1957-1970: The Beatles Give The World a New Sound

The film Nowhere Boy depicts the initial formation of the Beatles
from the perspective of a young John Lennon. 

It starts with him running from hundreds of screaming fans,
followed by the unfortunate realization that he was just dreaming.

In one scene, Lennon sits alone in a movie theater, surrounded by girls, watching an Elvis Presley film.

His glance shifts quickly between the screen and the theater filled with swooning females,
whose extremely positive reaction causes some surprise on the part of Lennon,
as well as some jealous feelings and a spark of ambition.
As a huge grin spreads across his face, the audience can sense what he is thinking.

Later, after describing this strange experience to his biological mother, he complains:
“Oh, why couldn't God make me Elvis?!” to which she responds,
“Because he was saving you for John Lennon!”

If she did say something similar in real life, she probably had no clue how right she would be.

She also wouldn't live to see John's wish realized.

His birth mother struggled with mental issues, and as a result, 
her sister Mimi took care of John for most of his youth. 
In the film, after the 3 reconcile their differences, his real mother gets hit by a car and dies.

This causes an impenetrable bond to form with Paul McCartney, 
whom John meets at a church social, and who also lost his mother at a young age.

At the social, John performs rock and roll with his group The Quarrymen, which Paul later joins.  

Although The Beatles virtually created a new sound, the film takes note of a few influences.

One of them being Elvis, and another African-American Rock 'n' Roll, as illustrated in the scene where John listens to Screamin' Jay Hawkins' “I Put a Spell On You”. 

Screamin' Jay Hawkins "I Put a Spell On You"--TV Rip

Born Jalacy Hawkins, Screamin' Jay was a pianist and boxer before developing his eccentric stage show. 
He wrote this song after his girlfriend broke up with him, 
so the original version was a lot tamer and much less spooky, probably more like your average love song...
No record company would release it.
....not until he turned it into this, of course....

 

Interesting fact: It's rumored that Screamin' Jay fathered 50 children.
He was either very charming, or put a spell on a lot of women.

In one part of the film, Paul comes over to practice guitar.

As they sit in his bedroom, John puts on a pair of thick dark glasses, 
a gesture which causes Paul to raise his eyebrows with curiosity. 

John responds, “What? It's my Buddy Holly look”,

bringing us to the third influence mentioned in the film......Buddy Holly.

John rocking his Buddy Holly look.

This is a good style for them (...says the hipster).

Hipster Paul.

Left: Thomas Sangster (Paul) Right: Aaron Johnson (John)

in the aforementioned scene from Nowhere Boy

Buddy Holly & The Crickets “Maybe Baby”(Original)
 

As can be heard in his playing, Buddy Holly had one foot in Elvis and one heading towards The Beatles. 
Buddy Holly and The Crickets consisted of drums, electric guitar, vocals, and an upright bass, 
which carried over from jazz and rockabilly.
Essentially, they established the entire concept of a 'band', as would later be structured
primarily with 2 guitars (rhythm, lead), drums, electric bass, and vocals. 

In addition to these instruments, he creatively incorporated unusual sounds
like glockenspiel or box drums.

Another important contribution from Buddy was that he actually wrote his own songs, something which, 
in an era of covers, made him really special.

And finally, even though he can't get any cooler, Mr. Holly was one of the first to use overdubbing, 
a recording technique that allows you to re-record new parts over an already recorded track. 

Buddy Holly & The Crickets "Everyday"

This song takes me back to Stand By Me, every time.

Buddy Holly & The Crickets "That'll Be The Day" (Live on Ed Sullivan)

Their biggest hit...

After playing gigs and gaining recognition, it became clear that Buddy was the star,

and consequently his band felt resentful.

They disbanded, taking the name 'The Crickets', and he eventually went solo.

Buddy played a show in Iowa with Richie Valens, their small plane crashed, 
and February 3rd, 1959 went down in history as “The Day the Music Died”.

His death left a significant gap in the world of music, but with this absence,

a space was created for The Beatles to exist.

Had he lived, the entire history of rock music could be different.

For all we know, it might have turned out better.

Unfortunately for Buddy, though, it turned out exactly as it was supposed to,

and from him, the Beatles (Paul specifically) gained their twangy, bright harmony,

and went on to become bigger than Elvis.

Although not portrayed in the film, The Beatles have frequently mentioned 
the fundamental impact that black vocal groups had on their early sound.

The Del-Vikings were one such group. 
They were one of the few racially integrated groups during that period to have success. 

The Del-Vikings “Come Go With Me”

Here they are, performing their hit many years later (with two of the original members, I believe...)

Lennon and McCartney adapted their vocal style and harmonic progressions from doo-wop and 
Tamla-Motown records, especially those written, produced, and lead-sung by Smokey Robinson.

(Smokey Robinson) and The Miracles “Shop Around"

Smokey and the boys...tearin' it up as usual.

(Smokey Robinson) and The Miracles “What's So Good About Goodbye"

The Ronettes, the only girl group to have toured with The Beatles, seemed more like 
early rock stars than puppets to the industry.

Besides immense talent and stage presence, part of their success was due to Phil Spector, 
a producer known for his famous 'Wall of Sound'.

Spector, despite later years spent as a murderer, was capable of creating a huge,

wonderful sound for several minutes.

He did everything in mono, used special reverb chambers, and included strings 
over rock music to formulate mini “pop symphonies”.

The lyrics were complete nonsense (see: “Then He Kissed Me” by The Crystals),

but to Phil, only the sound mattered.

To achieve such a professional sound, he consistently used musicians like

The Wrecking Crew, a very talented and versatile group.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Phil always used 2 bassists, 
which helped characterize his innovative productions. 

Somehow, he managed to snag the beautiful Ronnie Bennett, lead singer of the Ronettes, lucky guy!
They were married from 1968-1974, though it wasn't your average divorce.

Phil gets something installed in the basement of his mansion for Ronnie.
It could be the sign of a thoughtful husband....or...
It could be a glass coffin.
Although to guys like Phil, a glass coffin probably is a thoughtful gesture.

He proceeds to give Ronnie's mother a tour of the basement, showing off his new coffin.
Phil mentions that her daughter will end up in there if she ever tries to leave him.

Being a jealous guy, he locks Ronnie up in his miniature castle, 
something which can be appreciated by guys like Tom Cruise.
He holds her captive for several months, until her mother gets her past barred windows,
guards, attack dogs, barbed-wire fences......your typical security setup.

I don't blame Phil for falling in love with Ronnie, but kidnapping?

Not your best move dude. 

The Ronettes “Be My Baby” (1963)

The Ronettes completely own it in this video, they were so great.
Female audience members scream as if they're at a Beatles concert.

This was the kind of music my mom grew up on,
so it feels special to me, and is definitely one of my favorite songs.

*Note the introduction from Chuck Berry*

In the beginning, there was a fifth Beatle...
The original line-up included John, Paul, and George on guitar, Pete Best on drums,
and Stu Sutcliffe on bass.

Now, rock stars are inherently cool. They have to be...it's part of the job description.

Stu makes the other four Beatles look pretty nerdy without effort.

He was undoubtedly the cool one.

If he had remained with the group, press conferences might have looked somewhat different.

Where the others were cheeky and charming, sarcastic and quick-witted,

Stu would probably just stand there silently, with sunglasses, aloof and disinterested.

Although his presence would have made a fine addition to the Beatles,

Stu's true love was painting, so he left to pursue his chosen artistic outlet at the Hamburg State Art College.

Here is one of his pieces:

Despite their increased success, Stu never regretted his choice to leave The Beatles, 

because he felt fame was already attainable through painting.  

Sadly, he died in 1962 from a brain hemorrhage at the age of 21. 

The 1994 movie Backbeat depicts this early time frame for The Beatles, focusing specifically on Sutcliffe.

In terms of casting, they pretty much nailed it. Just look at their faces.

I think getting Stephen Dorff to play Stu was an excellent choice.

 The Marvelettes "Mr. Postman" (Beatles Cover, from the 1994 film Backbeat)

The Beatles did a lot of covers in their early days. This is a cover from the film.

The soundtrack...

And the film...

After their time spent as the Quarrymen, they became Johnny and the Moondogs.
Their next incarnation was the Silver Beatles, partially derived from Buddy Holly and the Crickets. 
Finally...simply.....it was just The Beatles.

In 1961, Brian Epstein, a record-store owner in Liverpool, kept getting requests for "My Bonnie".
He decided to check them out at the Cavern Club, a smoky underground club where they
frequently performed during lunch.


Once designated as manager, Epstein transforms their style from wild, unkempt greasers...

into sophisticated, polished suits...

Epstein writes to a journalist, predicting that his group will "one day be bigger than Elvis", and he was right.

What made The Beatles special from the beginning was their playing.....
simple, intelligent, skillful, but not virtuosic.
Extreme technical skill might gain you respect, but it doesn't guarantee a widespread audience.
Three members composed and sang lead, contributing to their varied songwriting style.
I'm sure Ringo was too busy smiling, off in his own world, to bother singing.

The Beatles "Money" (Cover of Barrett Strong Original)-with Pete Best on drums


Pete Best, loved by the locals in Liverpool, was often considered
the most handsome and popular of the group.
He failed to mesh with them on a personal level though,
and they eventually replaced him with Ringo Starr.
Unlike Ringo, who couldn't help but grin when behind the kit, Pete never smiled on stage.
Ringo was a better fit in terms of personality, and also a more talented drummer.
Born Richard Starkey, he got his stage-name 'Ringo Starr' from all the rings he wore on his fingers,
and from his drum solo called "Starr Time".
Here's a hard rock cover of Barrett Strong's "Money", featuring Pete on the drums.

I'm really glad that Ringo came along.
He's my favorite Beatle by far...very funny....and much more relaxed than the rest of the group,
He seemed like he didn't know what was going on most of the time.

The Beatles "There's a Place"

Here's another early recording from The Beatles.
This footage is great, they're so young.

On November 22nd, 1963, JFK was assassinated, a death which broke America's heart.
He was essentially a rock star president. Very handsome. Young family. Beautiful wife.
JFK was also the first genuine "TV president".
Put simply, he was cool.
Not Bill Clinton "cool", but actually cool. 

His assassination was probably due to his being a person of substance.
The big guys probably wanted him to do something...he probably didn't want to do it...
Conveniently, he's dead.

By the time John, Paul, George, and Ringo arrived in the States,
Americans were ready to fall in love again.

With Elvis in the Army, there was a void of teen heartthrobs. 

To fill that space, they marketed Jersey Shore guys like Frankie Avalon (although he's from Philly)...
causing unhip teenagers already obsessed with cars and surf music to have little time to appreciate
the blues and rock 'n' roll of the prior decade.

Frankie Avalon "Venus"

Although Frankie had a nice voice, there had to be better music than this...and there was...


In 1964, The Beatles gave rock and roll back to America, and it was good stuff.
To Americans they seemed charming, deflecting heated questions from the press with their
collaborative and witty interviewing style.

Young girls around the world were hopelessly in love, generating a collective swoon,
completely unforeseen and unprecedented, even compared to Elvis,
though they differed from him in one key way.
Generally, they were more respected by adults and had their 'permission', in a sense. 

The Beatles "Please Please Me"

Released in March 1963, it was the group's second single,
but their first number 1 hit on most of the UK charts.

The Beatles "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"

This song was released in late November 1963, making them famous around the world.

The Beatles "Love Me Do"


This video provides a glimpse into the general atmosphere of hysteria the Beatles experienced,
although there is no way to imagine what it was actually like.

The Beatles "All My Loving" "Till There Was You" and "She Loves  You"
(Live, First Ed Sullivan Show appearance, February 9th, 1963)

Apparently, Ed Sullivan was at London Heathrow when 50,000 (or so) girls showed up
and prevented Queen Elizabeth from taking off.
As lovely as she might be, they weren't there for the Queen.
Impressed, Sullivan booked the group for 3 shows in one month (for half-price, I hear).

After their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show, an estimated 73 million viewers tuned in,
which meant that 73 million people had heard this new sound, and there was no going back from that.

 "She Loves You" was released in August of '63. which essentially began "The Year of the Beatles".

In the song, Paul uses a falsetto "WOOO!", paying homage to Little Richard.

"All My Loving" is probably my favorite from their early work.

The Beatles "A Hard Day's Night"

That spring, they returned home to film A Hard Days Night, a fictionalized documentary that dramatizes an exaggerated day for the group, while simultaneously portraying the excitement that surrounded them.
On a low budget and a tight schedule, they released the film in July 1964.
In doing so, they brought Beatlemania to viewers around the world.
People who couldn't go to their concerts now had intimate access to their world.

This film in particular helped to establish their mythological roles in the public mind, 

also functioning to create four distinct personalities within one group. 

John was sarcastic and intelligent.
Paul, boyish and charming.
Ringo had an excellent sense of humor.
And for George, they constructed him as the "quiet one", although that's a common misconception.
Despite being a rather private person (understandably), he was very outgoing.

The Beatles "I'm Down"

The harder, grittier flip side to their single "Help!", "I'm Down" was released August 6th, 1965.

The Beatles "Tomorrow Never Knows"

Revolver, released in August of 1966, was considered 'avant-garde'.
1965-66 marked the beginning of their drug use, mostly pot and LSD.
Around this time, John meets Yoko Ono, an avant-garde conceptual artist.
You can hear the influence of drugs in their music.

The Beatles "Eleanor Rigby"

Another one of my favorites.

 The Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band"

Sgt. Pepper came out June 2nd, 1967 during the "Summer of Love".
Here's a cool video, made in the 80s, that animates the cover.

 

The Beatles "A Day in the Life"

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band took 700 hours to record,
in extreme contrast to the 12 hours it took for their first album. 
It includes experimental techniques, giant orchestras, overdubbing, and the like.
The public responded with euphoria and excitement.
The 'counterculture' was growing in opposition to the establishment, 

and they loved what they were hearing. 

As a group intimately linked with the 60s, The Beatles both created and reflected the times.

 

The Beatles "Strawberry Fields"

Magical Mystery Tour was a TV film that aired in Britain, Christmas, 1967.
It failed miserably there, making it the group's first real failure.
The movie didn't even make it to the U.S.

Heavy, heavy drug use.

"I Am The Walrus"

The Beatles started becoming more experimental, allowing things like chance happenings
to influence their work.
In "I Am The Walrus", a broadcast of King Lear happened to be on the radio during recording,
and they mixed it into the song, an early instance of 'sampling'.
They also incorporated fragmentary thoughts, stream of consciousness, and other collage-like elements to their already creative and innovative style.

            

The Beatles "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"

Off the 1968 Beatles White Album, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" 

was written and performed by George Harrison.

It might just be my top pick for Beatles music. 

The Beatles "Helter Skelter"

I guess they did a lot of drugs while recording the White Album.
One take of "Helter Skelter" clocked in at 27 minutes of jam time,
and many Beatles fans claim they could die happy if they heard that version.
The one that made the album is cut down to roughly 4 and a half minutes.

It's borderline punk, just listen to the intro!

The Beatles "Come Together"


"Come Together" was on the album Abbey Road, released in 1969.
The album was the last of their studio records, but not the last to be released....

The Beatles "Let It Be"

Released with the film in 1970, Let It Be was the last of The Beatles as a cohesive unit.
It was an unraveling of their mythological persona and pseudo-religious aura.
Originally titled Get It Back, as in "getting back to their roots",
it turned into a film documenting their breakup.

graymonster