Here, There & Everywhere

I have written a number of these longer posts now. Giving a history of some of the best bands to come out of Britain.

The history of The Beatles has been documented extensively by people who are more qualified than me! I instead want to use this post, to highlight why I think the story of the Fab Four and the songs they left behind is still important today. 

The Songs:

The Beatles, wrote some of the most iconic songs of all time. In an eight year period they would write a number of songs that would change the world. From ‘Love Me Do’ all the way through to ‘The Long and Winding Road’ there are countless brilliant songs. Hit singles that have become part of the furniture and fabric of British society. Think ‘Hey Jude’, ‘Penny Lane’, ‘Ticket to Ride’ ‘Help’, ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ the list keeps going.

Away from those singles, you have the album tracks that are often just as good if not better.  All of them sounding unique and different. With each album creating a new Beatles sound. ‘A Day in the Life’ for instance sounds nothing like ‘Here Comes the Sun’ and neither sound like ‘A Hard Day’s Night’. Yet they were all written by the same band.  

These songs are now a few decades old, and yet they don’t sound dated, or of a time. They have a timeless feel to them. Even in 2024 they still sound contemporary and modern. 

It’s quite an extraordinary thing, that these songs still fit into modern society. When the band released ‘Now & Then’ in 2023, it went straight in at Number One in the UK Singles Chart. The final song by the band, bringing the story to its end.

Written by four lads from Liverpool they have gone to far surpass the achievements of the band themselves.

The songs they wrote, recorded and released to the world, far out stretch and will out live the band. 

The Fab Four: 

The Beatles, are four lads from Liverpool. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

All of which have there own stories, there own songs both with and without The Beatles and are extremely talented individuals in their own right.

Good songwriters come around a lot, from Dylan, to Richard’s and Jagger. Through to Stevie Nicks, David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, etc. However to have them be in the same band is extremely rare. The Beatles had three unbelievable songwriters.

Lennon & McCartney formed a songwriting duo that wrote the vast amount of The Beatles early work, Harrison’s work would start to be included later down the line but he would write some of the bands most well loved hits. From ‘Taxman’ to ‘Here Comes the Sun.

Having George writing these brilliant songs alongside Lennon and McCartneys prolific partnership, made the band a songwriting machine. Releasing a new album every year from 1963 to 1970 when they would break up.

Constantly breaking boundaries, never afraid to try new things. They all matured into brilliant musicians throughout the bands career. It’s an evolution that saw the band embrace new technology and turned Abbey Road Studios into a laboratory where they would create musical masterpieces.

Paving the way for the artists that would come after them. Incorporating different genres, and exploring different themes in their music. Which set the trend for artists like David Bowie, Madonna etc. 

The Influence:

The Beatles were more than just musicians, they became cultural icons. For both the right and wrong reasons.

Whether it be John saying the band were bigger than Jesus. Which caused uproar in the States. But also being the first band to refuse to play to segregated audience.

George taking the band to India to meet Ravi Shankar, Paul and John being introduced to LSD. The band were symbols of the changing times, the poster boys of the ‘Swinging Sixties.’ Arguably the first mega stars.

Beatlemania was huge, with adoring fans flocking to meet the Fab Four. As a band they embodied the spirit of the time, a symbol of the teenager and youthful rebellion. 

John is the most famous for his non musical endeavours, becoming a symbol for the peace movement. A leading figure of the counter culture. Wanting to use music as a force for change. His biggest show of this was after the breakup of The Beatles with the songs ‘Imagine’ and ‘Happy Xmas (War is Over)’ 

Lennon’s life was cut short in 1980, when a fan Mark Chapman. Shot Lennon outside the Dakota Building in New York. The poster boy of the 60s and arguably the biggest band ever had been shot dead. An advocate of peace and a better world, had lost his life in such a violent act.

Even after The Beatles had broken up, this event sent shockwaves across the world, and is a huge part of The Beatles story. 

Where Lennon was the visionary voice of the band and of the counter culture. McCartney was the melodic maestro.  The other half of a song writing powerhouse.

He had the knack for writing great songs, and it can be argued he was the bands most talented musician. A brilliant piano, guitar and bass player. Able to transverse genres effortlessly. Never compromising on the song. From the beautiful protest nature of ‘Blackbird’ through to the love letter to Liverpool with ‘Penny Lane’. McCartney would write some of the most well loved pop songs of all times.

Away from The Beatles he would have success with Wings and as a solo artist. Headlining Glastonbury twice, and reaching the top of the charts countless times. Releasing two great Christmas songs. Writing a bond theme. Cementing his reputation as one of the greats. 

George: The Quiet One… 

You cannot understate George’s influence to The Beatles and British music in general. One of the best guitarists and song writers of his generation.

Lennon & McCartney may have been in the spotlight but Harrison’s ideas, and spiritually seep deeply into The Beatles dna, in a profound way.

Harrison was the one who took the band too India for the first time. Where they would meet Ravi Shankar, and begin to introduce the idea of Indian classical music and spiritual ideas to their music. Harrison also learnt how to play the sitar which would be used on Beatles songs ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird has Flown) and ‘Love you To’ to great effect.

Harrison’s songs offered the listener, a look into his world, and the spiritual journey he was embarking on. A window into his thoughts and emotions.

Away from the guitar, like his fellow band mates. Harrison was a real Humanitarian. Wanting to use music for good. He helped organise the 1971 Concert for Bangladesh, was a key advocate for environmental conservation and world peace.

He was also a keen motorsport fan and helped finance the very first Monty Python movie, because he wanted to see it. Still the most anyone has ever paid for a cinema ticket.

As a solo artist he was the first to have a Number One single with ‘My Sweet Lord’ and also the first to have a Number One album with ‘All Things Must Pass.’

Although the quiet in demeanour. George was anything but a passenger in The Beatles journey. 

Ringo Starr: The Hearbeat of The Beatles 

I feel like people often forget about Ringo. He played pivotal role. He kept it all together, in more ways than one. It’s a drummers job to do that.

Often overshadowed by his band mates it’s important that we don’t forget about him. He did not have the songwriting prowess of the others but his drumming provided the backing track to some of the most iconic songs ever.

His drumming is instantly recognisable, especially on songs like ‘Come Together’ and ‘Ticket to Ride’. Ringo is the unsung hero behind the drum kit. Not wanting to intrude on the songwriting front. Happy with providing the drum beats on the most iconic songs of his generation. Ringo did take vocal duties on some Beatles tunes though. Most notably on ‘Octopuses Garden’ and ‘Yellow Submarine’ some of the most beautiful and infectious songs the band ever wrote.

Ringo is the perfect fit for these songs about child hood innocence, and adventure. 

A man with a quick wit, infectious charm and an affable personality that made him popular with fans and musicians a like. 

Global Phenomenon:

The Beatles are still even today a global phenomenon, a band that still generate attention today.

It’s a story that has many twists and turns. Four lads from Liverpool took on and took over the world, and it generates interest. A story of love, hope, tragedy, grief, unity, inspiration. Soundtracked by 213 songs and 12 albums.

A story that saw the band come from humble working class beginnings, through to the worlds most famous club “The Cavern” to stadium shows in America, where they couldn’t here themselves think. Then to creating concept albums, with mysterious characters. A story that saw them lose the main characters, in the form of their manager Brian Epstein and their producer George Martin at the height of their fame.

It’s a story that is anything but boring. A story that has more added to it with the passage of time. With the release of the final Beatles song in 2023, the chapter is closed on The Beatles at least for now.

But just know that someone, somewhere, will be listening to those songs for the first time. They’ll be hooked by the catchy pop nature of ‘She Loves You’. Or their mind will bend to ‘A Day in the Life’ maybe they’ll fall in love with ‘Something’ or be transported on a psychedelic adventure with ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’.

Like it or not. The Beatles are never going away, they are pioneers of modern music. Without them, well who knows what the world would be like.

Those four lads from Liverpool really did something special. 

Thank you for reading x