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.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band / [John Lennon and Paul McCartney about A Day in the
The Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play,
They've been going in and out of style
But they're guaranteed to raise a smile.
So may I introduce to you
The act you've known for all these years
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
We're Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
We hope you will enjoy the show,
We're Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sit back and let the evening go.
Sgt. Pepper's lonely, Sgt. Pepper's lonely,
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
It's wonderful to be here
It's certainly a thrill
You're such a lovely audience
We'd like to take you home with us
We'd love to take you home
I don't really like to stop the show
But I thought that you might like to know
That the singer's going to sing a song
And he wants you all to sing along
So let me introduce to you
The one and only Billy Shears
And Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The opening lines of this song set the scene as a retrospective look at the past, specifically 20 years ago when Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play. It's a nostalgic reflection on the band's growth and evolution over the years - from being "in and out of style" to now being a guaranteed smile-raiser. The chorus introduces a concept that ties the whole song together - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - as the band members introduce themselves to the audience and invite them to sit back and enjoy the show.
As the song progresses, the Beatles break the fourth wall and interact with their audience, pretending to be the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The crowd is a "lovely audience," and the band is enjoying playing for them. The lyrics in the outro build up the anticipation for the next song as they introduce a new character, Billy Shears, and the whole band comes together to perform it.
Overall, this song sets the stage for the album and the concept behind it - a fictional band with a distinct sound and style that invites the listener along for the ride. It encapsulates the Beatles' playfulness, creativity, and knack for catchy hooks that made them one of the most beloved bands of all time.
Line by Line Meaning
It was twenty years ago today,
Today marks the twentieth anniversary of the day when Sgt. Pepper first taught the band how to play music
Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play,
Sgt. Pepper was responsible for teaching the band how to play music
They've been going in and out of style
Over the years, the band's popularity has fluctuated
But they're guaranteed to raise a smile.
Despite the ups and downs, the band is always able to make audiences happy and bring a smile to their faces
So may I introduce to you
Allow me to introduce to you
The act you've known for all these years
The band that has been known and loved by audiences for many years
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The name of the band, which emphasizes their focus on bringing people together and creating a sense of community
We're Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
We're the band that is dedicated to bringing people together and creating a sense of community
We hope you will enjoy the show,
We hope that you will have a good time and be entertained by our performance
Sit back and let the evening go.
Relax and enjoy the show as the evening unfolds
Sgt. Pepper's lonely, Sgt. Pepper's lonely,
The name of the band emphasizes the idea of loneliness, which is a common feeling that people experience
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
But by creating a sense of community and bringing people together, the band is able to combat this loneliness
It's wonderful to be here
We are thrilled to be performing for you today
It's certainly a thrill
Being able to perform for such a great audience is a truly exciting experience
You're such a lovely audience
The band is grateful for the wonderful audience that they are performing for
We'd like to take you home with us
The band wishes to extend the sense of community beyond just the evening's performance and invite the audience to be a part of their ongoing journey
We'd love to take you home
The band deeply cares about their audience and wishes to continue connecting with them even after the show is over
I don't really like to stop the show
The band wishes to continue performing and entertaining the audience without interruption
But I thought that you might like to know
However, there is important information that the band wishes to share with the audience
That the singer's going to sing a song
The band invites the audience to participate in a special moment where the singer will lead them in singing a song together
And he wants you all to sing along
The singer encourages the audience to join in and become a part of the performance
So let me introduce to you
Allow me to introduce to you
The one and only Billy Shears
The singer who will be leading the audience in song, emphasizing his importance to the band and to the evening's performance
And Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The band as a whole, emphasizing the sense of community and togetherness that they have worked to create
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN LENNON, JOHN WINSTON LENNON, PAUL MCCARTNEY, PAUL JAMES MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gutgolf74
@@potato-whiz
Well, there are still people not convinced that the earth is round and Trump is a crook and a dangerous person...
While in both cases the evidence is even bigger than this one, you can rest assured: It's literally impossible to be John.
Why it shouldn't be John:
It's Paul's part, end of story. No need for John to sing lead on Paul's part in Paul's dream.
That's also why we only see PAUL during this part in the official video to ADITL. No John AT ALL - but he returns right when HIS part, the last verse, starts.
They were finished recording John's vocals for ADITL 2 weeks before and just returned for recording Paul's part on February 3rd. John NEVER sang this part when he had the chance to.
Also, note the position of the voices in the stereo-picture: John is on the right, Paul on the left. The "aaahs" start on Paul's side and move over to cue John's return.
Why it couldn't be John:
Since -- in contrast to Emerick's fairy-tale - there is absolutely no cut between the "dream" and the "aaah", it must be still the same lead singer, Paul. You can even hear him take a breath between the "dream" and the "aaah" on the isolated vocal track.
Since John is doing his trademark NASAL high falsetto in the background AT THE SAME TIME it's impossible for him to also do the lead aaah.
Also, the lead aaah doesn't sound like John AT ALL.
It's a chest voice that would have been too high for him to do. Please name a single example where John sings like that - I bet you can't! Note how the example of "Mother" from this video is a FALSETTO part!! That's only proving it's Paul doing the "aah".
With Paul you only have to go as far as "Lovely Rita" to find a very similar example.
There are many experts who very thoroughly listened to all the actual reels and went through all the paperwork and wrote very highly praised books, like Kevin Ryan and Brian Kehew (from the book "Recording the Beatles", p. 444): "Though many have understandably attributed this vocal to John Lennon in the past, isolation of the vocal reveals it to be Paul. As the part progresses, his voice takes on a more nasal tone; this, in combination with an application of Repeat Echo similar to that already applied to John's, does much to give an impression of it being Lennon."
Or John C. Winn, who actually pointed out all the little differences between every single mix every made of any Beatles song: (from the book "That magic feeling - The Beatles' recorded legacy, p. 86): "Paul then corrected his vocal blunder by taping a new vocal on track 2, also adding some soaring "aahs" over the circle-of-fifths segment that linked back to the final verse".
And of course Sam Okell, who did the freaking Sgt. Pepper's REMIX: "Paul's main vocal track is in stereo, because we gave it some spread with the Waves S1 Stereo Imaging plug-in, so it has a different sound than John's lead. We also split off two little bits to be able to pan them left and right. His fourth vocal track is the 'aaah' section, and below it is an 'Aah delay' aux track." "Inside Sgt. Pepper's": Sound On Sound. SOS Publications Group. 26 October 2021
@arsonne
This song feels like the end-credits for life.
@Rfoz51
Funny you should say that - this was played at a funeral I attended, just surreal and so weird!
@pr.paradox1970
SO TRUE
@lindaklase3821
Yes, Paul’s death November 9, 1966. And replacement with Billy Shepherd aka Billy Shears. Ringo sings Billy Shears.
@ots1634
ew, i gotta turn it off- that depresses/scares me
@jona.scholt4362
@2:49 would be the part I agree with the most regarding the end of the world comment.
@seektruth8662
Another fun fact: This is 2 songs melded together. Paul wrote the middle part (woke up,fell out of bed) and John the rest. Both songs were incomplete and both artists had no idea how to finish them. So they put them together and created one of the greatest songs ever.
@bondarmsman
Tnx. I didn't know that. The McCartney part was shitty though. He should not have messed with it. Another Lennon song stolen by McCartney and credited to Lennon-McCartney like "In my life".
@porflepopnecker4376
The transition from the Paul segment back to the John song is so utterly sublime that to omit it would deprive the song of a great deal of its beauty and power. The two segments work together magically.
@marguskiis7711
John used to lease Maccas ideas a lot. This Maccas part he used in his "Remember" 1970.