The Beatles – Three Great Periods of Music (Part Three)

The third period is considered their revolution phase. Appropriately so as the start of this period is marked by the June 1967 release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. This album is not only significant in the history of the Beatles but one of the most revolutionary albums in the whole of music history. Considered the first concept album, all aspects of it tied together for unified idea. That unifying theme being that the Beatles were actually the fictional Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band; performing in some psychedelic theatre. The songs themselves are delivered in more operatic fashion, as a series of whimsical acts. Each individual song was a vignette of the larger story. The Beatles further wanted to engage the listener by bringing them into the band; original vinyl presses of the album included: a stand-up cut out, military stripes, a paper hat, mustache, and two medallion/badges, all like the ones the Beatles wore as Sgt. Pepper’s Band. So much has, and can be written about this album; it was the sound of the infamous Summer of Love. For our purposes it signifies a high mark in the Beatles revolution period.   Though the movie Magical Mystery Tour was panned, the album Magical Mystery Tour did quite well; and was a well received follow-up to Sgt. Pepper’s. The White album is an important work musically; as the four individuals are more heard than the group as a whole. The following album Abbey Road prompted the “Paul is dead” hoax. The music of this period was significant in sound and concept. When taking a look back at all that The Beatles have offered to the world of music, timeless hit after hit, phenomenon like the world had never experienced before; sometimes that even made Elvis Presley look small, its hard to imagine what things were like back then. Every time that I hear a Beatles song I get emotional; I know it sounds cheesy, but I yearn for that musical time machine, one that can take me back in time to just one concert, one show, one live appearance. Just for even five minutes, so I can experience first hand the hysteria and craziness that inspired the most successful band in the history of music.

“Overall the Beatles have three amazing, but very distinct periods in their music and artistic progression. And to finalize, I leave you with Yellow Submarine – Enjoy!”