WHO WHAT WHERE WHY WHEN John Lennon • Rhythm guitar • Singer • Wrote many of the songs along with Paul McCartney • Married to Yoko Ono • Was assassinated in 1980 Paul McCartney • Bass guitar (left handed) • Singer • Wrote many of the songs along with John Lennon • Originally a trumpet player but sold it for a guitar because the trumpet made it hard to sing and play. George Harrison • Lead guitar • Known as ‘The Quiet Beatle’ • Spent time in India and drew on this influence in many songs • Died of lung cancer in 2001 Ringo Starr • Drums • Original name is Richard Starkey • Voices Thomas the Tank Engine Other People • George Martin: Producer • Brian Epstein: Manager • Stuart Sutcliffe: Former bass player (left group to become an artist, died a year later) • Pete Best: Former drummer (sacked) • Yoko Ono: Married John Lennon THE BEATLES: ICONIC IMAGE The Beatles They developed their own style including influences from many different genres including Indian music, Vaudeville, Music Hall, Ragtime and Avante Garde But they had many different styles… The Beatles: 1963 -1970 1. I Want To Hold Your Hand 2. Can't Buy Me Love 3. Hey Jude 4. Help! 5. All You Need is Love 6. Here Comes the Sun 7. Come Together 8. Strawberry Fields Forever 9. Don’t Let Me Down 10. I am the Walrus They recorded/released 237 songs The Beatles ‘I Want to Hold ‘She Loves You’ ‘I Feel Fine’ 1 Your Hand’ 2 ‘Beatlemania’ 3 1963 1965 1964 4 ‘Rock and Roll ‘Bigger than Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club 5 6 Music’ 1966 Jesus’ 1966 band 1967 Why did The Beatles stop touring? • They were tired of travelling and live shows • The could hardly him themselves perform because of all the screaming and the low quality equipment • There had been security issues and death threats because of their fame and popularity • They were sick of the same instrument format and wanted to experiment with different styles and genres The Beatles: Study Pieces • With a Little Help From My Friends • Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds • Within You, Without You Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band 1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 2. With a Little Help from My Friends 3. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds 4. Getting Better 5. Fixing a Hole 6. She's Leaving Home 7. Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! 8. Within You Without You 9. When I'm Sixty-Four 10. Lovely Rita 11. Good Morning Good Morning 12. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) 13. A Day In the Life Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band • Concept album created after they finished touring • Whole album was a live performance so should be played in one go (i.e. there are sounds of instruments tuning) • The songs on the album use a wide variety of instruments including a 40-piece orchestra, French horn quartet & classical Indian instruments • The genre of the album is Psychedelic Rock (intended to replicate feeling of taking mind-altering drugs such as LSD) WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS With A Little Help From My Friends Possible questions… • How does this piece demonstrate that Ringo Starr wasn’t a confident singer? • How does this piece demonstrate balance and development? • Explain the contrasting rhythms used in this piece. Other Beatles sing backing Written by Lennon & vocals and play electric Second track on the album McCartney for Ringo Starr guitar, bass, cowbell and and has been cross faded to sing lead vocals & play piano (George Martin plays from Sgt. PLHCB drums Hammond organ) Starr sings the lead vocals Pre-recorded applause ‘Billy Shears’ is introduced in his alter ego character which reinforces that the at the start following a Billy Shears from a album was live long intro fictional band With a Little Help From My Friends Structure Intro: backing vocals ‘Billy Shears’ Verse 1: Ringo solo Chorus: Ringo solo with backing vocals joining in on the third repeat Verse 2: Ringo alternating questions with the backing vocals Chorus 2: in vocal harmony throughout, 6 bars instead of 8 Bridge 1: backing vocals asking questions with Ringo answering Verse 3: backing vocals asking questions with Ringo answering Chorus 3: in vocal harmony throughout, six bars instead of 8 Bridge 2: backing vocals asking questions with Ringo answering Chorus 4: in vocal harmony throughout, this time 8 bars leading to… Outro: same 3 ascending chords as the intro Intro • Starts with crowd noises to give the impression of a live performance • Backing vocals introduce Ringo Starr’s alter ego – Billy Shears • Piano plays three ascending major chords (C, D, E) played in a triplet rhythm. These chords take us from the key of the previous song (G major) in to they key of With A Little Help from My Friends (E major) Verse 1 Harmony Verse only uses chords I (E), V (B), ii (F#m) played in crotchets. The harmonic rhythm creates a sense of balance Verse 1 Rhythm Tied notes in the melody creates syncopation which contrasts with the shuffle rhythm Verse 1 Stepwise melody with a limited note range makes it Melody easy to sing Highest note = B Lowest note = E Sequential melody creates balance Verse 1 • Ringo sings a solo. Notice the stepwise melody with a limited range • Piano and guitar have crotchet chords • Drums play a shuffle rhythm (uneven hi hat: long, short, long, short) • Melody is syncopated placing emphasise on the words: think, sang, tune, stand, walk and me • There is a sequence between the words ‘What would you think’ and ‘sang out of tune’ • Paul McCartney is playing a melodic bassline filling in the root notes with passing notes • The sequence is repeated for ‘Lend me your ears’ and ‘sing you a song’ creating a sense of balance Chorus 1 Leap in the melody of a 5th Flattened seventh chord (non diatonic harmony) • 2 bar phrase is repeated 3 times in total • Backing vocals add harmony on the third time • Followed by a syncopated drum fill Verse 2 Verse 2 is different to verse 1 as it uses antiphonal call and response between the solo singer and the backing vocals Ringo: What do I do when my love is away? B.V: Does it worry you to be alone? Ringo: How do I feel at the end of the day? B.V: Are you sad because you’re on your own? Chorus 2 Chorus 2 is different to chorus 1 in the following ways 1. The vocal harmonies are present throughout 2. The second part of the sixth bar is used as a transition to the bridge 3. The final two bar instrumental passage is omitted Bridge 1 The bridge provides a contrast to the restricted vocal writing of the verse and chorus as the backing vocals ask the opening questions in an expanded vocal range. Harmony sounds as if it Ringo answers in his normal baritone pitch going to modulate to B major but then goes back to E major Verse 3 The backing vocals are now leading the questions in harmony with Ringo replying: B.V: Would you believe in love at first sight? Ringo: Yes I’m certain that it happens all the time B.V: What do you see when you turn out the light? Ringo: I can’t tell you but I know it’s mine Chorus 3 Same as chorus 2 Bridge 2 Same as bridge 1 Chorus 4 This chorus is extended to eight bars (instead of six) Outro A two bar outro based on the same three ascending major chords used in the intro (C, D, E) completing the sense of balance. With A Little Help From My Friends 4/4 time signature, andante tempo, syncopated rhythms throughout, shuffle rhythm on drums, Rhythm & Metre triplets in piano chords, tied notes in verse melody Harmony & Tonality E major, harmonised vocals (in 3rds and 5ths) Melody and accompaniment, antiphonal (bridge), riff (bass guitar), conjunct vocal melodies limited Melody & Texture range Electric guitar, bass guitar, vocals, drum kit (drum fill before verse 2), cowbell, tambourine, mp/mf Timbre & Dynamics dynamics Structure & Form Pop song structure (i.e. Intro, verses, choruses) Sung by Ringo Starr Other Vocals in harmony – Lennon & McCartney Cross Fade With A Little Help From My Friends How does this piece demonstrate that Ringo Starr wasn’t a confident singer? • Simplistic melody with a limited range • Melody is syllabic • Melody contains sequences • Syncopated melody follows the natural pattern of speech • Extended melodic range is reserved for the backing singers With A Little Help From My Friends How does this piece demonstrate balance and development? Balance Development The piece starts and ends with the same ascending chord Paul McCartney develops the bassline using passing notes patter (C, D, E) and inverted chords Verse 2 uses antiphonal call and response with the backing Harmonic rhythm in the verse creates balance vocals Chorus 2 uses harmonies throughout and a shortened Sequential stepwise melody used in the verse phrases The bridge uses an extended vocal range for the backing singers With A Little Help From My Friends Explain the contrasting rhythms used in this piece. • Triplets in the piano during the introduction • Melody uses syncopation • Chords played in crotchets • Drums play a shuffle rhythm • Syncopated drum fill at the end of the chorus Further Listening… With a Little Help From my Friends • Joe Cocker • Wet Wet Wet • Mumford and Sons LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS Mainly written by Lennon (who Standard rock band instruments Third track on the album sang lead vocals) with input from alongside acoustic guitar, McCartney tambura and Lowrey organ Said to be inspired by a painting done by Lennon’s 4year old son There is speculation that the Through The Looking Glass by song has reference to LSD from Lewis Carroll – psychedelic the song title, but the Beatles imagery “marmalade skies” and have denied that “kaleidoscope eyes” Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds Possible questions • How does this song create a dream like quality? • What technology effects does it use? Technology Effects Overdubbing Mixing multiple parts on to one track to free up the other tracks Reduction mixing Creating a double tracking effect automatically Double tracking A microphone is placed very close to the sound source Automatic double A ‘transformer’ so that electric instruments could be recorded directly tracking (ADT) without the need of a mic.