Please answer this race related poll

[rikki]

I will tell you where it comes from later.

[caligurl]

I just realized the one song that I thought I could name is actually by John Lennon but I think I have another in mind that is by the Beatles so I won't retract my vote for "I am not white and I can name a song" vote just yet.

[Deleted]

On app, but I am white and can name a Beatles song.

[dreamcrisp1]

I am not white and I probably know one song by the beatles. But I was also born in 1990 so that contributes to it.

[rikki]

My MIL just called and asked what we were doing. I told her that I was watching the Beatles special on CBS and she said that only white people care about the Beatles. She told me she couldn't name even one of their songs. I told her that I was sure she knew, or at least had heard, Yellow Submarine. She said no. I think she was lying.

I don't particularly even like them, but sometimes I think she is so racist. This should really be more a vent about her than the Beatles.

[my4girls]

I am white, can name many Beatles songs and still don't care about, or even actually like, them

[anna7602]

Are we talking purely black v. white, or all races? I would say that the Indian-American who produced and wrote a graphic novel recently about The Beatles would argue against your MIL's claim that "only white people care about the Beatles." But that's anecdotal.

Also, I had no idea who Rafi is (poll from a few weeks ago), but I can name several Beatles' songs.

[rikki]

Feb 12, 2014 21:09:26 GMT -5 anna7602 said:

Are we talking purely black v. white, or all races? I would say that the Indian-American who produced and wrote a graphic novel recently about The Beatles would argue against your MIL's claim that "only white people care about the Beatles." But that's anecdotal.

Also, I had no idea who Rafi is (poll from a few weeks ago), but I can name several Beatles' songs.

She threw it under the blanket of "only white"... who knows.  I just think that she likes to remind me that I am different from her.

[flatlan]

I am white and can sing word for word, many Beatles songs. I love, love, love the Beatles. I grew up listening to them and many other groups from the 50's/60's/70's. My dad had an extensive vinyl collection.

[LoveTrains]

I can name many Beatles songs. I love them.

[wanderlustfoodie]

White. Can name many. Don't mind their songs but also never went out of my way to listen to them growing up.

[rikki]

@songforyou I think that is mostly where I was coming from. She is mid-60s. I just think it would have been super hard for her to not be at least a little bit familiar with them (didn't grow up in segregated area, went to the University of Michigan), but I admit that I could be wrong. I am mostly annoyed she said what she did as opposed to just saying "oh" and moving on.

[aspentosh]

I chose "white and can't name a song" because I don't really like them and therefore don't know their music. I know yellow submarine but didn't realize it was The Beatles. Maybe I voted wrong?

[h]

I am white and can name many Beatles songs. I just tried to see how many I could come up with and stopped counting when I hit 20. I would have assumed pretty much any adult in the US could name at least one Beatles song. I am fairly certain my 6 yo knows one or two. But maybe that just confirms that we are really white?

[Lucy VanPelt]

My MIL was in the audience at that first Beatles show in NY. She said she wasn't into them at the time.

Re: a comment upthread, my mom was white but was a fan of the Commodores, so you never know, lol.

[carfar]

I'm half black, half white and can name many Beatles songs. I know my dad can, and his brothers and sisters could, too and they are black. My mom could, too and she's too young to TRULY have been into Beatlemania.

[agnes]

I'm white and can name a few Beatles songs.

But I think that is due to my Mexican BFF being OBSESSED with them when we were growing up.

[giantsgirl]

Feb 12, 2014 21:13:46 GMT -5 @barefootbarista said:

I don't really expect many people other than black folk to care about Parliament Funkadelic or The Commodores.

My very white, 63 year old father would watch a special about Parliament Funkadelic or The Commodores before watching one about the Beatles. But, my father isn't a very average 63 year old white man.  

I don't really "get" the Beatles love, but I can name a few songs, and I am white.  

[carfar]

I had to add, I listened to En Vogue's version of Yesterday about a million times growing up lol.

[hbomdiggity]

I am white and may be able to name a song or two, but Yellow Submarine is definitely not a name that would come to mind. If I heard the tune I may recognize it, but the name means nothing to me.

[yentl]

To say the Beatles are just a white people/American thing is not really accurate. They're British after all. They were a world wide phenomenon.

I remember talking to my mom about the Beatles when I became obsessed with them in high school and she was kinda like "Eh, I never really cared about them. I was into the Beach Boys". Obviously race plays into this but it's obviously not as black and white as your MIL is making it out to be (pun intended).

[redwino]

I'm AA and said I could name a song but now not sure. Is Imagine a Beatles song or is it te John Lennon song mentioned up thread?

I agree with everything @songforyou said. I also kind of agree with your MIL. But only in a TiC way. I'm always telling my friends certain things are white or for white people.

[Deleted]

This whole thread makes me sad. All Americas should be familiar with The Commodores, PFunk, Jackson 5 and the Beatles.

[redwino]

Feb 12, 2014 22:50:08 GMT -5 @kcpokergal said:

This whole thread makes me sad. All Americas should be familiar with The Commodores, PFunk, Jackson 5 and the Beatles.

But being familiar doesn't mean you can name a song. That requires actually listening to the music. Or at least tuning in enough to recognize details of a song.

[redwino]

Is it ok if I add another supposed white people thing to the thread?

Last night my mom asked me "why are you letting penny (my dog) sleep in the bed, you're not white." I called her a crazy lady and laughed.

[starlily]

I'm Indian and can name many Beatles songs. My brother is a big Beatles fan and spent the 80s collecting all their albums.

[lolo]

Feb 12, 2014 21:02:17 GMT -5 rikki said:

My MIL just called and asked what we were doing. I told her that I was watching the Beatles special on CBS and she said that only white people care about the Beatles. She told me she couldn't name even one of their songs. I told her that I was sure she knew, or at least had heard, Yellow Submarine. She said no. I think she was lying.

I don't particularly even like them, but sometimes I think she is so racist. This should really be more a vent about her than the Beatles.

I am liking this only because of the yellow submarine commentary. 

This white girl sings the yellow submarine song to her DD quite often.

[insominac]

I'm Black and I walked down the aisle to a Beatles song (but not the song I wanted - I wanted "Across the Universe" and the guitarist played "Hear Comes the Sun").

Dick. lol

[M]

I want to know who that one person is that doesn't know who the Beatles are.

[niq]

It would not surprise me if, for her generation, there was a significant black/white gap in liking the beatles. FTR I am white and would barely know Beatles songs by name if it weren't for The Beatles Rock Band. I've never actually listened to an album of theirs.

rikki Whenever these threads come up, I feel like your MIL is trying to live out this standup bit (NSFW language, humor of the "white people parent like this, black people parent LIKE THIS" variety):