The Beatles vs The Beach Boys

DriveYourCarDownToTheSea · 03-23-2013, 08:10 PM

BTW, starting in late-67 and 1968 the match-ups get more complicated (and probably more arbitrary), in large part because the music of both bands changed quite a bit and became even harder to compare with each other.

Generally I've been comparing Rubber Soul songs to Pet Sounds songs, and Revolver/Sgt Pepper songs to Smile session songs (Smile having almost enough material to be a double album, even though it wasn't intended to be). Though I've got a Wild Honey song against a MMT song above, generally for the rest I'll be matching the following albums. But there will be exceptions.

Wild Honey & Friends vs 'White Album'
Let It Be vs 20/20
Abbey Road vs Sunflower

The White Album is a double album, so might as well compare its songs to 2 BB albums (just as I compared Smile to 2 Beatles albums). Wild Honey is late 1967 and Friends is early '68, while the White Album was recorded in May-Oct 1968, so the timings there are pretty close.

Let It Be was actually recorded (mostly) prior to Abbey Road even though it was released last. I'm more interested in the timing of the two bands' creative impulses, which is why I've been focusing on recording dates instead of release dates. The only Let It Be song recorded in '68 was Across the Universe; the rest was mostly recorded in 1969 with some early 1970. So it seems more fair to compare it to the BB 1969 album 20/20.

Sunflower was recorded in a wide swath of 1969 and 1970. Abbey Road was recorded Feb-Aug 1969. So those two have a pretty good overlap.

I won't count "Yellow Submarine" which only had a few new & original tracks on it. But then, I didn't count "Beach Boys Party!" either.

Since the Beatles broke up after Sunflower & Abbey Road were recorded it would be unfair to compare later BB albums to a Beatles album.

DriveYourCarDownToTheSea · 04-04-2013, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EilisMD

... but the Beatles would win this one, hands down. More ... sophistication in their music

That's what I would have said about a year ago. Now ... no way.

bernard666 · 04-04-2013, 08:12 PM

idk man b boys yea

RL Clown · 04-07-2013, 10:05 AM

This is an interesting comparison. They both have amazing hits, but I pick the Beatles. The songs of The Beach Boys only focus on a few topics. The songs of the Beatles focus on many different types of topics.

DriveYourCarDownToTheSea · 04-08-2013, 08:48 PM

After a long break, time for another contest.

As I said above, starting around late '67 and '68, the music of both bands changed dramatically once again. The styles of the two bands also diverged somewhat (not that they were all that close before then), but it does get even harder to find good comparisons starting around this time. Here goes ...

Contest #14: Battle of the fast rock 'n roll 1968-ish hits - "Darlin" vs "Back in the USSR"

"Darlin" - recorded October 1967

"Back in the USSR" - recorded August 1968

DriveYourCarDownToTheSea · 04-08-2013, 09:26 PM

I'm now going to do a comparison more out-of-synch for my usual time frames, but this is a comparison I feel just *has* to be done.

The weird thing is, the Beatles tune is clearly the better song, but the harmonies and the flute line on the Beach Boys song are so "lonely" and spellbinding, I'm almost tempted to say it's *almost* as good a song as the McCartney ... ermm ... Beatles tune. If only the Beach Boys song was longer. *sigh*

Contest #15: Battle of the Flute Songs

"I Went to Sleep" - recorded June & November 1968

"Fool on the Hill" - recorded September 1967

In a bizarre way, both songs have this kinda Zen aspect to them: In the BB song, the singer is observing and hearing simple, everyday things, and then sleeping on it all. Peaceful in a very mundane way. The Beatles song is more philosophic, with the Zen master on the top of the hill indifferent to what everyone else thinks about him.

Surell · 04-08-2013, 10:00 PM

I always thought "Fool..." was a Lennon song because he implies himself as the singer on "Glass Onion," unless he's speaking for the entire Beatles, for MacCartney, or is not singing that line at all. Then my bad.

Neapolitan · 04-09-2013, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DriveYourCarDownToTheSea

Peaceful in a very mundane way. The Beatles song is more philosophic, with the Zen master on the top of the hill indifferent to what everyone else thinks about him.

I didn't get that. I heard John said that the song was about himself, now whether or not Paul set out to write a song about him or John later came to the realization it was indeed about himself - I really don't know.

Songfacts said Fool on the Hill was based on an incident that happen to Paul and his friend, Alistair Taylor, where they saw a man in a yellow raincoat appear and then disappear while Paul was looking for his dog, Martha. Maybe Paul's Old English Sheepdog was a canine selkie.

NEWGUY562 · 04-09-2013, 01:20 AM

Pet Sounds > Everything The Beatles ever did.

DriveYourCarDownToTheSea · 04-09-2013, 10:16 AM

The Wiki article for Fool On The Hill says it was a McCartney composition.

I didn't intend my observation about that song to be taken literally, but the song gives the general impression of a guru type guy or a monk who is not taken seriously by everyone else, but the guru doesn't care.

03-23-2013, 08:10 PM	#651 (permalink)
DriveYourCarDownToTheSea AllTheWhileYouChargeAFee Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,158	BTW, starting in late-67 and 1968 the match-ups get more complicated (and probably more arbitrary), in large part because the music of both bands changed quite a bit and became even harder to compare with each other. Generally I've been comparing Rubber Soul songs to Pet Sounds songs, and Revolver/Sgt Pepper songs to Smile session songs (Smile having almost enough material to be a double album, even though it wasn't intended to be). Though I've got a Wild Honey song against a MMT song above, generally for the rest I'll be matching the following albums. But there will be exceptions. Wild Honey & Friends vs 'White Album' Let It Be vs 20/20 Abbey Road vs Sunflower The White Album is a double album, so might as well compare its songs to 2 BB albums (just as I compared Smile to 2 Beatles albums). Wild Honey is late 1967 and Friends is early '68, while the White Album was recorded in May-Oct 1968, so the timings there are pretty close. Let It Be was actually recorded (mostly) prior to Abbey Road even though it was released last. I'm more interested in the timing of the two bands' creative impulses, which is why I've been focusing on recording dates instead of release dates. The only Let It Be song recorded in '68 was Across the Universe; the rest was mostly recorded in 1969 with some early 1970. So it seems more fair to compare it to the BB 1969 album 20/20. Sunflower was recorded in a wide swath of 1969 and 1970. Abbey Road was recorded Feb-Aug 1969. So those two have a pretty good overlap. I won't count "Yellow Submarine" which only had a few new & original tracks on it. But then, I didn't count "Beach Boys Party!" either. Since the Beatles broke up after Sunflower & Abbey Road were recorded it would be unfair to compare later BB albums to a Beatles album. __________________ Stop and find a pretty shell for her Beach Boys vs Beatles comparisons begin here

04-08-2013, 08:48 PM	#655 (permalink)
DriveYourCarDownToTheSea AllTheWhileYouChargeAFee Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,158	After a long break, time for another contest. As I said above, starting around late '67 and '68, the music of both bands changed dramatically once again. The styles of the two bands also diverged somewhat (not that they were all that close before then), but it does get even harder to find good comparisons starting around this time. Here goes ... Contest #14: Battle of the fast rock 'n roll 1968-ish hits - "Darlin" vs "Back in the USSR" "Darlin" - recorded October 1967 "Back in the USSR" - recorded August 1968 __________________ Stop and find a pretty shell for her Beach Boys vs Beatles comparisons begin here Last edited by DriveYourCarDownToTheSea; 09-25-2020 at 06:57 PM.

04-08-2013, 09:26 PM	#656 (permalink)
DriveYourCarDownToTheSea AllTheWhileYouChargeAFee Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,158	I'm now going to do a comparison more out-of-synch for my usual time frames, but this is a comparison I feel just has to be done. The weird thing is, the Beatles tune is clearly the better song, but the harmonies and the flute line on the Beach Boys song are so "lonely" and spellbinding, I'm almost tempted to say it's almost as good a song as the McCartney ... ermm ... Beatles tune. If only the Beach Boys song was longer. sigh Contest #15: Battle of the Flute Songs "I Went to Sleep" - recorded June & November 1968 "Fool on the Hill" - recorded September 1967 In a bizarre way, both songs have this kinda Zen aspect to them: In the BB song, the singer is observing and hearing simple, everyday things, and then sleeping on it all. Peaceful in a very mundane way. The Beatles song is more philosophic, with the Zen master on the top of the hill indifferent to what everyone else thinks about him. __________________ Stop and find a pretty shell for her Beach Boys vs Beatles comparisons begin here Last edited by DriveYourCarDownToTheSea; 09-25-2020 at 06:59 PM.

04-09-2013, 10:16 AM	#660 (permalink)
DriveYourCarDownToTheSea AllTheWhileYouChargeAFee Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,158	The Wiki article for Fool On The Hill says it was a McCartney composition. I didn't intend my observation about that song to be taken literally, but the song gives the general impression of a guru type guy or a monk who is not taken seriously by everyone else, but the guru doesn't care. __________________ Stop and find a pretty shell for her Beach Boys vs Beatles comparisons begin here

04-04-2013, 08:12 PM	#653 (permalink)
bernard666 Groupie Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 16	idk man b boys yea

04-07-2013, 10:05 AM	#654 (permalink)
RL Clown Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 182	This is an interesting comparison. They both have amazing hits, but I pick the Beatles. The songs of The Beach Boys only focus on a few topics. The songs of the Beatles focus on many different types of topics.

04-09-2013, 01:20 AM	#659 (permalink)
NEWGUY562 Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 429	Pet Sounds > Everything The Beatles ever did.