The Beatles

Released: October 28, 1996

Songwriter: Lennon-McCartney John Lennon

Producer: George Martin

Half of what I say is meaningless
But I say it just to reach you, Julia

Julia
[Control room talking, John laughs] That was a great take until then
John: It was till then
Paul: Maybe try it again, there was one or two little [?]
John: There was just the one wasn't there?
Paul: That was great [?] let me tell you
John: I couldn't ha... Couldn't I go from there? Yea...
Paul: [?]
John: Cause that one was perfect, wasn't it?

The Beatles are arguably the most famous, critically-acclaimed, and successful rock band of all time—certainly the preeminent group of the 20th century. They started out as four teenagers playing grimy basement clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg, but they progressed to become world-beating rock stars who are still influential to this day.

John Lennon first formed a skiffle group called The Quarrymen in March 1957. A fifteen-year-old Paul McCartney joined shortly thereafter, eventually inviting his friend George Harrison to audition for the band. After finally impressing John with his guitar skills, George was asked to join—but this juncture would be short-lived as John’s departure to college signaled the other quarrymen to go their separate ways.

By 1960, Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison had re-branded from ‘Johnny & the Moondogs’ to ‘The Silver Beetles’ at the behest of their new bass player, Stuart Sutcliffe. The name would eventually evolve into ‘The Silver Beatles’ by July of that year, before settling on ‘The Beatles’ come August—just in time for their trip to Hamburg with new drummer, Pete Best. Though club residencies in Germany would prove fundamental to the group’s progress as a whole, the tour turned out to be a blessing and a curse, following the deportation of a then-seventeen-year-old George Harrison, and the eventual tragic death of Stuart Sutcliffe.

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