T h e year was 1963, and Beatlemania was only just

beginning. Soon the Beatles had fans all around the world.
For the rest of the 1960s their music led the way and they
changed modern music forever. This book tells the story of
the greatest band in the world from the early days in
Liverpool to the Beatles' music in the world today.

Penguin Readers are simplified texts designed in association with Longman,

the world famous educational publisher, to provide a step-by-step approach
to the joys of reading for pleasure. Each book has an introduction and
extensive activity material. They are published at seven levels from
Easystarts (200 words) to Advanced (3000 words).

Series Editors:Andy Hopkins and Jocelyn Potter

6 Advanced (3000 words) Contemporary

5 Upper Intermediate (2300 words) Classics
4 Intermediate (1 700 words) Originals
3 Pre-!ntermediate (1200 words)
2 Elementary (600 words)
4 Beginner (300 words) British English
5 Easystarts (200 words) American English

Book/cassette pack also published

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Cover photograph reproduced courtesy of London Features international

 Introduction iv
The End of a Dream 1
Pearson Education Limited
Edinburgh Gate, Harlow, Early Days 2
Essex CM20 2JE, England
and Associated Companies throughout the world. From Liverpool to Hamburg 4
ISBN 0 512484
In The Cavern 6
On Their Way! 8
This edition first published 2000
Beatlemania 10
3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
'America was ours!' 12
C o p y r i g h t © Paul Shipton 2002
Colour reproduction by Spectrum Colour Ltd, Ipswich Dp and Up 14
Design by John Fordham
'Here to stay' 16
Printed and bound in Denmark by Norhaven Book, Viborg The King and the Queen 17
All rights reserved; no part of this publication way be reproduced, stored Rubber Soul 18
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the 'Beatles go home!' 19
prior written permission of the Publishers.
The Sound of the Future 20
Published by Pearson Education Limited in association with
Penguin Books Ltd, both companies being subsidiaries of Pearson Plc
Burning Records 21
The End of Touring 22
Photograph acknowledgements:
Rex Features: pp. 1,3, 8, 26, 30, 38 and 40; Redferns: pp. 6, 13, The Most Famous Album in the World 24
16 , 2 1 , 25, 27, 35, 36 and 39; Camera Press: pp. 11 and 33;
Aquarius: pp. 14 and 29. Life and Death 26
On the Bus 28
A New Album and a New Love 30
An Unhappy Film and Two Weddings 32
The Last Album 34
Differences of Opinion 36
Life After the Beatles 37
At the Top Again 41
For a complete list of the titles available in the Penguin Readers series please write to your local Activities 42
Pearson Education office or to: Marketing Department, Penguin Longman Publishing,
80 Strand, L o n d o n . W C 2 R URL
I N T R O D U C T I O N The End of a Dream
Suddenly, everybody loved the Beatles. When the band Paul McCartney once said,'The Beatles were always a great
played in concert, police had to hold back crowds of little band - nothing more, nothing less.' Millions of fans
screaming fans - mainly girls. The same thing happened around the world disagree with this. To them, the Beatles were
when the band went to a TV or radio studio. One a 'great little band' who changed modern music forever.
newspaper thought of a new word to describe the When the Beatles ended in 1970, people around the world
country's love of the boys from Liverpool - 'Beatlemania'! couldn't believe it. John, Paul, George and Ringo all followed
their own interests successfully. But all four faced the same
The year was 1963, but Beatlemania was only just question everywhere they went;'When will you play together
beginning. Soon the Beatles had fans all around the world. again?' The answer always seemed the same - never - but fans
For the rest of the 1960s, their music led the way. Each could hope and dream.
record brought new sounds, new ideas. Then, on 8 December 1980, the dream ended. John Lennon
How did four boys from Liverpool reach this position? and Yoko Ono were returning home to their building in New
What was so special about the Beatles? And why did it all York. Mark Chapman was waiting in the shadows. He shouted
have to end? This book follows the story from their happy to John and then he shot the singer in the back and chest.
early days in Liverpool until the sad end of the most famous John Lennon died in hospital that night.
group in the world. The news was met with sadness all around the world. The
Beatles could never play together again.

Paul Shipton grew up near Liverpool. He was only seven at

the time of the Beatles' last album, but he has always
listened to and loved the band. His favourite Beatles album
is probably Revolver. His favourite song is 'Strawberry
Fields Forever' or 'A Day in the Life' - or perhaps 1 Am the
Walrus' or 'Hey Jude' or . . . ! He lives in the United States
now with his wife and two daughters.

1
Early Days • John Lennon was born in 1940. After his father left, his mother
sent the four-year-old boy to his Aunt Mimi and her husband's
The four boys from Liverpool were all born during the Second big house in a pleasant part of Liverpool. John loved rock and roll.
World War. Life in the northern city wasn't always easy after the He remembered seeing an Elvis Presley film. When the audience
war. Most people lived in small houses and many were poor. But screamed, he thought, 'That's a good job!' John's mother loved
like many ports, Liverpool was open to new ideas. Sometimes music too - and she taught her son well. He started a band, the
ships brought something that other places in Britain couldn't Quarry Men. The name came from his school, Quarry Bank.
get - rock and roll records from the US! For the young people
of Liverpool in the 1950s, the exciting sound of rock and roll One afternoon in July 1957, a friend took Paul to see the Quarry
was an escape from their daily lives. Men at a church garden party. John was singing, but he couldn't
remember all the words. This didn't stop him - he sang new words.
• Richard Starkey (Ringo Starr) was born in 1940 and grew After the concert, Paul played a song on his guitar for John. Years
up in one of Liverpool's poorest areas. He was often ill, and he later, John remembered the meeting. Paul was better than the
first played drums in hospital. He bought his first drum around people in the band, but John was a little worried. What was more
1956 - just one big drum! He played with a few local bands. important: his own strong position in the group, or a stronger
Then he joined Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. Around this group? He chose the group. Lennon and McCartney were together,
time, Richard took a new name - 'Ringo'- because of all the
rings on his hands.

George Harrison, the youngest Beatle,was born in 1943. His

father was a bus driver, but before that he worked on ships.
George loved his father's records from the US. At school, he sat
in class drawing pictures of guitars. When he did get his guitar,
he practised all the time.

• Paul McCartney was born in 1942, the son of a nurse and a

cotton salesman. The family loved music. When Paul was old
enough, his father bought him a trumpet. But Paul couldn't play
the trumpet and sing at the same time. So he changed the
trumpet for a guitar. He sometimes talked about music with a
younger boy at his school - George Harrison.
2 3
 From Liverpool to Hamburg People were starting to like the band. The Beatles got a job
playing with a rock and roll singer, Johnny Gentle. They toured
One day, Paul showed John one of his own songs. After that, Scotland under the name the Silver Beetles. For a time, Paul
John began to write his own musical ideas, and soon the two played drums because they couldn't find a drummer. Then,
young men were writing song after song. Sometimes they back in Liverpool, they were offered another job. Bands were
worked together, sometimes alone. But each of them pushed needed to play in clubs in the German city of Hamburg. The
himself harder because of the other one. This was true during band said yes - but first they needed a drummer. They asked
all the Beatles years. Pete Best, the drummer in another local band (and the owner
Not long after Paul joined, he told John about his friend of some nice drums!). Pete agreed and the band travelled to
George. John wasn't sure - George was only fifteen. But George Germany in the summer of 1960.
joined after John heard him play. They were on the top of a bus To five boys from Liverpool, Hamburg was another world - a
at the time! world of all-night bars and street crime. Concerts weren't
Soon John, Paul and George were playing concerts in always easy. On some nights, John had to push people off the
Liverpool, but there was a problem. They didn't have a stage. To keep audiences happy,
drummer or a bass guitarist. One of John's art-school friends, bands had to play well for six or
Stu Sutcliffe, looked like James Dean and he was an artist. seven hours every night. With all John Lennon:
When he sold a painting, the boys in the band asked him to buy this practice, the band became 'I grew up in Hamburg,
a bass guitar. Stu wanted to be in a band, but there was one better and better. not Liverpool.'
small problem: he couldn't play. Stu often turned his back to Another of the Liverpool bands
the crowds in concerts because of this! in Hamburg was called Rory
Storm and the Hurricanes. The band was famous in Liverpool.
W h a t ' s in a n a m e ? The band's drummer loved to come and watch the Beatles.
John and Stu probably thought of the name 'the Beatles', Sometimes, when Pete Best was ill, he even played with the
but there are other stories. John wrote that, at twelve band. His name was Ringo Starr.
years old, he was told the name by a little man. There was The first trip to Hamburg ended suddenly George was sent
a more serious story, too: they heard it in a Marlon Brando home by the police because he was too young to play in the
film, The Wild One. But many years later, Paul McCartney clubs - he was only seventeen. But the Beatles returned
named a 1997 album Flaming Pie, for the place where often to Hamburg. Each time they played to bigger crowds in
John saw his little man! better clubs.

4 5
 In The Cavern Paul never had a high opinion of Stu's playing, and he started
to play the bass. Back in Liverpool, people were interested in
On their second trip to Hamburg, a record producer asked the the new band 'from Hamburg'. At first, someone told John, 'You
Beatles to play on a record for the singer Tony Sheridan. The speak good English.' But the band became more and more
song was 'My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean' and they played as popular in their home city. They often played at a club called
the Beat Brothers. The boys were becoming successful. But one The Cavern. Hundreds of fans crowded into the small, dark
of the band decided that he didn't want to be a Beatle. club when the Beatles played there.
Stu met a young photographer, Astrid Kirchherr, in Hamburg. The band was famous now in Liverpool, but was that enough?
Her photos of the band later became famous. She also helped Everything changed when they met Brian Epstein. He was the
the band's look. One day, she cut Stu's hair. At first, the others manager of a big music shop in the city. When he heard about
in the band laughed - they all pushed their hair back off their the Beatles, he went to The Cavern. In his suit and tie, Epstein
faces like rock and roll singers. But later John, Paul and George probably looked very different from The Cavern's young crowd.
all had the same haircut. After the band's second trip to In his opinion, the band were a little rough. But, he has said,'I
Hamburg, Stu decided to stay there. He was in love with Astrid immediately liked what I heard.' Epstein met the band and
and he wanted to study art in Hamburg. offered to become their manager. When he promised to make
an agreement with a record company, the band said yes!
Brian Epstein immediately gave the band new rules. They
couldn't eat, drink or smoke on stage. The four young men
started wearing suits. Epstein worked hard for the band and on
the last day of 1962, they drove down to London. They played
for Decca, a big record company, but it didn't go well. Two
months later, the company said no to Brian Epstein and the
Beatles. In their opinion, guitar bands weren't popular now.
Worse news came from Germany. Stu was ill with terrible
headaches. He died in April 1962, a day before the Beatles'
third trip to Hamburg. He was only twenty-one.
During the band's third trip to Hamburg, they received a
message from their manager. Another record company,
One of Astrid Kirchherr's famous photos with (from left to Parlophone - part of the big company EMI - wanted to hear
right) Pete, George, John, Paul and Stu them in the studio.

6
7
 On Their Way! A few weeks later, Martin called Brian Epstein. Yes, the band
could make a record with him . . . but not with Pete Best on
In June 1962, the Beatles were in London again - this time, at the drums. In the producer's opinion, Pete wasn't good enough. It
Abbey Road studios. George Martin was one of the producers who was a hard decision for the band, but Pete had to go. The
was listening to them for the record company. Martin didn't like drummer was angry when Brian Epstein told him the news.
their songs much, but he liked the boys. After the Beatles finished The next decision was easier. In Paul's words, they wanted
playing, he showed them around the studio. The band were quiet. 'the greatest drummer in Liverpool' - their friend from
'Is there anything you don't like?' asked Martin. Hamburg, Ringo Starr. Epstein called Ringo on a Wednesday
Finally, George spoke. 'Well, I don't like your tie.' and asked him to join the band. By Saturday, Ringo was the
new drummer. Some fans weren't happy about the change. At
The fifth Beatle? The Cavern, a few people shouted angrily and held up signs:
Before the Beatles, the producer George Martin mainly 'Pete is Best!'
produced records of funny songs. But Martin knew a lot
about music and about recording. Over the years, he helped The married Beatle
the Beatles to grow as musicians. At first, he was really the Before they went back to London John married his girlfriend,
boss. But after a time, the band told him what they wanted. Cynthia. Marriage to a Beatle wasn't easy. John was often
away from home. When their son Julian was born in 1963,
fans even ran after John at the hospital. Later, the Beatles
didn't want their young fans to know that one of the band was
married. After their first tour of the US, a reporter asked
John, 'Did your wife like the country?' John joked, 'Who? Who?'

The band recorded their first single, 'Love Me Do', at Abbey

Road in September 1962. It was one of Paul's songs. Fans
wrote to radio stations, asking them to play the record. By
December 1962, the song was quite successful at number
seventeen.* The Beatles were on their way!

* number seventeen: the seventeenth most popular single that week. (Every
George Martin with Paul and John in the studio band wanted to reach number one.)

8 9
 Beatleniania
STORY BEHIND THE SONG
It was time to choose a song for the important second record.
One of the Beatles' most famous songs from the first
George Martin didn't like any of John and Paul's songs at the
album wasn't written by Lennon and McCartney. They
time, so he chose a new song. The group said no. They wanted
recorded the rock and roll song Twist and Shout' (by
to do one of their songs. Today many bands write their own
Phil Medley and Bert Russell) at the end of that long
songs, but at the time this was a brave decision for a new band.
day. Everyone loved John's voice on the song. In fact,
Finally, Martin agreed to record one of John's songs, 'Please
he was very tired at the time. 'I was just screaming,'
Please Me'. At first it was a slow song, but the producer asked
he remembered later.
them to play it faster. After they recorded it, Martin told them,
'You have just recorded your first number one.'
They recorded their second album later in the same year. With
The Beatles worked hard to make this true. They drove all the Beatles still had rock and roll songs like Chuck Berry's 'Roll
over Britain to concerts. Sometimes they stopped the van to
Over Beethoven', but Lennon and McCartney wrote more songs
listen to their own song on the radio, Once the van was
for the album. The cover's black-and-white photo became
freezing after the front window broke. The Beatles lay
famous. They asked the photographer to copy Astrid's photos
together in the back to keep warm!
of the band in Hamburg.
In March 1963, 'Please Please Me' reached number one.
George Martin was right. After that, number one followed
number one. Their singles in 1963 were 'From Me to You', 'She
Loves You and 'I Want to Hold Your Hand'.
Suddenly, everybody loved the Beatles. When the band
played in concert, police had to hold back crowds of
screaming fans - mainly girls One newspaper thought of a
new word to describe the country's love of the boys from
Liverpool - 'Beatlemania'! Every Beatles single reached
number one until 1967.
The band also recorded their first album early in 1963.
George Martin asked them to come to the studio and play all
the songs from their live show. They did this ... in one long day!
The album Please Please Me was recorded in about twelve
hours. It went to number one, too.
Beatllemania
10
11
 'America was ours!' The trip was a big success. When the band played on TV's The
Ed Sullivan Show, they were watched by an American TV audience
The Beatles were selling millions of records in Britain, The Sunday of almost seventy-three million people. It was one of the most
Times newspaper compared Lennon and McCartney with important shows in the history of popular music. The Beatles
Beethoven. But many of the group's fans had other things on their played in Washington and Miami, and went home happy. As
minds. A lot of young fans dreamt about their favourite Beatle: Ringo said, America was ours now.' The band were world stars.
• Paul was the sweet, romantic one. The Beatles returned to the United States later in 1964, as part of
• George was the quiet one. a big world tour. This trip was as successful as the last one. Ringo
• Ringo was the happy, funny one. remembers that 'it was just so much fun.' As usual, nobody could
hear the music at the concerts because of the screams of the fans.
• John was the intelligent one. He often made jokes, but they
weren't always kind. At this time it wasn't a big problem for the band, but it became
more and more important later. George's memory of this tour was
less happy than Ringo's. President Kennedy was killed only a year
Follow the leader
before, and George didn't want anyone to shoot one of the Beatles.
In the very early days, John was the band's leader. When
the band became successful, his position wasn't so clear.
Both he and Paul wrote songs and sang for the band. In
front of the cameras, Paul often spoke for the band, but
John usually had the last word. To George, John was always
the strongest person in the group. Years after John's death,
he said, 'I think he is still the leader now, probably.'

At the beginning of 1964, the Beatles were the most popular band
in Britain, They were famous in Europe, but they were still a little
nervous about the United States. Many English stars looked for
success across the Atlantic before the Beatles, but failed.
The Beatles' first singles in the US didn't do very well. But interest
grew, and finally 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' reached number one.
The band flew there in February 1964. They all knew how
important this trip was. In Ringo's words, America was all that they
dreamt about years earlier.
The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show
12
13
 Up and Up
The black-and-white film was first shown in London and
Liverpool. It was a big success. (The album was, too. This time,
After the first American tour, the Beatles turned to another all the songs were by Lennon and McCartney.) Many people
world - films. They made A Hard Day's Night in the spring of really liked Ringo's acting in the film. Some even called him
1964. The title of the film and the song of the same name was 'the new Charlie Chaplin'. But Ringo remembers that he came
something that Ringo said. The rest of the band often laughed straight from a club for one very funny part. He says that he
at the drummer's unusual way of saying things. wasn't acting much!
The film's writer, Alan Owen, spent a few days with the band. John and Paul's musical ideas were growing all the time. Each
The Beatles were funny, and the film showed this. Owen also new song was different and exciting.
understood the band's daily life. For much of the film, they were
running away from screaming fans. The band liked making the A different sound
film, but George probably enjoyed it most. He fell in love with John and Paul were both big fans of Bob Dylan's music.
one of the actresses, Patti Boyd. They were married in 1966.
The subjects and language in the young American's songs
were always unusual and interesting. The song 'I'm a
Loser' on the album Beatles for Sale, at the end of 1964,
sounded a little like a Dylan song. The same was true of
the following year's 'You've Got to Hide Your Love Away'.

John even found time to write a book in 1964. John Lennon In

His Own Write was full of funny short stories and pictures. It
didn't have any serious meaning. In the introduction Paul
wrote, 'If it seems funny then that's enough.' John wrote
another book the next year.
In early 1965, the Beatles made their second film. After the
success of A Hard Day's Night, there was more money. But
the band just wanted to travel and have a good time. 'We
started saying,"We've never been to the Bahamas. Could you
write that in?"' Paul remembers. As George said later, 'We
had fun in those days.' But John remembered it differently
This wasn't a happy time for him. 'You can't see it but I'm
John, Ringo, George and Paul in A Hard Day's Night singing "Help!"' he said.
14
15
'Here to stay' The King and the Queen
Later in 1965, Paul wrote one of the most popular songs of all In August, the Beatles were back in the United States. Fifty-six
time. 'Yesterday' was a beautiful, sad song about lost love. thousand fans saw them at a concert in New York. At the time,
it was the biggest concert crowd ever. The concert was
STORY BEHIND THE SONG exciting, but Ringo's memories of it weren't good. At times John
The music for 'Yesterday' came to Paul in a dream. was joking too much on stage, in Ringo's opinion.
He 'just woke up one morning' with the song in his Also, not many people at the concert really heard the band.
head. At first, he thought it was an old song. But Like most Beatles concerts, the sound of the crowd was louder
none of his friends knew it. The first words to the than the music. The Beatles couldn't hear much of the music
song were about eggs! either. So, of course, it was difficult to play well.
'I always wanted to play with good players,' remembers
George Martin loved the Ringo. But now the band was playing badly on stage, and
song immediately. But, in nobody was listening.
his opinion, it needed On the same tour, the Beatles met one of their favourite
something different. Paul singers - Elvis Presley. 'It was one of the great meetings of my
recorded it without the life,' Paul has said.
rest of the band. He The boys and the 'King' had a good time. But years later the
played the guitar alone, band discovered that Elvis was worried about the Beatles'
while a small group of success in his country. He asked the American government to
musicians played strings. send them home.
The song is one of the Back in Britain, the government gave all the Beatles the MBE.
band's most famous - it This award was often given to successful businesspeople or to
has been recorded by people who fought bravely for their country. Many Britons
many different singers were angry. How could the government give this award to a
and groups and in many pop group? But the usual crowd of screaming fans were
different ways. Paul was outside Buckingham Palace when the Queen gave them the
sometimes angry when award in October 1965. The Beatles were nervous - George
people called it their later remembered that they rested and had a cigarette in the
favourite Beatles song. Paul sings 'Yesterday' toilets in Buckingham Palace!

16 17
 Rubber Soul
'Beatles go home!'
The next album, Rubber Soul, came out in December 1965. It was
In June 1966, the Beatles were in Hamburg again to begin a
another big step for the band. They were exploring different kinds
new tour. Then they flew to Tokyo and the tour began to go
of music and different subjects. 'In My Life' was a beautiful song
wrong. There were many Beatles fans in Japan. But some
about places and people in the past. Even the album's love songs
people there thought the group was a bad example to young
weren't the simple love songs of the band's early days.
people. The band had to stay in their hotel. They only came out
One of the most interesting songs on the album was Johns
to play in concert,
'Norwegian Wood'. Many people wanted to know what the song
Things became worse in the Philippines. In George's words,
meant. It was about a girl, but he didn't want his wife Cynthia to
it was 'bad news' from the beginning. The real problem came
know this. George played the Indian musical instrument the sitar
on 'Norwegian Wood'. He first noticed the instrument in an Indian after the concert in Manila. Imelda Marcos, the wife of the
restaurant in the film Help!. This was the start of George's long country's leader, invited the band to a party. The band's answer
interest in Indian music and ideas. was a polite no. (Some of them can't even remember the
invitation.)
The next day, something was clearly wrong. Nobody at the
STORY BEHIND THE SONG ••
hotel brought breakfast for the band. Then they turned on the
Around the time of Rubber Soul, the single 'Day
television and suddenly they understood: they saw Imelda
Tripper' / 'We Can Work It Out' reached number one.
Marcos in tears! The camera showed crying children and the
Paul wrote most of 'We Can Work It Out' and John
empty dinner table. In George's words, 'We watched ourselves
wrote the middle part. This song showed the
not arriving.'
differences between the two men clearly. The main
The people of the Philippines were very angry. As the band
part was more hopeful, as Paul sang, 'Try to see it my
drove to the airport, crowds shouted, 'Beatles go home!' The
way . . .' John's part of the song was less hopeful: 'Life
band was pushed around at the airport and their road manager
is very short and there's no time . . .'
was knocked over. Before they could leave, Brian Epstein was
called off the aeroplane. He had to give back all the money
The band's success continued with Paul's 'Paperback Writer' in
from the band's concert there. Years later, Paul knew more
1966. It was their first single that wasn't about love. The music was
about Marcos's government. Then he was happy about missing
becoming less and less simple, too. But now the Beatles faced a
the garden party. Ringo has said about the country, 'I've never
new problem - how could they play the songs in concert?
been back . . . '

18
19
 The Sound of the Future Burning Records
The 1966 tour wasn't a happy one, but in the studio that year In 1966, John spoke to a reporter in London. They were talking
the band were going into exciting new areas, George Martin about the modern church, and he said,'We're more popular than
had to find newer and newer sounds to record the band's Jesus now.' When John's words were reported in the US a few
ideas. The album Revolver was his favourite. The album was months later, many people were angry. There were newspaper
important for all the Beatles in different ways: stories like 'Lennon Says that the Beatles are Bigger than Jesus'.
This wasn't what John meant. But some shops refused to sell their
George was growing as a song writer. At first, it was difficult records. Some radio stations refused to play them. A few radio
for the guitarist. His very early songs weren't strong, and he was stations asked listeners to burn their Beatles records. Years later,
in a band with two of the most famous songwriters in the Ringo joked,'It was OK for us, because then they bought them
world. In Revolver's 'Love You To', he showed his continuing again!' But at the time, the band and their manager were worried.
interest in Indian music. His best song on the album was
probably 'Taxman'.

• The band liked Ringo to sing a song on every album. Paul

decided to give the drummer a song that wasn't very serious.
He thought of 'Yellow Submarine' one night in bed.

• Paul continued to write about new subjects and to explore

new kinds of music. 'Eleanor Rigby' was a sad song about the
lives of lonely people in a big-city. Again, strings were used,
and McCartney recorded the song without the other Beatles.
'We were just drinking tea,' said George. John and Paul talk to reporters

• John was exploring, too. With the songs 'She Said She Said' So what did John mean? He tried to explain his words to the
and 'Tomorrow Never Knows', he went into strange new American people before the band toured the country again. 'I
musical areas. 'Tomorrow Never Knows' was like a promise of was just saying it as a fact,' he explained. 'It is true - more for
the wild music at the end of the 1960s. Listen to this song and England than here. I'm not saying that we're better or greater...
compare it to any song from the Beatles' first two or three I'm sorry that I opened my mouth.'
albums. A lot changed in those few years! It was a bad start to the Beatles' last tour.
20 21
 The End of Touring Back in the studio, the band felt more free. Now they didn't have
to play any new songs on stage. They could do anything, and
The tour continued, but it wasn't a happy time. Some they did - with George Martin's help. The next songs were
newspapers in the United States were against the band now. another big step into new musical areas. But they also looked
For the first time, there were a few empty seats at some back, as both John and Paul turned to their Liverpool past for
concerts. But it was still impossible to hear the music because 'Strawberry Fields Forever' and 'Penny Lane'.
of the screams. As George said, touring wasn't 'fun' now. Also,
their lives were different. Only one Beatle - Paul - wasn't STORY B E H I N D THE SONGS _
married. It was time to stop travelling. • When he was a child, John lived near a children's
At first, Paul wanted to tour more, but finally he agreed with home. The home was called Strawberry Field. John's
the others. On 29 August 1966, they played at Candlestick Park song 'Strawberry Fields Forever' wasn't really about
in San Francisco. They played eleven songs, finishing with 'I'm that place; it just took the home's name. The line
Down'. It was the Beatles' last concert. 'Nothing is real' perfectly described this strange,
The band faced a new question: what now? In his heart, John beautiful song.
thought, 'This is the end, really.' • Paul then wrote a song about Liverpool, too. 'Penny
Lane' was a much happier song, describing people and
For some time the Beatles all did different things: places from the old days in Liverpool. The band was
still using instruments that were unusual in pop
George spent a few weeks in India. records. A trumpet played on the song.

Paul worked with George Martin on the music for a film, The There were many differences between Paul and John. Paul was
Family Way. The music won an award. very interested in studio recording. He worked carefully with
George Martin. John had little time for this. He just told the
John went to Spain to act in a film, How I Won the War. producer what he wanted. In fact, the band played 'Strawberry
It wasn't a good film, and John wasn't a good actor. But he Fields Forever' in two very different ways. John couldn't choose
did come back wearing the famous small, round 'John his favourite. Finally, the producer joined the two. (Years later,
Lennon glasses'! John wasn't happy about this recording of his song.)
Together, 'Strawberry Fields Forever' and 'Penny Lane' became
Ringo spent a few weeks in Spain with John, and he enjoyed the Beatles' next single. It was a great record, but for the first time
time at home with his wife and child. in years the band didn't reach number one.

22 23
 The Most Famous Album in the World Famous faces
Everything about the album was special - even the cover. It
In the opinion of some newspapers in early 1967, the Beatles showed the band with a crowd of famous people - writers,
didn't have any more ideas. And then came Sergeant Pepper's singers, actors, thinkers. At first there was a photo of
Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Mahatma Gandhi, but the record company asked the band
The title song was Paul's. He had the idea after a trip to the to take it off. They didn't want to make people in India angry.
United States. Bands with very long names were becoming
popular there. Paul wanted the Beatles to be a different band
for the album. In his mind, the album was a concert by this
other band.
John and George didn't see the album in this way. 'It doesn't
go anywhere,' John once said about the Sergeant Pepper idea.
But there were great songs on the album.
• Songs like "When I'm Sixty-Four' and 'With a Little Help From
My Friends' were happy and light.
• John took almost all the words for 'Being for the Benefit of
Mr Kite' from an old sign that he found in a shop.
• The words and the music of 'Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds'
were like a dream. The title came from a picture by John's
young son, Julian.
• 'A Day in the Life' was one of the best examples of Paul and
John's strong points. John wrote the main part of the song,
beginning 'I read the news today, oh boy.' The idea came from
two newspaper stories. Paul added the middle part. It worked
perfectly in John's song.
Today, fans disagree about which is the best Beatles album. But
The album was a big step in the band's music. They used most of them believe that Sergeant Pepper was the most
the studio wonderfully, but this took a long time. The Beatles' important. The world was changing fast in 1967. While the
first album was made in around twelve hours, but Sergeant American war in Vietnam continued, young people around the
Pepper took over 700 hours! Both Ringo and George said later world were exploring new ideas, new sounds. The summer of
that it was sometimes boring. 'My heart was still in India,' 1967 became known as 'the summer of love'. Sergeant Pepper
George said.
helped to make that summer.
24
25
 Life and Death STORY BEHIND THE SONG
At the end of 'All You Need Is Love', the Beatles joked
Not long after Sergeant Pepper, the Beatles were invited to play in about two of their old songs. John sang 'Yesterday' and
a live television programme called Our World. Different countries Paul sang a line from 'She Loves You'.
had to make different parts of the show, and the makers of the
programme wanted the Beatles to play for Britain's part. John Around this time, George was continuing to learn more about
wrote the song and on 25 June 1967, about 350 million people all Eastern ideas. He asked John and Paul to listen to a talk by the
around the world watched the programme. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in London. The Maharishi was an Indian
The Beatles weren't alone in the television studio. A lot of other who taught Eastern ways of thinking.
musicians played and it was like a big party. Eric Clapton and Mick The Beatles wanted to know more. In August, all four of them
Jagger were both there. John's song was perfect for the took a train to Bangor in North Wales. They wanted to spend a
programme: 'All You Need Is Love' was a mirror for the dreams and few days studying with the Maharishi.
hopes of young people around the world in 1967.
A sad sign
Cynthia Lennon wanted to go too, but the usual Beatles
crowds were at the train station and Cynthia missed the
train. She watched as her husband left without her.
For her, this was a sign of the end of their marriage.

While the Beatles

were searching for
the meaning of life,
sad news reached
them from London.
Brian Epstein was
dead. 'He was one
of us,' John told a
reporter.
The Beatles play on Our World Brian Epstein

26 26
 On the Bus continued to defend the Maharishi, but John soon became angry
at their old teacher. A song on the band's next album was an
Epstein's death brought another problem. The Beatles knew angry attack on him.
nothing about business. 'We were in trouble then,' said John. Back in Britain, there were no simple answers in business for
Ringo has described the band as 'chickens without heads' at that the Beatles. They opened the Apple shop in London. Paul called
time. In the middle of this difficult time, Paul had an idea. He it 'a beautiful place where you can buy beautiful things'.
wanted to make a television film. He was trying to help the band, The shop lost money almost immediately. But Apple was more
but in John and George's opinion, Paul was trying to lead them. than a shop. It was a big company that produced music and films.
The idea for the film was simple. Forty-three people - with the The Beatles began to produce other musicians. Paul was most
Beatles - drove around the country in a bus. This time, they interested in Apple's business. He was there more because he
didn't have a story to act. They just filmed what happened. There lived in London. But the others felt that Paul was trying to
was one problem - nothing really did happen. lead the band again.
Magical Mystery Tour was shown on television in Britain just
after Christmas, 1967. Almost fifteen million people watched. Yellow Submarine
They loved the songs, like Paul's 'The Fool on the Hill' and In July 1968, there was another Beatles film in cinemas.
John's 'I Am the Walrus'. But not many people liked the film. The band recorded a few new songs for Yellow Submarine,
The colour film was shown in black and white on television. but they didn't even do the voices in the film. In the story,
But this wasn't the reason why it wasn't popular. For some the band saved a strange place called Pepperland with
people it was boring, for others it was too strange. For the first their music.
time, the Beatles really failed.

STORY BEHIND THE SONG

The idea for 'I Am The Walrus' came from Lewis
Carroll's book Alice in Wonderland. John said, 'The
words don't say a lot...'

In February 1968, the Beatles travelled to India to study again

with the Maharishi. The trip had a different meaning for each of
them. Ringo went with two suitcases - one of clothes and one of
English food in tins! He didn't stay long. Paul says that he enjoyed
this time in India. But John and George stayed longer. George
28 29
 A New Album and a New Love
other Beatles. Ringo asked him, 'What's this all about?' The
other two and George Martin were angrier. When Yoko was ill.
In 1968, Cynthia and John Lennon's marriage ended. John
John even brought a bed into the studio for her!
was with Yoko Ono now. He first met the Japanese-American
In 1968 the Beatles' White Album had other problems. Ringo left
artist at an art show in 1966 and they slowly fell in love.
the band for a time. (The band recorded a few songs without
him.) In his opinion, the other Beatles didn't need him. When
STORY BEHIND THE SONG • • •
they all asked him back, the drummer returned happily. 'I loved
Paul felt sorry for Cynthia and Julian Lennon. The boy
the White Album,' he remembers now.
was only five. Paul wrote a song for him. He later
But not everyone had this opinion. John spoke about the start
changed the words from 'Hey Jules' to 'Hey Jude'.
of the band's 'slow death' at this time. The musical interests in the
band were more and more different. The Beatles were less and
Everything changed for John with Yoko. He often spoke of her as
less a real group. Sometimes the album was recorded in three
his teacher. Together they explored new ideas. These were called
different studios at the same time, as John, Paul and George
crazy by many people, but John and Yoko weren't worried. They
worked on their own songs.
made their first record together in one night. It was an
The double album mixed many different kinds of music.
exploration of sounds. But the biggest news was the cover. It
'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' was a happy pop song, while 'Revolution 9'
showed John and Yoko without any clothes. 'We just wanted to be
was a strange piece of 'sound art'. In 'Back in the USSR' the band
together all the time,' remembered John.
cleverly sounded like the Beach Boys. George's best song on the
John and Yoko were together in the studio, too, as the Beatles album was probably 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'. His friend
started their next album. This soon became a problem for the
Eric Clapton joined the band to play on this song.

Secret messages
Two songs from the album later became famous for the
wrong reasons. In the mind of Californian Charles
Manson, the songs 'Piggies' and 'Helter Skelter' were
secret messages telling him to kill.

George Martin thought that there were too many different

songs on the double album. He wanted it to be an excellent
single album. But Paul has said,'It's a fine little album' John
also liked the simpler way of recording.
30
31
 Unhappy Film and Two Weddings
At the start of 1969, the band needed new plans. Paul was full
of ideas for the band's future. They decided to write an album
and then play it on stage - all in front of cameras. This was the
start of Let It Be.
ft was a bad time. The band weren't happy together, and all
the cameras made everything worse. George even left the
band for a short time after angry words with Paul. Things only
got better when a guest musician, American Billy Preston,
joined them.
The cameras filmed everything. The cameramen didn't know
it at the time, but in fact they were recording the end of the
group. The film Let It Be is difficult to watch at times.
The idea of a big concert soon died. Looking for a way to
end the film, the band decided to play a few songs on the Paul and Linda talk and laugh with Linda's daughter,
Apple building's roof. People in London looked up in surprise Heather, on their wedding day.
as the Beatles played 'Get Back' above them. For a short time,
the old days were back! In Ringo's words, when the music was
quiet for a Beatle. Hundreds of fans cried as Paul and his new
good, they forgot all the problems. Finally, the police asked the
wife drove away.
band to stop. They never played live together again.
Weeks later, John and Yoko were married in Gibraltar. The
Producer George Martin didn't want to touch the long Let It story is told in the song 'The Ballad of John and Yoko'. Later,
Be recordings. So American Phil Spector took the job. Finally, they invited reporters to a 'bed-in' at their hotel. They stayed in
the Let It Be album came out after the end of the Beatles. Paul
bed for seven days. They wanted people to think about the
didn't like Spector's work on it. Both he and George Martin
meaning of love. (At a later 'bed-in', they recorded the song
hated the strings on 'The Long and Winding Road'.
'Give Peace a Chance'.)
in 1969, Paul married for the first time and John married for
John and Yoko gave their opinions on a lot of subjects, like
the second time. Even the two marriages showed the
the Vietnam War. John sent his MBE back to the British
differences between the two men.
government. He had more and more interests in his life, and
Paul married American photographer Linda Eastman on the band wasn't one of them. But the Beatles stayed together
12 March. They wanted a quiet wedding, but nothing could be for one more record.
32
33
 The Last Album Paul is dead!
After Abbey Road arrived in the shops in October 1969,
After the troubles on Let It Be, George Martin was surprised to a radio station in the US started a strange story about
receive a telephone call from Paul. The band wanted to make Paul. He was dead! The 'signs' were on the album's cover.
another album. Paul and Martin agreed to do one the 'old' way
Paul wasn't wearing shoes. In some countries, dead
- in the studio. The album was named after the Abbey Road
people are dressed in clothes but not shoes.
studio in London, and the Beatles worked on it there during
The story grew. The hand over Paul's head on the cover
July and August 1969.
of Sergeant Pepper was, fans decided, a sign of death. A
John and Paul disagreed about some of their ideas for the line in 'A Day in the Life' was also about Paul's death. More
album. Paul wanted to join all the songs together. John just and more signs were found.
liked to do different 'three-minute records'. To keep both men
But if Paul was dead, who was the new person on the
happy, only the songs on the second half of the record are
front of Abbey Road? The story became sillier. It was a
joined together.
man called William Campbell. Or it was Billy Shears (a
Abbey Road was a happy record to work on for most of the singer's name from the title song on Sergeant Pepper).
time. But not always. When Paul took three days to record This new person looked exactly like Paul, of course.
'Maxwell's Silver Hammer', George told him, 'It's only a song.' Finally, Life magazine found Paul on his farm in
Scotland. The magazine proved it. Paul wasn't dead. Paul
STORY B E H I N D THE SONG • •••
described himself as 'the last to know' about his death.
Abbey Road's 'Something' was the band's first single
written by George Harrison. Many people think that it
is his best song. Later, Frank Sinatra often sang it on
stage. He described it as his favourite Lennon and
McCartney song. Telling this story, Paul once joked,
'Thanks, Frank.'

Nobody knew it at the time, but Abbey Road was the last
album. But the band ended it well. The last song was called 'The
End'. John, Paul and George all played guitar on it. All four
Beatles were playing together as a real band again. You can
hear the fun in the music. Paul sang the last lines of the last
album. They were about love.
34
35
 Differences of Opinion Life After the Beatles
Even before Abbey Road, the Beatles' company Apple was All four of the Beatles found success alone.
losing a lot of money. Something had to change. They needed
someone to manage the business. Ringo acted in a few films and he continued to make
John wanted Allan Klein, the manager of the Rolling Stones, records. His 1973 album Ringo was a big success. All the other
to be the group's manager. George and Ringo agreed, but Paul Beatles played on this album ...but not at the same time. Ringo
didn't. He wanted Lee Eastman - his wife's father - to manage is still playing and touring with his All Starr Band. Many of
Apple's business.
Ringo's famous friends from the world of music - and his son,
Paul was still full of ideas for the band and the company, Zak - have played in this band.
but it was too late. In one meeting, John spoke about the end Many British children know and love Ringo for another
of the Beatles: 'It feels good.'
reason. He was the voice of a train in a famous children's
In fact, Paul ended the band in 1970. A few weeks after his television programme!
first album McCartney was in the shops, he told the world. He
was leaving the Beatles 'because of personal, business and George seemed happy to be away from the shadows of
musical differences'.
Lennon and McCartney. His 1970 album All Things Must Pass
The band was finished, but the fights about business and reached number one around the world. George's most famous
money continued in court for years. It was a sad end for the song in the 1970s was 'My Sweet Lord', but he was taken to
greatest band in the world. court because of it. In the court's opinion, part of it was copied
from an old song. In the early 1980s, George also played in the
Travelling Wilburys with Bob Dylan and Roy Orbison.
George became interested in films, but not as an actor. He
produced films like Monty Python's Life of Brian and Time Bandits.
In 1999, someone failed to kill George in his home. But sadly,
two years later, he died after a long illness.

Paul has had the most success after the Beatles. After the
albums McCartney and Ram, he wanted to be in a real band again.
In 1971 he started a new band, Wings, with his wife Linda and
guitarist Denny Laine. At first, Wings drove all over Britain playing
The Beatles - the greatest band in the world small concerts. It was like the old days of the Beatles again.
36
37
 interesting work was on his first two albums, John Lennon /
Plastic Ono Band and Imagine. On the first album, John sang
painfully honest songs about his mother's death. In another
song, he sang the words, 'I don't believe in Beatles / I just
believe in me.' The title song of Imagine is probably his most
famous song.
Most people think that John's later work in the 1970s wasn't
as good. For some time, John and Yoko weren't together. John
called this his 'lost weekend', but it lasted eighteen months.
Back with Yoko, John didn't make music for a few years. He
looked after their son, Sean. He returned to the recording
studio in the summer of 1980 to make Double Fantasy with
Yoko. Much of the album was about family life. One of the songs
from the album, '(Just Like) Starting Over' was doing well when
John was killed.
Wings

Wings soon became big. 1973's Band on the Run was Paul's
most successful album. In 1977, the band recorded 'Mull of
Kintyre'. This song sold more than any other single in Britain
before that time. Wings ended in 1981, but Paul continued
making records. In 1997, he was back at Buckingham Palace.
He became Sir Paul McCartney.
Paul has sold millions of records since 1970, but one of his
biggest successes was his happy family life with Linda and
their children. Sadly, in 1998, Linda McCartney died. Paul now
has another woman, Heather Mills, in his life.

• John and Yoko moved to New York. They still spoke openly
on many subjects, and at one time the American government
wanted to throw him out of the country. Some of John's most John sings 'imagine'
38 39
 At the Top Again
Friends again
The Beatles ended badly, and some of the band were The Beatles ruled the music world in the 1960s. They had
angry for a long time. On 1971's Imagine, John's song twenty-two singles in Britain, and eighteen reached number
'How Do You Sleep?' was an attack on Paul. (George one. Every album of new songs got to number one. In the United
Harrison was angry too - he played guitar on the song.) States, there were nineteen number one singles. Many people
But finally, Paul and John became friendlier again. still think that they were the world's greatest band of all time.
Paul visited John a few times in New York after Sean In one list of best albums, the top five were all by the Beatles!
Lennon's birth. In 1994, years after John's death, both But the band's success wasn't just for their musical past. In
men were given an important music award. On stage, 1995, the three living Beatles came together to record two 'new'
Paul read out a letter to John. In it, he remembered Beatles songs - 'Free as a Bird' and 'Real Love'. Both songs were
their past together. He ended, This letter comes, with by John. The singer recorded them, but they weren't finished.
love, from your friend Paul.' Paul, George and Ringo worked with these recordings, adding
to them. In their minds, they were finishing the music for John
while he worked on something else.
Fans could buy new Beatles records again! They also loved the
video for 'Free as a Bird'. It showed people and places from the
band's past - Stu Sutcliffe, Brian Epstein, The Cavern, the street
outside the Abbey Road studios. There were hundreds of
memories of Beatles songs. A few are:
• a cake with the number sixty-four ('When I'm Sixty-Four')
• a man writing a book ('Paperback Writer')
• a photo of Mao Tse Tung (a line from 'Revolution')
• a stone with the name Eleanor Rigby ('Eleanor Rigby')
At the same time, the living Beatles told their story in the
television programme The Beatles Anthology. More than twenty
million copies of the Anthology albums were sold. In 2000,
there was a very successful album of the Beatles' number one
songs. They made more money from the album than any other
British artist that year. The Beatles were back in the right place
John and Paul in happy times - at the top!
40 41
 ACTIVITIES After you read
4 Discuss why the band's time in Hamburg was so
Pages 1-11
important to them.
Before you read
5 Work with another student. Have this conversation.
1 What do you know about the Beatles? Do you have a Student A: Imagine that you are with Pete Best. Ask him
favourite Beatles song?
questions about his time with the band, and
2 Find these words in your dictionary. They are all used in his feelings now about the Beatles.
this book.
Student B: You are Pete Best. Answer the questions.
album audience band concert fan rock and roll
single (n) studio van
Pages 12-25
Which are words for:
Before you read
a a type of music?
6 You are going to read about the Beatles' last tour. Why
b recordings of music?
do you think that they stopped touring?
c a place where you record music?
7 Find the words in italics in your dictionary. Then answer
d a group of musicians?
the questions.
e hours of live music that you can buy tickets for? a How many musical instruments can you name?
f the people who watch and listen to musicians
b How many of those instruments have strings7
on stage?
8 Find the words below in your dictionary. Finish each
g a person who loves a group and buys all its sentence with one of the words.
recordings?
award explore lead
h the vehicle that carries a group's musical
a The band loved to new sounds and new ideas.
equipment?
b Most bands and singers are happy when they
3 Work with another student Find the words in italics in win an
your dictionary.
c A band's songs are often written by the person who
a How do you play these? Show the movements. the band.
guitar/bass guitar drum trumpet
b Discuss the job of the person who manages a band. After you read
What does the manager do? Is it a good job, do you 9 What was so special about Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts
think?
Club Band? Make a list of reasons.
c If you have a mania for something, do you like it or 10 Discuss the main differences between John Lennon and
dislike it?
Paul McCartney.
42
43
Pages 26-41
Before you read
11 What do you know about the present lives and work of the
Beatles who are still alive?

After you read

12 In Paul's opinion, he was trying to find new things for the
band to do. To others, Paul was trying to be the leader of
the band. Which do you think is true? Give reasons for your
answer.
13 What was special about John and Yoko's marriage? Why do
some people think that they were very unusual?
14 Discuss which Beatles album's story you find most
interesting. Explain why.

Writing
15 Listen to a Beatles album. Choose two songs and write your
opinion of them.
16 You are someone from the Beatles story (but not a Beatle).
Write the introduction to your book about the band.
17 A friend doesn't know any Beatles songs. Write to them. Tell
them what they should listen to.
18 Write a letter to one of the living Beatles or to Yoko O n e .
Explain your feelings about the band.