Thread: The Beatles

I'm trying to get into them, I really am. However, what always drives me away from them are their really poppy, happy songs (I wanna hold your hand). I hate songs like that, they aren't interesting.

Can someone who likes them point out which album was their most interesting in terms of the concepts explored, production, content, etc?

Originally Posted by Zarathustra

I'm trying to get into them, I really am. However, what always drives me away from them are their really poppy, happy songs (I wanna hold your hand). I hate songs like that, they aren't interesting.

Can someone who likes them point out which album was their most interesting in terms of the concepts explored, production, content, etc?

Interesting. But I guess when I was your age, I, too was more into their heavier studio stuff. When I was in early elementary school (early 60s) I loved the stuff they were doing then and I would take my older sisters' 45s to school for "record time" until they banned rock'n'roll. When I got into punk around 1977, I got back to their really early stuff.

Now, I like it all on balance, even though I'm no expert. So I guess you might try the White Album. But I think Rubber Soul and Revolver are possibly better.

You're probably more in tune with Lennon than McCartney right now, but the more I learned about them, I think Paul got a bum rap. He actually had the drive to keep the band together and keep it focused. I liked Lennon more as a teenager, because McCartney was "too pop" for my taste, but in retrospect, I'd say Paul edged out John for the role of "essential Beatle." A lot of John's stuff, after the Beatles, was kind of weak. Even if you don't like pop, McCartney proved to have stronger songwriting chops, even with stuff like "Live and Let Die" that got way too much airplay, but I heard it the other day and it made me feel like I was 13 again, riding a beat up school bus to the Boy Scout National Jamboree in Pennsylvania. (Heh, you thought I was going to say some rock festival, didn't you?)

On edit, now that I think about it, "Junior's Farm" was one of the first songs I ever learned to play in a group, along with "Bad Moon Rising," "Big Old Jet Airliner" and "Not Fade Away." So I guess I owe Paul a lot of appreciation.

And if that doesn't help, switch to the Brian Jones era Rolling Stones and work your way back to the Beatles.

Rent the movie "Stoned," too. Amazing! It's about how Jones was actually murdered, instead of being stoned and drowning in a pool as we were told back then. Also, Jones probably did more to create their sound than Jagger or Richards, in my opinion.

Here's a trailer clip: YouTube - Stoned - Not Fade Away

"Not Fade Away" is probably one of those "happy sounding" songs, but pretend you're in 1957 when Buddy Holly did it and realize it and similar songs were considered black music and code for sex (as much of the best rock is). That was as wild as it got back then on white radio.

YouTube - The Beatles - Yer Blues

YouTube - Beatles - Happiness Is A Warm Gun

YouTube - The Beatles-I Want You (She's So Heavy)

YouTube - The Beatles - Helter Skelter

YouTube - Taxman
(now that's a Libertarian tune if I ever heard one....)

YouTube - Beatles - Don't let me down

YouTube - The Beatles - Blue Jay Way

YouTube - The Beatles, Get Back

I think to appreciate the Beatles, you kinda had to be there. I consider myself to have been fortunate to have grown up with them. Their music evolved perfectly with the times and that generation.

That doesn't really happen anymore, but the fact radio has been completely compromised by commercial interests doesn't help.

I'd recommend the White Album or Abbey Road if you don't care for the early stuff.

Anything from Rubber Soul onward is probably the best Beatles.

Originally Posted by Zarathustra

I'm trying to get into them, I really am. However, what always drives me away from them are their really poppy, happy songs (I wanna hold your hand). I hate songs like that, they aren't interesting. Can someone who likes them point out which album was their most interesting in terms of the concepts explored, production, content, etc?

Thats easy Zar!
Let it Be...The Beatles last album, they fought about Yoko throughout the recording of it. They had already broken up emotionaly and it shows in the solemn tone of the songs.

Revolver...The first drug album, and it was before Ravi Shankar and Peace. Less flowers, more trippy.

The White Album...Helter Skelter, Revolution 9...Charles Manson...not of it is happy!

I think Abby Road is thier best Album. Mean Mr Mustard isn't happy. The only happy song is Here Comes the Sun, but if you skip that it's just hugely imaginative and diverse songs.

Originally Posted by Goldwater

I think Abby Road is thier best Album. Mean Mr Mustard isn't happy. The only happy song is Here Comes the Sun, but if you skip that it's just hugely imaginative and diverse songs.

You can't skip Here Comes the Sun, that would be sinful.

The early stuff sounds happy clappy but its actually packed with sexual innuendo. But thats the way you got airplay in those days...

Originally Posted by Latherty

You can't skip Here Comes the Sun, that would be sinful. The early stuff sounds happy clappy but its actually packed with sexual innuendo. But thats the way you got airplay in those days...

Oh so true about Here comes the sun. For that matter it would be sinful to ignore Sgt Pepper, George Martin's first which as a result included the addition of orchestras, trippy backward track playing effects, and overdubs never before seen in the industry. George Martin was an absolute genius and the Mutt Lange of his day only way smarter and more sophisticated.

I personaly have every Beatles Album, there are no duds and there has yet to be any band as prolific while evolving so much ever in the history of Rock and Roll.

Thanks for all the input guys. I'm listening to Revolver right now. It has a very trippy and unique production.