if you want some fun, sing
November 26, 2012 8:17 PM Subscribe
They're in a shopping cart-cum-camera dolly, right?
I am *so* done with ukes and mustaches, but this was really too happy and cute for me to hate.
posted by smirkette at 8:39 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
I am *so* done with ukes and mustaches, but this was really too happy and cute for me to hate.
posted by smirkette at 8:39 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yesterday all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they're here to stay.
posted by mediated self at 8:40 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by mediated self at 8:40 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
You have not experienced "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" until you have read the original by The Offspring.
(Also, this video was a joy!)
posted by bpm140 at 8:42 PM on November 26, 2012
(Also, this video was a joy!)
posted by bpm140 at 8:42 PM on November 26, 2012
I am SOOOO dancing, clapping, and laughing!!
posted by michellenoel at 8:44 PM on November 26, 2012
posted by michellenoel at 8:44 PM on November 26, 2012
If I'm not mistaken, this very video made the Manson Family kill a dozen people in the Sixties.
posted by twoleftfeet at 8:45 PM on November 26, 2012 [8 favorites]
posted by twoleftfeet at 8:45 PM on November 26, 2012 [8 favorites]
Massive positive vibe in that video
posted by Jaymzifer at 8:46 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Jaymzifer at 8:46 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Why have so few people (adequately) covered Eno's Spider & I, the perfect lullaby?
posted by Nomyte at 8:53 PM on November 26, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by Nomyte at 8:53 PM on November 26, 2012 [5 favorites]
I have no idea how all these people got wedged in this corridor or why.
I have always, always hated this song.
So I can almost hate on this.
Almost.
Unfortunately, I appreciate the amount of work that goes into something like this.
Even if it is Christian rock.
posted by Mezentian at 8:54 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
I have always, always hated this song.
So I can almost hate on this.
Almost.
Unfortunately, I appreciate the amount of work that goes into something like this.
Even if it is Christian rock.
posted by Mezentian at 8:54 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Good performance overall, great dolly work, but worst rock mustaches ever.
And for the most unimportant 'misheard lyrics' ever, I always thought it was "La la, how the life goes on", not "la la la la life goes on". Weird.
posted by oneswellfoop at 9:01 PM on November 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
And for the most unimportant 'misheard lyrics' ever, I always thought it was "La la, how the life goes on", not "la la la la life goes on". Weird.
posted by oneswellfoop at 9:01 PM on November 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
To answer the camera dolly question, I've done stuff for major-network broadcast like this with a Canon 5D Mark Whatever and literally one of those dollies that mailrooms use to deliver paper.
I noticed on the sidebar that the singer seemed to be from MercyMe. I clicked thru and gah! Evangorock! Shame, I found the singer appealing.
This is 1,000 kinds of awesome.
posted by nevercalm at 9:05 PM on November 26, 2012
I noticed on the sidebar that the singer seemed to be from MercyMe. I clicked thru and gah! Evangorock! Shame, I found the singer appealing.
This is 1,000 kinds of awesome.
posted by nevercalm at 9:05 PM on November 26, 2012
What's always bothered me about this song is that "ob-la-di-ob-bla-da" is an obvious drug reference, but I don't know what drug they're talking about. The song ends, "if you want some fun, take ob-la-di-bla-da." But what is this drug?
We know the Beatles were smoking marijuana and taking LSD and snorting cocaine, sometimes at the same time, but this "ob-la-di-ob-bla-da" is unfamiliar to me. It sounds exciting, but because of the coded references all we can do is try to pinpoint the specific drug from the lyrics.
It seems like a pretty nasty drug, quickly turning both Molly and Desmond away from their idyllic middle-class lives, away from Desmond's barrow in the market place to the point where he is pawning his future at the jewelry store to get some bling-bling and then staying at home to paint his pretty face while the children run around in yard.
It's a cautionary tale expressed as a pop tune, and I'm glad the Beatles gave up using ob-la-di-bla-da and returned to marijuana, LSD, and cocaine, which are better for the children.
posted by twoleftfeet at 9:12 PM on November 26, 2012 [12 favorites]
We know the Beatles were smoking marijuana and taking LSD and snorting cocaine, sometimes at the same time, but this "ob-la-di-ob-bla-da" is unfamiliar to me. It sounds exciting, but because of the coded references all we can do is try to pinpoint the specific drug from the lyrics.
It seems like a pretty nasty drug, quickly turning both Molly and Desmond away from their idyllic middle-class lives, away from Desmond's barrow in the market place to the point where he is pawning his future at the jewelry store to get some bling-bling and then staying at home to paint his pretty face while the children run around in yard.
It's a cautionary tale expressed as a pop tune, and I'm glad the Beatles gave up using ob-la-di-bla-da and returned to marijuana, LSD, and cocaine, which are better for the children.
posted by twoleftfeet at 9:12 PM on November 26, 2012 [12 favorites]
Evangelical rockers sang "Desmond.. does his pretty face" without mincing or censoring the line! I'm a little surprised, actually. Note they did replace "take" with "sing".
posted by StrikeTheViol at 9:13 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by StrikeTheViol at 9:13 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
"La la, how the life goes on"
I feel certain I've seen it written that way in liner notes.
posted by reprise the theme song and roll the credits at 9:19 PM on November 26, 2012
I feel certain I've seen it written that way in liner notes.
posted by reprise the theme song and roll the credits at 9:19 PM on November 26, 2012
It seems to me that everyone involved was having a lot of fun. If fun is involved, I have no doubt that Sir Paul approves!
posted by TDavis at 9:21 PM on November 26, 2012
posted by TDavis at 9:21 PM on November 26, 2012
Nice, I wanted to hate this but can't.
posted by marxchivist at 9:40 PM on November 26, 2012
posted by marxchivist at 9:40 PM on November 26, 2012
Cool video, brah.
posted by zamboni at 9:41 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by zamboni at 9:41 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
(This is a follow up to this AskMe)
I hope you also play some real Beatles for your kid and not just covers. I remember listening to Across the Universe as a kid and feeling really comforted by the lines, "Nothing's gonna change my world," even though I knew eventually my world would change.
I get a little teary thinking about it, even writing this comment. But it's a warm memory. Really.
posted by sweetkid at 9:42 PM on November 26, 2012 [10 favorites]
Wow, I really wanted them to go into Wild Honey Pie - Brilliant
posted by mattoxic at 9:43 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by mattoxic at 9:43 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Oh front-row ukulele guy.
Sultry, sultry front-row ukulele guy.
Why can't I quit you.
posted by Sebmojo at 9:49 PM on November 26, 2012 [11 favorites]
Sultry, sultry front-row ukulele guy.
Why can't I quit you.
posted by Sebmojo at 9:49 PM on November 26, 2012 [11 favorites]
I like their version of Footloose, if only for the choreography.
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 9:49 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 9:49 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
...Sweetkid, Yes, as a matter of fact, I found this video because Adora, who just turned three, is listening to a bunch of Beatles right now, and she loves them! It makes me so happy, because I was such a giant Beatles fan from 1964 on.
By the way, she is sitting on my desk right now next to me & is reading this comment as I type it... This is so cute & so meta... She says "Hi"
posted by growabrain at 9:51 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
By the way, she is sitting on my desk right now next to me & is reading this comment as I type it... This is so cute & so meta... She says "Hi"
posted by growabrain at 9:51 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
aww. Hi Adora!
posted by sweetkid at 9:51 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by sweetkid at 9:51 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
In a world where there is Evangelical hard rock (I shan't call it metal) and Evangelical rap, is anyone surprised by Evangelical hipsterism?
They want to be where the kids are. Get them young.
(Also, they changed the words to Footloose too, from "Jeeze Louise" to "Please, Louise", but that video was a dark sucking void of fun compared to the Beatles cover).
posted by Mezentian at 10:00 PM on November 26, 2012
They want to be where the kids are. Get them young.
(Also, they changed the words to Footloose too, from "Jeeze Louise" to "Please, Louise", but that video was a dark sucking void of fun compared to the Beatles cover).
posted by Mezentian at 10:00 PM on November 26, 2012
Evangelical hipsterism
It is their crass to bear.
posted by twoleftfeet at 10:29 PM on November 26, 2012 [18 favorites]
It is their crass to bear.
posted by twoleftfeet at 10:29 PM on November 26, 2012 [18 favorites]
The phrase Ob-la-di Ob-la-da (and perhaps other elements of the distinctly African diaspora sound and lyric of the song) came from my friend's uncle, Jimmy Scott, a musician friend of the Beatles (not the singer of the same name). Scott apparently felt that he had a claim to part ownership of the song, but then found himself in jail over non-payment of child maintenance. The wonderfully beneficial Paul McCartney offered to pay his bail on the condition that he didn't claim any rights to the song.
Jimmy went on to play percussion with the band Bad Manners, and died in his sixties after being strip searched by police in customs.
RIP Jimmy Scott.
posted by iotic at 11:59 PM on November 26, 2012 [27 favorites]
Jimmy went on to play percussion with the band Bad Manners, and died in his sixties after being strip searched by police in customs.
RIP Jimmy Scott.
posted by iotic at 11:59 PM on November 26, 2012 [27 favorites]
Interesting story, iotic! Googling around, I found a longer version.
posted by Kattullus at 1:38 AM on November 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Kattullus at 1:38 AM on November 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
Interesting story, iotic! Googling around, I found a longer version.
Thanks for the link Kattullus, but please warn about music automatically playing when a page is opened - it's an interesting read, but I'm sure my colleagues at work don't need to hear a midi version of the song on loop.
posted by YAMWAK at 2:27 AM on November 27, 2012
Thanks for the link Kattullus, but please warn about music automatically playing when a page is opened - it's an interesting read, but I'm sure my colleagues at work don't need to hear a midi version of the song on loop.
posted by YAMWAK at 2:27 AM on November 27, 2012
Headphones solve so many problems, you know?
posted by brennen at 2:42 AM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by brennen at 2:42 AM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
I wish this would happen to me. Without the fundie part.
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 3:30 AM on November 27, 2012
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 3:30 AM on November 27, 2012
That was completely adorable, thanks.
Note they did replace "take" with "sing".
Huh, up until now, that's what I thought it was.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 5:22 AM on November 27, 2012
Note they did replace "take" with "sing".
Huh, up until now, that's what I thought it was.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 5:22 AM on November 27, 2012
Wes Anderson has a lot to answer for.
posted by ciderwoman at 5:26 AM on November 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by ciderwoman at 5:26 AM on November 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
Without the fundie part.
Generally speaking, I don't think these guys identify as fundies, I think they're liberal Christians.
In the origina, it is "how the life goes on," by the way.
posted by Miko at 5:35 AM on November 27, 2012
Generally speaking, I don't think these guys identify as fundies, I think they're liberal Christians.
In the origina, it is "how the life goes on," by the way.
posted by Miko at 5:35 AM on November 27, 2012
Oh Lord (literally?), THAT IS DELIGHTFUL.
Also, my boy, a Jude (after the song, yes, and NOT the dude in the bible), approves heartily. Mommy approves heartily of the fellow back there who starts in with the clapping. Mommy cannot help herself, she likes his ponytail.
posted by youandiandaflame at 5:35 AM on November 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
Also, my boy, a Jude (after the song, yes, and NOT the dude in the bible), approves heartily. Mommy approves heartily of the fellow back there who starts in with the clapping. Mommy cannot help herself, she likes his ponytail.
posted by youandiandaflame at 5:35 AM on November 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
I've personally never believed that swapping the genders in the last verse was a mistake, though you read it in a lot of Beatle history. That's the winking joke in the song, the only thing that makes repeating the last verse have any sense at all.
posted by Miko at 5:38 AM on November 27, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by Miko at 5:38 AM on November 27, 2012 [3 favorites]
Some reasonable doubt about the attribution of the title phrase to Yoruba. I'm skeptical. Not that the drummer used the phrase but that that the Yoruba language is its origin - seems a little pat and I just can't find it in any online Yoruba phrase sites or dictionaries.
posted by Miko at 5:46 AM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Miko at 5:46 AM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
This is cute and cleverly made, but A. That dude in the pork pie kinda ruined it for me with his face. and B. Sad that these are all professional musicians whose most enjoyable output ever was a youtube video of a Beatles cover. Step up your game Christian Rockers! (Superdrag excepted)
posted by Potomac Avenue at 5:49 AM on November 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 5:49 AM on November 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
I've personally never believed that swapping the genders in the last verse was a mistake
I think probably at one point they goofed on the lyrics (there's an alternate take in Vol. 3 of the Anthology where they get it "right"), but I agree that's its left in there intentionally as a joke.
Sort of along those lines, I've had this pet theory for a long time that, in the White Album recording, we're hearing the song played "live" to an elderly Desmond and Molly. After the final notes are played you can hear them laugh and thank the band.
posted by Dr. Zachary Smith at 5:59 AM on November 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
I think probably at one point they goofed on the lyrics (there's an alternate take in Vol. 3 of the Anthology where they get it "right"), but I agree that's its left in there intentionally as a joke.
Sort of along those lines, I've had this pet theory for a long time that, in the White Album recording, we're hearing the song played "live" to an elderly Desmond and Molly. After the final notes are played you can hear them laugh and thank the band.
posted by Dr. Zachary Smith at 5:59 AM on November 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
mattoxic: "Wow, I really wanted them to go into Wild Honey Pie - Brilliant"
Oh crap - why am I now hearing Cartman... HONEH PAAAAAAAAAAH! HONEH PAAAAAAAAAAH!
posted by symbioid at 6:37 AM on November 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
Oh crap - why am I now hearing Cartman... HONEH PAAAAAAAAAAH! HONEH PAAAAAAAAAAH!
posted by symbioid at 6:37 AM on November 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
Some reasonable doubt about the attribution of the title phrase to Yoruba.
My friend who is is Jimmy Scott's niece says her family are not Yoruba. They are a mix of two other tribes - one of which is not too distantly related to Yoruba. I think perhaps the part about it being Yoruba is simply wrong - though that has become part of the urban myth. Maybe I'll ask her about it next time I see her - I'm sure the family would know where it comes from. Since Nigeria has something like over 200 languages and is the most ethnically, genetically and linguistically diverse concentration of people on the planet, I imagine it might be quite hard to find out the source of the phrase without some investigation.
posted by iotic at 6:38 AM on November 27, 2012 [6 favorites]
My friend who is is Jimmy Scott's niece says her family are not Yoruba. They are a mix of two other tribes - one of which is not too distantly related to Yoruba. I think perhaps the part about it being Yoruba is simply wrong - though that has become part of the urban myth. Maybe I'll ask her about it next time I see her - I'm sure the family would know where it comes from. Since Nigeria has something like over 200 languages and is the most ethnically, genetically and linguistically diverse concentration of people on the planet, I imagine it might be quite hard to find out the source of the phrase without some investigation.
posted by iotic at 6:38 AM on November 27, 2012 [6 favorites]
Trying to understand what their religion has anything to do withis video. Christians aren't supposed to like the Beatles? Aren't allowed to have fun? What?
Sometimes a fun video is just a fun video. The singer has a nice voice; this is a good performance even if they muff a lyric or two.
posted by scelerat at 6:55 AM on November 27, 2012 [5 favorites]
Sometimes a fun video is just a fun video. The singer has a nice voice; this is a good performance even if they muff a lyric or two.
posted by scelerat at 6:55 AM on November 27, 2012 [5 favorites]
My general opinion of this song is best explained by this excerpt from Blender's "50 Worst Songs of All Time":
48
THE BEATLES
“Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” 1968
You can practically hear them gritting their teeth
The Beatles proved conclusively that there were two things they could not do: play reggae and feign enjoyment. “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” was a ska track recorded at a point during the White Album sessions when the Beatles would happily have beaten one another to death if only they had had some clubs on hand. As a result, this sounds less like reggae than the desperately chirpy songs Cockneys used to sing to keep their spirits up while the Luftwaffe rained death on them during the Blitz.
Worst Moment The woefully unconvincing laughter in the final line: “If you want some fun — heh-heh-heh-heh! — take ob-la-di-bla-da!”
That said, I enjoyed this cover - dumb mustaches aside, I thought it actually captured the joy that seems to elude the original.
Also, this may have been on MeFi previously but: Anatomy of the Christian Hipster
posted by naoko at 8:24 AM on November 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
48
THE BEATLES
“Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” 1968
You can practically hear them gritting their teeth
The Beatles proved conclusively that there were two things they could not do: play reggae and feign enjoyment. “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” was a ska track recorded at a point during the White Album sessions when the Beatles would happily have beaten one another to death if only they had had some clubs on hand. As a result, this sounds less like reggae than the desperately chirpy songs Cockneys used to sing to keep their spirits up while the Luftwaffe rained death on them during the Blitz.
Worst Moment The woefully unconvincing laughter in the final line: “If you want some fun — heh-heh-heh-heh! — take ob-la-di-bla-da!”
That said, I enjoyed this cover - dumb mustaches aside, I thought it actually captured the joy that seems to elude the original.
Also, this may have been on MeFi previously but: Anatomy of the Christian Hipster
posted by naoko at 8:24 AM on November 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
This song works really well when arranged for solo classical guitar: Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
posted by obscure simpsons reference at 8:25 AM on November 27, 2012
posted by obscure simpsons reference at 8:25 AM on November 27, 2012
Trying to understand what their religion has anything to do withis video.
Really nothing, but I imagine some folks here are struggling with a situation similar to something like, say, realizing you really love the newest Bieber single or finding that an @KimKardashian tweet really resonates with you on a personal level.
posted by Dr. Zachary Smith at 8:27 AM on November 27, 2012 [3 favorites]
Really nothing, but I imagine some folks here are struggling with a situation similar to something like, say, realizing you really love the newest Bieber single or finding that an @KimKardashian tweet really resonates with you on a personal level.
posted by Dr. Zachary Smith at 8:27 AM on November 27, 2012 [3 favorites]
I have to say, I've been a Beatles fan since before I was born (my Mom spun Abbey Road incessantly while pregnant with me) and I love their entire catalogue and am into musicology, but I never once, before this thread, thought that this song had anything to do with ska or reggae.
I always thought it just sounded like a 1920s music hall kind of thing. I hear it now, but it had to be explained to me. That's either poor execution of the style on their part, or obliviousness on mine. No question that calypso, ska, and that sort of sound were popular at the time.
posted by Miko at 8:31 AM on November 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
I always thought it just sounded like a 1920s music hall kind of thing. I hear it now, but it had to be explained to me. That's either poor execution of the style on their part, or obliviousness on mine. No question that calypso, ska, and that sort of sound were popular at the time.
posted by Miko at 8:31 AM on November 27, 2012 [2 favorites]
"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" is way too easy a target for "worst Beatles song ever" and ignores the fact that most everything in their early period was dreadful. Its a novelty song and that automatically excludes it from "worst song" consideration. For a song to truly qualify for "worst song" status, the song needs to be either a spectacular failed attempt at quality or perhaps a cynical attempt at generating record sales.
This is why "Paperback Writer" should always be the first song in line for the "worst Beatles song" title (follower closely by the excorciating Dada experiment, "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite"). You'll note that no Christian hipster band has ever attempted to cover either of those. I rest my case.
posted by Joey Michaels at 8:42 AM on November 27, 2012
This is why "Paperback Writer" should always be the first song in line for the "worst Beatles song" title (follower closely by the excorciating Dada experiment, "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite"). You'll note that no Christian hipster band has ever attempted to cover either of those. I rest my case.
posted by Joey Michaels at 8:42 AM on November 27, 2012
What, pray tell, is wrong with "Paperback Writer"?
posted by naoko at 9:03 AM on November 27, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by naoko at 9:03 AM on November 27, 2012 [3 favorites]
For reasons not disclosed to the assembled company I needed a pick-me-up today. So, thanks.
posted by ob1quixote at 9:10 AM on November 27, 2012
posted by ob1quixote at 9:10 AM on November 27, 2012
> Maybe I'll ask her about it next time I see her - I'm sure the family would know where it comes from. Since Nigeria has something like over 200 languages and is the most ethnically, genetically and linguistically diverse concentration of people on the planet, I imagine it might be quite hard to find out the source of the phrase without some investigation.
Please do this! I will feature the results on Languagehat! Really, this is a vital question, and lazy attributions like "oh yeah, it's Yoruba [a popular West African language I happen to have heard of, so why not, nobody's gonna check]" piss me off.
> most everything in their early period was dreadful.
what
posted by languagehat at 9:16 AM on November 27, 2012 [7 favorites]
Please do this! I will feature the results on Languagehat! Really, this is a vital question, and lazy attributions like "oh yeah, it's Yoruba [a popular West African language I happen to have heard of, so why not, nobody's gonna check]" piss me off.
> most everything in their early period was dreadful.
what
posted by languagehat at 9:16 AM on November 27, 2012 [7 favorites]
@JoeyMichaels, Paperback Writer is one of the Beatle's best but then again you also think "most everything in their early period was dreadful." That just does not compute for any rationale value of compute.
posted by billsaysthis at 9:34 AM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by billsaysthis at 9:34 AM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
most everything in their early period was dreadful.
Hoo boy. Not today NOT TOD---*turns into Hulk*
posted by Potomac Avenue at 9:39 AM on November 27, 2012 [5 favorites]
Hoo boy. Not today NOT TOD---*turns into Hulk*
posted by Potomac Avenue at 9:39 AM on November 27, 2012 [5 favorites]
I was halfway into a long screed in response to Joey Michaels that was long and screedy by long screed standards until I remembered how a friend once explained to me that the surest way to cause accidental furor on internet discussion forums was by making strong declarative statements about The Beatles.
I don't know why exactly, but a substantial chunk of the adult population, even people who were born long after The Beatles had broken up, have incredibly staunch convictions about the band and get really defensive when opposing beliefs are aired. I'm fairly stoic when it comes to most of my aesthetic views but for some reason it's very easy to push the buttons in my mind where the feelings about The Beatles reside.
Paperback Writer was my favorite song when I was ten, even though it isn't anymore, it's still very near and dear to my heart. Heck, pretty much anything on the Red Album, plus every song on For Sale, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's and the White Album, is a fundamental part of my musical psyche since these were the Beatles records that were available to me in childhood. Even though other music from the same era also dug its way into the lower strata of my personality, I don't get irate when people, say, diss Bob Dylan or Blur (to name two random early favorites). It's a part of it that Beatlefans are generally made early on in life, but there's something else going with how rancorous discussions about The Beatles get, but I'm not sure what it is.
Actually, now that I think about it, I think what makes people so touchy about The Beatles, is that most strong opinions about The Beatles are presented as coming from inside the fandom. Few people who dislike the band bother to argue with those who like them, probably on the principle that even a subculture as fractious as Beatlefans join forces to go beat the infidel into submission.
posted by Kattullus at 9:41 AM on November 27, 2012
I don't know why exactly, but a substantial chunk of the adult population, even people who were born long after The Beatles had broken up, have incredibly staunch convictions about the band and get really defensive when opposing beliefs are aired. I'm fairly stoic when it comes to most of my aesthetic views but for some reason it's very easy to push the buttons in my mind where the feelings about The Beatles reside.
Paperback Writer was my favorite song when I was ten, even though it isn't anymore, it's still very near and dear to my heart. Heck, pretty much anything on the Red Album, plus every song on For Sale, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's and the White Album, is a fundamental part of my musical psyche since these were the Beatles records that were available to me in childhood. Even though other music from the same era also dug its way into the lower strata of my personality, I don't get irate when people, say, diss Bob Dylan or Blur (to name two random early favorites). It's a part of it that Beatlefans are generally made early on in life, but there's something else going with how rancorous discussions about The Beatles get, but I'm not sure what it is.
Actually, now that I think about it, I think what makes people so touchy about The Beatles, is that most strong opinions about The Beatles are presented as coming from inside the fandom. Few people who dislike the band bother to argue with those who like them, probably on the principle that even a subculture as fractious as Beatlefans join forces to go beat the infidel into submission.
posted by Kattullus at 9:41 AM on November 27, 2012
most strong opinions about The Beatles are presented as coming from inside the fandom.
Except for "I don't like the Beatles," which just makes me want to laugh. So absurd!
posted by Miko at 9:47 AM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
Except for "I don't like the Beatles," which just makes me want to laugh. So absurd!
posted by Miko at 9:47 AM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
"Hey Bulldog" is their 2nd-worst song, but at least it has a cute little bass line.
"You Got My Name (Look Up The Number)" is number one. There is nothing redeeming about it.
posted by IAmBroom at 9:55 AM on November 27, 2012
"You Got My Name (Look Up The Number)" is number one. There is nothing redeeming about it.
posted by IAmBroom at 9:55 AM on November 27, 2012
OK, what's their most underrated song?
I might vote for "Fixing a Hole" or "For No One."
posted by Miko at 9:57 AM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
I might vote for "Fixing a Hole" or "For No One."
posted by Miko at 9:57 AM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
I love The Beatles, for the record. I just believe their first great song was probably "Help." That opening cord is everything that is great about Rock in a nutshell.
I liked their early period attitude, but "Love Me Do" and "Please Please Me" (for example) are only important to me in that they allowed them to make Rubber Soul and Revolver later.
That said, I came here to defend "Ob-La-Di," not bury "Paperback Writer." Criticizing "Ob-La-Di" is sillier than the song itself. And I will say this for "Paperback Writer" - I'd rather listen to it for the rest of my life than go through the horror Mefi put me through earlier this month by locking "Smooth" in my head for ten days.
As for why I don't like "Paperback Writer," why does anyone like or dislike any song? I find it cloying and annoying and think the lyric is a lousy, if albeit arguably groundbreaking, attempt at a character study. I think they had to create that song as a stepping stone to better songs later, but it grates me, especially the (what I hear as whiney) vocals when they sing the title. YMMV and I don't think less of anyone who likes it or the early Beatles songs. I mean, come on, they're The Beatles. The only losing move is not to like them at all.
posted by Joey Michaels at 10:06 AM on November 27, 2012 [3 favorites]
I liked their early period attitude, but "Love Me Do" and "Please Please Me" (for example) are only important to me in that they allowed them to make Rubber Soul and Revolver later.
That said, I came here to defend "Ob-La-Di," not bury "Paperback Writer." Criticizing "Ob-La-Di" is sillier than the song itself. And I will say this for "Paperback Writer" - I'd rather listen to it for the rest of my life than go through the horror Mefi put me through earlier this month by locking "Smooth" in my head for ten days.
As for why I don't like "Paperback Writer," why does anyone like or dislike any song? I find it cloying and annoying and think the lyric is a lousy, if albeit arguably groundbreaking, attempt at a character study. I think they had to create that song as a stepping stone to better songs later, but it grates me, especially the (what I hear as whiney) vocals when they sing the title. YMMV and I don't think less of anyone who likes it or the early Beatles songs. I mean, come on, they're The Beatles. The only losing move is not to like them at all.
posted by Joey Michaels at 10:06 AM on November 27, 2012 [3 favorites]
After reading here multiple declarations that this was unhateable, I'm proud to announce that I hated it.
posted by glhaynes at 10:20 AM on November 27, 2012
posted by glhaynes at 10:20 AM on November 27, 2012
As I stepped into the shower, I realized I meant the opening chord to "Hard Days Night," though I also will admit "Can't Buy Me Love" was a huge musical leap forward for the band.
posted by Joey Michaels at 10:24 AM on November 27, 2012
posted by Joey Michaels at 10:24 AM on November 27, 2012
I am not in love with "Love Me Do" or "Please Please Me" but I always try to allow for the fact that I couldn't experience the songs in their original context, so I don't know how, why, or how much they stood out from the general music environment before then. Just listening to contemporaneous songs doesn't help too much with that, since it's impossible to forget everything you know that came after, and also impossible to recreate the specific texture of pop culture at the time. So I tend to be forgiving of these because I know what comes later and assume this must have sounded pretty amazingly good at the time. "Please Please Me" is the better song of the two, though, IMO.
On the other hand, even though the lyrics are dumb, whenever I listen to the recording of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" the energy and freshness of the band is palpable.
Once you start beanplating like this you have to tip a hat to Alan Pollock's Notes On...series, previously on MeFi.
posted by Miko at 11:11 AM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
On the other hand, even though the lyrics are dumb, whenever I listen to the recording of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" the energy and freshness of the band is palpable.
Once you start beanplating like this you have to tip a hat to Alan Pollock's Notes On...series, previously on MeFi.
posted by Miko at 11:11 AM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
As I stepped into the shower, I realized I meant the opening chord to "Hard Days Night,"...
Whew! I was racking my brain trying to figure out what you meant, and all that would play in my head was that opening chord to HDN. It helped that my nephew just figured it out for himself and sent me a FB message with a picture of his fingering.
posted by Mental Wimp at 2:00 PM on November 27, 2012
Whew! I was racking my brain trying to figure out what you meant, and all that would play in my head was that opening chord to HDN. It helped that my nephew just figured it out for himself and sent me a FB message with a picture of his fingering.
posted by Mental Wimp at 2:00 PM on November 27, 2012
This song works really well when arranged for solo classical guitar: Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
posted by obscure simpsons reference at 10:25 AM on November 27 [+] [!]
Not only that, but many Beatles songs, my favorite being Toru Takemitsu's arrangements of them. Here is Yesterday.
There are more arrangements by others like Larry Beekman's Beatles for Classical Guitar.
Personally, I prefer Takemitsu because his are harder and wonderfully well done. However, Beekman's arrangements are also wonderful to learn.
posted by lizarrd at 2:22 PM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
From Wikipedia: According to studio engineer Geoff Emerick, John Lennon "openly and vocally detested" the song, calling it Paul's "granny music shit."
Got that right.
posted by sixpack at 2:30 PM on November 27, 2012
Got that right.
posted by sixpack at 2:30 PM on November 27, 2012
Most grandmothers I know have pretty good taste in music.
posted by Kattullus at 2:33 PM on November 27, 2012
posted by Kattullus at 2:33 PM on November 27, 2012
Scott apparently felt that he had a claim to part ownership of the song, but then found himself in jail over non-payment of child maintenance. The wonderfully beneficial Paul McCartney offered to pay his bail on the condition that he didn't claim any rights to the song.
Not doubting the veracity of your friend's belief in this version iotic, but there is a comment on Songfacts:
posted by unliteral at 2:33 PM on November 27, 2012 [3 favorites]
Not doubting the veracity of your friend's belief in this version iotic, but there is a comment on Songfacts:
Sir Paul Mc never had any agreement with my late husband Jimmy Scott about the rights to the words being forfeit for a sum of money when he was in trouble. As I was the one who contacted Sir Paul Mc I can verify this fact. May I repeat: no rights were forfeit and the next time we were going to meet according to Sir Paul on the phone that day was for a photo session for the white album, presumably before it was decided to be white. As I recall it was The People newspaper who spread this story after wrongly interpreting an interview with my late husband. As far as I am aware Paul himself has nevfer said such a thing. I should like to be corrected if he has.If that really is his wife commenting (yes, he left a widow Lucrezia and an estimated 12 children from two marriages), I would say that this is more likely to be the true story.
- lucreziascott, Billericay, United Kingdom
posted by unliteral at 2:33 PM on November 27, 2012 [3 favorites]
Since Nigeria has something like over 200 languages and is the most ethnically, genetically and linguistically diverse concentration of people on the planet,
Not to derail and step on languagehat's toes--I am, at best, a language beanie--but I believe the most linguistically diverse region in the world is Papua New Guinea, with a staggering 800+ languages. (Nigeria comes in third on that list with just over 500.)
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 2:34 PM on November 27, 2012
Not to derail and step on languagehat's toes--I am, at best, a language beanie--but I believe the most linguistically diverse region in the world is Papua New Guinea, with a staggering 800+ languages. (Nigeria comes in third on that list with just over 500.)
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 2:34 PM on November 27, 2012
> I believe the most linguistically diverse region in the world is Papua New Guinea, with a staggering 800+ languages.
This is, of course, correct, but I was too excited about the ob-la-di research to make that point, so thanks for doing so.
posted by languagehat at 3:02 PM on November 27, 2012
This is, of course, correct, but I was too excited about the ob-la-di research to make that point, so thanks for doing so.
posted by languagehat at 3:02 PM on November 27, 2012
From Wikipedia: According to studio engineer Geoff Emerick, John Lennon "openly and vocally detested" the song, calling it Paul's "granny music shit."
And yet only one of them is still making music.
posted by Mezentian at 3:42 PM on November 27, 2012
And yet only one of them is still making music.
posted by Mezentian at 3:42 PM on November 27, 2012
Really my only response to this is delight in learning that Jars Of Clay are still a thing.
...so I can keep using them as the punchline in my mockery of Christian Rock.
Okay, it's a cute vid.
posted by lumpenprole at 4:56 PM on November 27, 2012
...so I can keep using them as the punchline in my mockery of Christian Rock.
Okay, it's a cute vid.
posted by lumpenprole at 4:56 PM on November 27, 2012
"Picked this up at Half-Price Books. Doodlebug, you ungrateful shit"
posted by growabrain at 7:22 PM on November 27, 2012
posted by growabrain at 7:22 PM on November 27, 2012
Thanks, growabrain. Every time I start thinking "Reddit has good stuff and a good community, maybe I should check it out more often," there is something handy like this to remind me why NO.
posted by Miko at 7:27 PM on November 27, 2012
posted by Miko at 7:27 PM on November 27, 2012
Nothing in the world could convince me to return to Reddit.
As far as underrated Beatles songs, I always loved "I'm Only Sleeping", and I'm surprised it doesn't get more radio play.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 9:00 PM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
As far as underrated Beatles songs, I always loved "I'm Only Sleeping", and I'm surprised it doesn't get more radio play.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 9:00 PM on November 27, 2012 [1 favorite]
unliteral - that's very interesting, thanks. I guess maybe the story did get garbled. It would be interesting to read that People interview.
A search for Lucrezia Scott in connection with the song led me to this page (Portuguese) which quotes her as saying the phrase is Urhobo in origin, not Yoruba. That makes sense to me as Urhobo is one of the tribes my friend's family is in.
Although the legal part of the story might not be quite right, I can see why Scott may have felt it was an appropriation. If my father had told me a phrase which had special meaning, and I went on to share it with people, and then a rich musician used it as the title of a song without attribution, or even finding out what it really meant or came from, I might feel a little put out.
posted by iotic at 1:46 AM on November 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
A search for Lucrezia Scott in connection with the song led me to this page (Portuguese) which quotes her as saying the phrase is Urhobo in origin, not Yoruba. That makes sense to me as Urhobo is one of the tribes my friend's family is in.
Although the legal part of the story might not be quite right, I can see why Scott may have felt it was an appropriation. If my father had told me a phrase which had special meaning, and I went on to share it with people, and then a rich musician used it as the title of a song without attribution, or even finding out what it really meant or came from, I might feel a little put out.
posted by iotic at 1:46 AM on November 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
Mezentian: From Wikipedia: According to studio engineer Geoff Emerick, John Lennon "openly and vocally detested" the song, calling it Paul's "granny music shit."Probably has more to do with John's lead allergy than his relative taste in music, to be fair.
And yet only one of them is still making music.
posted by IAmBroom at 1:54 PM on November 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
Really my only response to this is delight in learning that Jars Of Clay are still a thing.
I feel like if you're looking for punchlines in Christian Rock terms, they are like a couple of thousand bands down the list.
Although I suppose they are one of the tiny, tiny handful that anybody outside the People Who Want Music to be Jesus Music community has ever heard of.
posted by brennen at 4:13 PM on November 28, 2012
I feel like if you're looking for punchlines in Christian Rock terms, they are like a couple of thousand bands down the list.
Although I suppose they are one of the tiny, tiny handful that anybody outside the People Who Want Music to be Jesus Music community has ever heard of.
posted by brennen at 4:13 PM on November 28, 2012
I still use DC Talk and Styper as my go-to for making fun of new Christian music.
And Carmen, when I get that infuriating song in my head.
posted by Mezentian at 9:19 PM on November 28, 2012
And Carmen, when I get that infuriating song in my head.
posted by Mezentian at 9:19 PM on November 28, 2012
Carmen link, since I am pretty sure adding it in would be an abuse of the edit window.
Thanks, 1980s TV and your infuriating Christian Television Association ads.
posted by Mezentian at 9:24 PM on November 28, 2012
Thanks, 1980s TV and your infuriating Christian Television Association ads.
posted by Mezentian at 9:24 PM on November 28, 2012
I... I went to a Carman concert once. Some time in the early/mid 90s, I think, in Sioux Falls, SD.
I don't think I could quite describe it as the weirdest experience of my entire life, but it makes the short list.
posted by brennen at 9:35 PM on November 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
I don't think I could quite describe it as the weirdest experience of my entire life, but it makes the short list.
posted by brennen at 9:35 PM on November 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
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posted by Miko at 8:28 PM on November 26, 2012 [1 favorite]