Thursday, March 20, 2008

The Thursday Three

Maybe it's been American Idol, maybe it's the fact that my iPod has been running constantly lately, maybe it's even the Paul McCartney/Heather Mills financial judgment, but whatever the reason I've had the Beatles on my mind lately.


I adore the Beatles and always have, so this is not a bad place to be. Some of my very favorite songs ever are Beatles songs, and god knows there are enough amazing ones to choose from. Seriously, what percentage of their songs is considered "classics"? Very, very high. Which makes me a complete misfit to list


Beatle's Classics I Don't Really Like


1. I Want to Hold Your Hand.
Love the sentiment. Love the message. Just don't like the song. Don't know why. And it's not that I don't like their bouncy, upbeat songs, because I do. Just not this one.



2. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band. There are so many other songs in this collection that are, to me anyway, so much better (She's Leaving Home, A Day in the Life). I realize this is an iconic song for an entire generation. But I'm still not crazy about it.



3. Yesterday. Please direct all hate mail to my email address rather than showing up on my front doorstep. I'm well aware that this is one of the most beloved Beatles songs around, but it leaves me cold. They did so many really poignant things that didn't seem to be trying quite so hard. It's pretty enough, I guess. It just doesn't move me.


Which Beatle's songs don't move you?

30 comments:

Altaglow said...

Can't agree with you on Yesterday but Yellow Submarine has always escaped me!

Anonymous said...

I love the Beatles! I've found something to like in every Beatles song, but I don't really like All You Need is Love or any of the sitar songs. I used to not like Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, or Here Comes the Sun, but now I have a better appreciation for them. Oh, and I Am the Walrus has always bothered me.

willowtree said...

Pretty much all of them.

Irene said...

I'm not a Beatles fan, so none of their songs really move me. They are not avant garde enough for me. The only song I half way like is "Michelle, my belle."

Kim said...

I'm a fan. Off the top of my head:

1. "Yellow Submarine"
2. "Doctor Robert"
3. "Honey Pie"

ped crossing said...

Can't say that I can name any, but then again I only hear them when they come on in the itunes rotation. And since we have 17.9 days (yes, I said days) worth of songs to listen to, it doesn't happen too often.

PinkAcorn said...

I 'd have to agree with "I am the Walrus". I just wish Paul would stop trying to make music and retire for good.

Carolyn said...

I've got to agree with you on I Want to Hold Your Hand. I just don't find it very... um... I can't think of the word... musical? The tune just isn't that interesting or pretty. Same with Yellow Submarine. Especially not compared to their later work. Otherwise I'm a fan. When I was 15 (like one of your commenters) they were all I listened to. I love "When I'm 65". For some reason it always makes me cry, but then again I cry for Tim Horton's commercials (a Canadian doughnut shop), so that isn't saying much.

Hope you're well and getting some much needed rest!

the mother of this lot said...

I don't like Sgt. Pepper, Strawberry Fields or Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Although I do think when they wrote these they were being 'helped along' with something!

Thanks for commenting - I missed you!

Your answer was rubbish though.

belle said...

hmm, tricky one because I'm sure you know that being British means we are born with an inherent knowledge of all Beatles lyrics. Didn't Huge Grant say that in some film? Anyway, to the matter in hand ... I'm going with 1) I am the Walrus, 2) Yellow Submarine and 3)The Ballad of John and Yoko. Which makes the first two popularly unpopular ...

Beth said...

Well, the entire White Album left me cold, so there's more than 3 in there. Also didn't care for Maxwell's Silver Hammer. And Hey Jude was just insipid.

wakeupandsmellthecoffee said...

Can't stand: Across the Universe, Yesterday (hate the syrupy strings), Yellow Submarine.

But I love Here, There, and Everywhere, Norwegian Wood, and Here Comes the Sun. And Eleanor Rigby and Let It Be.

Aoj and The Lurchers said...

Actually, it's easier for me to list the Beatle's songs that I do like. There's only one. Hey Jude.

I grew up in an "Elvis" house and the Beatles were heathen. I guess it's stuck!

Jen said...

If you can't say something nice, let Willowtree say it for you...

I agree with Altaglow that Yellow Submarine never did much for me. She Loves You, even though it is cited as one of their best pop songs ever, has never done anything for me either. And there were a few cuts on the White Album that left me scratching my head. But I am naming my daughter after a Beatles/Lennon song, so...

Jo Beaufoix said...

I'm with you on ''I wanna hold your hand', and I also find 'Yesterday' really annoying and a bit middle of the road (sorry), but I do love the majority of them. Erm, Norwegian Wood annoys me sometimes.

laurie said...

the songs are all mixed up in nostalgia for me.

i can't view them objectively as music.

Potty Mummy said...

I know you want songs we don't like - but I can't think of any, not because I love them all, but because for some reason right now I can only remember the 2 that I love: A Hard Day's Night, and Norwegian Wood.

LCM said...

I liked Yesterday, until I really listened to the words and it just sounds like a lame wishing of a stupid boyfriend. I live with a Beatles afficionado, so I have grown accustomed to most of them. My girls absolutely love Yellow Submarine the movie and there is nothing sweeter than little people singing along to psychedelic (?) music. PS Hey Jude is Fiona's song for name reasons and the story behind the song is really sweet.

Rudee said...

I don't care for most of Revolver with one or two exceptions. I don't like Eleanor Rigby and it seems lots of people have done a cover of this song. I'll turn the station if this comes on.

Maggie May said...

Yellow Submarine, doesn't do much for me!
Yay ........ love the Beatles!

Diana said...

I really, really, REALLY dislike "I Wanna Hold Your Hand". I might hate it less if I didn't know they were capable of brilliance. To me, it's totally commercial, totally trite. The tune also grates on my nerves.

Marti said...

Great blog today!
3 worst Beatles songs (if there really is any...)

1. ob-la-di, ob-la-da
2. Dear Prudence
3. Maxwell silver hammer

3 favorite:

1. Rocky Racoon
2. Got to get you into my life
3. I'll follow the sun

How is that for eclectic taste? Have a great day

wakeupandsmellthecoffee said...

Just thought of another one: The Long and Winding Road. BORING!!

Akelamalu said...

I love everything by the Beatles, well I'm not keen on Yellow Submarine but that's the only one!

MWM has everything the Beatles have ever released even a couple of singles they did when they were working in Germany before they were famous! Youngest son has laid claim to them as his inheritance he said he would never sell them though he just wants to own them! :)

Akelamalu said...

PS also meant to say youngest son loves them so much he named his son KAI LENNON!

aims said...

I don't like any Beatle songs. I must be the only person on the planet who turns off the radio when any of their songs come on.

Fooferoo said...

Buffalo Bill...what did you kill? Reminds me of chemistry class when I accidentally attempted to blow up the lab as it was playing at the time.

I also don't particularly like Long and Winding Road, Dr Robert or the one about "lovely rita metermaid" sorry can't remember the title and I'm too lazy to go look.

Swearing Mother said...

Without a doubt, Yellow Submarine.

The only one I don't like. Sorry Ringo.

holly said...

i'm in total agreement and i'll add hey jude. if i hear hey jude again, i will take a hostage. seriously.

Dumdad said...

I'm not being lazy here but I'd like to quote Laurie's remark:

"the songs are all mixed up in nostalgia for me.

i can't view them objectively as music."

That's my problem too. I like them all because I was brought up on The Beatles. Some are not as good as others, of course.

I don't like most of the Harrison compositions but I really only consider the Lennon/McCartney songs to be pure Beatles.