Graycap23 said:

The thing is, I'm happy for those who get something out of their music. That's great. But many of their fans are so "evangelical" in their exposure of and unyielding exaltation of Beatles music that it is a big turnoff. Live and let live!

Moonbeam said:

I think they appeal to those who don't think too hard about music and like the catchy melodies, to the artsy rock nerds who like the psychedelic experemental stuff, and in between fans who like classic rock or just perfectly written pop songs.

I see this in myself. As a kid I liked She Loves You & I Wanna Hold Your Hand. As I got older I appreciated them just as much, but for new reasons. Everywhere I went mentally, the Beatles had something to offer, all the way to Revolution #9 (which is so far out there a lot of people would say it's not even music).

Sure, some of my love comes from growing up with them, but I don't listen to much from my youth. Stevie, Prince, and Beatles, and that's about it.

Moonbeam said:

I agree. There seems to be a trend here though. The greatest so called musical folks are always from Europe.....and not a single one, be it Mozart, beethoven or the beatles has EVER made me believe like. I like them all but Love? No, not even close.

Graycap23 said:

It's all about what you want from music. Mozart, Beethoven, & Beatles never brought the funk, that's for sure. But in terms of melody, they were as good as anyone.

NDRU said:

It's the FUNK that touches the soul man.....there is a difference between hearing music and FEELING it.

Graycap23 said:

I think the funk is one side of music--one side the Beatles never got on. But I think there's another side as well. And, believe me, it's one you feel, too.

As I said before, James Brown is pretty much the architect of modern music.

But if we are going to talk about groups, NWA has had more influence than the Beatles.

Their individual members have had more solo success than any other group.

Platinum-selling members include:

Eazy E
The DOC
Dr. Dre
Ice Cube
And maybe Ren, he had one album that did pretty well.

16 years later, the planet is still REELING from Straight Outta Compton.

This is indisputable.

As Chris Rock was quoted saying "There is music BEFORE Straight Outta Compton and music AFTER Straight Outta Compton."

Also, could somebody explain the role the Beatles have played in spreading DJ culture all over the planet?

darkstranger521 said:

Okay, they're not DJ's, but the Beatles were sampling before anyone else that I know of. Check out Yellow Submarine & I Am The Walrus.

darkstranger521 said:

Nothing wrong with NWA, but I'm not sure Chris Rock is the authority on music I trust the most.

Also that comment was from his list of the greatest hip hop albums, so of course that's one of the most important ever.

I also think somewhere on that list he said something like "It's the Sgt. Pepper of Hip Hop" but I could be wrong (He could have said the "What's Goin On of hip hop").
[Edited 4/6/06 15:43pm]

But this discussion's gone all over the place. I never tried to give the impression that the Beatles are categorically better than James Brown, Dylan, NWA, Prince, Marvin Gaye, The Rolling Stones.

It's all great to me, and your personal favorite is your personal favorite. Someone asked a long time ago why the Beatles are great, that's all I was trying to answer.

NDRU said:

how about "why don't we do it in the road"? or some of the jams on the second side of "abbey road"? or the reprise of "sgt. pepper"? the beatles could get funky now and then, in their own way. i don't know how intentional it was, but..."drive my car"? that's a pretty funky song for some white british boys in the '60s.

Anx said:

add 'i'm down' to that list, i'd say. for pete's sake, that's the greatest little richard impersonation anyone's ever done!

Anx said:

For actual grooviness, I might say

Drive My Car--like you said
Come Together for the opening alone
the verses of Baby You're a Rich Man--"How does it feel to be one of the beautiful people?"


Now soul & funk & groove are maybe subjective. KRS One said that REM was hip hop, but I think that's more attitude than actual musical style.

And obviously you can't mention them in the same breath as James Brown if you're talking funk.

There would not be a Prince if there was no Beatles.

Moonbeam said:

I work in a medical malpractice firm, and when a case goes to trial it's pretty much decided on the strength of the expert witnesses. They provide the key testimony to determine whether something was within the standard of care, or not.

Just like in art, or music, or politics, or anything. The experts - those who study and write about music for a living, and those who PLAY music for a living - almost unanimously choose The Beatles as the greatest musical act of the rock era. I believe that carries a great deal of weight.

There are those who might not like Shakespeare. I'm not a big fan of reading him, personally. But I don't deny that he's the greatest writer who ever lived, because those that know literature far far far better than I do all proclaim him to be the greatest. I know nothing about mathematics; if all the mathematicians in the world convened with the purpose of choosing the "greatest math mind of the last 2000 years", I am not going to be likely to dispute their choice.

It's much the same with the Beatles. like them or not, nobody can dispute that they are the choice of musicians and writers - and many, many, many fans, certainly a plurality - as the greatest act ever.

Anx said:

Yep, the Beatles could get funky. Name a genre, and they could do it.

"The Word" from Rubber Soul.... "Come Together" from Abbey Road.... like you mentioned, "Why don't we do it in the road?"...just to name a few.

NorthernLad said:

Shakespeare.....another old cat from Europe. Anybody seeing a pattern here besides me? I don't believe the hype.

NDRU said:

nah, i'm not saying the beatles laid down textbook funk like james brown, but they could get FUNKY. the attitude, the irreverence, the beat, the nastiness. definitely.

Anx said:

"Tomorrow Never Knows" is kinda funked out.

GangstaFam said:

Oh Darling is VERY soulful and hard, and Got To Get You Into My Life is pretty groovy in its own pasty-white British way...

Some of the opinions on this thread really aren't worth paying attention to.

Only people on a message board who think they know something about music, but don't really know anything about how music is constructed, musicology, musical appreciation, composition, etc would say the Beatles are overrated.

Their compositions continue to be admired and played by everyone from concert pianists to jazz players to punk bands.

I don't care if what I say sounds high and mighty - the Beatles may not be "cool" to some people, but a great portion of your record collection no doubt owes them some props. End of story.




.
[Edited 4/6/06 19:11pm]

damosuzuki said:

And for the record, I totally The Beatles.

JPW said:

all i know is, i grew up from a very early age with the beatles being played around me all the time. my mom was one of those screaming fans you see in old concert footage. she took me to see 'beatlemania' when i was 10, and from then on i thought about the history of rock music based on the beatles and the era i saw in that play. i think of the beatles the way i think of flour or sugar as being part of what i have in the kitchen. i may not sit around snacking on flour all the time, but i couldn't have a decently stocked kitchen without it. they're just essential to me. to ME.

Anx said:

That's the word that kinda summarizes my feelings about them, I guess. I've been listening to the Beatles since I got my sister's 45s handed down to me when I was 8, and it still sounds like the most vital, thrilling music I've ever heard.

If the Beatles don't lift your skirt, well there's no law against that. It's just that you have to appreciate that people really, passionately LOVE this band to this day. I really respect Moonbeam's opinions and intelligence, but I just can't accept his assertion that a muzzle placed on Beatles-dissent has caused their placement in polls and their overall stature to be overstated. I just think that a lot of people treasure this band in a way that's unique and singularly powerful.

damosuzuki said:

And there's something to be said about an artist who arrives at a particular style, sound or ideal FIRST. Whether you like that style or not, you just can't take that away from an artist. It's not subjective. The Beatles can make many claims on arriving at a certain aesthetic first.

Graycap23 said:

I guess nobody WHITE could ever be good or have real talent ?

damosuzuki said:

I understand and accept that a LOT of people love them. However, I also feel that a LOT of people claim to like the Beatles because they're afraid not to.

JPW said:

Graycap23 said:

A lot of things can touch the soul . Cole Porter, Louis Armstrong, Maria Callas, Johnny Cash, The Chieftans, Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, Lena Horne, Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery , the Sex Pistols...

doesn't all have to be about the FUNK , does it ??