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Beat the Beatles

A friend of mine's sister gave him the "Sgt. Pepper" CD for Christmas when it first came out. "I figured I couldn't go wrong with The Beatles," she told him. My friend snarled back, "In my case, you could." Yes, music lovers, there are people out there who just can't stand The Beatles. And it's not just stick-in-the muds from the Steve Allen "I Hate Long-Hairs" wing of the country. As this online screed points out, there are reasoned arguments to be made against the mop toppers, from allegations that they stole sounds from other performers (this writer claims they pinched a lick from Merle Haggard's guitarist) to the sappy sentimentality of some of Sir Paul McCartney's lyrics. The author's attempt to tie in the construction of the "Beatle myth" with America's mood of national denial following the Kennedy assassination is a bit of a reach, but whether you agree or disagree, you'll find plenty to chew on here.

Mon, 22 Nov 1999 07:06:04 -0800