The British are coming! In Paul Revere’s famous “Midnight Ride,” he warned Americans that the English Army had arrived on the ports of Boston. When the Beatles arrived in the United States, there was no warning of a “British Invasion,” but that’s exactly what happened. I know people are probably sick of reading/hearing about the Fab 4, but the truth is they deserve it! This month alone, they re-released all their albums (Digitally Remastered) and those albums took 9 spots of the 10 best selling albums of the week! They released a video game and have been featured on Rolling Stone Magazine. On top of all that, they received their biggest honor yet; being named Artist of the Week!
So much has been written and said about The Beatles and I will not “wow” you with any new revelations. There is nothing new that I can say that hasn’t been said before. I know many people ask why they are considered the biggest band of all-time. One reason is that they cross generations. This is a band that can be enjoyed by a parent and child. This is the case with our very own KY, who was introduced to The Beatles by her father. The band is not just loved by your parents and 20 yr olds, but by teenagers too.
Nicole D’Amrco, of Baldwin Park, is in the 11th grade and The Beatles are her favorite band. In an era of disposable music, it is refreshing to hear of a teenager who actually understands the true meaning of music. The Beatles were introduced to her by her dad, and she has loved them ever since. She says that she likes their music because of their eclectic style and that there is a Beatles song that can fit any type of mood that a person is in. According to Nicole, there is only one word that can describe this legendary band: “Timeless.”
So aside from different generations loving them, what else makes them great? Well they have varying styles. They have a “bubble gum pop” sound with their earlier albums, more mature/mellow style with their middle albums and a very rock sound in their later albums. So this band not only crosses generations, but genres too. Listen, I may be preaching to the choir here. Those who love this band know what I am saying. Others who dislike them have already stopped reading this blog by now.
So instead of looking at all their albums, I decided to look at the individuals who make up the band: John, Paul, George & Ringo!
John Lennon (10/1940-12/1980) was considered the real genius behind the Beatles. At the beginning stages of the band, he was at the forefront and a big contributor to their success. John Lennon was one half of the famed writing duo Lennon/McCartney. John Lennon was also attributed with the break-up of the band. His marriage to Yoko Ono and her influence on John has been the source of controversy. She is the one person pointed to as the person solely responsible for the break-up of the Beatles. I wasn’t there, so I don’t know the truth but what I do know is that The Beatles were the biggest band on the planet. They had broken every record imaginable. What else were they going to accomplish? They had run their course! After the break-up of the band, John was the most notable Beatle. His songs, “Imagine,” “Give Peace a Chance” and “Instant Karma” are some of the biggest songs in Rock history. John was tragically killed in December of 1980. Some of the most notable songs he sang were: “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “I Am the Walrus,” “A Day In The Life,” “Across The Universe,” “The Ballad of John & Yoko Ono” and “The Glass Onion.”
Paul McCartney (6/1942- ) was, in my opinion, the true genius of the Beatles. He sang the majority of their most popular songs, especially in the later albums. Long before the passing of Micheal Jackson, I considered Sir Paul the greatest and most famous living musician in the world. He wrote some of the best songs of The Beatle catalog and was upset when Yoko Ono refused to change the song credit on his most famous track, “Yesterday.” McCartney wanted the credits to read McCartney/Lennon instead of Lennon/McCartney, but Yoko refused to change it. In his post-Beatle career, he formed another great band, “Wings,” with his wife Linda. They have some very famous tracks: “Band on the Run,” “Live & Let Die” and “Maybe I’m Amazed.” Some of McCartney’s best Bealtes songs include: “Yesterday,” “When I’m Sixty-Four,” “Fool on the Hill,” “For No One,” “Your Mother Should Know,” “I Will,” “Hey Jude” and “Let It Be.”
George Harrison (2/25/1943- 11/29/2001) was the “quiet” Beatle although he may have had the greatest influence on the band. His belief in the Hindu faith and his love of Sitar and Indian music strongly influenced The Beatles in their later years. His songs were not as prominent as the Lennon/McCartney duo, but he wrote arguably the best Beatles song, “Something.” After the break-up of the band, Harrison continued writing music. His 1970 album, “All Things Must Pass,” is widely considered to be the best album by any member of The Beatles. As a member of The Beatles, he was overshadowed by the band which is why I think there were creative differences amongst him and John Lennon. Harrison has a strong list of Beatles tracks associated with him: “Something,” “Taxman,” “Within You, Without You,” “Here Comes The Sun” and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”
Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey)(7/1940- ) was probably, in my opinion, the coolest of The Beatles. There were many stories of feuds between Lennon and McCartney and Harrison and Lennon, but I never heard anything involving Ringo. That is not to say that things didn’t happen with Ringo. He has the most eclectic voice of the four, which is in part why he has the most diverse Beatles tracks. Ringo was the least successful of The Bealtes after the fact, but he probably sang on the most successful songs in the Beatles’ catalog. Ringo sang on the following hits: “Yellow Submarine,” “Octopus’ Garden,” “With a Little Help From My Friends” and “You Know My Name (Look Up The Number).”
The truth is, The Bealtes came at a time when Americans dominated music. They were something new but evolved as musicians over time and created a sound that no one was doing at the time. Sure you may play a record and wonder, “What is so good about it? It sounds like everything else I’ve heard?” True, it does sound like everything else…only it was 5 years before anyone sounded like them. Take any album from the 1960’s and play it against a Beatles album. They were dramatically ahead of what anyone else was doing at the time. They began as “Pop” and ended their legacy as a “Rock Band!” I am not telling you how to feel about music because we all have our own opinions and I am not even asking you to like them. I think we all need to know the facts before we dismiss a great band like The Beatles (namely: Sara & Jose). They paved the way for more acts from overseas: The Rolling Stones, Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd and many more! So this is dedicated to the legions of fans across the globe!
My Top 5
2. You Never Give Me Your Money
3. For No One
5. Oh Darling!
Nicole’s Top 5
1. In My Life
2. Blackbird
5. With A Little Help From My Friends
This is where I usually post useful links, but to tell you the truth, there is just too much info about this great band, so just do a Google search!