The Story Behind The Beatles Essay Research

The Story Behind The Beatles Essay, Research Paper

THE INTERESTING STORY BEHIND THE WORLD’S LEADING POP BAND

The introduction of pop style into the music industry in the nineteen-fifties and sixties has had a definite effect on the world. Pop brought rock’n'roll music into existence; it gave those listening to it a sense of non-conformity and freedom. It put parents on the edge of their seats with worry, teenagers on the edge of their seats wanting more. Most important were the bands that brought about the development of pop culture. One of these bands was the Beatles. The Beatles were perhaps the greatest pop band ever, and it is a very interesting story how they came to be so. The foursome had many things in common. Each was born in Liverpool, England, and as boys they lived fairly near to one another (About the Beatles). Also, three of the four had losses that had a great impact on their lives before age 17. As the band became a defined, independent group, the four seemed to have more and more in common with one another.

John Winston Lennon, basically known as the founder of the group, was born on October 9, 1940. His parents separated when he was only four, and it was then that John was sent to live with his Aunt Mimi in the Liverpool suburb of Woolton. John grew up half a niche higher than Paul, George, and Ringo in the class system (Roylance, Quance, Craske, Milisec 7). In order to pass time, John often played with his friends at Strawberry Fields-a Victorian house converted into an orphanage. Later, this would serve as the inspiration for the song Strawberry Fields. John had a rough school history throughout, and as a boy he often thought, there is something wrong with me because I seem to see things other people don t see (Roylance, Quance, Craske, Milisec 8). At age 16, he finally found an interest when his mother taught him a few banjo chords. Soon after, his mother was killed by a drunk off-duty policeman. In grievance, John turned to drinking alcohol in excess. Mimi, in an effort to console John, bought him a guitar. When he turned to his playing seriously, Mimi told him that the guitar was alright for a hobby, John, but you ll never make a living at it (11). John s rock interest was piqued when he heard Elvis Presley’s Heartbreak Hotel at art school in 1956. Soon John formed his own band, the Quarry Men.

James Paul McCartney was born on June 18, 1942. When Paul was young, his family constantly moved due to his mother s occupation as a midwife. The family was often located in Arnold Grove. At age 13, his family moved little over a mile from John. Paul s playground area usually consisted of the bombsites located near his home. As a child he never associated the title with bombing; it was considered synonymous with the word playground (Roylance, Quance, Craske, Milisec 17). Paul s father taught him to play music by ear. To this day, Paul does not know how to read or write music (18). His father bought him a trumpet for his birthday, but realizing that he could not play the instrument and sing at the same time, he asked to trade it in for a guitar. He was allowed to, and through this exchange he obtained a Zenith acoustic guitar which he still owns today. Less than a year after moving, when Paul was 14, his mother died of breast cancer. A few months later, Paul was invited to go with his friend to a village festival.

George Harrison was born on February 25, 1943. When he was young, George s family moved to Speke (on the outskirts of Liverpool). Looking back on his childhood, he says it was happy…with lots of relatives around (Roylance, Quance, Craske, Milisec 26). George was the only Beatle whose childhood was unmarred by death or divorce. He was also the youngest (George). George was first interested in the guitar when he listened to a record– Waiting for a Train –of his dad s. The first time he remembers wanting a guitar was when he was sick and in the hospital. His father bought him a guitar in 1956 from an art college friend. As far as musical teaching, George s father s friend taught him songs and chords (Roylance, Quance, Craske, Milisec 27). As George s talent became apparent to others, he found himself sneaking out of the house to play (due to his young age). When George met up with the Quarry Men, he filled in for the regular guitarist a few times. As a job aside from playing, he left school and became an apprentice electrician. This had been under his father s wishes (31).

Ringo Starr was born Richard Starkey on July 7, 1940. His father, a baker, left when Richard was only three years old. His father s abandonment forced Richard and his mother to move to a lower class home on Admiral Grove. His mother held many various out-of-home jobs, such as being a barmaid, doing food shop work, and other similar small jobs. When Richard was 13, she remarried (Roylance, Quance, Craske, Milisec 33). As he was growing up, his grandparents practically raised him. The ironic part of it was that they were his father s parents, not his mother s. At the age of six, Richard s appendix burst and he was rushed to the hospital. His mother was told by the doctor three times that he would die before morning. At age twelve, he was sick in the hospital again. Due to these ill times, Richard succeeded in completing only five years of school. He didn t learn to read until age nine, and when he learned, it was phonetically. To this day, he cannot