The Beatles and their Influences

Introduction

“The Beatles” was the most famous English rock band. It was formed in 1960 in Liverpool. They are one of the most commercially successful and significantly praised acts in the popular music history. The Beatles were one of the most famous pop bands of all time. Music experts believe that they were responsible for changing the music fashion from US-inspired rock and roll to a new, British-owned style. (Schaffner 23-28)

The Beatles' music has influenced much of today's popular music. Some bands, such as Oasis, have often been accused of using the Beatles' chord patterns. In many ways, the Beatles revolutionized the popular music world by encouraging bands to form and write their own music, which had been less popular in the days of rock and roll. This paper discusses “The Beatles” and their influence on the culture of 1960's and beyond.

Discussion

The Beatles was a guitar-based band of self-taught musicians. They released their first records in 1963. The band (Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and John Lennon) rapidly achieved extraordinary levels of fame and success, both in the United Kingdom and abroad. John Lennon infamously claimed in 1966 that his band was 'bigger than Jesus'. In August 1966, the Beatles decided to stop touring (at many of their shows they could barely be heard above the constant screaming) though they continued to record, completing some of their finest albums (including 1967's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts' Club Band and 1969's Abbey Road) before splitting up in 1970. The success of Beatlemania was a tremendous source of national pride for British society, which was otherwise struggling to come to terms with the decline of its international status. (Astley 25-30)

The Beatles and Their Influence on the Culture of 1960's and Beyond

Seeing the Beatles as a phenomenon representing a further stage in the development of American rock 'n' roll and as pioneers of pop music is common among rock and pop sociologists. But, as described, the Beatles should be seen, rather, as an English phenomenon, part of a wider concept of 'Englishness' and the culture of the lower classes in the north of England. While we do not dismiss 'foreign' influences on the Beatles' music, this paper will here examine the Beatles not as a phenomenon representing a stage in the development of rock and pop music but as a further stage in the development of English popular music culture. (Carr 99-100)

[The Beatles, photographed at BBC-TV studios, July 1964. From left: Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon; Ringo Starr on floor.]

The discussion begins with a scene from the 1957 film “The Entertainer”, based on a play by John Osborne and starring Laurence Olivier as the music-hall singer Archie Rice. In this scene, Rice performs at a music hall. Backstage, a rock 'n' roll band urges him to finish his performance because his time is up and it is their turn. In one of the most touching scenes in the film, Rice performs while sick to a ...