Topic: Roll Over Beethoven - thumbs up or not? (Read 8195 times)

alexis · « **on:** December 29, 2009, 04:14:30 AM »

Hi -

This was on "The Beatles 2nd Album!" here in the States. I know it's not one of the things that they will get a Humanity Award for when the final reckoning comes ... but I'm hearing it now for the 1st time in ages ... man, does it have energy! I think, though I was a few years too late for the real thing, it has all the energy of Beatlemania in full. I give it 3 thumbs up!!

What do you guys think?

Bobber · « **Reply #1 on:** December 29, 2009, 09:22:46 AM »

Never thought much of it.

sgt. peppie · « **Reply #2 on:** December 29, 2009, 06:13:10 PM »

I think it sounded better live.

alexis · « **Reply #3 on:** December 30, 2009, 12:33:43 AM »

Quote from: sgt. peppie on December 29, 2009, 06:13:10 PM

I think it sounded better live.

Me too!! Especially where Paul does the high harmony on the chorus (like in "Live at the Hollywood Bowl", I think ?)

tkitna · « **Reply #4 on:** December 30, 2009, 05:29:02 PM »

I never cared for it. Kind of bores me for some reason. Its like a song that tries to be energetic and entertaining but fails in the end. I have the same problem with 'Dizzy Miss Lizzy'.

If I had to listen to it, then yes, 'Live From Hollywood Bowl' would be the one i'd want.

alexis · « **Reply #5 on:** December 30, 2009, 07:05:34 PM »

Quote from: tkitna on December 30, 2009, 05:29:02 PM

I never cared for it. Kind of bores me for some reason. Its like a song that tries to be energetic and entertaining but fails in the end. I have the same problem with 'Dizzy Miss Lizzy'.

If I had to listen to it, then yes, 'Live From Hollywood Bowl' would be the one i'd want.

Well, I'm a sucker for hand claps (who was the mastermind behind the hand claps in all those early songs? I have a feeling it was Paul, or possibly George Martin, I really can't say why but I don't think it's John as much ??), so that helps me like this song a lot. Also the tone of the lead guitar, in combination with John's standard Chuck Berry rhythm chord tone, sounds really cool to me.

You don't like "Dizzy Miss Lizzy"?

I love that song, mainly for John's sandpaper voice, and of course all that loud sloppy over-reverbed lead guitar (with overdub print bleed-through no less!) by George is awesome too!

But I kind of feel about "Rock and Roll Music" the way you say you feel about these songs. It just seems to be so forced, and it goes on and on and on and ... Can't put my finger on it, John's voice is just as raspy as it ever is, but it just doesn't do it for me.

To each their own - and there's so much of it with Beatles' music!

Thanks -

Mrs Lennon · « **Reply #6 on:** December 30, 2009, 11:20:45 PM »

I always thought Roll Over Beethoven was a very catchy tune, very fun to sing along to.

BTW 'The Beatles Second Album' LOL what a tear-jerker of a title!

alexis · « **Reply #7 on:** December 31, 2009, 02:09:20 AM »

Quote from: Mrs Lennon on December 30, 2009, 11:20:45 PM

I always thought Roll Over Beethoven was a very catchy tune, very fun to sing along to.

BTW 'The Beatles Second Album' LOL what a tear-jerker of a title!

Well, actually it was called "The Beatles Second Album ! " . And that made all the difference in the world!!

If I remember right, it had a really cool picture of either George or Paul in a cowboy hat chewing a blade of grass on the back cover.

Oh, heck, I just looked it up http://tralfaz-archives.com/coverart/B/Beatles/beatles_2nd.html it must have been Rubber Soul or something that had that picture. And it didn't even have that "!".

But it was still a great album

alexis · « **Reply #8 on:** December 31, 2009, 02:16:26 AM »

Now what's really weird (I just found out) is apparently this was released with a different album cover,

http://991.com/newGallery/The-Beatles-The-Beatles-Secon-283986.jpg ,

and later Capitol used this album cover for the American album "Something New!".

tkitna · « **Reply #9 on:** December 31, 2009, 02:31:56 AM »

Quote from: alexis on December 30, 2009, 07:05:34 PM

But I kind of feel about "Rock and Roll Music" the way you say you feel about these songs. It just seems to be so forced, and it goes on and on and on

'Rock And Roll Music' is a great example too Alexis. I feel the same about that song as i do the other two mentioned. I dont know what it is, its just missing something for me.

Quote

To each their own - and there's so much of it with Beatles' music!

This is true.

Hello Goodbye · « **Reply #10 on:** December 31, 2009, 05:07:38 AM »

It's The Beatles doing Chuck Berry. Chuck Berry did it the best.

cubanheel · « **Reply #11 on:** January 04, 2010, 11:32:04 PM »

It makes me wish I'd heard them in Hamburg, it just sounds like that was it's natural habitat, not a clinical recording situation. And the claps are good for me too!

SemolinaPilchard · « **Reply #12 on:** January 05, 2010, 07:23:23 AM »

Quote from: alexis on December 30, 2009, 07:05:34 PM

Well, I'm a sucker for hand claps (who was the mastermind behind the hand claps in all those early songs? I have a feeling it was Paul, or possibly George Martin, I really can't say why but I don't think it's John as much ??), so that helps me like this song a lot. Also the tone of the lead guitar, in combination with John's standard Chuck Berry rhythm chord tone, sounds really cool to me.

You don't like "Dizzy Miss Lizzy"? I love that song, mainly for John's sandpaper voice, and of course all that loud sloppy over-reverbed lead guitar (with overdub print bleed-through no less!) by George is awesome too!

But I kind of feel about "Rock and Roll Music" the way you say you feel about these songs. It just seems to be so forced, and it goes on and on and on and ... Can't put my finger on it, John's voice is just as raspy as it ever is, but it just doesn't do it for me.

To each their own - and there's so much of it with Beatles' music!

Thanks -

I greatly dislike all 3 of those songs. R&R Music, Dizzy Miss Lizzy, and Roll Over Beethoven. As far as covers go, give me Long Tall Sally or You've Really Got a Hold on Me any day of the week.

I_Will · « **Reply #13 on:** January 05, 2010, 11:52:06 AM »

Quote from: Hello Goodbye on December 31, 2009, 05:07:38 AM

It's The Beatles doing Chuck Berry. Chuck Berry did it the best.

^^This

Almighty Doer of Stuff · « **Reply #14 on:** January 06, 2010, 01:48:19 AM »

Rock and Roll Music and Dizzy Miss Lizzy I like, although I haven't heard the originals to compare them to. I have heard Berry's original Roll Over Beethoven, though. While the Beatles' version was okay, it just seemed sloppy compared to the original, especially in the opening guitar solo, where George skips numerous notes that were present in Berry's version, as though he couldn't handle playing that fast. Maybe he couldn't?

Hello Goodbye · « **Reply #15 on:** January 06, 2010, 04:21:13 AM »

No, he couldn't. But Chuck Berry could blaze through that opening riff perfectly. He set the standard early on.


Roll Over Beethoven - Chuck Berry

Carl Wilson did a little bit of Chuck Berry in Surfin' USA (Sweet Little Sixteen).


The Beach Boys - Surfin' USA [Live]

tkitna · « **Reply #16 on:** January 06, 2010, 05:01:23 AM »

George seemed to handle it better on the live versions in my opinion.

alexis · « **Reply #17 on:** January 06, 2010, 05:26:25 AM »

Wow, H-G, this is a great post on so many levels!

Quote from: Hello Goodbye on January 06, 2010, 04:21:13 AM

No, he couldn't. But Chuck Berry could blaze through that opening riff perfectly. He set the standard early on.

He does it so effortlessly. It almost sounds like our George is trying to put too many notes into it, it seems (watching Chuck Berry do this) that George could have done that too!

Roll Over Beethoven - Chuck Berry
Watching old Chuck here, he must have been quite the fright to those white mothers and fathers of cute little girls - he's bucking like he's, well you know, and he struts around that stage with the guitar like it's a Gibsonic phallus!

Carl Wilson did a little bit of Chuck Berry in Surfin' USA (Sweet Little Sixteen).

The Beach Boys - Surfin' USA [Live]
Hey, if John lost a lawsuit for "Come Together" (supposedly sounded too much like Chuck's song "You Can't Catch Me"), how come the Beach Boys never got sued over this one?

Here's a bonus youtube - John worshipping his idol together on stage. By listening to John's harmonies, he definitely wasn't "on" - maybe too nervous? But nothing like the sounds from the dragon lady ... Chuck's expression is priceless when she starts her screeches ... 1:10. Also, I wonder what John was thinking when the interviewer (Merv Griffin?) was gently putting down "bands that couldn't reproduce their studio sounds on stage ..." around 6:01 :


John Lennon and Chuck Berry -Memphis Tennessee

Ah, back to the Decca tapes!!
Clearly a huge case of hero worship on John's part ... very cute to see.

BTW - what San Diego tape are they referring to?

OK, dumb question time - was Brian Wilson the bass player, was he the one who spent a decade in a sandbox? And I know the drummer drowned, but which other ones died too?

MrsHarrison · « **Reply #18 on:** January 06, 2010, 06:02:21 AM »

When I first heard it, I loved it.

And, this song is actually one of my many Beatle ringtones.

Hello Goodbye · « **Reply #19 on:** January 06, 2010, 06:36:22 AM »

Quote from: alexis on January 06, 2010, 05:26:25 AM

Hey, if John lost a lawsuit for "Come Together" (supposedly sounded too much like Chuck's song "You Can't Catch Me"), how come the Beach Boys never got sued over this one?

Because The Beach Boys credited Chuck Berry for Surfin' USA....

Quote from: alexis on January 06, 2010, 05:26:25 AM

OK, dumb question time - was Brian Wilson the bass player, was he the one who spent a decade in a sandbox? And I know the drummer drowned, but which other ones died too?

Yes, that's Brian Wilson on bass. Carl Wilson (lead guitar) passed away in 1998.

News:

Author Topic: Roll Over Beethoven - thumbs up or not? (Read 8195 times)

Bobber