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| The Philosophy of Lennon and McCartney | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 5 2005, 10:44 AM (846 Views) | |
| Franko | Sep 6 2005, 05:16 AM Post #16 |
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Shower Moderator
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If the lyrics of pop music move you to tears, It's likely because of all those beers. If the lyrics of pop music can change your life, then you will likely be replaced by an android. Franko. |
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| captain_proton_au | Sep 6 2005, 07:59 AM Post #17 |
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A Robot in Disguise
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^^^ Errr, the last two lines dont rhyme, your no McCartney. Then again McCartney was no McCartney |
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| Admiralbill_gomec | Sep 14 2005, 01:59 PM Post #18 |
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UberAdmiral
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What it all boiled down to was that Lennon was a pessimist and McCartney was an optimist. For example, the song "It's Getting Better" (off of Sgt. Pepper) starts out with McCartney singing "It's getting better all the time" and Lennon adding "It can't get much worse." McCartney wanted to write pop tunes and Lennon wanted to be a philosopher. Lennon tried all kinds of wordplay, image crafting, and takes on phraseology of the day. McCartney just wrote what he felt. Compare the lyrics of these two songs, one after the other, off The Beatles (aka, "The White Album"): First, I Will: Who knows how long I've loved you, You know I love you still, Will I wait a lonely lifetime, If you want me to I will. Next, Julia: Half of what I say is meaningless, But I say it just to reach you Julia. Julia, Julia, oceanchild, calls me, So I sing a song of love, Julia. Julia, seashell eyes, windy smile, calls me, So I sing a song of love, Julia. McCartney and Lennon both wrote love songs, but the McCartney song (I Will) flows so much better, and doesn't have the dark undertones of Lennon's Julia. Honestly, the real philosopher of the group was George. Check out this one: I look at you all, see that love there that's sleeping, While my guitar gently weeps. |
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| Fesarius | Sep 14 2005, 02:11 PM Post #19 |
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Admiral
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Julia was written for the death of his mother, which may explain its dark tone. I don't know whom I Will was written for, although I used to think Heather (until I heard the boot of Heather--which almost made it to The Beatles). BTW, have you ever heard the acoustic version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps? It's astounding, and very, very moving. |
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| Admiralbill_gomec | Sep 15 2005, 09:33 AM Post #20 |
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UberAdmiral
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I didn't know that about Lennon's mother. That would explain a lot. Personally, I think McCartney wrote I Will as a generic pop love song. After all, it is only 2 minutes long. Actually, I heard acoustic outtakes off of the Anthology series (3rd set) for both Helter Skelter and While My Guitar Gently Weeps. Both tunes (for those who don't know, McCartney wrote Helter Skelter) are starkly different than released. I really did enjoy George doing the acoustic WMGGW. |
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| Fesarius | Sep 15 2005, 02:45 PM Post #21 |
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Admiral
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^^^ Admiral, A pianist I know, and with whom I worked for a short time, called Hey Jude the most perfect melody ever written. Funny how some things people say stick with you for a lifetime.... |
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| Dr. Noah | Sep 15 2005, 03:10 PM Post #22 |
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Sistertrek's Asian Correspondant
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I always respected Lennon for his work toward peace during the Vietnam War. |
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| captain_proton_au | Sep 15 2005, 03:21 PM Post #23 |
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I always took Imagine as some serious anti-religion sentiment Imagine there's no heaven, It's easy if you try, No hell below us, Above us only sky, Imagine all the people living for today... Imagine there's no countries, It isnt hard to do, Nothing to kill or die for, No religion too, Imagine all the people living life in peace... |
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| Dr. Noah | Sep 15 2005, 03:24 PM Post #24 |
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Sistertrek's Asian Correspondant
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Of course there is. It's also anti-materialistic and anti-nationalistic as well. |
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| Admiralbill_gomec | Sep 15 2005, 04:58 PM Post #25 |
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UberAdmiral
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I'm running it through my head right now. Didn't McCartney say (when he first played it for rest of the Beatles), "This will knock you out." Or was that Let it Be? I tell you what amazes me about Lennon and McCartney (and Harrison). They wrote all of these incredible songs, and became the best artists in the past century, all before the age of 30. I think Ringo had just turned 30 when they split. Look at their work following the split up. Wings "At the Speed of Sound" was a phenominal album, but it wasn't Sgt. Pepper. Lennon's Imagine might have been a number one album, but can anyone remember more than 2 tunes? Mind Games was great, but not Sgt. Pepper. The closest was Harrison's All Things Must Pass. I'm wearing out those CDs, I think it is that good, but it still isn't Sgt. Pepper (BTW, Harrison was 28 when he recorded it). |
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| Fesarius | Sep 15 2005, 06:43 PM Post #26 |
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Admiral
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Admiral, Agreed. They were very consistent, and they were very, very good musically. I am fully convinced that John, Paul, George, and Ringo (and not one of the several iterations that existed as that group before these four came together)--were each a full quarter of the Beatles. And they are a prime example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
I could not agree with you more on this. Over the years (dating back to 1972), I have had a running argument (a friendly debate, actually) with one of my best friends on this very subject. He maintains that the solo material is nearly the equal of their collective output. I think he's crazy. It doesn't even come close. I've even told him that the very worst song done by the Beatles collectively is better than the very best song done by any of them as solo artists. That doesn't go over too well. And of course, it's a slight exaggeration.
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| Swidden | Sep 15 2005, 06:53 PM Post #27 |
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Adm. Gadfly-at-large; Provisional wRench-fly at large
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I thought a "joint" philosophy was exactly what they had?
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| Minuet | Sep 15 2005, 09:51 PM Post #28 |
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Fleet Admiral Assistant wRench, Chief Supper Officer
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^^^^
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| who | Sep 15 2005, 10:25 PM Post #29 |
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Have light saber. Will travel.
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Seems I recall an interview with Lennon and he said they just put words together that sounded good. They had no philosophy or meaning in most of their songs. They are still the fantastic 4. I just do not understand all the hysteria of the crowds around them. :adove: |
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| Fesarius | Sep 16 2005, 07:20 AM Post #30 |
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Admiral
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Who, I'm not sure it can be understood. But to get a feel for it, listen some day to one of their earliest albums, entitled The Beatles Story. It's a documentary-like approach to the early years in America, complete with a level of screaming that has to be heard to be believed. It is a degree of euphoria (and I'm not speaking solely of the decibel-level, but something quite different that can't necessarily be quantified) that has never been equalled, and it is something that is mind-boggling to a listener. It is no wonder that they could not hear themselves play during such screaming, and it is understandable that this (coupled with their agonizing touring schedule) influenced their decision to stop live concerts by 1966. Incidentally, from what I have learned over the years, the Germans and French were the first to experience 'Beatlemania' (it was during one of the Beatles' early concerts). Although I never saw them live, I have experienced the phenomenon a few times. And whenever I see them perform on video/DVD recordings, I sit there watching them, mesmerized in part by their charisma, and to a greater extent by their musicianship, ingenuity, and stage presence.
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