1962 was an epic year. American star, Marilyn Monroe was found dead under mysterious circumstances. Nelson Mandela was handed out Prison Sentence. And, as well as, for something rather insignificant compared to these. On October 5th, 1962, four young boys from Liverpool released their first single album “Love Me Do”. For the veterans, their music was rather juvenile. It apparently lacked a certain ornate lustre. But the world could never forget those dreamy eyed young lads named John Lennon, Paul Mc Cartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, also fondly remembered as the worlds most popular band ever – The Beatles.
Fifty Years of The Beatles
“Love Me Do” did a decent business but it was just the advent of the ‘Fab Four’ who went on to become cultural revolutionaries, who changed perspectives, mentalities, dimensions of popular culture, parameters of spirituality and politics as well. Their music became a craze and Beatle-mania officially established its ground. They were the best selling band in the history of the world. When Magazines compile the most influential people of the last century, The Beatles top the list for their invaluable contribution to popular thinking.
Their music was strikingly different, in an incredible way, of course. An overpowering gist of harmonica with a slow skiffle beat, set them apart. It was all of jazz and country music with the most uncommon of instruments like the jug. It was the instruments more than anything which attracted young audiences. They never failed to touch people mostly for their mere simplicity in their art, which was their essence throughout. Their words were simple yet lyrical. Their passion for music was evident from how they derived marvelous tunes out of something as regular as washboards. They believed that every sound has a certain musical value to it; it needs to be cherished and polished. “Love Me Do” struck people for its naïve-ness and innocence, the childish ecstasy of a first crush and all the red blushes which entails with it.
Fifty Years of The Beatles
Before Beatle-mania struck the world, there was a vast deal of American Influence on music. People sang in solos and music genre was mainly rock and roll. It was almost perceived as a British Invasion when The Beatles started affecting popular culture so magnanimously. Young fans started adapting everything from their Moptop haircuts to Edwardian Collarless Suits and Beatle Boot’s Cuban Heels footwear.
The Beatles recorded about 250 songs, singles, created films and television shows. They were heavily inspired from the Indian culture and later went on to use instruments like the sitar, flutes and nuances of the ragas in their songs. Lennon and Mc Cartney changed the styles of song writing and popularized thematic, simple yet deep lyrics. The Beatles were never just a band. They were reflective of the collective consciousness of generations of artistic work. The Beatles fostered the idea of peace, love and universality, humane values which hatred was eroding. The aftermath of the Two Massive World Wards, Cold War and the subtle animosity which was brewing could only be won over by reviving values of peace. The Beatles conveyed the message of love and peace through the universal language of music.
