Why the Beatles are by far the GREATEST!
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I really enjoyed all the hoopla surrounding the 50th Anniversary (mainly CBS in the US). It got me thinking of the definitive answer of why they are the greatest musical force of the last 60-70 years. Yes, their timing for landing in the US was very fortunate. America was going through a national depression with the assassination of their young, popular President and it needed a jolt of optimism. And yes, their early hits were instantly infectious and happy. They were also different...being from England, having the long hair, having that accent, being so funny in the interviews. And they performed very well during their big test on the Sullivan Show. From a media point of view, it was a far simpler time. Each US market had a Top 40 radio station that dominated with the youth so if your songs were at the top of the charts (Top 40) it was heard by everyone. All of these factors were very important to their immediate success. What I thought the 50th Anniversary Hoopla failed to do was to analize the defininitive # 1 reason why by all accounts they are considered the #1 musical force in the modern era (Post World War 2). After all, practically all the adults at the time of their 1964 appearance in the US thought they were strictly going to be 1 year wonders at the most. The other amazing part is considering all the fabulous musical talent of the last 75 years, why are they the greatest. I didn't think all the interviews during the Beatles hoopla really answered this question. Paul came closest during the 50th Anniversary Grammy Show when he answered David Letterman. He basically said as modestly as he could that the Beatles individually would have made it big but when you put them all together, they were beyong big. The # 1 reason to me above all others is real simple. It is the MUSIC Stupid. To me it really boils down to the # of "Signature Songs" a group or individual artists have. Signature songs mean songs that everyone seeminglyknows including casual or even non-fans. Most of the greats have maybe 12 or even 15. I''m including great, great artists like Dylan, Springsteen, Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, Elvis, Michael Jackson, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly etc. You could go on and on with great, highly talented artists that had an impressive number of signature songs. The Beatles, however, are in another league when it comes to signature songs. The main reason was because they had 3 incredible musicians and songwriters in one group. Paul and John from the beginning with George coming on so strong toward the end. I started to do a greatest 15 songs list (all signature songs) but I kept on thinking of more until I got to 45. To me this is "the" reason why the Beatles sustained their dominance as the greatest. Here is my list which I divided into 15's. Top 15 Signature Songs (in any order) I Want to Hold Your Hand Yesterday In My Life Something Help Hey Jude Let It Be A Day in the Life Eleanor Rigby Here, There and Everywhere Blackbird While My Guitar Gently Weeps Golden Slumbers Long and Winding Road Penny Lane Next 15 Signature Songs (in any order) She's Leaving Home Please, Please Me I Saw Her Standing There All My Loving I Feel Fine O'Darling Strawberry Fields Forever Norwegian Wood I Will Here Comes the Sun Seargent Pepper/With A Little Help From My Friends For No One Got to Get You into My Life Ticket to Ride Day Tripper Next 15 Signature Songs (in any order) Fool on the Hill Hard Day's Night If I Fell Can't Buy Me Love This Boy Two of Us Girl Michelle Lady Madonna Back in the USSR I've Just Seen a Face And I Love Her Paperback Writer Taxman I'll Follow the Sun Everyone knows these songs...even very casual and non-fans. I will bet that someone could come up with another 15 that I have missed. No group/individual has anything close to this number. Their music covered practically all genre's so every song/album sounded different. They appealed to so many. This is why they stayed on top even with all the competition throughout the 60's and their music will live on forever. I rest my case.
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I get where you're coming from, but I doubt the casual fan would know Taxman, For No One, She's Leaving Home or Girl. I would add She Loves You, Eight Days AWeek, Drive My Car, and Yellow Submarine (everybody knows that frickin' song!)
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I have to credit the lyrics. They are direct, speaking of the reality of the moment and the human response., often by the overview. Most songs prior to The Beatles were about boy-girl or lost love, or unrequited love, or outlaw, or what the singer got or didn't get out of it, or how bad it was personally and how it went, long after the fact. The lyrics didn't relate as well to anyone else. Pretty much like today's music. The modern songs are usually about what the singer did or didn't get out of it and there isn't much anyone can do about it. The songs of the 60's, the good ones, included the listener, often as the human experience in the present time, or the overview that becomes timeless, which is why those songs are still relevant today. The Beatles were also very good at breaking the shopworm monotony of those basic standard riffs that many other performers seemed to be dependent on ad infinitum. Something like: 3 Chords in 4/4 time A | A | A | A | D | D | A | A | E | E | D | D | A | A | A | A ...and repeat. And repeat... And repeat...sometimes on every record and by several artists. The same riff or the same tune with new lyrics, though mercifully not everyone was about that approach. There were some very fine melodies prior to The Beatles, else we wouldn't have followed the radio back then.
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Nancy R:
I get where you're coming from, but I doubt the casual fan would know Taxman, For No One, She's Leaving Home or Girl. I would add She Loves You, Eight Days AWeek, Drive My Car, and Yellow Submarine (everybody knows that frickin' song!)
Nancy, You are right. Calling a few of my selections signature songs might be a little bit of a stretch. Your 4 (She Loves You, 8 Days a Week, Drive My Car and Yellow Submarine) are more "known" universally than the ones you cited. It is interestined to note that Taxman does still get pretty strong radio play every year around April 15. Not too many full songs written about paying taxes. George's song is probably the most famous one. There are also some really good covers of "For No One" that made it a little more known. I think the one I remember is by Emy Lou Harris. It is so beautiful so I think country fans might know this Paul gem beyond the normal Pop audience. Since I wrote this post, I also remember that I didn't include "We Can Work It Out (another #1) which is also real well known. And getting to your point about Yellow Submarine, many casual or non fans also know Ringo's Octopusses Garden because it is basically a kids' song. No doubt I think you would agree that the Beatles have far more secondary and tertiary (I need spell check) songs that are universally known than any other artist. To go along with this, the Beatles album/CD sales dwarf the next biggest selling artist. The last I remember reading was that the Fabs album sales were well over 400 Million compared to several other artists that were getting close to 200 Million. These facts certainly confirm why the Beatles are logically considered the greatest. Even people who dislike the Beatles (How crazy is that thought) can't dispute these facts. Maybe someone here can get us actual numbers and which artists are trailing our boys. And of course, this 50th year anniversary is creating more CD sales.
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B J Conlee:
Nancy R:
I get where you're coming from, but I doubt the casual fan would know Taxman, For No One, She's Leaving Home or Girl. I would add She Loves You, Eight Days AWeek, Drive My Car, and Yellow Submarine (everybody knows that frickin' song!)
Nancy, You are right. Calling a few of my selections signature songs might be a little bit of a stretch. Your 4 (She Loves You, 8 Days a Week, Drive My Car and Yellow Submarine) are more "known" universally than the ones you cited. It is interestined to note that Taxman does still get pretty strong radio play every year around April 15. Not too many full songs written about paying taxes. George's song is probably the most famous one. There are also some really good covers of "For No One" that made it a little more known. I think the one I remember is by Emy Lou Harris. It is so beautiful so I think country fans might know this Paul gem beyond the normal Pop audience. Since I wrote this post, I also remember that I didn't include "We Can Work It Out (another #1) which is also real well known. And getting to your point about Yellow Submarine, many casual or non fans also know Ringo's Octopusses Garden because it is basically a kids' song. No doubt I think you would agree that the Beatles have far more secondary and tertiary (I need spell check) songs that are universally known than any other artist. To go along with this, the Beatles album/CD sales dwarf the next biggest selling artist. The last I remember reading was that the Fabs album sales were well over 400 Million compared to several other artists that were getting close to 200 Million. These facts certainly confirm why the Beatles are logically considered the greatest. Even people who dislike the Beatles (How crazy is that thought) can't dispute these facts. Maybe someone here can get us actual numbers and which artists are trailing our boys. And of course, this 50th year anniversary is creating more CD sales.
Nancy, In my 1st paragraph reply above I meant to say "than the ones I cited". thanks
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B J Conlee:
Nancy R:
I get where you're coming from, but I doubt the casual fan would know Taxman, For No One, She's Leaving Home or Girl. I would add She Loves You, Eight Days AWeek, Drive My Car, and Yellow Submarine (everybody knows that frickin' song!)
Nancy, You are right. Calling a few of my selections signature songs might be a little bit of a stretch. Your 4 (She Loves You, 8 Days a Week, Drive My Car and Yellow Submarine) are more "known" universally than the ones you cited. It is interestined to note that Taxman does still get pretty strong radio play every year around April 15. Not too many full songs written about paying taxes. George's song is probably the most famous one. There are also some really good covers of "For No One" that made it a little more known. I think the one I remember is by Emy Lou Harris. It is so beautiful so I think country fans might know this Paul gem beyond the normal Pop audience. Since I wrote this post, I also remember that I didn't include "We Can Work It Out (another #1) which is also real well known. And getting to your point about Yellow Submarine, many casual or non fans also know Ringo's Octopusses Garden because it is basically a kids' song. No doubt I think you would agree that the Beatles have far more secondary and tertiary (I need spell check) songs that are universally known than any other artist. To go along with this, the Beatles album/CD sales dwarf the next biggest selling artist. The last I remember reading was that the Fabs album sales were well over 400 Million compared to several other artists that were getting close to 200 Million. These facts certainly confirm why the Beatles are logically considered the greatest. Even people who dislike the Beatles (How crazy is that thought) can't dispute these facts. Maybe someone here can get us actual numbers and which artists are trailing our boys. And of course, this 50th year anniversary is creating more CD sales.
You spelled "tertiary" correctly BJ!
Yeah, funny about "Taxman"--I've heard it on April 15th too! Answer to your question is Elvis, then Michael Jackson: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_music_artists -
For me, it comes down to (yes, obviously the music - but beyond that), specicially the fact that they managed to reinvent themselves and rock music itself FOUR different times in a matter of SIX years. This, to me, is simply insane how they managed to do this. It's something that will never be duplicated. You have the early Beatles and the poppy tunes / Ed Sullivan era - All My Loving, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, She Loves You, etc. Then you have the folksy more complex Beatles - basically the Rubber Soul ? Revolver years - Norwegian Wood, In My Life, etc. Then you have the psychedelic phase. Not much explanation needed here - basically everything on Magical Mystery Tour and Sgt Peppers. Then you have the fourth and final stage which is just really good, sophisticated rock music with an edge and maturity well beyond its years - the White Album through Abbey Road. Each of these distinct periods sounded like nothing else before it and yet, each one is "Classic" Beatles. And again, the most amazing thing is it all happened in a matter of 6 years! Incredible.
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LiveForever:
For me, it comes down to (yes, obviously the music - but beyond that), specicially the fact that they managed to reinvent themselves and rock music itself FOUR different times in a matter of SIX years. This, to me, is simply insane how they managed to do this. It's something that will never be duplicated. You have the early Beatles and the poppy tunes / Ed Sullivan era - All My Loving, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, She Loves You, etc. Then you have the folksy more complex Beatles - basically the Rubber Soul ? Revolver years - Norwegian Wood, In My Life, etc. Then you have the psychedelic phase. Not much explanation needed here - basically everything on Magical Mystery Tour and Sgt Peppers. Then you have the fourth and final stage which is just really good, sophisticated rock music with an edge and maturity well beyond its years - the White Album through Abbey Road. Each of these distinct periods sounded like nothing else before it and yet, each one is "Classic" Beatles. And again, the most amazing thing is it all happened in a matter of 6 years! Incredible.
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LiveForever:
For me, it comes down to (yes, obviously the music - but beyond that), specicially the fact that they managed to reinvent themselves and rock music itself FOUR different times in a matter of SIX years. This, to me, is simply insane how they managed to do this. It's something that will never be duplicated. You have the early Beatles and the poppy tunes / Ed Sullivan era - All My Loving, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, She Loves You, etc. Then you have the folksy more complex Beatles - basically the Rubber Soul ? Revolver years - Norwegian Wood, In My Life, etc. Then you have the psychedelic phase. Not much explanation needed here - basically everything on Magical Mystery Tour and Sgt Peppers. Then you have the fourth and final stage which is just really good, sophisticated rock music with an edge and maturity well beyond its years - the White Album through Abbey Road. Each of these distinct periods sounded like nothing else before it and yet, each one is "Classic" Beatles. And again, the most amazing thing is it all happened in a matter of 6 years! Incredible.
LiveForever, you have hit the nail on the head!!
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Nancy R:
LiveForever, you have hit the nail on the head!!
A bit of hammer & nailing
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LiveForever:
For me, it comes down to (yes, obviously the music - but beyond that), specicially the fact that they managed to reinvent themselves and rock music itself FOUR different times in a matter of SIX years. This, to me, is simply insane how they managed to do this. It's something that will never be duplicated. You have the early Beatles and the poppy tunes / Ed Sullivan era - All My Loving, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, She Loves You, etc. Then you have the folksy more complex Beatles - basically the Rubber Soul ? Revolver years - Norwegian Wood, In My Life, etc. Then you have the psychedelic phase. Not much explanation needed here - basically everything on Magical Mystery Tour and Sgt Peppers. Then you have the fourth and final stage which is just really good, sophisticated rock music with an edge and maturity well beyond its years - the White Album through Abbey Road. Each of these distinct periods sounded like nothing else before it and yet, each one is "Classic" Beatles. And again, the most amazing thing is it all happened in a matter of 6 years! Incredible.
That's good! Let's see another band do that! It'll never happen again.
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LiveForever:
For me, it comes down to (yes, obviously the music - but beyond that), specicially the fact that they managed to reinvent themselves and rock music itself FOUR different times in a matter of SIX years. This, to me, is simply insane how they managed to do this. It's something that will never be duplicated. You have the early Beatles and the poppy tunes / Ed Sullivan era - All My Loving, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, She Loves You, etc. Then you have the folksy more complex Beatles - basically the Rubber Soul ? Revolver years - Norwegian Wood, In My Life, etc. Then you have the psychedelic phase. Not much explanation needed here - basically everything on Magical Mystery Tour and Sgt Peppers. Then you have the fourth and final stage which is just really good, sophisticated rock music with an edge and maturity well beyond its years - the White Album through Abbey Road. Each of these distinct periods sounded like nothing else before it and yet, each one is "Classic" Beatles. And again, the most amazing thing is it all happened in a matter of 6 years! Incredible.
Can't add any more than that.......... -
The Beatles' songs don't sound outdated and are better than most of today's songs.
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oobu24:
Nancy R:
LiveForever, you have hit the nail on the head!!
A bit of hammer & nailing
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Most groups hit a plateau and then stay there....safe, never evolving. The Beatles didn't do that. They were not only the greatest and most influential act of the rock era and introduced more innovations into popular music than any other rock band of the 20th century, they were also simultaneously the best at what they did and most popular at what they did. Relentlessly imaginative and experimental, the Beatles grabbed hold of the international mass consciousness in 1964 and never let go for the next six years, always staying ahead of the pack in terms of creativity but never losing their ability to communicate their increasingly sophisticated ideas to a mass audience. Their supremacy as rock icons remains unchallenged to this day, decades after their breakup in 1970. That folks, will not be repeated!!! There won't be another Beatles or anything like them!!
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Thanks for all the great replies guys and ladies. You really expanded and deepened the original post to explain why the Beatles are and always will be the greatest. I didn't really think that TV really answered the question completely. In the end, the reason they have so much universal staying power is because of the diversity of music they wrote.
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Beatles4Ever&Ever:
Most groups hit a plateau and then stay there....safe, never evolving. The Beatles didn't do that. They were not only the greatest and most influential act of the rock era and introduced more innovations into popular music than any other rock band of the 20th century, they were also simultaneously the best at what they did and most popular at what they did. Relentlessly imaginative and experimental, the Beatles grabbed hold of the international mass consciousness in 1964 and never let go for the next six years, always staying ahead of the pack in terms of creativity but never losing their ability to communicate their increasingly sophisticated ideas to a mass audience. Their supremacy as rock icons remains unchallenged to this day, decades after their breakup in 1970. That folks, will not be repeated!!! There won't be another Beatles or anything like them!!
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I just want to rephrase my earlier comment. The Beatles' songs don't sound outdated because they are better than most of today's songs.
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Why THE BEATLES are by far the Greatest? Because they just are!
