Introduction

Hi. Hey. Hello. It’s Sonny and this is my very debut music essay. If you’re not caught up, I basically exposed myself to the true power of music and am now covering music discographies and for my very debut, why not go back to the legendary music artist known across the world whose impact still lasts today, The Beatles. The way this will work is that I’ll be checking out every single album they ever released and judge them not as their own standalone album, but how they all complement each other, create a unique Beatles experience, and overall showcase the true musical talent of the band. For those not in the know, The Beatles was an English rock band formed in 1960 Liverpool, comprised of members: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. They’re of course the most influential band of all time and integral in 1960s counterculture, popular music as an art form, and are just legendary icons. The band had gone through many evolutions and names before the core group finally found each other and after playing music at locals, they managed to get a manager and their recordings improved, with their music becoming more and more popular until finally becoming...The Beatles, now let’s not waste any more time and dive into...the true music...of The Beatles.

Please Please Me

The debut album of The Beatles is...pretty alright. It’s not bad, just very simple. Alright, so this album is for sure a solid Beatles starter, though for its time of 1963, it does fit with it...in kind of a good and bad way. It’s nothing truly unique, even for its era, yet it still has little sprinkles of that Beatles Soundframe we all know and love, it for sure feels like a Beatles version of the kind of pop rock and roll type of music releasing at these times. One of the major flaws I have with this album is that every single song really...sounds the same, with some exceptions, not to say every single song is bad, no, the album starts off nice with some solid catchy tunes and there are some tracks that at least sound different and are executed differently from the rest of the track listing, it’s just both in composition and lyrically, every song is kind of...the same...always about romantically discussing a girl and having that same 60s rock and roll melody. Though every song is still at least listenable and enjoyable, it’s just as an album experience...it really...drags. The arrangement is solid though, production is great, it truly does have its own unique style with a very old school summertime concert bop to it that is generally fun and there’s never really a song I would consider “mediocre”, it just kind of all meshes together in not a very good way, yet it’s still a fun album that like...I can listen to again, maybe sure. Overall, for a debut album, it does a decent job setting the band up and being standard, yet have little sprinkles of what’s to come, a nice start to their discography and ever excited to see...where we go from here.

With the Beatles

Yaaaaah, this album is way better. Now, for a second album, it is much more enjoyable and listenable than “Please Please Me”, it’s just a way better overall album experience and highly improved step forward than their debut. Back in those days of the early 60s, it was common for music groups to release more than one LP yearly, so therefore they got quick into creating this album and it shows both in a good and bad way? Let me explain. Now like I said, this album is still far better than their last, it’s much cleaner and greatly improved with an overall better round-up of tracks. Every single-track listing stands out now, containing one unique element to make them all stand apart now, instead of meshing together and feeling too same-y, whilst still containing that overall summertime vibe of the last album. Like always The Beatles don’t fail in their overall arrangement and fun melodies, with some fantastic production, and though I feel lyrically it’s nothing crazy, their vocals are fantastic. I think the album’s shortcomings just come from that even though I appreciate it’s style like I mentioned earlier, I mean...it’s still nothing that new from this era of music and as an album experience, though it is better, I feel like the flow isn’t super great, like it just feels like a compilation than an actual album, yet, this is still a better step in their overall discography.

A Hard Day’s Night

The third album of this sort of “trilogy” if you will that continues this old school vibe to it, I feel...is kinda of a regress, now, don’t get me wrong, still really enjoyed this album and prefer it over “Please Please Me”...yet I think “With the Beatles” is far better. After their first two albums, the Beatles were gaining even more popular, even making music for Germany, and with this growing popularity, they managed to make their own feature-film and required to make a tie-in LP, leading into “A Hard Day’s Night”. Yah, this album is still very solid, though I think it has the issue of every song feeling too much of the same...it still has a good handful of songs like my personal favorites ranging from obviously the opener “A Hard Day’s Night” with its great chords, “If I Fell”, “And I Love Her”, “Tell Me Why”, “Can’t Buy Me Love” and “I’ll Be Back” (the closer), I just feel again like it’s a regression. Like again, don’t get me wrong, I love the overall summertime party bash fun aesthetic, the problem isn’t really the style itself, like I get it, this is their thing and they excel at it, it’s more so that they don’t anything this time around to really make it refreshing and not make every song feel the same, of course there are exceptions from across these albums, yet not enough to be original. Again, a still very solid album and very listenable, just kind of a step back if you ask me personally.

Beatles for Sale

Beatlemania was at its peak, in early 1964, the band made WAVES with their television/radio appearances, many concerts in Denmark, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, and everywhere else, promoting their film “A Hard Day’s Night”, they got to making the album and bumped into Bob Dylan, who encouraged them that they were the way of music and to create more introspective work, resulting in Beatles for Sale. As per usual this album is by far the best one, feeling like a proper sense of progression, even by only a little. As always, The Beatles never fail musically, their arrangement and melodies are always on point, one thing I really appreciate is that they’re clearly adding more of a moody melancholy tone to their music via this record and it’s greatly appreciated by me, even lyrically this album has much more of a narrative amongst its tracks and they’re pretty creative. Though my criticism stems from how though the moodier focus is great, the record still has that summertime vibe from the previous releases that makes the two tones not really blend too well and makes the album a little faulty, yet it’s still a fun listen throughout its duration overall. This release was certainly a better step in the right direction for the band and is a great sign of things to come, with most of the track listing is fantastic for the first time around for this band.

Help!

Their film “A Hard Day’s Night” was finally released and received universal acclaim and just elevated the band up even higher into stardom. Right off the success, it was agreed to produce another Beatles film, with the working title of “Eight Arms to Hold You”, until John and Paul decided to change it to a simpler title “Help!” with an album to be crafted alongside it. Most of the songwriting was at John’s house and the record was heavily influenced by Bob Dylan, “Beatles for Sale” had parts of it, yet this record was where it was fully realized, alongside DRUGS being a big influence (yah, these mfs were on that big doink). No yet seriously this is like the first genuine banger Beatles album, they never really released a mediocre album before, yet for this first time listen, this album is generally fantastic, the peak of this sort of both early and transitional period in the band’s discography, with generally every song being fantastic to listen to with the best compositions, and creative melodies, fantastic attention to detail with its production, the tone, the in-depth lyrics, the mix of folk and pop in its style is greatly blended, the entire track list never fails to hit, every track has its own distinct feeling and it all fits cohesively into one quite really enjoyable record. Yah, this is where it all really began for the Beatles and it only gets better from here, people.

Rubber Soul

Most of Rubber Soul was composed after the band’s return to London following their 1965 North American tour with much influence on the record, even meeting Bob Dylan again and longtime hero, Elvis Presley (just a fun fact). Required to make another album from their label, EDM, they undertook heavy influence from Bob Dylan once again blending folk and rock, whilst also being inspired by soul music acts signed to the Motown and Stax record labels. Two years after Beatlemania, the band were open to exploring new themes of their tiring of screaming fans, commercial power, exposure to literature and hallucinogenic drugs, and potential in recording studio. Rubber Soul was the “departure album” for the Beatles, with Lennon writing broader ideals and mature writing, and the sound almost determined this as the “pot album”. Yah this album slaps...I’m starting to see where Tame Impala took its influence from, like this is for sure the era in their discography where their music is really gravitating me, like the overall sound-work is bursting with much more energy and charisma, and really good favorable melodies, and the lyrics are generally catchy and again conveying interesting narratives. The album truly has a unique blend of folk, rock, and pop, this is just...wow, ya know? (Also, side note, what the fuck was that album closer, that shit was scary asf--)

Revolver

Rubber Soul was released to critical acclaim, creating a new way of music shifting from releasing hit singles to albums of consistent high-quality. The boys were put to even more endless work as the stigma “pop bands must always be working”. The band working on live recordings even vetoed a film project to allow them extra time to prepare for a new album. 1966 was marked as the time in the band’s discography as the “psychedelic era” (which I love so so so much), as John and George got really involved in LSD, being attracted to Eastern philosophical concepts, particularly regarding the very existence of humans. Yah...this is easily the best album by far (been saying that like 3 times now), every song just has its own entire feel to it, the flow is downright sensual and incredible, it never feels too moody or flamboyant, rather just blissful. The overall production is top-notch with incredible mixing, and the writing has by far peaked here with creating a distinct set of words portraying such emotions and delivery. This FEELS like the essential psychedelic pop rock album, like you all know on the second channel (btw go sub) I'm like a big Tame Impala fanboy and yah...this album stands on par with those records and the track-listing is downright flawless, with the right kind of blend of emotions feeling all intact and ever-evolving.

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

By late 1965, the band grew weary of live performances (shit, I would be to) and noted how they were no longer concerts of music, just tribal rites. Two days after Revolver released, the band went on tour to West Germany, where they received an anonymous telegram not to go to Tokyo as they were being threatened and therefore were heavily protected by 35,000 police when performing there. Then they performed in the Philippines, where THEY WERE then threatened and manhandled by its citizen for refusing to visit First Lady Imelda Marcos. Clearly...the band were fucking pissed off at their manager. Then they were given more flack for Lennon stating that “the band were more popular than Jesus”. Paul McCartney eventually got into LSD as the rest of the band already had and the drug influenced him into this album’s inspiration among other things like Indian music and a fictional band image. Every single track is oozing with its own charisma, with stellar chord progression and such distinct/creative vibrancy, and this time around it takes more an upbeat fun appeal with still that psychedelic edge to it all. It’s overall well-written and has the most mood out of any Beatles release yet, and the album embodies that cheery circus-feel as it has a fictional presence of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely-Hearts Band”, and it’s generally just an overall fun and sweet listen.

Magical Mystery Tour

After the completion of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely--” ok you get the title, Paul wanted to produce a film that captured the psychedelic theme of the album, like that of Author and LSD proponent Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters. Titled “Magical Mystery Tour”, it captured Kesey’s concept of a psychedelic bus ride with McCartney’s memories of Liverpudlians holidaying on coach tours. The film would be non-scripted following various “ordinary” people having unspecified “magical” adventures. The Beatles began recording music for the soundtrack in late April. In late August, while the Beatles were attending a Transcendental Meditation, their manager (Brian Epstein) died of a prescription drug overdose. During a band meeting, McCartney agreed to push forward with the album due to Epstein’s approval a year prior. This is a stellar follow-up to Sgt. Pepper, continuing sort of the same aesthetic with still distinct creativity, it all is feeling much more fleshed out compositionally. The instrumentation is splendid, there’s a lot of pop mesmerization to the melodies and it makes it addicting, the album has that hardcore and drug-induced flow to it, with an overall lucid and pop-filled hemisphere that is gorgeous, trippy, fucked up, and almost has a kiddish feel to it weirdly enough, soothing, wonderful, fascinating, and overall works as an effect.

The Beatles (White Album)

By 1968, the Beatles had achieved commercial and critical success. After Sgt. Pepper was number one in the US for 27 weeks (about 6 months), selling 250,000 copies in its first week, it was constituted as a historical departure in the progress of music. Even an American writer, Timothy Leary, wrote that the band was “the wisest, holiest, most effective avatars that the human race has ever produced” Jesus CHRIST (image insert). The TV film, Magical Mystery Tour, did not perform so well from critics, yet fans loved it. Onto the next album, most of the band wrote the songs during the Transcendental Meditation course in India, conceiving the LP as a spiritual respite from all worldly endeavors, a chance to get away from everything. Yo...this album SLAPS. Might be an all-timer for me, I ain’t gonna hold ya govena, this might be their best one yet...I said yet, no but seriously, what IS THIS ALBUM?!? I’ve seen all the discussion about all the filler songs and how this one has the best songs from the band, how it’s amazing, how the album experience is incredible, and yada yada yada...I’m be honest with a hot ass take, I think this album’s lowkey perfection and every song is great, yes yes yes I know I know, maybe on a re-listen independently from their catalog, my opinion might change...yet I can’t help it, something about this album just hits on a different level, it feels like a movie to my eardrums, yes of course there are certain songs that are cheeky and may not be great independently, yet in terms of an album, they work well with the overall flow from track to track, and like everyone else says, they’ve got some of the best songs out here, my personal favorite two being “Julia” and “Rocky Raccoon”, this is easily some of the best work done by the band from every avenue of its melodies, compositions, production, lyricism, style, and overall emotion put into it, this right here is an adventure to listen to and a top-tier album...unlike their next album...

Yellow Submarine

Yah, so there’s one more Beatles film created due to a three-film deal with studio, United Artists, and actually the band disliked the second film “Help!”, with instead going with an animated film “Yellow Submarine”, and it wouldn’t require their involvement, yet they still recorded 4 songs for the soundtrack which was their next album...and the group showed little to no interest for this one AT ALL...and yah...you can feel it alright. This is generally the only bad Beatles album...like ever...and boy howdy did I have the displeasure of listening to it...unlike their tie-in albums for movies, this one...just isn’t a Beatles album. The first half is two re-used songs, one very great original song, and another original song that was subpar with the rest of it being orchestral compositions for the film which are great...it’s just not The Beatles...I might watch the film tho.

Abbey Road

The band had already done recording sessions for a proposed album “Get Back”, with Paul suggesting to producer (George Martin) that the group should get together to make an album “the way they used to do it”, free of the conflict the group had during the production of the White Album, with Martin agreeing as long as they created it the same way they did back in those earlier times and even when making this masterpiece...they knew that deep down...it felt as though they were reaching end...THIS IS THE BEST BEATLES ALBUM. I allure you, even if you’re a non-Beatles fan like I used to be, please listen to this album, you don’t need to be a fan to listen to this absolute genuine masterpiece, I know I’ve kept saying throughout this video that “no this is the best one, no no no, it’s this one, no this one” blah blah blah...no but like seriously this is actually the best one they ever produced. This is some of the most original music I think I’ve heard, this is easily the most focused Beatles record, the way there’s such humanity put into the instrumentation, it’s not even that every song is “good”, it’s that it sounds like it’s on another plane of reality altogether, it perfectly flows from track to track to track, and it’s all cranked up to 11, taking everything from all of their discography and put together into one beautiful perfect culmination of what is...The Beatles.

Let It Be

Yah, this was the last Beatles album, Abbey Road would’ve been a perfect end, yet this one is Moreso of like an epilogue. After recording The White Album and conflicts brewing amongst the gentlemen, eventually they decided to get their shit together and create something like...well how they used to do it. After much hesitation, Paul agreed that the band would play live once more, with many arrangements and deals amongst companies leading to the band having to perform live with completely original songs, leading to an entire albums’ worth of songs to perform, even working on a documentary and then we got Let It Be, the final Beatles record. Again, Abbey Road is just the better album, this one is still great though, with some stellar tracks, an overall nice flow, and a true return to form from the band, it never fails to capture the pure creativity of these four with a really overall listening experience and the fantastic delivery, writing, good old Beatles vibes, really catchy rhythms, and genuine emotion that feels like an accomplishment of everything these guys ever did and although it’s not like the greatest final record...it’s still great nonetheless and thus...that was the end of The Beatles.

Conclusion

The Beatles officially broke up in April 1970, a few weeks after “Let It Be” released, there were many factors including creative differences, money problems, the death of their manager, and Lennon/McCartney’s partnership. All four would find success in music once again with their own solo careers and would collaborate from time to time, going on to live their lives, ending what is known as one of, if not the greatest musical acts there was...The Beatles. So... What the hell do, I think? Yah, I totally get it, I see now why they were so special, especially for their time, having never even listened to a single Beatles song in my life, now actually going out of my way to learn of their history and listen to every single one of their studios albums, I for sure am a Beatles fan now, always late to the party, god Damit. I can see now just how much of an impact they’ve had on music even to today, as I was learning of them, I see a lot of discourse about how they’re overrated and the whatnot, and I totally get it, because 1) They are a band of their time, though their music still slaps, 2) Their music may not be so revolutionary today due to well all of music being influenced by them and 3) Nobody has good taste except me HA, yet still their music should at least be appreciated for what it all did for the wonderful music they gave us today, and that should never be forgotten. If you were to listen to them, I’d recommend “Rubber Soul”, “Revolver”, “The White Album”, and “Abbey Road”, welp...it’s been Sonny and so long, farewell, and goodbye.

The Beatles - The Music Legends