Tuesday, February 06, 2007

"I'm John and I too play a guitar; sometimes I play the fool."

It's time for Crackpot Pop-Culture Criticism with Manny Apgar.
Today's half-baked theory: The Silly Beatles (note from Wikipedia contributor: This may be a play on the Beatles' earlier incarnation, the Silver Beetles)

It is a fact requiring no citation (the best kind of fact there is) that the Beatles wrote some of the best "serious" pop music of all time. But looking at the final tracks on their albums, it's pretty obvious they're just having a laugh:

Please Please Me - Twist & Shout
An interpretation of (Cincinnati natives [!!!]) the Isley Brothers' hit, so raw that only (at the time) non-threatening, white John Lennon could get away with it. But social commentary aside, any song that features prominently in Ferris Bueller's Day Off can't exactly be considered "heavy hitting" fare.
With the Beatles - Money
Another R&B cover, this materialist anthem would be dismissed in favor of "Can't Buy Me Love" the following year. Those flip-floppin' Beatles! Always plotting against us... (
note from Wikipedia contributor: This may be a reference to the epithet directed by Republicans at 2004 Presidential candidate, John Kerry)
A Hard Day's Night - I'll Be Back
"You'd think that people would have had enough of silly love songs..."
Beatles for Sale - Everybody's Tryin' to Be My Baby
Carl Perkins cover sung by George (no one took the "George" songs seriously til "Taxman")
Help! - Dizzy Miss Lizzy
Another hard-rockin cover, this one about a girl with a goofy name. Alternately some kind of drug reference. Could have just stopped at "Yesterday".
Rubber Soul - Run for Your Life
A decidedly ominous uptempo number about how John Lennon doesn't take rejection well. Hahaha!
Revolver - Tomorrow Never Knows
John Lennon shouting excerpts from the Tibetan Book of the Dead into a microphone suspended from the ceiling over multi-tracked gobbeldygook. This is obviously a joke.
Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - A Day in the Life
Ends with backwards-talk nonsense and a dog whistle. 'Nuff said.
Magical Mystery Tour - All You Need Is Love
Have you seen the video for this?!
The Beatles - Goodnight
Poor Ringo...
Yellow Submarine - Yellow Submarine in Pepperland
This whole album was an April Fools Day joke in 1969.
Abbey Road - Her Majesty
No Paul, Queen Elizabeth II is (like all members of the Royal Family) a sexless automaton. Not even your folksy serenades can soften her iron heart.
Let it Be - Get Back
The song that accompanies Billy Preston as he becomes deus ex machina incarnate in the AWFUL film, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (starring Peter god damn Frampton!).

See the Beatles didn't take their job seriously, why should you?

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