Overview
In this lesson, we will see the tremendous influence that British musicians exerted on American popular music during the 1960s. The sudden popularity of British rock bands in the United States is called the British Invasion. After the Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964, the British presence in rock and roll was firmly established.
Objectives
- Recall the development of rock and roll in Britain, focusing specifically on origins and early careers of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones
- Recall the number of stylistic, personnel, and managements changes of the Beatles before settling into the image of the Fab Four in matching suits
Becoming the Beatles continued
Martin followed the single "Love Me Do ♫" with the group’s first full-length album Please Please Me, released in March of 1963. Recorded at EMI’s Abbey Road Studios, Please Please Me is a close representation of how the Beatles’ live shows sounded at the time. The entire album was recorded on a single day, and the final cuts included very few edits or overdubs. Of these recordings, George Martin has said, "It was a straightforward performance of their stage repertoire—a broadcast, more or less." The album was a mix of Lennon-McCartney songs, such as "I Saw Her Standing There ♫" and "Do You Want to Know a Secret ♫," and cover versions of American tunes, most notably the Isley Brothers’ "Twist and Shout ♫."
Their second studio album, With the Beatles, was also released in 1963. Like Please Please Me, With the Beatles shows the group’s careful study of many different types of American popular music, including rock and roll, girl groups, Motown, and rhythm and blues. They included covers of several American popular styles, including "Money (That's What I Want) ♫" (written by Berry Gordy of Motown) and "Chains ♫" (written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin). With the Beatles also includes a number of Lennon-McCartney originals, such as "All My Loving ♫" and "It Won't Be Long ♫."
Before long, the Beatles skyrocketed to the top of the British pop music charts. In October of 1963, the Beatles performed at the London Palladium while fifteen million television viewers watched and thousands of fans struggled to get in.
