Beatles Harmonies Are "Bluegrass"?
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The Beatles' vocal harmonies were rooted in bluegrass, I read online. Perplexing! If so, they WERE inspired by the American Everly Brothers. So maybe that assertion makes some sense? Another Net fan stated Beatles songs were inspired by "old Irish folk tunes." He didn't go on to explain. He should have presented his thesis in detail. All "white" music springs from ancient Celtic roots, one supposes?
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According to Mark Lewisohn in All These Years, Buddy Holly and the Crickets had a huge influence on The Beatles harmonies. Country music also, as that was the music they grew up on before there was any "Rock and Roll". Country and Western was hugely popular in Liverpool.
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One Net wag, I think it was the same one, said Carl Perkins was the only countrified artist they were digging on, I knew he was wrong, of course. Perkins was rockabilly which is always cool. Sounds good, usually. I had always heard and read that the Fabs emulated The Everly Brothers striving to go for that kind of harmonizing. Seems like Lewishon would have mentioned the Everlys too. Phil & Don.
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Confession: the outrageous thought's crossed my mind a couple times before--were the Beatles actually a "wussie" band, too soft rock or even not very cool or hip or something, for using harmonies so heavily? None of the other Brit invasion bands back then did, did they? The Fabs almost had to, because Lennon's and Paul's singing voices were so sensational. Right? George's background harmonizing with them adds a lot to their sound as well. (And George singing lead sounds good too of course.) John could have sang lead (solo) on some, Paul on some, without a lot of background harmonizing and George could have solo'd on a few.
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Their singing/harmonies was what made them the "4-headed monster" that the Stones were jealous of! Certainly not "wussies" EVER!
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They weren't exactly a barbershop quartet, were they
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Yeah, they could harmonize the heck out of any song just about. Part of what made them so great. Their voices blended perfectly together.
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Fan4-45years:
Yeah, they could harmonize the heck out of any song just about. Part of what made them so great. Their voices blended perfectly together.
OMG, yes! My favorites are This Boy, Because and Yes It Is.
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Nancy R:
Fan4-45years:
Yeah, they could harmonize the heck out of any song just about. Part of what made them so great. Their voices blended perfectly together.
Also: If I Fell, I Don't Want To Spoil The Party, and Buddy Holly's Words of Love. OMG, yes! My favorites are This Boy, Because and Yes It Is.
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steven ambrozat:
Nancy R:
Fan4-45years:
Yeah, they could harmonize the heck out of any song just about. Part of what made them so great. Their voices blended perfectly together.
OMG, yes! My favorites are This Boy, Because and Yes It Is.
Also: If I Fell, I Don't Want To Spoil The Party, and Buddy Holly's Words of Love.
Yes Yes and Yes!!! If I Fell is my absolute favorite Beatles song!
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Didn't John write "If I Fell' for Cynthia? Yes, it is gorgeous.
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'This Boy' has stunning harmonies. Amazing Lennon vocal solo. 1 of the most underrated Beatle songs.
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Fan4-45years:
Didn't John write "If I Fell' for Cynthia? Yes, it is gorgeous.
Hate to be a pessimist, but I seriously doubt it.
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Nancy R:
Fan4-45years:
Didn't John write "If I Fell' for Cynthia? Yes, it is gorgeous.
Hate to be a pessimist, but I seriously doubt it.
No, he did write at least two love songs for her. This may have been one of them. I'll have to look in her book, John.
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(Laughs) First post here sounds so weird suggesting Fabs originals sprang from "bluegrass" roots, that bizarre notion makes my head spin. Olde folke ballads like "Greensleeves" WERE the first "popular" songs and hailed from the ancient British Isles ("Greensleeves" boasts an exquisitely beautiful melody) so these sort of merged with Black African gospel "work" songs to form the first "rock" music songs from pioneers Chuck Berry, Little Richard and all them? Elvis and his ilk popularized "race" music to "cross over"? Rockabilly's so "feel good" I think. I read a fascinating epic tome on the origins of popular music starting from ancient times, but I can't remember all that info to recount here, LOL. Wish I had a photographic memory. I'll seek out that tome again at the county head library. It's only a year or two old, that music book.
