Mass Karaoke

May 3, 2009 2:19 PM

13,500 people singing Hey Jude in London's Trafalgar Square. Thanks T-Mobile! (previously)
posted by The Devil Tesla (99 comments total)

It's Pepsi Blue. But, it's adorable Pepsi Blue. Now I just want to hug people.
posted by purephase at 2:25 PM on May 3 [3 favorites has favorites]

The exclusive 4 minute extended version of the moment 13,500 people spontaneously sang Hey Jude together in Trafalgar Square.

Well, maybe not spontaneously.
posted by Roger Dodger at 2:25 PM on May 3 [3 favorites has favorites]

And people say that multinational corporations don't really care about us working people.

By the way, wasn't there a performance group that stole T-Mobile's and Saatchi & Saatchi amazing idea of doing wacky stuff in public spaces? Hope they don't do it again.

Thank you T-Mobile for reminding me that life indeed is about sharing :)
posted by Foci for Analysis at 2:27 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

"oh, damn, i think me other arm fell off"

--- lord nelson
posted by pyramid termite at 2:30 PM on May 3

wow, thank you foci for reminding me that life is about being dick
posted by found missing at 2:31 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

found missing, just kiss me already, will you?!
posted by Foci for Analysis at 2:35 PM on May 3 [2 favorites has favorites]

There was a time not too long ago when this many people spontaneously gathering together and acting in a concerted manner was a sure sign that revolution was coming. So you can understand why I was a little disappointed that someone didn't yell out at the end "hey, let's take a sad world and make it better" and lead the charge. Next time, guys.
posted by allen.spaulding at 2:35 PM on May 3 [9 favorites has favorites]

Hmmm. Karaoke. In fact, organised Karaoke* to advertise something.

How cutting edge.


* Yet labelled as 'spontaneous', amusingly
posted by Brockles at 2:39 PM on May 3

Speaking of "Hey Jude" and appropriation, after hearing the outro section to "Hitler was a Vegetarian" (one side of the Residents' Third Reich and Roll album) - where a medley of Inna Gadda Da Vida, Sunshine of Your Love and Smoke on the Water fades into a medley of Sympathy for the Devil and Hey Jude - none of the songs will ever be the same again for my ears.
posted by idiopath at 2:41 PM on May 3 [3 favorites has favorites]

This post is like honey to flies for disaffected hipsters.
posted by found missing at 2:42 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

Now I just want to hug people.

It's easier to get to their wallets that way, right?
posted by PeterMcDermott at 2:42 PM on May 3

Did T-Mobile get Paul McCartney's approval for this?

Nike was the focus of criticism for its use of the Beatles song "Revolution" in a 1987 commercial, against the wishes of Apple Records, the Beatles' recording company. (...) According to a November 9, 1989 article in the Los Angeles Daily News, "a tangle of lawsuits between the Beatles and their American and British record companies has been settled." One condition of the out-of-court settlement was that terms of the agreement would be kept secret. The settlement was reached among the three parties involved: George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr; Yoko Ono; and Apple, EMI and Capitol Records. A spokesman for Yoko Ono noted, "It's such a confusing myriad of issues that even people who have been close to the principals have a difficult time grasping it. Attorneys on both sides of the Atlantic have probably put their children through college on this."
posted by iviken at 2:44 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

I want to be cynical, but that was pretty cool. To the haters: "Naaaaa naaaa nanananaaaa"
posted by jmd82 at 2:51 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

After watching this, I still don't like The Beatles.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 3:15 PM on May 3 [3 favorites has favorites]

But, it's adorable Pepsi Blue.

No.
posted by R. Mutt at 3:18 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

Just because it is a lot of people, just because it is an iconic song, just because it's an ad for a cell phone company, does not automatically make it good, interesting, amusing, heartwarming or worth 4 minutes of my time....
posted by HuronBob at 3:19 PM on May 3 [2 favorites has favorites]

I liked it. I like to see people sharing with music. This was T-Mobile's previous event, dancing in the Underground.
posted by LooseFilter at 3:21 PM on May 3

Wow. that was really, really, awesome and epic.
posted by majikstreet at 3:25 PM on May 3

I would delete it on the Beatles/TMobile thing alone. Spontaneous? Lucky they had cameras.
posted by R. Mutt at 3:26 PM on May 3

At least it wasn't The Long and Winding Road.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 3:28 PM on May 3 [2 favorites has favorites]

Cynicism aside, imagine how Paul McCartney must feel seeing 13,500 people just plain happy when singing his song.
posted by Flunkie at 3:29 PM on May 3

Cynicism aside, imagine how Paul McCartney must feel seeing 13,500 people just plain happy when singing his song.

It's easier to imagine Apple records suing T-Mobile, actually.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 3:33 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

It would be undyingly cool IF:

* it were possible to get a crowd together to sing en masse without the participation of a global cellular provider

* people would participate without the lure of possibly appearing on television

* events such as these were to happen regularly, and not simply for the benefit of cameras.

Honestly, I think I prefer this to that. Feels more, I don't know... real somehow.
posted by hippybear at 3:34 PM on May 3 [2 favorites has favorites]

Cynicism aside, imagine
sir paul is probably burning with hate that even all of his money in the world can not soothe for the mention of a hit by lennnon produced by spector during his fpp to shine.
posted by the aloha at 3:35 PM on May 3

*If the megatron wasn't streaming lyrics across the bottom.
posted by R. Mutt at 3:36 PM on May 3

If I had to answer the question,"What can make off-key karaoke better?" my answers would not likely be:

1. Singers in army division strength

2. Corporate sponsorship
posted by ricochet biscuit at 3:39 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

It would be undyingly cool IF:
* it were possible to get a crowd together to sing en masse without the participation of a global cellular provider
* events such as these were to happen regularly, and not simply for the benefit of cameras.

hippybear, may i suggest to you mass games? (hey, two out of three ain't bad)
posted by the aloha at 3:39 PM on May 3

the whole idea is depressing
posted by washburn at 3:44 PM on May 3 [2 favorites has favorites]

Sheesh, people. I said cynicism aside.
posted by Flunkie at 3:50 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

Aloha, the aloha: hrm.... while I appreciate the artistry in the North Korean events, I'm not certain the system required to produce such results are any better than the prospect of a truly Global Cellular System. In fact, should that actually happen, we all may look to North Korea as a bastion of freedom in such a bleak landscape.

My favorite Meat Loaf moment was at a wedding reception I attended some 20+ years ago, where the "special song" requested by the "happy couple" for their "first dance together" was Mr. Loaf's "Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad." I shit you not. I could not hide my horror, and neither could a good many of the rest of the wedding guests. It was obviously one of those things that "wasn't quite thought through."

Seriously, I was going to link to some YouTube footage of U2 doing their amazing sing-along magic that they do better than just about anyone, but none of the footage I could find online had that "magic" that one feels when you're in the middle of 50,000 people singing along with Bono & Co.
posted by hippybear at 3:52 PM on May 3

Cynicism aside, imagine how Paul McCartney must feel seeing 13,500 people just plain happy when singing his song.

Looks kinda like this (the real singingalong starts at about 3:40).
posted by KatlaDragon at 3:57 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

More info:

"T-Mobile premiered the latest in it's 'flash mob' style commercials tonight (Sat May 2nd 2009) during a specially extended ad break on ITV1's Britain's Got Talent. It's called T-Mobile Sing....As with T-Mobile Dance, this ad was edited and on air just 24-hours after it was recorded in Trafalgar Square, with +13,000 actors and members of the public, +24 cameras, hundreds of crew and the kind of technical set up you normally see at a rock concert."

Pink makes surprise appearance as thousands gather in London for T-Mobile advert

"Around 13,000 people congregated to take part in the mobile phone operator's new commercial by singing hits such as The Beatles' Hey Jude and Britney Spears's Hit Me Baby One More Time.

But the crowd got a shock when Pink broke into an impromptu rendition of her hit single So What from the middle of the mob.

...Described as a 'mass karaoke singalong,' the latest offering was captured by handing out 2,000 microphones to members of the crowd, and was filmed by 24 cameras.

During the event, compèred by presenter Vernon Kay, the crowd belted out versions of the Grease hit Summer Nights, Total Eclipse of the Heart, and I Say a Little Prayer.

Pink joined in halfway through the crowd's rendition of the Erma Franklin hit Piece of my Heart."

posted by ericb at 3:59 PM on May 3

If there's something I love even more than social and ethnic diversity, it's spontaneity.

Wireless radio mics and Pink are bringing up the rear at spots 3 and 4 respectively.
posted by fire&wings at 4:02 PM on May 3

I judge the evil factor of giant corporations by the number of inanely smiling faces they present in their websites and advertising. So I figure T-Mobile must be the most hateful company in the world.

(And yet, I think Hey Jude is awesome. Especially Fry & Laurie's version.)
posted by JHarris at 4:03 PM on May 3 [6 favorites has favorites]

If T-Mobile Sing were a coat, it would be a fab fur-lined number. Which when you wore it made you feel warm, safe, happy and confident enough to get out there and simply talk/connect with people.

Thank you for links ericb.
posted by The Devil Tesla at 4:04 PM on May 3

I'm waiting for the Karaoke Mass.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 4:08 PM on May 3

JHarris: If I could favorite that 50 times I would. but I'm typing by feel at the moment because of the tears streaming from my laughter from that clip. Thank you so very much for that.
posted by hippybear at 4:08 PM on May 3

Did T-Mobile get Paul McCartney's approval for this?

It's easier to imagine Apple records suing T-Mobile, actually.

Um, I'm quite confident that T-Mobile's legal office is on top of 'performance' licensing rights, etc. and compensated all relevant parties for the public performance and recording of such. In particular I'm sure they squared things with Sony/ATV Music Publishing.

"Sony/ATV Music Publishing, which owns the rights to The Beatles' back catalogue, is inviting offers to use the band's hits in ads." [January 2008].

posted by ericb at 4:15 PM on May 3

while I appreciate the artistry in the North Korean events, I'm not certain the system required to produce such results are any better than the prospect of a truly Global Cellular System.
i am certain that the system north korea uses has numerous problems.

the "special song" requested by the "happy couple" for their "first dance together" was Mr. Loaf's "Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad."
i can see why people reacted the way you did. i only hope that wasn't thought all of the way through, or was an inside joke between the couple. hopefully, the rest of the night was fun.

none of the footage I could find online had that "magic" that one feels when you're in the middle of 50,000 people singing along with Bono & Co.
their live show is indeed something to behold, but is near impossible to film it as it is experienced due to the presence that they have which does not transcend into film quite as well.
posted by the aloha at 4:16 PM on May 3

ericb: And yet, I notice that none of the tags on the YouTube video are Beatles related. I think that's what dampened my enthusiasm for this more than anything else; it made it feel a lot more like a blatant co-opting than truly sympathetic to the musicians.

Here's the funny thing: I'm not actually a Beatles fan. I don't really know why I care about this.
posted by JHarris at 4:21 PM on May 3

Big groups of people sing together all the time. In the fall I sing "The Victors" with 107,000 other people on a nearly weekly basis. The Brits do it very well. Witness.
posted by PhatLobley at 4:36 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

BTW --- Sony/ATV Music Publishing seeks approval from the living Beatles and their estates before allowing commercial use of the band's music, although the company isn't required to do so legally.

"The company does not need permission from Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono or the family of George Harrison to make the deals, but Martin Bandier, chief executive of Sony/ATV, said that he felt a 'moral obligation' to discuss uses of the catalogue with them."

I suspect that Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, as well as Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison gave a 'green light' for this massive public performance of a song (originally titled Hey Jules) that was written "...to comfort John Lennon's son Julian during his parents' divorce."
posted by ericb at 4:37 PM on May 3

*their the estates of Lennon and Harrison*
posted by ericb at 4:38 PM on May 3

JHarris: I don't think the Beatles really need sympathy :).

But yea, I think the only reason this song was chosen was that it was British, easy to sing and everyone knew it. The video is more about the event than the song anyway, which is probably why they didn't put a Beatles tag on it. And as ericb's links show, it wasn't the only song sung at the event.
posted by The Devil Tesla at 4:43 PM on May 3

Tokyo Dance was better.
posted by zengargoyle at 4:43 PM on May 3

he felt a 'moral obligation' to discuss uses of the catalogue with them."

"moral obligation" is a funny thing.
posted by R. Mutt at 4:43 PM on May 3

Pink makes surprise appearance as thousands gather in London for T-Mobile advert

Thanks. I thought I saw in her that video but I wasn't sure. She was a whole lot easier to identify when she had the pink hair.
posted by nooneyouknow at 5:11 PM on May 3

Somehow I'd feel better if the song they'd been singing were "Working Class Hero." Even "Jet" would have been preferable.
posted by blucevalo at 5:18 PM on May 3

Hulk smash!
posted by vronsky at 5:26 PM on May 3

I'd like to see one of these were thousands of people were feed lentil curry and then videotaped farting en masse.
posted by Burhanistan at 5:38 PM on May 3

Honestly, I was amazed at how many people didn't seem to know the song. Maybe it was due to the mechanics of having that many people singing a song that, admittedly, most don't know by heart (I don't). But it seemed like some of the more basic components of it were getting dropped left and right. Seemed kind of sad, really.
posted by Alt F4 at 5:47 PM on May 3

I'd like to see one of these were thousands of people were feed lentil curry and then videotaped farting en masse.

What is the sound of a thousand cheeks clapping?
posted by stinkycheese at 5:49 PM on May 3

Even "Jet" would have been preferable.

Hey, come on now. There's no need to go off the deep end here.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 6:18 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

HEY, YOU YOUNG WHIPPERSNAPPERS, GET OFF MY CRABBY-GRASS!

Man, Metafilter crusts up so quickly it needs an antibiotic prescription. Hey, Metafilter, don't be sad ...
posted by WCityMike at 7:15 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

Were so sorry uncle albert
But we havent done a bloody thing all day
Were so sorry uncle albert
But the kettles on the boil and were so easily called away
posted by vronsky at 7:15 PM on May 3 [2 favorites has favorites]

What's with all the people who can't read words off a massive Jumbotron? Have they never heard of karaoke?
posted by zardoz at 7:52 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

This should suck.

This should *so* suck.

Maybe there's hope for humanity after all.
posted by eriko at 8:31 PM on May 3

washburn: "the whole idea is depressing"

What.. cynical corporatism and "spontaneous" hipsterwashing. Token old guys with white beards who make it seem authentic. Emotionally droning Prozac-pitch. The unnerving foregrounding of any microphone to embarrass unsuspecting singers. This is depressing?
posted by stbalbach at 8:33 PM on May 3

A bunch of Brits singing a classic song together...despite corporate branding, I am with the small snarkless minority here.

As far as Tokyo Dance, zengargoyle, well, a couple of hundred cute Japanese women dancing in front of a Starbucks vs. thousands of U.K. denizens singing a Beatle's song...apples and oranges...or: kidney pie and mochi.
posted by kozad at 9:17 PM on May 3

"the whole idea is depressing"

Don't be depressed. Just imagine you didn't watch it. It's easy if you try.
posted by salvia at 9:38 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

Okay, yeah, there was a corporate coordination to the whole thing, but -- P.J. O'Rourke observed once that, you know, there is still just something stirring about big groups of people all singing the same thing together as a group. Get enough people together and even if they were all singing the theme to The Jetsons it'd be thrilling.

and there is just something in particular about "Hey Jude", especially the end riff -- I was in a karaoke bar once where some guy got up to do it, and he was just delusionally, gloriously awful. Off rhythm, out of tune, you name it. But damned if, by the end, every single one of us in that bar, no matter how much we may have been scoffing at him, didn't all join arms and sing the "naaaaa, na na nananana" with him at the very end.

Seriously, I was going to link to some YouTube footage of U2 doing their amazing sing-along magic that they do better than just about anyone, but none of the footage I could find online had that "magic" that one feels when you're in the middle of 50,000 people singing along with Bono & Co.

*happy chills* You've reminded me of something. I went to see them when I was 17, and they closed the show with 40. And sure enough, everyone in the house all sang along at the end with the "How loooong to sing this sooooong..." The band left the stage gradually, leaving us all to keep singing in the blackness for a few seconds before they brought the lights up and we all started leaving.

As we were pushing our way out into the lobby of the stadium, someone somewhere in the crowd started singing again, and the people around them joined in, and then it spread through the crowd and for a good minute 200 of us in the lobby were once again singing in unison: "How looooooong to sing this soooooong...." it only lasted a minute or so before it broke down.

And then I was out on the street and people were fanning out to find their cars, and someone out on the street started singing again -- and people around them heard them and joined in again, and soon an entire block in New Haven was filled with people once again all singing "How Loooooong to sing this sooooooong...."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:49 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

EmpressCallipygos: Oh... that "40" ending to the Joshua Tree shows... I saw them in Ft Worth, and remember that the crowd never did stop singing... all the way out of the venue, into the parking stack, it was resonating with "How I Loooooooong to sing this soooooooong..." (Sadly, when they revived this for the Vertigo tour, it really didn't work as well. Bonus points if you notice that Edge and Adam switch instruments when performing this song.)

Seriously, if there is one reason to see U2 in concert, it is because of this kind of thing. Love 'em, hate 'em, they do this better than anyone.
posted by hippybear at 9:58 PM on May 3

Liked it, but liked this a little better
(Sound of Music's "Do-Re-Mi" in Antwerp's Central Station)
with a tip of the hat to Miss Lynnster
posted by blueberry at 10:08 PM on May 3 [3 favorites has favorites]

from coke teaching the world to sing in perfect harmony to t-mobile taking a sad song and making it better--we could do worse than to share such moments of pure joy on commercial television
posted by QuakerMel at 10:09 PM on May 3

People are talking on cellphones. That's the real ad.
posted by kindalike at 10:29 PM on May 3

Also, people are taking pictures with their cellphones (nobody has a real camera anymore).
posted by kindalike at 10:33 PM on May 3

The worst thing about this is all the 'spontaneous' shots of people 'spontaneously' wearing pink hats, waving pink scarves or holding pink umbrellas.

T-Mobile's corporate colour is pink, as if you couldn't guess.
posted by tapeguy at 10:36 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

Don't be depressed. Just imagine you didn't watch it. It's easy if you try.

Well, I didn't watch it. The idea was depressing enough.

Of course, it's just possible that if I were to have a look at this clip, that the expression of human joy would melt my cynicism away; but I'm guarding that precious thistle with everything I've got!
posted by washburn at 10:38 PM on May 3

Well I was in a crowd of 50,000 singing this just two weeks ago at Coachella so suck on that T-Mobile.



Still a very sweet video tho. Warms the cackles and such.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 11:15 PM on May 3

I would cancel my T-Mobile(TM) account, if T-Mobile(TM) weren't the sweetest-smelling god-awful shit stain of a cell phone company in the Dirty Sanchez that is the United States cell phone market.
posted by dirigibleman at 11:17 PM on May 3

Okay, yeah, there was a corporate coordination to the whole thing, but -- P.J. O'Rourke observed once

Oh, Jesus Christ.
posted by dirigibleman at 11:22 PM on May 3 [3 favorites has favorites]

Oh and by the way, kneejerk snarkers....

YES it is an advert

YES it's not exactly "spontaneous"

YES your disaffected coolness is duly noted and your Hipster Card will be punched accordingly.

But, if you actually watch the video you will see that, planned or not, that is a bonafide, honest-to-goodness "moment." It's very real for those people singing. And that is all that matters.

If that doesnt affect you on some level, then I feel sorry for you.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 11:23 PM on May 3 [2 favorites has favorites]

You know what else is real? Haemorrhoids. Haemorrhoids are when the veins in your anus are inflamed and giant, like giant anus vein balloons, that are painful.

Hey Jude, do you know that haemorrhoids are sort of like having a cell phone account, only more in the anus area, and less metaphorical?
posted by dirigibleman at 11:33 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

dirigibleman, I can't hear you because I'm getting a call through the air.
posted by The Devil Tesla at 11:36 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

If that doesnt affect you on some level, then I feel sorry for you.

Hey, I've got an idea. How about we not pass judgement on other peoples' emotional responses to an advert?
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 11:47 PM on May 3 [1 favorite has favorites]

So essentially, it's a Paul McCartney concert, only with 1/8th or so the amount of people singing along, and no Paul McCartney?

Can i get my card punched now? Two more snarks and I get the free ironic t-shirt that has a picture of the country Kenya on it and says "Kenya dig it?"
posted by drjimmy11 at 12:02 AM on May 4 [1 favorite has favorites]

Senor Cardgage: But, if you actually watch the video you will see that, planned or not, that is a bonafide, honest-to-goodness "moment." It's very real for those people singing. And that is all that matters.

Is it? The video seems to know exactly who to zoom in on. Whenever you see something joyous happening in that crowd, remember: it's happening directly in front of a video camera.
posted by JHarris at 12:03 AM on May 4 [1 favorite has favorites]

The crowds contained a mix of the general public, around 200 placed professional singers, and a number of T-Mobile customers and "dance" fans invited via texts and Facebook groups.

Spontaneous.
posted by tapeguy at 12:34 AM on May 4 [1 favorite has favorites]

There was a time not too long ago when this many people spontaneously gathering together and acting in a concerted manner was a sure sign that revolution was coming.

Or that a witch was being burned, a counter-revolutionary beheaded, a schoolteacher stripped naked and slapped with little red books.
posted by kid ichorous at 12:43 AM on May 4

On a related note, 6346 guitarists gathered this last Friday to play Jimmy Hendrix's "Hey Joe" in Wrocław, Poland. Deep Purple led the charge. The whole weekend you couldn't throw a stone without hitting a guitarist.
posted by mammary16 at 2:31 AM on May 4 [1 favorite has favorites]

There were some hot chicks in the video.
posted by zzazazz at 2:40 AM on May 4

A quick question for anybody else who has played regular live gigs in a band: Exactly how many of those somewhat expensive looking, great souvenir value radio microphones do you think went AWOL?
posted by rongorongo at 2:45 AM on May 4

You know what else is real? Hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are when the veins in your anus are inflamed and giant, like giant anus vein balloons, that are painful.

Are hemorrhoids always painful? Because I have big puckered anal balloons as you describe, sort of like a bouquet of fleshy polyps trying to escape from my anus. But they are not in the least bit painful or itchy, and I have had them for years.

I know you are not my doctor, etc.
posted by Meatbomb at 3:55 AM on May 4

On Friday i saw an Evening Standard billboard with the headline "13,000 in mass karaoke party". I thought, "imagine the wait to sing your song"

On saturday morning I got a text from T-mobile advertising their new advert. "watch it on ITV at 9pm this evening," it said. "As if I'm going to plan my bank holiday weekend around a bleedin' advert," I thought to myself. And this is despite the fact that I am already a T-mobile customer, and I hate them, just not as much as Orange.

Anyway, so there I was at 9pm watching Britain's Got Talent on ITV and on came this advert. Oh, I said, this is that ad. A bunch of people singing Hey Jude? What is this nonsense? This is rubbish.

So on Monday morning I come onto Metafilter and someone's posted a link? People are saying how heart-warming it is. My hipster credentials are apparently bona fide. I am an incorrigible cynic for finding a corporate advert to be manipulative and unimaginative. Oooh look how happy those people look as they sing a song. That could never happen without the involvement of a someone trying to sell something. I mean that is capitalism isn't it. Without people trying to inveigle us to appear in their adverts our lives are just empty, meaningless specks of despair. Thanks T-Mobile!!

Conclusion: Pepsi blue, with added get me a fucking break
posted by criticalbill at 4:41 AM on May 4 [1 favorite has favorites]

Seriously, how the fuck can anyone hate the Beatles? To those of you who have expressed that notion, which is one of the most ridiculous opinions of all time, fuck you. Just... gah.
posted by grubi at 5:46 AM on May 4 [1 favorite has favorites]

To those of you who have expressed that notion, which is one of the most ridiculous opinions of all time

Um, I'm sure there are lots of valid criticisms--certainly any slight bit of rationale in support of their case is much better than your kneejerk reaction there. I like most of the Beatle's stuff but can see how people could not care to listen to them. Can you state clearly why not liking the Beatle's is "one of the most ridiculous opinions of all time" without being a tool about it?
posted by Burhanistan at 7:25 AM on May 4

My response is mostly due to the kneejerk hatred/dislike of the Beatles. Fine, they're not your favorite band. Fine, you don't care for much of their music. But to act as if the Beatles are the problem here or that their music was neither good nor important... it's silly and contrarian. And I hate contrarianism as much as I hate bandwagoneering. Being contrary isn't being cool -- it's as mindless as following the crowd.

I've yet to meet someone who didn't like the Beatles to some degree who had any reason to dislike the Beatles other than other people like them. Which is stupid.
posted by grubi at 7:49 AM on May 4

I love The Beatles but goddamn do I ever hate Hey Jude. Listening to Paul McCartney do his whoop-it-up gospel shtick at the end is only slightly preferable to a root canal.
posted by stinkycheese at 8:43 AM on May 4

Seriously, how the fuck can anyone hate the Beatles? To those of you who have expressed that notion, which is one of the most ridiculous opinions of all time, fuck you. Just... gah.

Hey grobi? I know you're upset, but -- let it be. Let it be? Let it be. Let it be.
posted by salvia at 9:08 AM on May 4 [1 favorite has favorites]

I'm trying to make a joke without being rude, so forgive me if that was too directed at you, grobi.
posted by salvia at 9:16 AM on May 4

grubi, if you'd please.
posted by grubi at 9:48 AM on May 4

My hipster credentials are apparently bona fide. I am an incorrigible cynic for finding a corporate advert to be manipulative and unimaginative. Oooh look how happy those people look as they sing a song. That could never happen without the involvement of a someone trying to sell something. I mean that is capitalism isn't it. Without people trying to inveigle us to appear in their adverts our lives are just empty, meaningless specks of despair. Thanks T-Mobile!!

Conclusion: Pepsi blue, with added get me a fucking break

Thank god for you.
posted by Summer at 11:55 AM on May 4

Meatbomb: "Because I have big puckered anal balloons as you describe, sort of like a bouquet of fleshy polyps trying to escape from my anus."

<NO! BAD MIKE! DON'T!>
<BUT IT'S JUST LYING THERE! AND NO ONE HAS MADE IT YET!>
<DON'T YOU DARE! IT'S AN ANNOYING MINIMEME!>
<BUT IT'LL BE FUNNY!>
<NO, IT WON'T!>
<FUCK YOU, I'M GOING TO DO IT ANYWAY.>

Metafilter: A bouquet of fleshy poly–

MONTY PYTHON FOOT STOMPS DOWN AND SQUISHES WCITYMIKE MID-SENTENCE.
posted by WCityMike at 12:56 PM on May 4 [2 favorites has favorites]

Nothing in particular against 13,000 people all singing an innocuous treacly song that makes them happy,but it's megakaraoke. Once you have been in a bar band for a couple of years, you tend to see karaoke the way the guy still carrying around a bunch of shrapnel from Fallujah views people who wear camouflage to their neighbourhood watch meetings.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 2:25 PM on May 4 [2 favorites has favorites]

Ah, grubi, yes!
posted by salvia at 3:07 PM on May 4

You are all bad people and you should feel bad.
posted by Jofus at 5:35 AM on May 5

I've yet to meet someone who didn't like the Beatles to some degree who had any reason to dislike the Beatles other than other people like them.

i have - many times - they said the beatles were "just noise", "not real music" and "looked like girls"

that was a LONG time ago
posted by pyramid termite at 8:21 AM on May 5

Big groups of people sing together all the time. In the fall I sing "The Victors" with 107,000 other people on a nearly weekly basis. The Brits do it very well. Witness .

Thanks PhatLobley, THAT is moving. Lump in throat every time.
This... eh???
posted by trulyscrumptious at 4:05 PM on May 5

I just want to note that I saw this post on May 3rd, and "Hey Jude" is still stuck in my damn head. You're a cold bastard, The Devil Tesla.
posted by Riki tiki at 8:26 PM on May 8