The Beatles
BY SATKRIT CHAPAGAIN
MUSIC 1010
BIOGRAPHY
Band: Early Years

McCartney performed at the local church in the Liverpool.

John Lennon who was also playing at a local church with his band,
The Quarrymen saw McCartney’s talent.

The two met and shortly after their introduction they started writing
music together. They eventually joined forces and McCartney
became a member of Lennon’s band.

George Harrison as the lead guitar and Pete Best on the drums.
Lennon played as the backup guitar and McCartney played bass.
The band then changed their name to Beatles now the most
influential and recognized band in the world.
Band: Early Years

They played in two cities of Hamburg, Germany and Liverpool.

Over a year, they would play over 300 hundred shows.

Brian Epstein, a local music store owned first heard them. He loved
the performance and wanted to be their band manager. He didn’t
have any experience managing bands, but the group went ahead
and signed him as their manager.

He reformatted the group to improve their look and stage presence
and also helped them collaborate with a record label called EMI’s
Parlophon.

After Pete Best left, Ringo Starr was added to the group.
Band: Music

They were an instant success and at their peak they held the top 5
spots on the billboard hot 100 singles chart. Till date, they have sold
over a billion records

#1 Can’t Buy Me Love

#2 Twist and Shout

#3 She Loves You

#4 I Want To Hold Your Hand

#5 Please Please Me

In 1965, Epstien overdosed on
sleeping pills.

Paul McCartney took over
managing the group.

Disagreements began to take
place.
Epstein’s passing
Apple Records

In 1967 the group formed “Apple
Records”.

Signed many talents including
James Taylor, and Mary Hopkins.

Poorly managed, and added to
existing problems in the group.
The break up

1968- Lennon married Yoko Ono.
This relationship created more
hostility within the group.


Lennon decided to leave The
Beatles.
“I’m Leaving the group. I’ve had
enough. I want a divorce.”
-John Lennon
Paul McCartney- Solo



“Wings” is a quick success
April 10th, 1970- Paul McCartney
released his first solo album.
•
McCartney today has a very
successful solo career.
•
Continues to write and perform.
He publically announced the
band was breaking up.
He forms a new group “Wings”
John Lennon- Solo

1971- Lennon released his first solo
album “Imagine.”

The song “Imagine” is voted the
3rd best song of all time by Rolling
Stones Magazine.

In 1973 Lennon was granted U.S.
residency and moved to Los
Angeles.

Continued to record music. Did
work with David Bowie and Elton
John.
1980 Lennon
Recorded the
album “Double
Fantasy.”
On December 8,
1980, John Lennon
was shot and killed.
John Lennon
Murdered
George Harrison & Ringo Starr




Harrison on the break up, “Just a
relief. We should have done it years
ago.”
He would go on to pursue a solo
career
Saddened by Lennon’s death, he
wrote a tribute song “All Those Years
Ago.”
November 29, 2001. Harrison died
from a long battle with cancer.

Ringo Starr did work with Lennon on
his “Imagine” album.

He pursued a solo career and a
career in acting.

In 2008 he released his latest solo
album “Liverpool 8.”

Continues to perform to this day.
1988 The Beatles are
Inducted into The
Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame
Composition History
"Come Together"

Originally written for Timothy Leary’s political campaign.

Recorded July 31st, 1969

Grammy Award Winner

Later covered by Michael Jackson and Aerosmith
“Let It Be”

Song was written about Paul McCartney’s mother who passed
away when he was 14.

Recorded January 1969.
“Love Me Do”

Written by Lennon & McCartney.

Inspired by McCartney’s girlfriend Iris Caldwell.

McCartney took over lead vocals due to Lennon’s numb mouth
from playing harmonica.
"Across the Universe"

Written after an argument Lennon had with his wife.

Recorded February 1968.
Listening Guide
"Come Together"

2:02- Bridge
A drum fill introduces a solo which is led by electric piano.
4 measures an electric guitar solo resolves into a version of the intro
vamp with the bass, electric guitar, electric piano and no drums.
“Let It Be”

0:38- Chorus
The chorus continues with solo piano and vocal lead and adds a
(boys quire) of oohs and ahh's over the piano progression.

1:19- Chorus
Second chorus is a livelier version of the first with the addition of a
drums and a lead vocal sung with a bit more energy.
The second chorus is four measures longer than the first which allows
it to take on a very uplifting tone.
“Love Me Do”

0:00- Introduction

The intro is led by a simple harmonica solo which is accompanied by
drums, bass and an acoustic guitar being strummed softly in the
background.

The intro sorts out seamlessly into the chorus which follows.

0:57 B-part

When the song's monotony becomes too obvious, this b-section relieves
the back and forth feeling the rest of the song is flooded with. The
arrangement and instrumentation does not change in this section but it
does end abruptly for a couple of beats at the end of the section. This
abrupt ending serves to reset the song in a way that, again, seems to
break up the melodic monotony.

1:25 Second b-part

This section is a repeat of the first b-part with one difference. The
harmonica takes the place of the lead vocals and harmony vocals as it
is played across an melodically identical version of the first b-section.
“Across The Universe”

0:14- Verse 1

The guitar continues to drive the rhythm alone and deep lyrics are
introduced that seem to serve as both information into how the
song should be received and as the melody as well.

2:13- Verse 3

The verse breaks down nearly all the energy that was present and
building throughout the last chorus and only the strings and the
acoustic guitar remain. This arrangement seems to make the
information that the lyrics are trying to get across important again as
there is much less movement in the instrumentation even though the
main instruments are still present.
Bibliography
(n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2013, from Song Facts: http://www.songfacts.com
Brian Epstein. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2013, from The Beatles Bible:
http://www.beatlesbible.com/people/brian-epstein
George Harrison. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2013, from The Beatles Bible:
http://www.beatlesbible.com/people/george-harrison/2/
John Lennon Biography. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2013, from bio:
http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/john-lennon.html
Ringo Starr Biography. (n.d.). Retrieved june 30, 2013, from bio:
http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/ringo-starr.html
Sir Paul McCartney Biography. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2013, from bio:
http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/paul-mccartney.html
The Beatles. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2013, from Rolling Stone:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/the-beatles/biography
Band: Final Years

After Epstein passed away, McCartney took over managing the
group.

The group couldn’t agree with decisions, McCartney was making
and in1967, the group formed Apple Records. Even after signing
some talented young musicians, the label was not managed well
and started causing more problems in the group.

At this point, the band started to fall apart and decided to move in
their own directions.

Paul McCartney released his first solo album and publicly
announced that the band was breaking up and created his own
band called Wings.
Final Years

McCartney was inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.

The Beatles are arguably one of the best bands in history, and their
music will continue to be passed down from generation to
generation.

The Beatles were inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in
1988.

Listening Guide
History of Classical Period

Best known composers are Ludwig van Beethover, Bach, Hadyn and Mozart.

Melodies and plain-old good tunes took over from complex polyphony
(everything playing at once).

The instruments of the Classical period were constantly changing and evolving
as various bright sparks came up with handy innovations and grab ideas, but
there are two main developments that we can point to - first, the piano.
Previously, the harpsichord's twangy sound was all over the place in the
Baroque period, but it gradually became replaced by the piano because of its
ability to play much more softly and subtly than the harpsichord.
The second major development in sound in the Classical period was the
expansion of the orchestra, . In the Baroque period you could expect modest
strings-only orchestras with occasional woodwind accompaniment and a
harpsichord, but as woodwind instruments (clarinet, flute horns, oboe etc) got
better and more versatile, they managed to bag their very own section in a
standard orchestra.