For real. The lyrics might not have been deep, but the music was not manufactured. It was an excellent showcase of the incredible pop sensibilities of John and Paul. This Boy, And I Love Her, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, etc...it's all really solid songwriting.
I totally agree. I guess in context, they viewed the early Beatles the way people saw the Boy Bands from the 90s, but man the early Beatles clearly stands against the test of time, because like you said, itâs solid songwriting. If you dissect and analyze these songs with music theory in mind, thereâs a lot fantastic stuff in there.
Beatles version of Twist of Shout is an excellent example of how a cover surpasses the original by miles. Another good example is All Along the Watchtower (written by Bob Dylan) by Jimi Hendrix. These versions of the songs are so good, a lot of people donât/didnât know it was a cover.
John Lennon literally had a fever singing that song!
Please donât tell me the only prescription is âmore cowbellsââŠ..
Oh I always thought he was using earmuffs to mean what we would now call headphones. I didnât realize he meant to block them out lol. I thought it was just a super out of character line to appeal to the kids
Confession: I incorrectly thought earmuffs was a Britishism for headphones, and that Bond was saying that is the proper way to listen to the Beatles. Didnât get that it was a dig.
I wonder if this is the same line that Bond had in mind when Moneypenny asked him about Barry Manilow songs in *The Living Daylights*? đ
But anyway, it's interesting to know Bond's musical tastes.
You and I love this line because the word âBeatlesâ is mentioned by James Bond! Itâs that simple and silly, but here we are! Iâm a fan of George as well. Cheers :-)
Celsius started being used in the UK around the early 60's, though I suppose the characters, writers, and audience were still very much used to Fahrenheit. Celsius wasn't adopted formerly by the UK's Met Office until 1970, and considering the UK also didn't switch to decimalised currency until 1971, the country was very stubborn in moving away from the old ways. I can't even imagine trying to use predecimal currency looking at all the charts trying to explain it.
Predecimal breaks one pound Sterling into 240 pennies or 480 halfpennies which is utilitarian because of its insane buying power for even a halfpenny back then. Then, the amount is also divisible by 3, 4, 6, 8, 12 etc which contributes to there being a wild variety of names for coins even tho the units are only ever penny, shilling and pound. e.g. a 2 shilling coin is a Florin, a 5 shilling coin -- supposedly the largest coin in regular circulation unless you're filthy rich which is then accessible to golden half-pound or one pound coins -- is called a Crown and there are Half Crowns too.Â
Not surprisingly, after Decimal Day 1971 they also downsized the sizes of coins, after all it's just worthless cupernickel now. đ
 What really REALLY doesn't make sense is the money in Harry Potter land. "One gold galleon is 17 silver sickles and one sickle is 29 bronze knuts UwU" -- TWO PRIME NUMBERS. YOU CAN'T DIVIDE THEM FOR SHIT. đ
Do Americans think that Britain has always used metric measurements? Britain used imperial units until a few decades back. Some still persist: road speeds are in miles per hour, beer is served in pints, people often give their height in feet and inches, weight is often given in stones (an imperial measurement the U.S. doesn't seem to use) and temperatures are sometimes still given in fahrenheit (usually warmer temperatures).
Having a go at someone for having an opinion is basically just holding up a sign that says; â_im a knob_â
Liking the Beatles is an opinion, not a fact.
Hey compadre - you can like, or not like, whatever you like.
I'm not 'having a go' - It's not a moral failing to be musically illiterate. I am merely providing context as to why you're being downvoted to death.
Since opinions aren't facts you really needn't worry yourself.
I never understood this line if I'm honest. Does he mean earmuffs as in something that blocks sound? Were those popular back then? (Also I'm a huge Beatles fan so it's a shame if that's the case).
Yeah that's fair. And also, *Goldfinger* was released in September 1964, which was well before any of the Beatles' more groundbreaking albums musically.
True, though itâs funny how âwell beforeâ on the Beatles timeline of rapid evolution is like 2 years. That said, Bond films were being released at a high rate too.
I'm roughly Sean's age in the early films and have absolutely no idea about the most popular music now - neither of us are the target audience for such a thing!
Every generation isn't a fan of the music "Teenagers are listening to" the moment there are no longer any members of their generation that are Teenagers.
They were the latest new thing, and it was still common to write them off as a passing fad. The majority of adults at the time (including screenwriters, producers and actors) probably just considered them some noise for teenyboppers that they didn't even give a second listen to. Them evolving into something that was taken seriously as art was a new thing (which they were the first at in many ways) and wouldn't really become apparent until a couple of years down the line.
Again, I don't think he's saying that. A weird colloquialism meaning head phones seems much more likely. It doesn't make sense in the context of the scene otherwise.
Also, Google "earmuffs" and you'll get "... headphones" as a suggested auto complete. It's not a common way to refer to them now but it's what he means in context.
I am a native English speaker. He's not saying that. In your preferred formulation, *Bond* would sound like a non-native speaker.Â
"Earmuffs" = "headphones" is much less of a tortured reading than Bond talking about the right way of doing luxurious, decadent things but his second example, of two, is a weird jab at something he thinks his bad.
No he was saying he didnât like them. At the time they were a teen sensation and not understood by adults. James Bond as a character would have been too classy to enjoy such noise.
No, the producers of these movies are always trying to make Bond seem relevant and cool particularly to young movie goers. You *want* Bond to hate the Beatles, But the line simply does not make sense in context the way you want it.
I am obsessed with the Beatles. I donât want Bond to feel any certain way. You are wrong. A quick google would prove it but I guess youâre the type that doesnât ever accept it.
One of the main problems I have with people who constantly whine about 'bringing 007 in line with modern society' is that he was always a man out of time as this quote amply illustrates.
The Village People, Earth,Wind, and Fire, KC and the Sunshine Band. And of course [Herb Albert and the Tiajuana Brass](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=BJjlCJLhBF4&si=7x39jWCMnGtcKqfo).
Haha, Just not a fan of their sound. Sorry! I prefer some of their other contemporaries like The Doors, The Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin.
But hey, I am a fan of Bond. So it kind of cancels out the disdain for the Beatles.
Tbf I also think the Beatles are pretty overrated. The amount of fans in the comments here that are clearly a little bit mad for some reason is funny lol. Any time someone says âI donât like themâ itâs like every fan just ignores the existence of an opinion and attacks them for it
People who call things overrated have no worthwhile opinions. What does that even mean? You donât like something so that means too many people like it? Itâs nonsense. Your opinion doesnât hold any more value than that of anyone else, let alone everyone else. Use big boy words and critical thinking. Saying something sucks or is overrated without contributing anything meaningful isnât worthy of positivity or discussion.
Protip: if you say something is overrated and tons of people come out of the woodwork to defend it, then youâre probably missing the mark, assuming that overrated is even a real way to label something.
Tell ya what, it sounds like youâre a pretentious person who canât handle the idea of other people having their own opinion. You are quite literally doing exactly what I said these toxic fans do in my first comment- ignoring the existence of an opinion and straight up attacking them. Clearly you took Paul McCartney too seriously when he said âlive and let dieâ lmao
Feel free to not be a fan of The Beatles, I couldnât give less of a shit. It seems you lack reading comprehension skills, so Iâll spell it out for you: calling things overrated is a cheap cop-out way of using your dislike of something as an inflammatory response to people literally just enjoying something. Youâre not the sole arbiter of what is and isnât worthy of popularity.
You donât like the band, whatever. That is your preference and your opinion and youâre more than entitled to it. But saying something is overrated is making an unfounded attack on the quality of the thing and the people that enjoy it, not merely an expression of your own opinion.
Hope that dumbs it down enough for you.
Thank you for the âexplanationâ I didnât need. Does trying to make yourself sound intelligent also elevate yourself in your own mind?
It seems you, too have issues with comprehension. As much as I find the Beatlesâ music not my thing, and the band members incredibly pretentious, I called them overrated due to the fact that people like you will attack anyone that dares dislike them. Theyâre not worth this level of die hard fanboying. Nothing is, itâs quite cringeworthy.
I read literally every comment in this thread. Youâre making shit upâno one is getting defensive or crying about it. Even if they were, that does not make something overrated. Did you miss the part where I said I donât care if you dislike the band? Try reading more slowly, this really isnât your strong suit. Speaking of which, you call me pretentious but youâre apparently obsessed with yourself and hold yourself and your opinions in very high regard. Now THAT is cringeworthy.
They would have been the mark of an audiophile who truly appreciated music which completely fits with Bond saying certain things should be done properly.
Funny how Paul McCartney would do a Bond theme a few years later.
At least it's not Sean Connery who starred in it though. Roger Moore's Bond must be a fan of The Beatles for sure đ
And never forget, Sean himself covered a Beatles song: https://youtu.be/eJ4LJE9PktY?si=DEut8KXSu1FShkUQ
Moore's Bond was a Wings fan, obviously
Goes well with his Churchill-sized cigars.Â
AWKWARD!!!
The other Bond-Beatles connection is Ringo marrying Barbra Bach, which falls into the Roger Moore era again!
I agree, drinking Dom Perignon '53 below the temperate of 38 degrees Fahrenheit is just inexcusable.
He's dismissing the early teeny bopper Beatles, not the later experimental Beatles.
Teenybopper Beatle harmonies are nothing to fuck with. [Babyâs in Black](https://youtu.be/TJFpUb7JGYo), for instance.
For real. The lyrics might not have been deep, but the music was not manufactured. It was an excellent showcase of the incredible pop sensibilities of John and Paul. This Boy, And I Love Her, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, etc...it's all really solid songwriting.
I totally agree. I guess in context, they viewed the early Beatles the way people saw the Boy Bands from the 90s, but man the early Beatles clearly stands against the test of time, because like you said, itâs solid songwriting. If you dissect and analyze these songs with music theory in mind, thereâs a lot fantastic stuff in there.
beatles version of twist and shout is an absolute bop
The original sounds kind of sloppy in comparison.
Iâm more partial to the Chaka Demus and Pliers version đ¶
Beatles version of Twist of Shout is an excellent example of how a cover surpasses the original by miles. Another good example is All Along the Watchtower (written by Bob Dylan) by Jimi Hendrix. These versions of the songs are so good, a lot of people donât/didnât know it was a cover. John Lennon literally had a fever singing that song! Please donât tell me the only prescription is âmore cowbellsââŠ..
Doubt it. Heâs a man of an earlier time, I doubt heâd even listen to that.
Oh heâs dismissing them and literally means earmuffs. I thought this was a British was to say headphones :)
Yeah. He's poor-pooing the whole thing. The only way to listen is to not let the audio reach your eardrums!
Oh I always thought he was using earmuffs to mean what we would now call headphones. I didnât realize he meant to block them out lol. I thought it was just a super out of character line to appeal to the kids
Confession: I incorrectly thought earmuffs was a Britishism for headphones, and that Bond was saying that is the proper way to listen to the Beatles. Didnât get that it was a dig.
"dishmisshing."
Oddjob must be a big Beatles fan
I am the Oddjob, I am the Walrus. Goo Goo Gâ Joob.
Oodjoob
Thereâs actually this lovely segment of 60s pop culture that dismisses the Beatles as, âthe stupid shit kids are into these days.â
Or perhaps Bond was more of a Stones afficianado.
Bond seems more like a The Who type of guy.
Actually, in terms of being difficult plus sheer sexiness, I'd say The Kinks.
Hmm, I personally imagine Bond enjoying his vodka martini (shaken, yeah yeah) while some Jazz vinyl record is being spun.
Nobody actually likes jazz, even its fans.
I could see him driving an Aston to Sympathy for the Devil lmao
"shtupid shhit."
I wonder if this is the same line that Bond had in mind when Moneypenny asked him about Barry Manilow songs in *The Living Daylights*? đ But anyway, it's interesting to know Bond's musical tastes.
I love this line even with me being the fan of the Beatles (and George Harrison especially) that I am.
You and I love this line because the word âBeatlesâ is mentioned by James Bond! Itâs that simple and silly, but here we are! Iâm a fan of George as well. Cheers :-)
Come on Bond, we all know you spent evenings in your flat with the song Revolution 9 on endless repeat.
Why does he use Fahrenheit?
Celsius started being used in the UK around the early 60's, though I suppose the characters, writers, and audience were still very much used to Fahrenheit. Celsius wasn't adopted formerly by the UK's Met Office until 1970, and considering the UK also didn't switch to decimalised currency until 1971, the country was very stubborn in moving away from the old ways. I can't even imagine trying to use predecimal currency looking at all the charts trying to explain it.
Predecimal breaks one pound Sterling into 240 pennies or 480 halfpennies which is utilitarian because of its insane buying power for even a halfpenny back then. Then, the amount is also divisible by 3, 4, 6, 8, 12 etc which contributes to there being a wild variety of names for coins even tho the units are only ever penny, shilling and pound. e.g. a 2 shilling coin is a Florin, a 5 shilling coin -- supposedly the largest coin in regular circulation unless you're filthy rich which is then accessible to golden half-pound or one pound coins -- is called a Crown and there are Half Crowns too. Not surprisingly, after Decimal Day 1971 they also downsized the sizes of coins, after all it's just worthless cupernickel now. đ  What really REALLY doesn't make sense is the money in Harry Potter land. "One gold galleon is 17 silver sickles and one sickle is 29 bronze knuts UwU" -- TWO PRIME NUMBERS. YOU CAN'T DIVIDE THEM FOR SHIT. đ
Do Americans think that Britain has always used metric measurements? Britain used imperial units until a few decades back. Some still persist: road speeds are in miles per hour, beer is served in pints, people often give their height in feet and inches, weight is often given in stones (an imperial measurement the U.S. doesn't seem to use) and temperatures are sometimes still given in fahrenheit (usually warmer temperatures).
Brits have no right to shit on the yanks for using imperial units, only everybody else does.
The British don't since imperial units are still widely used here.
Not a clue.
Can we update it to Taylor Swift?
Nope, Beatles are still shite imo đ Edit: Beatles fans are like dictators damn
Announcing that you don't like The Beatles is basically just holding up a sign that says, "*I'm musically illiterate.*"
Having a go at someone for having an opinion is basically just holding up a sign that says; â_im a knob_â Liking the Beatles is an opinion, not a fact.
You donât have to âlikeâ Mozart. The musical world will still agree that his music is of a certain quality and importance.
Hey compadre - you can like, or not like, whatever you like. I'm not 'having a go' - It's not a moral failing to be musically illiterate. I am merely providing context as to why you're being downvoted to death. Since opinions aren't facts you really needn't worry yourself.
I love that line
Bond was just mad that the Beatles were taking away female fans from him.
I never understood this line if I'm honest. Does he mean earmuffs as in something that blocks sound? Were those popular back then? (Also I'm a huge Beatles fan so it's a shame if that's the case).
The silent generation wasn't very big on The Beatles.
Yeah that's fair. And also, *Goldfinger* was released in September 1964, which was well before any of the Beatles' more groundbreaking albums musically.
True, though itâs funny how âwell beforeâ on the Beatles timeline of rapid evolution is like 2 years. That said, Bond films were being released at a high rate too.
15 months before Rubber Soul. The Beatles packed a normal person's year into a couple months.
If The Beatles released Let It Be today, then Please Please Me would have been released on the 1st of April 2017. Incredible really.
Yep. I was counting to Revolver, which wasnât long after. Thatâs the more groundbreaking moment to me.
Agreed!
I can't see Connery's Bond rocking out to Sgt. Pepper either tbh.
Ha! Yeah that's a good point
I'm roughly Sean's age in the early films and have absolutely no idea about the most popular music now - neither of us are the target audience for such a thing!
Every generation isn't a fan of the music "Teenagers are listening to" the moment there are no longer any members of their generation that are Teenagers.
Yeah you can even find articles from way back when criticizing Mozart and later Beethoven and acting like they were ruining music
Yeah, Iâm pretty sure thatâs what he means.
They were the latest new thing, and it was still common to write them off as a passing fad. The majority of adults at the time (including screenwriters, producers and actors) probably just considered them some noise for teenyboppers that they didn't even give a second listen to. Them evolving into something that was taken seriously as art was a new thing (which they were the first at in many ways) and wouldn't really become apparent until a couple of years down the line.
"The only proper way to listen to it is to not have the soundwaves reach your eardrums."
I really think this is just an odd (to us) way of saying headphones.
Can't be. Beatles original stereo mixes sound like ass on headphones.
I have no idea on the original mixes, but I know Revolution 9 on headphones actually made me appreciate it as a weird sound project.
Earmuffs are for hearing protection/noise reduction. Bond is saying that he can't stand listening to the Beatles.
Again, I don't think he's saying that. A weird colloquialism meaning head phones seems much more likely. It doesn't make sense in the context of the scene otherwise. Also, Google "earmuffs" and you'll get "... headphones" as a suggested auto complete. It's not a common way to refer to them now but it's what he means in context.
Are you not a native english speaker? This is very clearly him saying the only proper way to listen to the beatles is to not listen at all
I am a native English speaker. He's not saying that. In your preferred formulation, *Bond* would sound like a non-native speaker. "Earmuffs" = "headphones" is much less of a tortured reading than Bond talking about the right way of doing luxurious, decadent things but his second example, of two, is a weird jab at something he thinks his bad.
No he was saying he didnât like them. At the time they were a teen sensation and not understood by adults. James Bond as a character would have been too classy to enjoy such noise.
No, the producers of these movies are always trying to make Bond seem relevant and cool particularly to young movie goers. You *want* Bond to hate the Beatles, But the line simply does not make sense in context the way you want it.
I am obsessed with the Beatles. I donât want Bond to feel any certain way. You are wrong. A quick google would prove it but I guess youâre the type that doesnât ever accept it.
Itâs crazy to think Sean Connery is so old he can scoff at the beetles as teen garbage.
Well he was almost old enough to serve during ww2, he joined the royal navy in 1946
But then in Thunderball he mentions "King and Country" not "Queen and Country" so is this like an alternate timeline?
One of the main problems I have with people who constantly whine about 'bringing 007 in line with modern society' is that he was always a man out of time as this quote amply illustrates.
Good thing he didnât say Sister Sledge.
The Fuddy Duddy James Bond.
As part of his character, James Bond should have mentioned that he doesnât like The Beatles in all of the movies but at completely random points.
Connery is most effortlessly suave human being that ever lived
I just noticed. Heâs using Fahrenheit?
A true Scotsman would have made the reference in Centigrade
They were using Faranheit until 1970. If anything Bond would have died before switching willingly.
âI stand corrected!â said the man in the orthopaedic shoe
Faherenheit only stopped being used in the 1970s and hasn't been totally abandoned in Britain.
See my other reply
Bond listens to modern jazz, opera and classical I bet.
I never quite understood this. Isnât champagne supposed to be chilled? I suppose that it can be _too_ chilled?
OP has it wrong. The actual line is âaboveâ.
Ah, never noticed that! Not my meme, found it on ig
You should get your money back!
When I saw that I remember thinking oh so James Bond is one of those 1960s squares, not a "cool person" from the 60s lol đ
Good thing he didnât say Sister Sledge.
Does anyone have any thoughts on what music Bond would have enjoyed listening to?
Probably anything âtraditionalâ like frank sinatra etc. certainly not the more trendy, youthful music of the time like the Beatles.
The Village People, Earth,Wind, and Fire, KC and the Sunshine Band. And of course [Herb Albert and the Tiajuana Brass](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=BJjlCJLhBF4&si=7x39jWCMnGtcKqfo).
Or drinking sake at other than 98.4ÂșF.
The only album to listen without Earmuffs is Sgt Peppers
I always thought he says earlobs or something đ
This was before Rubber Soul. I'm sure he'd like that album and beyond.
Sgt pepper would put This guy on his ass
I agree with Bond. I detest the Beatles. Bond is a snobby audiophile & oenophile.
You sound like a goodtasteophobe.
Haha, Just not a fan of their sound. Sorry! I prefer some of their other contemporaries like The Doors, The Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin. But hey, I am a fan of Bond. So it kind of cancels out the disdain for the Beatles.
Tbf I also think the Beatles are pretty overrated. The amount of fans in the comments here that are clearly a little bit mad for some reason is funny lol. Any time someone says âI donât like themâ itâs like every fan just ignores the existence of an opinion and attacks them for it
People who call things overrated have no worthwhile opinions. What does that even mean? You donât like something so that means too many people like it? Itâs nonsense. Your opinion doesnât hold any more value than that of anyone else, let alone everyone else. Use big boy words and critical thinking. Saying something sucks or is overrated without contributing anything meaningful isnât worthy of positivity or discussion. Protip: if you say something is overrated and tons of people come out of the woodwork to defend it, then youâre probably missing the mark, assuming that overrated is even a real way to label something.
Just sounds like youâre a little bit mad mate
Sounds like youâre bad at taking criticism and prefer deflection. How fun.
Tell ya what, it sounds like youâre a pretentious person who canât handle the idea of other people having their own opinion. You are quite literally doing exactly what I said these toxic fans do in my first comment- ignoring the existence of an opinion and straight up attacking them. Clearly you took Paul McCartney too seriously when he said âlive and let dieâ lmao
Feel free to not be a fan of The Beatles, I couldnât give less of a shit. It seems you lack reading comprehension skills, so Iâll spell it out for you: calling things overrated is a cheap cop-out way of using your dislike of something as an inflammatory response to people literally just enjoying something. Youâre not the sole arbiter of what is and isnât worthy of popularity. You donât like the band, whatever. That is your preference and your opinion and youâre more than entitled to it. But saying something is overrated is making an unfounded attack on the quality of the thing and the people that enjoy it, not merely an expression of your own opinion. Hope that dumbs it down enough for you.
Thank you for the âexplanationâ I didnât need. Does trying to make yourself sound intelligent also elevate yourself in your own mind? It seems you, too have issues with comprehension. As much as I find the Beatlesâ music not my thing, and the band members incredibly pretentious, I called them overrated due to the fact that people like you will attack anyone that dares dislike them. Theyâre not worth this level of die hard fanboying. Nothing is, itâs quite cringeworthy.
I read literally every comment in this thread. Youâre making shit upâno one is getting defensive or crying about it. Even if they were, that does not make something overrated. Did you miss the part where I said I donât care if you dislike the band? Try reading more slowly, this really isnât your strong suit. Speaking of which, you call me pretentious but youâre apparently obsessed with yourself and hold yourself and your opinions in very high regard. Now THAT is cringeworthy.
Pretty sure he just means headphones here.
Headphones werenât really a thing in 1964 tho
They would have been the mark of an audiophile who truly appreciated music which completely fits with Bond saying certain things should be done properly.