Objective/Subjective Pronouns of the Beatles

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 11:09 am

This may have been touched upon numerous times before on this forum, but I'm tossing it out again. I've always wondered what part did the Beatles 'personalized' titles and lyrics had to do with their success, if anything? I think very few lyricists wrote their songs in such a manner before the Beatles came along. Where every wild-eyed teenage girl would think each song was written just for them.

I Want to Hold Your Hand
Love Me Do
P.S. I Love You
Please, Please Me
From Me to You
Do You Want to Know A Secret?

There are numerous others, but this very much typified their early song writing. After 1965 these titles or one-on-one lyrics were gone.

revolver323 · Post by **revolver323** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 11:22 am

Stan: What about "Everybody's Got Something to Hide 'Cept for ME and My Monkey?" (Just kidding!!!)

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 11:25 am

I think maybe Lennon just personalized it for himself on that particular song

jayfbv · Post by **jayfbv** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 11:36 am

I think those are mostly Lennon songs. Iirc, in the Playboy interviews, Lennon made some comments about how Paul wrote more songs that are about other people: She loves You, where he was more likely to write I love You. Hardly 100% in either case. Yesterday is about self, not someone else's life -- Eleanor Rigby, etc. Who wrote Bungalo Bill?

revolver323 · Post by **revolver323** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 11:57 am

Gotta be Lennon. As I recall it was based on a real American, but I don't remember who. Someone they met in India, I believe.

expomick · Post by **expomick** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 5:43 am

I Will - Paul
I Me Mine - George
I Dig A Pony - John?
Don't Pass Me By - Ringo

Ahh, they all did it. Bastards.

admin · Post by **admin** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 5:50 am

A great topic for discussion Stan.

It seems to me that Lennon was far more introspective in his writing than McCartney. While both Paul and John have maintained that their writing was somewhat random at times, in the case of John, I consider that he routinely gave us a piece of himself in his compositions.

I would argue that this applies to his vocal interpretation in addition to the lyrical content. The angst was there.

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:05 am

I agree, Peter. A lot can be said for delivery.

I also find it interesting how for the first time beginning in '66, Lennon /McCartney began using proper names in their titles and lyrical content. It was at about this same time when the 'girl-boy' lyrics began to fade, other than some of McCartney's material.

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:55 am

I hate to be nit-picky, but I think the title of the thread should have been "Objective/Nominative ..."

There is at least one instance of the use of a reflexive pronoun: George's "Think For Yourself".

revolver323 · Post by **revolver323** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:47 am

I thought an objective nominative was when you didn't like your party's candidate for president

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:07 am

Dave, I think you would call that an objective expletive.

revolver323 · Post by **revolver323** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:45 pm

I'll vote for that!

dougp · Post by **dougp** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 10:25 am

I think that was standard advice in those days on "how to write a hit". I believe Ray Davies mentioned being given that advice, as you can see in early Kinks titles:

YOU really got ME
YOU do something to ME
YOU still want ME
I took MY baby home
I need YOU
When I see that girl of MINE

etc.