"Help!" with a Beatles question

trojan_sixtyone · Post by **trojan_sixtyone** » December 18, 2006 2:26 pm

Jimmy's said before he's a Beatles fan, so I feel that this isn't too far off-topic. I have quite a dilemma and am in need of advice:

My girlfriend is to the Beatles what I am to Jimmy Buffett: a rabid, loyal, devoted fan. She saw her first Buffett show this summer in Indy, LOVED it, and is now hooked on JB's music (a big relief for me, considering an ex of mine left be because she couldn't tolerate my love of JB's music).

My problem is that I've known since we were just friends that she was a Beatles fan. Wanting to impress her and have some common ground, I listened to as much Beatles music as I could find, hoping it would strike a chord with me. Needless to say, it did absolutely NOTHING for me and doesn't interest me in the least bit. I'd like to be able to get into it so I can stop feeling guilty for turning her into a Parrothead without me myself even liking her favorite group.

Anyone been in a similiar situation? Any reccomendations for a Beatles album to start with that may "light my fire" with them?

I'd like to get into the music (past the point of appreciating its impact on culture, but not appreciating the music itself) but so far everything I've heard has been very unimpressive to me. My jazz history teacher told me the Beatles cursed themselves with future audiences by becoming so legendary so suddenly, because now when people hear their music after knowing all the hype, the music seems unimpressive to them (which is exactly how I feel about it).

Help cure me.

Post by **SMLCHNG** » December 18, 2006 2:56 pm

I prefer their oldest stuff.. I was the youngest of 5, so I listened to them with my older brothers.

These are some of my favorites.

Please Please Me

With The Beatles

Hey Jude

A Hard Days Night

Rubber Soul

~Hippolyte~ · Post by **~Hippolyte~** » December 18, 2006 3:01 pm

SMLCHNG wrote:
Please Please Me

I'd agree with this one.

Tell us what you've listened to. I've done the same thing for myself, finding it hard to over-come the hype. It's too easy to make it seem like it's going to be magic.....then it's less than that, so you're disappointed.

I'd ask your girlfriend which are her favorites and see if she can explain to you why. If the songs have more meaning than you're getting at first listen it may be of great assistance to have a seasoned listener at your disposal.

The Lost Manatee · Post by **The Lost Manatee** » December 18, 2006 3:13 pm

For me it was Abbey Road, followed by Revolver, Rubber Soul, the Red and Blue LPs and then the rest sort of followed right along.

Tiki Torches · Post by **Tiki Torches** » December 18, 2006 3:31 pm

If you don't like the Beatles forcing yourself to like them probably isn't going to help matters any. Either you like them or you don't. I don't think there's any rule saying that just because your significant other likes them that you have to like them too.

trojan_sixtyone · Post by **trojan_sixtyone** » December 18, 2006 3:32 pm

~Hippolyte~ wrote:
SMLCHNG wrote:
Please Please Me
I'd agree with this one.

Tell us what you've listened to. I've done the same thing for myself, finding it hard to over-come the hype. It's too easy to make it seem like it's going to be magic.....then it's less than that, so you're disappointed.

I'd ask your girlfriend which are her favorites and see if she can explain to you why. If the songs have more meaning than you're getting at first listen it may be of great assistance to have a seasoned listener at your disposal.

She got into it because she was raised with her parents always listening to it, especially her dad. So her reason for liking them is that she has an emotional connection to it, not really one based solely on preference.

Conolulu · Post by **Conolulu** » December 18, 2006 3:36 pm

I have them all...

and this is still one of my favorites..

and

Now somewhere in the black mountain hills of Dakota
There lived a young boy named Rocky Raccoon
And one day his woman ran off with another guy

freaky4tiki · Post by **freaky4tiki** » December 18, 2006 3:43 pm

Black Bird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arrive.
Black Bird Fly....

and I'd have to agree with Connie, Rocky Raccoon is a terrific song

captenuta · Post by **captenuta** » December 18, 2006 3:57 pm

How about this approach, give some of their solo music a listen.

Paul's, Band on the Run
George's, All Things Must Pass

And remember only the Beatles British albums matter not the US releases.

So Turn off your mind, relax
and float down stream

job41475 · Post by **job41475** » December 18, 2006 4:01 pm

Abbey Road, Hard Days' night, white album and revolver are my faves....

trojan_sixtyone · Post by **trojan_sixtyone** » December 18, 2006 4:13 pm

Tiki Torches wrote:If you don't like the Beatles forcing yourself to like them probably isn't going to help matters any. Either you like them or you don't. I don't think there's any rule saying that just because your significant other likes them that you have to like them too.

I realize that I don't have to, but I feel obligated to at least make an effort to give it a fair shot since she gave me a fair shot when I was telling her how great Jimmy is. I'm doing it because I love and respect her, and I think that's rule enough for me to try.

And I'm not forcing myself into it: I'm just thinking maybe if I start at a certain point with their music I may see it differently. For example, if you'd replaced my dad's copy of SYKBH with a copy of "Down to Earth", I may not like Jimmy Buffett to this day ("Down to Earth" has grown on me after I was already a fan, but if it were not for my other favorites like initially SYKBH, then Fruitcakes, Hot Water, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and A1A I would have never become a full-fledged Parrothead). Therefore I think it's important to talk to Beatles fans to get a better idea of where to start. If someone asked me to introduce them to JB I'd name "CILCIA", "Havana Daydreamin'", "TTS", "LMIP", and so on, because it's pretty telling of his catalogue as a hole.

Post by **SMLCHNG** » December 18, 2006 4:14 pm

trojan_sixtyone wrote:I'm doing it because I love and respect her, and I think that's rule enough for me to try.

And that gets my respect right there.

buffettbride · Post by **buffettbride** » December 18, 2006 4:23 pm

abbey road and the white album did it for me.

Tiki Torches · Post by **Tiki Torches** » December 18, 2006 4:41 pm

trojan_sixtyone wrote:I realize that I don't have to, but I feel obligated to at least make an effort to give it a fair shot since she gave me a fair shot when I was telling her how great Jimmy is. I'm doing it because I love and respect her, and I think that's rule enough for me to try.

Best of luck to you then.

buffettbride · Post by **buffettbride** » December 18, 2006 4:42 pm

Tiki Torches wrote:
trojan_sixtyone wrote:I realize that I don't have to, but I feel obligated to at least make an effort to give it a fair shot since she gave me a fair shot when I was telling her how great Jimmy is. I'm doing it because I love and respect her, and I think that's rule enough for me to try.
Best of luck to you then.

It's not like she's begging him to love the Drive By Truckers.

12vmanRick · Post by **12vmanRick** » December 18, 2006 4:44 pm

I love that album called ONE

How could someone not love I wanna Hold your hand

LIPH · Post by **LIPH** » December 18, 2006 5:02 pm

Please, Please Me. If she doesn't, I'm history.

12vmanRick · Post by **12vmanRick** » December 18, 2006 5:10 pm

LIPH wrote:Please, Please Me. If she doesn't, I'm history.

and vise versa

PHat Matt · Post by **PHat Matt** » December 28, 2006 12:27 pm

I came to appreciate the Beatles because of McCartney...I was in a similar situation, I respected the Beatles' tremendous influence, but their music really didnt hit me.

Then McCartney toured in 2002 and some of my phreinds went and kept going on about how amazing it was. A little later I listened to his live CD and phell in love with the music, then that got me to listen to the origonals, and phell in love with the Beatles music.

Also saw McCartney on last years tour and that really pumped me up. Since then I've "appropriated" about half of dad's Beatles CD's.

J.LeP · Post by **J.LeP** » December 28, 2006 2:43 pm

Black Bird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arrive.
Black Bird Fly....

Last summer, at his show in Harrisburg, PA Peter Mayer started the concert with this song solo. WOW!!!
One of my favs.
John