Musical Influences

[Dewey1960]

Love 'em or not, there's no disputing the fact that most of us of a certain
age would concur that the BEATLES were a major influence on, well,
just about everything—especially in 1964 and 65.
“I Saw Her Standing There”
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“She Loves You”
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“Twist and Shout”
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“All My Loving”
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“You Can't Do That”
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“Help”
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[Rita Hayworth]

Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Reunion Tour Planned

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/e ... union.html

I hope that they come to my hometown ... I would definitely would go ... I have attended two of their concerts both in the seventies and enjoyed their music greatly.

Here is some Christmas You Tube from the Beach Boys

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[movieman1957]

My mother is a pianist. She made me want to learn to play the piano. The Beatles stopped me from giving it up.

She loves music. I grew up listening to Andy Williams, John, Gary, Johnny Mathis and loved it. Then one day my brother brought home the soundtrack to "A Hard Day's Night" and "The Beatles' Second Album." This was different. I was too young to appreciate what they really were in 1965 but it was indeed different. By the time they broke up I was still only 13 and still too young to understand it all but since they were the first rock group I came across they were still the best and the most important to me.

Since they were my first group all other music came from there. They formed the foundation of what I liked. I liked the music well enough that I bought a music book to learn how to play their music. It wasn't the right way but it was a way I developed and enjoyed it enough to carry on.

The love of The Beatles music naturally brought an interest in their lives. I was never a Beatlemaniac but I followed them. I was happy when they all turned up on "Ringo" after all the turmoil of their break up. When Lennon was killed I was shocked by it but when Harrison passed away it just made me sad and made me mindful of my own mortality.

But above it all was the music. They sounded different than anyone I heard in the 60s. The group that brought "Yellow Submarine" also brought "Let It Be" and that brought "Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For Me and My Monkey" also did "A Day In The Life."

"Revolver" may be my favorite. It is followed closely by "Abbey Road" and "Sgt. Pepper." Favorite recording is "Strawberry Fields Forever."

Wendy's turn.

[charliechaplinfan]

I don't know if I could name a favourite Beatles song, apparently in the sixties there was a link up to all the television stations all over the world and every country was given a chance to shine, thankfully instead of doing something staid and fuddy duddy Britain cut to the Beatles live rendition of All You Need is Love with a full orchestra and many celebrity friends.

As a child I loved Hey Jude and still do, today I'd be torn between Norwegian Wood, Eleanor Rigby and Let it Be, the lyrics of Let it Be being amongst my very favourite.

[RedRiver]

That versatility is the main reason The Fab 4 are so well remembered. They did high energy fun like "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," and dark, complex pieces like "A Day In The Life." The same album offered the screaming rocker "Helter Skelter" and the tender "Julia." I could list similar examples all day.

[movieman1957]

You can make a distinction between a song and a recording. I love the story behind the recording of "Strawberry Fields" and all the interesting things that George Martin threw in there. The matching of two different versions in different keys. Cello, brass, the backwards cymbals and Ringo's unique drumming make it a feast for my ears.

The lyrics have an enigmatic quality to them as well.

[charliechaplinfan]

Their change of direction must have taken many aback. I remember a Beatles cartoon from when I was younger and some of the songs, their ability to tell a story in a song makes them very accessible to a child. Listening many years later to the White Album and Rocky Raccoon reminded me of first listening to songs like the Yellow Submarine, even songs like Eleanor Rigby tell a story to children.

[MichiganJ]

This is an interesting thread. Music was, and still is, a great influence for me.

My father prides himself on being tone deaf, and my mother was content to listen to whatever was on AM radio, so there wasn't much music playing in the homestead until I discovered it. My first record, which literally was cut out from the back of a box of Honey Comb cereal, was The Archies "Sugar Sugar." (My brother got some song by Bobby Sherman. BTW: Neither my brother nor I liked Honey Comb, but that cereal consistently had the best "prizes.")

I was 9 when I got my first vinyl album. Spring of 1973, we were visiting my maternal grandparents and my grandmother insisted on buying each of us kids one present. For about a year or so, I was entranced by The Beatles' Saturday morning cartoons, and when I saw the recently released "Red Album" (1964-1966), I knew that was what I wanted (much to my grandmother's chagrin). Opening the gatefold, I was instantly disappointed. Because Ringo was the "looniest" Beatle in the cartoons, for some reason I believed that he sang all the songs. But there in black and white, next to each individual song title, it plainly said Lennon & McCartney, which, I thought meant who was singing. By the time Ringo's drums ushered in She Loves You (side 1; cut 4), my disappointment turned to euphoria.

My 10th birthday was in the middle of July '73, which was when I got the "Blue Album" (1967-1970). While I was happy to see that Ringo (aka Richard Starkey) "sang" Octopus's Garden (side 4; cut 4), overall the Blue album did little for me. But since it was one of the only two albums I had at the moment, it got considerable play, and with each spin, it got better and better.

That's when the obsession began and continues, unabated, through the present.

The Beatles, and music in general, set my course for my first career, and more importantly, directly led me to my wife.

I owe the Fabs a great deal.

[movieman1957]

You and Wendy and I (and anyone else) should have our own Beatles thread. After your critique of the the remasters I wonder why we didn't then.

[charliechaplinfan]

Count me in too, which ever way I look at them I find them completely unbelieveable that they produced so much in relatively little time. It's amazing.

[RedRiver]

MichiganJ, you had me buffaloed with RED ALBUM and BLUE ALBUM. Do people really call them that? I assume you refer to those tremendous greatest hits collections, some of the finest compilations ever available.

[MichiganJ]

MichiganJ, you had me buffaloed with RED ALBUM and BLUE ALBUM. Do people really call them that? I assume you refer to those tremendous greatest hits collections, some of the finest compilations ever available.

Oops, didn't mean to buffalo you, Red, but yes, many people I talk with do refer to them as the "Red Album" and the "Blue Album." It's a lot less cumbersome to say than "The Beatles 1962-1966" and "The Beatles 1967-1970." (Although I sometimes call them "62-66" and "67-70.") Of course the "White Album" is not really that record's name, either. But when referring to "The Beatles" album, vs. the Beatles, the band, it gets quite confusing.

Whatever they are called, I agree that they are among the greatest compilations--but not exactly "greatest hits." Both albums contain plenty of songs that were album cuts and were not released as singles so they didn't get near the airplay as the singles did.

Recently I learned that it was Harrison, of all people, who selected the tracks to be included. This fascinates me as he is not represented at all on the "Red Album." "Rubber Soul" is represented well by Lennon & McCartney, but Harrison's If I Needed Someone would have easily fit comfortably. "Revolver" is only represented by Eleanor Rigby and Yellow Submarine, yet Harrison has three strong contenders that would better represent that awesome album.

The "Blue Album", on the other hand, Harrison chose his songs, While My Guitar Gentle Weeps, Here Comes the Sun and Something (his only A-Sided single). But, he also includes Old Brown Shoe, a B-Side of his, which is a perfectly okay song, but, to my mind at least, is a pretty odd selection. (I think I would have instead added something like Birthday from the "White Album.")

I much prefer these albums over the most recent collection "1", because of the deeper cuts. On about the fourth spin of the "Blue Album", I pretty much figured out the greatest song ever is A Day in the Life, a song only released as a B-Side in the mid 70s (Sgt. Pepper/A Little Help From My Friends was the A-side.)

[movieman1957]

While you're at it give us your "Red" and "Blue" albums. (Or at least a CD you put together to highlight your faves.)

I had no idea Harrison had that much to do with them. It seems very much like Harrison to forego his own songs. Though I wholeheartedly agree that "If I Needed Someone" belongs on any compilation he surely could have found a better selection then "Yellow Submarine." Though I have neither album since I long had everything anyway it fits a slot that is different than "1."

For my money I would have left off "Old Brown Shoe" as well. I would also find an alternative to "Birthday" as I have never been all that fond of it.

[MichiganJ]

(Rather than having two threads talking about the Fabs', I'll continue this conversation in the Beatles thread.)