Blimey, just googled it to see if I was right (no really) and the poor b*****s dead. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/jun/07/arts.artsnews
Every composer has 'borrowed' - or been influenced - by others. It then comes down to what you 'do' with it. Yes, Wilson & Co produced some stunning work, and when one of their very few truly great songs come on the radio, it is a wonderful thing. With the Beatles, the list of truly great songs go an and on and on. How many songs by how many bands make you almost gasp at their beauty and originality? Seriously, give that station an hour of background listening when you are idly doing 'stuff' like posting on here. Trying to think of the ones I heard today as I painted and painted... The Long & Winding Road. Yes, we al know that song. We all know it is astonishingly beautiful. Try listening to it again - the voice, the lyrics, the production. It is incredible. I Me Mine. Something In the Way. A Day In the Life Eleanor Rigby And then go back to even their early stuff; All I got to do, And I love her, And your bird can sing, Do you want to know a secret, Every little thing, For no one, Girl, Here, there, everywhere... it is seemingly endless. All of them amazing songs. Seriously, who else comes close?
Lots of bands DA, if you' only open your ears. Yes I mentioned that the Beatles borrowed heavily off the tricks learnt by classical composers. Changing the key on the second chorus , or final verse, is a classical trick to lend something extra to a piece. I'm not saying they were bad,,, just that in musical composition, they weren't the best. The Beatles came about at a time when music was literally crying out for something new. The Beatles ( and their producer) took full advantage of this. Still , they were a great band. Others since have produced much better work. Pink Floyd for instance and their seminal album Dark Side of the Moon. Surely on a par, if not better than any Beatles album ???
Weirdly, I dislike Dark Side. I know, I know - it's a classic. And it is 'brilliant'. I loved it when it first came out. And loved it for a dozen listens. Then I realised it lacked soul. It was too 'perfect'. It seemed over-rehearsed. It dotted too many 'i's. It tried too hard. And, you know what? It's dull. Tedious. Whiny. Drudgy. The vocals and lyrics are up their own botties. Indulgent. Over-indulgent. There's lots of Floyd stuff that I like a lot, but DSoTM I cannot bear any more. It's like Hotel California - both in song and in sentiment.
That is correct FB. He was signed to the Apple Label and even scored a UK hit single "That's the way (god planned it)" .
With the risk of my new-found appreciation of The Beatles melding in to a full obsession, I have recently been looking at their musicianship. Bludy shaggin' brilliant. Here's Paul...
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