Beatley Ramblings Return

I really need to change the channel on my Sirius radio, but I can't get away from The Beatles.

Here are things that I've thought about the guys lately.

The reason the Beatles were different from just about every group at the time, and for the most part now is that there was an abundance of talent. John and Paul may have been the leaders in songwriting and vocals, but they gave everyone a chance to shine.

Whether or not they chose to admit it, John and Paul needed each other. Without the other their songs either slipped off into the weird and hypocrital (Im looking at you John)  to the sickeningly sweet ( uh Paul)

John always went for the more avant garde, but as George Harrison was quoted as saying that's French for bullshit. So yeah there are beautiful songs. Imagine is lovely and so is Mind Games, but when you start looking at the man that wrote them, and his actions, their sparkle gets a little tarnished. I've always felt its a bit ridiculous to hear a millionaire sing "Imagine no possessions." This came from the man who told David Bowie, "You bastard, you wish you had my money" jokingly at one point.

Paul was more a pop song writer. That's what he has always done best. Still, I find some of his better songs to have come from his collaboration with Elvis Costello, who has a little bit of Lennon's snark. I know I've said this over and over, but they really should have done a whole album together.

Back to Paul..I don't know why pop songs get dismissed. The early Beatles songs were just that. Why does music have to always be pushing the envelope. Why can't it just be fun? I mean I adore songs like Ballroom Dancing and My Brave Face. Music doesn't have to be deep and thoughtful, sometimes it just has to make you feel good.

I think that's why I like Ringo's stuff. It's pop..its fun..it doesn't take itself too seriously.

I want to talk about George but ahhhh George. I read an article that dissed most of his solo work other than Crackerbox Palace and All Things Must Pass.

I know I'm in the minority, but I loved Extra Texture. I also adored the 80s super strange flop, Gone Troppo. I also loved the self titled George Harrison album and Somewhere In England

Beatle-y Ramblings

This is what happens when you subscribe to SiriusXM and only listen to The Beatles channel.

I have been doing a lot of reading on The Beatles again. I seriously need to stop this. It is bad for my health!

One thing that comes to mind with the demise of the Lennon/McCartney songwriting partnership is that Paul didn't try to find someone to write with until the 80s when he wrote with Elvis Costello. Then I start wondering again, why they didn't do more writing together.

If you listen to the collaborations on Flowers in the Dirt, Spike and Mighty Like a Rose, you'll hear a very Beatle-y vibe to those McCartney/MacManus tunes. They were good. Damn good! Some poppy and some dark. It really felt like Paul had found another foil in Elvis.

Listening to Paul's solo music and music with Wings you'll see, Paul's songwriting is often erratic, truthfully, John's was too, though he wasn't as prolific and then his life was cut short, so we really can't judge him.

Paul's music has always been pop and I think that's why, even though it can be obnoxious, Silly Love Songs is the perfect unapologetic tune. This is what he writes and what he's good at. He's also good at just plain silly, with songs like Uncle Albert and Ballroom Dancing. There's a big child lurking in Paul, I think.

George's writing is more consistent, but I think that's because, George seldom had writing partners. His music was him, warts and all. Sure he could be silly, but it was more dry humor when it comes to George's music, whereas Paul's songwriting was more simple

Feeling Beatle-y

When I bought my little Kia, it came with a trial subscription to Sirius radio. I didn't know this until about 4 weeks ago when they started reminding me that it was about to expire.

Well that's when I discovered The Beatles channel.

ARGH!

I've been listening to it non-stop for all that time.

Which also means I was learning more about the guys than I did before. See when I was at the height of my Beatle-y fangirlishness, I didn't have the internet, so a lot of the guys lives were a mystery to me.

Not anymore.

So...all of them where manwhores, especially George. (sigh)

John was a manwhore and a jackass. The more I read about him and his treatment of Cyn and Julian makes me want to bitchslap him.

I always thought Jane Asher chose her career over Paul. hahahahaha...she came home and found him in bed with another woman. And he had little bits on the side up until he married Linda, which makes me wonder how she kept him on the straight and narrow.

I guess I learn something new every day and likely I'm not going to like it.

Enough About The Beatles

OK, so it was 50 years ago that The Beatles were on Ed Sullivan.

A milestone in music history, yes, I agree with that. I agree that something like that can never happen again, but lordy, is there nothing else to talk about.

Half the band is dead and in the case of Lennon, who was THE founding member...well he's been dead a very very very long time.

We have Paul and Ringo...not a Beatles reunion folks, just two old friends. A Beatles reunion would need a miracle from God, cos Lennon and Harrison would have to rise from the dead.

And really, what more can be said about this performance that wasn't said 10 years ago at the 40th anniversary of the performance?

Not much I tell you.

It is all rehashing of old news.

Now I'm not slamming The Beatles in any way. I love them. They are one of the bands that shaped my life, but I think this is a bit much.

That being said...

It was 50 years ago today....

Tuesday Tunes

From Music Memoirs:
If you could travel back in time (perhaps in the Tardis with The Doctor) which musical piece of history would you like to witness?


This is a hard one. I'd love to see the Beatles perform in Pittsburgh, but I know from what I've read that it was next to impossible to hear them perform, and what good would that be? So rather than that, The Doctor and I will somehow manage to land on the rooftop of Abbey Road Studios so that we could witness one of the Beatles final performances.  Basically I want to somehow see the Beatles perform. Maybe The Doctor and I could  put a bandaid on the band and save them from themselves? Oh wait, that's the next question.

If you could change history and prevent a musical tragedy from happening, what would you change?

Both of my answers involve John Lennon, because I don't know which one would be better. Going back to the 60s to make sure Lennon never met Yoko, thus possibly saving the world's finest pop band, or keep John from Mark Chapman's bullet. Or maybe if I did the first, it would ultimately keep the second thing from happening.

Ahh John....I miss ya!

I Neglected To Mention

Last Wednesday before all hell broke loose in my life, I won a DVD on the Pickle. Woot! I'm going to pick it up today.

The DVD is the making of the Beatles "Love" show that's playing in Vegas right now, it's called "All Together Now"

Oh to have the money to go to Vegas and see that show.

~sigh~

That's not likely to happen anytime soon for me.

But at least I'll get to watch the DVD with Ringo and Paul and the wives of John and George, which is better than nothing.

You know me, I love the Beatles. So I'm definitely going to enjoy this. Its just a matter of when I'm going to be able to watch the darn thing.

Tuesday Tunes - Week 39

From Music Memoirs

It's all about the Fab Four!



Who is your favorite Beatle?
No, question, its the lovely George Harrison.


What is one of your favorite Beatle songs?
Think For Yourself

Best/Worst cover of a Beatles song
Best: Elvis Costello - You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
Worst: Diana Krall - And I Love Her(Him)
No I lie, that's the worst cover I can share with you, Tina Turner's slaughter of Help is the worst and was criminal and she should be locked up for what she did to that song. Horrific!

Best song by a Beatle after the breakup
Going Beatle by Beatle
Paul McCartney - Jet
John Lennon - Nobody Told Me (I hate Lennon solo)
George Harrison - Fish On The Sand and Lay His Head
Ringo Starr - I Don't Believe You (Actually all of the Time Takes Time album is awesome)