Parents beware: the awful Blyton is back

[Moonraker]

As my pop idols are Jason Donovan and Duran Duran, maybe I'm just musically 'challenged'?

The Beatles are boring and were liked by people at school who thought it was cool to like them.

I rest my case.

[Lucky Star]

As my pop idols are Jason Donovan and Duran Duran, maybe I'm just musically 'challenged'?

I also like Duran Duran Katharine. They had some fabulous hits in the 80s and their latest album is actually excellent too. The Beatles are fabulous though, unbeatable in the band stakes.

[Katharine]

I'm obviously not as big a Duran Duran fan as I thought I was - I didn't know they had produced an album recently - must check that one out.

I was going to suggest that maybe some of the appeal of The Beatles is a generation thing, but as I think Lucky Star is a similar age to me, it can't be that.

Sorry, I seem to have totally de-railed this thread somewhat.

[Francis]

Of course Enid was very musical but I am not sure that she would have approved of popular modern music - I prefer 'folk' music although I like some 'rock' music as well. At least they can't blame Enid for modern taste altough somebody would if they could!

[Moonraker]

I have a theory about people who say they don't like The Beatles:

[Katharine]

Funnily enough I was thinking about this thread on Saturday. We were driving along listening to a run down of the top 20 from a year back in the 1960s, and The Beatles were No.1, with I think Hard Day's Night. So I really made a point of listening to it. Sorry, I still don't 'get' their popularity. I wouldn't say I didn't like the tune, but compared to several of the others I'd just listened to from the Top 10 of that week, I would say it was probably my least favourite.

[Lucky Star]

A Hard Days Night was number one for three weeks in July/August 1964. These are the other tracks in the top ten for it's first week. Some good ones certainly but I think the moptops deserved their spot at the top.
But don't worry Katharine; music is all a matter of personal taste. But please tell me you didn't really prefer the Barron Knights.



W LW Title Artist
1 3 A Hard Day's Night The Beatles
2 1 It's All Over Now The Rolling Stones
3 6 I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself Dusty Springfield
4 4 I Won't Forget You Jim Reeves
5 2 House Of The Rising Sun The Animals
6 17 Call Up The Groups The Barron Knights
7 5 Hold Me P J Proby
8 9 On The Beach Cliff Richard
9 30 Do Wah Diddy Diddy Manfred Mann
10 7 It's Over Roy Orbison

[Katharine]

Mmm, I can't have been listening to the radio that closely, as there's not much in that Top 10 that appeals to me. I think generally I must prefer the late 1950s/very early 1960s. Maybe I'm getting confused as I also listened to one of my Dream Boats and Petticoats CDs in the car as well. Out of 25 tracks, there's only one that I really can't stand, and always skip.

I don't remember hearing the Barron Knights, that might have been fun. I saw them in concert many years ago.

I don't know if it's co-incidence, but I grew up listening to my Dad's record collection which featured groups like The Allison, Roy Orbison, Cliff Richard, Joe Brown etc. and so apart from 'my' era which was the 1980s, that's my favourite kind of music.

I'm just waiting to have my knuckles rapped for discussing music in an Enid Blyton thread, probably should have posted this under 'Last Song Listened To'. Sorry.

[Moonraker]

Mmm, I can't have been listening to the radio that closely, as there's not much in that Top 10 that appeals to me.

Heaven's above! Apart from Proby, I thought that was a terrific chart! Roy Orbison and Cliff are in that chart, Katharine - so it can't be all bad for you!

[Katharine]

No it wasn't all bad, I didn't mind the Cliff Richard, and do like the Roy Orbison track, but that's only 2 out of 10 that I'd choose to listen to again.

[Daisy]

But don't worry Katharine; music is all a matter of personal taste. But please tell me you didn't really prefer the Barron Knights.

I used to enjoy their clever parodies.

[MJE]

     I'm going to shock Chloe1; but I have never heard a cover of a Beatles song that didn't sound to me utterly pathetic compared to the Beatles' own version. My reaction is usually nothing more than, "Why did you bother?"
     I dare say many songs can be covered successfully, and a reasonable facsimile of the original given - or alternatively a very different interpretation that works quite well in its own terms. But I am almost persuaded that this cannot be done with the Beatles - they are just out of bounds for that. I don't know why - but people just can't seem to bring it off, at least as I hear it.
     There's no accounting for taste in music, I suppose. Maybe it can be explained to some extent; but in the end you just like something or you don't, and often you don't know why.
     In the classical area, it often shocks people if I dare to let them know that neither J. S. Bach nor Mozart do much for me - two of the biggest mega-names in all of classical music. (I sometimes hesitate to disclose this to some people, if I think it may shock them too much, or even cause them to judge my musical sensitivity adversely.) (The other mega-name, of course, is Beethoven - totally different story - he was my childhood idol for years.)
     Oh, I know Bach and Mozart composers were clever and talented, had good technique, and so on - but their music just doesn't speak to me, somehow. I can appreciate the counterpoint in a Bach fugue and marvel at how clever it is - but, listening to it, it still doesn't excite me much. And, as for Mozart - after I got to know Beethoven so well first of all, he just tended to sound like Beethoven and water, all tinkly.
     And I can't account for it - whereas there are some truly obscure composers whose music really does impress me.

Regards, Michael.

[pete9012S]

I have never heard a cover of a Beatles song that didn't sound to me utterly pathetic compared to the Beatles' own version. .

Michael,maybe this honest hearted rendition may change your mind....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvPugOWeZiA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

*runs quickly for cover in case Michael runs after me and pummels me*

[MJE]

     Sorry, Pete, have to listen to that later. It's deep night here now, and I will wake my mother (at whose place I am now) if I play it now!

Regards, Michael.

[Moonraker]

Give this a viewing, Michael!