The Beatles - And in the End

Through The Cracks
Clouds | Danny Gatton | Roy Buchanan | TimeBox - Patto | Joe Stanley

In the music business there are many factors that define the razor edge between the "'Legends' and the Lost". The right sound, at the right time, in the right place are foremost on the list, but are not the only factors that will determine the placement of any musician in the history books. The pages are also subject to edit by record companies and producers, the fickle nature of fans, the general acceptance and understanding of your work by other musicians, and, of course, "Luck".
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The Beatles - And in the End....

There have been many discussions over the years concerning the Beatles, from their beginnings, to their break up and beyond. The early years should be no mystery to most people, the Beatles were pretty much like any other popular band. Sex and drugs, were a reality, as much as a cliche, and while not necessarily going hand in hand with rock n' roll, they were at the very least within hand's reach. This band was no different than many others, where the use of drugs was as much a means of coping with a demanding lifestyle, as well as an integral part of the music scene. The mere attainment of notoriety guaranteed the public laundering of every social mis-step, from sex scandal to drug use to "political" incorrectness. While these aspects are as much a part of the music world, as the music itself, they are best left to the checkout line tabloids, this section will concern itself primarily with the influence the Beatles had on the evolution of music through their unique sound, their desire for experimentation, and their ability to expand the musical boundaries of the time.

After navigating through the maze of right time, place, sound, the Beatles found themselves at a unique juncture in their career. They had the audience, they had the creative talent, but more importantly, they had the desire and the means to pursue this creativity. Their awareness of this fact is readily apparent in the imaginative and innovate direction their music took, in what is referred to by many as the "studio years".

The EMI Studio on Abbey Road was founded in 1931 and primarily focused on classical music and only when rock n' roll was well established did they open their doors to the genre. The change in their name from EMI came in 1970 after the release of the Beatles "Abbey Road" album. It was here that the Beatles would record their final albums as a group, and it was here that many innovations in recording techniques where developed as the Beatles tried to capture the music in their minds on tape. Four track recording was the standard at the time, but with the help of studio technician Ken Townsend two "four track" units were linked together and revolutionized the recording industry. With 16 and 24 track recording soon following, the studio production process was forever changed. The use of multi-tracking opened up a vast array of possibilities for the Beatles, and for every recording artist from that point, on into the present where a nearly infinite number of recording tracks are possible.

Not only did the Beatles pioneer the use of multi-tracking, but by weaving multi-layered tapestries of heavily orchestrated music into the fabric of rock n' roll, they changed forever our idea of the genre, and brought us into a new era of endless possibilities. The excursion, at least for the Beatles was short lived, the recording of Abbey Road in 1969 signaled the end of the four-some as a group. After seven years of producing music that defined them as the most successful group in history, the magic was finally over. The effect on the music scene however, was a different matter, the influence of The Beatles is still felt today, whether it be in the form of the studio techniques they pioneered, or in the creative exploration/expression they fostered among other musicians.

As with everything "Beatle" the final breakup was shrouded in controversy, mystery, and of course speculation by fans and media. The religious philosophies learned at the foot of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, coupled with recreational drug use, were probably the seeds that yeilded the crop of self awareness and individualism among the Beatles. If not directly responsible, it was at least a contributing factor to the members growing in separate directions and pursing individual avenues of expression. Other factors were puported to be Paul's domineering attitude in the band, which in all fairness, was more likely an attempt at keeping the group together. George was becoming increasingly upset over not getting the songs he had written on the albums, John's attention was devided between the band and Yoko, and to be sure the other Beatles resented that fact, as for Ringo, well Ringo was Ringo, happy go lucky, and happy to be there, and to him the other members were like the brothers he never had.
On a deeper level perhaps they realized that they could go no further in the collective thought process, having said all they had to say as a group, done all they could do, and upon reaching the top realized there was no where else to go. The studio atmosphere, where each musician would lay down his individual tracks when it was convenient, or when the muse hit, certainly did not foster that sense of comraderie they felt when they were forced to share the shabby accomodations of their earlier touring years. Regardless of the circumstances McCartney filed a suit for the dissolution in December of 1970, effectively ending the band's career together.

The Beatles would never again perform as a group, John Lennon went on to release 10 albums from 1970 to 1980 with 2 more being released in 1984 & 1986 after his assassination in December of 1980, at the hands of someone who's name is not worth the mention in this article. Paul went on to form Wings and has released over 60 albums since the breakup, George released over 14 albums including the important Concert for Bagladesh, and passed away from cancer in November of 2001, and Ringo has released over 20 albums including several live recordings with the "All Starr Band ".

The Studio Album List

Revolver - Label: Parlophone - Released:August 5, 1966

Side one; - "Taxman" - "Eleanor Rigby" - "I'm Only Sleeping" - "Love You To" - "Here, There and Everywhere"
"Yellow Submarine" - "She Said She Said"

Side two; - "Good Day Sunshine" - "And Your Bird Can Sing" - "For No One" - "Doctor Robert" - "I Want to Tell You" -
"Got to Get You Into My Life" - "Tomorrow Never Knows"

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - Label:Parlophone - Released:June 1, 1967

Side one; - "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" - "With a Little Help from My Friends" - "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"
"Getting Better" - "Fixing a Hole" - "She's Leaving Home" - "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!"

Side two; - "Within You Without You" - "When I'm Sixty-Four" - "Lovely Rita" - "Good Morning Good Morning"-
"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)" - "A Day in the Life"

The Sgt. Pepper album cover with listing of the individuals on the cover can be seen here.

The Beatles ("The White Album") - Label:Apple/Parlophone - Released:November 2, 1968

Side one; - "Back in the U.S.S.R." - "Dear Prudence" - "Glass Onion" - "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" - "Wild Honey Pie"
"The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" - "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - "Happiness Is a Warm Gun"

Side two; - "Martha My Dear" - "I'm So Tired" - "Blackbird" - "Piggies" - "Rocky Raccoon" - "Don't Pass Me By"
"Why Don't We Do It in the Road?" - "I Will" - "Julia"

Side three; - "Birthday" - "Yer Blues" - "Mother Nature's Son" - "Everybody's Got Something to Hide - Except Me and My Monkey"
"Sexy Sadie" - "Helter Skelter" - "Long, Long, Long"

Side four; - "Revolution 1" - "Honey Pie" - "Savoy Truffle" - "Cry Baby Cry" - "Revolution 9" - "Good Night"

Yellow Submarine - Label:Apple/Parlophone - Released: January 17, 1969

Side one; - "Yellow Submarine" - "Only a Northern Song" - "All Together Now" - "Hey Bulldog" - "It's All Too Much"
"All You Need Is Love"

Side two; - "Pepperland" - "Sea of Time" - "Sea of Holes" - "Sea of Monsters" - "March of the Meanies" - "Pepperland Laid Waste"
"Yellow Submarine in Pepperland"

Abbey Road - Label:Apple/Parlophone - Released:September 26, 1969

Side one; - "Come Together" - "Something" - "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" - "Oh! Darling" - "Octopus's Garden"
"I Want You (She's So Heavy)"

Side two; - "Here Comes the Sun" - "Because" - "You Never Give Me Your Money" - "Sun King" - "Mean Mr. Mustard"
"Polythene Pam" - "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" - "Golden Slumbers" - "Carry That Weight" - "The End"
"Her Majesty"

Let It Be - Label:Apple/Parlophone - Released:May 8, 1970

Side one; - "Two of Us" - "Dig a Pony" - "Across the Universe" - "I Me Mine" - "Dig It" - "Let It Be" - "Maggie Mae"

Side two; - "I've Got a Feeling" - "One After 909" - "The Long and Winding Road" - "For You Blue" - "Get Back"

Part 4 - The Players

Beatles Discography