The Beatles Appreciation Thread

[MrPryck2U]

Originally Posted by corianderstem

I was going to watch it last weekend, but realized I'd recorded the wrong channel and got the non-HD version.

So I DVRd it again this week on the HD HBO channel. Why watch in non-HD when HD is an option? /picky

Am planning on watching it this weekend.

Yes, you definitely wanna watch it in HD instead of standard def. Plenty of eye candy to enjoy.


One thing in particular that I enjoyed about the movie was George's attitude about Eric Clapton and Patti's affair.

[Imperor]

Originally Posted by MrPryck2U

Plenty of eye candy to enjoy.

Yes, those young Pattie Boyd photos are prevalent indeed.

[MrPryck2U]

Originally Posted by Imperor

Yes, those young Pattie Boyd photos are prevalent indeed.

Hell, she looks pretty good now too.

[the tourist]

As I sit here listening to The White Album, a band growing apart, I can't help but think this is one of the best records I've ever heard. From the fantastic, catchy melodies to the intricate musicianship and amazingly captures tones. Some of the songs I like less than others, and I've never cared for the piece of audio art on the second side quite as much. But this is the sound of a band at some damn creative heights and I love it to death. Gotta be the best double album of all time.

[cobl04]

It's remarkable. Love it.

[LemonMelon]

It's pretty damn great. Can't pretend there aren't 10 or so songs on there that I think are below Beatles standards though.

Sign o the Times is the greatest double album of all time, easily.

[cobl04]

For me even the slight songs on the White Album give the album more character.

Quadrophenia is the best double album for mine.

[IWasBored]

I will take Quadrophenia, London Calling, and Exile on Main Street all over the white album. Or any other double albums, for that matter. The white album has some great things on it, but it has too many tracks (note I did not say songs, as rev 9 is included in this batch, and I don't want laz to think I'm calling it a song again) I would gladly live out my days never hearing again.

[cobl04]

Worst song on the White Album? Wild Honey Pie for mine, if that counts.

Best seven tracks - Dear Prudence, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Helter Skelter, Happiness is a Warm Gun, EGSTHEFMAMM, Blackbird and Rocky Raccoon.

[lazarus]

Originally Posted by cobl04

Worst song on the White Album? Wild Honey Pie for mine, if that counts.

No, it doesn't.

It's probably the worst track, but mercifully it ends a couple minutes sooner than the other Honey Pie, so it has that advantage.

[Imperor]

It's hard to consider that and "Why Don't We Do It in the Road" as anything more than interludes. "Honey Pie" is the worst actual song on the album, and it's really not even close. A career nadir.

[iron yuppie]

Originally Posted by cobl04

Quadrophenia is the best double album for mine.

Agreed. I've probably said enough about my love for this album already, so I won't repeat it here.

Originally Posted by Imperor

It's hard to consider that and "Why Don't We Do It in the Road" as anything more than interludes.

Agreed, though I really like Why Don't We Do It in the Road. The appeal of The White Album for me lies in how it juxtaposes hyper-serious tracks with completely frivolous toss-offs. It keeps you guessing even after having heard it countless times.

[lazarus]

Originally Posted by Imperor

It's hard to consider that and "Why Don't We Do It in the Road" as anything more than interludes. "Honey Pie" is the worst actual song on the album, and it's really not even close. A career nadir.

Perhaps we're splitting hairs, but chanting "Honey pie!" over and over is to me significantly less than the repeated refrain "Why don't we do it in the road? No one will be watching us, why don't we do it in the road?" which actually conveys some kind of free-spirited abandon.

Plus, Macca seems to infuse each repeat with a different approach, building in hysteria or looseness.

It's a great track IMO, and one of the best things he ever recorded. Probably because it feels like something Lennon would do, and doesn't come off like posturing (see: Oh! Darling).

[LemonMelon]

I fall somewhere between the "it should have been one disc" and "it's perfect in every way!!!!!11111" camps. It needs to be relatively long because you need to establish the freewheeling nature of the record, but you can do that without sitting through a ton of shit.

Wild Honey Pie, WDWDIITR, Honey Pie, Don't Pass Me By, Savoy Truffle, Good Night, I Will, Rocky Raccoon and Bungalow Bill would all end up in the trash if I had my say. Some would throw out Piggies or Revolution 9, but I like them both well enough and agree that some goofy/experimental tracks add character to the album. Just not every last one of them. At roughly the length of Exile on Main Street, the White Album may very well be the best double album ever. 20 tracks, 60-65 minutes.

[nielsgov]

I really like Honey Pie. And Savoy Truffle. And I Will. And Rocky Raccoon and Bungalow Bill. The White Album is such a good album because it's exciting. And that's due to the variety. So I wouldn't change thing.

At first it was one of my least favorite Beatles albums because I thought it had too much filler but that's the charm really. Now it's my favorite. Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper's are probably better when you consider the ratio number of great songs/total number of songs but my gut tells me I like The White Album more.

[cobl04]

It's about that time of year over here when winter finally yields to warmer, sunnier days. It's the first day of spring. I always listen to Here Comes the Sun, puts a smile on my face. Just one of many reasons Harrison is my favourite Beatle (and Abbey Road easily my favourite Beatles record).

Beatles- Here Comes The Sun (with lyrics) - YouTube

Originally Posted by Imperor

It's hard to consider that and "Why Don't We Do It in the Road" as anything more than interludes. "Honey Pie" is the worst actual song on the album, and it's really not even close. A career nadir.

Originally Posted by lazarus

No, it doesn't.

It's probably the worst track, but mercifully it ends a couple minutes sooner than the other Honey Pie, so it has that advantage.

Yeah, Honey Pie is probably the worst if we don't count Wild Honey Pie.

[cobl04]

Originally Posted by lazarus

Perhaps we're splitting hairs, but chanting "Honey pie!" over and over is to me significantly less than the repeated refrain "Why don't we do it in the road? No one will be watching us, why don't we do it in the road?" which actually conveys some kind of free-spirited abandon.

Plus, Macca seems to infuse each repeat with a different approach, building in hysteria or looseness.

It's a great track IMO, and one of the best things he ever recorded. Probably because it feels like something Lennon would do, and doesn't come off like posturing (see: Oh! Darling).

It is good to see you praising McCartney

[lazarus]

Originally Posted by LemonMelon

Wild Honey Pie, WDWDIITR, Honey Pie, Don't Pass Me By, Savoy Truffle, Good Night, I Will, Rocky Raccoon and Bungalow Bill would all end up in the trash if I had my say. Some would throw out Piggies or Revolution 9, but I like them both well enough and agree that some goofy/experimental tracks add character to the album. Just not every last one of them. At roughly the length of Exile on Main Street, the White Album may very well be the best double album ever. 20 tracks, 60-65 minutes.

What an awful proposition. I don't think Good Night is a great piece of writing, for example, but it's a PERFECT closer to the album. Bungalow Bill and Rocky Raccoon are "slight", but they're both great storytelling, each its own satire of myth-making (American and British, respectively). I Will is harmless if not a standout, but worth it for that delicious guitar work. Or WTWDITR's blunt display of sexuality. What makes The White Album so great are the little detours and dips into various styles. You seem to want to force it into something streamlined more coherent, which not only misses the point, but wouldn't be an accurate representation of the band's state of mind and recent experiences at the time. And you'd suck the life out of it in the process.

[LemonMelon]

It's not an awful proposition to me because those songs would all be in the bottom quarter of any other Beatles album. I don't feel like sitting through inferior (not slight, mind you) material for the sake of "charm." Sgt. Pepper and Abbey Road is full of much stronger and equally charming material, and I don't have to wade through those songs to get to the classics.

Just can't get behind the idea that a lot of weak ideas are necessary to make a classic album. I'd rather keep the better songs and try to increase the variety after that with the better experiments. Coherence isn't important.

[cobl04]

Rocky Raccoon is seriously one of my favourite Beatles songs. The storytelling is a hoot, Paul's vocals are great, I love the honky-tonk "doot doola doot do.." choruses, the drum clap at the end of "he drew fast and shot", and it's a blast to sing along to.