The Beatles were never my cup of tea, which is saying something since I don't even drink tea. I didn't think they were bad or anything they just couldn't hold my attention for very long. In the spirit of my musical new year’s resolutions I decided to give the Fab Four another try, and see if I could come to an explanation as to why I was never a fan of them in the first place.
I racked my brain for days, it made no sense to me. They've influenced nearly all of my favourite bands, there songs are like stone tablets, artefacts that the music industry, and fans alike, flock to as if they created language. They did, it was the language of pop music as we know it. So why could I not warm to them? The more I thought about it, I knew in my bones that the reason was a petty one. I'm not a contrarian by nature so it's humbling to admit that the reason I never gave The Beatles a chance is such a stupid one.
It's because I hated "Doctor Robert". It came back to me a few days ago when I was revisiting Revolver, which is a really good album completely overshadowed by the majesty of "Tomorrow Never Knows", but you already knew that because you're not an idiot like me. I vividly remember the situation, back when I was a teenager and had got my dad's entire music collection, barring the heavy metal, transferred to copied disks. All the classic bands were there: The Clash, Rolling Stones, Love, PJ Harvey, and of course The Beatles. Naturally I started with Revolver, what better way to get into a band than by listening to their apparent best album. Unfortunately by CD player was stuck on random so instead of hearing "Taxman" I heard "Doctor Robert" first. I was horrified: this was the world conquerors? This was the greatest band ever? This nursery rhyme steaming pile of mediocrity? Granted I was a grossly over-opinionated music snob back then, and I admit I may have overreacted.
Listening to the song again it actually works quite well within the context of the album, not a standout, but not the ear plague I first thought either. So what song turned you off of a band? Does it make more sense than mine, or is it sillier?
