What is the greatest thing you don't like about the Beatles?

Originally Posted by BeatleJim

I couldn't agree more. But, my contention is that all of this began on Feb 9, 1964. Had the Beatles not appeared on the Ed Sullivan show that evening or had not taken off the way they had, the world would be a different place. I'm not saying that they were personally responsible for each and every mistake that was made during the sixties, but they got the ball rolling. In many cases, they didn't do it intentionally, but they changed the way people, especially gullible, easily influenced young people, at the time looked at the world.

To an extent I agree with you. But war, the assassination of JFK (and later, RFK, MLK and Malcolm X), the civil rights struggle, and other big things were already calling into question people's views of the world. And I think that the world did need to be looked at in a different way because there was a lot of injustice, and a lot of too-rigid thinking around.
I think artists throughout history have held mirrors up to the world and have also presented possibilities for different perspectives.
We may be approaching this from different viewpoints. My feeling is that the youth movement and the changes that came about in the period referred to as "The Sixties" (which isn't accurate, really) were, on balance, positive.

I think the thing that I did not like about the Beatles was Paul/John inhibiting the talents of the other 2 band members George/Ringo, they were a talent as 4 band mates/members.....

Revolution 9.
The anti-war stance seen in later music and from John.
Yoko.
I wish Phil Spector would have left "Let It Be" as it was on
Let It Be...Naked."
Drug usage.
Casual sex/premarital sex/cheating.

There's quite a few more. But no matter what, I will always love them!

I didn't like all the bitchiness leading to the break-up. I guess the fact that they could still produce good music despite this was a testament to their ability.

That they didn't set good moral examples for the kiddies. You know, like every other band in the universe besides the Carpenters.

I don't condone drug use, but I'd hate to imagine my record collection without it.

I'm not a fan of most of their covers. There are a few I think are great ("Twist & Shout" is the most obvious example) but overall I far prefer the Lennon/McCartney originals when it comes to their early recordings. I usually skip over the covers at this point.

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BTW, almost everything people have posted on here as things they dislike about The Beatles are things I really like about The Beatles. A lot of the moralizing I'm reading is a bit weird to me. I don't get how people can be like that and really _get_ The Beatles.

Originally Posted by feelfab

My feeling is that the youth movement and the changes that came about in the period referred to as "The Sixties" (which isn't accurate, really) were, on balance, positive.

Absolutely. It drives me a bit nutty when people go on about the "good old days" ... you know back when women were second class citizens, there was legal segregation of the races, homosexuality was a crime... yeah the good old days. No thanks. I'll take freedom & equality over all of the of the judgmental closed minded nonsense people like to think of as "morals."

Amen to that, JonnyBeatle! These are The Days.

Originally Posted by JonnyBeatle

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BTW, almost everything people have posted on here as things they dislike about The Beatles are things I really like about The Beatles. A lot of the moralizing I'm reading is a bit weird to me. I don't get how people can be like that and really _get_ The Beatles.

And what exactly is wrong with moralising and liking The Beatles?

Or should we all be sinister-minded individuals like yourself?

The Beatles were human beings. Far from perfect, they had their flaws, just like all of us. They searched for love and peace, but in a mixed up world of drugs, rebellions, promiscuity, and their own internal squabbles, the search for eternal love and peace was always going to be a long drawn-out battle. A bit like a dog chasing his own tail.

Just because we like The Beatles, doesn't mean have to like EVERYTHING about them. We can judge for ourselves what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is bad, and make up our minds accordingly. And as one of the generations that followed on from those hallycon days of the 60's, we hope to learn from it.

I didn't like Ringo doing the cover of "What Goes On" and I'm not overly fond of "Matchbox" either.

the drugs and the fact they lost vision after brian I think they needed help to sort it out and had they done that maybe they might have played together longer also maybe that they split and never got back it would have been greta to see the evolution.

Originally Posted by JonnyBeatle

Absolutely. It drives me a bit nutty when people go on about the "good old days" ... you know back when women were second class citizens, there was legal segregation of the races, homosexuality was a crime... yeah the good old days. No thanks. I'll take freedom & equality over all of the of the judgmental closed minded nonsense people like to think of as "morals."

I think when they say the 'good old days'; they're referring to the days of their youth and the music, and not all the ethnic/indivuality issues.
I don't think music is the same as it once was, and I think thats what people (or, atleast my parents) are talking about when they talk about the good old days. It's not like we have a very up and coming legendary band like the beatles or Queen running around these days.
But that's just my opinion.

I'm with Jonny, but the "good old" part was the music and the cool cars, like 1960-65 Ford Falcons!

Yoko Ono

I can't think of anything. I mean, there were things that went on during Beatle times that were rather distasteful, but I can't say I dislike it because every single thing they did led to what they've become: Legendary. If they hadn't smoked pot with Bob Dylan they wouldn't have created an entirely new name and eventually the "pop" persona of the ban would have died off. If they hadn't have split the way they did, nothing would have been the same. I like the way they were and they way they still are. Ya know?

Originally Posted by MaccaGirl2891

Casual sex/premarital sex/cheating.

Same dislike, especially for a feminist like me.

But still...

There's quite a few more. But no matter what, I will always love them!

The same conclusion as yours. :)

Originally Posted by taxman

So nice!!!

Originally Posted by mccartneymaniac

the fact they lost vision after brian

"the fact" ??? I think you are confusing opinion for fact. In my opinion they wrote and recorded their best album (The White Album) after Brian so I hardly think they "lost vision." Hell, I love just about everything they recorded after Brian died. I think they were at a peak right through Abbey Road.

The amount of adultery that went on in that band is heartbreaking.

That Paul was so dead set on Lee Eastman taking over Brian's position. I'm not saying that it definitely should have been Allen Klein either. Equally I wish that the other three AND Paul would have continued with the "all for one or all for none" stance regarding the choice of a "replacement" for Brian.

If Paul wouldn't have been so dead set on Eastman and the other three would have backed off pushing for Klein, we may have seen more Beatle records before that date in December 1980. Hell, we may have avoided that date all together...

...and we may have avoided part of the impact of disco

theres nothing wrong with the drugs, anyway, some of their music would've been quite different without them imo.

as for the sex, well it was the sixties, the pill was new, and for many women that meant a certain degree of freedom too.
while i respect peoples choices, waiting until you are married has always seemed a little unnatural to me.