Wednesday, June 1, 2011

I Want to Hold Your Hand

Classic song today. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" (released on The Beatles' Long Tall Sally) marked the true beginning of Beatlemania--when this single hit the States, thousands of teenage girls fell in love simultaneously--and also provided a way in for other artists wishing to hop the pond, sparking the British invasion. It holds a quite respectable #16 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and it appears on a myriad of lists--songs that changed the world, songs that shaped rock and roll, all-time best songs ever made ever, etc. The song was number one in the American charts for seven weeks; it was eventually replaced by "She Loves You". (It's probably less of a blow when your song gets replaced at the top by another one of your songs. :P )

It's pretty much universally accepted as a Beatles classic these days, but back then, there were some humbugs around. Below is a wiki quote detailing different reactions to the song.
The song was greeted by raving fans on both sides of the Atlantic but was dismissed by some critics as nothing more than another fad song that would not hold up to the test of time. Cynthia Lowery of the Associated Press expressed her exasperation with Beatlemania by saying of the Beatles: "Heaven knows we've heard them enough. It has been impossible to get a radio weather bulletin or time signal without running into 'I Want to Hold Your Hand'."
It reminds me of the popular T-shirt adage, often attributed to Dee Snider: "If it's too loud, you're too old." Clearly the youngsters were infatuated, and the mood was infectious. Even Bob Dylan caught the fever:
Bob Dylan was impressed by the Beatles' innovation, saying, "They were doing things nobody was doing. Their chords were outrageous, just outrageous, and their harmonies made it all valid." For a time Dylan thought the Beatles were singing "I get high" instead of "I can't hide". He was surprised when he met them and found out that none of them had actually smoked marijuana.
Honest mistake, I'm sure. :P 

My own impression of the song is extremely positive--it's one of those songs you either take to instantly, or immediately despise, so there's not much in between. I also love the romantic, slowed-down cover by T.V. Carpio in Across the Universe in all its anti-heteronormative glory.

This has been a great end to a crappy day. The Beatles always know how to cheer me up. :) I'll see you guys tomorrow!


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Heard It Tally: 3
Songs Completed: 37

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