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.
Paperback Writer
The Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?
It took me years to write, will you take a look?
It's based on a novel by a man named Lear
And I need a job
So I wanna be a paperback writer
Paperback writer
It's a dirty story of a dirty man
And his clinging wife doesn't understand
His son is working for the Daily Mail
It's a steady job
But he wants to be a paperback writer
Paperback writer
Paperback writer (paperback writer)
It's a thousand pages, give or take a few
I'll be writing more in a week or two
I could make it longer if you like the style
I can change it 'round
And I wanna be a paperback writer
Paperback writer
If you really like it you can have the rights
It could make a million for you overnight
If you must return it you can send it here
But I need a break
And I wanna be a paperback writer
Paperback writer
Paperback writer (paperback writer)
Paperback writer (paperback writer)
Paperback writer (paperback writer)
Paperback writer (paperback writer)
Paperback writer (paperback writer)
The Beatles’ song “Paperback Writer” is a commentary on the commercialization of the publishing industry and the desire for fame and success. The first verse of the song is a plea from the perspective of an aspiring writer to a publisher to read their book, which is based on a novel by a man named Lear. The writer is not interested in writing a “great American novel,” but instead desires to be a “paperback writer” and achieve commercial success. The writer is so desperate for a job that they are willing to compromise their creative vision to achieve success.
The second verse critiques the nature of the publishing industry and the kinds of books that are successful. The “dirty story of a dirty man” is a reference to pulp fiction, which was a popular genre at the time. In this genre, authors create sensational stories filled with sex and violence in order to attract readers. The clinging wife who doesn’t understand is a common trope in these stories. The verse also comments on the limited job opportunities available to young people at the time, and the desire to break out of those traditional roles and achieve something great.
Overall, “Paperback Writer” is a satirical take on the publishing industry, commercialization, success, and the desire to make it big as a writer.
Line by Line Meaning
Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?
Please give my book a chance and read it, even if you don't know me.
It took me years to write, will you take a look?
I have put a lot of time and effort into creating this book, and I hope you will appreciate it.
It's based on a novel by a man named Lear
My book is inspired by the work of a great author named Lear.
And I need a job
I am hoping that my writing skills will lead me to a profitable career.
So I wanna be a paperback writer
I hope to become a bestselling author, with my works of literature available to the masses.
It's a dirty story of a dirty man
The subject matter of my book is quite controversial, and may not be suitable for everyone.
And his clinging wife doesn't understand
The relationship between the main character and his wife is difficult and complicated.
His son is working for the Daily Mail
The main character's son has a job working for a newspaper.
It's a steady job
While his son's job is stable, it may not be what he truly desires.
But he wants to be a paperback writer
The son aspires to be a writer, just like his father.
It's a thousand pages, give or take a few
This book is quite long, and has taken a lot of time and effort to write.
I'll be writing more in a week or two
I am determined to keep writing, and hope to create even more works in the near future.
I could make it longer if you like the style
If the reader enjoys the style of my writing, I would be happy to create even longer works.
I can change it 'round
I am a flexible writer, and am open to changing my work to suit the reader's preferences.
And I wanna be a paperback writer
My goal is to create literature that will be accessible and enjoyable to a wide audience.
If you really like it you can have the rights
If a publisher is interested in my book, I would be happy to sell the rights to them.
It could make a million for you overnight
If this book becomes successful, the publisher stands to make a significant amount of money.
If you must return it you can send it here
If the reader is not satisfied with the book, they can return it to the publisher.
But I need a break
Writing can be exhausting, and I need some time to rest.
And I wanna be a paperback writer
Despite the challenges, I remain committed to my goal of becoming a successful author.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Iricom US Ltd
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@brendanmcguinness808
Ringo was controlling the other Beatles with his powers
@lunahetfield
Brendan McGuinness XD
@Abcd-df2ep
Plot twist
@somedude4774
...and here's another clue for You all, the walrus was Ringo.
@Ih8kone
He is one with the force.
@pinterestringo
The Beatles are actually just Ringo moving really fast
@chrisridenhour
"Mom, The Beatles are in the backyard again"
@JaySlay69
Oh, I wish lol!
@minstrelofMir
i started a beatles copy band in 1975 age11 im age55 in 5 days,,i carried them alot of years i almost feel i was in with them lol ynwa
@josieposie5678
Oh shit get the Raid