The Beatles and the Decade of the 60’s (The transmutation of Rock & Roll into Classic Rock and Soul
The Beatles didn’t invent Rock & Roll nor were they around during its initial rise. However, as a vague analogy, not counting the original forefathers of our country what would the USA be without President Lincoln born way later in American history? It can be said, The Beatles, great fans, and lovers of 50’s rock & roll. In a sense, The Beatles first revived and the revitalized rock & roll and then transformed rock& roll into Rock. in 1965, the Beatles made a shift from the old time rock & roll they were playing to a new form called Folk Rock that was brought on by influences of the day like Bob Dylan and the Byrds. Then with the album Revolver, The Beatles paved the way for an anything goes experimentalism that helped create what we know as Classic Rock.
For the most part of their career, The Beatles were apolitical and wrote more about peace, love & understanding, joke songs, and experimented with Psychedelic mood songs rather than protesting about the myriad of problems going on like the Vietnam (War) conflict. Later on John Lennon unable to keep his rage in exploded in 1968, obviously outraged at the assassinations, the War, and being made to keep silent throughout the Beatles early and mid-career (except for the out of context ‘More Popular than Jesus Christ”, ” Christianity will go extinct” magazine article).
John Lennon with Yoko Ono and others became very vocal and preceded to engage in controversy to bring attention to their collective missions (bagism, bed in for peace, him and Yoko full frontal nudity). John Lennon would go on to be one of the most vocal protestors of the late 60’s early 70’s, receiving special attention from Nixon, the CIA and the FBI who tried to deport Lennon from the states.
John Lennon’s “gag” in the early days, enforced by Brian Epstein and supported by Paul McCartney and the other two Beatles, might have been a catalyst to the demise of the Beatles as a group. Lennon could be very quick-tongued and sometimes would reverse himself from his previous stands on many issues. He, at one point, became militant for a thankfully brief period. “Don’t you know that you can count me Out (In)” as on the Revolution 1 version on the White album.
The Beatles Influence on America Rock & Roll and Rock Music
An argument can be made that the Beatles had in a way saved the USA from falling into depression and despair after JFK was shot and under the ominous circumstances surrounding his death. There was a revitalization that many have recounted when remembering the first time hearing the Beatles. Was it a need for distraction, to forget and get on with living. They have seemed to energize the Pop bands and singers at the time into a playful comradely competition. Which led to the renaissance that occurred in 1965.