I just noticed this about The Beatles
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Other music related lounges
Forum Name: Proto-Prog and Prog-Related Lounge
Forum Description: Discuss bands and albums classified as Proto-Prog and Prog-Related
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=72090
Printed Date: December 19 2024 at 04:15
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: I just noticed this about The Beatles
Posted By: paganinio
Subject: I just noticed this about The Beatles
Date Posted: October 10 2010 at 04:30
|
Their five essential albums were released in the second half of the 1960s, at a pace of one must-have album per year. Rubber Soul (1965), Revolver (1966), Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), The Beatles (aka The White Album) (1968) or Abbey Road (1969). So that's a really neat coincidence. This fun fact helps me understand their influence on pop music. You see, the years 1965-1969 happen to be the most revolutionary years in music history. So, Beatles were following/leading the trend at every turn. As I understand it, the five albums have the following historical significance: Rubber Soul - Music-wise, it shows elements of psychedelia and folk rock, which were very progressive at the time. Lyrics-wise, these songs start to have deeper meanings than the usual radio pop. So obviously it was influenced by Bob Dylan's 1965 classics. Revolver - Haven't heard this album but I heard it changed the face of pop music forever. Sgt. Pepper - An early pioneer of 70s art rock movement. Developed the concept of concept albums. Many characteristics of prog rock were already subtly present on this release. White Album - 1967 was the year that saw some truly groundbreaking acts (Velvet Underground and Jimi Hendrix), so in 1968 it felt peaceful in comparison. Beatles used this time to experiment on some new ideas and explore a variety of existing genres. Abbey Road - The apex as well as the swan song. ------------- 
|
Replies:
Posted By: ExittheLemming
Date Posted: October 10 2010 at 04:46
|
Can't really argue with any of your conclusions here except that for me, the White album, as enjoyable as it is (and in places brilliantly original) is really tantamount to an affectionate homage to well established existing popular musical styles. But you are right on the money for the remainder. ------------- 
|
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: October 10 2010 at 07:30
Why can't you just Let It Be?  But yeah, for me the essential Beatles begins with Rubber Soul. Also if you don't give Revolver a listen, I will have to shoot you.  ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
|
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: October 10 2010 at 07:37
^ Russian rulette  -------------  
|
Posted By: Floydman
Date Posted: October 10 2010 at 09:35
|
I think a lot of proggers forget the Beatles might have been just as influential on folk rock and how their early songs chordal changes were a huge influence on people like Dylan and the Byrds. Richie Unterberger, author Turn! Turn! Turn!: The '60s Folk-Rock Revolution
The Beatles, Meet the Beatles (1964, Capitol). Not a folk-rock album, but the one record that more than any other awakened young American folk musicians to the possibilities of electric rock music. The Meet the Beatles LP, as opposed to With the Beatles (their second British LP, which has much of the same material and is the one that was reissued on CD), is what's necessary to re-create the impact, as it's almost wholly devoted to original songs, including two great ones ("I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "I Saw Her Standing There") that don't appear on With the Beatles.
The Beatles, A Hard Day's Night (1964, Capitol). Songs from and recorded right after the making of the movie of the same name, which was about as influential on early folk-rock musicians as the Meet the Beatles album was. You can hear some folky influences creeping into their work, too, on songs like "Things We Said Today" and "I'll Be Back." The Beatles, Beatles for Sale (1964, Capitol). More music that, if only unconsciously, continued to help bring folk and rock closer together, explicitly so on "I'm a Loser" and "I'll Follow the Sun." The Beatles, Help! (1965, Capitol). A fine album on any terms, as all Beatles albums are. Within the context of folk-rock, it's notable for several songs that show a definite folk-rock influence, like "You've Got to Hide Your Away" and "I've Just Seen a Face," as well as the appearance (not influenced by the Byrds) of a prototypical ringing 12-string electric guitar riff in "Ticket to Ride." |
paganinio wrote:Posted By: Klogg
Date Posted: October 11 2010 at 13:02
Indeed -------------  Pentagram Pizza YumYum Bloody 
|
Posted By: clarke2001
Date Posted: October 11 2010 at 14:39
|
The Beatles influenced so many things, improved so many things, started so many things it's unbelievable. There's only one artist that can be compared with the Liverpool Quartet both by his body of work and by his impact on forthcoming art and culture. His name is Leonardo da Vinci. ------------- |
Posted By: TODDLER
Date Posted: October 15 2010 at 09:01
| Rubber Soul has a deep Dylan folk type influence and it was really cool how Lennon and McCartney developed real originality with it. I was blown away after hearing early Dylan from my sister's collection and then hearing R.S. upon the first week of it's release. I thought, there must be a way to learn from this. Many musicians in the 60's were looking at Rubber Soul as if to be a door opened. A new way to write music. The impact R.S. had on American musicians was unreal. |
Posted By: MattGuitat
Date Posted: December 12 2011 at 20:56
Nobody truly understands just how influential they were. EVERYTHING and I truly mean EVERYTHING the Beatles did changed things. From the drugs they took, to the clothes they wore, to their use of the mellotron (!) were used by all who came later. In the 8 years that they made albums, they had more impact and influence on, not just music, but popular culture than any other musician(s) before or since. The only other artists that could even be close to that level of direct influence would be Elvis or Nirvana, but even they didn't change as much as the Beatles did. And the albums you mentioned, are truly where the roots of Prog lie. Ian McDonald of KC even says that the first prog song was Yesterday, mostly because of its classical strings. The Beatles should be listed as prog, at least for crossover, if only for how they revolutionalized pop and made it artier. (This isn't trying to get them included as Crossover, its just what I believe) .
|