The Beatles vs The Beach Boys

DriveYourCarDownToTheSea · 01-08-2014, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taxman

Yeah, but ain't Pet Sounds songs have pretty complex chord progressions? I'm not an expert but figuring out the chords of God Only Knows was pretty hard.

Yes, that's true. I was speaking of Smile specifically. Brian deliberately made the chords simple, but masked it with complex arrangements.

Sort-of related, I was just listening to both You Still Believe in Me and Here, There and Everywhere and just realized the latter is practically a ripoff of the former. I know McCartney was imitating the BB's with that song, but now that I listen to them back-to-back it's almost a little *too* obvious.

And for reference:

Chords for You Still Believe in Me:
You Still Believe In Me Chords by Beach Boys @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com

Chords for Here, There and Everywhere:
Here There Everywhere Chords by Beatles @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com

EDIT: The major difference between the two songs is that Wilson writes the melody around descending scales while McCartney used ascending scales. Otherwise they're pretty similar.

Taxman · 01-08-2014, 02:01 PM

Yep, they are kinda samey-sounding songs. But both are masterpieces so a little bit stealing doesn't actually bother me. But yep, Here There and Everywhere was pretty much influenced by Pet Sounds, no question about that.

DriveYourCarDownToTheSea · 01-08-2014, 03:44 PM

Really nerdy stuff:
Words and chords. The semantic shifts of the Beatles' chords

Taxman · 01-08-2014, 11:52 PM

^ an interesting article -though I did not understood it all- and it was partly made in Finland

Moss · 01-16-2014, 01:13 PM

Speaking of Beatles, I just picked up this shirt:

Neapolitan · 01-18-2014, 10:51 PM

I always thought Ringo was the funny one.

Jokerman · 01-20-2014, 08:07 AM

I love the beach boys but nobody can touch the beatles.

neardeathexperience · 01-26-2014, 08:28 AM

Both bands are timeless. As long as the season of Summer comes along the Beach Boys will live forever.

GeorgiaMMusic · 01-30-2014, 11:05 AM

The Beatles for me

yanks7543 · 02-09-2014, 07:02 PM

I have read all the posts regarding The Beach Boys versus Beatles. Listen, both bands were great. The Beatles were more iconic in culture, soley because they had professional management in Brian Epstein. Also, being foreign, they were embraced by the media while the BB were virtually ignored. Yet, in the UK, the BB were voted number 1 over the Beatles. The BB were actually much bigger in the UK than in the U.S., as the Beatles were more favored in the U.S. than in the U.K.
Familiarity does breed contempt, indeed.
But lets look at the press role in elevating the Beatles popularity. Jenn Wenner, the publisher of the Rock Magazine Rolling Stone actually wrote the BB were NOT cool and it was square to like them. When you are 20-21 and the rock and roll bible tells you who is cool you pay attention to it.
The BB certainly were victims. Their critics said of them "All they do is surf songs, they can do little else." Yet, when the BB did more "adult-themed" songs, those same critics said "who are YOU to do those type of songs. Stick to your surf songs." So the BB were damned if they did and damned if they did not.
Bottom line is both bands were great.
Lets just clear up a few things. Biographer Jon Stebbins has cut through the myth the BB did not play their own instruments. Yes, Brian did have the wrecking crew lay down musical tracks when the BB were on the road. When they were in the studio, the rest of the BB DID do their own tracks and Brian used both. On Pets Sounds, Carl, AL and Brian played instruments on many songs.
And, if the BB were NOT able musicians, how did they play LIVE? Look at some of the LIVE clips of them int he 1960s and 1970's and you can see they played well. You Tube the Lost Concert and you will see just the four of them, plus Mike Love, all by themselves, no backups. As the music became more complex, and Brian recorded with 50-60 musicians on tracks, they BB had to use more back up musicians to replicate the sound.
NOw, the BB made many mistakes. One, the failure to put out Smile. Two, Brian backing out of HEADLINING the Monterrey Pops Fesitval, which had more influence on music than Woodstock. Three, Mike Love taking control of the group and turning into a nostaligic act and then forcing Brian in the 1970s to support him.
And for those who asked who the stange guy at the piano is, it is Brian Wilson. He is mentally ill. He also was given psycotropic drugs by Gene Landy which had a negative effect upon Brian's brain, giving him almost stroke life effects. It is sad to see him on stage and I, as a fan, would rather see him never appear again onstage. It is a shame.

Remember. John Lennon had Paul McCartney. Paul McCartney had John Lennon. Paul and John had George Martin.
Brian Wilson had Mike Love
Enough said

01-08-2014, 02:01 PM	#2 (permalink)
Taxman watching the wheels Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Finland Posts: 470	Yep, they are kinda samey-sounding songs. But both are masterpieces so a little bit stealing doesn't actually bother me. But yep, Here There and Everywhere was pretty much influenced by Pet Sounds, no question about that. __________________ ...

01-08-2014, 03:44 PM	#3 (permalink)
DriveYourCarDownToTheSea AllTheWhileYouChargeAFee Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,188	Really nerdy stuff: Words and chords. The semantic shifts of the Beatles' chords __________________ Stop and find a pretty shell for her Beach Boys vs Beatles comparisons begin here

01-08-2014, 11:52 PM	#4 (permalink)
Taxman watching the wheels Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Finland Posts: 470	^ an interesting article -though I did not understood it all- and it was partly made in Finland __________________ ... Last edited by Taxman; 01-09-2014 at 12:09 AM.

01-16-2014, 01:13 PM	#5 (permalink)
Moss Scuttle Buttin' Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Boulder Colorado Posts: 972	Speaking of Beatles, I just picked up this shirt:

01-20-2014, 08:07 AM	#7 (permalink)
Jokerman Groupie Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Essex Posts: 23	I love the beach boys but nobody can touch the beatles.

01-26-2014, 08:28 AM	#8 (permalink)
neardeathexperience Music Addict Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 531	Both bands are timeless. As long as the season of Summer comes along the Beach Boys will live forever.

01-30-2014, 11:05 AM	#9 (permalink)
GeorgiaMMusic Groupie Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 8	The Beatles for me

02-09-2014, 07:02 PM	#10 (permalink)
yanks7543 Groupie Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1	I have read all the posts regarding The Beach Boys versus Beatles. Listen, both bands were great. The Beatles were more iconic in culture, soley because they had professional management in Brian Epstein. Also, being foreign, they were embraced by the media while the BB were virtually ignored. Yet, in the UK, the BB were voted number 1 over the Beatles. The BB were actually much bigger in the UK than in the U.S., as the Beatles were more favored in the U.S. than in the U.K. Familiarity does breed contempt, indeed. But lets look at the press role in elevating the Beatles popularity. Jenn Wenner, the publisher of the Rock Magazine Rolling Stone actually wrote the BB were NOT cool and it was square to like them. When you are 20-21 and the rock and roll bible tells you who is cool you pay attention to it. The BB certainly were victims. Their critics said of them "All they do is surf songs, they can do little else." Yet, when the BB did more "adult-themed" songs, those same critics said "who are YOU to do those type of songs. Stick to your surf songs." So the BB were damned if they did and damned if they did not. Bottom line is both bands were great. Lets just clear up a few things. Biographer Jon Stebbins has cut through the myth the BB did not play their own instruments. Yes, Brian did have the wrecking crew lay down musical tracks when the BB were on the road. When they were in the studio, the rest of the BB DID do their own tracks and Brian used both. On Pets Sounds, Carl, AL and Brian played instruments on many songs. And, if the BB were NOT able musicians, how did they play LIVE? Look at some of the LIVE clips of them int he 1960s and 1970's and you can see they played well. You Tube the Lost Concert and you will see just the four of them, plus Mike Love, all by themselves, no backups. As the music became more complex, and Brian recorded with 50-60 musicians on tracks, they BB had to use more back up musicians to replicate the sound. NOw, the BB made many mistakes. One, the failure to put out Smile. Two, Brian backing out of HEADLINING the Monterrey Pops Fesitval, which had more influence on music than Woodstock. Three, Mike Love taking control of the group and turning into a nostaligic act and then forcing Brian in the 1970s to support him. And for those who asked who the stange guy at the piano is, it is Brian Wilson. He is mentally ill. He also was given psycotropic drugs by Gene Landy which had a negative effect upon Brian's brain, giving him almost stroke life effects. It is sad to see him on stage and I, as a fan, would rather see him never appear again onstage. It is a shame. Remember. John Lennon had Paul McCartney. Paul McCartney had John Lennon. Paul and John had George Martin. Brian Wilson had Mike Love Enough said