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.
Intro
The Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We'll take the wackest song and make it better
Remember to let us into your skin
Cause then you'll begin, to master
Rhymin rhymin rhymin
Verse One: KRS-One
Criminal minded, you've been blinded
Lookin for a style like mine you can't find it
Sometimes the suckas on the side gotta hear this
Page, a rage, and I'm not in a cage
Free as a bird to fly up out on stage
Ain't here for no frontin just to say a little somethin
Ya suckaz don't like me cause you're all about nothin
However, I'm really fascinating to the letter
My all-around performance gets better and better
My English grammar comes down like a hammer
You need a style, I need to pull your file
I don't beg favors, you're kissing other people's ---
I write and produce myself just as fast
Keep my hair like this, got no time for Jheri curls
Attractin only women, got no
time for little girls
The opening lyrics of The Beatles' song "Intro" may seem confusing at first, as they are actually lines from the hip hop group Boogie Down Productions. However, they set the stage for the rest of the song by highlighting the power of music and lyrics to transcend boundaries and bring people together. The following lyrics from KRS-One describe the challenges he faces as a lyricist, and how he uses his words to break down barriers and connect with his audience.
KRS-One starts by acknowledging that his style is unique and can't be replicated, which sets him apart from his competition. He then declares that he is there for his audience, and that his goal is to uplift and inspire them with his lyrics. He raps about how he is free to express himself however he wants, and how his performances are getting better and better. He also takes on his critics, dismissing their jealousy and emphasizing his commitment to his craft. Finally, KRS-One asserts his independence as a writer and producer, and suggests that his music is designed for mature listeners.
Overall, the lyrics to "Intro" demonstrate the power of music and lyrics to unite people from different backgrounds and break down barriers. They also highlight the importance of individual expression and independence in the creative process, and show how music can be used to inspire and uplift people of all ages and backgrounds.
Line by Line Meaning
Boogie Down Productions will always get paid
Boogie Down Productions will always make money
We'll take the wackest song and make it better
We can improve even the worst songs
Remember to let us into your skin
Listen to us closely and deeply
Cause then you'll begin, to master
By doing so, you'll gain mastery
Rhymin rhymin rhymin
Repeatedly rhyming
Criminal minded, you've been blinded
Your criminal way of thinking has clouded your judgement
Lookin for a style like mine you can't find it
You're trying to imitate my style but can't replicate it
They are the audience, I am the lyricist
The listeners are passive, while I am the one creating the lyrics
Sometimes the suckas on the side gotta hear this
Even the ones on the sideline need to hear my message
Page, a rage, and I'm not in a cage
I have power, anger, and freedom to express myself
Free as a bird to fly up out on stage
I am unbound, and can express myself fully on stage
Ain't here for no frontin just to say a little somethin
I'm not here to show off, just to say something meaningful
Ya suckaz don't like me cause you're all about nothin
You don't like me because you lack substance
However, I'm really fascinating to the letter
Despite that, I'm still fascinating and interesting
My all-around performance gets better and better
My overall performance improves over time
My English grammar comes down like a hammer
My grammar is precise and powerful
You need a style, I need to pull your file
You need to find your own style, and I need to criticize you to help you improve
I don't beg favors, you're kissing other people's ---
I don't ask for favors, but you're being friendly with others to get ahead
I write and produce myself just as fast
I can write and produce quickly by myself
Keep my hair like this, got no time for Jheri curls
I don't care about my hair, I focus on my work
Attractin only women, got no
I only attract women, and have no other distractions
Contributed by Hannah K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@sasquatsch9673
0:05 you can hear the beginning of the song “Can‘t Buy Me Love“ (“CAN‘T“)
0:28 there is an old brown shoe in the street. Maybe a reference to their song “Old Brown Shoe“?
0:36 look at the menu card: there are “Honey Pies“ and „Savoy Truffles“
0:43 in the background there is a meter maid. Maybe her name is Rita? ;)
0:44 Ringo holds a chest with the title “Strawberry Fields Farm“
0:49 the sound of a plane is the beginning of “Back In The U.S.S.R.“
@evanblount8711
0:07 : Pan down from Liverpool (Yellow Submarine Movie)
0:12 : Posters - Come Together, Benefit of Mr Kite, Hard Days Night, St Peters Parish Church (Original meeting place of Paul and John), Twenty Flight Rock (song Paul played to John to join The Quarrymen), Rocky Racoon, Maggie Mae, The Meanie Blues (play on the Blue Meanies), The Semoline Pilchard (I Am The Walrus), Jeremy (Yellow Submarine Movie), Mr Moonlight, Carry That Weight, Blue Jay Way
0:26 : Beatles leaving building (A Hard Days Night)
0:32 : Surgery (Dr Robert), Maxwells Silver Sundries (Maxwells SIlver Hammer), Fireman and Barbershop (Penny Lane)
0:35 : Mean Mr Mustard, 1 & 1 is 2 (Early Paul song), Fish and Finger Pie (Penny Lane), Honey Pies (Honey Pie), Creme Tangerine Montelimar (Savoy Truffle), Ginger sling with pineapple heart (Savoy Truffle), Coffee Desert (Savoy Truffle), Coconut fudge (Savoy Truffle), Savoy Truffle, Cool cherry cream and a nice apple tart (Savoy Truffle)
0:42 : Meter Maid in the background (Lovely Rita)
0:44 : Ringo holds a crate from strawberry fields farm (Strawberry Fields Forever)
1:03 : Typewriter on the floor (Paperback Writer)
1:33 : Sign says "Hello" and "Goodbye" (Hello, Goodbye)
1:36 : Lucy (Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds)
1:40 : Yellow Submarine (Yellow Submarine)
If I've missed any easter eggs, please let me know!
@beatlemaniac8527
0:12 Posters referencing the Beatles
0:18 Cavern club
at 0:28 there is an old brown shoe on the side of the road (Old brown shoe?)
0:25 The Beatles are starting to become very popular
0:33 The Beatles pass "Maxwell's Silver Sundries" (Maxwell's sliver hammer) "Surgery" (Doctor Robert) and a place that sells "Honey Pies", "Fish and Finger Pies" (Penny Lane) and "Savoy truffles"
0:34 Person coming in through a window (She came in through the bathroom window) I think it may be a fireman (Penny Lane)
0:30 the Beatles LOVE jump
0:32 Lizard on the window pane (Happiness Is A Warm Gun)
At 0:33 the cult guy from Help!
(Film) comes out of the road
0:39 The early Beatles pass the later Beatles in Abbey road
0:43 Meter maid (Lovely Rita)
0:44 Ringo holds a box from "Strawberry Fields Farm" (Strawberry Fields Forever
0:49 Back in the USSR plane sound effect (Travelling to America and their world tour)
0:56 Ed Sullivan show
1:03 I think this might be the Budokan Hall, in Japan where the Beatles performed
1:11 Shea stadium
1:17 Sargent Peppers uniforms
1:39 Here comes the sun
1:36 "Lucy" is written in the sky with diamonds. (Lucy in the sky with diamonds)
At 1:37 about, you see this Helter Skelter looking thing on a red and green plannet
At 1:41 there is a yellow submarine just emerging from the right side of the screen
1:48 You can see a man on the moon, which just might be a reference to George on the "Midsummer Night's Dream", Shakespeare skit in 1964, "Around the Beatles" broadcast
@r.pizzamonkey7379
Easter eggs
0:14 posters for various beatles songs. Rocky Racoon, Hard Day's Night, Come Together, Mister Moonlight, Etc.
0:32 Maxwell's Silver Sundries (Maxwell's Silver Hammer), right above the sign there's also a lizard on a window pane (Happiness is a Warm Gun)
0:32 On the left there's a wanted poster for somebody, it's too low resolution in this video to make out but I suspect it might be Bungalow Bill
0:34 Someone's coming out of a manhole, not entirely sure who it's supposed to be though, if someone knows I'd love to hear it
0:36 On the Grape's Menu they have "Fish and Finger Pies" (from Penny Lane), "Honey Pies" (Honey Pie), "Hippy Hippy Shakes" (Hippy Hippy Shake), and the rest of them are all from Savory Truffle. They also have "Breakfast all day Price '1 & 1 is 2'" (One and One is Two)
0:44 Ringo is holding a box from "Strawberry Fields Farm"
1:03 there's a typewriter on the ground, likely referencing Paperback Writer
1:26 John and George look into the light as they're the two Beatles who've died
1:28 The pair of eyes in the background also resemble a pair of ovaries
1:35 I know I've seen that dark sun logo before but I can't place it. Again, if anyone knows I'd love to hear it.
1:36 In the left side of the sun the stars spell out "Lucy" in cursive (Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds)
1:38 A whole bunch of penguins, who I assume are the "Elementary penguins singing Hare Krishna" (I am the Walrus)
1:38 has two boots walking on the left side moon, likely a callback to the Yellow Submarine movie
1:39 has one of those... creatures on the right side moon. Also from the Yellow Submarine movie, I just have no idea what to call it. I don't think they ever give it a name. It's not the Suckophant.
1:40 The Yellow Submarine itself is on the right side
1:42 a sign saying Tuesday pointing left. I think this is a reference to She Came in the Window?
1:42 another weird trumpety Yellow Submarine creature, this time also referencing the song Hello Goodbye with the sign in its belly
1:48 Behind the Beatles is the Moog Synthesizer which they used to great effect in many of their numbers. It was one of the first synthesizer keyboards.
2:19 a blue meanie appears for a fraction of a second going in front of the camera
Honestly there are so many easter eggs I probably missed a bunch. I didn't cover some of the more obvious ones like the freeze-frame photographs or the Cavern, but I tried to make this as complete as possible. Still a few I'm not sure about, I don't think 23 means anything, or the license plate on the taxi they run through, but I'm not sure.
@strawb3rry_fi3lds16
0:14 Twist And Shout
0:23 A Hard Day's Night
0:50 Back In The U.S.S.R
0:52 Paperback Writer
1:20 Here Comes The Sun x Within You Without You
1:31 Here Comes The Sun
1:43 I Am The Walrus
2:25 A Day In The Life
@joshuagraham2762
I WAS WANTING TO FIND OUT THE DIFFERENT SONGS THANK YOU
@HuevoHour777
People like you are gifts to planet earth.
@kkmac7247
Pinned 3 days ago?
@abbeyniner
at the beginning you can also hear a tiny sliver of From Me To You
@MeesterTweester
Thank you!
@BrandonBryler
The FACT that Paul still uses this intro in his concerts is INSANE. God bless his soul ❤
@alonenjersey
"If it isn't broken, do not fix it."
@ivanreiss
I love how it’s George who leads them into the mystic universe
@1krani
Like how he led them to India.