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Favorite Beatles drum part?


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For an early example of prime Ringo, I love his part during the 'cmon cmon' part of "Please Please Me".

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I'll have to second that. Is it just me, or does the tempo drag at times during that song? To me thats one of the reasons why its so great.

 

While technologically elaborate, "Rain" has a simple musical structure. Set in the key of G major, it begins with what Alan W. Pollack calls, "a ra-ta-tat half-measure's fanfare of solo snare drums", followed by a guitar intro of the first chord. The verses are nine measures long, and the song is in 4/4 time. Each verse is based on the G, C, and D chords (I, IV, and V). The refrain contains only I and IV chords, and is twelve measures long (the repetition of a six-measure pattern). The first two measures are the G chord. The third and fourth measures are the C chord, with the third measure in 6/4 time instead of the regular 4/4 time. The fifth and sixth measures return to the G chord. The refrain, though seemingly slower than the verse, is at the same tempo. Pollack says this illusion is achieved by "the change of beat for the first four measures from its erstwhile bounce to something more plodding and regular". After four verses and two refrains, a short solo for guitar and drums is played, with complete silence for one beat. What is heard next is what Pollack calls "historically significant" reverse lyric.
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Notable in "Rain" is Ringo Starr's drumming, which Starr himself rates as his best performance. Critics agreed; both Ian MacDonald and Rolling Stone said his drumming was "superb," and Richie Unterberger of Allmusic praised his "creative drum breaks."
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love me do

 

Wasn't Pete Best the main drummer for that? I know Ringo did tambourine on the track, but that's it. Granted, the tambourine is sick on Love Me Do, so I'll give you that.

 

edit: Never mind, it was session drummer Andy White. Ringo still did the tambourine, though.

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These are poor arguments as to why anyone is a great musician.

 

The fact that his playing was integral... hell, essential to some of the greatest music ever made is, I think, a very strong argument, indeed.

But I'm glad to see this thread -- Ringo -- getting some love.

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The fact that his playing was integral... hell, essential to some of the greatest music ever made is, I think, a very strong argument, indeed.

 

"some of the greatest music ever made" isn't a strong argument either.

 

"some of the most popular and widely appreciated music by people and critics" would be more objective.

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"some of the greatest music ever made" isn't a strong argument either.

 

"some of the most popular and widely appreciated music by people and critics" would be more objective.

 

How about "some of the most-influential music of the 20th century"?

You see, the fact that his playing was a major part of the music that had a major influence on just about all of the popular music that followed (yes, into this century as well) would be a pretty strong, objective argument... no?

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How about "some of the most-influential music of the 20th century"?

You see, the fact that his playing was a major part of the music that had a major influence on just about all of the popular music that followed (yes, into this century as well) would be a pretty strong, objective argument... no?

 

The more it's popular, the more it has chances to be influential for any wannabe musician, don't you think? The fact it's been proportionally more influential than the musics of Elvis Presley, Little Richard, James Brown, Motown artists, Beach Boys, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan or many others would need be proved, and I think it's impossible.

 

And is "influential" music necessarily great? And is Ringo for something in the fact the Beatles music has been influential?

 

I'm far from being sure of that. ;)

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The more it's popular, the more it has chances to be influential for any wannabe musician, don't you think? The fact it's been proportionally more influential than the musics of Elvis Presley, Little Richard, James Brown, Motown artists, Beach Boys, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan or many others would need be proved, and I think it's impossible.

 

And is "influential" music necessarily great? And is Ringo for something in the fact the Beatles music has been influential?

 

I'm far from being sure of that. ;)

 

You're not a musician, are you?

 

That aside:

So, then... how would you measure greatness - objectively? I don't think that there is a way; no formula, no scientific scale.

Objective is, methinks, the only way. And I do not think that you are going to get too many arguments of The Beatles being anything less than great.

 

Shall we develop a formula together?

The "Pop-Bear Musical Greatness Quotient"? Let's work this out... in another thread, maybe? Or let's do it via PM, and then we can present our findings in a grand gesture in the biggest megathread ever concocted!

 

PS -- I'm loving this argument, Llittlebear

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whenever anyone ever says a new band sounds like the beatles or bob dylan that seems to be a sure-fire guarantee that they'll be shit and that level of shitness seems to increase the further away from the 1960s we get in terms of when such a claim upon a new band is made. whereas, on the other side of the coin, whenever someone says a new band sounds like the beach boys i can normally assume they'll be good. so being influential can be negative too. and this has nothing to do with the greatness of the beatles or bob dylan - who are obviously both great - it's to do with what other artists take from their music, that being normally something far too obnoxious for me to like.

 

anyway, back to ringo:

 

baby, you're a rich man is my favourite beatles song, and so i'll say that.

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