The Late '70s Beatles Nostalgia Industry

[TheFonz]

However, other later projects were of questionable worth. The BBC Tapes (1994), the Anthology series, especially the first one (1995-1996), and the LOVE project (2006), which was nothing more than taking the already existing Beatles songs and throwing them into a blender.

I strongly disagree with you about "existing" songs. Anthology 1 gave us:
Shout
Leave my kitten alone
That'll be the day
Searchin'
Lend Me Your Comb
BBC Sessions gave us:
Too Much Monkey Business
Young Blood
That's Alright Mama
Carol
Clarabella
Crying, Waiting, Hoping
To Know Her Is To Love Her
I Forgot To Remember To Forget
Johnny B Goode
Ooh! My Soul
Lucille
Now these are crude versions, to be sure. But to my knowledge they had never been released before, except maybe on some "bootleg' albums. It's priceless stuff for those of us who love '50s music.

My comment about "existing" songs was in reference to the LOVE project, which you didn't mention. But even though I am a big Beatles fan, I also appreciate (and prefer) the original artists' renditions of most of the songs that you mentioned here. I am also a big fan of '50s rock and roll, even though I wasn't born yet.

I agree that the original versions were better. As I said, these were crude versions. Most were recorded "live" in a radio studio, I believe. On the other hand, I would put the Beatles' officially released (not live) versions of "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Slow Down" right up there with the Chuck Berry and Larry Williams versions.

 

[firepoint525]

I agree that the original versions were better. As I said, these were crude versions. Most were recorded "live" in a radio studio, I believe. On the other hand, I would put the Beatles' officially released (not live) versions of "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Slow Down" right up there with the Chuck Berry and Larry Williams versions.

A personal fave of mine is Paul's take on Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" (on the British Rarities album, and on its own (self-titled) EP). And I'm probably going to make some enemies here, but I actually prefer the Isleys' version of "Twist and Shout" over the Beatles' version. Maybe the Beatles' version has actually been played too much!

 

[landtuna]

I grew up during the heyday of Rock n Roll but I cannot remember more than a very few covers of originals that were "better". This does not count a change in genre such as the Boston Pops covering the Beatles song book but rather keeping the song in the same genre and doing a different arrangement.

I realize how much the Beatles owe to early Be-bop and Rock n Roll but I don't see their covers adding to the genres either.

 

[ixnay]

I agree that the original versions were better. As I said, these were crude versions. Most were recorded "live" in a radio studio, I believe. On the other hand, I would put the Beatles' officially released (not live) versions of "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Slow Down" right up there with the Chuck Berry and Larry Williams versions.

A personal fave of mine is Paul's take on Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" (on the British Rarities album, and on its own (self-titled) EP). And I'm probably going to make some enemies here, but I actually prefer the Isleys' version of "Twist and Shout" over the Beatles' version. Maybe the Beatles' version has actually been played too much!

You're probably right about the overkill on the Fab's T&S. I wish I could hear the Isleys' version more often. I like its trumpet break.

I don't think I've ever heard Larry Williams doing SD, "Bad Boy", or "Dizzy Miss Lizzie". And I've never heard Carl Perkins do "Matchbox", though I've heard Perkins do "Honey Don't" once or twice, and maybe "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby" once or twice.

ixnay

 

[ixnay]

Thanks for the responses.

I turned 15 in the summer of '76 when GtGYIML was on the charts and it was the first time I'd ever heard it.
ixnay

Interesting. You're only a year younger than I am but the Beatles have been part of my life since the beginning. I was the youngest of four kids in my family, and my teenage brother and sisters were blasting Beatles music on the radio when I was 4! The ABC-TV cartoon show started when I was 6! My brother turned me on to Revolver (and GtGYIML) when I was seven. So I guess I had a younger start than you did.

I am an only child, though I acquired 3 stepsibs when I was 19 through my mother's remarriage. My first knowledge of the existence of the Beatles and their music was that ABC 'toon. (I remember the cartoon Ringo leading singalongs mid show. ).

ixnay

 

[radioman148]

I agree that the original versions were better. As I said, these were crude versions. Most were recorded "live" in a radio studio, I believe. On the other hand, I would put the Beatles' officially released (not live) versions of "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Slow Down" right up there with the Chuck Berry and Larry Williams versions.

A personal fave of mine is Paul's take on Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" (on the British Rarities album, and on its own (self-titled) EP). And I'm probably going to make some enemies here, but I actually prefer the Isleys' version of "Twist and Shout" over the Beatles' version. Maybe the Beatles' version has actually been played too much!

I too prefer the Isley's version over the Beatles.

 

[TheFonz]

[I don't think I've ever heard Larry Williams doing SD, "Bad Boy", or "Dizzy Miss Lizzie". And I've never heard Carl Perkins do "Matchbox", though I've heard Perkins do "Honey Don't" once or twice, and maybe "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby" once or twice.

ixnay

Treat yourself. The songs are all on You Tube.

 

[ixnay]

I grew up during the heyday of Rock n Roll but I cannot remember more than a very few covers of originals that were "better". This does not count a change in genre such as the Boston Pops covering the Beatles song book but rather keeping the song in the same genre and doing a different arrangement.

I prefer the Strangeloves' version of "I Want Candy" to Bow Wow Wow's. OTOH, Billy Idol's version of "Mony Mony" more than holds up to TJ&tS'.

I realize how much the Beatles owe to early Be-bop and Rock n Roll but I don't see their covers adding to the genres either.

How is a cover expected to add to a genre, may I ask - anybody?

I guess nobody else on RD has ever seen any Beatles tribute groups. :

I have seen:

1964 The Tribute (formerly known as 1964 as the Beatles)
RAIN! (twice)
The WannaBeatles (local Nashville Beatle cover band, NOT a "tribute" band)

I have the Beatlemania album, although I never saw that show.

Wanted to see The Fab Four when they played here in Nashville a couple of weeks ago, but didn't get to see them. :'(

firepoint, did Rain sing "Rain"? And did "John" sing that line backwards during the fadeout?*

I must point out that when I saw Beatlemania in 1981 in Philly, the band had a righthanded "Paul"! ;D

[I don't think I've ever heard Larry Williams doing SD, "Bad Boy", or "Dizzy Miss Lizzie". And I've never heard Carl Perkins do "Matchbox", though I've heard Perkins do "Honey Don't" once or twice, and maybe "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby" once or twice.

ixnay

Treat yourself. The songs are all on You Tube.

So is the Beatles' 1988 R&RHOF induction. Yoko, George, and Ringo showed up, as did Julian and Sean, but nobody named McCartney.

ixnay

 

[firepoint525]

I prefer the Strangeloves' version of "I Want Candy" to Bow Wow Wow's. OTOH, Billy Idol's version of "Mony Mony" more than holds up to TJ&tS'.

As long as you stick to the studio version of Idol's rendition. The live version did nothing for me, and that was the one that was usually played while it was a hit.

I guess nobody else on RD has ever seen any Beatles tribute groups. :

I have seen:
1964 The Tribute (formerly known as 1964 as the Beatles)
RAIN! (twice)
The WannaBeatles (local Nashville Beatle cover band, NOT a "tribute" band)
I have the Beatlemania album, although I never saw that show.
Wanted to see The Fab Four when they played here in Nashville a couple of weeks ago, but didn't get to see them. :'(

firepoint, did Rain sing "Rain"? And did "John" sing that line backwards during the fadeout?*
I must point out that when I saw Beatlemania in 1981 in Philly, the band had a righthanded "Paul"! ;D

Interestingly enough, they did NOT sing "Rain," although the Beatles' own version was played over the PA system at TPAC as everyone was leaving after the show was over. And the first time that I saw them, they, too, had a right-handed "Paul," although their regular "Paul" was indeed a southpaw.

So is the Beatles' 1988 R&RHOF induction. Yoko, George, and Ringo showed up, as did Julian and Sean, but nobody named McCartney.

I have never forgiven him for that. But he self-righteously showed up at his own induction in 1999. :

 

[ixnay]

How hypocritical that Rain not sing its "title song". I mean, Bo Diddley's name was one his song titles. . Of course, pulling off that backwards line would be quite a feat.

As for Idol's "Mony Mony", I was indeed thinking of the studio version, since I used to have a cassette pressing of Vital Idol and because of that, probably have heard the studio version more than the live version. Funny that you should mention Idol's "Mony Mony"'s, because in 1980 Sir Paul did a studio version of "Coming Up" (on McCartney II), yet it was that song's live version ("Coming Up [Live at Glasgow]" from late '79) that became a hit in June of '80 (despite being the flip side of the studio version).

ixnay

 

[Thomps2525]

Mister firepoint said he prefers the Isleys' Twist & Shout to the Beatles' version. Yes, I know that was 11 days ago but I just now saw this thread. The original version of that song came out in 1961. It was by a Philadelphia group, the Top Notes, and was produced by a 21-year-old by the name of Phil Spector. You may have heard of him. Here, for your listening enjoyment, is that frenetic Top Notes single:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsDpc-8iR8g

 

[firepoint525]

Phil Spector

That name is pure evil to most Beatle fans. Think I will still stick to the Isley's version. This one did nothing for me.

 

[firepoint525]

Interesting list of Beatles singles that have been released in the UK since they broke up, along with release dates and chart peak positions:

• "Yesterday"/"I Should Have Known Better," 3-5-76, #8 (apparently, the first time that "Yesterday" had ever been released as a single in the UK, at least by the Beatles)
• "Back in the USSR"/"Twist and Shout," 6-25-76, #19 (this was the UK single from Rock and Roll Music)
  [*]"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band/With a Little Help From My Friends"/"A Day in the Life," 9-22-78, #63 (apparently an attempt to "cash in" in the wake of the Sgt. Pepper movie)
  [*]"Beatles Movie Medley"/"I'm Happy Just to Dance With You," 5-24-82, #10 (released during the early '80s "medley craze," which was probably started by the Stars on 45)
  

 

[firepoint525]

How hypocritical that Rain not sing its "title song". I mean, Bo Diddley's name was one his song titles. . Of course, pulling off that backwards line would be quite a feat.

Personally, I would have preferred that they had picked a better name for themselves, like the Day Trippers, the Nowhere Men, or even the Paperback Writers.

As for Idol's "Mony Mony", I was indeed thinking of the studio version, since I used to have a cassette pressing of Vital Idol and because of that, probably have heard the studio version more than the live version. Funny that you should mention Idol's "Mony Mony"'s, because in 1980 Sir Paul did a studio version of "Coming Up" (on McCartney II), yet it was that song's live version ("Coming Up [Live at Glasgow]" from late '79) that became a hit in June of '80 (despite being the flip side of the studio version).

Stealing that one for the b-sides thread! ;D

 

[ixnay]

Mister firepoint said he prefers the Isleys' Twist & Shout to the Beatles' version. Yes, I know that was 11 days ago but I just now saw this thread. The original version of that song came out in 1961. It was by a Philadelphia group, the Top Notes, and was produced by a 21-year-old by the name of Phil Spector. You may have heard of him. Here, for your listening enjoyment, is that frenetic Top Notes single:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsDpc-8iR8g

How high did the Top Notes' "Twist..." chart?

ixnay