Beatles Songs You Actually Dislike

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

Crow Daddy Magnus®, on 17 August 2012 - 05:45 PM, said:

 

HAPPINESS IS A WARM GUN

 

 

,

 

That's curious. That song is in my top ten all time beatles list.

There are a few songs that I simply cannot listen to out of the context of the album on which it appears: THE CONTINUING STORY OF BUFFALO BILL, HAPPINESS IS A WARM GUN, PIGGIES, THE WORD, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE....hmm.

Lennon songs...

 

Out of the context of the White Album.

[lost highway]

McCartney has/had the gift/curse of being able to write songs that seem to be ingrained into the DNA of a large part of the populace. Yesterday; For No one; All My Loving; Here, there, Everywhere; When I'm 64; Fool on the Hill; Hey Jude; Let it Be; Band on the Run; Mull of Kintyre...fluff? Possibly...maybe even probably. But one cannot tell the story of the modern rock idiom without pointing to the sense of melody and the music hall that McCartney brought to the table.

McCartney's optimish and mawkishness was perfectly balanced by Lennon's anger and cynicism. Together, they had seven year recording history that changed the face of music for the last half century

 

Extremely well stated. I have read several books that indicated that McCartney was often the most sociable, easy going, and least pretentious Beatle. I don't know how that should change the way I look at his music, but it kind of does. McCartney seems to have a desire to make music primarily for people to enjoy. There is a folksy kind of humanism in that attitude.

[The High Heat]

I have read several books that indicated that McCartney was often the most...least pretentious Beatle.

 

Maybe back then. I can't stand hearing his interviews anymore. He is overtly aware of his place in musical and pop culture history. Listening to McCartney talk about his accomplishments on repeat turns me off to him and, in a way, the Beatles. I don't listen to them much anymore. I get bored with it quickly. Then again, this all coincides with my Dylan fascination the last five years or so. And it's not just Bob's music. I don't have to listen to him constantly reminding me of what we all know he did, and when he does speak, he's usually putting us on. I rather like it that way.

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

Maybe back then. I can't stand hearing his interviews anymore. He is overtly aware of his place in musical and pop culture history. Listening to McCartney talk about his accomplishments on repeat turns me off to him and, in a way, the Beatles. I don't listen to them much anymore. I get bored with it quickly. Then again, this all coincides with my Dylan fascination the last five years or so. And it's not just Bob's music. I don't have to listen to him constantly reminding me of what we all know he did, and when he does speak, he's usually putting us on. I rather like it that way.

 

I think McCartney has become extremely defensive of his place and accomplishments because his dead former partner tagged him with a negative image (that Lennon probably really didn't mean) that he has no way to combat.

Dead men cannot take back hurtful comments and they really can't be challenged on their merits.

Lennon has an almost religious following (abetted by Yoko Ono) that will vociferously assert that Lennon was a genius and McCartney was a hack.

Truth be told, they were better together than they were apart; Lennon died too young; and McCartney will always be insecure about his legacy.

[Moss]

Maybe back then. I can't stand hearing his interviews anymore. He is overtly aware of his place in musical and pop culture history. Listening to McCartney talk about his accomplishments on repeat turns me off to him and, in a way, the Beatles.

 

That's funny because I'm always kind of amazed at how unpretentious he comes across. For somebody with his musical legacy and the amount of just complete ass-kissery and hero worship he must face on a daily basis (and for the last 40+ years), he seems to have kept a pretty level head. I suppose he could do the the whole false modesty thing but that would start to ring kind of false as well pretty quickly. Imagine being asked every single day about a band you have not been in for over 40 years. He shows great pride in what they did but damn, who wouldn't?

[Albert Tatlock]

Well, trying not to blow my own trumpet, but maybe some in this thread did not read this

 

http://viachicago.org/topic/46033-sir-george-martin-in-bloody-awful-beatles-track-shocker/

 

Anyone in the UK in early September might be able to call in this year, though I have not checked if they are taking part in the gardens open day this year.

 

As for my choices, that's pretty hard. There're quite a few I don't listen to that much - and since the linked thread above I am back to having the full catalogue :-)

Perhaps I would go with Tell Me Why. That actually gets a bit irritating rather than just not captivating.

 

I have to be in the right mood not to skip I Want You also.

[Queen Amaranthine]

Truth be told, they were better together than they were apart; Lennon died too young; and McCartney will always be insecure about his legacy.

 

Absolutely. As a kid I liked Wings, but looking back, those songwriters' separate careers show the dividing line between syrupy pop and artsy disillusionment. The mix of those and the songwriting chemistry between the two, though, was an instance of the stars properly aligning.

 

Can't think of any songs offhand I don't like, but must admit I tune out ones mentioned earlier that are overplayed. I don't know the Beatles' entire catalog, I must confess, but I'm most drawn to their mid-career stuff, 1965-68 or thereabouts, for reasons I can't pinpoint. Lyrics? Sound style? Not sure.

 

Maybe off topic here, but these covers of Beatles songs will drive you silly after a few listens and make you wish for the originals as done by the Beatles themselves:

 

It's available at my public library and every time I take the kids, I cringe when they go near the CD rack and cross my fingers that it's checked out already. Still, an OK way to introduce my kids to Beatles tunes, I suppose!

[barbkm]

This is a lot harder that whihc Wilco song I don't like. Given some thougth, Boys. I do like maxwell's Silver hammer.

[thermocaster]

She's Leaving Home.

 

I'm actually shocked I haven't seen that mentioned yet in this thread (unless I missed it).

 

Runner up would be "Good Night", I suppose.

[Magnetized]

Well, trying not to blow my own trumpet, but maybe some in this thread did not read this

 

http://viachicago.org/topic/46033-sir-george-martin-in-bloody-awful-beatles-track-shocker/

 

I'm glad you posted this link. I hadn't read it initially because I don't always follow everything in the non-Wilco forums, and I would have been sorry to have missed this. I would love to have had the opportunity to meet George Martin!

 

As to Beatles songs I don't like, well, it's different for me than for most of the people who are commenting. I was 14 in 1964 when the Beatles came to America and I so vividly remember being gathered in front of the TV watching Ed Sullivan, catching the fever from all the other screaming girls. "My" Beatle was John--to the extent that I had scrapbooks with pictures, drawings, captions, articles and interviews I'd cut out of newspapers and magazines. Not to mention Beatles dolls. (God, I wish I still had that stuff! I have no idea what happened to it.) They were my first musical obsession, and I was totally smitten with everything John Lennon said, wrote and sang about. So I have very little perspective when it comes to this music, especially the John songs.

 

The only song that I ever got truly sick of was "Hey Jude" but that may have nothing to do with its merits. My younger sister and her boyfriend used to put the single on repeat for what seemed like hours on end while they conducted their mopey romance in the den. My bedroom was on the same level of the house so I got stuck listening to it for literally hours, that needle dropping onto the 45 over and over and over again. I hated coming out and interrupting the makeout session.

[Skian]

Good Day Sunshine

The Long Windy Dopey Road

When I'm 64

Obladeeoblada

not all but mostly Paul songs are on my list.

[Queen Amaranthine]

As to Beatles songs I don't like, well, it's different for me than for most of the people who are commenting. I was 14 in 1964 when the Beatles came to America and I so vividly remember being gathered in front of the TV watching Ed Sullivan, catching the fever from all the other screaming girls. "My" Beatle was John--to the extent that I had scrapbooks with pictures, drawings, captions, articles and interviews I'd cut out of newspapers and magazines. Not to mention Beatles dolls. (God, I wish I still had that stuff! I have no idea what happened to it.) They were my first musical obsession, and I was totally smitten with everything John Lennon said, wrote and sang about. So I have very little perspective when it comes to this music, especially the John songs.

Cool Beatles fan experience!

 

[PopTodd]

Good Day Sunshine

Listen to it again. Maybe the chorus is a bit precious/cloying, but the verses totally KILL.

[jff]

Out of the context of the White Album.

 

How about in the context of Pod?

[i'm only sleeping]

even though I am a huge fab fan this thread has made me realize I actually dislike more Beatles than Wilco's songs

[tinnitus photography]

Hey Jude suffers from the simple fact that it has been really over-consumed by the music listening public. My parents, my children and the grandchildren of friends all recognize the song. And I know my grandmother knew it too.

 

Yesterday; For No one; All My Loving; Here, there, Everywhere; When I'm 64; Fool on the Hill; Hey Jude; Let it Be; Band on the Run; Mull of Kintyre...fluff? Possibly...maybe even probably. But one cannot tell the story of the modern rock idiom without pointing to the sense of melody and the music hall that McCartney brought to the table.

 

i don't have a problem w/ the songs you mentioned...yeah they can be a bit sentimental and sappy, but not nearly to the extent of Hey Jude...the fake wigout at the end and the endless na-na-nah-na part is the absolute worst.

 

A song doesn't become a part of the consciousness of four generations because it is a 'horrible song'. Shit. It isn't Afternoon Delight or I ain't gonna Bump no more with no big fat woman or Celebrate.

 

you are right, but that criteria by itself doesn't excuse a song either (hello, "achy breaky heart," etc).

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

i don't have a problem w/ the songs you mentioned...yeah they can be a bit sentimental and sappy, but not nearly to the extent of Hey Jude...the fake wigout at the end and the endless na-na-nah-na part is the absolute worst.

 

 

 

you are right, but that criteria by itself doesn't excuse a song either (hello, "achy breaky heart," etc).

 

You just lost a lot of credibilty by comparing "Achy, Breaky Heart" to 'Hey Jude'.

[calvino]

You just lost a lot of credibilty by comparing "Achy, Breaky Heart" to 'Hey Jude'.

 

Well, not in my book. They both are horrible songs.

[froggie]

ps i love you

this boy

michelle

blue jay way

revolution 9

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

How about in the context of Pod?

 

Pod? Pod People?

 

[marino13]

I generally agree with listing the cheesy Paul songs here. The thing that blows me away about the Beatles is how much quality material they put out in such a short amount of time. Their whole career spanned the same amount of time that it took Wilco to release A.M. through YHF.

 

On a side note, I am taking my young daughters to see American English in a couple of weeks. My 8 yr. old has seen them a couple of times and it's always a ton of fun to see their show.

[Skian]

Listen to it again. Maybe the chorus is a bit precious/cloying, but the verses totally KILL.

 

Its not like I have only heard a couple times. I use to like it when I was a kid. That was a long time ago.

I don't care for it now. Its.....its... too much Paul! Too much purple dinosuer-ish...Barney like.

[PopTodd]

I know that it's not unfamiliar to you, I was just thinking that I could get you to listen to it with new ears. It happened to me with that song one day. I wasn't a fan of the song either, then it hit me like a bolt of lightning -- "WAIT! This is a pretty damn good song, after all!" And that guitar solo is great.

 

 

Too much purple dinosuer-ish...Barney like.

You see, "Octopus's Garden" is like that for me.

[Oil Can Boyd]

The thing that blows me away about the Beatles is how much quality material they put out in such a short amount of time. Their whole career spanned the same amount of time that it took Wilco to release A.M. through YHF.

And I know I've pointed this out here on VC before but it blows me away that they did all that while they were in their 20s. George Harrison was 26 when he did his last recordings with the Beatles ...

[jff]

Pod? Pod People?

 

 

Breeders Pod, in which they cover Happiness is a Warm Gun.