22B: The Beatles
The Beatles were formed in Liverpool, England, in 1960. They are widely considered the most important and influential band in the history of rock ‘n roll.
The band was comprised of four members: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. They had it all: charm, wit, personality and, most of all, they wrote great songs.
The public’s reaction to the Beatles was like nothing anyone had seen. Fans were crazy for them! Their live performances were complete mayhem. Listen to the fans scream during this performance of a Little Richard song.
Soon, Beatlemania had taken over the world. Their first American appearance was on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on February 9, 1964. It’s one of the most famous nights ever on television. More than 75 million people watched. Here’s a short video about that night.
Especially in their early years, the Beatles’ songs were best known for being catchy. “She Loves You” has simple lyrics, but the tune sticks in your head like bubblegum.
The Beatles released thirteen albums between 1963-1970. Some say it’s the best complete catalog of music by anyone, ever. Each album had a distinctive sound and look. Here they are, in chronological order. (“Chronological” means in the order they came out.)
John Lennon and Paul McCartney were the two principal songwriters. They collaborated on several songs. (“Collaborated” means they worked on a song together.) Their styles were different – John was darker, Paul was more hopeful — but that’s why it worked. In this short interview, Paul talks about meeting John.
By the mid-1960s, the touring, the screaming, and the uncontrollable fans were too much. They decided to stop touring. Their last concert was in 1966 at Candlestick Park, a baseball stadium in San Francisco. Here’s a trailer for a movie about that time.
Not touring meant they had more time to write, which resulted in more complex songs. They also had more time to experiment in the recording studio. Their 1967 album Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is considered a classic for its technology and originality. Here’s a little peak.
Since they weren’t touring, they also had time to experiment with movies, art, and animation, like “Yellow Submarine.”
The world wondered how they would top Sergeant Pepper. They took yet another stylistic turn in 1968 with The White Album. Musically, it veers several different directions. That’s part of what made the Beatles great — they were always pushing themselves to try something new.
The last two Beatles albums were Abbey Road and Let It Be. By this time, the band was exhausted from having been worldwide superstars for a decade. This song was one of their last. The title – “All You Need is Love” – says it all.
Bonus videos!
Recently, Paul McCartney joined British talk-show host James Corden on a drive around Paul’s old neighborhood. It’s long, but worth it. If you only watch a portion, watch through “Let It Be” (to 7:35) and then skip ahead to 15:30.
How about one more bonus video? In 2021, a new documentary about the Beatles comes out. It features clips from fifty-six hours of never-before-seen film footage of the band in its last days. Here’s a peek.
Thanks for reading! Remember: love is all you need.