Listening to the Beatles while doing other thing this morning.
I have their whole collection.
I believe my life has been directed by their music over the years.
The Beatles is the only band that I know of that was allowed to evolve. Every other band out there, especially today, has been restricted in their music. They weren't allowed to grow and change. They had to play the same style of music, even though they were eclectic.
If you listen to the beginning of the Beatles, and then listen to their competition back then, they are one and the same.
Herman's Hermits, Freddie and the Dreamers, The Dave Clark Five, The Rolling Stones, and the list goes on ... they all stayed the same. Their music never changed. It was good, but it never left the patterns they started out with.
The Beatles took every album they made and updated it. They added new sounds, new patterns, new ideas. They weren't afraid to add horns, violins or other "old style" classical instruments to their mix.
It is fascinating to hear some of their earlier takes and see how they came up with the final version of their songs.
Their subject matter is something else too. It takes on all subjects.
Lady Madonna
I'm only sleeping
Norwegian Wood
Yesterday
Why don't we do it in the road?
Rocky Raccoon
They had political commentary too, but most of it was satirical, rather than nasty.
They were told they couldn't cuss and the word "Bloody" was cussing in Great Britain, so they wrote a song called "Ob La Di, Oh Bla da. This put the silliness of the situation in proper perspective. (if you haven't figured it out yet, just pronounce the first 3 syllables of the song title out loud).
In Great Britain, the tax structure is insane. They tax the highest income people more than anyone else. Sometime, they are taxed at a 50% rate! Half of their money goes to taxes! So, they wrote "Taxman" to point it out. Most of the kids that were listening to their music had no idea what they were singing about. But, the Beatles were able to express their opinion in a satirical way, and the kids identified with it, no matter where they were.
So, when Garth Brook tried to break free from his country style, the whole world panned him. He wrote some great music, but no one would buy it.
Billy Joel does classical stuff too, but hardly anyone knows.
Elton John got alot of his music from the classics.
There are many others who have tried and failed. Whatever style they became famous for, is the style they were stuck with.
I went to see Alabama in York years ago. They did great job on their music. When they came back for an encore, they did a rock and roll set, along with some great blues. They were great, but people started leaving as soon as they heard it. I stayed.
So, when you hear people say "oh, I could never give up Mac and cheese, or pizza, or whatever" just think of where we would be if the Beatles weren't allowed to evolve.
I have their whole collection.
I believe my life has been directed by their music over the years.
The Beatles is the only band that I know of that was allowed to evolve. Every other band out there, especially today, has been restricted in their music. They weren't allowed to grow and change. They had to play the same style of music, even though they were eclectic.
If you listen to the beginning of the Beatles, and then listen to their competition back then, they are one and the same.
Herman's Hermits, Freddie and the Dreamers, The Dave Clark Five, The Rolling Stones, and the list goes on ... they all stayed the same. Their music never changed. It was good, but it never left the patterns they started out with.
The Beatles took every album they made and updated it. They added new sounds, new patterns, new ideas. They weren't afraid to add horns, violins or other "old style" classical instruments to their mix.
It is fascinating to hear some of their earlier takes and see how they came up with the final version of their songs.
Their subject matter is something else too. It takes on all subjects.
Lady Madonna
I'm only sleeping
Norwegian Wood
Yesterday
Why don't we do it in the road?
Rocky Raccoon
They had political commentary too, but most of it was satirical, rather than nasty.
They were told they couldn't cuss and the word "Bloody" was cussing in Great Britain, so they wrote a song called "Ob La Di, Oh Bla da. This put the silliness of the situation in proper perspective. (if you haven't figured it out yet, just pronounce the first 3 syllables of the song title out loud).
In Great Britain, the tax structure is insane. They tax the highest income people more than anyone else. Sometime, they are taxed at a 50% rate! Half of their money goes to taxes! So, they wrote "Taxman" to point it out. Most of the kids that were listening to their music had no idea what they were singing about. But, the Beatles were able to express their opinion in a satirical way, and the kids identified with it, no matter where they were.
So, when Garth Brook tried to break free from his country style, the whole world panned him. He wrote some great music, but no one would buy it.
Billy Joel does classical stuff too, but hardly anyone knows.
Elton John got alot of his music from the classics.
There are many others who have tried and failed. Whatever style they became famous for, is the style they were stuck with.
I went to see Alabama in York years ago. They did great job on their music. When they came back for an encore, they did a rock and roll set, along with some great blues. They were great, but people started leaving as soon as they heard it. I stayed.
So, when you hear people say "oh, I could never give up Mac and cheese, or pizza, or whatever" just think of where we would be if the Beatles weren't allowed to evolve.
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