Music The Beatles : Get Back

Finally got around to watching this. Really, really enjoyed it. I think you do need to be a Beatles fan to truly enjoy it. I know that sounds like an obvious statement, but there are plenty of documentaries out there where you don’t need to be a fan of the particular subject to enjoy it. But I think this one is a little different. First off, it’s really long, and secondly, I think it just helps to have a lot of knowledge of where they were at the time, and how each member of the band were evolving, to really appreciate the dynamics at play.
Just watching these people basically coming to the end of their relationship as a band was super intriguing. I know Abbey Road was recorded after this, but you can already see that it’s kind of over at this point.

You could see that McCartney was desperately trying to keep it together and keep things on track, and he was basically the de facto leader and boss at this point. Harrison was obviously done, Lennon was kind of aloof and I think poor old Ringo just wanted the whole thing to continue and for his friends to all get along! I loved Ringo in this. Just super chill and laid back. Oh, and a great drummer. Not sure why this myth that he wasn’t still prevails.

But there were still plenty of moments where they were still obviously very much The Beatles, and very much just great friends having fun. It was awesome watching them just burst into song and how readily they could just pick up their instruments and launch into a million covers as if it was nothing. I know it’s not particularly insightful to talk about their genius, but it really can’t be overstated. To just immediately play almost any song in their repertoire perfectly was amazing to watch. The number of songs they knew from other artists and bands was incredible.

And obviously watching that Get Back moment with Paul coming up with the song is incredible.

But the main feeling I had when watching it all was: what a fecking life though, hey? Bloody hell. Now that’s living.
 
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BusbyMalone said:
Finally got around to watching this. Really, really enjoyed it. I think you do need to be a Beatles fan to truly enjoy it. I know that sounds like an obvious statement, but there are plenty of documentaries out there where you don’t need to be a fan of the particular subject to enjoy it. But I think this one is a little different. First off, it’s really long, and secondly, I think it just helps to have a lot of knowledge of where they were at the time, and how each member of the band were evolving, to really appreciate the dynamics at play.
Just watching these people basically coming to the end of their relationship as a band was super intriguing. I know Abbey Road was recorded after this, but you can already see that it’s kind of over at this point.

You could see that McCartney was desperately trying to keep it together and keep things on track, and he was basically the de facto leader and boss at this point. Harrison was obviously done, Lennon was kind of aloof and I think poor old Ringo just wanted the whole thing to continue and for his friends to all get along! I loved Ringo in this. Just super chill and laid back. Oh, and a great drummer. Not sure why this myth that he wasn’t still prevails.

But there were still plenty of moments where they were still obviously very much The Beatles, and very much just great friends having fun. It was awesome watching them just burst into song and how readily they could just pick up their instruments and launch into a million covers as if it was nothing. I know it’s not particularly insightful to talk about their genius, but it really can’t be overstated. To just immediately play almost any song in their repertoire perfectly was amazing to watch. The number of songs they knew from other artists and bands was incredible.

And obviously watching that Get Back moment with Paul coming up with the song is incredible.

But the main feeling I had when watching it all was: what a fecking life though, hey? Bloody hell. Now that’s living.
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With you on feeling sorry for Ringo, the poor fecker. Just sat twiddling his drum sticks while the drama unfolded around him.

It changed my opinion of McCartney. Seeing his work ethic - and genius - in full flow has made me appreciate him more.

Definitely the 'get shit done' Beatle.
 
Eckers99 said:
With you on feeling sorry for Ringo, the poor fecker. Just sat twiddling his drum sticks while the drama unfolded around him.

It changed my opinion of McCartney. Seeing his work ethic - and genius - in full flow has made me appreciate him more.

Definitely the 'get shit done' Beatle.
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I know!

He was always ready to go, though. This is why he's such a great drummer. As soon as Lennon or McCartney had an idea and started playing around with the riff, Ringo was already on it. Guy didn't skip a beat.

And yeah, McCartney was basically taking over at that point which I think could be a bit overbearing for the others (particularly Harrison). But the man knows his shit. An absolute genius at melody, no doubt.
 
BusbyMalone said:
I know!

He was always ready to go, though. This is why he's such a great drummer. As soon as Lennon or McCartney had an idea and started playing around with the riff, Ringo was already on it. Guy didn't skip a beat.

And yeah, McCartney was basically taking over at that point which I think could be a bit overbearing for the others (particularly Harrison). But the man knows his shit. An absolute genius at melody, no doubt.
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Yeah, Harrison must've resented being the overlooked little brother. Great songwriter in his own right but inevitably overshadowed by 2 musical geniuses.

While my guitar gently weeps might be my favourite Beatles song. Guy was brilliant.
 
BusbyMalone said:
I know!

He was always ready to go, though. This is why he's such a great drummer. As soon as Lennon or McCartney had an idea and started playing around with the riff, Ringo was already on it. Guy didn't skip a beat.

And yeah, McCartney was basically taking over at that point which I think could be a bit overbearing for the others (particularly Harrison). But the man knows his shit. An absolute genius at melody, no doubt.
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McCartney was the reason for arguably the greatest album of all time. Abbey Road.

But it was just a matter of time before they broke up.
All you had to do was listen to the White Album. So much great music from a band tearing itself apart.
 
Eckers99 said:
Yeah, Harrison must've resented being the overlooked little brother. Great songwriter in his own right but inevitably overshadowed by 2 musical geniuses.

While my guitar gently weeps might be my favourite Beatles song. Guy was brilliant.
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Yeah, great song. Something, too. Another classic.
 
With respect to George, he just wasn't on the level of the other two. He did develop as a songwriter and it's fair that he could question whether he would have improved more/quicker if he had been given more responsibility, but it's also true that he wrote some shit: for every Gently Weeps, there's a Within Without You. When you have two of the greatest songwriters of all-time in the group, it's hard for anyone to say that the Beatles as a whole would have been better off by including more Harrisongs.
 
BusbyMalone said:
Yeah, great song. Something, too. Another classic.
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Total classic. Then there's Here comes the sun, Taxman, I me mine, I want to tell you. Solid gold classics.

I also found the archival footage from the streets of London fascinating. Surprised me to see the older crowd loving them as much as the youngsters. Always thought they and Elvis widened the generation gap but that didn't seem to be the case.
 
Gazza said:
With respect to George, he just wasn't on the level of the other two. He did develop as a songwriter and it's fair that he could question whether he would have improved more/quicker if he had been given more responsibility, but it's also true that he wrote some shit: for every Gently Weeps, there's a Within Without You. When you have two of the greatest songwriters of all-time in the group, it's hard for anyone to say that the Beatles as a whole would have been better off by including more Harrisongs.
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agree pretty much.

While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Something
Hear Comes the Sun.

Theses are the ones that stand out for me.

As for his solo efforts after All Things Must Pass it was all down hill.
 
Eckers99 said:
Total classic. Then there's Here comes the sun, Taxman, I me mine, I want to tell you. Solid gold classics.

I also found the archival footage from the streets of London fascinating. Surprised me to see the older crowd loving them as much as the youngsters. Always thought they and Elvis widened the generation gap but that didn't seem to be the case.
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Absolutely. Although there were some right grumpy feckers there as well. "They woke me up, so I'm not happy!"

But yeah, how crazy must that have been. Just going about your day and then having the Beatles playing an impromptu concert on the roof in the middle of the street. Fantastic.

Those coppers though! Almost completely out of their depth there. I loved Paul's face when he saw them on the roof as well.
 
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