The Beatles

[cassiopeia]

You've been waiting for this havn't you? Yes, I have decided to do a Beatles thread, and I have done a search and there has been not Beatles thread! Anyway, I am willing to dicuss for hours anything Beatley. Maybe we could discuss favorite songs, favorite Beatle, the movies, the contreversies, Paul is dead, the Beatles are bigger than Jesus, the final years, who broke them up, the fifth Beatle.........(see I could go on for hours).

[Lizra]

Have you ever heard "Beatles Brunch"? A local radio station airs it on Sundays at 11:00am (brunch time!) It is an hour long and so full of great info, offbeat recordings and clips. I love the stuff the Beatles did for their fanclub. Have you heard the demo of "Love Me Do" where Pete Best plays drums! AAACCKK!! I say! Double ICK! He's worse than the worst local punk band drummer you've ever heard. I always felt a little sorry for him till I heard THAT!

[BeardofPants]

As could I.

How many bios have you read?

Are you pro-Yoko, or Oh no, Yoko?

What was with that weird Magic Alex phase that John went through?

Is Paul the daftest brit ever? But doesn't he look cute in that Yesterday clip, when they gave him headless flowers?

And have you ever managed to narrow it down to just ONE favourite song????

[Lizra]

I remember, at the time, they really made a big deal about the cuban heel "Beatle Boots". The haircuts drove the press wild, but the Beatle boots were hotly debated also. I like the old clips of "Ready Steady Go" where the do a close up of the BBoots. They were so cool!

[BeardofPants]

My dad had a pair of beatle boots. I'm so jealous. They were original ones too.

[cassiopeia]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
As could I.

How many bios have you read?

I've read the Anthology book and seen all the anthology videos except the first one, one on Paul, a good one on John by someone I can't remember. Oh, probably some others too.

Are you pro-Yoko, or Oh no, Yoko?

Umm, hmmm, probably pro. I think that John only married his first wife because she was having a baby, but with Yoko it was true love. I mean he could have just about any woman, he chose an older and probably the not most attractive woman. And I don't think she split them up, the Beatles were going there separate ways, musically and emotionally.

What was with that weird Magic Alex phase that John went through?

That was just totally f****d up. Magic Alex made all these stupid gadgets that didn't even work. John seemed to be a bit of a sucker for these things, ever though he was usually pretty shrewd. Even in Johns last years he was taken in by Tarot cards and numerolgy.

Is Paul the daftest brit ever? But doesn't he look cute in that Yesterday clip, when they gave him headless flowers?

Paul daft? No, but his character is still mysterious to me. He is probably the most sucessful after the Beatles. As you probably know, I am still annoyed at Paul for cancelling his Australian concert out of respect for the Bali victims. IMO I think that is a total lie and he cancelled because of poor ticket sales (??) or because the was some threat on his life. Anyway, they are trying to negotiate another concert. It better be soon, he's getting old! Please, please Paul come to Australia!! Yes, he is so cute (even now he looks good for 60, probably cause he dyes his hair!). <sigh> When he sings Yesterday or When I'm 64 or Hey Jude (you know the bit where he's at the piano and looking into the camera?) you just want to grab him and ...........

And have you ever managed to narrow it down to just ONE favourite song????

Errr, no. I have narrowed it down to Hey Jude, In My Life and Strawberry Fields Forever.

What about Johns sad sad sad death , Brian Epstein, the Maharishi, the drugs?

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by cassiopeia
I've read the Anthology book and seen all the anthology videos except the first one, one on Paul, a good one on John by someone I can't remember. Oh, probably some others too.

I've read bits of the anthology book, plus a whole bunch of other bios. When I was 15 I hit my own version of beatlemania, and that was all I wanted to read for about a year or so.....

Oh, and I've read George Martin's sgt pepper bio.

Cass:
Umm, hmmm, probably pro. I think that John only married his first wife because she was having a baby, but with Yoko it was true love. I mean he could have just about any woman, he chose an older and probably the not most attractive woman. And I don't think she split them up, the Beatles were going there separate ways, musically and emotionally.

Yeah, I'd agree with that. I actually think she was good for the beatles and John, in a way, because she gave him new inspiration. Theirs was a very intellectual relationship.

Cass:
Even in Johns last years he was taken in by Tarot cards and numerolgy.

Wow. Didn't know that. But I'm not surprised by it either. He was such a strange mix of the cynic, and the idealist.

Cass:
When he sings Yesterday or When I'm 64 or Hey Jude (you know the bit where he's at the piano and looking into the camera?) you just want to grab him and ...........

Well, I've never felt anything towards him of that kind of nature. I've just always found his complete "sucker"ness to be so cute. Like in one interview, how John (?) kept flicking him around the ear, and he kept turning around the wrong way....

Cass:
Errr, no. I have narrowed it down to Hey Jude, In My Life and Strawberry Fields Forever.

That's more than I've narrowed it down to. I'd also have to add let it be, I am the walrus, Something, Yesterday, Norwegian Wood.... Yeah, you see what I mean.

Cass:
What about Johns sad sad sad death , Brian Epstein, the Maharishi, the drugs?

What makes John's death so tragic is that he was such a musical genius, and he was just making a come back when it happened. I have Lennon Legends, plus a box set, and I can never listen to them without crying. Especially when I listen to "Mother."

And poor, poor Brian. He was so in love with John. And John toyed with him so.

The Maharashi thing was weird. I read somewhere that he got up to no good with Mia Farrow....


Who was your favourite Beatle? Mine would have to be John, followed by George.

And my favourite album would have to be Abbey Road.

[Lizra]

When I was a young girl, and they were the "fab four", my fave was George. I liked him best cause he was quiet, and mysterious, he seemed "mas macho" to my virgin brain, for some reason!(strong silent type? ) Now, my favorite Beatle voice is John's, and I can "relate" to Ringo the most. But I love the whole group. They were such a big hairy deal! The Beatle mania thing was probably the strongest "cultural" phenomena I have ever witnessed. They were the coolest of cool, who led the cool, and it wasn't cheesey at all! Being a Beatle must have been such a burden, I can't imagine having the world hanging on your every word and movement for six solid years. (or however long it lasted!) Before they erupted, "The Twist" (the dance) had really turned things upside down. It sounds funny now, but the Twist was a big hairy deal too! The Twist was the herald of the incoming "Youth Culture". It was wild. (dancing without touching your partner, not doing "steps" together oh my! how wacky, how fun!) Everyone was doing it all over the world. Then the Fab Four came, and wow! Out with all the old, In with the new! England swings!

[azalea]

I can't pick a favorite album, much less a favorite song, but I think I can pick a favorite song off of each album. The prob is, I'm not as familiar with their earlier albums, so I'll just do the ones I can remember.

Abbey Road: Here Comes the Sun

Let It Be: Across the Universe

The white album, record one: Dear Prudence
The white album, record two: Rocky Raccoon
(I'm not sure if those are the right records for those, but I just took a guess -- all of my music's packed! )

Sgt. Pepper's: This one is really tough (even tougher than the others!). I suppose it'd be A Day in the Life.

Magical Mystery Tour: probably Flying

Revolver: Tomorrow Never Knows

Rubber Soul: Rain (is that on that one?)

The one that shows them all sitting around, I can't remember what it's called (the one w/ Norweigan Wood on it. I think.): Ahh, I can't remember the name of the song, either! It's a really cool song, though.

Well, I can't remember any album names before that, so someone go ahead and list them. Oh, what the heck, why doesn't someone just list a whole discography if they're bored! That way I'll know what's on them, too!

[Comic Book Guy]

The Beatles are good at times, but they are very overrated and extremely overhyped . They certainly weren't the most influential band ever, as I can name quite a number of bands that literally started off new trends and genres, while the Beatles only seemed to popularise sickly love ballads.

They aren't great musicans, a lot of their songs are quite simple and thats Clapton's lead on While My Guitar Gently Weeps by the way. Ringo Starr was good drummer though.

[cassiopeia]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
And poor, poor Brian. He was so in love with John. And John toyed with him so.

The Maharashi thing was weird. I read somewhere that he got up to no good with Mia Farrow....

Who was your favourite Beatle? Mine would have to be John, followed by George.

And my favourite album would have to be Abbey Road.

I am not sure if Brian was in love with John, but there were rumours that something happened between them when they went on holiday together. I do think that Brian decided to manage the Beatles because he found John attractive.

From what I remember about the Maharishi incident with Mia Farrow, it turned out to be untrue.

My favorite Beatle is John, then Paul, then George then, umm, Ringo. My favorite album is Revolver. My favorite movie is A Hard Days Night.

CBG: I don't want to argue with you again, but I'll just have to agree it disagree with you.

[Lizra]

Originally posted by Comic Book Guy
The Beatles are good at times, but they are very overrated and extremely overhyped . They certainly weren't the most influential band ever, as I can name quite a number of bands that literally started off new trends and genres, while the Beatles only seemed to popularise sickly love ballads.

( IMO ) wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! They were the most influential band ever. They spearheaded the music, fashion, politics, trends, and most important, hair , of the youth of the sixties. The Beatles were the forecasters. Just starting something new doesn't mean that much. Now if you start a whole cultural revolution, (british invasion, the end of the song stylist singing lyrics from tin pan alley, musical groups playing their own instruments, press conferences that weren't scripted schtick, the album as a whole versus one or two hit singles with a bunch of drek, popular artists writing their own songs, The whole Mod trend) and then follow it all through with style, changing and growing the whole time, and garnering the admiration of the entire globe, that's impressive!

Ringo is a good drummer!

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Comic Book Guy
They certainly weren't the most influential band ever, as I can name quite a number of bands that literally started off new trends and genres, while the Beatles only seemed to popularise sickly love ballads.

This is just not true. While it may be true that their earlier albums were "poppy" and light, (don't forget they were still heavily influenced by the American Blues movement), their scope in their later albums was extraordinary. They took music to new extremes, and completely revolutionised the music industry, and all on a crappy 4 track!

[i]CBG[i]

They aren't great musicans, a lot of their songs are quite simple and thats Clapton's lead on While My Guitar Gently Weeps by the way. Ringo Starr was good drummer though.

They are/were great musicians. Paul is a musical virtuoso, and they all wrote their own music and lyrics.

Btw: that may be Clapton on the Lead Guitar, but George WROTE it.

[Draken]

Originally posted by Comic Book Guy
Ringo Starr was good drummer though.

Up to that bit I thought you were being serious!

[Comic Book Guy]

They were the most influential band ever. They spearheaded the music, fashion, politics, trends, and most important, hair, of the youth of the sixties. The Beatles were the forecasters.

At the time, there were many bands akin to The Beatles, who play their instruments, wrote their own songs etc. They just managed to hit it lucky with a squeaky-clean image and became a popular pop-rock and roll band. They were simply the most popular.

Just starting something new doesn't mean that much.

Actually it does, when Tony Iommi used his innovation and slight bit of luck to create Heavy Metal, it spawned off thousands of Metal bands, drastically changing the industry, did that mean much?

[QUOTE]and garnering the admiration of the entire globe[QUOTE]

Well, I doubt it's the entire globe, but popularity doesn't really mean anything.

They are/were great musicians. Paul is a musical virtuoso, and they all wrote their own music and lyrics.

Btw: that may be Clapton on the Lead Guitar, but George WROTE it.

I'll admit that Paul Mc Cartney was a neat musician, not an expert on any of his many instruments but good none the less. As for writing their own music and lyrics, mostly their music is simple and trite (Three simple chord changes on a lot of their songs) and writing their own lyrics doesn't mean they are good musicians. Clapton wrote the lead guitar part.

Now, I happen to like some of the Beatles music, I enjoy playing their music on my instruments but I just happen to believe they are overrated because they are misconceived as having certain qualities and achievements, so please don’t deem me as some sort of idiot.

[durin's bane]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
And have you ever managed to narrow it down to just ONE favourite song????

Isn't that impossible?

[Lizra]

Sorry CBG, I think you're just sour grapes on the Beatles. Your opinion is in the very, very small minority, I don't agree at all

[Coney]

Any group that can have the play King Lear drifting in and out of half a song (I am the Walrus) must be genius

the text in the song.

GLOUCESTER:
Now let thy friendly hand
Put strength enough to't.

EDGAR interposes

OSWALD:
Wherefore, bold peasant,
Darest thou support a publish'd traitor? Hence;
Lest that the infection of his fortune take
Like hold on thee. Let go his arm.


EDGAR:
Ch'ill not let go, zir, without vurther 'casion.

OSWALD:
Let go, slave, or thou diest!

EDGAR:
Good gentleman, go your gait, and let poor volk
pass. An chud ha' bin zwaggered out of my life,
'twould not ha' bin zo long as 'tis by a vortnight.
Nay, come not near th' old man; keep out, che vor
ye, or ise try whether your costard or my ballow be
the harder: ch'ill be plain with you.

OSWALD:
Out, dunghill!

EDGAR: your foins.

They fight, and EDGAR knocks him down

OSWALD: Slave, thou hast slain me: villain, take my purse:
If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body;
And give the letters which thou find'st about me
To Edmund earl of Gloucester; seek him out
Upon the British party: O, untimely death!

Dies

EDGAR:
I know thee well: a serviceable villain;
As duteous to the vices of thy mistress
As badness would desire.


GLOUCESTER:
What, is he dead?

EDGAR:
Sit you down, father; rest you
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 death's-man

The rest of 'Walrus was just drug induced insanity........but who can argue with that?

Or maybe all the literary references throughout the song (and there really are dozens) was John's statement to how ignorant people are

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Comic Book Guy
As for writing their own music and lyrics, mostly their music is simple and trite (Three simple chord changes on a lot of their songs) and writing their own lyrics doesn't mean they are good musicians.

Their music evolved from simple harmonies (blues) into more complex structures. Their music is more interesting because it has an asymmetric structure to it. While "Please Please" me has a rather annoying 3 chord structure, their music changed drastically during the later stages. "Michelle" has complex harmonies, and it stands up to improvisation, which is why jazz musicians sometimes use it as a standard. Most of Paul McCartney's stuff has some classic good harmonic progression, and generally works within the western harmonic traditions. John however, tended to step outside the boundaries of western harmonic tradition; experimenting heavily with electronic music and lyrical profundity. He also experimented with the traditional harmonic structures, and in doing so, perhaps changed our perception of what defines traditional harmonies.

[azalea]

AND let's not forget George's Indian-inspired songs. I mean, on any given of their later albums you have uncommon variety. They had enough freedom to experiment with all kinds of different musical "moods," and that gave us some of the most "listenable" albums. Each album when played in its entirety is a musical journey.