OK, some people may not like them, but anyone who says they weren’t great or influential clearly knows nothing about music.

Comment (1)

That the Beatles mean so much to so many people who make music in so many genres goes without saying. What doesn’t go without saying is what John, Paul, George and Ringo mean to these musicians, who share in their own words the important role the Fab Four have played in their songs and in their lives.

“The three of us [in Nirvana] grew up listening to the Beatles, then classic rock and punk. Somehow, it all came together.” –Dave Grohl

“I don’t think I could write with John Lennon. He’s too genius … All you [could] do is mess it up.” –Miley Cyrus

“In Dublin we think the Beatles are Irish. There’s a revenge against [the] class system that’s a very Irish preoccupation… Here were the Fab Four spitting out a new vocabulary, that comes from that kind of revenge against the old idea of England that wasn’t inclusive of the working class.” –Bono

“I love the Beatles. What more can I say? I’m not gonna lie to you. I love ‘em. They make me happy. And I think they were the best, and still are.” –Liam Gallagher

I don’t think anybody comes close to the Beatles, including Oasis.” –Brian May of Queen

“I heard ‘Rubber Soul’ one night in my house here in LA, and I was so blown out that I said, ‘I have to record an album as good or better than ‘Rubber Soul.’ If I ever do anything in my life, I’m going to make that good an album.’” –Brian Wilson

“You can’t beat the Beatles. You join ‘em.” –Peggy Lee

“The first [record] I can remember buying was ‘Meet the Beatles!’ at a garage sale for five cents.” –Billy Corgan

“The Beatles really synthesized what I wanted to do. The single biggest moment that I can remember being galvanized into wanting to be a musican for life was seeing the Beatles on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show.’” –Billy Joel

“I bought [John Lennon's] ‘Plastic Ono Band,’ and I listened to it over and over for months. It’s a monumental work of genius… The attitude and emotion of that album are harder than any punk rock I’ve ever heard.” –Lenny Kravitz

“The Beatles were why we turned from a jug band into a rock ‘n’ roll band. What we saw them doing was impossibly attractive.” –Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead

“To be in the same room as the four of them caused me to not sleep for, like, three days.” –Jeff Lynne

“The Beatles defined their own sense of values and honor. They took stances without ever being politically correct. And they did it all with incredible humor… I honestly think that there are certain things in life that help people understand themselves. I think the Beatles are one of those things. They resonate the journey of true selfhood, really.” –Sophie B. Hawkins

“I’m probably the biggest Beatles fan on the planet.” –Robin Zander of Cheap Trick

“A lot of that Beatles influence comes from Steven [Tyler]’s collaboration with Mark Hudson, both of whom are absolute Beatle freaks… I guess the goal is to try and emulate probably some of the best music of the last 50 years, which has to be the Beatles.” –Brad Whitford of Aerosmith

“We looked deep down inside the very core of our souls and there was a little Ringo sitting there. Sure, we like telling people it’s John Lennon or George Harrison, but when you really look deep inside of Soundgarden, there’s a little Ringo wanting to get out.” — Kim Thayil of Soundgarden

“[The Beatles were] the start of the reason why we’re doing a band.” –Vicki Peterson of the Bangles

“How could you not be influenced by the Beatles if you write songs?” –Sean Lennon

Which Beatle Are You? QuizFiled under: The Hit List Share & Bookmark : Print | Email More
Reader Comments(1 of 1)
Neutral4165
at 9-15-2009I’m really surprised that you didn’t include quotes from Ozzy Osbourne who was interviewed I think in your very own magazine in 2002 where he calls The Beatles The Greatest Band To Ever Walk The Earth and said that he loved them since he was a teenager and called Paul McCartney a musical genuis.

Also Bob Dylan praised John,Paul and George last year in Rolling Stone.And Roger McGuinn is also a big fan and The Rolling Stones were fans and friends with them too.Also,

Artist Main:
The Beatles

The Beatles

Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready Praises The ‘Phenomenal’ Beatles

But he might not be so good at the just-released ‘Beatles: Rock Band’: ‘I need to work on my skills.’

by Kyle Anderson

Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready (MTV News)

Pearl Jam already have several links to “Rock Band,” as they have made their classic debut Ten available in its entirety as a playable download and will be dropping their forthcoming album

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Backspacer in the same fashion once it’s released September 20. And though founding guitarist Mike McCready has played the game and is excited for the Wednesday (September 9) release of “The Beatles: Rock Band,” he has a confession to make.

“I honestly grew up listening to the Stones more,” McCready told MTV News at the Outside Lands Festival. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t love the Beatles.”

McCready cited the band’s harmonies as a musical development that really inspired him, and he also gave a nod to a classic piece of video. “The concert footage on the roof was probably something that was integral in my growing up.”

The footage in question is the surprise show the Beatles gave in January 1969 that marked the end of the recording of Let It Be and ended up being the band’s final public appearance together. McCready did learn one profound thing from the Beatles. “My manager says you never want to release anything against the Beatles, because they’ll always win,” he joked. “And they should, because they were phenomenal.”

As for “Rock Band,” McCready admitted he needs practice. “I play ‘Rock Band’ with my friends’ kids, and they completely beat me senseless with it,” he admitted. “I feel like I’m holding them back. I try to play the drums, and I just can’t play the drums. I think I need to work on my skills.”

But when Backspacer becomes available as a playable full-album download, McCready said players will be able to develop their skills on a few of his favorite tracks. “I would say try the solo on ‘Amongst the Waves.’ And just rock out to ‘Gonna See My Friend.’ That’ll be fun to jump around to and play. Stomp as much as you possibly can. That’s rock!”

For more on “The Beatles: Rock Band” check out Multiplayer.MTV.com.

This report is from MTV News.

The Beatles

Pearl Jam

The Beatles Rock Band

Remastered Beatles CDs Are A Revelation

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Abbey Road
The Beatles

Artist

The Beatles

Album

Abbey Road

Rating

Release Date

Sep 26, 1969

Label

Capitol

Genre Styles
Pop/Rock
Album Rock
Rock & Roll
Pop/Rock
British Psychedelia
Psychedelic
Sunshine Pop
Prog-Rock/ Art Rock
AM Pop
Hard Rock

Moods Themes
Whimsical
Naive
Elegant
Sophisticated
Cheerful
Freewheeling
Complex
Brassy
Fun
Romantic
Bittersweet
Sweet
Refined/ Mannered
Brash
Laid-Back/ Mellow
Hypnotic
Intimate
Self-Conscious
Lush
Energetic
Passionate
Road Trip
Reflection
Summertime
Housework

AMG Album ID

R 1525

Corrections to this Entry?

Review by Richie Unterberger
The last Beatles album to be recorded (although Let It Be was the last to be released), Abbey Road was a fitting swan song for the group, echoing some of the faux-conceptual forms of Sgt. Pepper, but featuring stronger compositions and more rock-oriented ensemble work. The group was still pushing forward in all facets of its art, whether devising some of the greatest harmonies to be heard on any rock record (especially on “Because”), constructing a medley of songs/vignettes that covered much of side two, adding subtle touches of Moog synthesizer, or crafting furious guitar-heavy rock (“The End,” “I Want You (She’s So Heavy),” “Come Together”). George Harrison also blossomed into a major songwriter, contributing the buoyant “Here Comes the Sun” and the supremely melodic ballad “Something,” the latter of which became the first Harrison-penned Beatles hit. Whether Abbey Road is the Beatles’ best work is debatable, but it’s certainly the most immaculately produced (with the possible exception of Sgt. Pepper) and most tightly constructed.

Tracks

Title
Composer
Time

1 Come Together Lennon, McCartney 04:20
2 Something Harrison 03:02
3 Maxwell’s Silver Hammer Lennon, McCartney 03:27
4 Oh! Darling Lennon, McCartney 03:26
5 Octopus’s Garden Starkey, Starr 02:51
6 I Want You (She’s So Heavy) Lennon, McCartney 07:47
7 Here Comes the Sun Harrison 03:05
8 Because Lennon, McCartney 02:45
9 You Never Give Me Your Money Lennon, McCartney 04:02
10 Sun King Lennon, McCartney 02:26
11 Mean Mr. Mustard Lennon, McCartney 01:06
12 Polythene Pam Lennon, McCartney 01:12
13 She Came in Through the Bathroom Window Lennon, McCartney 01:57
14 Golden Slumbers Lennon, McCartney 01:31
15 Carry That Weight Lennon, McCartney 01:36
16 The End Lennon, McCartney 02:19
17 Her Majesty Lennon, McCartney 00:23

indicates Track Pick
indicates a click-through to a song review

Releases
Year
Type
Label
Catalog #

1987 CD Capitol C2-46446
1987 CS Capitol C4-46446
1978 LP Capitol SEAX-11900
1987 LP Capitol C1-46446
1991 LP Capitol 003831
1991 CS Capitol 003834
1978 LP Capitol 119001
1989 LP Parlophone 1042431
2007 CD Toshiba EMI 51122
1983 CD Toshiba EMI 353016
2009 CD Capitol 82468

Revolution
The Beatles

Composed By
John Lennon/Paul McCartney All Performers that have performed this Title

Song Review
by Richie Unterberger

As the B-side of “Hey Jude,” “Revolution” formed one-half of a worthy contender for the best rock single of all time. As with another contender, “Penny Lane”/ “Strawberry Fields Forever,” each side represented one of the best and most characteristic songwriting efforts by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, respectively (even if they were billed to Lennon- McCartney jointly, out of contractual custom). “Revolution” was, of course, quite different in tone from “Hey Jude,” one of the group’s best ballads. In contrast, “Revolution” was one of their greatest, most furious rockers, also featuring some of Lennon’s most challenging, fiery lyrics. It must first be noted that two entirely different arrangements of “Revolution” were recorded and released. A slow one with doo wop-inspired harmonies, officially titled “Revolution 1,” appeared on The Beatles (popularly known as the White Album); the faster and, most would agree, superior version appeared on the B-side of the “Hey Jude” single. The song described here will be the single version, simply entitled “Revolution.” Leading off with a startling machine-gun fuzz guitar riff and a scream, the heart immediately starts pounding before Lennon goes into the first verse. (Trivia note: An obscure 1954 recording by bluesman Pee Wee Crayton, “Do Unto Others,” has an opening riff that sounds almost identical to the riff that opens “Revolution.” Coincidence, or not?) Combining one of his throatiest vocals and the consistently buzzing, fuzzy guitars, you have one of the most down-and-dirty Beatles tracks ever.

In “Revolution,” Lennon seems to be questioning, quite reasonably, the validity of changing the world through violent means. He was setting himself up for criticism from all sides here, particularly in the turbulent year of 1968: the establishment was angered by anyone talking about “Revolution” in any context, while some of the left viewed refusal to overthrow society by any means necessary as a cowardly sellout. Lennon is quite emphatic, however, that when it comes to violence, you can count him out. (Typically, he would sit on the fence on this issue over the years, and in “Revolution 1,” qualify his observation by immediately singing the word “in” after declaring that he could be counted out.) Characteristically, optimism prevails in the Beatles’ world, even when taking on one of the most explosive subjects possible, as on the uplifting chorus (helped greatly by harmony vocals), when the group urgently and repeatedly reassures listeners that everything’s going to be all right. Those reassurances become sing-shouts in the final refrain, though the loud guitar figures in the background imply that everything might not be all right, as does a final near-hysterical repetition of the phrase by Lennon. “Revolution,” incidentally, was one of the few Beatles tracks to feature a contribution from an outside rock session musician, Nicky Hopkins, who adds ebullient keyboards to the performance.

Appears On

Rating
Year
Album

Length
Label

1968 Hey Jude [Single] Apple

1970 Hey Jude
3:21 Capitol
AMG Track Picks
Paperback Writer, Hey Jude, Old Brown Shoe

1973 1967-1970
3:25 Capitol
AMG Track Picks

Strawberry Fields Forever, Penny Lane, I Am the Walrus, Hey Jude, Don’t Let Me Down, Here Comes the Sun, Something

1976 Rock & Roll Music 3:24 Capitol

1980 Rock & Roll Music, Vol. 2 3:21 Capitol

1984 The Compleat Beatles [Video] MGM

1988 Imagine: John Lennon [Original Soundtrack]
3:22 Capitol
AMG Track Picks

Real Love, In My Life, The Ballad of John and Yoko, Jealous Guy, (Just Like) Starting Over, Imagine

1988 Past Masters, Vol. 2
3:24 Capitol
AMG Track Picks

Day Tripper, We Can Work It Out, Rain, Hey Jude

1988 Past Masters, Vols. 1 & 2 Capitol

1988 The Beatles Box Set [1988] 3:24 Capitol

1989 Ultra Rare Trax, Vol. 5 3:19 The Swingin’ Pig

1991 Hey Jude/Revolution Capitol

1991 Unsurpassed Masters, Vol. 7 (1962-1969) Yellow Dog

1993 Artifacts, 1958-1970 3:19 Big Music

1993 Compact Disc Singles Collection 3:22 Capitol

1993 Unsurpassed Demos Yellow Dog

1994 Artifacts II 1960-1969 3:58 Big Music

1994 Revolution Vigotone

1996 Anthology Video, Vol. 8 Apple

1999 CD Singles Collection
3:22 EMI
AMG Track Picks

We Can Work It Out, Paperback Writer, Strawberry Fields Forever, Don’t Let Me Down, I Am the Walrus, I’m Down, Ticket to Ride, She’s a Woman, Revolution, All You Need Is Love

199Z The Get Back Journals VigoTone

2000 Imagine: John Lennon [Japan] 3:24 EMI

2006 LOVE [Bonus DVD] 2:14 Capitol/Apple

2006 LOVE 2:14 Capitol/Apple
AMG Track Picks
Drive My Car/The Word/What You’re Doing, Strawberry Fields Forever, Within You Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows, While My Guitar Gently Weeps

2008 LOVE [Special Edition] EMD Int’l

2009 The Beatles: Stereo Box Set Capitol

I’m Down
The Beatles

Composed By
John Lennon/Paul McCartney All Performers that have performed this Title

Song Review by Richie Unterberger

“I’m Down,” the B-side of “Help!,” was one of the most frantic rockers in the entire Beatles catalog. The very first line — sung a cappella by the principal writer, Paul McCartney — was about as larynx-twisting an upper-register, non-falsetto vocal as was possible in rock music. Critics have often noted that the vocal and the song itself are very much in the Little Richard style, and some see it as little more than a rewrite of Little Richard’s “Long Tall Sally.” It’s true there are some similarities between “I’m Down” and “Long Tall Sally,” but it’s not just a blatant copy. For one thing, there are the great call-and-response vocals between McCartney and the other Beatles, as well as the sudden jerky shifts in tempo in which the instruments periodically stop altogether. George Harrison lets loose with one of his patented bluesy, slightly disheveled, growling guitar solos, and then it’s back to a final verse where McCartney really climbs the high notes for emphasis. That done with, it’s time for one of the group’s more crazed and elongated fadeouts, kicked off by a hair-raising McCartney scream, then settling into more vocal trades between him and the group as well as some wild organ playing by John Lennon. Although The Beatles Recording Sessions tells listeners that seven takes were completed at the session, the song has a wonderfully loose, almost jammy feel. Listen to the part where McCartney starts the final verse, for instance, and his first line is answered with a lazy, almost diffident guitar sliding slowly up the low notes. Not that it hurts the song any, but there’s a contradiction between the mood of the lyrics — ostensibly a guy down in the dumps about being dumped — and the delivery. McCartney does not sound down in the dumps; he sounds like he’s having the time of his life, with an energy that’s incredibly infectious. “I’m Down” was a great live favorite of the Beatles’ mid-’60s shows, as seen in the famous footage of their 1965 Shea Stadium concert, which closed with an especially wild performance of the song. There have not been many covers of “I’m Down”; indeed, for years it was surprisingly hard to hear, as it didn’t get issued on a Beatles LP until the mid-’70s. There were a couple of surprising attempts, however, one a live version (recorded in 1966, released in the 1980s) by the 13th Floor Elevators, with Roky Erickson contributing a demented lead vocal that was grating where McCartney’s was uplifting. Even more surprisingly, Yes, a group not known for rock-’em-sock-’em party tunes, did “I’m Down” in concert.

Appears On
Rating
Year
Album

Length
Label

1976 Rock & Roll Music 2:32 Capitol

1980 Rock & Roll Music, Vol. 2 2:38 Capitol

1988 Past Masters, Vol. 1 2:31 Capitol
AMG Track Picks
She Loves You, I Want to Hold Your Hand, I Feel Fine, I’m Down

1988 Past Masters, Vols. 1 & 2 Capitol

1988 The Beatles Box Set [1988] 2:31 Capitol

1989 Five Nights in a Judo Arena Swingin’ Pig

1991 Help/I’m Down Capitol

1993 Artifacts, 1958-1970 2:18 Big Music

1993 Compact Disc Singles Collection 2:33 Capitol

1996 Anthology 2 2:53 Apple/Capitol
AMG Track Picks
Yes It Is, If You’ve Got Trouble, That Means a Lot, I’m Looking Through You, Strawberry Fields Forever

1996 Anthology Video, Vol. 5 Apple

1998 Live in Japan 3:40 Walrus

1999 CD Singles Collection 2:33 EMI
AMG Track Picks
We Can Work It Out, Paperback Writer, Strawberry Fields Forever, Don’t Let Me Down, I Am the Walrus, I’m Down, Ticket to Ride, She’s a Woman, Revolution, All You Need Is Love

2001 Beatles Story CTA

2003 Around the World Import

2008 Cartoons Brainmade

2009 The Beatles: Stereo Box Set Capitol

Budokan Concert VAP Inport

Concerts 1964-66 [DVD]

Unauthorised Live, Vol. 1 Joker

Video Scrapbook Encore Entertainment Imprort

You Can’t Do That

The Beatles

Composed By Other Links
John Lennon/Paul McCartney All Performers that have performed this Title

Song Review by Richie Unterberger

As the B-side to “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “You Can’t Do That” was a worthy companion to the more well-known hit, particularly as it was also one of the Beatles’ grittiest and hardest-rocking early originals. The track was introduced by a ringing, circular George Harrison guitar lick that marked the first time he played 12-string electric guitar on a Beatles recording — an innovation that would figure strongly not just in the Beatles’ mid-’60s records, but also in the development of folk-rock. Rhythmically the song has a funkier, more soulful beat than anything else the Beatles had previously done, perhaps sparked by increased exposure to American soul music as the group began to tour the U.S. John Lennon, in fact, specifically cited Wilson Pickett as an inspiration for the song, although since Pickett had barely begun to record under his own name when “You Can’t Do That” was written in early 1964, one wonders if Lennon was influenced by Pickett only in hindsight. The song had no shortage of dynamite hooks, particularly the insistent stuttering beats at the end of each verse and bridge, the thrilling soulful responsive harmonies that answer Lennon’s lead vocal, and the dramatic rising harmony vocals that accompany Lennon on the bridge.

Lennon lets loose with one of his all-time great screams to launch the instrumental break, in which he makes his debut as a lead guitarist on a Beatles record, with crunchy, frenetic riffing that suits the tune well. Listen also for the very end, in which a reprise of the principal 12-string guitar riff suddenly slows to a crawl for the last three notes. Lyrically this is one of the toughest Lennon- McCartney songs, principally written by Lennon , and verging almost on misogyny in its threats to leave a girl if she so much as talks to another guy. There’s an underlying note of insecurity, however, in his laments that others will laugh in his face if they see her acting the way she does. “You Can’t Do That” was honored with a most unusual cover version by Nilsson a few years later on his debut album, in which he did not so much sing “You Can’t Do That” as use its main motifs for the body of a track which interwove brief phrases from other Beatles classics like “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Day Tripper,” “You’re Going to Lose That Girl,” and “Drive My Car.”

Appears On
Rating
Year
Album

Length
Label

1964 A Hard Day’s Night [UK] 2:37 Capitol
AMG Track Picks
A Hard Day’s Night, I Should Have Known Better, And I Love Her, Can’t Buy Me Love

1964 The Beatles Beat Odeon

1964 The Beatles’ Second Album 2:23 Capitol
AMG Track Picks
You Can’t Do That, I’ll Get You, She Loves You

1976 Rock & Roll Music 2:37 Capitol

1980 Rock & Roll Music, Vol. 1 2:33 Capitol

1988 The Beatles Box Set [1988] 2:37 Capitol

1990 Ready Steady Go!, Vol. 1 [Video] Pioneer

1991 Can’t Buy Me Love/You Can’t Do That Capitol

1993 Artifacts, 1958-1970 2:38 Big Music

1993 Compact Disc Singles Collection 2:34 Capitol

1994 Complete BBC Sessions Great Dane

1994 Complete BBC Sessions Great Dane

1994 The Making of a Hard Day’s Night MPI

1995 Anthology 1 2:42 Apple/Capitol
AMG Track Picks
Free as a Bird, Ain’t She Sweet, One After 909, All My Loving, A Hard Day’s Night, Leave My Kitten Alone

1999 CD Singles Collection 2:34 EMI
AMG Track Picks
We Can Work It Out, Paperback Writer, Strawberry Fields Forever, Don’t Let Me Down, I Am the Walrus, I’m Down, Ticket to Ride, She’s a Woman, Revolution, All You Need Is Love

199Z The Get Back Journals VigoTone

2001 Beatles Story CTA

2001 The Beatles Beat: The Beatles Sessions [Bootleg] Odeon Bootleg

2004 The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1 2:40 Capitol
AMG Track Picks
I Want to Hold Your Hand, It Won’t Be Long, I Wanna Be Your Man, Roll Over Beethoven, You Can’t Do That, She Loves You, I’ll Cry Instead, Things We Said Today, And I Love Her, No Reply, I’m a Loser, She’s a Woman, I Feel Fine

2009 The Beatles: Stereo Box Set Capitol

It’s All in the Mind Y’know Beat

The Beatles, Vol. 3 Beat/Cool Daddy

The Beatles: 16 Superhits, Vol. 3 2:36 Dorado