Yesterday is a well reviewed new film by Danny Boyel, who also did 28 Days Later. The trope of the plot is super clever: There is a blackout in England, after the blackout is over the band The Beatles never existed, so this Indian/Brit failed song writer decides to steal their music and becomes famous. The main musical flaw is obvious, at least to me. The Beatles became big not just because of their songs but when they arrived. They made music that made sense in the 60s. Would that same sound work as well today? Remember that rap dominates and pop has to be really dumbed down. Prince stopped having hits too. Other people doing somebodies songs doesn't mean the song will be seen as well. There are many who have sung Purple Rain too, but did that become a big hit? No. With the Beatles it was more about their looks, personalities and how they had to bust major ass by playing in Germany first. There have been a lot of cover tunes, but that does not mean the artist will be bigger. Look how badly Originals is selling. Some guy doing Beatles songs does not mean those same songs would be as well recieved. It matters how the original songs were done and who performed them and the time they came out. There are many examples of great songs that fail. The hole in this film is obvious, even though it was a fun film.

There is also the issue where some cover tunes are bigger than the original. All Along the Watchtower anyone? Nothing Compares to You?? Hound Dog was originally a blues song, made huge by Elvis. Think of the film Rocketman? Does the guy in that sing the songs as well? Do they hit one in the same way? They didn't hit me. A song is the blueprint, but the way it is performed is the key to why it is great..

He debuts Yesterday and his friends think the song is great but not as good as Coldplay.

2freaky4church1 said:

2freaky4church1 said:

There is also the issue where some cover tunes are bigger than the original. All Along the Watchtower anyone? Nothing Compares to You? Hound Dog was originally a blues song, made huge by Elvis.

A lot of Whitney Houston's 1980s songs were remakes of lesser known songs and many people think she released the original versions. Blues songs have rarely become mainstream pop hits though. Also during the 1950s, black rock n roll or R&B artists tended to sell less than white ones. Crooner pop like Johnny Mathis, Harry Belafonte, & Nat King Cole were popular with whites but more so with the adult audience than with teen fans of rock n roll. Pat Boone sold more than Little Richard & Fats Domino with the same songs. Pat's singing style is closer to the crooners than to rock n roll, so probably was more acceptable to parents who likely bought the records for their children. Elvis was not as accepted to white parents of the time as Pat Boone, who had a clean cut image. Elvis was shown waist up on TV because his dancing was considered vulgar.

I bet you're a hit at parties!

onlyforaminute said:

Isnt there a similar movie comi g out except it's Bruce Springsteen's music?

I wonder since all popular music influences the path of popular music after it, seems like a whole lot of suspended belief is required.

Yep - "Blinded by the Light". We're going to see it Friday; expect a review this weekend/early next week.

The bit I struggled with was more just the idea that a global blackout causes The Beatles to also disappear from everyone's existing vinyl collections, TBH. I know that's overanalysing what's essentially just a fluffy summertime blockbuster, though.