Beatles to license certain songs

It's 'bout time ... though a part of me has now died inside.

I must admit that in the great "British Invasion" debate, I was always more of a Rolling Stones fan than a Beatles-mania kinda guy.

But seeing as The Stones sold out ages ago, I was rather proud that the Beatles legacy (Michael Jackson's ownership notwithstanding) had remained relatively intact.

No more ... Seems the Fab Four - or, more to the point, their record label, Sony - will be moving into the 21st Century by allowing select tracks to be sampled in music, films and (say isn't so) commercials.

Here's John, Paul, George and Ringo for Doritos - So much for Strawberry Fields forever ... how 'bout that nacho flavor! Or cool ranch.

There's already a mix in the works with Wu-Tang Clan supposedly sampling George Harrison melancholy guitar riffs from "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

Can't say I'm shocked. Soon as I heard The Ramones shilling for Toyota, I knew that "selling out" wasn't the shame it used to be. Guess it's like Johnny Rotten so famously said at the end of The Sex Pistols (supposedly) last show ... "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?"

Yep, every time I turn on the TV. Read it and (gently) weep ... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22465966/