THE FOX OLDIES: August 2026

Tuesday, August 11, 2026

Mondays-Favorite Debut Poll Results-August 8, 1987

Forms response chart. Question title: Favorite Debut-8-8-87. Number of responses: 16 responses.

8/8/87	8	Touch Of Grey	Grateful Dead
	4	I Heard A Rumour	Bananarma
	2	I Need Love	L.L. Cool J
	2	Carrie	Europe

BEATLESQUE-TOP 50-#19-If You Want My Love-Cheap Trick

https://youtu.be/Zzew738f5TA?si=BdVHY3un4X445u4i

#19-If You Want My Love — Cheap Trick

If You Want My Love (1982) is widely regarded as one of Cheap Trick’s most overtly Beatles‑influenced songs—so much so that fans often describe it as the band’s most successful attempt at capturing the emotional sweep and sonic polish of the Beatles’ late‑’60s work. While still unmistakably Cheap Trick, the track blends melodic drama, lush production, and harmonic richness in ways that strongly echo the Beatles’ White Album and Abbey Road era.

Why it sounds Beatles‑influenced:

Descending, minor‑key chord progression — The bridge section in particular has long been compared to George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” with its dramatic, melancholic harmonic movement.
Lush, multi‑layered production — The blend of acoustic and electric guitars, stacked vocals, and warm reverb mirrors the Beatles’ late‑period studio approach.
McCartney‑style melodic bass — Tom Petersson’s bass lines weave counter‑melodies rather than simply supporting the chords, a hallmark of Paul McCartney’s playing.
Soaring, emotional vocal delivery — Robin Zander’s lead vocal has a McCartney‑like lift, especially in the chorus, and the harmonies echo the Beatles’ layered, late‑’60s blend.
Epic, Beatlesque arrangement arc — The song builds from intimate verses to a sweeping, cathartic chorus, a structural approach the Beatles perfected on tracks like “Something” and “Hey Jude.”
Melodic guitar lines with Harrison‑like phrasing — The lead guitar parts use lyrical, singing lines reminiscent of Harrison’s melodic sensibility.

The result is a track that feels like Cheap Trick channeling the emotional grandeur of the Beatles, not by copying a single song but by absorbing the essence of their late‑’60s craftsmanship. It’s one of the clearest examples of how deeply the Beatles shaped Cheap Trick’s melodic instincts.

Beatlesque Song Of the Week Poll Results

Forms response chart. Question title: Beatlesque-Favorite Song-Week 9. Number of responses: 10 responses.

AMC 1983

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQ4tntQN7W-MYZzzAAyNll6g0aR8CLhHIWmiOuMQUM7Zkf-7zxBLb-XHmPSjrmksg/pubhtml?gid=1294435410&single=true

Sunday, August 9, 2026

BEATLESQUE-TOP 50-#20-Start!-The Jam

https://youtu.be/vI8AOkbfgNE?si=GJFruQX6SOuHyA1p

#20-Start! — The Jam

Start! is one of the most famous modern examples of a direct Beatles lift, and in this case the influence isn’t subtle at all. The Jam take the core musical DNA of “Taxman”—the opening track of Revolver—and rebuild it with their own sharp, post‑punk energy.

Start! by The Jam is unmistakably rooted in the Beatles’ “Taxman.” The most noticeable similarity is the main bass riff and the stabbing rhythm‑guitar chords, which closely mirror George Harrison’s iconic opening figure from the 1966 Revolver track. While Start! carries The Jam’s distinct post‑punk punch, crisp production, and Paul Weller’s clipped vocal delivery, the core musical structure is clearly borrowed from the Beatles. The song functions as both homage and reinvention—The Jam channel the spirit of Revolver but push it into a leaner, more aggressive 1980s context.

Why it sounds Beatles‑influenced:

The “Taxman” bass riff — Bruce Foxton’s bass line is nearly a one‑to‑one recreation of Paul McCartney’s original riff, one of the most recognizable in the Beatles’ catalog.
Sharp, percussive guitar stabs — The rhythm‑guitar accents mimic the tight, syncopated chord hits Harrison used in “Taxman.”
Revolver‑era minimalism — The stripped‑down arrangement—bass, drums, guitar, vocals—reflects the Beatles’ mid‑’60s shift toward punchier, more rhythm‑driven songs.
Melodic phrasing with Lennon/McCartney bite — Weller’s vocal line follows the same clipped, rhythmic phrasing style the Beatles used in their more socially pointed songs.
Direct acknowledgment of influence — Paul Weller has openly admitted the similarity, framing it as a deliberate nod rather than an accidental resemblance.

The result is a track that feels like “Taxman” reimagined for the mod revival, proving how deeply the Beatles’ innovations continued to shape British rock well into the late 20th century.