the beatles

  • Why are the Beatles so important?
    • Without the Beatles no modern music today would exist.
    • They traveled from the US to Europe and back.
  • pre-Beatles:
    • ==John Lennon==
    • John Lennon is the oldest member
    • John is a very creative from a young age. He goes to art school.
    • John sings and plays guitar. He starts a band called the Blackjacks.
    • He has a terrible home life growing up. He watched his mom get hit by a car and die. He was prone to angry outbursts. No dad, raised by his aunt.
    • ∗∗PaulMcCartney∗∗**Paul McCartney**
    • Paul is naturally bright and artistic.
    • Taught himself guitar, bass, and piano.
    • He had a supporting and loving family. He lost his mom to cancer but his dad was really supportive so it didn’t affect him.
    • Paul is influenced by all the early 50’s Rock artists, especially Little Richard, Elvis, and Carl Perkins. He starts off as a guitar player.
    • Paul and John
    • Paul meets John on the bus to school. They become close friends other their love of music. Opposites attract.
  • The Quarrymen
    • John finds out that there’s another band called the Blackjacks. John invites Paul to join his new band - the Quarrymen.
    • The Quarrymen are John and Paul’s first band together.
    • It is named after John’s school - the Quarry Bank School for Boys.
    • %%George Harrison%%
    • Paul meets George on the bus to school as well. They bond over Rock and discover that George is a very talented guitar player.
    • George auditions for John on a bus and is asked to join the Quarrymen as a lead guitar player.
    • The band had three guitar players. George played lead guitar.
    • Stu Sutcliffe
    • Stu is a friend of John Lennon
    • They meet in art college.
    • He becomes good friends with all the Quarrymen.
    • Stu is NOT a musician but the Quarrymen need a bass player.
    • Stu sells some art and buys a bass.
    • Pete Best
    • Pete Best is one of the best young drummers in Liverpool.
    • Pete is asked to join the band when they are booked for a residency in Hamburg, Germany in 1960.
  • The Name Game
    • The Quarrymen decides in Germany that they should change their name
    • When Stu joins the band, he suggests a name change.
    • The Quarrymen goes through at least five name changes.
    • Some of these include
    • The Beatals
    • The Silver Beetles
    • Long John and the Silver Beetles
    • Silver Beatles
      • This one stuck around long enough to have a logo!
    • The Beatles
      • This one wins! Ding ding ding!
    • The band finally settles on The Beatles
    • There are two distinct reasons why they pick this name:
    • It’s a play on the word “beat.” They are a rock band with a heavy beat. By this point, British Rock bands from Liverpool had been grouped together under the genre Mersey Beat.
      • Mersey was a river that ran through Liverpool.
    • It’s a tribute to Buddy Holly’s band: The Crickets.
      • Pissing shitting crying throwing up I love Buddy Holly so much.
  • Hamburg, Germany
    • The Beatles’ time in Hamburg is spent at a club called the Indra. It is in the red light district with prostitutes and hookers
    • Their time is cut short when the owner found out the Beatles were playing at another club.
    • The Indra has George deported (he wasn’t old enough to go across borders) and Paul and Pete arrested (they set a condom on fire.)…
    • The Beatles had other residencies in Hamburg, but after a while, Stu leaves the band to continue his art school studies.
  • The Switch
    • With Stu leaving, the Beatles need a bass player. Paul decides to switch to bass instead of hiring someone else.
  • Tony Sheridan
    • Another British rock star that’s been traveling to Hamburg like the Beatles. Because of their growing popularity, the Beatles are hired to be the backing track on Tony Sheridan’s single My Bonnie.
  • The Cavern Club
    • Stu passed away from a brain aneurysm.
    • With the release of My Bonnie and their growing popularity in Liverpool, the band is given a daily residency at the Cavern Club.
    • The Beatles would pay shows at noon every day, attracting female dock workers.
    • It was completely packed every day.
  • Brian Epstein
    • Brian Epstein is a Liverpudlian record store owner and music journalist.
    • Brian learned about the Beatles through the Mersey Beat magazine and the countless posters of them hung all around Liverpool.
    • He also kept being asked if his shop carried the Tony Sheridan single My Bonnie.
    • Brian kept selling out of the record.
    • Brian meets the Beatles at the Cavern Club and quickly becomes friends with them.
    • Brian convinced the Beatles to let him manage them after a series of meetings.
    • Brian’s First Job
    • In early 1962, Brian sets out to get The Beatles a record contract.
    • Getting The Beatles a record contract proves to be VERY hard.
    • Even England’s own Decca Records rejects the Beatles.
      • Nigel Topnbottom is a poo-poo head.
    • Brian has gone through almost every record label he can contact and no one wanted to hire the Beatles.
  • George Martin and Parlophone Records
    • No record contract? In June of 1962, the Beatles are invited to audition for Parlophone Records. They are NOT happy about this.
    • Parlophone is not a music label, they record spoken word and comedy artists.
    • The Beatles reluctantly audition for George Martin, the head of Parlophone.
    • While no other label wanted The Beatles, George Martin heard and saw something special in them.
    • Martin convinces EMI, the parent company of Parlophone to let him sign the Beatles.
  • George Martin Takes Control
    • Even though Martin works at a small spoken word record label, he is a genius when it comes to recording.
    • Even though the Beatles have a manager, Martin starts to recommend changes to the band. The first one is one of the BIGGEST changes of all… George Martin recommends Pete Best be let go from the group. He thought that Pete is more attractive than John and Paul, the lead singers. His thought is that it is distracting from the focus of the fans.
    • Brian Epstein fires Pete Best in August of 1962.
  • ^^Richard Starkey^^
    • The Beatles convince Richard Starkey to join the group. Richard goes by the name Ringo Starr. He likes to wear rings.
  • Beatlemania!
    • Beatlemania is a term used to describe the energetic and obsessive fan reaction to The Beatles. There are two separate Beatlemanias - British and American.
    • British Beatlemania
    • British Beatlemania starts with the release of the first two singles by the Beatles. Love Me Do is the first single record.
    • Fun Fact! Ringo does not play drums on Love Me Do! He played so bad George Martin hired drummer Andy White to play the song. Ringo played the tambourine.
    • Please Please Me is their second single and goes to number one. These songs are mono, meaning that the vocals play on one side and the instrumental on the other.
    • From Me To You is their third single released. Their songs go to number one after this. This is also mono. I’m looking to fill up space here. This song was so popular that She Loves You hit number one before it was even released.
    • American Beatlemania!
    • Before the Beatles officially come to the US, a few small record companies release bootleg abums (introducing… The Beatles. England’s No.1 vocal group.”
    • The Beatles are booked on the Ed Sullivan show in Feburary of 1964. This become sa legendary performance for them.
      • Feburary 9th, 1964 is when the Beatles debut on Ed Sullivan. When they arrived, they gates at the airport were surrounded by teenage girls.
      • The Beatles performance is said to of been watched by over 70 million people. For the hour the beatles were on, during the first fourty five minutes no one called in for any crimes. It was the most peaceful hour in New York city history. Very slay.
    • The Beatles take over the American musci charts. The week of April 4th, 1964, the Beatles hold the top five spots on the charts.
  • Early Beatles Albums
    • Please Please Me
    • Top songs:
      • I Saw Her Standing There
      • Please Please Me
      • Love Me Do
      • P.S. I Love You
    • With The Beatles
    • Top Songs
    • It Won’t Be Long
    • All My Loving
    • Roll Over Beethoven
    • I Wanna Be Your Man
    • Beatles For Sale
    • Top Songs
      • Eight Days A Week
  • Beatle Movies
    • The Beatles make two movies in 1964 and 1965.
    • A Hard Day’s Night and Help! respectively.
    • A Hard Day’s Night
    • The album comes out for it in 1964.
    • Top songs
      • A Hard Days Night
      • And I Love Her
      • Can’t Buy Me Love
      • Any Time At All
    • Help!
    • Released on August 6th, 1965
    • Top Songs
      • Help!
      • You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away
      • This one is in my top three!
      • Ticket To Ride
      • I’ve Just Seen A Face
      • Yesterday
      • Paul had the melody but missing the lyrics for years before the Beatles existed. Instead, he used the word “scrambled eggs.”
      • He was nervous to bring it to the Beatles because it was a solo song for him and the other members weren’t involved.
  • Shea Stadium Concert
    • The Shea Stadium concert was on August 15th, 1965.
    • It was the largest Beatles concert so far - 55,600 fans!
    • They had a tiny stage that they performed on, and their sound system was not loud enough to overpower the sound of the girls.
  • The Beatles Middle Period
    • The Beatles enter their middle period in 1965 when their music starts to become more experimental.
    • One of the things you will notice is the basic differences between John's and Paul’s songs. Paul had pop-oriented songs. John’s were more serious, more emo.
    • Rubber Soul
    • The album cover is more psychedelic.
    • None of them smile, they’re just there.
    • Top songs
      • Drive My Car
      • Norweigan Wood
      • John wrote this song out of spite. The Beatles had the honor of meeting Bob Dylan. John and Paul are huge fans of Bob Dylan. Bob Dylan told him his songs suck and that anyone could write his songs.
      • Nowhere Man
      • Michelle
      • In My Life
    • Rubber Soul showcases George Harrison’s new sitar playing ability.
    • The Beatles are taking longer to record albums.
    • They release a compilation album: Yesterday and Today.
    • It is a US only release.
    • The album is a filler album to keep fans interested in the beatles between Rubber Soul and the next album.
    • The album has a unique cover. They’re laughing with dead babies.
    • The original cover is recalled due to the explicit cover, it is replaced with a family friendly cover.
    • The family friendly cover has contriversey because of the “Paul is dead” theroy.
    • The belief was that Paul Mccartney were decapitated in a car accident and the british government faked that he was alive to prevent hysteria.
    • Revolver
    • Revolver is the second album of the Middle Period
    • It is even more experimental then Rubber Soul
    • Top Songs
      • Taxman
      • Elanor Rigby
      • Yellow Submarine
      • Good Day Sunshine
      • Got To Get You Into My Life
      • Tomorrow Never Kows
    • After releasing Revolver, the Beatles decide to take a break to get some rest
    • Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields Forever
    • Once the Beatles return from their break, they share new music they wrote.
    • It turns out that John and Paul wrote songs about Liverpool.
    • Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields Forever are relesed together as a single.
  • The Later Beatles
    • By early 1967, the Beatles are the top music group in the world.
    • Although they have stopped touring, the Beatles continue to record new music.
    • Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
    • Sgt Pepper’s is released June 1st 1967 and spends 168 weeks on the charts.
    • It is a critical and commercial success. It is still on the charts now.
    • Sgt Pepper’s is considered one of the first concept albums
      • A concept album tells a story through its music.
      • the story is that Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is doing a reunion concert and they’re playing their greatest hits.
    • Top songs
      • Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
      • With A Little Help From My Friends
      • Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
      • When I’m Sixty-Four
      • Good Morning, Good Morning,
      • A Day In The Life
    • After the release of Sgt. Pepper’s, the Beatles travel to India. During this time, Brian Epstein took his own life. He felt unimportant when they stopped touring.
    • Magical Mystery Tour
    • Magical Mystery Tour was a one-hour TV special and soundtrack.
    • Released December 8th, 1967.
    • The album fails to gain the commercial success of previous albums
    • Top songs
      • Magical Mystery Tour
      • Fool on the Hill
      • I Am The Walrus
      • Hello Goodbye
      • All You Need Is Love
    • The Beatles aka The White Album
    • Released November 22nd, 1968
    • The album is officially called The Beatles but is called the White Album because its original cover is a blank white cover.
    • The White Album is a double record, it contains two records.
    • The White Album is the first album released on the Beatles’ new record label - Apple Corp. (It’s pronounced core.)
    • Top songs
      • Back In The U.S.S.R.
      • Dear Prudence
      • Ob La Di-Ob La Da
      • While My Guitar Gently Weeps - featuring Eric Clapton
      • Blackbird
      • Birthday
      • Yer Blues
    • Hey Jude and Revolution
    • Hey Jude and Revolution are released as a single in August 1968. This is another version of revolution.
    • Get Back
    • Recordings for The Beatles next album, Get Back are started in late 1968
    • Due to multiple reasons, including George quitting the band for a short while, Get Back is shelved and not released.
    • The Get Back sessions are recorded for a possible movie. It is finally released on Disney+ in 2021.
    • The Rooftop Concert
      • While rehearsing songs for the new album, the Beatles planned on putting on a live show. The show kept getting pushed back.
      • The Beatles finally decide to put on a concert on the rood of their studio - Apple Studios. Or, Abbey Road Studios.
      • This is the first live Beatles concert since 1966.
    • Yellow Submarine
    • Yellow Submarine is an animated movie starring the Beatles. The movie and soundtrack are released in January of 1969.
    • Abbey Road
    • Abbey Road is released in September 1969.
    • This is the last album The Beatles record.
    • George Harrison’s songs are featured heavily on this album.
    • Top songs
      • The whole album.
      • Come Together
      • Something
      • Maxwell’s Silver Hammer
      • Oh! Darling
      • Octopus’ Garden
      • I Want You (She’s So Heavy)
    • By the time the Beatles are recording Abbey Road, they have already decided to break up. Side two of the record is the last music the band records. After Because, it’s all supposed to be one long song.
      • Here Comes The Sun
      • Because
      • You Never Give Me Your Money
      • Sun King
      • Mean Mr. Mustard
      • Polythene Pam
      • She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
      • Golden Slumbers (my baby!)
      • Carry That Weight
      • The End
      • Her Majesty
  • The Breakup of The Beatles
    • Let It Be
    • Although they are no longer a band, Let It Be is released in May 1970
    • The music isn’t as good as other albums.
    • Tracks from the Get Back sessions and Rooftop Concert are used to make this album.
    • Top songs
      • Let It Be
      • I Me Mine
      • The Long and Winding Road
      • Get Back
  • Solo Careers
    • Ringo
    • Ringo is the first Beatle to release any solo music
    • Top singles
      • Photograph
      • You’re Sixteen
    • Ringo still performs today with his All Starr band
    • George
    • George goes on to have a very successful career after the Beatles.
    • All Things Must Pass is released in November 1970. Most of the songs on the album were intended to be Beatles songs.
    • Top Songs
      • My Sweet Lord
      • All Things Must Pass
    • Later in his career, he starts a band called Travelling Wilburys with Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynn, and Roy Orbison.
    • Top songs
      • Handle with Care
    • George dies on November 29th, 2001 from lung and brain cancer.
    • John
    • John spends a lot of his time after The Beatles involved in social causes
    • One of his first releases is Instant Karma.
    • He releases a few solo albums including Imagine in 1971
      • Top song
      • Imagine
    • John is murdered on December 8th, 1980 outside of his Manhattan apartment.
    • He is still in jail, he has been denied parole over 10 times.
    • There is a memorial for John in Central Park right near The Dakota.
    • Paul
    • Paul is the most successful after The Beatles break up
    • McCartney is released in 1970 and it goes to #1
      • Top song
      • Maybe I’m amazed
    • McCartney and his wife Linda form Wings in 1971
    • Wings becomes one of the most popular rock bands of all time
      • Top songs
      • Band On The Run
      • Jet
      • Let Me Roll It
    • McCartney has 26 studio albums and 9 live albums so far
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