The Beatles Flashcards

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1
Q

What events caused optimism in the early 1960s

A

Election of Kennedy, MLK & Civil Rights

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2
Q

Why was Kennedy a source of optimism

A

Catholic (different), sympathetic to civil rights, message of selflessness (Ask not what your country can do for you…)

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3
Q

What nickname was Kennedy’s presidency given

A

“Camelot”

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4
Q

What is “The New Frontier”

A

A sense of optimism and ambitiousness from new ideas and attitudes (JFK, MLK)

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5
Q

When was the March on Washington?

A

August 1963

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6
Q

What notable speech was delivered during the march on washington

A

“I have a dream” MLK (not his intended speech)

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7
Q

Where is Kennedy killed

A

Dallas, TX

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8
Q

When is Kennedy killed

A

Nov 22, 1963

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9
Q

What is post-war britain like?

A

Everything is in shambles due to WW2

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10
Q

What practice continues in Britain through the 1950s

A

rationing

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11
Q

What is the outlook for young people in Britain in the 1950s and early 60s?

A

Not great. Mass underemployment, especially for youth

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12
Q

What is DIY culture?

A

When something doesnt exist, do it yourself/ make your own. Demonstrated by British Teens forming makeshift bands with strange combinations of instruments

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13
Q

How does American Music reach Britain in the Post-War era

A

By ship. Sailors would trade american records to british teens to make some money on the side

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14
Q

What cities are hotbeds for american music influence in the UK?

A

Port Cities (Liverpool especially)

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15
Q

What types of music are popular with British Teens?

A

R&B, Rock n Roll

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16
Q

What British music style evolves out of American R&B and Rock n Roll influences

A

Skiffle

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17
Q

What is the original name of the Beatles

A

The Quarrymen

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18
Q

Who originally leads the Beatles when formed?

A

John Lennon

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19
Q

What city are The Beatles from?

A

Liverpool

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20
Q

Where does John Lennon meet Paul McCartney?

A

Church Picnic

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21
Q

When do Paul and John start playing and writing songs?

A

July 1957

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22
Q

What talent do neither John or Paul possess?

A

Neither can play lead guitar (a problem since Chuck Berry is a notable influence)

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23
Q

Who do The Beatles recruit to play lead?

A

George Harrison

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24
Q

Where to the Beatles start playing?

A

Clubs in Liverpool - notably the Cavern Club

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25
Q

Who is the original drummer of the beatles?

A

Stuart Stuckcliffe

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26
Q

What image do the Beatles originally maintain?

A

Rocker image - based on US motorcycle gangs (greased hair and leather)

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27
Q

Who become’s the Beatle’s manager?

A

Brian Epstein

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28
Q

When do The Beatles get their first manager?

A

December 1961

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29
Q

What changes does Brian Epstein make to the image of The Beatles

A

Mop Top haircuts, matching suits

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30
Q

What happens when the Beatles try to get a record deal?

A

Everybody turns them down

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31
Q

Who writes the rejection letter stating that there is “No future for guitar in pop music”?

A

Dick Row - DECA

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32
Q

Why did The Beatles struggle to get a record deal?

A

At the end of the In Between Years, everyone was convinced Rock n Roll had just been a fad

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33
Q

What label are the Beatles Signed to?

A

Parlophone - a subsidiary of EMI

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34
Q

When do The Beatles sign their record deal?

A

June 1962

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35
Q

Which producer do The Beatles get paired with?

A

George Martin

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36
Q

Why is George Martin a great technical producer?

A

Long history of producing interesting sounds from doing comedy sound effects

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37
Q

What change does George Martin insist they make?

A

Tells them to fire Stuart Stuckcliffe, hire Ringo Starr

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38
Q

What is the first Beatles single?

A

“Love Me Do”

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39
Q

When is “Love Me Do” released?

A

September 1962

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40
Q

When is “Please Please Me” released?

A

January 1963

41
Q

What form is Please Please Me?

A

AABA

42
Q

What songwriting techniques did The Beatles employ to make Please Please Me a hit?

A

Varying rhythmic density between A and B section, highest tension occurring at end of B section with high note. Prolific hook which is heard 17 times in 2 minutes

43
Q

On which program do The Beatles appear in 1963

A

The Royal Variety Performance

44
Q

When do The Beatles appear on The Royal Variety Performance?

A

Nov 1963

45
Q

At what point to The Beatles become the biggest band in the UK

A

end of 1963

46
Q

What condition does Epstein put on The Beatles going to America?

A

Wants to wait until The Beatles have a hit charting in the US

47
Q

Which hit prompts the Beatles to come to America?

A

“I wanna hold your hand”

48
Q

When is “The Beatles are Coming” ad campaign launched?

A

Feb - 1963

49
Q

What reference is used in the Beatles are coming ad campaign

A

“The British are coming” -> the new british invasion

50
Q

On what performance do The Beatles perform when they arrive in America?

A

The Ed Sullivan Show

51
Q

When do the Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show

A

Feb 9 1964

52
Q

How many people watch The Beatles’ performance on The Ed Sullivan show?

A

70M (influenced many of the next generation)

53
Q

What remarkable venue do the beatles play after the Ed Sullivan Show?

A

An Arena in DC

54
Q

How long is The Beatles’ tour in America?

A

3 weeks

55
Q

What sales do the Beatles do during the original American Tour?

A

2 million albums, 2.5 million in merch.

56
Q

What happens when The Beatles return to the UK after their first US tour?

A

50k teens crash the airport, shutting it down

57
Q

What term is given to Beatle induced hysteria

A

Beatlemania

58
Q

How many hit songs do the Beatles have charting by April 1964

A

12 songs in Top 100, including #1,2,3,4&5

59
Q

How much income have The Beatles made by the end of their 4th US tour?

A

65M (1965)

60
Q

What venue do the Beatles play in 1965?

A

Shea Stadium

61
Q

What is unique about The Beatles’ concert in Shea stadium

A

First of its kind. No large stage, no lighting, had to play through the PA system. Launches the stadium concert industry

62
Q

What sound is templated on the early Beatles

A

Mersey Beat (N. English / Liverpool)

63
Q

What are some example of Mersey Beat bands

A

Gerry & the Pacemakers, The Searchers, The Swinging Blue Jeans

64
Q

What is the first Beatles Movie

A

“A Hard Day’s Night” - 1964

65
Q

What is the second Beatles Movie?

A

“Help” - 1965

66
Q

How is Help (movie) novel?

A

Beatles play themeselves, spoof of Bond movie

67
Q

What band is based off of the Beatles’ appearance in Help

A

The Monkees

68
Q

What song off Help stood out from the others?

A

“Yesterday” - July 1965

69
Q

Who influenced the creation of “Yesterday”?

A

Bob Dylan. Introduced them to pot, told them “Your music is great but your lyrics dont say anything”

70
Q

What differences in form are exhibited in “Yesterday”

A

Only one Beatle (Paul), more complex lyrics and harmony, string quartet (influence of George Martin

71
Q

Which albums see the Beatles shift away from Pop?

A

Help (Aug 65), Rubber Soul (Dec 65), Revolver (Aug 66)

72
Q

What was different about The Beatles’ Rubber Soul cover?

A

It doesnt have “The Beatles” on it. Transition of Album covers from advertising to art

73
Q

What song shows the Beatles’ Eastern Influence

A

Tomorrow Never Knows

74
Q

which Beatle writes Tomorrow Never Knows

A

John Lennon

75
Q

How were the Beatles influenced by Eastern musical styles

A

Spent a lot of time in india, studying Indian classical music

76
Q

What elements of Indian Classical music are used in “Tomorrow never knows”

A

No chord structure, pushes melody over harmony, more complex rhythm, uses a drone, lyrics based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead

77
Q

What technical style is used to record the vocals for Tomorrow Never Knows

A

Double tracking. Singer records one take, then tries to exactly match it for a second take which are played simultaneously. Adds a richness and ethereal sound. Extremely hard to do

78
Q

What is a leslie speaker

A

amplifier for a keyboard, contains a spinning speaker. Half of John’s vocals are run through it in Tomorrow Never Knows

79
Q

How do the beatles begin to view vocals through their transition to rock?

A

The voice is just an instrument which can be manipulated like any other instrument

80
Q

What avant-garde techniques does tomorrow never knows utilize?

A

Backwards recoring and tape loops (8 tape loops of random sounds)

81
Q

What challenges does the Band’s focus on the recording studio produce?

A

Songs become incredibly hard to perform live

82
Q

When does the band start to lose interest in public performance

A

1966

83
Q

What tours mark the end of the beatles touring career

A

Japanese Tour - band can’t hear themselves over the screams. Phillipenes - robbed by the government, US - hit by “We’re bigger than Jesus” contreversy and protests

84
Q

What is the last live Beatles performance

A

Aug 29th 1966 - Candlestick Park

85
Q

What do the Beatles do when they stop performing live

A

go into the studio, focus on records

86
Q

When is Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band released

A

June 1967

87
Q

What accolade is given to Sgt Peppers

A

Single most influential album in history of Western Pop Music

88
Q

What is on the Back of Sgt Peppers

A

All of the Lyrics

89
Q

What is an example of a song off Sgt Peppers

A

A Day in the Life

90
Q

What was unique about A day in the life?

A

Assembled from independently composed songs by John and Paul

91
Q

What approach does A Day in the Life take?

A

Post Modern - form takes a back seat to emotion

92
Q

What elements in A Day in the Life are Avant Garde

A

use of orchestra and piano

93
Q

What is the first Concept Album

A

Sgt Peppers (although johnny cash may have been first, history recognizes this album)

94
Q

What makes Sgt Peppers a Concept Album

A

all of the songs are linked in some way (Rock - opera type story)

95
Q

What shift is found in Sgt Peppers

A

Shift to “Hippie Aesthetic”

96
Q

what changes are made when shifting to the hippie aesthetic

A
Rock n Roll -> Rock
singles -> album
dancing -> listening
entertainers -> "serious" musicians
AM -> FM (can play stereo)
97
Q

what event coincides with the release of Sgt Peppers

A

Death of Brian Epstein by OD

98
Q

When do the Beatles break up

A

Spring 1970 - Paul McCartney leaves

99
Q

How long does it take for the beatles to change the world?>

A

6.5 years