Concluding on this research is hard because there is so many interesting things to learn about the Beatles. They have influenced and changed so much more than just these postings, and will forever continue to do so. The things I have learned though, have been many great findings and interesting facts.
Starting from their influence on drugs, I have learned the deeper meaning into their songs and the type of people they really were. They weren't low-life druggies, but interesting and complex humans, spreading their happiness (on drugs) through the world. Their happiness was peaceful and that's all they wanted.
Moving on to their influences on businesss, I learned that the Beatles were really the first huge rock band. They became more famous than anyone had ever been, and they became the music role models for every artist out there. The Beatles were the first for many things in the music industry, setting the base for artists to follow around the world.
Another influence that was researched was that on video games. And we all know what I'm talking about. The Beatles: Rockband. Rockband already was such a huge hit, but when the Bealtes edition debuted, the game boomed and everyone was buying it. Just the simple fact that they are one of the few bands with their own video game, and one that is extremely popular, is incredible. They flipped around the video game world and set the standards even higher.
Hair and fashion was a huge things back in the 60's. And they changed it all. Instigating the hippie style, by shaggy long mop top hair and jean jackets and t-shirts, the Beatles revolutionized the fashion of the world. The more men and were were dying to be like them, the more they were.
The Beatles even affected the USSR. They changed the way that Russians thought, which drove them to rebel against the USSR, adding to the downfall of their government.
Clearly, the Beatles, still the most popular band to this day, have affected the littlest and the biggest things in this world. They influenced almost everybody in some way, whether its drugs or hair. They've influenced Hollywood and New York, having affects on countries and cities. They have been the most worldwide known band and have changed the world piece by piece. Although the actual project is over, and no more work is required, you can be sure that I will continue to research this amazing group of men and learn more about them and understand more how they've changed this world and why they are the most popular group of men to walk this planet.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Wikispace
The final part of this blogging experience is my wonderful wiki! Combining all of my research on to my wiki page (click here to go to wiki) was fun and provided me with intriguing ways of presenting all of my work. Using voice threads, videos, and Powerpoints, my wiki page is a great and fun way to represent all of the research I've done on the Beatles.
On the wiki page, you'll see sub-pages which are combinations of the different influences grouped by culture, music and business, and world.
On the culture page, I have combined their influence on drugs, fashion, and hair. On the music and business page, I wrote about their influence on business and the music industry. On the world page, I wrote about their influences on the world. It was difficult splitting the research up, but it all flows very nicely and comes together great.
On the wiki page, you'll see sub-pages which are combinations of the different influences grouped by culture, music and business, and world.
On the culture page, I have combined their influence on drugs, fashion, and hair. On the music and business page, I wrote about their influence on business and the music industry. On the world page, I wrote about their influences on the world. It was difficult splitting the research up, but it all flows very nicely and comes together great.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The USSR
In 1964, when the Beatles became a huge hit, became the Fab Four, and conquered the world, the repressive old men in the USSR, in the Kremlin, tried to resist them, but were defeated by their own country, their very own children. What nobody knows, is that the Beatles helped to destroy communism.
The people of the USSR needed an alternative, an escape. So they followed the Beatles, and their different religion. They changed everything. Everyone wanted to be like them. In the video below, a man says "the Beatles it was the key that opened the door to western culture. Western culture was cultural revolution, cultural revolution destroyed Soviet Union." They were like fresh air, something new in Russia, they were the power of the people. Their music and ways freed the people of Russia and gave them something other than communism to look up to.
The Beatles' culture and influence, helped defeat the Cold War enemy.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO
The people of the USSR needed an alternative, an escape. So they followed the Beatles, and their different religion. They changed everything. Everyone wanted to be like them. In the video below, a man says "the Beatles it was the key that opened the door to western culture. Western culture was cultural revolution, cultural revolution destroyed Soviet Union." They were like fresh air, something new in Russia, they were the power of the people. Their music and ways freed the people of Russia and gave them something other than communism to look up to.
The Beatles' culture and influence, helped defeat the Cold War enemy.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO
Troitski, Artemi. Interview. How The Beatles rocked The Kremlin. parzival30. Veoh. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2011. <http://www.veoh.com/watch/v19723905cDSQn8YS>. Monday, May 16, 2011
Hello Hair
Because people were so enthralled and enamored by the Beatles, they adapted their hairstyles as well. One that became very popular was the mop top. As they came along, more men were seen with long hair. It was never common to have hair longer than the ears, but soon enough, men were becoming shaggier and shaggier. Men would even ask their hairdressers for the 'beatle cut' to look like them.
By the 1970s, long hair, such as the mop top and beehive, became popular and standardized for men. Because of their influence on hairstyle, there became a production of Beatle-Wigs that could be worn at all times by anyone. This hairstyle brought in the hippie style, which was all about long, messy hair.
Women would also put their hair up, laying out the sides, rocking the bouffant hairdo. Basically, every man and woman was going crazy about their hair, messy or not, they wanted it, and they
got it.
"Beatles Influence On Hairstyle- Arthur and Mop-Top." Men-hairstyle.net. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May
2010. <http://www.men-hairstyle.net/celebrity-hairstyle/ beatles-influence-on-hairstyle-%E2%80%93-arthur-and-mop-top/>. Fashion Icons
In their early years, the Beatles would wear black, then later grey, Edwardian (as in the Edwardian era in the United Kingdom 1901-1910) collarless suits. London, England, in the late 1960s there was a subculture called the Mod youth cult. They were known for their tailored Edwardian suits, which is where the Beatles got the style from. After 1964 and the Beatles, this suit became very common in brands.
By the late 1960s, the Beatles had adopted the style of blue jeans, T-shirts, and jean jackets. Lennon also started the plain white suit style, influencing the minimalistic design, which was portrayed on the cover of their album, The Beatles.
As their casual style grew, they grew their beards and headed towards the more hippie style, which eventually took over the world.
"The Beatles' influence on popular culture." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 14 May 2011. Thursday, May 5, 2011
Who influences them?
With all this talk about their influences on the world, we forget that the Beatles are human beings also! They were once influenced by someone else. Its amazing to think that anyone as great as them could be influenced by someone else. But everything had to have started somewhere.
John Lennon:
As Philip Norman writes in his book "SHOUT!", at the age of 15, Lennon first heard "Heartbreak Hotel" and immediately fell in love with Elvis Presley. From there on out, it was Presley, everyday, all day. Since the BBC wouldn't broadcast rock 'n' roll, the only way to listen to it was the Radio Luxembourg, a commercial station. The Elvis records came through, but blurry and static. Still, Lennon listened to them at night under the bed sheets. There were other artists as well that Lennon loved. For example, Little Richard, Bill Haley, and Freddy Bell and the Bellboys. They also played on the Luxembourg.
Along with the others boys of Britain, Lennon begged his aunt Mimi for the national craze, thanks to Presley, a guitar. So his aunt finally gave in and gave up 17 pounds to buy him a little Spanish model guitar. Lennon would sit in his room and just strum it, singing words that came to his head, and eventually creating a tune. Mimi had always told him, "The guitar's all very well John, but you'll never make a living out of it." Look at him now.
Paul McCartney:
Paul's home was always involved in music. Norman writes that before the war, his father Jim McCartney, had his own band, the Jim Mac Jazz Band, and like all other families, they had a piano in the house.
In 1956, Paul had seen Lonnie Donegan and his Skiffle Group in Liverpool at the Empire theater. It was then that Paul had always thought of being a star and wanted to a guitar. He bought his own guitar, a sunburst colored 'cello, for 15 pounds. It was the first thing he woke up to, and the last thing he saw at night. He discovered that he played better strumming as a lefty, and got his chords put on reverse. From then on, the guitar was his passion. As he progressed on, he learned to play his favorites: Little Richard, Carl Perkins, and Elvis. He bought every album of theirs and the Everly Brothers, and continued advancing his skill and love for music.
George Harrison:
Growing up, George was known as the would-be guitarist that never played with any group. George however, when went on his own guitar craze after hearing Lonnie Donegan, but had trouble learning because of his lack of music ability. One morning, on his way to Liverpool, George ran into Paul and their guitar passion drew them together. Paul would go over to George's and they would practice together. Paul would make fun of George because he had his own style, he played very "raunchy". George too, listened to a lot of Presley and him and Paul bonded over him.
Ringo Starr:
Richard Starkey is his real name. He grew up playing the drums, and was even apart of a more glamorous, bigger rock band before joining the Beatles. When Paul, John, and George heard him play however, they asked to borrow him for a recording and eventually he decided to join permanently, replacing the former Beatles drummer, Pete Best. Richard was given the nickname Rings because he wore so may rings on his arms, which eventually turned into "Ringo" because it sounded more cowboyish. Starkey shortened into Starr.
Yes, the Beatles as great as they were, were influenced by artists once better then them. As they idolized Elvis Presley, and their love for him brought them together, they would've never thought they would become an even bigger world figure than him.
John Lennon:As Philip Norman writes in his book "SHOUT!", at the age of 15, Lennon first heard "Heartbreak Hotel" and immediately fell in love with Elvis Presley. From there on out, it was Presley, everyday, all day. Since the BBC wouldn't broadcast rock 'n' roll, the only way to listen to it was the Radio Luxembourg, a commercial station. The Elvis records came through, but blurry and static. Still, Lennon listened to them at night under the bed sheets. There were other artists as well that Lennon loved. For example, Little Richard, Bill Haley, and Freddy Bell and the Bellboys. They also played on the Luxembourg.
Along with the others boys of Britain, Lennon begged his aunt Mimi for the national craze, thanks to Presley, a guitar. So his aunt finally gave in and gave up 17 pounds to buy him a little Spanish model guitar. Lennon would sit in his room and just strum it, singing words that came to his head, and eventually creating a tune. Mimi had always told him, "The guitar's all very well John, but you'll never make a living out of it." Look at him now.
Paul McCartney:
Paul's home was always involved in music. Norman writes that before the war, his father Jim McCartney, had his own band, the Jim Mac Jazz Band, and like all other families, they had a piano in the house.
In 1956, Paul had seen Lonnie Donegan and his Skiffle Group in Liverpool at the Empire theater. It was then that Paul had always thought of being a star and wanted to a guitar. He bought his own guitar, a sunburst colored 'cello, for 15 pounds. It was the first thing he woke up to, and the last thing he saw at night. He discovered that he played better strumming as a lefty, and got his chords put on reverse. From then on, the guitar was his passion. As he progressed on, he learned to play his favorites: Little Richard, Carl Perkins, and Elvis. He bought every album of theirs and the Everly Brothers, and continued advancing his skill and love for music.
George Harrison:
Growing up, George was known as the would-be guitarist that never played with any group. George however, when went on his own guitar craze after hearing Lonnie Donegan, but had trouble learning because of his lack of music ability. One morning, on his way to Liverpool, George ran into Paul and their guitar passion drew them together. Paul would go over to George's and they would practice together. Paul would make fun of George because he had his own style, he played very "raunchy". George too, listened to a lot of Presley and him and Paul bonded over him.
Ringo Starr:
Richard Starkey is his real name. He grew up playing the drums, and was even apart of a more glamorous, bigger Yes, the Beatles as great as they were, were influenced by artists once better then them. As they idolized Elvis Presley, and their love for him brought them together, they would've never thought they would become an even bigger world figure than him.
Norman, Philip. SHOUT! Fireside Edition ed. Great Britain : Sidgwick & Jackson, 2003. N. pag. Print. Thursday, April 28, 2011
Rockband Rockstars
As I continue to blog about The Beatles and well, how they've changed the world, I'm for sure stopping to write about video games. You know, the thing that's taking over the world, capturing kids' lives and turning them into antisocial vampires living and breathing the same air of their colossal den of their room. Staring at the television, rapidly hitting an evolutionary smaller, wireless controller, and leaving only for the bathroom and food. VIDEO GAMES ARE TAKING OVER. What's neat though is to add a little twist to the ever so popular game, Rockband, they've come out with a Beatles edition, and their own Paul McCartney violin bass guitar.The game recieved input from Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Oko Yono, and Olivia Harrison and debuted on September 9, 2009. The Beatles: Rockband included 45 of their songs. Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band were released later for the game, but the game was aimed to feature their entire catalog and would offer and "experiential journey" of The Beatles.
Not only does the game include many of their songs, and more online to now download, but the graphics and environmental feel makes the player feel like one of the Fab Four. During Yellow Submarine, wartime images are creating a scene and the images during the game tell the stories of the songs. You also see the band members on stage singing. Because of its many songs to play and emotional connection and feel for the game, it has become a huge hit. Players become so engaged in feeling like the "Walrus", pounding their drums during "Help", and it really becomes a reality for them. The songs eventually become harder to play, only dragging the player deeper into the game and love for the band.
So, for being four people who never even imagined a rock band video game, they impacted, changed, and revolutionized it very much. Guaranteed that when Rockband came out with their new edition, players jumped on it like there was no tomorrow. And why's that? Because who wouldn't want to jam out like McCartney, Lennon, and Ringo!"The Beatles, 'Rock Band' Makers To Release New Video Game in 2009." Rolling Stone 30 Oct. 2008: n.
pag. Rolling Stone. Web. 28 Apr. 2011. <http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/
the-beatles-rock-band-makers-to-release-new-video-game-in-2009-20081030>.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
The Beatles and the Business
The article "Whisper Words of Business Wisdom" by Amy Wallace tells us about the book Come Together: The Business Wisdom of the Beatles, written by Richard Courtney and George Cassidy. It is about the Beatles' impact on the business world. Their musical struggles and accomplishments relate to and influence modern business, as the book elaborates.
When the Beatles were recording "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", they were arguing and disagreeing about the introduction of the song. The chords weren't sounding right and no one liked the way it started. After hours of conflict and frustration, John Lennon sat down at the piano and pounded out some chords. Easing the tension, McCartney said, "That's quite good, actually." Resolving their disagreement made them and their work stronger. This idea that 'disagreement can lead to synthesis' is one of the 100 lessons that Courtney and Cassidy's book dwells upon as well as their impact on the business world.
Cassidy and George use the Beatles' successes and failures as a guideline to not only other rock stars but business people everywhere. The Beatles became involved with their own business in the 60's dealing with their record companies, being signed, and their Apple group of companies. Using their ideas, passion, and hard work, businessmen everywhere enhance their creativity, knowledge, and business savvy. It is easier for us to relate to musicians. They get inspiration, write songs, are motivated by them, and have emotional connection towards them. Most people take them as role models and follow in their steps, in and out of the business world. George and Cassidy did an amazing job reasearching and conveying their ideas about the Beatles in the business world. One of the things they say is that in the beginning, the Beatles were just like me and you.
Wallace, Amy. "Whisper Words of Business Wisdom." The New York Times 19 Mar. 2011: BU3. The New York
When the Beatles were recording "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", they were arguing and disagreeing about the introduction of the song. The chords weren't sounding right and no one liked the way it started. After hours of conflict and frustration, John Lennon sat down at the piano and pounded out some chords. Easing the tension, McCartney said, "That's quite good, actually." Resolving their disagreement made them and their work stronger. This idea that 'disagreement can lead to synthesis' is one of the 100 lessons that Courtney and Cassidy's book dwells upon as well as their impact on the business world.Cassidy and George use the Beatles' successes and failures as a guideline to not only other rock stars but business people everywhere. The Beatles became involved with their own business in the 60's dealing with their record companies, being signed, and their Apple group of companies. Using their ideas, passion, and hard work, businessmen everywhere enhance their creativity, knowledge, and business savvy. It is easier for us to relate to musicians. They get inspiration, write songs, are motivated by them, and have emotional connection towards them. Most people take them as role models and follow in their steps, in and out of the business world. George and Cassidy did an amazing job reasearching and conveying their ideas about the Beatles in the business world. One of the things they say is that in the beginning, the Beatles were just like me and you.
Wallace, Amy. "Whisper Words of Business Wisdom." The New York Times 19 Mar. 2011: BU3. The New York
Times. Web. 20 Apr. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/business/ 20proto.html?_r=1&ref=beatlesthe>.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
Written in 1967 by John Lennon for their album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", the song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, became a huge hit. John Lennon was influenced by his son, Julian, who drew a picture in art and called it "Lucy- in the sky with diamonds". When the song released, many people argued that the song's first letters spelled LSD, the drug, and it made sense with the trippy, hallucinogenic song. Shortly after, it was banned by the BBC, British Broadcasting Corporation.
The drawing by his song, Julian, the inspiration, was of his classmate Lucy O'Donnell. Lennon was shocked when he heard the rumors of his song being an 'acid' song. Who really looks at the initials of a song? This song though has a legacy of its own:
In 1974, anthropologists discovered a 3.2 million year old, 40% complete fossil and named it Lucy because of the song playing over and over again at the excavation camp. Not fully understanding the discovery of their fossil, they came up with the phrase "Lucy in disguise" as a pun on "Lucy in the sky".
The White dwarf star, BPM 37093, 4000 km in diameter and which contains a crystallized carbon core, was named after "Lucy" as a tribute to the song.
Many artists have done covers on this song and kept the never-ending legacy alive.
So it just so happened that this amazing song was written during the era of drugs. During the controversy of this song, in June 1967, Paul McCartney did admit that the band had been using LSD. Because they were huge public figures, anything they would partake in became a trend. Not only did they seem symbolic of the shifts in politics, society, and the leftist movement, but they're songs written high on drugs transmitted to the public culture. Their music, culture, and drugs defined the decade.
With the oncoming use of marijuana in 1966, and the use of LSD, the Beatles discovered every underground drug and trend through their music and spread it through their masses, influencing people to try it also. Their psychedelic songs, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, I am the Walrus, Yellow Submarine, all paint pictures of their hallucinations and they revolutionized the use of drugs.
Although not every Beatles listener partakes in the Sixties counterculture, there is no doubt that the Beatles radiated their explicit use of drugs to the community and influenced society by their own acid droppings. So it is safe to say that the Beatles are half the reason for the hippie culture which continues to this day.
("The Beatles and Drug Culture in the Sixties", Yvette Holzwarth)
("Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", Wikipedia)
The drawing by his song, Julian, the inspiration, was of his classmate Lucy O'Donnell. Lennon was shocked when he heard the rumors of his song being an 'acid' song. Who really looks at the initials of a song? This song though has a legacy of its own:
In 1974, anthropologists discovered a 3.2 million year old, 40% complete fossil and named it Lucy because of the song playing over and over again at the excavation camp. Not fully understanding the discovery of their fossil, they came up with the phrase "Lucy in disguise" as a pun on "Lucy in the sky".The White dwarf star, BPM 37093, 4000 km in diameter and which contains a crystallized carbon core, was named after "Lucy" as a tribute to the song.
Many artists have done covers on this song and kept the never-ending legacy alive.
So it just so happened that this amazing song was written during the era of drugs. During the controversy of this song, in June 1967, Paul McCartney did admit that the band had been using LSD. Because they were huge public figures, anything they would partake in became a trend. Not only did they seem symbolic of the shifts in politics, society, and the leftist movement, but they're songs written high on drugs transmitted to the public culture. Their music, culture, and drugs defined the decade.With the oncoming use of marijuana in 1966, and the use of LSD, the Beatles discovered every underground drug and trend through their music and spread it through their masses, influencing people to try it also. Their psychedelic songs, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, I am the Walrus, Yellow Submarine, all paint pictures of their hallucinations and they revolutionized the use of drugs.
Although not every Beatles listener partakes in the Sixties counterculture, there is no doubt that the Beatles radiated their explicit use of drugs to the community and influenced society by their own acid droppings. So it is safe to say that the Beatles are half the reason for the hippie culture which continues to this day.
("The Beatles and Drug Culture in the Sixties", Yvette Holzwarth)
("Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", Wikipedia)
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Why?
Why The Beatles? Well, everyone knows The Beatles are by far the most socially impacting and everlasting band ever. Their music, lyrics, stories, lives, are only becoming more and more popular. The world-wide appreciation for the music and members has grown to become overwhelming! There isn't one person on this planet who doesn't know who they are. It's so interesting to see how, to this day, they are continuously changing people. Teens are enthralled by them, children sing along, and everyone's hearts are forever theirs.So it all began as I sat in class, seriously brainstorming all the possibilities I could research, and considering I was allowed to choose absolutely ANYTHING, there were many options. I started toying around on Google, looking up random interests when, "Help! I need somebody. Help! Not just anybody.." started playing in my head. At first, oblivious to the clue I was subconsciously giving myself, I looked up classic rock, while still humming The Beatles. And what was the first band to pop up? The Beatles. What a coincidence! It immediately clicked in my head and I realized exactly what I wanted to research. The Beatles and how they've not only affected my life as a sixteen year old, sophomore, cheerleader, but the lives of every person before me starting from their debut in 1964. Their impact on this world is one that will never end and continuously flourish. I promise.
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