Posted on 09/27/2019 9:12:06 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Mark Kramer is a huge Beatles fan. Just hours after stepping off his overnight flight from Florida to London, he is not bleary-eyed but brimming with energy as he savors his time at the world's best-known pedestrian crossing.
Beside the streaks of white paint that mark the zebra crossing on Abbey Road -- a site protected since 2010 for its cultural and historical importance -- he rattles off Beatles facts, talks about the band's musical journey and grows ever more excited.
Kramer, 40, is here because of "Abbey Road," the seminal album the band released on September 26, 1969 -- 50 years ago Thursday.
Named after the street where it was recorded, it got mixed critical reviews but was an immediate commercial hit, topping the charts in the UK for 17 weeks and the US for 11, and selling 4 million copies in just six weeks.
It would prove to be the last studio album the group made together ("Let it Be," which came out in 1970, had already been recorded), as John Lennon had broken the news to his fellow band members that he was leaving shortly before its release.
To mark the special occasion, an anniversary edition of "Abbey Road" will be re-released on September 27. Produced by Giles Martin, whose father, George, was the Beatles' friend and producer, it will contain out-takes and additional material.
Giles Martin told CNN that his father thought that "Abbey Road" would be the group's final album. He added: "I think they (The Beatles) knew things were changing. I think they were looking for a way out and they had all become more individual. Because creative people want to be creative and they all wanted to do different things."
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Ugggg.... Beatles were crappy compared to the Stones. I always liked the Stones better. The Animals and Yardbirds and Cream were much better than Beatles.
Great music. Careful when crossing the road. Cars drive on the wrong side.
Correct. His best work IMHO is this however: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jUOYWAt7sg
Rage Against the Coldplayzeppelin
Thats Faul (false Paul).
Actually its the Fabricated Four but they did play a prank with death clues and have acknowledged it in interviews. The Michigan DJ was after theyd already referenced having a go at the fans. The primary point of the Paul Is Dead rumor happened after John claimed it was a response to. Opps.
That VW was the fifth Beetle
Most overrated band in history
__________________________________
There it is. The reason I clicked, waiting for the first whackjob freeper out of touch with 97% of the world. I see it’s the usual transparent contrarian creep that can always be counted on.
I have thought that to be the literal truth since 1964.
I watched Beatle-mania as it happened. My elder sister, and to a lesser extent, elder brother, fell prey to it. It really was like mass hysteria.
No band is, or could be, that good. They were talented and creative, and fairly consistent, but they were not head and shoulders above the pack.
If any other band released songs like Rocky Racoon, it would be ignored, or mocked, or treated like a novelty. It would not merit ongoing airplay.
I like some of their work, I own a couple of their albums, and Abbey Road is my definite favorite by them. But there are other bands I prefer:
The Beach Boys [1966-73], The Mamas and the Papas, The Association, The Byrds, Led Zeppelin, The Who; the list goes on, and that is just from the mid/late 1960s: I also listen to many more modern bands like Mew, Muse, Florence & the Machine, Of Machines & Men, Lamb, One Dove).
I still prefer Pet Sounds to any of them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.