The Beatles - Social Science

 The Beatles

The Beatles were a rock band that formed in 1960. The main members in the band were John Lennen, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. At the beginning Pete Best and Stuart Sufcliffe were part of the band but by 1962 they had left. They were known as the most influential act of the rock era. The Beatles were the most popular band of the 60s. They influenced pop culture like no other. They inspired many artists back then and even now. Their music is still played over 40 years later.

On the 21st June 1964, The Beatles touched down in New Zealand to play twelve shows in all four major cities over seven days.

Members of The Beatles:

John Lennon: John Winston Ono Lennon (October 9 1940 - December 8 1980) was an English

musician, and was a member of the rock band the Beatles.

Paul McCartney:

Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18th June 1942 in Liverpool, England) is Britain's most

successful musician and composer, and one of the most successful musicians in the world. He was a member of the rock band The Beatles, and with John Lennon wrote most of the group's songs.

Ringo Starr:

Ringo Starr (born Richard Starkey on 7 July 1940) is an English musician and actor.

He is most famous as a member of the Beatles. He joined the group in 1962 as a replacement for their original drummer Pete Best. He quickly became well-liked and very popular. He sang lead on some of the band's songs.

Beatles - 'Yesterday'  

'Yesterday' Lyrics: 

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away

Now it looks as though they're here to stay

Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be,

There's a shadow hanging over me.

Oh, yesterday came suddenly. 

Why she...

Meaning of the song:

This song succinctly conveys a wistfulness of a man's longing for his youth, when everything was

possible, when he still could do what he wanted to do, and when his girl still loved him. The 

references to time (yesterday, suddenly, now) reinforce the idea that he's comparing his own life

at different ages. The "shadow" hanging over him may be death, as we all become acutely aware of our own death when we reach mid-life. Even though the author says he doesn't know why the 

girl "had" to go, he thinks he's to blame (or at least, he thinks that she thinks he's to blame). What

makes this song poignant rather than depressing is the wistful tone. It's not angry or resentful, 

just thoughtful. It's filled with regret, but not despair. It's delicately written. 

Right from the flavour and texture of music, the Beatles had been everything pop, but they also had a whole set of songs integrating cross-cultural music elements.