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.
A Shot of Rhythm and Blues
The Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And your fingers start a-poppin'
And your feet start a-movin' around
And if you start to swing and sway
When the band starts to play
A real cool way out sound
And if you get to can't help it and you can't sit down
You get a shot of rhythm and blues.
With just a little rock and roll on the side
Just for good measure.
Get a pair of dancin' shoes
Well, with your lover by your side
Don't you know you're gonna have a rockin' time, see'mon!
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
If you start to dance and sing
And chills come up on you
And if the rhythm finally gets you and the beat gets you too
Well, here's something for you to do
Get a shot of rhythm and blues
With just a little rock and roll on the side
Just for good measure
Get a pair of dancin' shoes
Well, with your lover by your side
Don't you know you're gonna have a rockin' time, see'mon!
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
If you start to dance and sing
And chills come up on you
And if the rhythm finally gets you and the beat gets you too
Well, here's something for you to do
Get a shot of rhythm and blues
Get a pair of dancin' shoes
Get a shot of rhythm and blues
Well, with your lover by your side
Don't you know you're gonna have a rockin' time, see'mon!
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
If you start to dance and sing
And chills come up on you
And if the rhythm finally gets you and the beat gets you too
Well, here's something for you to do
Well, here's something for you to do
Well, here's something for you to do
The Beatles' song "A Shot of Rhythm and Blues" is a classic rock and roll tune, written by Terry Thompson and originally recorded by Arthur Alexander in 1961. The song's lyrics describe the invigorating feeling of being completely taken over by the music and rhythm of a great live band, and encouraging listeners to let loose and dance the night away. The opening lines set the tone for the entire song, with their emphasis on physical movement - hands clapping, fingers popping, feet moving around, and bodies swinging and swaying.
The song then transitions into a celebration of the power of live music, with the singer encouraging listeners to indulge in a "cool way out sound" that will make them feel like they can't sit still. The repeated refrain of "Get a shot of rhythm and blues" emphasizes the idea that the music is an intoxicating substance that fuels the body and soul of anyone who surrenders to its power. Throughout the song, the emphasis is on the communal experience of listening to and participating in live music, with lines like "with your lover by your side, don't you know you're gonna have a rockin' time" underscoring the idea that music can bring people together and create powerful shared experiences.
Overall, the lyrics to "A Shot of Rhythm and Blues" are a classic example of the kind of joyful, celebratory songs that were so popular during the early days of rock and roll. By emphasizing the physical and emotional power of live music and encouraging listeners to enjoy themselves to the fullest, the song captures the essential spirit of the genre and remains a favorite among fans of rock and roll to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, if your hands start a-clappin'
If you find yourself clapping your hands in rhythm to the music
And your fingers start a-poppin'
If you find yourself tapping your fingers in time with the beat
And your feet start a-movin' around
If you cannot resist the urge to tap your feet or dance as the music plays
And if you start to swing and sway
If the music makes you move your body in a smooth and rhythmic way
When the band starts to play
When the musical performance of the band starts
A real cool way out sound
An exceptionally delightful and stylish music
And if you get to can't help it and you can't sit down
If you find you cannot resist the urge to move your body in response to the music
You feel like you gotta move around
You feel compelled to move in rhythm to the music
You get a shot of rhythm and blues.
The music energizes you with a burst of rhythm and blues sound
With just a little rock and roll on the side
The song is a mix of blues and rock and roll styles
Just for good measure.
Just to add to the already great combination of music styles
Get a pair of dancin' shoes
Get shoes that are comfortable for dancing
Well, with your lover by your side
With the person you love or are romantically involved with accompanying you
Don't you know you're gonna have a rockin' time, see'mon!
You are sure to have a great time with your partner when you both dance to the rhythm and blues music
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
There is nothing to be concerned about when you are enjoying the music
If you start to dance and sing
If you feel the urge to dance and/or sing along to the music
And chills come up on you
If you feel goosebumps or other sensations due to the music's emotional impact
And if the rhythm finally gets you and the beat gets you too
If the music finally grabs a hold of you and you can't help but move and enjoy the beat
Well, here's something for you to do
Here's a suggestion for you
Get a shot of rhythm and blues
Immerse yourself in the rhythm and blues music
Get a pair of dancin' shoes
Prepare yourself with a comfortable pair of shoes for dancing
Well, with your lover by your side
Again, with the person you love accompanying you to enhance the experience
Don't you know you're gonna have a rockin' time, see'mon!
Dance and enjoy the music with your partner, it is going to be an amazing experience
Well, here's something for you to do
Here's another suggestion for you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TERRY THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on Mother Nature's Son
A really great Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on The Night Before
A really splendid Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on P.S. I Love You
Now this is a really great Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on There's a Place
A seriously underrated Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on Do You Want to Know a Secret
A fantastic song by The Beatles.
Philip Kassabian
on When I'm Sixty-Four
A very tuneful Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds
An excellent Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on I'm Looking Through You
A beautiful Beatles song.
Philip Kassabian
on Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
Honestly The Beatles can't stop producing good songs.
Philip Kassabian
on Michelle
A fantastic Beatles song and absolutely beautiful.