Deep, Incisive Musical Criticism: A Brief Post

Don't get me wrong, I love the Beatles as much as the next guy.  Unless the next guy is my dermatologist--that man has NO taste.  Still, they did write some truly moronic lyrics: "Number nine--Number Nine--Number Nine"? "The movement you need is on your shoulder"?  "All you need is love"?!?  But I've decided that the absolute worst lyric Messrs. McCartney and Lennon ever came up with has got to be, "Fun is the one thing that money can't buy" ("She's Leaving Home").  Does that make any sense to anyone?  About the ONLY thing that money can consistently buy IS "fun."  Well, fun and sandwiches.  Which are also fun, so I stand by my original comment.

Deep, Profound Musical Criticism

While exercising today, I was surprised when my music shuffled to "Paperback Writer" by the Beatles.  I noticed that during the third verse, while the lead vocals are going, "It's a thousand pages / Give or take a few / I'll be writing more in a week or two.. . ," the background harmonizers seem to be singing "Frere Jacques."  I had never noticed that before.  Now, I cannot unnotice it, and somebody has some 'splainin' to do, I'm looking at YOU, Ringo Starr.

Octopussy's Garden

James Bond movie or Beatles song?
(A completely pointless quiz)

From Russia With Love
Back in the USSR
Die Another Day
Devil in Her Heart
Goldeneye
Blackbird
Tomorrow Never Knows
Quantum of Solace
Across the Universe
Diamonds Are Forever
You Only Live Twice
Happiness Is a Warm Gun
The Inner Light
Golden Slumbers
The World Is Not Enough
The Living Daylights
For Yor Eyes Only
Matchbox
Never Say Never Again
Not a Second Time

Deconstructing Lucy

The Solipsist congratulates Mary-Lu Zahalan-Kennedy (of the Oakville, Ontario, Zahalan-Kennedys) for being the first person in the world to complete a masters degree in Beatles studies (not to be confused with a masters in beetles studies, which has been attained by any number of entomologists). We would also like to chastise Ms. Zahalan-Kennedy for being Canadian, but perhaps with her higher education she will now be able to find a job in the developed world.

Offered by Hope University in (where else?) Liverpool, the MA in Beatles studies is hardly frivolous, nor is the curriculum confined strictly to the Beatles' catalog. Candidates must complete coursework in understanding popular music (the final exam requires students to correctly identify at least 70% of the lyrics to "Louie, Louie"); the history of Liverpool ('cause apparently it existed before the Beatles); Beatles musicology; and historical and critical approaches to the Fab Four.

The first question most people ask is, "What are the job prospects for someone with an MA in the Beatles?" We don't ask that question: It's patronizing. If Ms. Zahalan-Kennedy had completed a masters in the work of, say, Mozart or Beethoven, far fewer eyebrows would be raised. The Beatles have certainly had as great an impact on modern culture as any musicians. So the simple answer to the first question is that Ms. Zahalan-Kennedy's job prospects are just as good as those of anyone with any masters in any musical field: slim to non-existent.

The better question, though, is, if she is the first person to complete a masters degree in Beatles' studies, who the heck were her professors? Unless Paul and Ringo showed up to explain the cultural significance of what they were doing, we can't help but think that Ms. Zahalan-Kennedy got scammed.

Solipsistography

eCanadaNow.com

Hope University, Liverpool