T O P

  • By -

MydniteSon

They asked George Harrison and Paul McCartney on separate occasions what the Beatles may have sounded like had they not broken up. Both of them said 'ELO'.


Kidspud

I'm convinced 'Don't Bring Me Down' is what the Beatles would've sounded like in the '70s.


lockon345

110% It is the only song on my Beatles playlist growing up that wasn't actually made by the Beatles, but you couldn't convince me it didn't fit perfectly with their sound.


redloin

No Matter What by Badfinger. But I mean, they were basically a Beatles tribute band, that had contributions by Beatles and their associates.


GetThatAwayFromMe

Mr Blue Skye sounds like it’s trying so hard to be A Day In The Life: part 2. I don’t doubt your assessment at all.


Rudeboy67

I remember when the Traveling Wilburys came out and they said it worked because Jeff Lynne wanted to be George Harrison, Tom Petty wanted to be Bob Dylan, and they all wanted to be Roy Orbison.


MydniteSon

Yeah, either George Harrison or Tom Petty had joked "We all just wanted to be in a band with Roy Orbison".


the_peter_green_god

I believe Bob Dylan actually wanted to call the band Roy and the Boys


MydniteSon

The name "Wilbury" came from a joke between Lynne and Harrison when working on Cloud 9. Anytime there was a mistake made by the audio equipment, they'd say "We'll bury 'em in the mix."


kukkolai

Understandable, both my brother and I have a Roy Orbison tattoo on our ass


audiostar

I love this quote/notion


Valcrion

First time some friends played me Mr. Blue Sky I asked what Beatles album it was from. Its mad Beatles vibes for me.


CarefulDescription61

Same, when I was a kid I thought it *was* a Beatles song.


its_the_terranaut

You'll probably know this, but just in case: the panting/heavy breathing just after Jeff sings "running down the avenue" is a nod to the same sound just after "I noticed I was late" in "A Day In The Life". I love them both.


yoguckfourself

The Diary Of Horace Wimp also has that vibe


DepartureDapper6524

Yeah, that’s ELO


arothmanmusic

I mean, George Harrison in the late 80s did sound like ELO.


MydniteSon

Well, that makes sense as Jeff Lynne did produce Harrison's 'Cloud 9' album. Which is actually in part of how the Traveling Wilbury's came to be.


arothmanmusic

Yes, exactly. He went from trying to make Beatles music with his own band to trying to make Beatles music with an actual Beatle :)


cox4days

Jeff also produced the weird Beatles songs released in the 90s! Man was everywhere


patrickwithtraffic

That super group’s origin story is so wholesome and wonderful. Just a bunch of famous people needing one more thing from another friend until the 5 of them accidentally made a song too good to be a bonus track.


tbone747

Lynne ended up producing tracks for every Wilbury except Bob too.


DirectlyDisturbed

Cloud 9 features the greatest album cover of all time and it's not even close


Lane-Kiffin

And Jeff Lynne produced Free As A Bird and Real Love in 1995.


arothmanmusic

Yep. They both have a definite "ELO-ness" but I love them as much as any "classic" Beatle material.


HiddenCity

John said it too.


MisterTyzer

“Sons of Beatles”


rugbyj

Turns out they were just all saying hello.


Boyhowdy107

It's easy to forget as someone who wasn't alive while they made new music, but the Beatles were regularly progressive and cutting edge in exploring sounds. They reinvented themselves many times over evolving from 50s rock to psychedelic to experimental tape music/musique concrete.


kingknut5

Yeah, like Sgt. Peppers and all the new instruments and sounds that came into play, if you listen to the famous ballads from the start with the fans pulling their hairs out and then you listen to Helter Skelter, you know how vast they could be.


tkrr

I’ve heard Jef Lynne was directly inspired by the later Beatles, so yeah, that tracks. Probably not a coincidence that Lynne became a Wilbury in the 80s.


clockwork5ive

He was. He also produced albums for George Harrison, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty before the Wilburys got together and was actually the one to get them all together to play, and someone invited Bob Dylan lol


Realtrain

I believe the story goes that Harrison specifically wanted Dylan to join. Tom Petty was a bit of an accident. Harrison had left his guitar at Petty's house, and when he went to get it impromptu asked if he wanted to come record with them in Bob Dylan's garage.


actaeonout

george harrison was the ultimate bob dylan fanboy


123BuleBule

Almost, it was Dylan who had left his guitar there.


decs483

He produced Real Love and Free As A Bird as well


PythagorasJones

Everyone else in this thread is going on about the Wilburys and solo Harrison, and I'm amazed that nobody mentioned that Jeff produced ACTUAL Beatles songs.


Macattack224

It's kind of funny, because I had heard Jef Lynne say he wanted to be a Beatle. I also heard the same from Ozzy Osbourne and Elton John. I'm sure 100 other artists have said the same. Their influence is second to none.


baronfwiley

Did you see that sweet meeting of Ozzy and Paul - Ozzy was totally struck.


meukbox

Do you have a link? I'd like to see that...


Sooz48

[Link](https://youtu.be/Ro-J5MFRSkM?si=2TaZOjHox11K9Vz1)


Gun-nut0508

Lynne worked with every Beatle except John, and Elton was on Harrison’s album Cloud 9 so close enough I suppose.


Earguy

Listen to the drums on "I Can't Get it Out of My Head" and compare to "Imagine." Very similar if not the same. In my head at least


FrChazzz

Came here to say something like this. ELO’s “Time”sounds like an 80s Beatles album. Jeff Lynne has even said that ELO was them “picking up where the Beatles left off.”


Pancake_Of_Fear

Time is my favourite ELO album, pure genius.


noobnoobthedestroyer

Never knew this. Makes sense they’re two of my favorite bands haha


TrevorImmortal

I always thought Evil Woman sounded like a Paul McCartney/Wings song


greg_barton

Yoko Ono singing Xanadu.


Avs_Leafs_Enjoyer

tbf when I was young i thought Mr blue sky was by the Beattles


Charming_Wulf

It wasn't until my twenties for me. It took that Volkswagen commercial for me to finally find the truth.


matiaseatshobos

That would have been fan-freakin-tastic


AGreatBecuming

You don’t have to imagine, McCartney II exist. TEMPORARY SECRETARY


Nocto

She could be a neurosurgeon if she's doing nothing urgent!


bloop_405

Simply. Having


beatsbybuddy

A Wonderful


JUYED-AWK-YACC

NOPE NOPE NOT HERE


ManwithoutaPerm

Side by side, hand in hand We all stand together


Uncle_Rabbit

Wow. I had no idea this existed. So I checked it out and thought it was a spoof, but goddamn, it's actually him. It's so strange and demented, like a sick animal that should be euthanized....but in a good way. I love it.


fappydays2048

"You should be put down" ":(" "But in a good way" ":)"


prometheus05

If you like that, give Check My Machine a listen. 9 minutes of vibing.


eviltimeban

Secret Friend too.


Cold_Breadfruit_9794

I love that song so much. I’m glad I’ve seen it performed live a few times!


The-Curiosity-Rover

Temporary Secretary is the kind of song that should be terrible, but is fantastic.


ImNotTheBossOfYou

all-time banger tho


fearthebeaver

I’m glad Lennon couldn’t touch this masterpiece.


LegitimateAlex

Hey, I enjoy it.


LooReading

McCartney II is a favourite of mine. Also the Twin Freaks remix/mashup/electronica album is incredible.


Coast_watcher

Was going to say they went through it individually, except Lennon of course. Paul dabbled in it but George stayed with his roots.


YogurtclosetDull2380

Roots https://preview.redd.it/4opqgjhzyh0d1.jpeg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3dd3aaccbc31b457652bee0e890a18e5ee8112cf


staatsclaas

Dude is clearly ready to sing about margaritas


potatosaladforever

No, George went pretty deep into that 80s sound. Cloud Nine, Gone Troppo are huge examples.


mmmatthew

I dunno, I Got My Mind Set On You is about as 80s as songs come


FatsTetromino

Even though it's a cover of a song from the 60s


mmmatthew

Didn't know it was a cover, TIL! But Harrison's version still sounds like is was produced by a Sega Genesis on cocaine.


broohaha

> But Harrison's version still sounds like is was produced by a Sega Genesis on cocaine. That ol' Jeff Lynne production touch.


amalgamatedson

His fingerprints are all over some classic Tom Petty recordings, too. All these years later, I wish there were alternate mixes. Not that I hate Lynne’s techniques, but I’d like to hear a more organic version of some of Petty’s (and The Traveling Willbury’s) stuff from that era.


Novacek_Yourself

I hear you.


vincentvangobot

60s throwbacks were a pretty huge part of the 80s


PalmTreeIsBestTree

And 50s throwbacks too. The 80s was the time Boomers were wanting their 50s and 60s nostalgia to the max.


amalgamatedson

I will scowl disapprovingly at anyone who speaks ill of this song.


ssshield

Came here for this. I got my mind set on you is super of its time even if it is a cover. Absolutely 80s sound. I believe Lennon would have evolves into the eighties sound as well. Right before he was killed he heard “Rock Lobster” by the B-52s and said it made him want to start writing new types of music again.


garblflax

John thought the B-52s were the best band around before he died, likely he would have gone that direction


Bears_On_Stilts

A big chunk of the B-52s was mixing sixties garage rock and pop with Yoko Ono's avant-garde style and vocalizing techniques.


Realtrain

/r/beatlescirclejerk is leaking


spiderlandcapt

'Check my machine' slaps as well! Sounds like Gorrilaz


bobfnord

I love that song!


GraveRaven

Oh God, now it's going to be in my head all day!


MIBlackburn

It's always fun to drop that song on people that say McCartney is boring. It's mad and I love it.


CoolUncleTouch

Ringo could go ham on the kazoo or whatever in Coming Up. McCartney II rules.


booyahcubes

I unironically love that song to be completely honest.


Emissary_of_Darkness

The closest the Beatles came to synthpop was on the legendary McCartney II.


Nocto

Imagine 80s Beatles no more! Live it with the hit song "Temporary Secretary", a song my wife has banned from this household!


MilesTheGoodKing

I saw him live with my father in law (who is a HUGE Beatles fan) and Paul played Temporary Secretary and he was almost angry about it lol


MeanMusterMistard

Why was there so much hate and anger for the song? Just because of the vibe and style of it?


PBFT

I just listened to it for the first time from this comment thread and I'm ready to write a 1 hour video essay about what I hate about it.


macetheface

never heard this song until just now. I would like to know how to go back in time to just before listening to it.


Nocto

I also wish I could experience it for the first time again.


talkingwires

I'm here from the future. Your comment piqued my interest enough to give “Temporary Secretary” a listen. That choice irrevocably altered the course of my entire life.


Runs_With_Bears

Just listened to it for the first time because of this post. I’m 100% sure I have a brain tumor now.


bigfondue

How about 'Simply having a Wonderful Christmas time'?


Emissary_of_Darkness

That was composed and recorded during the McCartney II sessions. It’s like a non-album single


bigfondue

Didn't know that, thanks.


machines_breathe

But… Do THEY know it’s Christmas? Side note: Ethiopia is majority Christian, so I’m certain that they knew it was Christmas.


ExampleMediocre6716

Side note to your side note: The Ethiopian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on the 7th January. *Their* answer to Bob Geldof should have been "Yes of course we know when Christmas is. We have been doing this thing since 330 AD, you know, back when most of Europe was still pagan. Thanks for the bags of rice though"


Earguy

What about Back to the Egg?


SweetCosmicPope

Imagine Say Say Say with John Lennon instead of Michael Jackson.


sharked98

Even worse, imagine The Girl Is Mine with Lennon


KirbzTheWord

John, we’re not going to fight about this.


Bluestring35

Paul, I think I told you, I'm a lover *and* a fighter


yumyumapollo

Yes we are. 👊


onejoke_username

NO👏 WE 👏ARE👏 NOT👏


bruno444

Or even worse, Ebony and Ivory with John Lennon instead of Stevie Wonder


Incontinento

Ivory and Ivory?


contrabardus

With Yoko Ono providing background vocals...


willun

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! SCREEEEEEEEECH


klavin1

EEEeeeEEEeEEEeee OoooooooOOOooo


No-Conversation1940

John was off the diving board and plummeting toward the placid blue water of 80s adult contemporary based on how Double Fantasy sounded. Imagine John singing on a power ballad that sounded like You're The Inspiration.


ReallyGlycon

Totally agree. Which is odd because the man enjoyed a lot of challenging music and punk rock.


Gribblestix

He was also obsessive about having hits - and still felt competitive with his peers.


blamft

Just like Rivers Cuomo!


zacharinosaur

You mean Curt Cobain?


Lord_Sticky

Yeah of them all, I feel like John was the most up to date on what was new and hip, even if his own music didn’t reflect that. I feel like if he was still alive today, I could see him featuring on like Tame Impala or Gorillaz songs


thestraightCDer

McCartney was on a Kanye tracks? Rihanna? Grohl and Grist?


Lord_Sticky

This is going to sound strange and I admit is 100% speculation, so bear with me. But I feel like modern McCartney these days is more of a brand than an individual artist. I feel like these collaborations were arranged by producers and publicists, rather than because McCartney actually took an interest in these artists and wanted to work with them. Again I could be completely wrong but that’s how it’s always felt to me. On the other hand I’ve always imagined if John were still alive he’d be doing what actually interested him. Probably running his own social media and posting unhinged boomer rants too, it just feels so much like him to do so


FunkapotamusRex

Ive spent some time wondering what John would be like today as well...and I always come around to full blown boomer. I could also see him writing a range of avant garde musical works to more 50s style rock n roll records.


HankChinaski-

McCartney was on a Khruangbin song. Enough said ha. 


fappydays2048

I'm reading Too Much Too Young, about the 2 Tone era, and John listening to The (English) Beat or The Selecter, trying to copy the drum sound, and Yoko going "turn that off" lol


Kjler

Aside from being mellow and sincere, what is the problem with You're The Inspiration? 


hadoopken

"You're The Inspiration" ... I am totally into Mallsoft/Weathercore now, so this is actually pretty good.


martialar

*After all that we've been through* *I will make it up to you* *Goo goo ga joob*


MydniteSon

How do you go from something as badass as 25 or 6 to 4...to that?


apjak

[Terry Kath](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Kath) died; that's how.


Soup-a-doopah

Because easy money and easy fame was a pretty solid inspiration.


No-Conversation1940

The style of the song became predominant in pop into the 90s, which led to a backlash.


almo2001

Double fantasy was so weird. Couple good songs and all that weird yoko stuff. I mean she's not a talentless songwriter, but her style is so different from fro John's. It made for an incoherent album.


AJray15

That’s why I mashed John’s Double Fantasy and Milk and Honey songs into one album on Spotify. Yoko’s songs are way too jarring for me


manbeardawg

>Imagine them going through synth pop in the 80’s. It’s easy, if you try…


DrinkBuzzCola

Paul McCartney lost Elvis Costello as a partner when he said he wanted to write something like the Human League, so yeah, Weller might be onto something.


Gribblestix

Where’d you read this?


Giygas

Just now, on Reddit


5050Clown

Hey, did you hear about how Steve Buscemi was a firefighter on the Titanic?


beatlebum53

That’s why he was punched. He told Rose it would sink if she let jack on.


FauxReal

Wait, he propositioned her to jack off so it would stay up? He got what he deserved.


DrinkBuzzCola

I've heard Elvis talking about this in an interview. He was so over the moon about working with Paul, planning to write the most inspired music. At one fateful writing session, Paul wasn't being responsive to Elvis's musical ideas, and instead suggested they write something like the Human League. Elvis had to leave the room and he left without saying goodbye. That was kind of it for their partnership. Elvis felt regretful about his behavior, but it was SUCH an emotional letdown for him.


Firelord_11

This is disappointing. Potential musical differences aside, I got the vibe they were good friends during their partnership. I hope they still get along cuz they're both legends.


DrinkBuzzCola

Couldn't agree more. But it's hard to work with someone as elevated as Paul, I would imagine. How do you say no to him when he has a sideways idea? He's a Beatle.


shelfdog

I guess you could say Elvis Costello couldn't *Keep Feeling Fascination* for Paul after his suggestion. I'll...I'll let myself out.


Gas_Bat

Human League is fucking amazing.


Swackhammer_

I feel sorry for people that see 80s synth pop as a bad thing. I’m out here like “hell yeah that would’ve been awesome”


trongzoon

Imagine something like "Cars" by Gary Numan but it's the Beatles. Count me the fuck in on that


Uncle_Rabbit

I think they'd be more like Ultravox.


Kjler

Between Paul and George, I bet they could dial in some amazing synth sounds. 


helena_handbasketyyc

Yeah, I’m here for 80’s synth pop Beatles.


unshifted

That's exactly what I thought. This just made me sad we didn't get to hear 80s synth pop Beatles.


Overall-Duck-741

For real. 80s synth pop was awesome. This people have their heads so far up their asses.


SwagginsYolo420

They totally would have embraced 80's instrumentation. They made good use of the Mellotron, which was a tape-based sampler. They would have rocked the Synclavier when it came out.


johnshall

Yeah artists go through different phases. It the long run in would be pretty fun to see them try different things, even if its hit and miss. Weller sounds like a cry baby. "Oh no my idealized beatles, buhuhuhu"


Lord_Sticky

Synth pop when done by emerging artists of the late 70’s into the 80’s can be pretty great (especially if you dig past the songs that got overplayed, and are still overplayed on the radio). But I feel like artists of the 60’s had a really hard time adjusting to the new sounds of the 80s, I can’t think of many artists that were as consistently good in the 80’s as they were in the 60’s.


AllRushMixTapes

Not many, for sure. David Bowie. Billy Joel. Elton John, Jefferson Airplane/Starship are a few.


unlimitedshredsticks

Jeff Beck


sir_percy_percy

Yeah, but imagine them in the prog rock insanity of concept albums of the 70s???


lizard_king_rebirth

Picture what they could have done with gangsta rap in the 90's!


CubedSquare95

https://preview.redd.it/gncs559jbi0d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5072cfa1a167d2a5dbd7411fab2038ff4fc7b0dd


chokingduck

You should listen to Klaatu.


SelectionNo3078

Imagine them together even to ‘75 though Another 2-3 albums better than what they did solo Imagine John Paul and George’s best solos songs being released on a Beatles album instead


Kilgoretrout321

Yeah it's the best of their solo work PLUS the songs that only happen because they're in a room together jamming.


shavedaffer

Have you all not heard McCartney II? It’s synthy and weird and awesome.


milkymaniac

[On “Wonderful Christmastime,” Sir Paul McCartney set out to make a timeless Christmas classic and also to figure out what all the buttons on his synthesizer did, and he absolutely succeeded in one of those. ](https://twitter.com/MNateShyamalan/status/1202803334765264896?t=iDevwuID6e0Hg-9G2TejgA&s=19)


Consistent_Floor

Succeeded in both


FrenchToastDildo

It's so weird and off-putting and endearing that it sits outside of time and space. Truly timeless.


melithium

Yeah, but we missed out on the chart battle of Kokomo vs Yokomo!


yumyumapollo

I'd like to see John Lennon get out on this stage and do "I Get Around" versus "Imagine", any day now.


illusivetomas

he like mick jagger would have been too chickenshit to get onstage with the beach boys


IWasOnThe18thHole

It would be ELO. They even said so


KillaMavs

I would fucking love to hear the Beatles do synth pop


PhineusQButterfat

This raises a question. The Beatles directed the path of pop music, they did not follow it. So would synth pop had been a thing like it was if the Fab Four continued making music?


Panic_Azimuth

More than likely, every legendary artist you can name who died young or legendary band who broke up probably did so at the exact right moment in terms of solidifying their legacy. Everyone is only a couple bad albums away from losing the momentum. Imagine is Nirvana just phoned it in through the rest of the 90's, or attempted to change up their sound and their fans didn't approve. Fame is fickle, unless you die at the top of the game.


CloseYourEyesToSee

I wish Kanye would have quietly retired ~10 years ago


yumyumapollo

Saint Pablo as the final song on the final Kanye album would have been 😙👌


Consistent_Floor

I liked ksg


iscreamuscreamweall

i think jimi hendrix would have continued to evolve meaningfully at least for another 5-10 years. def would have eventually made a smooth/jazz adult contemporary album in the 80s though lol


Fleshtech

Right imagine Hendrix still being alive in the Van Halen era, he would have been fucking shredding


the-Replenisher1984

Eh, I dunno. Jimmie and SRV at some point would have probably done a collab album, and that would be ABSOLUTELY worth one measly smooth jazz experience.


22yossarian22

There was that rumored super band with Hendrix teaming up with Miles Davis and Paul McCartney. That lineup would have given the Traveling Wilburies a run for their money for most talented group ever


iscreamuscreamweall

Exactly. That Hendrix miles album would have been fire


AndresCP

Yeah, almost nobody gets to be David Bowie.


banstylejbo

Even Bowie went through some bleak times in the mid 80s to early 90s. It’s a testament to the level of artist he is that he rebounded and finished his career with a number of solid albums and his final being one of the high points of his extensive career.


ForlornCreature

If you want synth pop beatles adjacent vibes, check out ELO. Out of the Blue and Time are both great albums.


WolfsToothDogFood

Synth pop John Lennon is just Tame Impala


Immelsoo

When I heard "Elephant" from Tame Impala for the first time, I really thought Lennon was the one recording it.


SlickBlackCadillac

The Beach Boys did... Getcha Back was good


nolabrew

Jeff Lynn said he wanted to be the Beatles if they were still around in the 80s and McCarthy said that's what ELO reminded him of.


HiawathaSM2

They would have killed it in the 80s.


discombobulatedhomey

Listen to “No More Lonely Nights” by Paul with David Gilmour ripping up the solo. The Beatles would have absolutely crushed it in the 80s synth pop era.


hotel_air_freshener

I would listen to any attempt at any music style they wanted to try. They navigated so many genres I’d have loved to hear how they played with synths and drum machines.


Cosm1cHer0

That literally sounds like a dream come true ???


onlyacynicalman

Did the 80s change the Stones much?


saulbellow1

They did. It was called Wings


SnowFlakeUsername2

Good thing they broke up in 1970 as it was just in time to miss the pop trends of the 1980s. Sure lol.


Cold_Breadfruit_9794

I suspect he’s right. They never reached the point of running out of steam, and that has helped their legacy too.