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The Beatles. Brian Epstein. Bob Wooler and My Bonnie by the Beatles Pride in his ability Decca, Brian Poole and the Tremeloes Stu Sutcliffe dies. George Martin and the Parlophone. June 1962, Beatles audition Pete Best Richard Starkey and Ringo. The Heroes of Liverpool.
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Brian Epstein • Bob Wooler and My Bonnie by the Beatles • Pride in his ability • Decca, Brian Poole and the Tremeloes • Stu Sutcliffe dies
George Martin and the Parlophone • June 1962, Beatles audition • Pete Best • Richard Starkey and Ringo
The Heroes of Liverpool • Radio, television and tour appearances
Beatlemania—American Style • Real Rock ‘n’ Roll was not exclusively American music • Ed Sullivan
I Want to Hold Your Hand • Recorded in October 1963 • Opening a compendium of 50s Rock and Roll • First two musical phrases demonstrate this
Beatlemania—American Style • Mass popularity in America • Top 5 April 4, 1964 • International popularity • Lifestyle • Drugs • Third tour to the United States
Yesterday • Written January 1964 but recorded June 1965 • Pre-rock pop song • Melody develops from a short, simple riff • Six sections in AABABA pattern • 32-measure AABA form
Yesterday • McCartney’s singing • Simple acoustic guitar accompaniment outlines a delicate eight-beat rhythm • String accompaniment updated • Gone is the nuclear rock band of 2 guitars, bass and drums • Stronger connection between words and music
Rubber Soul Drive My Car • Cinematic • Sexual tension • Humorous possibility • Accompaniment shows collaboration • McCartney, all the details in place
Rubber Soul Drive My Car • Otis Redding’s Respect • No rhythm guitar • Only chorus has solid chords (heard on piano) • Sounds like soul music
Revolver Eleanor Rigby • Unprecedented topic • Broke sharply with pop song conventions • Detached delivery • Time passes, without apparent purpose
Revolver Eleanor Rigby • Musical setting as bleak as the words • String octet (four violins, two violas, two cellos) • String sound is sparse
Revolver Eleanor Rigby • Chord progressions emulate rock accompaniment • Static melody and harmony • Repetitive rhythm of accompaniment
Revolver Eleanor Rigby • Pop becoming Art? • Classical-style string accompaniment • Comparable to Schubert’s art songs
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds • Verse creates dreamy state • Lyrics contain numerous psychedelic images (marmalade skies) • Music floats in waltz time
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds • Impression of a person in the middle of an acid trip • Chorus is straight-ahead Rock and Roll • Conveys normalcy
A Day in the Life • Mundane vs. elevated consciousness • Music with words vs. instrumental
A Day in the Life Four Scenes • Lennon’s response to a man who dies in his car while, Lennon suspects, he was tripping • Lennon attending a film • Lennon in modern life—work is mundane and competitive • Lennon’s commentary on counting potholes
A Day in the Life • Starts with soloist and guitar • Other instruments layer • Juxtaposed to massive orchestral block of sound • Echoes of Pendercki’s Threnody for Victims of Hiroshima (1960)
A Day in the Life • Well-known vs. obscure music • Tasteful drumming: inventive bass lines • Doubling of the tempo in the “Woke up” section • Trills on “Laugh” and “photograph” • Transition to the acid trip
A Day in the Life • Melodic leap followed by trill blends seamlessly into orchestral texture • Final chord • An “OM” • Striking ending
The “Death” of Paul and the Beatles Break-Up • Back masking • The Paul-is-Dead hoax • By 1970, it was clear that the Beatles were each going separate ways
Summary • Their influence on the music is undeniable • Other influences • Hard mainstream rock, avant-garde rock, psychedelic rock, symphonic rock, and light-hearted rock
Summary • No longer was Rock simply fun music; it was serious • Four directions • John Lennon in the 1970s • Superstitions • Beatlemania end?