Led by primary songwriters Lennon and McCartney, the Beatles built their reputation playing clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg over three years from 1960, initially with Stuart Sutcliffe playing bass. The core trio of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison, together since 1958, went through a succession of drummers, eventually settling with Pete Best in 1960, who played with them for two years before being replaced with then Rory Storm & The Hurricanes drummer Ringo Starr in 1962. Manager Brian Epstein molded them into a professional act and producer George Martin guided and developed their recordings, greatly expanding their domestic success after their first hit, "Love Me Do", in late 1962. As their popularity grew into the intense fan frenzy dubbed "Beatlemania", the band acquired the nickname "the Fab Four", with Epstein, Martin and other members of the band's entourage sometimes given the informal title of "fifth Beatle".
By early 1964, the Beatles were international stars, leading the "British Invasion" of the United States pop market and breaking numerous sales records. They soon made their film debut with A Hard Day's Night (1964). From 1965 onwards, they produced increasingly innovative recordings, including the albums Rubber Soul (1965), Revolver (1966) and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), and enjoyed further commercial success with The Beatles (also known as "the White Album", 1968) and Abbey Road (1969). In 1968, they founded Apple Corps, a multi-armed multimedia corporation that continues to oversee projects related to the band's legacy. After the group's break-up in 1970, all four members enjoyed success as solo artists. Lennon was shot and killed in December 1980, and Harrison died of lung cancer in November 2001. McCartney and Starr remain musically active.
The Beatles are the best-selling music act of all time, with estimated sales of 600 million units worldwide. They hold the record for most number-one albums on the UK Albums Chart, most number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and most singles sold in the UK. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, and all four main members were inducted individually between 1994 and 2015. In 2008, the group topped Billboard's list of the all-time most successful artists on the Billboard Hot 100. The band received seven Grammy Awards, four Brit Awards, an Academy Award (for Best Original Song Score for the 1970 film Let It Be) and fifteen Ivor Novello Awards. Time magazine named them among the 20th century's 100 most important people.
Former Rolling Stone associate editor Robert Greenfield compared the Beatles to Picasso, as "artists who broke through the constraints of their time period to come up with something that was unique and original "... In the form of popular music, no one will ever be more revolutionary, more creative and more distinctive ..." The British poet Philip Larkin described their work as "an enchanting and intoxicating hybrid of African-American rock-and-roll with their own adolescent romanticism", and "the first advance in popular music since the War".
They not only sparked the British Invasion of the US, they became a globally influential phenomenon as well. From the 1920s, the US had dominated popular entertainment culture throughout much of the world, via Hollywood films, jazz, the music of Broadway and Tin Pan Alley and, later, the rock and roll that first emerged in Memphis, Tennessee. The Beatles are regarded as British cultural icons, with young adults from abroad naming the band among a group of people that they most associated with UK culture.
Their musical innovations and commercial success inspired musicians worldwide. Many artists have acknowledged the Beatles' influence and enjoyed chart success with covers of their songs. On radio, their arrival marked the beginning of a new era; in 1968 the programme director of New York's WABC radio station forbade his DJs from playing any "pre-Beatles" music, marking the defining line of what would be considered oldies on American radio. They helped to redefine the album as something more than just a few hits padded out with "filler", and they were primary innovators of the modern music video. The Shea Stadium show with which they opened their 1965 North American tour attracted an estimated 55,600 people, then the largest audience in concert history; Spitz describes the event as a "major breakthrough ... a giant step toward reshaping the concert business". Emulation of their clothing and especially their hairstyles, which became a mark of rebellion, had a global impact on fashion.
According to Gould, the Beatles changed the way people listened to popular music and experienced its role in their lives. From what began as the Beatlemania fad, the group's popularity grew into what was seen as an embodiment of socio-cultural movements of the decade. As icons of the 1960s counterculture, Gould continues, they became a catalyst for bohemianism and activism in various social and political arenas, fuelling movements such as women's liberation, gay liberation and environmentalism. According to Peter Lavezzoli, after the "more popular than Jesus" controversy in 1966, the Beatles felt considerable pressure to say the right things and "began a concerted effort to spread a message of wisdom and higher consciousness".
Other commentators such as Mikal Gilmore and Todd Leopold have traced the inception of their socio-cultural impact earlier, interpreting even the Beatlemania period, particularly on their first visit to the US, as a key moment in the development of generational awareness. Referring to their appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show Leopold states: "In many ways, the Sullivan appearance marked the beginning of a cultural revolution ... The Beatles were like aliens dropped into the United States of 1964.
In 1965, Queen Elizabeth II appointed Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). The Beatles won the 1971 Academy Award for Best Original Song Score for the film Let It Be (1970). The recipients of seven Grammy Awards and fifteen Ivor Novello Awards, the Beatles have six Diamond albums, as well as 20 Multi-Platinum albums, 16 Platinum albums and six Gold albums in the US. In the UK, the Beatles have four Multi-Platinum albums, four Platinum albums, eight Gold albums and one Silver album. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
The best-selling band in history, the Beatles have sold more than 800 million physical and digital albums as of 2013. They have had more number-one albums on the UK charts, fifteen, and sold more singles in the UK, 21.9 million, than any other act. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked the Beatles as the most significant and influential rock music artists of the last 50 years. They ranked number one on Billboard magazine's list of the all-time most successful Hot 100 artists, released in 2008 to celebrate the US singles chart's 50th anniversary. As of 2017, they hold the record for most number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100, with twenty. The Recording Industry Association of America certifies that the Beatles have sold 178 million units in the US, more than any other artist. They were collectively included in Time magazine's compilation of the 20th century's 100 most influential people. In 2014, they received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
There are two holidays celebrated for the Beatles: Global Beatles Day on 25 June each year. On that date in 1967, the band performed "All You Need Is Love" on television. In 2001, UNESCO created World Beatles Day on 16 January each year. This date has direct relation to the opening of The Cavern Club in 1957.
Five asteroids, 4147 Lennon, 4148 McCartney, 4149 Harrison, 4150 Starr and 8749 Beatles are named after the Beatles.
11
The Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's one for you, nineteen for me
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman
Should five per cent appear too small
Be thankful I don't take it all
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah I'm the taxman
If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat.
If you get too cold I'll tax the heat,
If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet.
Don't ask me what I want it for
If you don't want to pay some more
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman
Now my advice for those who die
Declare the pennies on your eyes
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman
And you're working for no one but me.
The Beatles' "Taxman" is a satirical take on the United Kingdom's tax system from the point of view of the Taxman, or Inland Revenue. The song is the opening track of their 1966 album "Revolver". It was written by George Harrison, who was inspired to write it after discovering how much of the band's earnings were being taken in taxes. The song is complete with a heavy guitar riff and piercing, distinctive laughs from McCartney (who was playing a Hohner Pianet keyboard for the track).
In the first verse, the Taxman introduces himself and makes it clear that he's going to take a big chunk of the listener's money. In the second, he tries to make the case that he's actually not taking as much as he could be, and that the listener should be grateful. The bridge of the song is a series of examples of how the Taxman is going to find ways to tax the listener, from driving their car to taking a leisurely walk. The final verse concludes with a warning that even after death, the Taxman will still be taking what he feels is his piece of the pie.
The song's lyrics clearly show The Beatles' dissatisfaction with their high tax rates, which were about 95% for those in their income bracket at the time. The song can also be interpreted as a commentary on the government's tendency to overtax, even on the most basic everyday activities. The song had a significant impact on British tax policy, and many believe that it led to the government lowering the tax rates the following year.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me tell you how it will be
The singer is going to explain how things will work in regards to taxes.
There's one for you, nineteen for me
For every dollar earned, the government takes 19 cents as tax.
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman
The singer is emphasizing their authority and role as the tax collector.
Should five per cent appear too small
If the tax rate seems low, don't be fooled.
Be thankful I don't take it all
The artist is reminding the listener that they could take more than what they do.
If you drive a car, I'll tax the street,
The government collects taxes on various things, including roads and transportation.
If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat.
Even sitting down can be a taxable activity.
If you get too cold I'll tax the heat,
Staying warm in your own home can also be subject to taxation.
If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet.
Even walking outside and using public sidewalks can be subject to taxes.
Don't ask me what I want it for
The artist is telling the listener not to question why taxes are collected.
If you don't want to pay some more
If you don't want to pay more taxes, don't ask questions.
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman
The artist is reminding the listener of their authority in collecting taxes.
Now my advice for those who die
The singer is giving advice to those who have passed away.
Declare the pennies on your eyes
Even in death, the government expects to collect taxes.
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman
The singer is emphasizing their role as the collector of taxes.
And you're working for no one but me.
The listener is reminded that all their hard work and earnings ultimately go towards paying taxes to the government.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: George Harrison
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bruno Palermo
I think the Queen of Hearts is Prudence, from Dear Prudence.
"Dear Prudence, open up your eyes
Dear Prudence, see the sunny skies
The wind is low, the birds will sing
That you are part of everything
Dear Prudence, won't you open up your eyes?"
And also the "daisy chain".
Bruno Palermo
I think the Queen of Hearts is Prudence, from Dear Prudence.
"Dear Prudence, open up your eyes
Dear Prudence, see the sunny skies
The wind is low, the birds will sing
That you are part of everything
Dear Prudence, won't you open up your eyes?"
And also the "daisy chain".
Derek Ortega
Mark, this is SO cool! I just saw the advertisement on Facebook and went to the site for prices.... I thought of your youtube and what do you know, there you were showing yours! ( I was wondering if they were legit or not )... for sure, I am going to order the same deluxe set that you got. Thank you for posting this!
Mark P.
That's awesome. Glad I could help!
Astrosjer
These look great Mark. I have seen the ads on Instagram for these.
Max Edison
Hi Mark,
Thanks for showing this video; as always, very informative and interesting.
I think that Theory 11 may have missed an opportunity with the Joker card. Instead of the "Fool on the Hill", they might have referenced "I am the Walrus" with the line, "....the Joker laughs at you" I got the deluxe set also, and I am really impressed by the high quality.
All the best and keep making these great videos!
Seamus Finnegan
Very entertaining video. The cards look very nice, so you convinced me to order a deck.
cazito64
Queen of Hearts is definitely Dear Prudence.
The sun is up...
.. .open up your eyes
...the birds will sing
The clouds will be a daisy chain
cdotsey
Jack of clubs is mr kite. He jumps through his hoop. Show starts at 10 to 6
Mr Beatlespro
I entertained getting these but I’m gonna wait and see if the price comes down at all. They are nice looking though.
Mark P.
I was kinda on the fence but decided to go for it. Glad I did. They are really nice, high quality cards.