Richard Furnstein: Let's get this one over with. I imagine there are worse Beatles songs out there, but even the stinkers have some moments or concepts that are interesting. I find almost not value in "From Me To You," unless you count Lennon/McCartney taking baby steps in their growth as songwriters and climbing to the next rung. Unfortunately, the rungs reached in this song are economy and safety, hardly the best selling point for a single from the best rock band.Robert Bunter: Yeah, the boys are pretty much staying pretty much within the formula here. Simple first- and second-person pronouns, tailor-made for the hormonal teenage girls who made up their main audience back then. A few primitive strums and Ringo keeps the beat. But: what's so bad about that? You have to remember what they were reacting to. In the context of 1963 pop music, this was a revolutionary clarion call. I know that, in the context of later achievements, this seems rather weak, but you have to look at the big picture.
Richard Furnstein: I imagine most people who express their dislike of early Beatles are focusing on "From Me To You," it fails to deliver excitement, innovation, or release. It is an excuse for John and Paul to shake some monosyllabic and meaningless action. The worst offender for me is the "lips that long to kiss you" bit of the bridge. This only exists for the Beatles to give mooneyes to hideous and square American teenage girls. The swell of applause on this part on live recordings is perhaps my least favorite moment in Beatles history (that includes the murder of John Lennon and the Yellow Submarine Songtrack reissue).
Robert Bunter: Oh, Richard, please spare us your arrogant contempt for "square American teenage girls." Who are you, Maynard G. Krebs? I'm sorry these four lads who were barely twenty years old didn't take the opportunity to record some backwards sitars and mellotron loops which would completely alienate everyone who liked them. Maybe then you would feel better about this charming early love song.
Richard Furnstein: I'd feel better about this "charming ditty" if it was an infestation of herpes. Or a family of raccoons in my garage. Or Steven Tyler in assless tights. No stars, Beatles. What's next?
now see, now see, I see your boys point. It's a plate of cheesedust puffs. I kinda dig the melody on this one, yes there are no exciting parts and yes i dont need to hear it more than twice a year, but I think there are worse early tunes "Love Me Do" is the one that bites my chode the most. But maybe its because im allergic to 90% of harmonicas. i think of this song more of a jingle, prolly because I first heard it on Live at The BBC disc 1
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