A Beatlemaniac Shaking her Head

[catherine]

OK, sorry. I'm going to wax nostalgic for things not-simple-living related. In fact, just to start off, I'm surprised that "beatlemaniac" gets trapped in the spell-check..

But then there's the thing about how when Kanye and Paul McCartney collaborated on a song, there were all kinds of tweets about how great it is that Kanye giving this "new artist" a chance on his album. Really! Did you guys hear about that?? A LOT of Kanye fans had no clue who Paul McCartney is.

Then there were the Grammys last night. I had heard about the Kanye/McCartney/Rihanna performance, but when I saw it, man, Paul McCartney was like a back-up guitarist, completely upstaged by Kanye and Rhianna. I saw he has a credit on the LONG list of writers of that song--not quite like the old Wings or Lennon/McCartney days.

The final insult was when McCartney stood up in the audience clapping along to another performance, perhaps trying to motivate others to stand up, and he was told to sit down! Ouch. Sit down, old man.

Seems incredible to me, having lived through the 60s. Time goes on.

[domestic goddess]

Yeah, I know what you mean. I just about gagged over the comments about Kanye "aiding" Paul McCartney's career. PUHLEEZE! Didn't watch the Grammys, so I have no idea about the performances there. I hate it when McCartney doesn't get respect for his role in the history of rock and roll. He was writing and recording before many of these newcomers were born! Can't believe that he was told to sit down at the Grammys; don't these people ever go to concerts?

[iris lilies]

Oh you Paul Girls, get over it.

The day my boys Mick 'n Keith allow themselves to be regulated to that kind of treatment is the day they will be dead.

[KayLR]

Not the first awkward Kanye moment. I think that will be HIS legacy.

[Gardenarian]

The Beatles will remembered long after these new folks have come and gone.

[domestic goddess]

Many of the "older" stars will be remembered for many years to come. In the future, people will be saying "Kanye who?"

[Francie]

Was listening to NPR a few days ago (yeah, I'm old) interviewing a guy who wrote a book? or something? about the Beatles. Or maybe just John Lennon? Can't tell you how much I miss them, in all their incarnations.

[IshbelRobertson]

Sadly, and I write as a great Beatles fan who was lucky enough to see them play live a number of times and actually met them a couple of times, too.... Paul ain't what he was... I saw him at a couple of recent gigs, the Olympics ceremony and another. He sang out of tune and was an embarrassment. Time to give up and stop the awful hairdye?

But the headliners mentioned? PMc will outlast their fame, thar's for sure!

[Packy]

I guess none of you kids read my carefully-crafted rants about people who worship music-entertainment idols. Especially, the over-the-hill or the hopelessly untalented ones who, except for charisma(guess that's what it is), have no marketable skills. Yet, they are a drawing card. You turn on the Tee-Vee, TV serves it up, and you kids accept it as "Official", like it or not. You then ask yourself: "What's wrong with mee--I don't like it? There is something you kids should know: Sometime in March, John Sebastian will turn 70. An american music great, who performs occasionally, but stays out of the limelight, and is not grossly oversold. What do you think of that? One of my F-book "friends" sent along a youtube vid of one of the local-yokel churches that had their vocal group onstage, doing their rendition of "Let It Be", which they managed to make rootsy-sounding. Rootsy, is the local sound, and it just doesn't appeal to me. Again: I don't like Southern, hillbilly music. That particular "Beatles" song sounded darn near like a hymn, back in the day, anyway. It was McCarts' attempt to use leftover Corn n' Hash to finish up one of their later LP's. I think my fellow facebook-er posted that one because: They just wanted to get a reaction from mee. See, I had already posted a youtube of "Roll Over Beethoven", written by a guy from The Murder City, 'Zurra, USA, and performed by the Mop-Topped Foursome from BeatPool, Ennglun. They, were great admirers of his music. I just might post one written by a guy from Iowa, also sung by your Idol, McCartney, at a command performance for QEII. Also, you kids need to respect littlebittymee for MY connection to fame; my Great-great grandparents are interred in the same cemetery as the pilot of the plane that Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, & J.P. Richardson went down in, on Feb. 3, 1959. Another thing is that before they became widely known, the BeatPools were living in Hamburg, Germany, a city on the border with Denmark, across the river. They performed a song in 1961, written by T. Sheridan, that was a tribute to a band headed by Cliff Richard, later the 80's "We don't Taaaaalk, Anymore" guy. It was an instrumental called: "Cry For A Shadow" . It was the then-popular Tremeloe-Reverb Guitar Style, very Surferbilly, like the Ventures, etc..I posted a youtube video of that one, too. Isn't that interesting? TeeeVeee just has stuff that is, well ???????????? Questionable. Old Man McCarts will stoop to nothing, these days. Good for him. But, I don't waste my time on it. Sorry. Hope that helps you some. Later. And, as always: Thankk Mee. Always.

[Packy]

Lately, I've been listening to the two greatest songs by a Two-Hit Wonder group that called themselves "The Critters", waaay back in oh, 1966. Two hits, and I can't find a decent cover of either. Covers, yes; decent, no. One of their hits IS a cover--and it is actually better than the original, that was recorded by a MUCH more successful and well known group. Ever heard of "The Critters"? They played them a lot, on AM radio, back in 1966. Now, on YouTube, you can see one of the critters' original members, making appearances, and trying to sing those two hits. Same guy, right? But he can sing 'em, but he can't do a decent job of covering his own hits. His vocal range and "stuff" just isn't what it was 50 years ago. Also, there's the multi-hit wonders, The Association. I only like some of their hits, Okay? The main vocalist for "Windy" , Larry Ramos, passed away last year in Idaho. So, forget him showing up on TeeVee. The lead vocalist for the Associations' "Along Comes Mary" lives in downstate Noo Joisey, near Atlantic City, and makes occasional nostalgia appearances. He can sing "No Fair At All" passably well, but not like the good old days. Just good enough for an occasional appearance, for nostalgia's sake. Then, there Jay & The Americans. I like several of Jays'(real name: David Blatt)greatest hits, okay? Back in his time, he was "The Voice"; he could have been an opera singer. He, still makes appearances, cause I believe he needs the money, more than the recognition. But, guess what: his voice ain't nearly what it was 50 years ago. Not nearly. And that is being kind. See? My advice is, don't go getting all fanatic about a performer; just appreciate their music, back in their prime. I see old fogey's commenting--by god they don't MAKE good music anymore--it's all this rap crap, etc., yada. But their problem is lack of exposure. Because see--two things: Radio anymore, primarily is oldies. Few of them play brand new, contemporary music, like the AM top-40 or whatever stations did, back in the 1960's. The ones that do play all new stuff are in urban markets, and very rigidly formatted, and yes--play a lot of ghetto music. The ones that play new stuff in rural markets--mainly country. See? TeeVee has always been very scarce as far as a wide variety of current music. Typically, it tends to be too stodgy. Too corny. The performers sing too loud. So, you really have to look for it. There have been music shows that came and went. The most notables being(I think) American Bandstand & Ed Sullivan and Johnny Carson & MTV when it started. American Idol, has tried to meet the need, and well, is just barely adequate. The late-night TV shows, like letterman, guest bands that don't appeal to middle-aged people. The content is the novel flash-in-the-pan bands of which only a few will be memorable. Except that Paul Shafer is brilliant, I might add. So, you've got took develop other sources. What I would suggest, besides surfing Youtube extensively, is getting an Sirius XM receiver that you can use in the house, and subscribe. There is a lot of junk on there (and youtube); you've got to mine it. I bought two car units at big lots for $20-25 each; then bought ac adaptors(they have to be relatively large amperage draw in MV; the cheap ones with the right plug are too small, so you will have to splice the plug they supply with the unit onto the output of the AC adaptor. like I'm thinking 1.0 MV or larger, or that ittybitty Sirius receiver will burn it up. It's only 12v, but a relatively big amp draw. See? Then, you can increase your exposure to music--all kinds, old and new. Not just be stuck on what's "Official", listening to an elderly billionaire try and sing a duet with a rapper. Hope that helps you some. Thank mee.