The Beatles as Musicians: Revolver Through the Anthology

Front Cover
Oxford University Press, 1999 - Music - 395 pages
Given the phenomenal fame and commercial success that the Beatles knew for the entire course of their familiar career, their music per se has received surprisingly little detailed attention. Not all of their cultural influence can be traced to long hair and flashy clothing; the Beatles had numerous fresh ideas about melody, harmony, counterpoint, rhythm, form, colors, and textures. Or consider how much new ground was broken by their lyrics alone--both the themes and imagery of the Beatles' poetry are key parts of what made (and still makes) this group so important, so popular, and so imitated. This book is a comprehensive chronological study of every aspect of the Fab Four's musical life--including full examinations of composition, performance practice, recording, and historical context--during their transcendent late period (1966-1970). Rich, authoritative interpretations are interwoven through a documentary study of many thousands of audio, print, and other sources.
 

Contents

ONEWAY TICKET YEAH
5
Lennon and McCartney the Young Composers
8
Performance Techniques of the Early Beatles
11
Early Lyrics
14
Early Rhythmic Techniques
15
Tonal Materials in the Early Music of the Beatles
17
Early Recording Studio Practice
20
Youll Be Mine
23
SO LET IT OUT AND LET IT IN 1968
149
India Return to RR Apple and Yoko
150
The Beatles aka the White album and Hey JudeRevolution
162
Apple Records
207
The Beatles in Late 1968
209
LET IT BE 1969197O
213
Get Back
215
Bad Business
234

If I Fell
27
ANOTHER KIND OF MIND THERE The Meaning of Within 1966
31
McCartney and the Avantgarde
32
Revolver
33
Im Not a Beatle Anymore
68
I KNOW WHEN ITS A DREAM
75
Penny Lane
84
Single Release
86
YELLOW MATTER CUSTARD GREEN SLOP PIE 1967
89
Popular Music 19671969
91
The Beatles in Early 1967
98
Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
99
All You Need Is LoveBaby Youre a Rich Man and Some ShelfSitters
124
The Summer of 1967
129
Magical Mystery Tour
131
The Beatles in Late 1967
144
Summary of the MidBeatles Style
145
The Beatles in Early 1969
236
Abbey Road
244
The End
271
The Legacy
278
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO ?
281
Paul McCartney
282
George Harrison
284
Ringo Starr
285
The Beatles Anthology
286
Instruments Played by the LatePeriod Beatles
297
Musical Friends of the LatePeriod Beatles
305
TABLE OF CHORD FUNCTIONS
309
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
315
NOTES
321
REFERENCES
359
INDEX OF NAMES SONGS ALBUMS VIDEOS AND ARTWORKS
373
Copyright

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Page xv - Kwon and their perceptive and helpful staff, anonymous readers, und consultants have provided expert assistance whenever and wherever needed. Grants from the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies, the Office of the Vice President for Research, and the School of Music, all at the University of Michigan, have made possible the travel, purchase of materials, use of equipment, and compensation for clerical help necessary to complete this project. Devoted administrators Ralph Lewis and Andy Mead...

About the author (1999)

Walter Everett is Associate Professor of Music in Music Theory at the University of Michigan.

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