I'd actually be interested in seeing a list of the Beatles albums you think "aren't good".  Sgt Pepper?  Yellow Sub? Magical Mystery Tour?  All considered some of the best music of the 60's.  Abbey Road, The White Album, and Revolver?  Considered some of the best music, period.

I also agree with a previous poster: If I had to just pick ONE musical genius from the 60's, it'd be Lennon.  Not to take away from Clapton and Hendrix...they certainly were musical geniuses....but, for me (and most of the world, truth be told, not that that validates the opinion), John will always be numero uno.

I'd say The beatles. It's a band effort. John Lennon nor Paul McCartneyalone wouldn't have made it.

Well both Lennon and McCartney did make it alone.....and McCartney still does.

Most of the songs were written by John or Paul alone, and not as a band effort, but they shared the writing credits.

 :D Nice, nice!
The following describes the most obvious effect the band effort had on other bands then and later.


Jimmy Page on the Influence of Blues:
"As far as the blues, it just captured them hearing Chicago blues. When the Stones first started they were doing really good interpretations of Muddy Waters songs and all that Chess catalog. They weren't the only ones of course. Down in the south (London), that's what was going on. Then you had the Beatles in Liverpool with "Please Mr. Postman", and it really wasn't the same deal as what was going on down South, but it got very popular and changed what was going on. It wasn't so much, for me, their music, but the fact that they wrote their own songs and all of a sudden they opened the door for any band that could write songs. I started doing studio work. That's the big change they made on the music scene."

They wouldn't have made it if they hadn't have been together.

I'm not sure if there were any "rock band" before they came out.
Music is more or less a medium of communication. writing their own songs enables a band to express themselves freely in music. That's the very being of rock.
It was only after the Beatles music became direct messages from bands to the audiences.


How did they do that? From what I've heard.....
With Beatles they inspired each other.
There're a lot of competition and collaboration, admiration and influence going in a band. That's the beauty of band beings.
But when they've been together long and can't find anything fresh in each other's ideas any more, it's at the end of the chemistry.

Clapton is overrated, but if Hendrix is, than I am the prince of Madagascar.

And let's not forget George Harrison. He wrote many of their best songs--Taxman, Something, The Inner Light, Only a Northern Song.

Yeah, Harrison is certainly a largly overlooked contribution.  Released just months after the breakup of the Beatles, Harrison's double album "All Things Must Pass" was by far the best of the initial solo recordings.  John and Paul seemed to have been majorly limiting his contributions.

"All Things Must Pass" is a great album, but I wouldn't say it's better than McCartney and Lennon's early 70s albums. Lennon's "Plastic Ono Band" is my all-time favorite album. It's so raw and has so much balls, but at the same time is sensitive and emotional...I HIGHLY suggest picking up a copy. His other albums, Imagine, Mind Games, Walls and Bridges, Double Fantasy, and Milk and Honey are also excellent. The only Lennon album that I'm not crazy about is "Sometime In New York City."

As for McCartney, his solo stuff is more of a mixed bag. He has some great albums. I love his first album, "McCartney." It's real stripped down and homemade. "Ram" is great. "Band on the Run" is his solo masterpiece. But he also has some really shitty albums. "Press to play" sounds like a Flock of Seagulls." And "Off The Ground" blows. His other albums range from good to very good.

Damn Yoko Ono....she broke up the Plastic Ono Band!

D'oh!

Hendrix overrated??? Oh God no ::) The single most influential guitar player in history....the man worshipped by Sir Paul himself...the man who wrote the guitar masterpiece Machine Gun......Genius does not begin to describe Hendrix. Hendrix is to the guitar what Dylan is to lyrics. Back on topic, a Gnr fan may actually want to start with the White Album then get Sgt Pep, Abbey, and Let it Be and Revolver. Of course those albums are missing Hey Jude, Paperback Writer, and a slew of other classics that were only released as singles. :peace:

Nice! As to music if you feel it or not is everything.  You've got to decide it for yourself.  :yes:

My suggestions
the pinnacle: A Day in The Life
Rockers : Helter-Skelter, Come Together, Get Back
gems: Elenoa Rigby, Strawberry Fields Forever, The Fool On The Hill

Or that song Freedom by Paul McCartney man that song is soooo crappy....

Seriously Paul pick up some acid again just briefly and go on a trip and write some kick ass tunes again man!

By the way Paul McCartney isnt even bald how cool is that?

PPBEBE, what about Revolution? I Am The Walrus? Man, you guys got me back on a Beatles  kick. Lennon is just wicked on Walrus-what an eclectic tune. Sgt. Pepper's is also actually the first album I remembered all the lyrics too, except the Harrison tune-always skipped that. Of course, I was only six years old and listening to my mom's rock albums and dad's country albums. Johnny Cash and the Beatles will set you off on the right foot!

I agree with Izzy's original statement and I heard all of their songs - the Beatles suck.  Faith No More Angel Dust destroys Sgt. Pepper any day

I'm really in the mood to hear "Penny Lane", "Eleanor Rigby", and "The Ballad of John & Yoko" now, thanks to this thread. But I don't have any Beatles CDs anymore. Damn you all.

If I had to recommend a song, it'd be "Tomorrow Never Knows"... I believe its from Revolver!

Yeah, it's from Revolver! Kinda like the first industrial song in the music history.

You mean "say you wanna revolution, well you know we all want to change the world?"  Or  "Number 9"- why the hell it scratches, one?
I Am The Walrus? Just escapes me. Which album is it on?
I listed the minimum titles necessary and sufficient for Izzy or anyone fresh to The Beatles to quickly get the general idea of the sound.

I used to hear Beatles songs in the cradle and I don't have any records of them either. To me it's almost in the same category to Chopin.....
Don't you just envy Izzy for his coming enjoyment of finding the Beatles?

IMO Walrus is one of the best and much identific Beatles songs (Magical Mystery Tour). John is losing his mind during the song... well, they had a lot of drugs back then.

I absolutely love this song.? Here is something I found from a Playboy interview with John Lennon (and Yoko): http://www.johnlennon.it/lennon_playboy_interview.htm


LENNON: Yeah. "Sgt. Pepper" was Paul's idea, and I remember he worked on it a lot and suddenly called me to go into the studio, said it was time to write some songs. On "Pepper," under the pressure of only ten days, I managed to come up with "Lucy in the Sky" and "Day in the Life."


It's a great interview in spite of Lennon's bitterness towards his former bandmates, but then we're all used to that here, arent we?

One more thing:

PLAYBOY: "When I'm Sixty-Four."

LENNON: Paul completely. I would never even dream of writing a song like that. There are some areas I never think about and that is one of them.

That was one of the first Beatles songs I learned as a kid from my parents.? It's too bad Lennon never made it to 64? :(

Definetaly not "cheesy 60s pop music"!

Beatles fans, what do you think of the "I Am Sam" soundtrack?  I used to hear that CD all the time at work (which eventually got really annoying), and I thought there were some really interesting takes on some of the songs.  My favourites were Eddie Vedder (Hide Your Love), Ben Harper (Strawberry Fields), Rufus Wainwright (Across The Universe), and The Vines (I'm Only Sleeping).

PPBEBE, don't let your knickers down! ;D

I am he as you are he as you are me
and we are all together
See how they run like pigs from a gun
see how they fly
I'm crying
Sitting on a cornflake
Waiting for the van to come
Corporation T-shirt, stupid bloody Tuesday
Man you've been a naughty boy
you let your face grow long

I am the eggman
they are the eggmen
I am the walrus
Goo goo g' joob

Mr. city policeman sitting
pretty little policemen in a row
See how they fly like Lucy in the sky
See how they run
I'm crying
I'm crying, I'm crying
Yellow matter custard
Dripping from a dead dog's eye
Crabalocker fishwife
Pornographic priestess
Boy, you've been a naughty girl
you let your knickers down  

I am the eggman
They are the eggmen
I am the walrus
Goo goo g' joob

Sitting in an English garden
waiting for the sun
If the sun don't come you get a tan
from standing in the English rain

I am the eggman
They are the eggmen
I am the walrus
Goo goo g' joob

Expert, texpert choking smokers
don't you think the joker laughs at you
See how they smile like pigs in a sty
See how they snide
I'm crying
Semolina pilchard
climbing up the Eiffel tower
Elementary penguin singing Hare Krishna
Man, you should have seen them kicking
Edgar Allan Poe

I am the eggman
They are the eggmen
I am the walrus
Goo goo g' joob
Goo goo g' joob
Goo goo g' goo
goo goo g' joob goo
juba juba juba
juba juba juba
juba juba juba juba
juba juba? Availability:
Anthology 2 (CD)
1967-1970 (Blue Album) (CD)
Magical Mystery Tour (CD)
Magical Mystery Tour (UK EP)
Magical Mystery Tour (US)
Hello Goodbye (UK 45)
Hello Goodbye (US 45)
Lead Singer: John

Recording: 9/5/67, 9/6/67, 9/27/67, 9/28/67
Mixing: 9/5/67, 9/6/67, 9/28/67, 9/29/67, 11/6/67, 11/17/67
Length: 4:35
Take: 17

What Goes On? Anomalies 0:04
Orchestra brought up too early, rattling is heard before they begin to play
1:35 * NEW *
Edit as John comes in with "yellow matter custard". Listen to the Anthology version, John's voice cracked on the last "I'm crying" (hence, after editing, it sounds like "I'm cry"). The first attempt at "Yellow matter custard" also fails. The take was edited to cover this. Listen to the orchestra (right) and you can hear the edit clearly. There is also some drum editing.
3:54-4:33
Not really an anomaly, but seems to keep popping up, so I'll include it. Towards the end, there is talking, fading in and out of the mix. It's from Shakespeare's 'Tragedy of king lear' - the scene is like this ... times added as a guide
Osw. Slave, (3:53) Thou hast slain me:- villian, take my purse. If ever thou wilt thrive, (4:02) bury my body, and give the (4:05) letters which thous findest about me to (4:08) Edmund Earl of Gloster. (4:10) Seek him out upon the British party. :- O, (4:14) Untimely Death!
Edg. (4:23) I know thee well, a (4:25) serviceable villain. As duteous to the (4:27) vices of thy mistress as badness would desire.
Glo. What, is he dead?
Edg. (4:31) Sit you down father, rest you. (Ends) Let's see these pockets, the letters that he speaks of may be my friends.. He's dead. I am only sorry he had no other deaths man.

How did this get there? Well, it was being broadcast on the radio at the time of the recording, and got mixed in for effect. They just tuned to a station and - there it was! This was not a planned thing, according to evidence in Lewisohn's book. The play was being transmitted on the radio at the time the mixing was being done (compare studio records with an extract from the Radio Times progam listing magazine), and was added live into the mix. This is the reason the mix slips into mono if you listen to the stereo version. It would be impossible to exactly duplicate the mix as the Shakespeare was not recorded anywhere but the finished master.
 
Very End * NEW *
The whole track seems to speed up just as it fades away to nothing


Note: I did not write or compile these anomalies. Please don't email me with new anomalies and please read the WGO Info page.


Notes:

In a way The Beatles and the Beach Boys have always fought the same demons. Which is people failing to see the complexity, richness, freshness and timelessness of their music. It has something to do with what happens when exceptionally good musicians make very very difficult things seem very easy?

-PEACE-

Loved it. It was neet to hear some contemporary takes on the Beatles music.

No worries, I wear 3 pairs!


Oh, I see an oasis?Still I don't remember the original?weird, But sorta lucky me! is nay? :D
that king Lear's anomaly is very interesting. I think it's time I bought my own copies of the Beatles. preferably less edited ones.

the link is full of info. Cheers random Bowie.
on that absolute piece, I heard both John and Paul sing in turn so I thought it was their joint work, or rather in Paul's taste.
But it was actually John's.

after years of hating I finally went a bought The WHite Album , Abbey Road , Rubber soul ,amd Revolver.and I fucking love them .up until them all a reallly heard was the 1 album and a compulation that My uncle made me.


 I'm defenatily going to buy some more stuff now.

Since when is Clapton overrated, he's fuckin' underrated, especially in the U.K/Ireland? >:(

 :smoking: Izzy? :smoking:

Excellent band the Beatles, there have always been a conection between satanism and some of their songs, I dont know the truth anyway, and the evolution of the songs is pretty clear, on the other hand, John Lennon's message of Life certainly changed a lot of people's lives, including me.


I'm against violence period. - John Lennon

The Beatles, seem, answered all questions in this life! :love:

I have never disliked Beatles, but I have never adored them either. Although the older I get the more I seem to like them.

could someone post a link or host "one after 909" please?

that would be hihly appreciated! :peace:

the beatles are the first to make rock popular

Go get the White Album!

Where did this thread come from - dont even remember making it :nervous:

Since i made this thread i've stocked up on some Beatles stuff - its pretty good stuff, perhaps more for what it encouraged than what it is but i certainly understand the appeal now

i just never get this band at all. I cant see why there so big. Call me ignorant, but someone please explain, i do really want to know.

(dont tell me they invented rock music please ive heard that one before lol)

The Beatles are the greatest band ever. 

Guns N' Roses is my favorite, but the Beatles are the best.

Now go buy Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's, Mystery Tour, White Album, and Abbey Road!  Now!

lol that doesnt help my question too much, back up why you think they are the greatest with reasons?

i brought it back simply because i was lokking for the song "one after 909", which is an unreleased song as far as i know.

do you have a clue izzy?

No, it's on their last record, Let It Be.

It was 40 years ago today...Sgt Pepper wins new fans

05/31/2007? Reuters
Paul Majendie

Mae West said: "No. I won't be in it. What would I be doing in a lonely hearts club?"

So The Beatles personally wrote to the Hollywood vamp who then agreed to join Fred Astaire and Karl Marx on the cover for "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," which celebrates its 40th anniversary on Friday.

It took 129 days for the Beatles to record one of the most enduring albums of the 20th century. Their first, "Please Please Me," had taken just 585 minutes to record.

Now 21st century rock stars have paid their own tribute -- Oasis, Kaiser Chiefs and Razorlight celebrated the anniversary by recording their own versions of the album's famous songs.

Recording engineer Geoff Emerick, who worked on the original album, was back at the controls for the 'time machine' recording session. "This is the first time I've touched this equipment since The Beatles days," he said.

Computer technology has transformed 21st century music. Back in 1967, if Paul McCartney sang off-key or John Lennon fluffed his guitar lines, they had to re-record.

Pop historian and broadcaster Paul Gambaccini, reflecting on the album's legacy, told Reuters: "It is one of the great icons of the 20th century. It was the symbol of a very well defined moment in time -- the summer of love in 1967."

The download generation could now give the album another fillip.

"Sgt Pepper has never stopped selling and there will probably be another sales spike when it goes digital," Gambaccini said.

The Beatles have been one of the last big acts to hold out from putting their music on the Internet.

"The danger was that they were beginning to lose their place in rock history with a new generation," Martin Talbot, editor of Music Week, said of young music fans used to downloading their favorite albums.

Earlier this year, the company representing The Beatles settled a 30 million-pound ($60 million) royalty dispute with EMI Group in a deal that could finally pave the way for the Liverpool band's music to go online.

Apple Corps, the company owned by McCartney, Ringo Starr and the families of Lennon and George Harrison, said in December 2005 it would sue the record company after negotiations broke down.

Now, with the last legal hurdles cleared, the Beatles could at last be ready to take to the information superhighway.

EMI Chief Executive Eric Nicoli said in April he was working on a deal to put the band's music online but could not give a time frame.

Gareth Grundy at Q Magazine forecast: "When the Beatles go online, it will be a huge deal and they will sell their catalogue all over again. It's just great music no matter how old you are."


Link to article:http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/44156261

Count me in as another one who really didn't think of the Beatles as much of anything great until the past year or so.  I obtained a copy of the entire Anthology, as well as s bunch of random mp3's of their better-known stuff and spent a ton of time listening to it.

I still think John Lennon is overrated by many (I say the same about Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain too), but as a whole, the Beatles were an amazing band.  There were so many songs of theirs that I knew of, but didn't really know until I sat down and gave them a listen.  Let It Be.  Strawberry Fields Forever.  Hey Jude.  Paperback Writer.  Day Tripper.  Norwegian Wood.  Lady Madonna.  Eleanor Rigby.  Helter Skelter.  While My Guitar Gently Weeps.  Great stuff, why did it take me so long to get into it?

I have Yellow Submarine on now--some great songs:

Hey Bulldog
It's only a Northern Song
It's All too much

...number 9...number 9...number 9...

Nough said, they were a rock n' roll band.

Why you need reasoning?
Does it make you love or hate the music?  Just listen to it.

some days ago new studio outtakes (sgt pepper)
appeared online, i've never listen to them, they're just great.

Big day for the Beatles yesterday, the Rock Band game and all of their re-masters finally came out.  I picked up "Abbey Road" and "Revolver" yesterday..they sound great.  Probably be picking up "The White Album" and a few others later this week.  Anyone else check them out?

Got Mono Box and AB,LIB,PM.

They sound really great and the packaging on the mono box set is amazing ! Best Mini Lps Ive ever seen. :drool:

I picked up Revolver and Rubber Soul this morning.  It's like discovering them all over again.  This was long overdue.

I've got four Beatles albums and I still want to get Revolver, Rubber Soul and Let It Be. Now these remasters have come out, I don't know whether to buy those and have some remasters and some original CDs or just get the original CD versions. Probably a dumb question, but for anyone who's picked up any of the ramsters, is the sound noticeably better than the original CDs? AFI said they sound great, anyone else??


EDIT: I was swaying about getting the originals simply because they're cheaper. :D

The sound quality and richness is drastically better.  I would not waste my money on any of the original CDs.

I got the set, cause it was a 'gift from a friend'. Great quality so far, about 10 songs in.