| | '''The Beatles''' were a world-famous [[England|English]] rock band from [[Liverpool]], UK. They sold about a billion records worldwide of their soft style of [[rock and roll]] music, consisting mostly of a depressed, [[atheist]]ic and druggie content. They were a key part of the 1960s [[hippie]] [[counterculture]]. Multiple Beatles songs were based on plagiarism of prior works by others,<ref>https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.music.beatles/5F7JWZTLwz4</ref> while other songs are knock-offs of popular hits (compare "Ukraine girls" to "California girls" by the [[Beach Boys]]). Like England itself, the Beatles' work was cynical about religion rather than [[faith]]-based as great music often is, and many Beatles' lyrics are idiotic ("One and one and one is three" - ''Come Together''<ref>https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/beatles/cometogether.html</ref>). The [[liberal media]] hyped the Beatles, while [[Elvis Presley]] opposed their negative hippie-like influence on [[American]]s.<ref name="Guardian">https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/oct/14/popandrock2</ref> | | '''The Beatles''' were a world-famous [[England|English]] rock band from [[Liverpool]], UK. They sold about a billion records worldwide of their soft style of [[rock and roll]] music, consisting mostly of a depressed, [[atheist]]ic and druggie content. They were a key part of the 1960s [[hippie]] [[counterculture]]. Multiple Beatles songs were based on plagiarism of prior works by others,<ref>https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.music.beatles/5F7JWZTLwz4</ref> while other songs are knock-offs of popular hits (compare "Ukraine girls" to "California girls" by the [[Beach Boys]]). Like England itself, the Beatles' work was cynical about religion rather than [[faith]]-based as great music often is, and many Beatles' lyrics are idiotic ("One and one and one is three" - ''Come Together''<ref>https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/beatles/cometogether.html</ref>). The [[liberal media]] hyped the Beatles, while [[Elvis Presley]] opposed their negative hippie-like influence on [[American]]s.<ref name="Guardian">https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/oct/14/popandrock2</ref> |
| − | The four Beatles were [[John Lennon]] (1940-1980), [[George Harrison]] (1943-2001), [[Paul McCartney]] (1942- ), and [[Ringo Starr]] (1940- ). Most of the Beatles' songs were co-written by Lennon and McCartney, though George Harrison penned one of their most critically acclaimed lyrics, "[[Something]]", which is one of the few quality love songs by the group but even it has a cynical tone. In the latter half of the 1960s the majority of their songs were written individually, but retained the "Lennon/McCartney" (orig. "McCartney/Lennon") writing credit. Lennon's songwriting was harder in nature and often had a political bent, while McCartney primarily wrote lighter love songs. Harrison, who later converted to [[Hinduism]],<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-21938027</ref> frequently utilized the sitar in his songs. Starr rarely wrote music, but would usually sing one song per album except ''A Hard Day`s Night'' and ''Let It Be''. His most famous song is ''Yellow Submarine'' and is usually sung in schools. | + | The four Beatles were [[John Lennon]] (1940-1980), [[George Harrison]] (1943-2001), [[Paul McCartney]] (1942- ), and [[Ringo Starr]] (1940- ). Most of the Beatles' songs were co-written by Lennon and McCartney, though George Harrison penned one of their most critically acclaimed lyrics, "[[Something]]", which is one of the few quality love songs by the group but even it has a cynical tone. In the latter half of the 1960s the majority of their songs were written individually, but retained the "Lennon/McCartney" (orig. "McCartney/Lennon") writing credit. Lennon's songwriting was harder in nature and often had a political bent, while McCartney primarily wrote lighter love songs. Harrison, who later converted to [[Hinduism]],<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-21938027</ref> frequently utilized the sitar in his songs. Starr rarely wrote music, but would usually sing one song per album except ''A Hard Day`s Night'' and ''Let It Be''. His most famous song is ''Yellow Submarine'', sometimes sung in schools. |
| | Having evolved from the high school band known as The Quarrymen, around 1962 the Beatles began playing in Hamburg, Germany, and became very popular there. A year later, thanks to underground radio, they were the biggest band in their native land of the UK. In 1964, the Beatles made their historic trip to the United States<ref>http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19782/m1/</ref> to perform on ''The Ed Sullivan Show''. To date, this performance is one of the highest-rated television events in history. | | Having evolved from the high school band known as The Quarrymen, around 1962 the Beatles began playing in Hamburg, Germany, and became very popular there. A year later, thanks to underground radio, they were the biggest band in their native land of the UK. In 1964, the Beatles made their historic trip to the United States<ref>http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19782/m1/</ref> to perform on ''The Ed Sullivan Show''. To date, this performance is one of the highest-rated television events in history. |