Beach Boys "Oh Darlin" Vs. Beatles "Oh! Darling"

[Chocolate Shake Man]

I don't quite jive with The Moody Blues quote though. I mean, how does one begin to understand culture - either another culture or even their own culture - without narratives (including music). Furthermore, clearly that 40s and 50s blues music tapped into something in the 50s English kid world given that its influence was so widespread.

[SMiLE Brian]

I don't quite jive with The Moody Blues quote though. I mean, how does one begin to understand culture - either another culture or even their own culture - without narratives (including music). Furthermore, clearly that 40s and 50s blues music tapped into something in the 50s English kid world given that its influence was so widespread.

This is the video where they talk about it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbNo6Wnejic

[Ron]

english soul is just as good as american soul

No it isn't. And ate 60s Englishman "blues" (not soul), in particular, is awful. Early to mid-60s stuff was pretty good (early stuff by The Yardbirds, The Stones, etc.) mostly because it was tight and covers or very closely related to covers (think The High Numbers' "I'm The Face" vs. Slim Harpo's "Got Love if You Want It"). English music was at its best when it was finding its own territory.

I saw an interview with the Moody Blues about their early R&B period, and they admitted they had no clue what they were singing about due to the R&B music being about the poor American south and they were middle class Englishmen.

And yet Go Now by them is one of the greatest songs ever made.

Go Now is so good I can't even listen to it.  It makes me remember every girl I ever loved, it's THAT good, lol.  Beautiful song.  Everybody knows that of course, but the mood of it, and then the over the top harmonies just blow me away.  Very well done. 

[Awesoman]

Which one do you prefer? I'm a huge fan of both groups but i'mma have to go with the beatles on this one, it just captures that early rock and roll feel mixed in with a little doo-wop.

Beach Boys - Oh Darlin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXUKhZMt-ns

Beatles - Oh! Darling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLnVOyhqSi8

Oh come on now.  The Beatles win this one hands down. 

[Newguy562]

Which one do you prefer? I'm a huge fan of both groups but i'mma have to go with the beatles on this one, it just captures that early rock and roll feel mixed in with a little doo-wop.

Beach Boys - Oh Darlin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXUKhZMt-ns

Beatles - Oh! Darling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLnVOyhqSi8

Oh come on now.  The Beatles win this one hands down. 

thank you lol

[I. Spaceman]

Go Now is a great record by Bessie Banks.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Has anyone else noticed just how insane Ringo's drumming is on Oh Darling?

I've been playing drums for over 20 years and I have no freaking hell what Ringo's doing in the build ups to "when you told me........"
I mean, I think I KNOW what he's doing, but just how he's doing it seems useless to try and unravel. I've seen many people cover this song, but I've never seen anyone even attempt the drum part as it is on the recording.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQopl0Pjans&feature=related

[MBE]

I like the Beatles record a lot more, but one must keep in mind that The Beach Boys in 1979-80 weren't exactly in their prime.

[GreatUrduPoet]

OMG!!!!!   THE BEATLES ONE DOESN'T SUCK!!!!!!

It doesn't suck but it's not wonderful either. Wouldn't make my Top 50 Beatles, that's for sure.

it's on my top 10 :[

That's fine. This sort of thing is subjective. I just find it a bit empty and annoyingly repetitive.

repetitive-ness is catchy that's one of the beach boys strong points ...(surfin usa,i get around, dance dance dance, fun fun fun,) lol

It depends. If the melody is interesting then the hook should always make you come back for me. For me, Oh Darling's melody (like I said) is basic, rather dull and uninventive - typical late-60s white Englishman's blues, kind of thing.

The two things that make me dig the Beach Boy's 'Darlin' are the catchy melody and Carl's super-enthusiastic, Ronnie Spector-inspired lead vocal. That song really is quite a showcase for a strong lead singer. The Beatles 'Oh Darlin' is my own personal favourite track off of 'Abbey Road'...but obviously is not understood by most of the posters on this thread. It is not a "soul" or "English white-boy blues" number at all...it is, in fact, The Beatles tribute to the American 'swamp pop' genre (which explains its lasting popularity in South Louisiana). Hundreds of swamp pop songs from the 50s & 60s had a similar melody and chord progression and made for the successful careers of people like Johnnie Allen, Joe Barry, Freddie Fender etc. Paul's over-top-vocal and Ringo's wild drumming just take it to a higher-level.  

[Lonely Summer]

The BB's "Oh Darlin" is a decent song elevated by Carl's vocals. The Beatles' "Oh Darlin" is a decent song elevated by Macca's over-the-top screaming, and Ringo's drumming.

[pixletwin]

I actually think the Beatles' Oh Darling would have been better harmonized between John and Paul's voice. If you hear the Anthology version that has John taking the lead, he brings a much more interesting performance out of the song.

[Lonely Summer]

John Lennon always had one of THE BEST voices for straight ahead rock 'n' roll.

[GreatUrduPoet]

John Lennon always had one of THE BEST voices for straight ahead rock 'n' roll.

But Paul has a more natural "swamp pop" voice for the material at hand (ie: "Oh Darlin').

[pixletwin]

Swamp pop? What is swamp pop and how does "Oh Darlin'" qualify for it?

[GreatUrduPoet]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swamp_pop

http://www.amazon.com/Swamp-Pop-Creole-Rhythm-American/dp/0878058761/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335890908&sr=1-1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ_sE4ZvWuE

The Shane Bernard book specifically mentions the local popularity of The Beatles "Oh Darlin" in
Acadian South Louisiana.

[pixletwin]

Hey that's some really cool stuff. I had never heard of this genre before. Thanks for sharing.

[GreatUrduPoet]

Hey that's some really cool stuff. I had never heard of this genre before. Thanks for sharing.

People don't talk about it much anywhere North of Interstate-10.

[runnersdialzero]

For the longest time (and by longest time I mean the past few months, because it just fuckin' came out of nowhere and won't fucking go away), I didn't know what SMH meant and just heard it in my head as "suck my head". Kind of like how people started using "FTW" and I'd only known that as "f*** the world", so people would say "OH YEAH BRO NICKELBACK FTW" and I'd hear "OH YEAH BRO NICKEBLACK f*** THE WORLD"

Don't get on my for using "bro", bro, or I'll SMH (suck my head)

[lance]

Beatles track better for me. Beach Boys track more forgettable. Sounds flat. Could have been better.