S1E2 - A Brief History of Music Before the Beatles

An all too brief summary of the history of music prior to the Beatles

Episode Notes

How can we go about understanding the historical importance of any band? Perhaps the biggest hurdle is how to know what music in a period before we lived was actually like. Nothing – no piece of art or scholarship – can truly put us into another time. If it succeeds at invoking feelings, they are either nostalgia – from those who were there – or manufactured – for those of us who weren't. So we are inherently struggling from the start. Yes, many people who were alive during the Beatles' approximately seven-and-a-half-year reign as the most popular band in the world will remember it, but I'm not necessarily trying to convince them. Moreover, they may not remember it like I want to tell it. Unfortunately, the Beatles are forever linked to Beatlemania, a time when a lot of young people were too into the Beatles and it’s very easy to understand how people would want nothing to do with that phenomenon. Many people are, like me, trend averse. Beatlemania is a phenomenon that tends to obscure the true meaning and musical importance of the band. But for those of us who were not there, we need to understand why the Beatles were great musically, outside of Beatlemania, if we are going to understand why I steadfastly claim that they are the greatness rock band of all time. And to do that, we need to look at music before the Beatles, which necessarily involves looking at the thing called rock and roll which emerged to encompass other things – some similar and some quite dissimilar – and became the generic name for popular music throughout the world, albeit in short-form: rock.

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S1E3 - Who were The Beatles?

A brief description of the members of The Beatles, if you don't know anything about them

Episode Notes

Before I discuss the Beatles, album by album, single by single, I want to familiarize you with the band. I figure if you don't care about the Beatles or don't think much of them, then you can't really know much about the Beatles themselves. So think of this as a brief primer, a way of letting you know approximately what each guy did, so that later you aren't wondering who that McCartney guy is I keep talking about.

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S1E4 - The Invention of Pop Rock: The Early Years

The Beatles' fusion of various styles of rock and pop invents creates the super genre pop rock

Episode Notes

"Love Me Do" Please Please Me "From Me to You" "She Loves You" With the Beatles "I Want to Hold Your Hand" Please check out Alan W. Pollack's Notes on... series

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S1E5 - Folk Rock Part 1

The Beatles invent a brand new genre

Episode Notes

"Can't Buy Me Love" "Long Tall Sally" A Hard Day's Night "I Feel Fine"

Please check out Alan W. Pollack's Notes on... Series.

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S1E6 - Folk Rock Part 2

The Beatles' refine and expand their new sound

Episode Notes

Beatles For Sale "Ticket to Ride" "Help!" Help! Please check out Alan W. Pollack's Notes on... Series

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S1E7 - Folk Rock Part 3: A turn towards Pop

The Beatles create the greatest or 2nd greatest pop rock album yet made

Episode Notes

"We Can Work It Out"/"Day Tripper" Rubber Soul

Please read Alan W. Pollack's Notes on... series.

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S1E8 - Psychedelia Part 1

The Beatles don't invent psychedelia, but soon become the definitive British psychedelic band

Episode Notes

"Eight Miles High" "Paperback Writer" Revolver

Check out Alan W. Pollack's Notes on... series.

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S1E9 - Psychedelia Part 2: Sgt. Pepper

The Beatles create what some people regard as the most innovative album ever made

Episode Notes

"Strawberry Fields Forever"/"Penny Lane" Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Please check out Alan W. Pollack's Notes on... series.

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S1E10 - Psychedelia Part 3: Magical Mystery TV Special

After years of critical acclaim, the Beatles' create a TV program which bombs

Episode Notes

"All You Need is Love" "Hello Goodbye" "Magical Mystery Tour"/Magical Mystery Tour

Please read Alan W. Pollack's Notes on... series.

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S1E11 - Post Psychedelia Part 1: No more trippy cover art

The Beatles abandon psychedelia less than 2 years after becoming the definitive psychedelic band

Episode Notes

"Lady Madonna" "Hey Jude" The Beatles (aka The White Album)

Please check out Alan W. Pollack's Notes on... series.

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2022