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.
With A Little Help From My Friends
The Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What would you think if I sang out of tune?
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
And I'll try not to sing out of key
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
What do I do when my love is away?
Does it worry you to be alone?
How do I feel by the end of the day?
Are you sad because you're on your own?
No, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
Do you need anybody?
I need somebody to love
Could it be anybody?
I want somebody to love
Would you believe in a love at first sight?
Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time
What do you see when you turn out the light?
I can't tell you, but I know it's mine
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, get high with a little help from my friends
Oh, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends
Do you need anybody?
I just need someone to love
Could it be anybody?
I want somebody to love
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
Oh, I get high with a little help from my friends
Yes, I get by with a little help from my friends
With a little help from my friends
The Beatles' song "With a Little Help from My Friends" is a classic tune about friendship and love. The song's protagonist, identified as "Billy Shears," asks listeners what they would think if he sang out of tune, and wonders if they would walk out on him. "Lend me your ears," he implores, "and I'll sing you a song, and I'll try not to sing out of key." The song then transitions to the chorus, where Billy confesses that he "gets by with a little help from my friends," and that he "gets high with a little help from my friends." He plans to "try with a little help from my friends" to overcome his challenges.
The song's second verse introduces a new theme: loneliness. Billy asks, "What do I do when my love is away? / Does it worry you to be alone? / How do I feel by the end of the day? / Are you sad because you're on your own?" The chorus then repeats, with Billy once again affirming that he gets by with help from his friends. The final verse poses several questions, including "Would you believe in a love at first sight?" Billy concludes that he will "get by with a little help from my friends" and "gonna try with a little help from my friends" to find someone to love.
Line by Line Meaning
Billy Shears
Starting the song by introducing a new persona
What would you think if I sang out of tune?
Asking the listener how they would react if the singer failed at singing
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Questioning if the listener would abandon the singer in their time of need
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
Asking for the audience's attention to share a piece of music
And I'll try not to sing out of key
Making a promise to attempt not to sing poorly
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Acknowledging that the singer's friends help them survive life's challenges
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Suggesting that the singer uses substances to cope with life's difficulties
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
Expressing a determination to tackle life's obstacles with the support of friends
What do I do when my love is away?
Questioning how to manage life without the supportive presence of a romantic partner
Does it worry you to be alone?
Asking the audience if they share the singer's fear of solitude
How do I feel by the end of the day?
Reflecting on their emotional state at the end of a day
Are you sad because you're on your own?
Asking the listener if they experience sadness from being alone
No, I get by with a little help from my friends
Asserting that the singer's friends provide support in difficult times
Mm, get high with a little help from my friends
Repeating the previous suggestion about substance use for coping
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
Reiterating the singer's determination to face and overcome challenges alongside their friends' support
Do you need anybody?
Questioning if the listener desires human companionship
I need somebody to love
Admitting that the singer wants to find love and companionship
Could it be anybody?
Asking the listener if they believe anyone could fulfill the singer's desire for love
I want somebody to love
Repeating the desire for a loving partner
Would you believe in a love at first sight?
Asking the listener if they think love can be instantaneous
Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time
Asserting that the singer believes in and has witnessed love at first sight
What do you see when you turn out the light?
Asking if the listener experiences an internal vision when they close their eyes
I can't tell you, but I know it's mine
Admitting that the singer experiences an internal vision when they close their eyes but can't explain it to others
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Reiterating the importance of the singer's friends in their life
Mm, get high with a little help from my friends
Repeating the previous suggestion of using substances to cope
Oh, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends
Emphasizing the singer's determination to continue relying on their friends for support
Do you need anybody?
Repeating the previous question about the listener's desire for companionship
I just need someone to love
Emphasizing the simple, basic desire for love and companionship
Could it be anybody?
Repeating the previous question about the potential availability of a loving partner
I want somebody to love
Reiterating the desire for a loving partner
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Closing the song with a repetition of the importance of friends in the singer's life
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
Reiterating the singer's determination to face life's challenges with the support of their friends
Oh, I get high with a little help from my friends
Repeating the suggestion of using substances to cope
Yes, I get by with a little help from my friends
Final repetition of the central message of the song: the importance of friends as a source of support and comfort
With a little help from my friends
Closing the song with a repetition of the title, emphasizing the central message once more
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
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.