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.
Medley
The Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
night gonna be
Gonna rock it up,
gonna shake it up,
gonna roll it up,
have 'em ball tonight.
Rattle and roll,
I said shake rattle and roll,
to save your doggone soul.
Well get out of that kitchen
and shake those pots and pans.
I said get out of that kitchen
and shake those pots and pans.
I said to my soul:
you're the devil in a frying pan.
Well I said shake rattle and roll,
I said shake rattle and roll,
I said shake rattle and roll,
I said shake rattle and roll.
Well you never done nothing
to save your doggone soul.
You can knock me down,
slap my face,
slander my name
all over the place.
Do anything that you want to do,
but oh oh honey,
lay off of them shoes.
Now don't you step
on my blue suede shoes.
Well you can do anything
but lay off of them blue suede shoes.
Ah go!
You can burn my house,
steal my car,
drink my liquor
from an old fruit jar.
Do anything
that you want to do,
but ah ah honey,
lay off of them shoes.
And don't you step
on my blue suede shoes, please.
Well you can do anything
but lay off of them blue suede shoes.
Ah go, hit it, Carl [Perkins]!
Well blue blue,
blue suede shoes.
Yeah blue blue,
blue suede shoes.
Babe blue blue,
blue suede shoes.
Yeah brown brown
brown suede boots.
Well do anything
but lay off of them blue suede shoes.
The Medley includes two famous rock and roll hits, “Shake, Rattle and Roll” and “Blue Suede Shoes.” “Shake, Rattle and Roll” was originally written and recorded by Big Joe Turner in 1954, but it was later covered by Bill Haley and the Comets, and the song became a hit. The lyrics are about having a good time and dancing, and encouraging people to let loose and shake it up. The line “you’re the devil in a frying pan” is particularly interesting, as it implies that the music is so good and exciting that it can be dangerous. Overall, the song is about how music can make people feel alive and free.
“Blue Suede Shoes” was written and recorded by Carl Perkins in 1955, and it became a hit after Elvis Presley covered it the following year. The lyrics are about a man who has a nice pair of blue suede shoes, and he warns people not to step on them. The shoes are a metaphor for the man’s pride and status, and he is protective of them. The line “do anything that you want to do, but oh oh honey, lay off them shoes” is particularly memorable and has become iconic in pop culture. Overall, the song is about style, pride, and individuality.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't care if I spent my dough
I am unconcerned about the money I'll spend
night gonna be
tonight is going to be memorable
Gonna rock it up,
gonna shake it up,
gonna roll it up,
have 'em ball tonight.
We're going to have an exciting night, filled with dancing and lively energy
Rattle and roll,
I said shake rattle and roll,
Well you never done nothing
to save your doggone soul.
Calling for enthusiasm and liveliness in life, with an undertone of warning that one should prioritize personal growth
Well get out of that kitchen
and shake those pots and pans.
I said get out of that kitchen
and shake those pots and pans.
I said to my soul:
you're the devil in a frying pan.
Urging oneself to put aside daily tasks and spend the night dancing, while also acknowledging the temptation of struggling with personal demons
You can knock me down,
slap my face,
slander my name
all over the place.
I don't care if others disrespect me, lie about me, or even physically harm me
Do anything that you want to do,
but oh oh honey,
lay off of them shoes.
You can do what you want, but don't ruin my prized possessions
Now don't you step
on my blue suede shoes.
Please don't damage my fancy shoes made of blue suede material
Well you can do anything
but lay off of them blue suede shoes.
You can do whatever makes you happy, but just don't mess with my fashionable shoes
Ah go!
An exclamation of enthusiasm
You can burn my house,
steal my car,
drink my liquor
from an old fruit jar.
I don't care if others try to steal or damage my belongings
Babe blue blue,
blue suede shoes.
Repeating that the shoes are one of the most important things to me
Yeah brown brown
brown suede boots.
Acknowledging that other types of shoes exist, but they are not as important as my blue suede shoes
Well do anything
but lay off of them blue suede shoes.
Repeating that I don't care what anyone else does as long as they don't harm my shoes
Writer(s): Dumisani Mabaso, Maurice Ernest Gibb, Robin Hugh Gibb Copyright: Universal Music Publishing Int. Mgb Ltd., Klangspeicher Musikverlag
Contributed by Cole M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@extremixextremix203
Lyrics:
Love, love me do
You know i love you
So pleaseee… I want to hold your hand
I want to hold your hand
It's been a hard day's night
And I've been workin' like a dog
It's been a hard day's night
I should be sleepin' eight days a week
Love you every day, girl
Always on my mind... Yesterday
All my trouble seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday
There are places i'll remember all my life
I've just seen a face
I can't forget the time or place
Where we just met
She's just the girl for me
And I want all the world to see
We've met, mm-mm-mm-dara-ra
We can work it out
We can work it out
Eleanor Rigby
Picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been
Lives in a dream
All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people (all the lonely)
Strawberry fields forever
It's getting hard to be someone but it all works out
It doesn't matter much to me
Let me take you to Penny Lane
There is a barber showing photographs
Of every head he's had the pleasure to know
And all the people that come and go
Stop and say, hello, stop and say, hello
I read the news today, oh boy (oh boy...)
About a lucky man who made the grade (made the grade...)
And though the news was rather sad
Oh, i get by with a little help from my friends
Uhh, i get high with a little help from my friends
With a little help from my friends...
All you need is love (pa-pa-ra-ra-ra)
All you need is love (pa-pa-ra-ra-ra)
All you need is love, love (love)
Love is all you say goodbye, and i say hello, hello hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, i say
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Hey Jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better
(doo-doo-doo-doo)
Here comes the sun and i say it's all right
Come together, right now, over me, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be
(na-na-na-nananana-nananana) (hey Jude)
(na-na-na-nananana-nananana) (hey Jude)
(na-na-na-nananana-nananana) (hey Jude)
(na-na-na-nananana-nananana) (hey Jude)
(na-na-na-nananana-nananana) (hey Jude)
(na-na-na-nananana-nananana) (hey Jude).
Ps: I love you 💕
@user-rs7yg4cm7j
GREAT!!! FANTASTICK!!!
I was very impressed. Ｉgrew up with BEATLES nusic!
I am Japanese. 67years old.
BEATLES's music is still rings in my heart,
your music touched my heart.
Ｉ realise same heart in your souns.
I found big treasure today!!!
Thank you so much!!!
Nice to meet you all!!!
@samgyetang8621
0:15 Love me do
0:35 I want to hold your hand
0:41 A hard days night
0:53 Eight days a week
1:03 Yesterday
1:20 In my life
1:31 I've just seen a face
1:43 We can work it out
1:52 Eleanor Rigby
2:11 Strawberry fields forever
2:27 Penny Lane
2:45 A day in the life
2:58 With a little help from my friends
3:12 All you need is love
3:26 Hello, goodbye
3:37 Blackbird
3:55 Hey Jude
4:18 Here comes the sun
4:27 Come together
4:34 Let it be
4:47 Hey Jude "na na na" parts
@walkofftheearth
We hope you all enjoy this! This was honestly the hardest arrangement we've even done and we're so glad it's finally out.
These dudes wrote the best songs!
ps. If this gets 1 million views in 48 hours we will start 'A History of Queen' immediately!
@thedreadduck
My God it's beautiful. To say that this is my favorite "'cover band" covering my favorite band doesn't do it justice.
@lauriedepaurie
I loved it, great arrangement and amazing performance (transposing like this is hard, not many bands would do as well).
Your renditions were so great, you really make me want to hear the full covers!
@annikabreeden
I love the use of handbells! 💕
@lied8642
Half way there! We'll get that number high, with a little help from the wotelings.
@rudyrodriguezjr.
Oh Yeah!
@stereodreamer23
This is perhaps the most cleverly put-together Beatles medley I've ever heard. And I'm old enough to have been alive when the Beatles were still together!
Well played, folks. Well-played, indeed....
@johnnygoodfool9148
Can we get this in full lenght as a playlist? Please make it happen, the world need this!!!!
@elnamble7886
Agreed. 🤩
@user-st1hz2pd3p
Please