Anyone else fed up with the Beatles?

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Dr_Macphisto

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Maybe it is just me, but does anyone else think they get a little too much praise? Sure, they basically started rock music, but that doesn't mean they were the masters of it.

I was recently listening to the White Album, and I got to thinking, "why is this considered so great?". Most of the songs aren't even songs, and most of the melodies and chord changes are pretty ugly. So, I switch over to Abbey Road. Sure, Come Together is pretty good, but besides that Harrison was the only one that wrote any decent, meaningful songs for that album (Something and Here Comes the Sun). After listening to his two songs on the album (though he should have gotten to do more) we get stuff like Maxwell's Silver Hammer (more of a joke than an actual song) and the final half of the album is just a marathon of crappy little snippets. I will admit that Rubber Soul and Revolver are damn good albums, but none of the songs really feel mature or captivating.

I am not looking for replies of Beatles fanboys just bitching me out, but is there really something I am missing out on? I get such a rush listening to U2... their music has so much substance, and I really don't get that kind of rush from the Beatles. So, do all these magazines that always put them at #1 simply do it b/c they feel they HAVE to, or do the Beatles really deserve all the praise?
 
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Well, you admited it. They basically started rock music....they gave everyone else the palatte with which to expand the craft and art of rock. Imagine if they had never been...there'd be no U2 as we know it :|
 
I guess you had to be there, which I was, and I can tell you that at the time there was nothing, nothing, nothing else like it on the planet Earth.
 
i think this is my first b&c post. it is memorable.

Dr_Macphisto said:

the beatles are good. so are U2.

lots of others suck.

but does it matter who is the 'best'? i dont think so.

let them both be good.
 
Maybe if you look at the context of the music that was coming out of that time period and then compare it to the Beatles, you would understand why they are so highly regarded.
 
Both U2 and The Beatles are significant bands in their own way. Both will be remembered in years to come for the impact they made on music.
Saying that, I would never get fed up with The Beatles, in the same way that i'd never get fed up with U2.
 
whackjester said:
Maybe if you look at the context of the music that was coming out of that time period and then compare it to the Beatles, you would understand why they are so highly regarded.

it's all about context, and contextually no band compares.

that said, u2 will always be my subjective favorite.
 
Dr_Macphisto said:
Maybe it is just me, but does anyone else think they get a little too much praise? Sure, they basically started rock music, but that doesn't mean they were the masters of it.

I was recently listening to the White Album, and I got to thinking, "why is this considered so great?". Most of the songs aren't even songs, and most of the melodies and chord changes are pretty ugly. So, I switch over to Abbey Road. Sure, Come Together is pretty good, but besides that Harrison was the only one that wrote any decent, meaningful songs for that album (Something and Here Comes the Sun). After listening to his two songs on the album (though he should have gotten to do more) we get stuff like Maxwell's Silver Hammer (more of a joke than an actual song) and the final half of the album is just a marathon of crappy little snippets. I will admit that Rubber Soul and Revolver are damn good albums, but none of the songs really feel mature or captivating.

I am not looking for replies of Beatles fanboys just bitching me out, but is there really something I am missing out on? I get such a rush listening to U2... their music has so much substance, and I really don't get that kind of rush from the Beatles. So, do all these magazines that always put them at #1 simply do it b/c they feel they HAVE to, or do the Beatles really deserve all the praise?

Substance:

I Want You. (Just one of the greatest songs ever, period.)
Strawberry Fields Forever. That one has substance.
The whole of Let It Be, especially Across The Universe and Dig A Pony has substance.
A Day In The Life (forget U2 for one second and this is actually the best song ever written - and uh! substance.)
Songs like I'm So Tired, Happiness Is A Warm Gun, uhm... Don't Let Me Down
Back In The U.S.S.R. has irony and a lot to tell.
¨

¨There are hundreds. Let yourself loose.
 
i wouldn't say they get too much praise. they deserve what they get.

but that's all i hear at school ALL THE TIME. they're the 1 band everyone can agree on so it's all that's played, and it's usually the same songs. it gets to the point where i'm like "ok can't we listen to something different?"
 
Rubber Soul :drool:
Revolver :drool: :drool:
Sgt Pepper :drool:
White Album :drool:
Magical Mystery Tour :drool:
Abbey Road :drool:
Let it Be :drool:

Revolver is a perfect album. I used to hate the Beatles myself, until around 10th grade. Around the same time I started listening to U2 :hmm: I understand where you're coming from. But I respectfully disagree. :)

The Beatles made good albums. I like them.
 
A Day In The Life <- Best song ever written.

Sgt Pepper is the king of all albums. Without it there would have been no Joshua Tree. There would have been no OK Computer, or any other influential album in the past thirty years.
 
UnforgettableLemon said:
Rubber Soul :drool:
Revolver :drool: :drool:
Sgt Pepper :drool:
White Album :drool:
Magical Mystery Tour :drool:
Abbey Road :drool:
Let it Be :drool:


Once you get past the "I wanna hold your hand" and "a hard days night" phase, not a bad phase but most people who think the Beatles are overrated usually have this music in their minds, I'm not saying it is your case, but with many friends who I've had the same discussion, they have never heard most of the albums mentioned above especially RS, R, and Sgt P, this is where the real magic of the Beatles comes from.

Not only did they started rock but here is a band that evolved to things no one imagined and few bands are able to change succesfully, (of course like u2) and you can still hear most of this songs and they don't feel outdated at least not to most people.
 
I think context is the key. Look at the great/ legendary guitarists of the late 60s to mid 70s...

Clapton, Page, Beck, Hendrix....

They are legends and wrote great songs and were viewed with awe b/c of their techinique as well as providing music that was so sonically different from what was around. Nowadays, their technique and innovations are pretty ho-hum (relatively speaking) and easily surpassed b/c so many people have adopted them or taken them for granted or built on them.

I think the same applies to the Beatles. That is why IMO it is hard for me to totally discount the Beatles even though my rebellious side wants to.

Hell, U2 falls into that category of being taken for granted...

With that said, I can't stand how much they are put on a pedestal, especially Lennon. Too much kissing of the past, so to speak...
 
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I think its sad though that the Beatles are put on that super-pedestal by the mainstream but guys like Jeff Beck, the Who, etc. aren't given their due even though they were equally as innovative or the public is not being exposed to these guys the way the Beatles are. Face it, todays public doesn't care about these guys but mention the Beatles... and people start creaming their pants... part of it is the media.
 
Dr_Macphisto said:
Maybe it is just me, but does anyone else think they get a little too much praise? Sure, they basically started rock music, but that doesn't mean they were the masters of it.

The Beatles didnt start rock. They did redefine it but not start it. From the book: "WHAT WAS THE FIRST ROCK 'N' ROLL RECORD?" by Jim Dawson & Steve Propes, by Faber & Faber, 1992, here is their list of candidates for the first rock (& roll) record.

1 Jazz at the Philharmonic: Blues, Part 2 (1944)
2 Joe Liggins: The Honeydripper (1945)
3 Helen Humes: Be-Baba-Leba (1945)
4 Freddie Slack : House Of Blue Lights (1946)
5 Big Boy Crudup: That's All Right (1946)
6 Jack McVea: Open The Door, Richard (1946)
7 Lonnie Johnson: Tomorrow Night (1948)
8 Wynonie Harris: Good Rockin' Tonight (1948)
9 Bill Moore: We're Gonna Rock,We're Gonna Roll (1948)
10 Orioles: It's Too Soon To Know (1948)
11 John Lee Hooker: Boogie Chillen (1948)
12 Arthur Smith and the Crackerjacks: Guitar Boogie (1948)
13 Stick McGhee: Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee (1949)
14 Jimmy Preston: Rock The Joint (1949)
15 Louis Jordan: Saturday Night Fish Fry (1949)
16 Professor Longhair: Mardi Gras In New Orleans (1949)
17 Fats Domino: The Fat Man (1950)
18 Muddy Waters: Rollin' and Tumblin' (1950)
19 Hardrock Gunter: Birmingham Bounce (1950)
20 Hank Snow: I'm Movin' On (1950)
21 Ruth Brown: Teardrops From My Eyes (1950)
22 Arkie Shibley: Hot Rod Race (1950)
23 Les Paul and Mary Ford: How High The Moon (1951)
24 Jackie Brenston with His Delta Cats: Rocket 88 (1951)
25 Dominoes: Sixty Minute Man (1951)
26 Johnnie Ray with the Four Lads: Cry (1951)
27 Clovers: One Mint Julep (1952)
28 Bill Haley and the Saddlemen: Rock The Joint (1952)
29 Dominoes: Have Mercy Baby (1952)
30 Lloyd Price: Lawdy Miss Clawdy (1952)
31 Hank Williams: Kaw-Liga (1953)
32 Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thorton: Hound Dog (1953)
33 Big Joe Turner: Honey Hush (1953)
34 Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters: Money Honey (1953)
35 Crows: Gee (1953)
36 Big Joe Turner: Shake, Rattle, and Roll (1954)
37 Royals/Midnighters: Work With Me, Annie (1954)
38 Chords: Sh-Boom (1954)
39 Bill Haley and His Comets: (Were Going To)Rock Around The Clock) (1954)
40 Robins: Riot In Cell Block #9 (1954)
41 Elvis Presley, Scotty and Bill: That's All Right (1954)
42 Penguins: Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine) (1954)
43 LaVern Baker and the Gliders: Tweedle Dee (1954)
44 Johnny Ace: Pledging My Love (1954)
45 Ray Charles: I've Got A Woman (1954)
46 Bo Diddley: Bo Diddley (1955)
47 Chuck Berry: Maybellene (1955)
48 Little Richard: Tutti Frutti (1955)
49 Carl Perkins: Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
50 Elvis Presley: Heartbreak Hotel (1956)

"Rock-and-Roll (räk'n roll') n. first so used (1951) by Alan Freed, Cleveland disc jockey, taken from the song "My Baby Rocks Me with a Steady Roll". The use of rock, roll, rock and roll, etc., with reference to sexual intercourse, is traditional in blues, a form of popular music that evolved in the 1950's from rhythm and blues, characterized by the use of electric guitars, a strong rhythm with an accent on the offbeat, and youth-oriented lyrics."

Check out http://www.history-of-rock.com/indx.html and go to the 'Roots & Influences' tab. Interesting stuff, especially when you get to the bottom right of the page 'The Death Of Rock' which is about the late 50's!
 
We need more of these Beatle-bashing threads so I can build a better mental list of People Whose Musical Opinions Don't Matter.
 
You can disagree with me on anything, and I'll respect your opinion.

Except the Beatles.

Examples:

"I think the Who sucks"
"Oh."

"I think you have a two-inch-long wang."
"Oh."

"I think the Beatles are overrated."
"YOU EAT SHIT AND DIE."
 
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typhoon said:
You can disagree with me on anything, and I'll respect your opinion.

Except the Beatles.

Examples:

"I think the Who sucks"
"Oh."

"I think you have a two-inch-long wang."
"Oh."

"I think the Beatles are overrated."
"YOU EAT SHIT AND DIE."

:lmao:
 
Let's not forget...The Beatles did more experimentation,evolving, and music in their 9 years together than most groups would ever dream of doing.

They are not overrated.
 
I recognize the positive impact the Beatles have on music today but I've never cared much about them.
 
typhoon said:
You can disagree with me on anything, and I'll respect your opinion.

Except the Beatles.

Examples:

"I think the Who sucks"
"Oh."

"I think you have a two-inch-long wang."
"Oh."

"I think the Beatles are overrated."
"YOU EAT SHIT AND DIE."


hahaha, i like you.
 
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