# The Beatles: Could you happily live without ever hearing another song of theirs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 22, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563 "2010-11-22T19:20:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/1 "2010-11-22T19:20:39Z")
You know how the survey thing works. IMO, The Beatles did their thing and were influential but I really kinda wish they’d go away. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/2 "2010-11-22T19:25:57Z")
Ain’t gonna happen. Beatlemania! ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/3 "2010-11-22T19:33:41Z")
I kind of like Eleanor Rigby, Yesterday, and Michelle, but I could live without them. IMO the Beatles were overrated. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/4 "2010-11-22T19:34:00Z")
Really getting tired of that fuckin’ Mozart, too. ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/5 "2010-11-22T19:35:31Z")
I can’t pick between “I’d kinda miss 'em, but yeah” or “oh dear god yes”. The Beatles just don’t do anything for me, so if I never heard them again I probably wouldn’t even notice, but it isn’t like they get on my nerves or anything. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/6 "2010-11-22T19:37:55Z")
I could live my life without hearing anything from before Rubber Soul (even though there are a couple that I don’t mind from then, they aren’t vital,) especially since in the 80s you couldn’t turn the dial without hitting an oldies station playing early Beatles. I’ve had about enough of it (through my mom) to last a lifetime. Middle and some late Beatles OTOH is probably in my top 20 bands. Not quite top 10. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/7 "2010-11-22T19:50:08Z")
About 30 years ago I was a college freshman. I was fairly into the Beatles then, along with a lot of other groups. I listened to them a lot. By the time I graduated four years later I pretty much stopped listening to them. It’s only now that they’ve come out on iTunes that I’ve rediscovered them. I still think they’re great. I don’t feel oversaturated because somehow I haven’t really heard them that much for about twenty years. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/8 "2010-11-22T19:54:11Z")
> [@Hunter\_Hawk](#): > > IMO, The Beatles did their thing and were influential but I really kinda wish they’d go away. Well, they _did_ go away. About 40 years ago. So I guess your beef is more that people still listen to their music? Hard for me to get on board with that, frankly. Anyhow, being completely honest, my answer was “I’d kinda miss 'em, but yeah.” Only because my overall happiness isn’t really tied to whether or not I can hear a particular band’s music. But I like the Beatles. Always have and probably always will. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/9 "2010-11-22T19:57:34Z")
Every once in a while, I feel like listening to “Let It Be” or “Hey Jude”. Not sure if I’ve listened to either of them in 2010, though. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/10 "2010-11-22T20:04:35Z")
I still find the Beatles music to be fresh and exciting. I’ll never grow tired of it – and I tire very easily. ---
**Author:** ![Kiyoshi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@Kiyoshi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiyoshi)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/11 "2010-11-22T20:41:12Z")
I live in Liverpool and several times a day during tourist season, a tour bus drives past my work with the guide singing “She Loves You, Yeah Yeah Yeah”. So yes, I would be very happy never to hear a Beatles song again. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/12 "2010-11-23T00:04:51Z")
The Beatles are a little overrated and 90% of their work, especially the early bubblegum stuff, is pretty forgettable. However, Sturgeon’s Law being what it is, there are absolutely Beatles tracks that I do love and still enjoy listening to. Lennon and McCartney were among the greatest songwriters of this century, and that won’t change. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/13 "2010-11-23T01:42:30Z")
I’d be bummed to never hear _Sgt. Pepper_ again. Now, there are definitely Beatles _songs_ that I never, ever need to hear again. I’m looking at you, “Hey, Jude.” ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/14 "2010-11-23T02:12:23Z")
I used to think they were the greatest, but in the last ten years or so, I’ve decided they’re overrated. However, unlike others, I do still like the early stuff (“I wanna hold your hand” to “Help!”). Inexplicably though, my opinion of Lennon and McCartney have reversed as well. “Inexplicably” because the earl stuff is pretty much bubble gum, and that’s the way I see McCartney, while Lennon (particularly his solo stuff) is much deeper. Having said that, I’ll never get tired of the Christmas album. That’s a course in Beatles history from the silliness (“This is John speaking with his voice…”) to the bitter end of the era. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/15 "2010-11-23T02:31:32Z")
Good Lord, no! ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/16 "2010-11-23T03:22:28Z")
Dear God, yes! I can appreciate the Beatles, but it’s going on what, 50 years now? Their music is beyond played. And as much as a sensation as they were in the 60’s, their biggest accomplishment was being first (and they were very good, of course). But it was lightning in a bottle. A once-in-a-lifetime alignment of the stars. Their songs are good, but nothing I’d trade any of my Police albums for. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/17 "2010-11-23T17:27:35Z")
> [@shy\_guy](#): > > I’d be bummed to never hear _Sgt. Pepper_ again. Now, there are definitely Beatles _songs_ that I never, ever need to hear again. I’m looking at you, “Hey, Jude.” I always wanted to make a tape of Hey, Jude where the na na na part was repeated for about 30 minutes and see how long it took the listener to notice it. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/18 "2010-11-23T17:34:02Z")
I’m pretty sure I could happily live the rest of my life without hearing another song by _anyone._ ---
**Author:** ![Kim\_o\_the\_Concrete\_Jungle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ee7513/32.png) [@Kim\_o\_the\_Concrete\_Jungle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kim_o_the_Concrete_Jungle)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/19 "2010-12-01T06:52:45Z")
Sure they’re great, but it’s been forty years. That’s way too long for someone to be obsessively listening to _I Am the Walrus_ over and over again. Get over it already. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563/20 "2010-12-01T07:15:57Z")
Sorry, but the Beatles have yet to be equaled, let alone surpassed. Get over it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles-could-you-happily-live-without-ever-hearing-another-song-of-theirs/561563.md?page=2)