I don't like The Beatles, am I the only one?

[MCH]

I'm a fanatic music lover
But I just don't get the hype about The Beatles
Am I the only one?

You have Pearl Jam in your name, Nirvana In your picture, and you say you are a fanatic music lover. I can understand that you don't like the Beatles, but that you don't get why the hype, sounds like you missed a lot of lessons in popular music school .
No need to be said again, they did many things differently and first, or at least more prominently, and to many, they did them well. Many others followed, many more got influenced knowingly or not. These are facts generally accepted, hence the recognition and hype.

 

[Mal]

Just listened to it from the "Super Deluxe" 2023 production on Amazon Music - there are three takes of this number! "Take 1" is a fascinating contrast - it sounds as if Paul is laughing on a Kazoo, making fun of John's seriousness...

THE BEATLES Reveal 'Tomorrow Never Knows (Take 1)' Taken From Newly Mixed & Expanded Special Edition Of 'Revolver'

On April 6, 1966, The Beatles gathered in Studio Three at EMI Studios (now called Abbey Road Studios) for their first Revolver recording session. With their

www.xsnoize.com

"Lennon sought to capture the atmosphere of a Tibetan Buddhist ceremony; he told Martin that the song should sound like it was being chanted by a thousand Tibetan monks, with his vocal evoking the Dalai Lama singing from a mountaintop. The latter effect was achieved by using a Leslie speaker. When the concept was explained to Lennon, he inquired if the same effect could be achieved by hanging him upside down and spinning him around a microphone while he sang into it."

Recording "Tomorrow Never Knows" (Apr 06, 1966)

On this day, in a session lasting from 8 pm to 1:15 am, The Beatles started the recording of their next album, “Revolver“. This was the first session for...

www.the-paulmccartney-project.com

 

[Mal]

... they did many things differently and first, or at least more prominently, and to many, they did them well. Many others followed, many more got influenced knowingly or not. These are facts generally accepted, hence the recognition and hype.

OK they did lots of firsts and experimental stuff but didn't they also do some standard things really well?... Thinking of Paul's ballads, for example... The Times Classical Music critic said the Beatles were "the greatest songwriters since Schubert". Has any other pop/rock act made such inroads into "serious", established, culture? (Bob Dylan, with his Nobel prize , maybe... anyone else?...)

 

[Wolf11Man]

The Beatles made are a very long journey. I somehow lost interest when they started to take them selfes too serious, mostly when Yoko Ono hit the road.
Just because you are a creative musician you may not be the smartest person in the world on any theme.
A serious illness that quite some artists, may they be in music, painting or acting are infected with during their career

 

[bluefuzz]

I'm (just) old enough to remember the brouhaha when the Beatles split, but growing up in the 70s and 80s I was never really a fan. They seemed like old people's music to me at that time. Nevertheless, I can probably sing along to most of their hits which have somehow worked their way into my brain by some kind of cultural osmosis. The Beatles’ main talent (like Bowie in the 70s) was knowing who to steal from and making people believe it was original to them. I do like the sound of their music. George Martin's production is undoubtedly a massive part of their appeal. The recent ‘modernized’ stereo remixes make those albums actually listenable to me now and even quite enjoyable in parts. Gaining that bottom octave on Paul’s bass is revelatory.

While I can appreciate The Beatles song craft, I always preferred The Kinks, Zombies, Animals, Yardbirds and Small Faces, pretty much in that order. The Stones only got mildly interesting in the 70s and The Who were always dreadful at any time except perhaps for My Generation and Can’t Explain.

 

[wadude]

McCartney laid down some pretty phat bass lines.

 

[mhardy6647]

McCartney laid down some pretty phat bass lines.

He was (is, I suppose) indeed a more interesting than average rock 'n' roll bass player.

 

[alvigg]

Only a few groups have had the impact that the Beatles had, e.g. Taylor Swift now. Other music may be more pleasing to some and over time more and more young people may never have heard of them, but the cultural influence was profound. One group missing from this discussion is the Beach Boys. The Beatles and Brian Wilson did push each other until Brian's brain stopped working properly.

A highlight of my life was seeing the Who at age 17 as one of my first concerts. I had a smile on my face for at least a week probably more. Saw them again a couple years later and Pete Moon passed out twice - in See Me Feel Me and Won't Get Fooled Again. The second was far enough into the show that they couldn't cancel so Townsend asked "Anybody out there know how to play the drums and I mean good". An audience member then came up for a few songs before they called it a night.

 

[Mart68]

I grew up in south Liverpool same as the Beatles.

Strawberry Field is on the same road as the school I attended. Used to walk past it every day on the way home. (It wasn't until I was in the Sixth Form - '85 to '87 - that I would have to negotiate past a bus-load of camera-festooned Japanese tourists hanging around outside the gates).

I have early memories of adults being quite distressed that the Beatles broke up.

But age-wise they were too early for me to have influenced my music preferences, although there's no question they were a big influence on the creators of a lot of the music I like.

In retrospect, I'd say they did do some very well crafted throwaway pop songs in their early days.

Later albums characterised by a lot of filler and self-indulgence, punctuated by a few moments of genius. For example, a song like 'In My Life' is as good as anyone, anywhere, has ever written.

There's no denying their cultural significance though, which is monumental even if it's hard to pin it down to specifics. I think it was only when I started seeing those busloads of Japanese tourists outside Strawberry Field in the mid-late 1980s that I actually realised that their appeal is global, and probably everlasting.

 

[Petrushka]

I can accept your correction!

In the future, there will be no mistakes.

 

[Petrushka]

OK they did lots of firsts and experimental stuff but didn't they also do some standard things really well?... Thinking of Paul's ballads, for example... The Times Classical Music critic said the Beatles were "the greatest songwriters since Schubert". Has any other pop/rock act made such inroads into "serious", established, culture? (Bob Dylan, with his Nobel prize , maybe... anyone else?...)

Greatest 20th century songwriter was Cole Porter. He was so good he wrote love songs that can be read straight or gay, and no one notices or cares. He is still being covered by 21st century pop singers.

 

[Petrushka]

I never understood why the Beatles were so popular. Grew up listening to them a lot because of the popularity back then but never really liked them. Had a few ok songs and many very much overrated. For example do I find Yellow Submarine an incredible annoying child song.

When you have children, your perception of children’s songs can change.

 

[Ken1951]

While I wasn't a fan, their music was a huge part of the times and they were very important historically. I don't listen to them now, but of course did back then as they were everywhere on the airwaves.

 

[Koeitje]

Greatest 20th century songwriter was Cole Porter. He was so good he wrote love songs that can be read straight or gay, and no one notices or cares. He is still being covered by 21st century pop singers.

You sure you didn't mean to type Townes van Zandt?

 

[Barrelhouse Solly]

I'm a fan, but fair comment.


Understandable, after all those genres could never be accused of taking themselves too seriously.

Jazz and classical have a lot of very self-conscious stuff. I try to avoid it. Blues and folk in the sense of oral tradition stuff is more songs about stuff people are interested in.

 

[Mal]

Greatest 20th century songwriter was Cole Porter. He was so good he wrote love songs that can be read straight or gay, and no one notices or cares. He is still being covered by 21st century pop singers.

But do they move you like the best of the Beatles or Beethoven?

"But, the argument goes, there is an altogether different quality of experience between listening to Beethoven and listening to the Beatles. Different? Granted. Quality? That's difficult. There are times when Beethoven takes you into his music so overwhelmingly that you feel your skin will burst with the sound inside your body. Yet listening to or, better, listening and dancing to the Beatles can provoke a not dissimilar ecstasy."

Arts: Why I have had enough of the arts snobs, by Melvyn Bragg

Why I have had enough of the arts snobs, by Melvyn Bragg

www.theguardian.com

Can you say the same about Cole Porter? He composed some lovely love songs but does he make your skin burst?

 

[Petrushka]

You sure you didn't mean to type Townes van Zandt?

Yes, I’m sure.

 

[oceansize]

Can you say the same about Cole Porter? He composed some lovely love songs but does he make your skin burst?

"love, love me do - you know I love you"

 

[mhardy6647]

[and Keith]Moon passed out twice - in See Me Feel Me and Won't Get Fooled Again. The second was far enough into the show that they couldn't cancel so Townsend asked "Anybody out there know how to play the drums and I mean good". An audience member then came up for a few songs before they called it a night.

The famed Cow Palace show, one presumes?

 

[mhardy6647]

Greatest 20th century songwriter was Cole Porter. He was so good he wrote love songs that can be read straight or gay, and no one notices or cares. He is still being covered by 21st century pop singers.

That's a big 10-4!
(i.e., yup)