Lennon and McCartney were one of the best song writing pairs ever. Name another with more hits. They would have had even more if they hadn't released so many albums with multiple number one hits that often competed against other songs from the same album. 

They have a bunch of songs that can make great punk songs also. 

Hey Mardy Pune: love your turn of phrase here; "... some of their chord structures are beautiful nightmares to try to play." Kewl.

"Hate stuff for the sake of hating stuff"? I think some people who are saying "I hate x" do have their reasons -- but maybe aren't providing enough of them to those of us reading their posts?

Or, it may be fun to just hate the old stuff to piss other people off. The Beatles and the other 'biggies,' perhaps what you might call 'foundational' groups are Big Targets?

Or some people just like to stiiiiiir. :-) I can relate to the last one when I think back a bit...

Mel

Mardy Pune said:

Let's clear this up now:

Elvis isn't God, Elvis is the King baby!

I don't like The Beatles and I don't hate The Beatles. I won't argue that they weren't an important or influential band, cause they were. They were incredibly crafty song writers, some of their chord structures are beautiful nightmares to try to play. I don't understand why people hate stuff for the sake of hating stuff, morons.

Let's clear this up now:

Elvis isn't God, Elvis is the King baby!

I don't like The Beatles and I don't hate The Beatles. I won't argue that they weren't an important or influential band, cause they were. They were incredibly crafty song writers, some of their chord structures are beautiful nightmares to try to play. I don't understand why people hate stuff for the sake of hating stuff, morons.

LOL --- yeah -- same with the punk icon comments. At least, I read them in the same vein/w/ same sentiment. I suppose it's tearing down idols for whatever is happening in the present, which I'm the LAST person to say isn't helpful. There's got to be a certain amount of that to do something new, if that's what you're into.

You can stand on those shoulders, or you can throw shit on 'em really, for all I care. I just think it's kinda silly to hate something simply because it's old. Or seems old.

"Yeah, I'm looking for the next... best... thing." Sing it.

the Record Detective said:

Interesting recordings when they were a rock and roll band, not so interesting as a rock band. And the nursery rhymes- give me a break. But really, they've been gone since before 1970.      ENOUGH ALREADY.

Interesting recordings when they were a rock and roll band, not so interesting as a rock band. And the nursery rhymes- give me a break. But really, they've been gone since before 1970.      ENOUGH ALREADY.

And back to the Beatles. Isn't one of the problems with any discussion of the B's is: which Beatles you talkin' about? The early stuff (yeah, we know where that music originated) and no, it wasn't revolutionary, except that they did and do still sound unique -- the combination of members, their voices, the ways they played. It's a BAND right? 

But then there are the different creative periods -- each person I know who listens to them has a different take on Their Beatles. That puts them again in the category of unique, and in my opinion, special. How many bands have that capability? To grow and change and groove off each other's talents that way?  And the volume of work? Astounding.

p.s:I sooooo wanted to say something about the comments re Pistols and Clash. *calm down Melissa* but it's not the thread for it. 

back to the beatles...  So yea I like The Beatles always have and can always play their albums before SGT. Peppers and like what I am hearing, really get into it..  sure I no longer am like "OMG! this is the best thing ever!" but thats normal once you hear something so many time. from tv, radio, friends and so on....... however, I do get really annoyed when people come over to my apartment and see my record collection and they always ask "hey you got any beatles records I love them can you play some!". I don't know why I just get annoyed I'm like a have a ton of music that will blow your mind and all this stuff you probably haven't heard of, but you want me to put on The White Album.. ughh

The fuck are we talking about authentic Punk for? If anybody wants to complain about that we should be complaining about what they call Punk nowadays.

Punk may have indeed started there but it doesn't make the British wave any less authentic. And what is interesting? I don't see how the quick rise to fame of the Beetles, Elvis, Sex Pistols or The Clash having any major differences. They were all very influential and yet none of them invented anything really. We are all dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants.

Mina said:

Sex Pistols were one of the first boybands created by Malcolm McLaren and the Clash are pretty boring in my opinion. Punk started in NY, not the fake commercialized British anarchy wave. England got inspired by the NY scene and gave it a different twist. 

Oh shit, this thread is about the Beatles. My bad...

Mike Humsgreen said:

I don't see what's really to hate about them. But could it be that it just irritates people that they are so overrated? I mean they really were a tight band but is any band worth that much hero worship? Elvis, The Sex Pistols The Clash. This list of bands everyone is supposed to think are amazing gets longer with every decade.

But in reply to the thread starter, there is no reason.

Hey thank you for all these interesting words you wrote.

My English is not as good as it should, but i try to go through

all you replies !!!

I agree with you. My only problem with the Beatles is how they rob attention from all the other great mainstream acts of the time. Young people looking into 60's music will unfortunately stop with The Beatles and forget about looking into The Animals or The Yardbirds for example.

I don't see what's really to hate about them. But could it be that it just irritates people that they are so overrated? I mean they really were a tight band but is any band worth that much hero worship? Elvis, The Sex Pistols The Clash. This list of bands everyone is supposed to think are amazing gets longer with every decade.

But in reply to the thread starter, there is no reason.

Now this is one interesting thread. I've always been a Stones/Who/Kinks girl meself, but the first record I ever purchased was Yellow Submarine. I pretended it was for my dad for Father's Day. Even had Peter Max trousers to be like the album cover (coolest trousers Evah). Wore that record O.U.T. baby. Ok, I haven't heard it in many moons, but today, I may just have to play it. I'm not longer a 'fan' in the fan-atic way, but I'm with kopper? HATE 'em? Whuh? Even though I was no longer listening to any of the Beatles at the time, the death of John Lennon hit me very hard. I couldn't help feeling we'd all lost MUSIC that had yet to be played.

Yeah, I could never really understand why some people despise the Beatles. There was even a member here once who's name was "ihatethebeatles"... okaaaaaaay... I grew up listening to them, loved 'em. Two of my first store-bought albums were the two double-LP collections (1962–1966 & 1967–1970). I even dug the "post-Sgt. Pepper's" stuff that we as garage-rock-loving freaks are supposed to hate (since, you know, Sgt. Pepper's ushered in prog rock and changed the musical landscape forever yadda yadda yadda). People always have to have someone to blame for stuff they hate, don't they? I'm sure progressive rock and '70s arena rock would have happened anyway. Not that all of it is bad, either (I happen to love E.L.O., who took direct influence from the Beatles' orchestration in "I Am the Walrus" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" on Magical Mystery Tour). And Beatles' songs are GREAT for getting your kids to appreciate rock'n'roll... just like Chuck Berry, the Coasters, the Monkees, the Kinks and the Stones. It's all good if ya ask me.

Don't mean to upset anyone but I do wonder about the mental state of anyone who claims not to like the Beatles.  Apart from everything else they contributed to making the world a better place, without them I doubt very much whether this site would exist.  THEY CHANGED EVERYTHING.

Dearest Mr. Mole you are indeed correct, Hamburg Beatles were karaoke but are not all garage bands karaoke?  That is my point I guess.  When they played 3 chords they were leather clad greaser punks singing black music for the children of Nazi supporters.  A weird time I am sure, trying to sleep with rats and bedbugs in urine stinking bar bunk beds while you are speeding on Third Reich crystal meth while Pete Best is humping some dodgy fraulein from Dusseldorf while Lennon is harping on about existentialism while McCartney is pruning himself going is this "whoooooooooohhh cuter than this whhhooooo?" while Sutcliff is practicing his German dialect sternly, "ich leiber dict, is that right, John?"  Man, I wish this is what they sang about ...but nah "I wanna hold your friggin hand"  No wonder "Besty" left in disgust to leave his spunk stained drum seat for the more mentally malleable comedian Ringo.  Best was a Teddy Boy rebel rocker who refused the moppy hair chops, the matching Burton suits, the dilution of the rock with the pop.  Besty is the true punk in the band the hero, the zero, the Nero.... the outcast of the kings of pop, the saviours of rock n' roll.  

We need to try to respect other people's religious beliefs. That said , in my Bible , Elvis is God , and Chuck is God , and Bo is God , Little Richard , Jerry Lee Lewis , Eddie Cochran , Gene Vincent , Link Wray...Gods....Even John Lennon once knealt down and kissed Jerry Lee's feet. Jerry Lee said "Boy , you ruined a brand new shoe shine !".....The Beatles and The Stones , were they Isaac and Abraham , or a couple of golden calves? Consult Revelatons (Where you'll find nothing revelatory on the subject.).

The Beatles were my first obsession, and I played my mom's Sgt. Pepper album endlessly as a 9 year old.  Their pop masterpieces carved neural pathways into my young brain, shaping it, and preparing it for more the more "challenging" music I would absorb later on, developing my taste for all things counterculture.  That being said, some of their songs have not aged well and seem lightweight and safe when compared with their contemporaries.  They are not my favorite band (The Velvet Underground), but I will always defend them as the greatest and most important rock band of all time.

Surely the Hamburg Beatles were a karaoke machine, just churning out endless covers for drunken audiences. I don't think the reason people still hold The Beatles in such high regard is ANYTHING to do with buying into the propaganda that you mention, it's to do with the quality of their original material and (whether you like it or agree or not) the fact that they changed EVERYTHING in a pop culture context. Just ask Roger McGuinn or Brian Wilson!! 

hicksville hogwash said:

Now if we kept the Hamburg Beatles I would be happy, what we got was a big money maker for the recording business and they played the game to a tee.  They were for the greater part performing monkeys,

"Ohhhh Ringow gaw doo us a turn ya scally"

"Pauly doo that chimp noyse again ....awww yer face it lawks so cute" 

Sure they turned in some good sides but science says if you get monkeys in a room with a computer one will produce a work of Shakespeare in time.  That is what happened with the Beatles, press record and once in a while something decent would be caught on tape, mostly there was shit throwing and banana skin slipping though.  

I blame the kids mostly for falling for it.  Their parents had WWII to contend with and Glenn Miller music still resonating behind the bombs of the invasion, Glenn said more without lyrics than the Beatles ever did on a cup of tea with the Maharajah. Glenn died for his art and country stopping Nazi stormtroopers and V2 missiles single handedly with his trombone.  The Beatles went to Germany and acted the fool ripping off American music.

The Beatles to me innovated nothing that was not already going on around the world, they were just an early musical karaoke machine for the kids just sensible enough to rip off, R n' R, R n' B, Folk Soul, Psychedelia... haha.... blah blah... and write their own lyrics to the stolen tunes.

I still have not made it through a whole Beatles record in all my years.  Without skipping a track or seven.  Believe me I tried to like the boys because the bands I love loved them.  But again the bands I loved were stupid enough to buy the music biz and press' propaganda....  

The capitalists hogwash.  Earn the industry money monkey....  OOOOHHHHhhhhhhh (shakes floppy hair and winks at camera cutely, sound like Justin Beiber???  )

....People dislike , or can take or leave , The Beatles , for various reasons. Maybe some are'nt entirely justifiable , fair enough.  Myself , I remember when The Beatles were still in rotation on AM radio , because they were current. I was'nt there for the whole phenomenon (I was , physically , there.) . I was about 4 or 5 when "Yellow Submarine" came out , and saw it , then , and I even remember where I was when I learned of their breakup (Just as well as I remember where I was when Elvis died.).....That said , like a lot of people , my big Beatle phase was from early to late teens. I really got deluged with them . That's just me. I also got deluged with The Stones and The Who , but , I went back. It's a lot easier to know the less - obvious stuff in The Beatles' back catalogue , today , than The Stones . There's a reason a Stones tribute band can , generally , only pick from 20 songs , while , nearly anything by The Beatles , short of "You Know My Name" and a few others , would still be politically correct , today.....It sure is'nt because The Stones , too , don't have about a zillion lesser - known  gems . But , when I was really geeked up about The Beatles , it was a loner trip. Ditto for The Stones.  It's easy to think everyone was into blatantly obvious Mainstream Rock in The Late 70's - Early 80's....They were , but , it was Boston , Journey , Foreigner , Eagles.....  It's easy to knock The Beatles because they're too Pop ("I'm Down" is Pop?!), but , the Hipster types probably do so without at least having a sensible backing argument.  I just had to get off the Magical Mystery Tour Bus back in The 80's. But , The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band.....That's another story , entirely.

Kept Roy Head from having a number one hit with Treat Her Right is one reason not to like them.

The Beatles were the first band to revive wild Rock & Roll.  Approved!!!

And…..Ringo is an amazing drummer. 

Rubber Soul and Revolver are two of my all time faves. There is also a discussion going on in the "Identify the LP cover" thread where someone was saying that people here don't like the Doors or the Stones!!?? What ever gave you guys this impression to start with?? I think you are missing something here. This site highlights predominantly the words 'Garage' and 'Punk' which in my book points to the more amateur, raw, and rarely known rock and roll sounds throughout the ages. Why do we love this sound? Because it's real and dirty and almost divorced from the 'Music Business' side of things. Not because we wanna be 'cool hipsters'. And I'm sure it's safe to say that every 'thinking' rock and roll fan here on the Hideout understands that without bands like the Beatles, Stones, Kinks, The Who, The Animals, Them, etc, there wouldn't have been much for mid-60's suburban teenagers jamming in their garage to emulate.

Now if we kept the Hamburg Beatles I would be happy, what we got was a big money maker for the recording business and they played the game to a tee.  They were for the greater part performing monkeys,

"Ohhhh Ringow gaw doo us a turn ya scally"

"Pauly doo that chimp noyse again ....awww yer face it lawks so cute" 

Sure they turned in some good sides but science says if you get monkeys in a room with a computer one will produce a work of Shakespeare in time.  That is what happened with the Beatles, press record and once in a while something decent would be caught on tape, mostly there was shit throwing and banana skin slipping though.  

I blame the kids mostly for falling for it.  Their parents had WWII to contend with and Glenn Miller music still resonating behind the bombs of the invasion, Glenn said more without lyrics than the Beatles ever did on a cup of tea with the Maharajah. Glenn died for his art and country stopping Nazi stormtroopers and V2 missiles single handedly with his trombone.  The Beatles went to Germany and acted the fool ripping off American music.

The Beatles to me innovated nothing that was not already going on around the world, they were just an early musical karaoke machine for the kids just sensible enough to rip off, R n' R, R n' B, Folk Soul, Psychedelia... haha.... blah blah... and write their own lyrics to the stolen tunes.

I still have not made it through a whole Beatles record in all my years.  Without skipping a track or seven.  Believe me I tried to like the boys because the bands I love loved them.  But again the bands I loved were stupid enough to buy the music biz and press' propaganda....  

The capitalists hogwash.  Earn the industry money monkey....  OOOOHHHHhhhhhhh (shakes floppy hair and winks at camera cutely, sound like Justin Beiber???  )

The Beatles wrote their own songs... If Elvis is 'God' then The Beatles are definately 'bigger than God'!