Favorite era of The Beatles?

cyndarious1

I was listening to their entire catalogue and I realized how much I love the post-beatlemania era. It's just amazing to see how they little by little change their style from Help! to Rubber Soul and Revolver, my favorite album. I really think their music must have been eye-opening in the 60's.

Tell me about your favorite era of the fab four! please!

restlesssoul

Ive never really thought about it, but when I look at their albums on a timeline, the 3 that jump out to me together are: Peppers into Magical into White. Thus, the psychadelic era for me. 1967 + 1968. I just love the sound that defines that era, the hippies, the acid and the unique sound of their songs at that point. I don't think anyone had heard anything like Within You Without You when that came out. So trippy!

dpmay

yeah, i agree with you - i like revolver and rubber soul best.

when i first got into the beatles, it was the later period stuff, like abbey road and let it be.

since i got the remastered box, i have been kind of blown away by the early stuff, in a way i had never been before.

but yeah, mid period, still my fave i think.

Newch91

Favorite album is Rubber Soul, but I don't have a favorite era. I just like listening to the evolution of them from "Please Please Me" to "Let It Be". It's amazing what they did from '62 to '70. IMO, from "Rubber Soul" to "Let It Be", those are the 7 greatest albums in a 4 year span. But the early stuff continues to blow me away, especially if you're a musician and the chords they used and the chord changes they came up with.

My uncle told me that "Strawberry Fields Forever", at that point, changed everything on what could be on a rock/pop record. He said everyone was blown away by it. Brian Wilson had to stop making "Smile" because he said the Beatles did everything in "Strawberry Fields Forever" that he wanted to do on that album.

eddiec

Love Rubber Soul.

Jokertt14

When they were heavy on drugs .

djjazzy276

Newch91 wrote:

It's amazing what they did from '62 to '70.

I agree. I think it is easy to forget just how short a time they were around. When you see the quantity of music they put out and how much it changed, you automatically assume they were a band with a long recording history. It's amazing to see what they did in such a short time.

When I was really getting into music in middle school, I found myself getting into their more experimental music, thinking that the early stuff was too "simple." As I grew up though, I started revisiting that early stuff and now it's probably my favorite. Those simple pop hooks and great melodies are timeless. If I had to name my all time favorite Beatles song though, I'd have to go with Paperback Writer. That song just gets me going. I love Ringo's drumming on it.

Of The Aggie

Pretty difficult to say. I like a little of each period.

Newch91

djjazzy276 wrote:

Newch91 wrote:

It's amazing what they did from '62 to '70.

I agree. I think it is easy to forget just how short a time they were around. When you see the quantity of music they put out and how much it changed, you automatically assume they were a band with a long recording history. It's amazing to see what they did in such a short time.

When I was really getting into music in middle school, I found myself getting into their more experimental music, thinking that the early stuff was too "simple." As I grew up though, I started revisiting that early stuff and now it's probably my favorite. Those simple pop hooks and great melodies are timeless. If I had to name my all time favorite Beatles song though, I'd have to go with Paperback Writer. That song just gets me going. I love Ringo's drumming on it.

I agree. From '63 to '65, they released two albums each year, along with '67 and '68 (if you count the "Yellow Submarine" soundtrack).

That's why I hate when people say the early stuff isn't great. The early stuff is what made them.

Paperback Writer is an awesome song with an awesome riff. I like Ringo's drumming on "Rain" and "Tomorrow Never Knows".

Ledbetterman10

Revolver through White Album

musicismylife78

always been a massive fan of the latter era, 1967 to 1970. when they started to get "weird" and experiment.

that said, this is after all the greatest band of all time, so you really cant go wrong with the early stuff, the covers, the middle period, and then the later stuff. all is life changing stuff.

ive always been fascinated by the world they created. the whole imagery you can sense throughout the songs. polythelene pam, father mackenzie, rocky raccoon, Lil aka mcgill aka (nancy), strawberry fields, etc...

i feel like ive met these people and been to these places.

Newch91

musicismylife78 wrote:

always been a massive fan of the latter era, 1967 to 1970. when they started to get "weird" and experiment.

that said, this is after all the greatest band of all time, so you really cant go wrong with the early stuff, the covers, the middle period, and then the later stuff. all is life changing stuff.

ive always been fascinated by the world they created. the whole imagery you can sense throughout the songs. polythelene pam, father mackenzie, rocky raccoon, Lil aka mcgill aka (nancy), strawberry fields, etc...

i feel like ive met these people and been to these places.

Well, Stawberry Fields is a real place.

Johnny Abruzzo

Like others, my favorite era is the Rubber Soul/Revolver era.

Also like others, I have come to greatly appreciate their early stuff, especially the way it sounds in the remastered boxed set.

For those of us who came along long after the Beatles were done (most fans here) the later stuff is what resonates most initially. Some of those albums now strike me as a tad overrated, esp Sgt. Pepper (still great, but not quite up to all the hype it received initially). I can see the argument for Abbey Rd as the greatest Beatles record, but I don't think Side 1 measures up to Rubber Soul & Revolver. I would probably pick Side 2 of Abbey Rd as the greatest Beatles album side, but Revolver as the greatest album overall.

Some things on the White Album are just kind of goofy, although the body of work stands out as tremendous.

Sorry for the ramble...

BinFrog

Newch91 wrote:

My uncle told me that "Strawberry Fields Forever", at that point, changed everything on what could be on a rock/pop record. He said everyone was blown away by it. Brian Wilson had to stop making "Smile" because he said the Beatles did everything in "Strawberry Fields Forever" that he wanted to do on that album.

I think the (only partially true) story goes it was "I Am The Walrus" that Wilson was in awe of.

Newch91

BinFrog wrote:

Newch91 wrote:

My uncle told me that "Strawberry Fields Forever", at that point, changed everything on what could be on a rock/pop record. He said everyone was blown away by it. Brian Wilson had to stop making "Smile" because he said the Beatles did everything in "Strawberry Fields Forever" that he wanted to do on that album.

I think the (only partially true) story goes it was "I Am The Walrus" that Wilson was in awe of.

And "Strawberry Fields Forever".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smile_(Beach_Boys_album)#Project_collapse

Another significant event, cited in the Beautiful Dreamer documentary, was Brian's first hearing of The Beatles' new single "Strawberry Fields Forever". He heard the song while driving his car, and was so struck by it that he had to pull over and listen; he then commented to Michael Vosse, his passenger, that The Beatles had "got there first". Although he apparently later laughed about that comment, the stunning new Beatles production had affected him deeply. The final, irrevocable blow came in early March 1967 when, after gradually distancing himself from Wilson and the group, Van Dyke Parks finally quit the project.

Capitol evidently still hoped to the last that Smile might eventually appear, but on 6 May, only a few weeks before the release of The Beatles' groundbreaking Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album, The Beach Boys' press officer Derek Taylor ruefully announced to the British press that the Smile project had been shelved, and that the album would not be released.

SVRDhand13

Revolver is my favorite album of all time.

Rubber Soul was when they proved they were more than a pop band.

Sgt. Pepper's is a classic that will never be forgotten.

So Rubber Soul --> Sgt. Pepper's for me.

keeponrockin

Rubber Soul - Revolver

I view them almost as parts one and two, and was their best balance of experiment and songwriting until Abbey Road.

Johnny Abruzzo

keeponrockin wrote:

Rubber Soul - Revolver

I view them almost as parts one and two, and was their best balance of experiment and songwriting until Abbey Road.

I have them combined and kind of mixed up in a playlist with Day Tripper, We Can Work it Out, Paperback Writer & Rain.

lukin2006

restlesssoul wrote:

Ive never really thought about it, but when I look at their albums on a timeline, the 3 that jump out to me together are: Peppers into Magical into White. Thus, the psychadelic era for me. 1967 + 1968. I just love the sound that defines that era, the hippies, the acid and the unique sound of their songs at that point. I don't think anyone had heard anything like Within You Without You when that came out. So trippy!

Agree..

helplessdancer

after they started smoking pot

everything before that was painful

SVRDhand13

helplessdancer wrote:

after they started smoking pot

everything before that was painful

I still enjoy the stuff before that (for the most part), but yes drugs helped. Thanks Bob Dylan!

Newch91

helplessdancer wrote:

after they started smoking pot

everything before that was painful

Wrong.

Johnny Abruzzo

Newch91 wrote:

helplessdancer wrote:

after they started smoking pot

everything before that was painful

Wrong.

People gonna think what they wanna think.

Newch91

Johnny Abruzzo wrote:

Newch91 wrote:

helplessdancer wrote:

after they started smoking pot

everything before that was painful

Wrong.

People gonna think what they wanna think.

True, but it was the early stuff that made them famous.

ComeToTX

their last 2 rekkids are still my favorite.

keeponrockin

Newch91 wrote:

helplessdancer wrote:

after they started smoking pot

everything before that was painful

Wrong.

I don't think he's wrong, as he can't be, it's just an opinion.

I do think that if they stopped before Rubber Soul, they really would not be remembered the way they are.

Johnny Abruzzo

Newch91 wrote:

Johnny Abruzzo wrote:

People gonna think what they wanna think.

True, but it was the early stuff that made them famous.

I know. Preaching to the choir.

I guess to modern ears She Loves You sounds like a boy-band pop song, as opposed to the revolutionary sound it was at the time. I think it still sounds like an awesome song either way, of course.

Newch91

Johnny Abruzzo wrote:

Newch91 wrote:

Johnny Abruzzo wrote:

People gonna think what they wanna think.

True, but it was the early stuff that made them famous.

I know. Preaching to the choir.

I guess to modern ears She Loves You sounds like a boy-band pop song, as opposed to the revolutionary sound it was at the time. I think it still sounds like an awesome song either way, of course.

Yep. I think the story of that recording goes they were outside practicing it and the girls heard them and started rushing towards them. The band went into the studio and recorded it and you hear the energy from them on it.

marcos

Rubber Soul may be their best album, but if what they say is true that the boys were not even talking to each other, and basically hated each other during the recording of the White Album, then that is so awesome. I don't know too much about The Beatles documentary wise but absolutely love them best.

Newch91

marcos wrote:

Rubber Soul may be their best album, but if what they say is true that the boys were not even talking to each other, and basically hated each other during the recording of the White Album, then that is so awesome. I don't know too much about The Beatles documentary wise but absolutely love them best.

If you have Netflix, watch The Beatles Anthology. The sessions were really tense. They had 3 studios going at once.

cyndarious1

marcos wrote:

Rubber Soul may be their best album, but if what they say is true that the boys were not even talking to each other, and basically hated each other during the recording of the White Album, then that is so awesome. I don't know too much about The Beatles documentary wise but absolutely love them best.

Acording to the Anthology, it was during Rubber Soul that they started trying new influences and styles, and it was actually in The White Album sessions that the tension began. From what I understood, before the White Album everything was kinda okay among them.