Abstract This paper studies how the Beatles, arguably the most popular and influential band of the 20th century, changed throughout its career. Given the magnitude of influence the Beatles's had on the music scene during the 1960s and 1970s, the paper can also be seen as a biography of rock during those decades as well. The paper offers a year-by-year analysis of the Beatles, from their beginnings in 1957, when John Lennon started the Quarrymen. The paper offers critiques of songs and albums, explaining how each they represent what was going on with the band and its members.
From the Paper "No one knew that what started out as a shabby little tavern band created by John Lennon in 1957, would lead to a world changing, record shattering, generation captivating phenomena known today as The Beatles. Culturally I have never experienced anything like The Beatles. By the time I was seven, I was sitting listening to Beatles albums on my mom's old record player, and this was several years after The Beatles had split up. Their music defined a generation and influenced every one that followed."
Abstract This paper describes the history of the Beatles. It explains that John Lennon began groups which were not successful and eventually he found the right band members to form the group. It claims that these four teenagers, who were determined to be successful, never even dreamed of how successful they were going to be. It expands that six years after starting their band, they were not only successful, but they were loved by England and the United States.
From the Paper "Imagine four teenagers who were determined to create a successful band regardless of the cost and work necessary to be successful. George described this determination, "We're going to do it. I don't know why ... we were just cocky" (Chapter: The Beatles 2005). These four teenagers who were determined to be successful, never even dreamed of how successful they were going to be. Six years after starting their band, they were not only successful, but they were loved by England and the United States. Today, many people continue to love the Beatles and have fond memories of this creative four young people. The Beatles affected both England and the United States with their songs and albums beginning in 1957 and continuing until the 1970's. The Beginning of the Beatles John Lennon wanted to start a band in 1957, but the first members of ..."
Abstract This paper explains that the origin of the Beatles was the union of Paul McCartney and John Lennon in a band called "The Quarry Men," later to be joined by George Harrison, and finally, Ringo Starr. The author points out that Beatlemania began after an appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1964, and, the following year, the Beatles were made "Members of the Order of the British Empire," an award honoring those who are deserving either for achievement or service to the country. The paper relates that, at the top of their career, the Beatles began to unravel upon the death of their manager, Brian Epstein; the stress of fame and fortune was beginning to show on the group and, in 1969, "Abbey Road" was their last album to be recorded.
From the Paper "Rock and roll has created a culture like no other form of music ever before experienced on this planet. It has permeated through cultures so diverse that one would think they would never have anything in common. Yet, rock and roll knows geographic boundaries. It knows no language barriers. And, it knows truly no age restrictions. Rock and roll has become more universal then any other music form ever developed."
Abstract This paper explains that the Beatles affected every aspect of society worldwide and changed the entire music industry in the recording studio, in songwriting habits and standards, in the use of instruments and sound effects and in their manner and their dress. The author points out that, nearly fifty years later, the sound of the Beatles is still not only a desirable sound but also is purchased over and over again by generation after generation attesting to the timeless appeal of this revolutionary group of the sixties. The paper relates that, compared to the other musical artists of the day, the sound of the Beatles was a sound, which contained more depth, more dimensions and created a whole new standard in music, shredding the norms and shaking up the entire industry worldwide.
Table of Contents
Statement of Thesis
Introduction
"Talkin Bout a Revolution"
Changes in the Music Industry Norms
Songwriting is for Performers, Too
Setting Records, Selling Records and Shattering the Musical Mold
Summary and Conclusion
From the Paper "It is astoundingly and incredibly amazing in comprehension that a group of young men from England singing a few tunes in nondescript attire of suits and ties would change the entire music industry in the timeframe of just a few years and still be affecting the music world and industry nearing fifty years later. The stamina and popularity of the Beatles as well as their music has not faded even today and all predictions are that their music and legacy will live on for quite some time to come."
Tags: phenomenon, beatlemania, sixties, sound, industry
Abstract This paper delves into the history of the Beatles who emerged as musical icons and trendsetters in the 1960s. The writer of this paper discusses the numerous accomplishments and influences of the band including their significant impact on fashion trends. This paper examines the Beatles' unique talent for evolving and keeping up with the times both culturally and musically. This concise paper analyzes and explains why the Beatles' music continues to inspire both musicians and music lovers the world over.
From the Paper "Another reason why the Beatles can be seen as the last pop explosion in the world lies in the fact that the energy associated with Beatlemaina is credited to the Beatles alone. They were easily copied by many bands of their time and, more importantly, they still influence musicians today. Many bands have been lauded as the "next Beatles" and undoubtedly, many strive for such recognition. MacDonald states, "Purely in terms of pop, they invented the idiom as later generations came to know it, revolutionizing pop songwriting, studio production, video promotion, general presentation and instrumental styles." The Beatles were more than a rock group; they were innovators that were at the right place at the right time. They were not afraid of change. Another fact that proves that the Beatles were a pop explosion can be seen in their influence in fashion."
Abstract This paper looks at Buddy Holly's influence on the music of the Beatles. It shows that Buddy Holly's influence and courage to experiment and innovate led the Beatles to their own innovation and impact on the pop music scene; enabling them to make significant contributions to opening up rock and roll to the British and the world, making it not just a regional American sound, but an international phenomena.
From the Paper "Working within his rock band, "The Crickets", Buddy Holly? unique approach to his music, with his new and ground-breaking vocal style and guitar technique would become the example to be followed, imitated and would set a standard that would be built upon by other artists including Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and particularly groups and artists comprising the "British Invasion" of the American music scene in the ?60s. Mixing elements of country, Rhythm and Blues, blues, rockabilly, gospel, and pop, Holly developed a musical hybrid, resulting in a body of work that is as fresh today as it was in the 1950s.
His groundbreaking attitude toward experimenting and breaking out of set styles and formulas gave other music writers and performers the courage to do so as well, during a time when artists were encouraged to stick to "what works" and "what sells records". The Beatles, too, were a different type of band that would also forever influence the development of music. When they first began playing together, they played mostly covers of other groups? hit songs, from a variety of genres; part of their initial success came from their borrowing or dubbing over music which had already been a hit for other artists."
Tags: rockabilly, gospel, pop, blues, band, harmony, band, music
Abstract This paper examines how Robert Bellah first introduced the term "American civil religion" in 1967, with references to God, the nation's mission, and the transcendent standards that Americans viewed as worthwhile. It looks at how it was also during the 1960s that the Beatles hit the music scene, serving as both a catalyst and a focal point for the millions of dissatisfied and marginalized teenage fans who believed that the world should be a better place than what was being offered. It shows how, although two of the Beatles are dead, their impact on the American civil religion endures because of the profound influences that the group had on the country during this formative period.
From the Paper "According to Farrell (1997), the American media had an insatiable thirst for all the Beatles' activities, musical or otherwise. Virtually anything the Beatles had to say about drugs, sexuality, politics, and religion were received like the words of philosophers or seers, no matter how casual their comments. The Sixties were also the period when John Lennon would infamously remark that "the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ, causing an immediate storm in the press and the media and resulting in an anti-Beatles campaign in the United States" (Farrell 1997:171)."
Abstract A discussion about the contribution to the music world today of influential musicians, "The Beatles", "Elvis" and "Woodie Guthrie", including short biographies of each. Analyses the songs "Yesterday", "Jailhouse Rock" and "This Land is Your Land".
From the Paper "The Beatles are quite possibly THE single most influential band that ever lived. They emerged into a music world that thrived off of conformity, and everyone was trying to be like everyone else. Because there was no room for extreme creativity, artists made their living off of music written by people who were paid to write, and did covers of other artists songs. The Beatles changed all that, and set the foundation for the musical world that dominates today. The Beatles? legendary writing duo composed of John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote songs that were covered numerous times, and the songs they wrote lasted the test of time. They opened the door to creativity and introduced the notion of the band as a self-contained unit who could stand on their own and control their music."
Abstract This seven-page undergraduate paper examines and analyzes the influence of the legendary rock and roll group the Beatles on popular culture and music in terms of the pros and cons of their legacy.
Abstract The paper firstly explores how the surface meaning to the Beatles' song, "Eleanor Rigby," is loneliness, examining the lives of two lonely people. The paper examines the possible causes of loneliness suggested in the song, namely the church. The paper then discusses the lives of the two characters in the song as described by the lyrics. The author of the paper explains that the song suggests that nobody is specifically responsible for the characters' loneliness but that through the selfishness of the characters, nobody was able to improve the situation either.
From the Paper "The song "Eleanor Rigby," by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, provides an interesting message to the listener because it seems to come from so many different places. On the surface, this song is about two very lonely people within the Church congregation who have lived unsuccessful lives with little to no chance for escape. Eleanor Rigby is a woman who has never been married and has no children. She is the janitor at a Church and she spends her time watching the weddings, and subsequent happiness, of others while never being able to achieve her own happiness. Her loneliness does not have a chance to be alleviated because she dies at the end of the song and no one even cares."
Tags: eleanor rigby, beatles, paul mcartney, john lennon, rock music
This paper explores the music of David Bowie, especially his character Ziggy Stardust, which was a reaction to the latter half of the 1960's British rock movement.
Abstract This paper explains that the concept album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" by David Bowie, the self-made man who is famous for his fleeting construction of personas, changed the way heavy metal, hard rock, punk music, glam rock and progressive rock sounded. The author points out that David Bowie's teenage wilderness years coincided with the gold-lame era of vintage rock 'n' roll, which reached England in the late 1950s in the form of American hip-swinging, lip-curling singers giving vent to youthful frustrations in a way seen as morally threatening such as Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog", Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill" and Little Richard. The paper states that the album represented the archetypal rise and fall of the world of pop, which recently had experienced a sense of lost with the breakup of the Beatles and, with them, the cheery innocence of the 1960's; thereby, Ziggy became for many people the missing link between American punk and tight Beatle melodies.
From the Paper "Kenneth Pitt first entered Bowie's life when he made a suggestion to Bowie's manager that there were already too many Joneses in the entertainment world. The Bromley-raised David Jones saw the adoption of a new stage name as an opportunity to redefine his faltering career and changed his name to David Bowie, after the American Colonel James Bowie, Davy Crockett's sidekick in The Alamo. Pitt and Bowie soon paired up, and it became apparent the Bowie desired to become the "renaissance man of pop". Bowie's aspirations were to sing and dance; he wanted to be seen as an artiste rather than someone who had only just recently shed his rough and ready R&B skin."
Abstract This paper studies John Lennon, the former Beatles, from the perspective of the twelve archetypes outlined in the book "Awakening the Heroes Within" by Carol Pearson. By tracing the musician's life story -- from his humble beginnings as an orphan through his meteoric rise as a Beatles to his disillusion with fame -- the paper illuminates how Lennon embodied each of the archetypes at different points in his life. However, the author concludes that Lennon was most predominantly the "warrior" type. As the author says, Lennon's personal and professional life caused him a pain so deep that he either had to succumb to the pain or overcome it. By choosing to overcome it, he became a warrior.
From the Paper "Before his life had even begun, John had been deserted twice, both times by his own parents. This factor in itself would create an overwhelming tendency for most of us to develop our "innocent" archetypes. An innocent archetype wants to remain in a safe place or situation and has an overwhelming fear of being abandoned. But in John's case, these early childhood experiences seemed to have toughened him up and prepared him for the future failures and fame he was to experience."
This paper deals with the British rock bands of the 1960's, and specifically discusses the different aspects of society during that period that affected the bands and in return reflected on the culture of the time.
2,215 words (approx. 8.9 pages), 6 sources, 2001, $ 68.95
Abstract This paper examines the British rock band invasion of the United States during the 1960?s. It specifically details the numerous aspects of society during that period, such as current events, that affected these bands (The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who, etc.) and how their music reflected on the culture of the time. The author discusses The Vietnam War, the anti-war movement, hippies, drug use- all influences on the bands.
From the Paper "Since the 1960's was a time period in which sex, love, violence, and drugs were running rampant, it is evident that some of these social factors of the time period had an effect on these bands. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones were two of the most popular British Invasion bands in both the United States and The United Kingdom at the time. They are also prime examples of social factors have affected the music of the time period. The Vietnam War, which was directly related to the Hippie Movement, was one factor that had an effect. Mass drug use of the time period was also a factor that had a major influence on the British Invasion bands."
Tags:beatles, drug, marijuana, rock, rolling, stones, hippies, vietnam
Abstract This paper analyzes a song by Beatles, which appeared during the 1970s. The song contains some important messages, which are all tied to one central theme. The analysis also discusses such things as the impact of music, singer's tone and psychological significance of the song.
From the Paper "The song I have chosen for analysis is "Let it be" by Beatles. The song being one of the greatest hits of all times is more deeper in meaning than many songs being churned out these days. It contains messages of universal appeal and the soothing guitar beats add to the peaceful impact of the powerful lyrics. It is an interesting fact that this song was created in a time when the country was in the tight grips of meaningless chaos. The song is from the 70s decade when the hippie culture had a strong impact on the youth and people were living in turmoil as old beliefs had suddenly been crushed by more powerful new values. During these days of inner conflict and confusion, Beatles chose to create a song, which would instill peace and tranquility in the lives of its listeners. In this song, the tone is very gentle and soothing absolutely in tune with the real purpose of the song. The best thing about this song along with the gentle tone of the singers is the mellowed beats of different instruments. The music doesn?t interfere with the lyrics and is present only to support the gentle messages contained in the song. This is something, which makes it quite different from many other similar songs. The singers here appear to be more concerned about appropriate delivery of the message and thus concentrate more on lyrics than on their music-making skills."
Abstract This paper stresses that, even though Western artists are looking for new ideas when they seek Oriental input, they can only interrupt the Orient through their own Western culture. The author explains that French painter Eugene Delacroix' "Death of Sardanapalus" and Austrian artist Leopold Carl Muller's "The Market in Cairo" are examples of orientalism in Western art. The author states that the Beatles, seeking the teachings of India's gurus, brought orientalism into modern pop culture.
From the Paper "The Western World that Delacroix knew lay on the brink of the Victorian age. Painted in 1827, the Death of Sardanapalus speaks to a people already grown accustomed to the strictures of middle-class morality. As older and wilder days ended, North Americans and Europeans were already entering into a new era of strong religious devotion, clean living, and sexual repression. The wanton abandoning of oneself to pleasure like Sardanapalus seemed to be something that was still possible only within the hidden corridors of the seraglio, a place where leering, bearded despots sought freely to satisfy their carnal lusts. The fact that Sardanapalus's world is about to be consumed in fire is but a fitting moral judgment. Though he can gape at the writhing, sensuous forms of the King's doomed attendants, the European or North American man can only dream of what he cannot have ? the pleasures of the flesh are condemned hellfire."
