THE BEATLES

by Ladis Launa (jefe del departamento de Inglés)

Who were The Beatles?

The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960. They are considered the most important and influential band in the history of popular music. The group consisted of John Lennon (rhythm guitar, vocals), Paul McCartney (bass guitar, vocals), George Harrison (lead guitar, vocals) and Ringo Starr (drums, vocals)

What was so special about them?

It can be said that they changed the sound of pop music, because they were the first band to write their own songs and create their own style and sound. The evolution of their songwriting and style during their career is one of the most incredible social phenomenons in the history of modern music. They never repeated themselves. Every new song and every new LP was different from the one that had come before. As a consequence, they had an enormous influence on the evolution of rock music as we know it and in the formation of countless groups all over the world, some of which became world famous and influential too: the Byrds, Big Star, the Nazz etc. They invented and used recording techniques and sounds that can still be heard in rock bands at present. They also became the image of the ideals of the social and cultural revolutions in the late 60s and early 1970s. But you'll also hear traces of Beatle music in 2000s bands like Oasis, Beady Eye, Blur, Radiohead, Artic Monkeys and many others who consider The Beatles a big influence on many of their songs.

¿POR QUÉ HAY QUE ESCUCHAR A LOS BEATLES?

Porque oír la obra de los Fab 4 de Liverpool es un viaje apasionante- Nadie olvida la primera vez que los escuchó y siempre se vuelve a ellos. Porque su música te empuja a coger una guitarra y, probablemente, a formar un grupo con amigos, a tocar sus canciones y, posteriormente, a componer canciones originales con el mismo espíritu fresco e innovador de los Beatles. Porque te aprendes sus canciones de memoria, una vez que te atrapan, y mejora enormemente tu pronunciación y tu vocabulario de inglés. Además se te pega un ligero acento del norte de Inglaterra. Porque la música Beatle te lleva a conocer los estilos musicales y los autores que les influyeron: RHYTHM AND BLUES, ROCK´N´ROLL, SOUL, GOSPEL, COUNTRY, FOLK, MÚSICA CLÁSICA …

Y sobre todo porque nadie ha cantado como ellos:

• Al Amor: SOMETHING, AND I LOVE HER, JULIA, HERE THERE AND EVERYWHERE, WHEN I´M SIXTY FOUR, BECAUSE-,
• A la tristeza y al consuelo: HEY JUDE, LET IT BE, MOTHER´S NATURE SON, CARRY THAT WEIGHT, YOU NEVER GIVE ME YOUR MONEY-
• A la soledad y al olvido: ELEANOR RIGBY, FOR NO-ONE, SHE´S LEAVING HOME, THE FOOL ON THE HILL
• A la alegría de sentirnos vivos y unidos: MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR, SGT. PEPPERS, GETTING BETTER, BIRTHDAY
• A los recuerdos de la infancia y la juventud -PENNY LANE, STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER ,
• A la nostalgia y a lo que hemos perdido –YESTERDAY, IN MY LIFE, THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD
• A los sueños y a lo irreal –LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS, A DAY IN THE LIFE, TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS, REVOLUTION Nº 9- I AM THE WALRUS
• A la incomunicación – DEAR PRUDENCE, SHE SAID SHE SAID, I´M ONLY SLEEPING Al AMOR UNIVERSAL -ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE, THE WORD, WITHIN YOU AND WITHOUT YOU-
• Al desamor y a la desafección –GIRL, I´M LOOKING THROUGH YOU, TICKET TO RIDE
• A los momentos difíciles –I´M A LOSER, HELP, NOWHERE MAN, YER BLUES
• A la paz y a un mundo mejor GIVE PEACE A CHANCE, IMAGINE
• y ….porque no ha habido ni probablemente habrá nadie como ….ELLOS.

BEATLES FOUR EVER