"The Beatles are totally overrated"

I actually heard that at a bar last week. I was talking to some tattooed skeleton of a hardcore girl, feigning interest in her seven visible piercings and hoping to see more, when her male companion, mad about the ongoing flirtation, took drastic action. "Come Together" came on the jukebox; he looked up from his drink and stated defiantly, albeit out of nowhere, "The Beatles are totally overrated." I quickly went limp, stammered something about needing another drink, and stumbled off in shock.

Whoa, hey, King of Rock. You're out of your depth. So you don't like the late 60s hippie deal; that's fine. Neither do I, anymore. When someone says "The Beatles," everyone thinks peace, love & Apple Computers. Get over it. It's time you re-invented your perceptions.

Truth is, The Beatles were badass in the beginning. All-black, leather jacket-wearing, cigarette chain-smoking, savage rock & roll street punks. Okay, Paul was still a pussy. But John's early songs are pure pain. He's so jealous & bitter & angry at women for leaving and his mum for dying, it makes me want to cry. John doesn't want to hold your hand. John doesn't believe in yesterday. If you ever touch another man, John will hunt you down and kill you, bitch.

There's no way to counter the ignorance I met in the bar the other night. I can, however, rest easy knowing that that night was a fluke. It's the year 2005. The Beatles conversation is closed. I just had to show some Liverpool pride after that exchange. Here's four of John's early songs for your listening pain.



The Beatles - I'm A Loser | I'll Cry Instead | You Can't Do That | Run For Your Life

right-click, save target as | buy from Amazon

This entry was posted on 11.11.2005 at 4:23 PM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.

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8:57 PM

Hello.

I like this post, alot.

I won't pretend I know or feel The Beatles in the way that you do, but they are what you say they are, John was what you say he was, and the twat you overheard the other night whilst trying to get a peek of the piercings, is exactly that - a twat.

I have always had The Beatles in my life (my mum listened to them, my dad played their stuff in his band), and as an adult, I have had ocassion to feel the lyrics of their gold, such as 'In My Life', at a funeral. I see more in them in every song, the more I look.

Well done for this beautifully presented and passionate post X    



9:05 PM

Thank you.    



1:47 AM

ooh best beatles record, that's a fight waiting to happen.

hm. as a kid i said Abbey Road, because it's quirky and I liked it the best.

in high school i said the White Album, because i loved all the angst evident between the band members.

now i'm gonna go with Rubber Soul...it's simple, but i think it showcases their best, stripped-down songwriting.

how about you? god i really can't get enough of the beatles.    



3:32 PM

yo dude. i totally understand how you felt. this one time at my work, some wench dissed Cher and I was like "eh, I cannot be your cashier. excuse eh moi"

like. totally. for sure.    



11:00 AM

Yawn, they suck. Used to listen to them in my teens. 30 years later i couldn't care less. Your either a stones fan or a beatles fan. You can point to the beatles' maudlin foment as the seed for todays EMO crap. Thank you for Fall Out Boy, Sir Paul.

Exile on Main Street blows any beatles albums away, at least I can tolerate listening to that every few years. When I'm 64? So tired. Where is my lace hanky to blow my nose in. Ugh.    



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