Beastie Boys, Paul’s Boutique

By Laura L.

Although the Beastie Boys released Paul’s Boutique in 1989, I was too busy gushing over Joey McIntyre of New Kids on the Block to even notice. Like most eight-year-olds at that time, my taste in music wasn’t all that hot. Thus, I did not listen to anything considered “edgy” or even “cool.” However, as I got older, I started to listen to the Beastie Boys and grew to appreciate their lyrical delivery and New Yorker commentary (much, much better than a commentary from The New Yorker, believe me). Finally, during my freshman year of college, I went on a music-shopping spree and bought a used copy of Paul’s Boutique. It has been a solid part of my record (CD?) collection ever since.

One thing I love about this album is that it doesn’t sound dated. Sure, there might be a topical reference in there that’ll remind you just how long ago it was made (Geraldo getting hit with a chair, anyone?), but if you put anything from Paul’s Boutique on at any party on any weekend night, I guarantee you’ll get people hopping on the dance floor. “Hey Ladies” will get a party started in a way that few songs will, for instance. I still hear snippets of it when I go out to bars. It’s held up better than most other albums of any genre.

Another thing that strikes me about Paul’s Boutique is considering how, were the Beastie Boys were to make this today, they’d a) have to have a team of 20 lawyers to overlook clearance of the samples and b) be bankrupt after such clearances. Within a couple years of the album’s release, artists such as 2 Live Crew and Vanilla Ice found themselves in trouble over not crediting samples, and a few years later, the Verve were forced to sign away a big share of their own royalties to the Rolling Stones over sampling a Stones’ orchestral tribute album. The Beasties delivered Paul’s Boutique right in the nick of time.

One thing is for sure: anytime Paul’s Boutique is queued on my iPod—especially when I’m in the car—you can bet I’m going to turn the volume up loud, drum my fingers against the wheel, and sing (or is it rap?) along. The fact that I’m still doing that after nearly a decade of listening to this album—and twenty years after its release!—speaks volumes as to how cool this record truly is.