# The Beatles: pretty talented bunch



## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

Even though I'm fairly ancient (I'm 45), The Beatles were just before my time. I grew up listening to my brothers record collection: David Bowie, Genesis, Strawbs etc. I've always been "aware" of The Beatles, but never really listened to them that closely. A while back, I started listening to a (illegaly downloaded!) copy of the "The Medley" from the B side of Abbey Road. I've been listening to a lot of different Beatles stuff in the last couple of months. I'm blown away by the creativity of those 4 guys (or maybe just 2 guys?). How four individuals, who were born so close together, could have such combined talent, imagination and creativity, to create all of those fantastic songs and genres - just blows me away. Here's the list of songs which just played on my IPOD:



Lady Madonna
Across The Universe
The Fool on the Hill
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
Hello Goodbye
Magical Mystery Tour
A Day in the Life
Again, just my ramblings. But if anyone can point to a more diverse, creative set of songs that were written in a (what?) 8 year period?, I'm all ears.


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2008)

Blackbird
Norwegian Wood
Across the Universe
Helter Skelter

Brilliant. I'm just saying. There's very little Beatles I can't listen to endlessly.


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## kous (Apr 12, 2007)

Sgt. peppers lonely hearts club band and Magical mystery tour are my two favourite albums. 

I agree, I never get tired of the Fab


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Taxman, My Guitar Gently Weeps, I am the Walrus


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## Greenbacker (Mar 29, 2007)

Revolver! Revolver!


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## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

bagpipe said:


> Even though I'm fairly ancient (I'm 45), The Beatles were just before my time. I grew up listening to my brothers record collection: David Bowie, Genesis, Strawbs etc. I've always been "aware" of The Beatles, but never really listened to them that closely. A while back, I started listening to a (illegaly downloaded!) copy of the "The Medley" from the B side of Abbey Road. I've been listening to a lot of different Beatles stuff in the last couple of months. I'm blown away by the creativity of those 4 guys (or maybe just 2 guys?). How four individuals, who were born so close together, could have such combined talent, imagination and creativity, to create all of those fantastic songs and genres - just blows me away. Here's the list of songs which just played on my IPOD:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've said it before on this forum but I'll say it again, if it wasn't for them I wouldn't have become a musician. As far as diversity and creativeness over that amount of time, nobody can touch them IMO. As far as songwriting is concerned John and Paul have always been my favourites and when it comes to guitar playing George has always been my number one influence. BTW have you ever checked out the Anthology series? If not, I recommend it. I think it's safe, and a bit sad to say really, we'll never see their likes again.


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

Revolver, The White Album, Sgt Peppers, Magical Mystery Tour, Abbey Road
All great albums mixing the Lennon/McCartney songwriting duo. They were my inspiration to take up guitar also... 1964 the Ed Sullivan Show.


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## salv (Sep 24, 2008)

I've also said this before but the solo in Let it Be (UK version) is my favorite solo of all time. Probably lasts 20 seconds in total and very easy to play but that song really means alot to me on many levels.


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## NB_Terry (Feb 2, 2006)

No arguments here. :bow:


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

I'm still trying to see what all the fuss is about with the Beatles. Getting there, I've got Rubber Soul and Revolver, and have been listening to them a bit lately. I really can't stand the early stuff at all...the "oooooooohhhhhhh!" + head shake stuff. Some of the later stuff I find quite palatable. It's hard having grown up in a culture saturated with Beatles and Beatles references.
I do like John Lennon's solo stuff quite a lot though.


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## salv (Sep 24, 2008)

devnulljp said:


> I'm still trying to see what all the fuss is about with the Beatles. Getting there, I've got Rubber Soul and Revolver, and have been listening to them a bit lately. I really can't stand the early stuff at all...the "oooooooohhhhhhh!" + head shake stuff. Some of the later stuff I find quite palatable. It's hard having grown up in a culture saturated with Beatles and Beatles references.
> I do like John Lennon's solo stuff quite a lot though.


If you haven't listened to John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band pick it up. Personally, I think it's great.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Simply amazing. If you tend to write them off as somewhat simplistic check this guy jun626 on youtube. He breaksdown the guitar parts extremely accurately. The Abbey Road medley he does is wonderful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdzg8lrzAcQ


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

*beatles*

The beatles where a big influence on me. At age 10 i was simulating the 1234... when i was just seventeen...lalala haha
THats what you get when you have 2 very gifted song writers, 4 great musicians and two excellent singers.
I like John a bit better for vocals. There chords arrangment surpass any other band i was listening too.
Sure you could play the song but somewhere , something just didn't sound right.

A band that didn't need effects pedal and samplers. But at that time playing live, was not easy, for them, as the screaming girls where louder than there Vox amps. 

One thing i remember buying a 45 beatle record..Both side where great songs not something you got with other bands.
My first beatle record ( 45) was revolution. I may still have it., but there is probably not any grooves left..

Rick


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## rollingdam (May 11, 2006)

For those of us who grew up with the Beatles they not only changed the music but also the cultural mindset of the time.

If not for them we'd all be stuck in the 1950's.


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

devnulljp said:


> I'm still trying to see what all the fuss is about with the Beatles. Getting there, I've got Rubber Soul and Revolver, and have been listening to them a bit lately. I really can't stand the early stuff at all...the "oooooooohhhhhhh!" + head shake stuff. Some of the later stuff I find quite palatable. It's hard having grown up in a culture saturated with Beatles and Beatles references.
> I do like John Lennon's solo stuff quite a lot though.


I'm with you on this. I grew up with two older sisters hammering me with the Beatles and Herman's Hermits and Tommy Roe and then a little later The Grassroots etc. I never really got on the Beatles band wagon. I appreciate alot of their music and their creativity and talent, but they just never did it for me. For me it was more Chuck Berry and Bo Diddly and then the Stones and after that harder stuff. I was also into alot of the older blues musicians (my uncle got me into that), so when the Beatle hey dey was going on I just wasn't getting it, it didn't speak to me the same way it did to others.


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## Apostrophe (') (Dec 30, 2007)

davetcan said:


> Simply amazing. If you tend to write them off as somewhat simplistic check this guy jun626 on youtube. He breaksdown the guitar parts extremely accurately. The Abbey Road medley he does is wonderful.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdzg8lrzAcQ


That's excellent. His other medley's are great as well.


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

In the sixties I remember reading an article where they classed the beatles as Mods, and they classed the Stones as Rockers. Seemed to be two cliches going on over there in this time period. So Rip I guess you would have been a rocker... leather jacket, ruffled hair...


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

:/ They never really did it for me. 

They were classic 50's rock, they got low sales, so they jumped on the bandwagon of change that was already happening and had the good fortune to have sex appeal and a media that lapped that up. Their late 60's work was no different; when other bands were already dropping out and tuning in they had missed that start by an album (at least an album, it may have been two, been a while since I heard or read the timeline and I'm just not going to bother again today) as well, and went to India more again playing catchup.

A couple of their songs are catchy tunes, and compared to the drivel of big name corporate deals of today their song writing was good (I think Paul Simon was a better writer but that is just me). If they were to come on the scene today, would they be anywhere near where they had gotten in the past? I personally tend to doubt it. Then again, I am 39 and even more removed from the era and so am less inclined to grant to them godhood in music iconic history. 

My aunt would of course rather bop me on the head ;p but then she and I have many times talked about the impact, importance, historical significance, and musical contribution of the Beatles.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

*beatles*

I find it hard to believe any musician would not get what the beatle's where able to do in there short time together.. But i do understand that, people in general, just don't care for there music. There are some songs they recorded, i really don't get. I suppose those where the songs pot influenced.

If everybody liked one type of music, then there would be alot of Bands in trouble and wouldn't it get boring after while.

I really like the beatle's, but i also really like the heavy, R&R.

One singer i really don't get at all, is Bob Dylan.. What is all the fuss about.. He can't sing, He songs have no hook, and i can't imagine his live show would be too thrilling to see.
But he has alot of support, and can still sell tickets, just wont be selling one to me.
Rick


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## lbrown1 (Mar 22, 2007)

I agree - the Beatles are hard to match talent wise....I don't think I coudl listen to teh likes of Strawberry Fields or she loves you ya ya ya ya for too long before changing the station, and if I have to hear Hey Jude one more time I think I might scream......but there are some unmatched greats in there - i.e. day in the life, let it be....Gently weeps is a staple in the jam sessions


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

PaulS said:


> In the sixties I remember reading an article where they classed the beatles as Mods, and they classed the Stones as Rockers. Seemed to be two cliches going on over there in this time period. So Rip I guess you would have been a rocker... leather jacket, ruffled hair...


Wow, I still dress like that now
My leathers are older than most of my kids...


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## happydude (Oct 15, 2007)

After shelling out about $700 to ITunes over the past year or two, I've delved into the seedy underground of Limewire and Torrents. I've recently downloaded my first Beatles tunes, 

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
Let it Be 
Twist And Shout
Hey Jude 
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da 
Strawberry Fields Forever 
I Am The Walrus 
Happiness Is A Warm Gun	
While my Guitar Gently Weeps

Good Stuff!


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

*On that Note....*

Today is the anniversary Of John Lennons Death. I was only 13 but I remember _exactly_ what I was doing and where I was, right down to the book I was reading. Double Fantasy was in Heavy Rotation. Dec 8th 1980
RIP John....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIRazvXyrOc


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

Starbuck said:


> Today is the anniversary Of John Lennons Death. I was only 13 but I remember _exactly_ what I was doing and where I was, right down to the book I was reading. Double Fantasy was in Heavy Rotation. Dec 8th 1980
> RIP John....
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIRazvXyrOc


I have to say honestly there were other musician's deaths that affected me more than John's passing did.


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## Guest (Dec 8, 2008)

happydude said:


> the seedy underground of Limewire and Torrents


Check out the movie 'Across the Universe'. Wonderful story
with a Beatles soundtrack. ('Mama Mia' is cool too).


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## chaploune (Jun 17, 2008)

Antoher sad day when the music die.
I was 20.


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