The Beatles

For better or worse, popular music today is vastly different than in 1964. I like the Beatles just fine, but if I were given the choice to listen to a new Modest Mouse album or Sgt Peppers, 4 out of 5 times, I'm going with Modest Mouse. There are plenty of other today's bands that would make me choose the same way. But, there's also a lot of today's music that I would choose the Beatles over every single time. That's because there is a lot of trash put out there today. To me, that trash is primarily made up of rap. But there is one thing that I do admire about that trash. The honesty.

Musicians today have absolutely no problem saying exactly what they want and how they're going to get it. They're brutally honest about it to the point where you go, "did they really say that?" On the other hand, the Beatles were liars. No guy in the history of mankind has looked at a girl and thought, "Hmm, I'd really like to hold her hand." No guy has ever nudged a friend, pointed at a girl across the bar and said, "Dude, I would hold her hand so hard. I bet she uses Jergens." That doesn't happen. It doesn't happen now and it didn't happen in 1964. "And please say to me, you'll let me hold your hand." Nope. That wasn't what John and Paul were thinking when they wrote those lyrics. They were lying. No guy wants to hear that. Ever.

Here's what would really happen.
Girl - "Thank you for this drink that will lower my inhibitions."
Boy - "For sure. 100%."
Girl - "I'll let you hold my hand later."
Boy- "Really?"
Girl - "Yep."
Boy - "And then..."
Girl - "What? What do you mean?"
Boy - "Right. Nice turtle neck. I'm going to talk to your friend."