One of the great things about 60's music and why it as such lasting quality , is that there was a healthy climate of rivalry between bands ? Getting to # 1 really meant something then. With the emergence of The Beatles many bands upted their game and many great records were released during this time. So who do you think were The Beatles great rivals and why ? For me one of the great unsung rivals to The Beatles is the brilliant song -writing team of " Holland - Dozier - Holland " from the " Tamla Motown " stable . singles wise they really gave " Lennon and McCartney " a run for their money , between 1962 and 1967 when they left Motown , they had already racked up a brilliant run of world-wide hits , their 10 # 1 songs for " The Supremes " on Billboard between 1964 and 1967 prove they could take on The Beatles ,and thats not including the big hit's they wrote for " The Four Tops " and other artists in the Motown stable. This rivalry for the top spot in my opinion marks the 60's out as a great decade for music . Dylan , The Stones ,Tamla Motown , The Who , The Kinks ,The Beach Boys and even Elvis were all battling it out in the charts around the world . I don't think we have seen such rivalry since , it really was a " Golden Age " for music ?
I remember reading somewhere that The Beatles and The Stones made agreements on when to release their latest singles in order not to compete on the charts to much.
The Beatles loved Motown music and included Motown covers on their debut album. They included Miracles numbers in their repertoie. Here is what I wrote about the Beatles and Smokey Robinson: Smokey Robinson was a singer/songwriter, born in Detroit, Michigan on 19 February 1940. He founded the Miracles in 1955. While in London he spent an evening in the company of John and Paul at the White Elephant club on 29 November 1964. At the time the Miracles had already recorded You Really Got A Hold On Me, one of Smokey’s songs which had been inspired by Sam Cooke’s Bring It On Home To Me. The Beatles had recorded the number on their With The Beatles album. Robinson was to comment, “When they recorded it, it was one of the most flattering things that ever happened to me. I listened to it over and over again, not to criticise it but to enjoy it.” He also said, “They were not only respectful of us, they were down right worshipful. Whenever reports asked them about their influences, they’d go into euphoria about Motown. I dig them, not only for their songwriting talent, but their honesty.” Another track on their With The Beatles album was penned by John in 1961. It was called All I’ve Got To Do and John said it was his attempt to do a Smokey Robinson. In 1980, when recording Woman, Yoko said that John sounded like a Beatle, but he told her, “Actually, I’m supposed to be Smokey Robinson at the moment, my dear, because the Beatles were always supposing that they were Smokey Robinson.” George Harrison dedicated Ooh Baby (You Know That I Love You) on his Extra Texture album to Smokey Robinson. He also wrote about him in his song Pure Smokey on the 33 1/3 album.
As a Beach Boys fans I'm probably biased, but I think that the most interesting rivalry was between the Beatles and the Beach Boys.
They were not only rivals, but they also inspired each other, copied each other's ideas and raised the bar for each other. Brian Wilson always said that "Pet Sounds" was his attempt at topping "Rubber Soul", while Paul McCartney always said that "Sgt. Pepper" was the Beatles' attempt at topping "Pet Sounds". Who knows what would've happened with both groups if Brian would've managed to finish "Smile" in 1967... People often think that because the Beach Boys' record sales dropped dramatically in 1967 they were no match for the Beatles in the end, but up until 1966 they were still serious competition:
Quoted Text
Listen to Paul McCartney, perhaps the records biggest fan. Interviewed in 1990 when it was released on CD, Paul was typically effusive: “It was Pet Sounds that blew me out of the water. I loved the album so much. I’ve just bought my kids each a copy of it for their education in life…I figure no one is educated musically ‘til they’ve heard that album…I love the orchestra, the arrangements…it may be going overboard to say it’s the classic of this century…but to me, it certainly is a total, classic record that is unbeatable in many ways…I’ve often played Pet Sounds and cried.”
There are wonderful stories of the first time Paul heard Pet Sounds in 1966, listening to it literally over and over for hours (and days) on end, and it became an omnipresent influence on the next Beatles LP, Sgt. Pepper. Paul: “I played it to John so much that it would be difficult for him to escape the influence…it was the record of the time.”
Paul goes on to explain that the “thing that really made me sit up and take notice was the bass lines…throughout, Brian would be using notes that weren’t the obvious notes to use…and also, putting melodies in the bass line. That I think was probably the big influence that set me thinking when we recorded Pepper, it set me off on a period I had then for a couple of years of nearly always writing quite melodic bass lines.”
Paul has often said that “God Only Knows” is perhaps the most beautiful song ever written. Paul: “It’s a big favorite of mine…very emotional, always a bit of a choker for me, that one.” Another cut high on his list is “You Still Believe In Me.” Paul: “I love that melody – that kills me…that’s my favorite, I think…it’s so beautiful right at the end…comes surging back in these multi-colored harmonies…sends shivers up my spine.”
[...]
The whole world listened and the fall of 1966 became a truly remarkable time for the Beach Boys. “Good Vibrations” (their first million-selling #1) was a worldwide sensation and their concert tours (particularly in England) were becoming pop coronations. When the Beach Boys arrived in London in November, ’66, the reaction was positively Beatlemaniacal. As one English newspaper headline trumpeted: “The Beatles’ only rivals come to Britain and take London airport by surprise.”
[...]
As 1966 ended and the Beach Boys triumphantly returned from England (where they had edged out the Beatles in a year-end popularity poll), Smile began to turn into a frown. It might have been at this point – when he tried to “explain” Smile to the Beach Boys – that Brian slowly started to lose his confidence and creative momentum. Maybe he had already missed “the moment.” Nevertheless, in January of 1967, even as pressure mounted for Brian to finally finish the record, recording proceeded at a hectic pace.
The Beatles loved Motown music and included Motown covers on their debut album. They included Miracles numbers in their repertoie. Here is what I wrote about the Beatles and Smokey Robinson: Smokey Robinson was a singer/songwriter, born in Detroit, Michigan on 19 February 1940. He founded the Miracles in 1955. While in London he spent an evening in the company of John and Paul at the White Elephant club on 29 November 1964. At the time the Miracles had already recorded You Really Got A Hold On Me, one of Smokey’s songs which had been inspired by Sam Cooke’s Bring It On Home To Me. The Beatles had recorded the number on their With The Beatles album. Robinson was to comment, “When they recorded it, it was one of the most flattering things that ever happened to me. I listened to it over and over again, not to criticise it but to enjoy it.” He also said, “They were not only respectful of us, they were down right worshipful. Whenever reports asked them about their influences, they’d go into euphoria about Motown. I dig them, not only for their songwriting talent, but their honesty.” Another track on their With The Beatles album was penned by John in 1961. It was called All I’ve Got To Do and John said it was his attempt to do a Smokey Robinson. In 1980, when recording Woman, Yoko said that John sounded like a Beatle, but he told her, “Actually, I’m supposed to be Smokey Robinson at the moment, my dear, because the Beatles were always supposing that they were Smokey Robinson.” George Harrison dedicated Ooh Baby (You Know That I Love You) on his Extra Texture album to Smokey Robinson. He also wrote about him in his song Pure Smokey on the 33 1/3 album.
Hey Bill,
That tune is amazing I have been recently introducing it into gigs I do. The harmony lines are so powerful, a true joy to sing and it shows in the Beatle recordings although it sounds like a rush job production wise. I still absolutely adore the track.
Whats even more co-incidental is that I have also learnt Bring it on Home in the past but let it slip from the set. I can see now after reading your post, the similarities in song construction....Time for re-introduction and some informed banter at me next gig.
Bill, what a gorgeous post about Smokey Robinson. I feel all warm and happy.
Joost, I'm sorry, but I can't comment. I'm dead ignorant about the Beach Boys.
All you've got to do is choose love. That's how I live it now. I learned a long time ago, I can feed the birds in my garden. I can't feed them all. -- Ringo Starr, Rolling Stone magazine, May 2007
For all I know, Ringo might be a yogi disguised as a drummer! - George Harrison
In contrast to Smokey, what do you think of what Cliff Richard has said about the Beatles:
Cliff Richard has blasted The Beatles' musicianship - branding their guitar solos "horrific." The veteran crooner dominated the British music charts when the Fab Four first appeared on the music scene in 1962 - and is in disbelief their poor guitar playing was deemed sufficient enough to be included on their debut album. He says, "Some of the guitar is so out of tune it's unbelievable. I couldn't believe that here they were in this hi-tech age and they couldn't go back and do it with a tuned guitar." And the 67-year-old insists he has enough hit records to back up his claims, adding: "I've sold more singles than... everybody."
I remember the programme which showed Cliff as the best selling singles artist in the Uk , and yes he was by about half a million over The Beatles , but when you add John's 2 million total to The Beatles total and Paul's impressive 9 ,500, 000 million to The Beatles total , he slips to 3rd place in the ranking .
Paul ,30 million John ,22 ,500 ,000 million Cliff ,21 million The Beatles 20 ,500 ,000 million
Is their enough 000 's there ? i was never any good with figures but either way your 3rd Cliff
I would say Motown were " The Beatles " main rival sales wise ? , the record lable really shifted some impressive units in the 60's , " The Supremes " were the 3rd best selling act on Billboard behind " The Beatles " and " Elvis " in the 60's . 12 US # 1 singles by " The Supremes " between 1964 and 1969 is a very impressive total ?
There doesn't really seem to have been a major threat to The Beatles from within the UK. I'd have to agree with Dave that the biggest threat seems to have come from the hit machine that was Motown. And I'm sure I read somewhere that in one year (65 or 66?) The Beach Boys outsold The Beatles in the UK. Joost should know.
I just want you to reassure him - talk to him, make him see the error of his ways. Then I'll hit him.
And I'm sure I read somewhere that in one year (65 or 66?) The Beach Boys outsold The Beatles in the UK. Joost should know.
I'm pretty sure that the Beach Boys never outsold the Beatles anywhere. They did beat the Beatles in a British popularity poll in 1966, maybe that's what you're thinking of?
Ive been looking at the top 10 album acts during The Beatles period , here's the list of their rivals and how they did on the UK album chart between 1963 and 1970
1) The Beatles - 13 albums - 11 # 1's - weeks on Uk album chart - 675 weeks
2) Simon and Garfunkle - 6 albums - 2 # 1's - weeks on UK album chart - 628 weeks ( Bridge Over Troubled Water 1970 ) accounts for half this total and hung around until the mid 70's .
3) The Beach Boys - 11 albums , none of which went to # 1 - weeks on UK album chart - 361 weeks
4) Tom Jones - 9 albums -1 # 1 - weeks on the UK album chart - 322 weeks
5) The Shadows - 12 albums - 2 # 1's -weeks on UK album chart - 315 weeks
6) Bob Dylan - 11 albums - 6 # 1's - weeks on UK album chart - 312 weeks
7) The Rolling Stones -10 albums - 5 # 1's -weeks on UK album chart - 311 weeks
8 / The Seekers - 4 albums - 1 # 1 - weeks on UK album chart - 261 weeks
9) Elvis - 13 albums - 1 # 1 - weeks on Uk album chart - 261 weeks
10) Cliff Richard - 9 albums - 1 # 1 - weeks on UK album chart - 195 weeks
Simon and Garfunkle , Dylan and the Stones look to be their main rivals when it comes to albums
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but either way your 3rd Cliff 