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ENGLISH B EXTENDED ESSAY November 2020 session CATEGORY 2B Influence of The Beatles in England and the United States of America How The Beatles influenced the social, and cultural in England and United States during the Beatlemania? N.° de palabras: 4004 Supervisor: Gisela Riccio Ipanaqué 2 Table of content: Introduction: 3 Chapter 1: The band that changed the history 4 1.1 Overview of the legacy of The Beatles 4 1.2 The end of Era 5 Chapter 2: The Beatles influence in Great Britain 6 2.1 First Steps 7 2.2 Jump to the fame 8 2.3 Social impact in England 9 2.4 Cultural impact in England 10 Chapter 3: 10 3.1 Boom in the United States 11 3.2 Social influence in the United States 11 3.3 The influence during the civil rights fight 12 3.4 Briticisms in American English 13 3.5 Cultural influence in the United States 14 3.6 The influence of their lyrics in their songs 14 3.7 The culture of drugs and alcohol 15 Conclusions 16 Bibliography 17 3 Introduction It is well known that The Beatles had a massive influence in the social and cultural aspects during the first years of the band and the very well know “Beatlemania” between 1963 to 1966 in England and the United States. However, it is important to consider how the most successful and praised band in the modern history motivated a whole generation related to the postwar period, to the lags it left and to the beginning of the 60s decade. In this extended essay I will describe the early years of the band to their rise to fame and prove that their music and lyrics, had an enormous impact on the world society. The 60s decade were marked by the progressivism that the new generations were given, the desire for world peace not only in the United Kingdom, but also in the United States were the group was seen as the embodiment of progressive ideals seeking change in post-war society. I choose my research question because beside my love for the band music it’s really interesting seeing how this band changed their decade and marked the world in a way that any band has being capable to imitate. 4 Chapter 1: The band that changed the history “If someone tells me they don't like The Beatles so much ... I don't trust him so much anymore” (Charly Garcia, 1998) Overview of the legacy of The Beatles I think that is impossible that anyone doesn’t know who The Beatles are. Well in fact there are people who do not know their music itself, but even those have at least heard about their songs one time in their lives. Who would have thought that 4 Liverpool boys John Lennon (rhythm guitar, vocalist), Paul McCartney (bass, vocalist), George Harrison (lead guitar, vocalist) and Ringo Starr (drums, vocalist), marked by the death or separation of their parents at an early age, (with the exception of George), were going to become world-famous international stars, making The Beatles the most acclaimed and successful band in the modern history of the music. Despite the short time that the band had since was created at that moment, The Beatles’ had a massive influence on music and popular culture. The enormous popularity that the group had managed to achieve thanks to "Beatlemania”, made that as time went by their compassions were increasingly sophisticated, but popular at the same time. The initial band was conforming by John Lennon, a singer and a very good guitarist, and Paul McCartney, a bassist and singer, both of them were largely self-taught as musicians. When the band was already formed, they think that they need an urgent change because they thought that the other musicians didn’t fit with the image of the group, so they decide to change the cast of accompanists, adding by the end of 1957 the membered lead 5 guitarist Josh Harrison and then, in 1960 for several formative little changes in the band, they finally complete their most famous, recognized and acclaimed line up. There is little to talk about how much this band changed the music, the popular culture and the entire world. Basically the combination of their extraordinary talent and being in the right place at the right time with the right people that launched them to their enormous fame. As flag bearers of socially appointed rock and roll music, each of their movements was heavily analyzed and The Beatles never did something wrong. They were always looking to improve their musical abilities and forge new and interesting sonic territories, their position as precursors meant that the band was alone in this travel but they never surrender and prove to be the best in all aspects. The Beatles were a rock and roll band, half their own, half covers, who blew the wig off an entire generation. Between the release of the single 'Love Me Do' in the year of 1962 and the breakup of the band 1970, they made almost 200 songs and sold more than 200 million records something ridiculously big in terms of sales, making them the band with the most album sales in the whole history and marking a precedent in the modern history of the music. Their charisma and His first appearances sparked unprecedented scenes of mass hysteria and made a legion of fans that till this day listen their songs. End of an Era When the band decided to break up in 1970 an era was finished. The Beatles were separated, in part, by the egos war between their two main songwriters, Lennon and McCartney. The other two, George and Ringo, used to keep a low profile. Every 6 member specially Lennon, preferred compositions with a direct style, without too many arrangements. McCartney, on the other hand, enjoyed adding string instruments, but concluded that the group should regain its roots as a simple rock band. So this band never could have finished what they want. But their music and their lyrics are what really caused them to be one of the greatest band ever created. That time was characterized by love and the desire for peace thanks to the themes they composed. Of course, they knew how to anticipate their time and create a new atmosphere. In the end, as early as 1967, Beatlemania was practically over. But that doesn’t mean the end of their careers, all the members took different paths and evolve in different ways. Chapter 2: The Beatles influence in Great Britain: If we want to talk about success in music, we have to mention The Beatles. As we said The Beatles are the most influential band of all time. As John Mucie mention “Their early appearances provoked unprecedented scenes of mass hysteria. The group whose popularity was to be variously gauged as greater than that of Elvis Presley or Jesus Christ are widely acclaimed as one of the most significant forces in the history of popular music, as being a symbol for teenagers worldwide and for revolutionizing British pop culture”. Muncie J. (2000). But what difference them from every music band from their time and the future generations? Well that’s basically the mark and legacy they have left in music. Because The Beatles were not only pretty boys band, they marked the decade and the century with their music and lyrics. They were one of the decade-defining bands of the middle 60s, the band were totally immersed in everything related to made them even better. They represented what 7 the future 60s will become. The Beatles were the middle between the rock’n roll and the blues pop, because if we look into the future bands like The Rolling Stones, they share many similar qualities between them, also because both bands had a massive impact in the music business during the “British Invasion” although The Rolling Stones were more a psychedelic type of music The Beatles was one of the innovating in forms of music, art and culture in that time. First Steps As David Simonelli says “the band "virtually redefined what it meant to be British", and British culture became "the most exciting culture on earth" for the first time since the start of the industrial age”. Simonelli, David (2013). When the band move to London in 1963 they attached all the attention to the city, they were the “maypole” because being Britain was equal to be privileged only because of The Beatles. They changed the lifestyle of many teenagers that across the nation only because of their music something that history proves does not happen overnight. A very rare fact that many people don’t know is that Ringo Star was not the first drummer of the band. The first drummer was Pete Best he started playing in 1959 and continue playing during the Hamburg tour but, the producer George Martin was not happy with his playing, because he said he was not able to follow the beat of the songs they played, and also he convinced the manager of the band or better known as the fifth Beatle Brian Epstein said that his curly hair did not fit the image of The Beatles, and finally he was fired, after that the band asked to Richard Starkey most know as Ring Starr to joined and in that way the original and most recognized popular and remembered line up of the band was placed. 8 Jump to the fame In 1962 after being in Hamburg making songs and stuff for a future album, they made a song that will broke all the commercial and climb up to the top of the charts, "Please Please Me." After that the popularity of the band, explode because of this “new kind of music”.
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