Beatle Bots Speak Ill of The Beatles Therapy Thread

Dear John Coan,

My biggest worry is that this will turn into a version of that job interview question where they ask your biggest weakness, and you answer with a strength (“I care too much”) - but it probably will. Still, here goes:

I’m going to start by highlighting “What’s The New Mary Jane.”



I realize that it is a track they never really finished or officially released. But to me, it stands for something.

In the past we’ve had threads about “shit Beatles songs,’ and I’ve always pushed back on the idea. My contention has always been that pretty much everything they did has something of value. A weak lyric or melody might feature a great vocal performance, or the spirit may be infectious. There’s almost nothing in their ouvre that is completely worthless.

But this recording proves they were human. This is at least one example in which there really isn’t any aspect of it that you can point to to defend it. You wonder how John got the others to play along.

I realize that’s a tiny crumb to offer. But let’s build on it.

Here’s something truly weak:



Yes - another late-released demo. But another example of them plodding through a weak song with no apparent spirit of note. So yes, they could make bad music. They simply had great instincts about what not to release.

But so didn’t come here to simply point out ‘shit Beatle songs.’ There are about half a dozen official-release tracks that I don’t love. I get bored with their cover of Kansas City, my mind often wanders during I Want You )She’s
So Heavy). I never need to hear You Know My Name (Look Up the Number), I don’t really enjoy Hold Me Tight. I think the woo-woos marr the otherwise wonderful Ask Me Why. I sometimes forget What Your Doing exists. The lyrics on It’s Only Love are terrible. I don’t actually love all of the Abbey Road medley that much. I’m sure I could keep going...

Should I keep going though? Exactly what is the compulsion to want to see The Beatles taken down a peg. On the other thread it was mentioned that it would be nice to see people admit that they weren’t perfect. But I think that misses something crucial. I don’t love the Beatles because I think they were perfect. Their imperfections are part of their story. Part of what makes them the greatest band ever.

In baseball, a great hitter fails 6 or 7 times out of 10. The Beatles managed such an improbable batting average. So George Harrison blowing the guitar solo in All You Need is Love just makes me smile. I like that they were human. I like that Lennon wrote that terrible Yetty/spaghetti song. It amuses me.

Beyond all of that, I can point to a lot of theoretical reasons to doubt their status as the greatest band ever. But none of them actually bug me. Maybe their peace and love songs cloy for some. Maybe Harrison’s spirituality occasionally comes off as hectoring. Maybe they seem inauthentic next to their heroes. Maybe they never so much wrote deep songs as songs that indicate at depth. If you put a gun to my head and ask me to come up with authentic-sounding complaints... I could do it.

But I’m not sure why I would want to. There are so few uncomplicated things in this world. I don’t really want to complicate my love of The Beatles for yours or anyone else’s amusement or comfort. So sure - I can find fault if it makes you happy. But I don’t honestly think of any of these as faults. Just part of what I love.

Anyhow - I tried.

Davey

John won't like this reply, but even their mistakes (opening a hippie clothes shop, broadcasting an avant-garde home movie at peak holiday viewing on British TV, employing Magic Alex...) tend to be more colourful and interesting than other bands mistakes.
Biggest musical mistake? Not recognising and encouraging George's growing prowess as a songwriter. I include George Martin in that, as well as John and Paul.

He wanted them to release it as the next single!

Yeah, maybe their biggest artistic mistake was not giving George’s songs around 1969 the respect they deserved.

I've said it before on BCB. 

Not a song anyone would pick to illustrate George's growing songwriting prowess, I hope.