@kickycan,
Quote:I was just watching a video of them from their first US tour, and girls went absolutely wet at the mere sight of them. I believe, because of how insane the reaction was to them because of their looks, they were given much easier access to that higher level of greatness that they achieved. I further hypothesize that if they looked hideous, like say, BiPolar Bear or Gustavratzenhofer, they would have been known in the world today as some average band with maybe a couple cute pop hits back in the 60s and nothing more.
Don't you agree?
I totally disagree. (And, btw, this is the first time I've known you to be
completely wrong, not just partially fucked up.)
OK, you're right to this extent -- the floor-mop hairdos, the Carnaby Street shirts, the somewhat kookie behavior all helped to assure their popularity in that their antics kept them in the limelight. They were media darlings as well as performers.
But they were also really fine musicians. Without even thinking about it too long, I can think of half a dozen Lennon/McCartney songs that were hits for the Beatles and have become standards for everyone else. Girls pissing their pants? It wasn't just teeny-bopper chicks that made the fab five Number One. No less a musical icon than Leonard Bernstein was quoted as saying that Beatles songs were among the best things that had happened to popular music in his lifetime.
Albums like
Revolver and
Rubber Soul will remain classics for a long, long time. And the covers, of course, just keep coming. Jazz combos these days don't seem able to play a set without a musical nod to the Beatles. Songs like "Eleanor Rigby", "Norwegian Wood", "Rita, Rita Metermaid" have become jazz standards.
Sorry, Kicky, but you're 100 % wrong on this one.