Another Side of The Beatles

I know you’re probably thinking, “Not another Beatles post! What more can I possibly know?” But, as I was watching this amazing Beatles documentary, I knew I had to blog about it. It allowed me to transport myself back into the time period of the Beatles and experience the whole aspect, outside of just the music. While I normally blog about songs/albums, I think this documentary was excellent at portraying the Beatles. Through this movie I saw a more personable side of the Beatles that, at its essence, drove the group to pure stardom. Additionally, I felt the energy erupt out of the computer monitor wherever the Beatles went. It was quite astounding that they could start such frenzy by merely being themselves. I wish that wherever I went, an entire city of fans would follow! While girls beat down their door like the Zombie Apocalypse, I noticed that the Beatles really weren’t all that special. They were just a group of ordinary guys. And I think that’s exactly why the general population loved them so much. They were just a group of ordinary, fun, cool, humorous guys. This was shown through them doing various normal things like watching TV, eating fast food, and listening to the radio. None of these things were astronomically different/fresh but the persona that the Beatles emitted and the lively attitude that followed them contributed to their mass success. They were able to connect to their audience in a way that late rock artists of the time could not (i.e. Pat Boone. I just needed one last slam on Pat Boone).

While chaos followed them everywhere they went, The Beatles still maintained their fun personalities and good sense of humor that makes them so appealing to the masses spanning generations of time. Certain scenes accurately depicted their desire to enjoy, such as when they were on a train ride to Washington DC from New York City. Despite the fact that people on board were still yearning for autographs and pictures, the Beatles goofed around like they were just by themselves. I found this refreshing because I feel that current celebrities lack this personality that is found in the Beatles. I think that nowadays, celebrities worry about maintaining their public image instead of being themselves, while the Beatles did the reverse: they maintained their public image BY BEING THEMSELVES. They did various humorous acts, like dressing up as waiters on the train, Paul McCartney walking through the train carrying 30 purses, and George Harrison and Ringo giving a joke endorsement for Marlboro Cigarettes. Even when not in complete privacy, the Beatles’ personality still shone through. They playfully bantered with the press about light-hearted issues like their hair, dodged cameramen, and made fun of themselves on the radio.

This attitude was channeled into their performances throughout their first American tour. They are shown performing on the slick Ed Sullivan’s Show, who was the grandfather of all late night talk shows. When they came onstage, the cheering and yelping of joy carries on for what feels like an eternity and my ears exploded by the sheer noise (even though I can turn down the volume on my computer). While the audience goes berserk and wildly flails to the music, the well-rehearsed Beatles are able to keep harmonies while not even able to hear one another. In plain music standards, this is epic! No bands or artists could keep a melody without utilizing advanced technology; not even over a sound with a decibel equivalent to a train collision. I can barely make out their phenomenal melodies, easy-going rhythms, and harmonies of songs like “She Loves You” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand”. This didn’t stop the crowd from continuing to be insane and faint from happiness. Grown women turned into little girls when the Beatles came on stage; they clapped their hands giddily and smiled like they were possessed.

I believe the commanding stage presence of the Beatles and their ability to connect on a personal level with their audience enabled them to become one of the best in the business which spanned even the test of time.

Because you can never get enough Beatles, here’s a video of “She Loves You”: