Quote:
Originally Posted by Rjinnx
In response to the quote about Jesus.
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I think it was a typically American knee-jerk reaction to a statement that was taken totally out of context. That's what we DO. Remember too that it was radio stations and other media outlets that whipped up the frenzy in the first place and there was very much a sentiment at the time that Rock & Roll was the devil's music and was leading the nations teens into a world of unbridled sin and temptation, so this was an opportunity to try and re-gain control.
I also think calling Lennon pretentious for saying that is a little unfair. I think he was trying to engage in some genuine discourse there, trying to put their insane, rabid popularity into some kind of context. If he was guilty of anything it was in being so naive as to think he could engage the media in a discourse in the first place. The Beatles definitely had their moments of pretentiousness and pomposity - they were the first band to be that popular and it was bound to go to their heads - but I'm not sure this was one of them.