THE BEATLES
REVOLUTION WITHIN A REVOLUTION THE FRAGMENTATION CONTINUES. THE INDEPENDENT LABLES PROVIDED MORE AND MORE ONE HIT WONDERS. WHAT WAS ROCK & ROLL IN THE EARLY 60 S? - ONE COULD GIVE MANY DIFFERENT VALID ANSWERS
SOCIETY CHANGES THE EARLY 1960S BEGAN AS THE KENNEDY YEARS - FOLK SINGERS SANG OF PEACE, RACIAL JUSTICE, AND LOVE FOR ALL - A NEW KIND OF OPTIMISIM The Times They Are A-Changing Bob Dylan https://youtu.be/jxvvk-r9ut8 THE DEATH OF JOHN F. KENNEDY STAGGERED THE HOPE, OPTIMISM, AND FAITH OF THAT YOUTH MOVEMENT. (NOVEMBER 22, 1963)
THE BRITISH INVASION THIS LOW CREATED AN OPENING FOR A CULTURAL INVASION. THE BEATLES WOULD LEAD THAT INVASION AND BRING A NEW LEVEL OF SOPHISTICATION TO ROCK MUSIC.
THE EARLY BEATLES JOHN LENNON FIRST HEARD ELVIS IN 1956 AND WAS MESMERIZED. LISTENED TO AMERICAN ROCK & ROLL THROUGH RADIO LUXEMBOURG (INDEPENDENT STATION BBC REFUSED TO PLAY ROCK) ORGANIZED A NEW GROUP THE QUARRY MEN A SKIFFLE GROUP. https://youtu.be/ruuoaa9ekbg?list=plf25535b221e2e8a3 WAS INTRODUCED TO PAUL MCCARTNEY AT A GIG
THE EARLY BEATLES PAUL MCCARTNEY WAS ALSO INFLUENCED BY THE SKIFFLE RAGE IMITATED THE VOCAL AND GUITAR STYLES OF PRESLEY, LITTLE RICHARD, AND THE EVERLY BROTHERS JOINED THE QUARRY MEN AND BECAME CLOSE FRIENDS WITH JOHN LENNON EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE COMPLETE OPPOSITES ( JOHN REBELLIOUS / PAUL CLEAN CUT ). BECAME ON OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL SONGWRITING TEAMS AND ENTERTAINMENT ACTS IN MUSIC HISTORY
THE EARLY BEATLES THE SILVER BEATLES THE SKIFFLE STYLE HAD RUN ITS COURSE MOST OF THE GROUPS TRANSITIONED INTO ROCK & ROLL. GEORGE HARRISON (FRIEND OF PAUL) JOINED THE QUARRY MEN, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS JUST A BEGINNER STU SUTCLIFFE (FRIEND OF JOHN) ALSO JOINED THE GROUP AND SUGGESTED THE NAME BEETLES WHICH WAS CHANGED TO BEATLES PLAY ON BEAT
A POOR START IN MAY 1960, THE GROUP WAS NOT VERY GOOD! PAUL WAS CLEARLY THE MOST COMPETENT JOHN PLAYED WELL ENOUGH GEORGE WAS A BEGINNER STU COULD HARDLY PLAY AT ALL NO COORDINATED STAGE PRESENCE, NO IMAGE, NO SET ACT WASN T UNTIL PETE BEST (DRUMMER) JOINED THE GROUP AND STU DROPPED OUT OF THE BAND THAT THEY GOT BETTER (PAUL MOVED TO BASS)
1 ST COMMERCIAL RECORDINGS MY BONNIE LIES OVER THE OCEAN WITH TONY SHERIDAN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igkagyqgeh4 WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovdutjhelnk CRY FOR A SHADOW (INSTRUMENTAL)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1 VMr29eUeo
Brian Epstien Radio DJ Record Shop owner Began researching the Beatles when customers would keep requesting their Tony Sheridan recordings. Tracked them down and offered to be their manager.
PARLOPHONE CONTRACT THE SHERIDAN RECORDING WAS RELEASED IN GERMANY AND WAS A FAIR SUCCESS THEY STRUGGLED TO GET A RECORDING CONTRACT NERVES, POOR AUDITIONS, ETC. SIGNED WITH PARLOPHONE RECORDS - ONE YEAR / 4 SONGS / 1 PENNY ROYALTY - PETE BEST WAS DROPPED FROM THE GROUP (NOT FITTING IN) - REPLACED BY RINGO STARR
LOVE ME DO - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbt8oh5lxto P.S. I LOVE YOU - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zok-yjjnsa8 FROM ME TO YOU - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fh7iiz24bq SHE LOVES YOU - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0yifxhm-zc
BEATLEMANIA UK VERSION LATE 1963 - NEWSPAPER ARTICLES - MARKETING - PERFORMED FOR THE QUEEN AND PRINCESS MARGARET HELD 7 OF THE TOP 20 SPOTS ON THE BRITISH CHARTS. 5 TH SINGLE I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipadnlw7ybm
BEATLEMANIA - USA CAPITOL RECORDS WAS ORIGINALLY NOT INTERESTED IN RELEASING A US BEATLES ALBUM - UK ACTS HAD ALL BOMBED IN THE US. HESITANTLY RELEASED I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND IN THE USA ED SULLIVAN SHOW APPEARANCE 70 MILLION PEOPLE (60% OF VIEWING AUDIENCE)
STRING OF NUMBER 1 HITS SURPASSED ELVIS PRESLEY S RECORD OF 9 SINGLES ON THE TOP 100. 60% OF THE SINGLES SOLD IN 1964 WERE BEATLES RECORDINGS TWO MOVIES A HARD DAYS NIGHT & HELP!
The Middle Period: Experimentation By late 1965, the Beatles were in a position enjoyed by few stars in any field. - They could do no wrong - This freedom pushed the Beatles to experiment with their sound. This caused some strife between McCartney and Lennon Each wanted to go a different direction.
Yesterday Originated as a solo for McCartney accompanied by acoustic guitar. George Martin (CEO of Parlaphone) suggested that the Beatles use a string quartet accompaniment. Was released on Help! in the UK and as a single in the USA. Climbed to the No. 1 spot and has since been the most recorded Beatles song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wqal5njwhs
Is Yesterday Rock? Naturally, John Lennon HATED Yesterday. It kept the listening audience on notice that the Beatles would not just stick to one style of music or formula.
The Experimentation Albums Rubber Soul & Revolver would show gradual increase in experimentation and the transition from their early period to their mature style.
The Beatles Mature Style No more Yeah, Yeah, Yeah songs John discovered the lyrics of Bob Dylan. George had discovered the Sitar Exposed to American Folk Rock Recording Processes allowed them to experiment more with four-track edits. Approached music as a layered process.
Rubber Soul Norwegian Wood - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly5i4-rwh44 - Use of the Sitar - Michelle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkveew0ubc - Using bilingual lyrics French & English
Controversy John Lennon was quoted We re more popular than Jesus now -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etfkxmdjbku Over 30 radio stations banned Beatles records, protests, record burnings. The US Tour was still a success but they soon tired of the touring life.
Revolver Love You Too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf90rx43vpe Eleanor Rigby - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=- LOgMWbDGPA Yellow Submarine - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_cwwp5qf1k
The Later Beatles: Revolution Continued to push the limits of Rock and Roll. Could get away with more due their status. 1967 would be known as the decade s most interesting year for the Beatles. - John Lennon met Yoko Ono at an art show - Brian Epstein committed suicide. Felt he was no longer needed among other personal issues. - Without Epstein, their personal lives began to fall apart.
Sgt. Pepper s Lonely Hearts Club Band The ultimate Classic Rock Album of the late-1960s Stayed 168 weeks on the top 100 charts in the USA The origin of a Concept Album tied from beginning to end. The album presented a series of acts in a psychedelic concert atmosphere. Begins with crowd noise, full of drug-oriented double entendres.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t5fqlbhzgo Important songs from the album: - A Little Help from My Friends - Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (LSD) - She s Leaving Home - Within You Without You - When I m Sixty-Four
Other Important Albums The Beatles (The White Album) - The Most Important Beatles Album A Double Album with 30 songs People Love it or Hate it Telegraphs the end of the Beatles Sessions were characterized by tension, resentment, egocentricity Essentially a Tug-of-war between Lennon and McCartney
The End of the Beatles The Rooftop Concert January 30, 1969 Paul releases Paul is Live 1969 John and Yoko release Give Peace a Chance Ringo released a solo album Sentimental Journey George joined Eric Clapton s band on tour and prepared his own solo album All Things Must Pass Let It Be was release after the breakup with an album by Paul McCartney that included a public interview acknowledging the breakup.