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[reel ticking]
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- [Crowd] We want the Beatles.
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We want the Beatles.
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We want
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the Beatles.
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We want the Beatles.
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We want
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the Beatles.
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We want the Beatles.
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[energetic rock music]
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- [Narrator] When
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The Beatles burst
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onto the world stage in 1963,
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they transformed
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popular music overnight.
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A commercial phenomenon
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like no other,
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they paved the way
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for every artist
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who followed in their wake.
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- They were selling
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vast amounts of records,
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a quarter of a million a week.
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No one had ever
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done that before.
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Even Elvis hadn't,
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Lonnie Donegan hadn't.
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Every week selling a quarter
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of a million records.
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- You had a revolution,
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just in terms of sales.
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But in addition to that,
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we wouldn't have had
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The Rolling Stones.
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You wouldn't have The Byrds,
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you wouldn't have had
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Dylan going electric.
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You wouldn't have had The Doors,
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and all those other bands
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we associate with the 60s.
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The chances of them existing
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without The Beatles
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are pretty slim.
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- [Narrator] Yet the band's
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impact spread far beyond music.
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As figureheads for
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a blooming youth culture,
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their influence
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penetrated to the heart
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of the post-war world.
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- [Mark] They were
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agents of change.
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They were carrying
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everyone with them.
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Everything felt modern, new,
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fresh, everywhere you looked.
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The world started
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to look different.
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- [Mark] The colors
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started to really emerge,
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the green shoots
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of a new culture.
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- From the point of
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The Beatles' arrival,
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they completely reinvented
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how culture works.
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Suddenly, adults were
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growing their hair long.
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Grown-up women were
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wearing mini-skirts.
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Suddenly, it was young people
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who were determining everything.
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That started with The Beatles.
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- [Narrator] By the
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second half of the '60s,
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the band transformed
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into leaders of the
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emerging counterculture.
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Bringing new social,
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sexual and artistic ideas
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into the mainstream, through
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their peaceful revolution
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they became the undisputed
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voice of a generation.
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- The Beatles were the most
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commercial band on earth.
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But they were also the most
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avant-garde and experimental.
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That was their role.
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Through their music, they
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opened up peoples' minds.
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- They helped to
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move a lot of people
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who might not otherwise
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have gone along
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with the stuff that happened
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in '66, '67 and '68.
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They were inspirational and
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influential in that way.
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But as they became more
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involved in the counterculture
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and more representative of it,
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they became a political threat.
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- [Narrator] This film
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traces The Beatles' path
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through the most extraordinary
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decade of the 20th century.
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It reveals the lasting impact
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of four musicians
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from Liverpool,
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who went from class warriors
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to cultural revolutionaries,
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while providing the
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soundtrack for a generation.
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- They were catalysts
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for a great many things.
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They changed just
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about everything.
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[gentle instrumental music]
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- [Narrator]
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Great Britain, 1962.
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A small and once
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dominant Kingdom,
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finally recovering
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from years of austerity
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following the Second World War.
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A nation of
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discipline and order,
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of industrial cities and
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quiet village greens.
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And although outwardly it
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appeared stuck in the past,
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beneath the surface a fresh
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culture was developing
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that would rapidly transform it.
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[wind whistling]
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At the close of the
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year the UK was hit
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by some of the coldest
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weather it had ever suffered,
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everyday life grinding to a halt
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as snow covered the country.
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Breaking through this bitter
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winter, on January 11th, 1963,
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a record was issued that
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provided the first glimpse
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of the brave new world
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that was to come.
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Please Please Me,
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the second single
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by Liverpudlian
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four-piece The Beatles,
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quickly rose to number
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two on the British charts,
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and its mainstream success
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announced the arrival
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of a revolutionary force
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in both music and culture.
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♪ You don't need me
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to show the way love
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♪ Why do I always
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have to say love
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- ♪ C'mon ♪
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- ♪ C'mon ♪
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- ♪ C'mon ♪
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- ♪ C'mon ♪
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- ♪ C'mon ♪
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- ♪ C'mon ♪
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♪ Please please me, whoa
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yeah, like I please you... ♪
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- Please Please Me was
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a kind of eruption.
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They took the blunt force
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of 1950s rock and roll,
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which was a blunt instrument,
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there's no other
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way to describe it.
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Musically and socially,
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it was a blunt instrument.
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And they grafted on
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to that the harmonies
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and the whole plaintive vocal
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quality of the girl groups
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of the early 1960s.
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Nobody had ever heard anything
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quite like this before.
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This was a group that had
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two of the best singers
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of their era in the same group,
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and something like that
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I don't think had
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really happened before.
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The sound of John Lennon and
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Paul McCartney singing together
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is one of the great sounds
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in music of the 20th century.
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♪ Last night I said
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these words to my girl ♪
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♪ I know you never
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even try, girl... ♪
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- They were a shock
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to the system.
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Love Me Do was the first single,
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and it was a bit
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of a false start.
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Please Please Me is when
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you had
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the unison sound of the band.
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They're singing,
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"Come on, come on."
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There's this sense
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of anticipation
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and a sense of excitement.
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It was a fresh sound.
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It sounds so traditional now.
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But at the time,
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the look and the sound
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was completely fresh.
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It was positive,
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uplifting and modern.
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- [Narrator] The Beatles--
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John Lennon, Paul McCartney,
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George Harrison
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and Ringo Starr--
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provided a much needed
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shot in the arm
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to Britain's pop scene.
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Although American rock and roll
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had been enormously popular
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in the mid 1950s,
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its electrifying initial
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surge proved short-lived.
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With its major stars
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either selling out
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or disappearing from the scene,
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the musicians that came in
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their wake were more wholesome
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and less threatening.
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British artists followed suit,
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and the musical
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landscape in the UK
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was dominated by
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talented imitators
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and the teen idols of pop
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Svengali Larry Parnes.
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With the support of their
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manager Brian Epstein
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and producer George Martin,
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The Beatles offered
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something very different.
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Driven by the unique
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songwriting partnership
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of John Lennon and
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Paul McCartney,
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this band composed
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their own material.
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- Most of conventional
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English show business,
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as we think of it,
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was really a pale reflection
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of American show business.
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It had not always been the case.
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But since the war,
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certainly it was.
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You had singers like Matt Monro
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who did an almost letter perfect
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imitation of Frank Sinatra.
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By the same token,
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you had the famous facile,
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fatuous English pop stars
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of the period,
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of whom Cliff Richard
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was by far the best known
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and the most successful,
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who was a kind of third-rate
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version of Elvis.
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And not of the Elvis
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of Heartbreak Hotel
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but of the Elvis of King Creole,
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the Elvis of Elvis
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the movie star.
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["Summer Holiday"]
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♪ We're all going
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on a summer holiday ♪
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♪ No more working
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for a week or two ♪
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♪ Fun and laughter
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on our summer holiday ♪
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♪ No more worries for me
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or you ♪
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♪ For a week or two... ♪ ♪
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- It was pretty professional.
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Cliff Richard and The
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Shadows were good players.
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It was a good act.
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But it was family friendly.
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And you had also characters
298
00:08:34,806 --> 00:08:38,101
like Larry Parnes,
299
00:08:38,143 --> 00:08:42,897
with his stable of pretty boys
300
00:08:38,143 --> 00:08:42,897
who did what they were told,
301
00:08:42,939 --> 00:08:45,317
who sung what they
302
00:08:42,939 --> 00:08:45,317
were told to sing,
303
00:08:45,359 --> 00:08:48,778
and who had no particular
304
00:08:45,359 --> 00:08:48,778
creative input at all.
305
00:08:48,820 --> 00:08:51,031
So when somebody like
306
00:08:48,820 --> 00:08:51,031
The Beatles comes along
307
00:08:51,072 --> 00:08:52,699
and they're not only
308
00:08:52,740 --> 00:08:54,868
playing their own instruments,
309
00:08:52,740 --> 00:08:54,868
singing beautifully,
310
00:08:54,909 --> 00:08:56,495
they're also singing
311
00:08:54,909 --> 00:08:56,495
their own compositions,
312
00:08:56,536 --> 00:08:58,497
this was incredibly
313
00:08:56,536 --> 00:08:58,497
rare at the time.
314
00:08:58,538 --> 00:09:01,624
- The Beatles were
315
00:08:58,538 --> 00:09:01,624
keen from the start
316
00:09:01,666 --> 00:09:03,126
to write their own material.
317
00:09:03,168 --> 00:09:05,086
They wrote the songs
318
00:09:03,168 --> 00:09:05,086
to the audience,
319
00:09:05,128 --> 00:09:06,713
to address the audience.
320
00:09:06,754 --> 00:09:10,133
They knew that the audience
321
00:09:06,754 --> 00:09:10,133
was 80% teenage girls
322
00:09:10,175 --> 00:09:11,592
and they wrote songs
323
00:09:11,634 --> 00:09:13,220
that elicited the perfect
324
00:09:11,634 --> 00:09:13,220
response from them.
325
00:09:13,261 --> 00:09:16,139
And after that,
326
00:09:13,261 --> 00:09:16,139
the deluge followed.
327
00:09:16,181 --> 00:09:18,433
It sent the signal out
328
00:09:16,181 --> 00:09:18,433
to everybody
329
00:09:18,475 --> 00:09:21,228
that you can all
330
00:09:18,475 --> 00:09:21,228
write your own song,
331
00:09:21,269 --> 00:09:22,854
get a slice of the action.
332
00:09:22,896 --> 00:09:25,524
Within a year or two,
333
00:09:22,896 --> 00:09:25,524
all bands were writing,
334
00:09:25,565 --> 00:09:27,192
or having a crack at it.
335
00:09:27,234 --> 00:09:29,319
- [Narrator] It wasn't only
336
00:09:27,234 --> 00:09:29,319
the extraordinary sound
337
00:09:29,361 --> 00:09:31,863
of The Beatles or the unique
338
00:09:29,361 --> 00:09:31,863
talents of Lennon and McCartney
339
00:09:31,905 --> 00:09:34,991
that were revolutionizing
340
00:09:31,905 --> 00:09:34,991
popular music.
341
00:09:35,033 --> 00:09:38,412
As they came to dominate
342
00:09:35,033 --> 00:09:38,412
the charts in 1963,
343
00:09:38,453 --> 00:09:40,038
their string of hit records
344
00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:41,998
transformed the
345
00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:41,998
commercial fortunes
346
00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:44,501
of the British record
347
00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:44,501
industry itself.
348
00:09:44,543 --> 00:09:47,045
- As The Beatles
349
00:09:44,543 --> 00:09:47,045
became more popular,
350
00:09:47,087 --> 00:09:50,298
and every record seemed
351
00:09:47,087 --> 00:09:50,298
to sell more and more,
352
00:09:50,340 --> 00:09:54,928
you had a revolution in the
353
00:09:50,340 --> 00:09:54,928
British record industry,
354
00:09:54,969 --> 00:09:56,804
just in terms of sales.
355
00:09:56,846 --> 00:09:59,599
They'd never seen
356
00:09:56,846 --> 00:09:59,599
anything like this,
357
00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:01,184
both in the amount of sales
358
00:10:01,226 --> 00:10:03,311
and the how long
359
00:10:01,226 --> 00:10:03,311
The Beatles would hang around
360
00:10:03,353 --> 00:10:06,689
in the charts, for months
361
00:10:03,353 --> 00:10:06,689
and months and months.
362
00:10:06,731 --> 00:10:08,442
In addition to that,
363
00:10:08,483 --> 00:10:13,696
there was the rolling impact
364
00:10:08,483 --> 00:10:13,696
of hit after hit after hit,
365
00:10:13,738 --> 00:10:16,199
that never let the quality drop.
366
00:10:16,241 --> 00:10:18,618
If anything, the
367
00:10:16,241 --> 00:10:18,618
quality increased,
368
00:10:18,659 --> 00:10:21,871
from Please Please
369
00:10:18,659 --> 00:10:21,871
Me to From Me to You,
370
00:10:21,913 --> 00:10:25,750
which was a little more
371
00:10:21,913 --> 00:10:25,750
downbeat but was no less wily.
372
00:10:25,792 --> 00:10:28,836
And then between the eyes:
373
00:10:25,792 --> 00:10:28,836
She Loves You,
374
00:10:28,878 --> 00:10:32,840
which explodes out of
375
00:10:28,878 --> 00:10:32,840
the radio to this day.
376
00:10:32,882 --> 00:10:35,802
♪ She loves you,
377
00:10:32,882 --> 00:10:35,802
yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
378
00:10:35,843 --> 00:10:38,972
♪ She loves you,
379
00:10:35,843 --> 00:10:38,972
yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
380
00:10:39,013 --> 00:10:43,643
♪ She loves you,
381
00:10:39,013 --> 00:10:43,643
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
382
00:10:45,395 --> 00:10:48,315
♪ You think you've
383
00:10:45,395 --> 00:10:48,315
lost your love ♪
384
00:10:48,356 --> 00:10:51,692
♪ Well, I saw her
385
00:10:48,356 --> 00:10:51,692
yesterday... ♪
386
00:10:51,734 --> 00:10:55,196
- People like Cliff
387
00:10:51,734 --> 00:10:55,196
and Billy Fury and Elvis,
388
00:10:55,238 --> 00:10:58,408
they were selling quite
389
00:10:55,238 --> 00:10:58,408
substantial amounts of
390
00:10:58,450 --> 00:11:03,538
records per se, but
391
00:10:58,450 --> 00:11:03,538
by the beginning of 1963
392
00:11:03,580 --> 00:11:06,791
when Please Please Me
393
00:11:03,580 --> 00:11:06,791
and From Me to You
394
00:11:06,833 --> 00:11:08,460
and the Please Please Me
395
00:11:06,833 --> 00:11:08,460
album,
396
00:11:08,502 --> 00:11:12,046
they were selling vast
397
00:11:08,502 --> 00:11:12,046
amounts of records.
398
00:11:12,088 --> 00:11:14,090
- No one had seen
399
00:11:12,088 --> 00:11:14,090
anything like this
400
00:11:14,132 --> 00:11:15,467
in the pop industry before.
401
00:11:15,509 --> 00:11:17,676
This was suddenly a
402
00:11:15,509 --> 00:11:17,676
happening industry
403
00:11:17,718 --> 00:11:20,472
that not only young people
404
00:11:17,718 --> 00:11:20,472
were taking notice of it,
405
00:11:20,514 --> 00:11:22,474
but the bean counters too.
406
00:11:22,516 --> 00:11:26,227
So you had everyone scouring
407
00:11:22,516 --> 00:11:26,227
Birmingham for The Moody Blues,
408
00:11:26,269 --> 00:11:28,062
The Hollies in Manchester.
409
00:11:28,104 --> 00:11:29,772
And Liverpool of course,
410
00:11:29,814 --> 00:11:31,441
all the scouts were up there
411
00:11:29,814 --> 00:11:31,441
looking for the next Beatles.
412
00:11:31,483 --> 00:11:33,067
Everyone wanted a
413
00:11:31,483 --> 00:11:33,067
slice of the action
414
00:11:33,109 --> 00:11:36,321
because they'd revolutionized
415
00:11:33,109 --> 00:11:36,321
the music industry
416
00:11:36,363 --> 00:11:38,948
in just a matter
417
00:11:36,363 --> 00:11:38,948
of months in 1963.
418
00:11:38,990 --> 00:11:41,368
- [Narrator] But
419
00:11:38,990 --> 00:11:41,368
the group's impact
420
00:11:41,409 --> 00:11:44,287
was not merely confined
421
00:11:41,409 --> 00:11:44,287
to the musical world.
422
00:11:44,329 --> 00:11:48,166
They also both represented
423
00:11:44,329 --> 00:11:48,166
and inspired a seismic shift
424
00:11:48,208 --> 00:11:51,419
at the very heart
425
00:11:48,208 --> 00:11:51,419
of British society.
426
00:11:51,461 --> 00:11:54,422
How these four young
427
00:11:51,461 --> 00:11:54,422
working class Liverpudlians
428
00:11:54,464 --> 00:11:56,633
managed to spearhead
429
00:11:54,464 --> 00:11:56,633
such a change
430
00:11:56,675 --> 00:12:00,261
lie in The Beatles,'
431
00:11:56,675 --> 00:12:00,261
and the country's, past.
432
00:12:03,722 --> 00:12:06,851
In the two centuries before
433
00:12:03,722 --> 00:12:06,851
the Second World War,
434
00:12:06,893 --> 00:12:09,396
the United Kingdom had led
435
00:12:06,893 --> 00:12:09,396
the Industrial Revolution
436
00:12:09,437 --> 00:12:12,315
and had ruled over the
437
00:12:09,437 --> 00:12:12,315
greatest Empire on earth.
438
00:12:12,357 --> 00:12:15,068
One of the foundations
439
00:12:12,357 --> 00:12:15,068
behind this superpower
440
00:12:15,109 --> 00:12:16,777
was its class system,
441
00:12:16,819 --> 00:12:20,073
which both divided and
442
00:12:16,819 --> 00:12:20,073
ordered its citizens.
443
00:12:20,114 --> 00:12:23,951
After emerging victorious
444
00:12:20,114 --> 00:12:23,951
from war in 1945,
445
00:12:23,993 --> 00:12:25,786
the elite class in this system,
446
00:12:25,828 --> 00:12:29,040
known as the Establishment,
447
00:12:25,828 --> 00:12:29,040
which included the monarchy,
448
00:12:29,082 --> 00:12:30,667
the aristocracy, and the heads
449
00:12:30,709 --> 00:12:33,503
of all the major institutions
450
00:12:30,709 --> 00:12:33,503
governing society,
451
00:12:33,545 --> 00:12:35,838
immediately tried to
452
00:12:33,545 --> 00:12:35,838
reinforce their power,
453
00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:38,425
and this chain of
454
00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:38,425
command would once again
455
00:12:38,466 --> 00:12:41,760
shape life in Britain
456
00:12:38,466 --> 00:12:41,760
during the post-war years.
457
00:12:41,802 --> 00:12:45,139
- Britain was a very
458
00:12:41,802 --> 00:12:45,139
class-ridden society.
459
00:12:45,181 --> 00:12:48,101
We were a nation of
460
00:12:45,181 --> 00:12:48,101
subjects, not citizens.
461
00:12:48,142 --> 00:12:51,854
And as long as you do
462
00:12:48,142 --> 00:12:51,854
have a royal family
463
00:12:51,896 --> 00:12:53,732
and a set of lords and ladies,
464
00:12:53,772 --> 00:12:56,484
the whole hierarchy
465
00:12:53,772 --> 00:12:56,484
of privilege,
466
00:12:56,526 --> 00:12:59,028
then obviously someone's
467
00:12:56,526 --> 00:12:59,028
going to be at the bottom.
468
00:12:59,070 --> 00:13:00,655
After the war,
469
00:13:00,697 --> 00:13:02,907
the Establishment obviously
470
00:13:00,697 --> 00:13:02,907
tried to reassert itself.
471
00:13:02,949 --> 00:13:06,202
So you still had the old
472
00:13:02,949 --> 00:13:06,202
Christian values, for instance.
473
00:13:06,244 --> 00:13:08,787
Nothing happened on a Sunday.
474
00:13:08,829 --> 00:13:11,499
Even children's
475
00:13:08,829 --> 00:13:11,499
swings in the parks
476
00:13:11,541 --> 00:13:13,209
were chained up on Sundays.
477
00:13:13,251 --> 00:13:15,128
The '60s really
478
00:13:13,251 --> 00:13:15,128
was the first time
479
00:13:15,169 --> 00:13:17,589
that anyone kicked a hole
480
00:13:15,169 --> 00:13:17,589
in any of that
481
00:13:17,631 --> 00:13:19,466
and started to challenge all
482
00:13:19,507 --> 00:13:21,342
of these traditional
483
00:13:19,507 --> 00:13:21,342
assumptions.
484
00:13:21,384 --> 00:13:25,305
Really, it was the same
485
00:13:21,384 --> 00:13:25,305
group of middle class people,
486
00:13:25,346 --> 00:13:28,349
who assumed they had the right
487
00:13:25,346 --> 00:13:28,349
to tell everybody how to live,
488
00:13:28,391 --> 00:13:30,769
were still very much in power.
489
00:13:30,809 --> 00:13:33,062
- [Narrator] Yet
490
00:13:30,809 --> 00:13:33,062
Britain's power was waning
491
00:13:33,104 --> 00:13:36,023
and its empire slowly crumbling.
492
00:13:36,065 --> 00:13:39,068
Almost bankrupt as a result
493
00:13:36,065 --> 00:13:39,068
of its war effort,
494
00:13:39,110 --> 00:13:41,028
the years of hardship
495
00:13:39,110 --> 00:13:41,028
that followed
496
00:13:41,070 --> 00:13:43,615
saw the entire country suffer.
497
00:13:43,657 --> 00:13:46,242
The North of England in
498
00:13:43,657 --> 00:13:46,242
particular struggled to recover,
499
00:13:46,284 --> 00:13:49,245
and the once dominant
500
00:13:46,284 --> 00:13:49,245
port city of Liverpool,
501
00:13:49,287 --> 00:13:51,623
heavily targeted by
502
00:13:49,287 --> 00:13:51,623
German air raids,
503
00:13:51,665 --> 00:13:55,876
was beset by widespread damage
504
00:13:51,665 --> 00:13:55,876
and disappearing industry.
505
00:13:55,918 --> 00:13:57,962
- During the 19th century,
506
00:13:58,004 --> 00:14:01,716
the North developed this
507
00:13:58,004 --> 00:14:01,716
proud sense of itself.
508
00:14:01,758 --> 00:14:04,927
The port of Liverpool was the
509
00:14:01,758 --> 00:14:04,927
greatest port in the world
510
00:14:04,969 --> 00:14:07,347
because England was the
511
00:14:04,969 --> 00:14:07,347
greatest commercial nation
512
00:14:07,388 --> 00:14:11,184
in the world and most things
513
00:14:07,388 --> 00:14:11,184
came in and out there.
514
00:14:11,225 --> 00:14:13,770
But over the course
515
00:14:11,225 --> 00:14:13,770
of the 20th century,
516
00:14:13,812 --> 00:14:16,397
England went through
517
00:14:13,812 --> 00:14:16,397
a phenomenon that
518
00:14:16,439 --> 00:14:18,065
is now very familiar
519
00:14:18,107 --> 00:14:20,694
to Americans of the
520
00:14:18,107 --> 00:14:20,694
late 20th century,
521
00:14:20,735 --> 00:14:23,822
which is the decline
522
00:14:20,735 --> 00:14:23,822
of industrialization,
523
00:14:23,863 --> 00:14:25,239
the decline of manufacturing.
524
00:14:25,281 --> 00:14:27,826
By the 1940s, it was very clear
525
00:14:27,867 --> 00:14:30,911
that Liverpool was in decline.
526
00:14:30,953 --> 00:14:34,165
As a result, The Beatles'
527
00:14:30,953 --> 00:14:34,165
generation grew up in this place
528
00:14:34,207 --> 00:14:37,210
that was filled with the
529
00:14:34,207 --> 00:14:37,210
emblems of imperial might
530
00:14:37,251 --> 00:14:40,797
but which was becoming a
531
00:14:37,251 --> 00:14:40,797
very dire place to live
532
00:14:40,839 --> 00:14:42,465
in many ways.
533
00:14:42,507 --> 00:14:43,883
- Everywhere there was a debris.
534
00:14:43,924 --> 00:14:46,761
The streets were full
535
00:14:43,924 --> 00:14:46,761
of bombed buildings.
536
00:14:46,803 --> 00:14:48,179
All the kids used to play
537
00:14:48,221 --> 00:14:50,348
in the buildings
538
00:14:48,221 --> 00:14:50,348
and deserted places.
539
00:14:50,390 --> 00:14:53,601
The debris was still going
540
00:14:50,390 --> 00:14:53,601
20 or 30 years later.
541
00:14:53,643 --> 00:14:57,772
There was no money about,
542
00:14:53,643 --> 00:14:57,772
and it was very hard.
543
00:14:57,814 --> 00:15:02,443
What did young people have in
544
00:14:57,814 --> 00:15:02,443
Liverpool to look forward to?
545
00:15:02,485 --> 00:15:04,237
Everything was closing down.
546
00:15:04,278 --> 00:15:06,322
All the factories
547
00:15:04,278 --> 00:15:06,322
were closing down.
548
00:15:06,364 --> 00:15:11,619
It was pretty tough times
549
00:15:06,364 --> 00:15:11,619
in Liverpool in those days.
550
00:15:11,661 --> 00:15:14,831
- [Narrator] And it was
551
00:15:11,661 --> 00:15:14,831
within this stark landscape
552
00:15:14,873 --> 00:15:16,791
that The Beatles grew up.
553
00:15:16,833 --> 00:15:19,919
The band's founder and
554
00:15:16,833 --> 00:15:19,919
eldest member, John Lennon,
555
00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:21,629
was the product of a broken home
556
00:15:21,671 --> 00:15:23,673
and was raised by
557
00:15:21,671 --> 00:15:23,673
his aunt and uncle
558
00:15:23,715 --> 00:15:26,133
in a fairly affluent
559
00:15:23,715 --> 00:15:26,133
area of the city.
560
00:15:26,175 --> 00:15:27,594
His future bandmates,
561
00:15:27,635 --> 00:15:29,512
Paul McCartney and
562
00:15:27,635 --> 00:15:29,512
George Harrison, however,
563
00:15:29,554 --> 00:15:32,181
both came from working
564
00:15:29,554 --> 00:15:32,181
class neighborhoods.
565
00:15:32,223 --> 00:15:34,475
Despite the dereliction
566
00:15:32,223 --> 00:15:34,475
surrounding them
567
00:15:34,517 --> 00:15:36,561
and the hard times in
568
00:15:34,517 --> 00:15:36,561
which they were raised,
569
00:15:36,603 --> 00:15:39,773
the future prospects of all
570
00:15:36,603 --> 00:15:39,773
three were given a boost
571
00:15:39,814 --> 00:15:41,982
by a new educational initiative
572
00:15:42,024 --> 00:15:44,903
that saw the brightest children
573
00:15:42,024 --> 00:15:44,903
enrolled in grammar schools,
574
00:15:44,944 --> 00:15:47,906
whatever their
575
00:15:44,944 --> 00:15:47,906
financial background.
576
00:15:47,947 --> 00:15:50,950
- John Lennon, Paul
577
00:15:47,947 --> 00:15:50,950
McCartney and George Harrison
578
00:15:50,991 --> 00:15:53,953
took an examination when
579
00:15:50,991 --> 00:15:53,953
they were 11 years old
580
00:15:53,994 --> 00:15:56,873
that essentially
581
00:15:53,994 --> 00:15:56,873
certified them as clever.
582
00:15:56,915 --> 00:16:00,543
And as a result of passing
583
00:15:56,915 --> 00:16:00,543
what was called the 11+ exam,
584
00:16:00,585 --> 00:16:03,630
that meant they were eligible
585
00:16:00,585 --> 00:16:03,630
to go to grammar schools.
586
00:16:03,671 --> 00:16:06,299
Grammar schools were
587
00:16:03,671 --> 00:16:06,299
designed to educate children
588
00:16:06,340 --> 00:16:09,302
in order to go on to some
589
00:16:06,340 --> 00:16:09,302
form of higher education.
590
00:16:09,343 --> 00:16:12,847
What this meant was that
591
00:16:09,343 --> 00:16:12,847
at a relatively early age,
592
00:16:12,889 --> 00:16:14,599
at the age of 11,
593
00:16:14,641 --> 00:16:16,768
particularly Paul McCartney
594
00:16:14,641 --> 00:16:16,768
and George Harrison,
595
00:16:16,810 --> 00:16:18,978
whose origins were
596
00:16:16,810 --> 00:16:18,978
truly working class.
597
00:16:19,019 --> 00:16:21,063
John Lennon was a
598
00:16:19,019 --> 00:16:21,063
bit more complicated.
599
00:16:21,105 --> 00:16:23,149
John was a little
600
00:16:21,105 --> 00:16:23,149
betwixt and between.
601
00:16:23,190 --> 00:16:26,319
But in the case of both Paul
602
00:16:23,190 --> 00:16:26,319
McCartney and George Harrison,
603
00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:29,155
at the age of 11, they
604
00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:29,155
were somewhat isolated
605
00:16:29,196 --> 00:16:32,742
from the world of
606
00:16:29,196 --> 00:16:32,742
the housing estates
607
00:16:32,784 --> 00:16:34,410
that they had grown up on.
608
00:16:34,452 --> 00:16:37,079
Every day they took the bus
609
00:16:34,452 --> 00:16:37,079
into the center of Liverpool
610
00:16:37,121 --> 00:16:39,999
to go to a place called
611
00:16:37,121 --> 00:16:39,999
the Liverpool Institute
612
00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:42,710
and they were essentially marked
613
00:16:42,752 --> 00:16:44,545
and educated from the age of 11
614
00:16:44,587 --> 00:16:46,756
to transcend their
615
00:16:44,587 --> 00:16:46,756
working class origins.
616
00:16:46,798 --> 00:16:49,843
- [Narrator] With far better
617
00:16:46,798 --> 00:16:49,843
schooling than their parents,
618
00:16:49,884 --> 00:16:52,386
these future Beatles
619
00:16:49,884 --> 00:16:52,386
were a new breed,
620
00:16:52,428 --> 00:16:54,973
raised within the proud
621
00:16:52,428 --> 00:16:54,973
Liverpudlian working class,
622
00:16:55,014 --> 00:16:58,935
yet unfazed by the educated
623
00:16:55,014 --> 00:16:58,935
elites supposedly above them.
624
00:16:58,977 --> 00:17:01,980
And with the coming of
625
00:16:58,977 --> 00:17:01,980
rock and roll in 1956,
626
00:17:02,021 --> 00:17:06,066
a musical form exploded that
627
00:17:02,021 --> 00:17:06,066
spoke directly to their youth
628
00:17:06,108 --> 00:17:08,152
and their sense of difference.
629
00:17:08,194 --> 00:17:09,529
It was the following year
630
00:17:09,570 --> 00:17:11,197
that John Lennon
631
00:17:09,570 --> 00:17:11,197
met Paul McCartney
632
00:17:11,238 --> 00:17:14,116
and invited him to join
633
00:17:11,238 --> 00:17:14,116
his band The Quarrymen,
634
00:17:14,158 --> 00:17:17,411
with George Harrison
635
00:17:14,158 --> 00:17:17,411
joining shortly thereafter.
636
00:17:17,453 --> 00:17:19,497
All around them in Liverpool
637
00:17:19,539 --> 00:17:22,583
a new phenomenon was finding
638
00:17:19,539 --> 00:17:22,583
its own rebellious voice:
639
00:17:22,625 --> 00:17:25,252
the teenagers had arrived.
640
00:17:25,294 --> 00:17:29,215
- The '50s became the era
641
00:17:29,256 --> 00:17:32,510
when teenagers really
642
00:17:29,256 --> 00:17:32,510
came into their own.
643
00:17:32,552 --> 00:17:35,555
We were together in
644
00:17:32,552 --> 00:17:35,555
our love of the music.
645
00:17:35,596 --> 00:17:40,518
Up until that time a young
646
00:17:35,596 --> 00:17:40,518
lad would be taken to the pub
647
00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:43,813
for his first pint, when he
648
00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:43,813
turned of age, by his dad.
649
00:17:43,855 --> 00:17:45,899
He'd dress like his dad.
650
00:17:45,940 --> 00:17:48,026
He'd go into the
651
00:17:45,940 --> 00:17:48,026
union of his dad
652
00:17:48,067 --> 00:17:50,236
and he'd go in the
653
00:17:48,067 --> 00:17:50,236
same work as his dad.
654
00:17:50,277 --> 00:17:52,530
With the girls, she
655
00:17:50,277 --> 00:17:52,530
was in the kitchen
656
00:17:52,572 --> 00:17:54,782
learning how to
657
00:17:52,572 --> 00:17:54,782
make the breakfast,
658
00:17:54,824 --> 00:17:56,450
do the cleaning,
659
00:17:54,824 --> 00:17:56,450
all the rest of it.
660
00:17:56,492 --> 00:17:59,913
But suddenly the youngsters
661
00:17:56,492 --> 00:17:59,913
were now earning money
662
00:17:59,954 --> 00:18:02,582
and they wanted to
663
00:17:59,954 --> 00:18:02,582
spend it their way
664
00:18:02,623 --> 00:18:06,085
and do their things and
665
00:18:02,623 --> 00:18:06,085
not be told what to do.
666
00:18:06,126 --> 00:18:08,713
- [Narrator] A generation
667
00:18:06,126 --> 00:18:08,713
gap was opening up
668
00:18:08,755 --> 00:18:11,382
and this would dominate
669
00:18:08,755 --> 00:18:11,382
cultural life in Britain
670
00:18:11,424 --> 00:18:12,967
across the next decade.
671
00:18:13,009 --> 00:18:14,468
And while rock and roll
672
00:18:13,009 --> 00:18:14,468
resonated
673
00:18:14,510 --> 00:18:16,721
with young working
674
00:18:14,510 --> 00:18:16,721
class Britons,
675
00:18:16,763 --> 00:18:18,264
other American influences,
676
00:18:18,305 --> 00:18:20,641
from the Beat poets
677
00:18:18,305 --> 00:18:20,641
to jazz and blues,
678
00:18:20,683 --> 00:18:23,310
were embraced by
679
00:18:20,683 --> 00:18:23,310
middle class teenagers.
680
00:18:23,352 --> 00:18:26,439
If the future Beatles were at
681
00:18:23,352 --> 00:18:26,439
heart rock and roll rebels,
682
00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:29,776
none of them more embodied
683
00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:29,776
this than John Lennon.
684
00:18:29,817 --> 00:18:32,862
But having failed
685
00:18:29,817 --> 00:18:32,862
his exams in 1957,
686
00:18:32,904 --> 00:18:35,573
he found a place at the
687
00:18:32,904 --> 00:18:35,573
Liverpool College of Art,
688
00:18:35,615 --> 00:18:37,951
where he was thrown
689
00:18:35,615 --> 00:18:37,951
into an unfamiliar,
690
00:18:37,992 --> 00:18:39,660
Bohemian student culture.
691
00:18:39,702 --> 00:18:43,081
Although this would prove
692
00:18:39,702 --> 00:18:43,081
vital in expanding his talents,
693
00:18:43,122 --> 00:18:45,708
here Lennon was an outsider.
694
00:18:45,750 --> 00:18:48,294
- I first met John Lennon
695
00:18:45,750 --> 00:18:48,294
at the College of Art.
696
00:18:48,335 --> 00:18:51,505
I was sitting down
697
00:18:48,335 --> 00:18:51,505
in the canteen.
698
00:18:51,547 --> 00:18:54,884
Suddenly I noticed
699
00:18:51,547 --> 00:18:54,884
this guy walk past.
700
00:18:54,926 --> 00:18:58,512
And I thought, what's
701
00:18:54,926 --> 00:18:58,512
he dressed up like?
702
00:18:58,554 --> 00:19:01,390
He was dressed almost
703
00:18:58,554 --> 00:19:01,390
like a teddy boy,
704
00:19:01,432 --> 00:19:05,019
in a completely
705
00:19:01,432 --> 00:19:05,019
unconventional type of dress
706
00:19:05,061 --> 00:19:06,854
compared to all
707
00:19:05,061 --> 00:19:06,854
the other students.
708
00:19:06,896 --> 00:19:10,024
I looked round and everyone
709
00:19:06,896 --> 00:19:10,024
was wearing duffle coats
710
00:19:10,066 --> 00:19:11,567
and turtleneck sweaters.
711
00:19:11,609 --> 00:19:14,112
I thought, oh, they're
712
00:19:11,609 --> 00:19:14,112
all wearing the same,
713
00:19:14,153 --> 00:19:15,905
they're all conventional.
714
00:19:15,947 --> 00:19:18,532
He's the rebel.
715
00:19:15,947 --> 00:19:18,532
He's the one who's different.
716
00:19:18,574 --> 00:19:19,784
I must get to know him.
717
00:19:24,998 --> 00:19:28,126
- If you were in art
718
00:19:24,998 --> 00:19:28,126
school in the 1950s
719
00:19:28,167 --> 00:19:29,836
you would have been exposed
720
00:19:29,877 --> 00:19:33,464
to the intellectual radicalism
721
00:19:29,877 --> 00:19:33,464
and rebellion of figures
722
00:19:33,506 --> 00:19:37,259
like Jack Kerouac and
723
00:19:33,506 --> 00:19:37,259
the Beat generation
724
00:19:37,301 --> 00:19:42,348
who were anti-established
725
00:19:37,301 --> 00:19:42,348
religion, pro self-expression
726
00:19:42,389 --> 00:19:45,685
anti any kind of
727
00:19:42,389 --> 00:19:45,685
Establishment repression.
728
00:19:45,726 --> 00:19:48,228
And the angry young men
729
00:19:45,726 --> 00:19:48,228
of theater,
730
00:19:48,270 --> 00:19:50,564
John Osborne, Arnold Wesker--
731
00:19:50,606 --> 00:19:54,110
these guys were angry,
732
00:19:50,606 --> 00:19:54,110
but they were clever.
733
00:19:54,152 --> 00:19:57,363
They found a way of
734
00:19:54,152 --> 00:19:57,363
directing their anger,
735
00:19:57,404 --> 00:19:59,532
which may well have
736
00:19:57,404 --> 00:19:59,532
been a personal angst,
737
00:19:59,573 --> 00:20:02,493
but when it's directed
738
00:19:59,573 --> 00:20:02,493
to the outside world
739
00:20:02,535 --> 00:20:07,456
it can create a great articulate
740
00:20:02,535 --> 00:20:07,456
voice of a generation,
741
00:20:07,498 --> 00:20:09,208
if you like.
742
00:20:09,249 --> 00:20:12,170
- [Man]
743
00:20:09,249 --> 00:20:12,170
Nine hundred and fifty-four...
744
00:20:15,131 --> 00:20:17,424
nine hundred
745
00:20:15,131 --> 00:20:17,424
and fifty-bloody-five,
746
00:20:17,466 --> 00:20:21,095
I could get through in half
747
00:20:17,466 --> 00:20:21,095
the time if I went like a bull,
748
00:20:21,137 --> 00:20:23,806
but they'd only slash me wages,
749
00:20:21,137 --> 00:20:23,806
so they can get stuffed.
750
00:20:26,976 --> 00:20:29,145
Don't let the bastards
751
00:20:26,976 --> 00:20:29,145
grind you down,
752
00:20:29,187 --> 00:20:31,105
that's one thing I've learned.
753
00:20:31,147 --> 00:20:34,775
- This sort of influence
754
00:20:31,147 --> 00:20:34,775
would have been very appealing
755
00:20:34,817 --> 00:20:36,736
to someone like John Lennon
756
00:20:36,777 --> 00:20:39,279
who was himself an
757
00:20:36,777 --> 00:20:39,279
angry young man,
758
00:20:39,321 --> 00:20:41,323
for all kinds of
759
00:20:39,321 --> 00:20:41,323
personal reasons.
760
00:20:41,365 --> 00:20:42,992
But if you could be
761
00:20:41,365 --> 00:20:42,992
an angry young man
762
00:20:43,034 --> 00:20:46,495
and thoughtful with it,
763
00:20:43,034 --> 00:20:46,495
then that's very appealing.
764
00:20:46,537 --> 00:20:49,165
- [Narrator] By
765
00:20:46,537 --> 00:20:49,165
the summer of 1960,
766
00:20:49,207 --> 00:20:50,666
the school days of John Lennon,
767
00:20:50,708 --> 00:20:53,211
Paul McCartney and George
768
00:20:50,708 --> 00:20:53,211
Harrison were over.
769
00:20:53,252 --> 00:20:54,628
Yet they were quickly thrust
770
00:20:54,670 --> 00:20:57,048
into an education
771
00:20:54,670 --> 00:20:57,048
of another kind.
772
00:20:57,090 --> 00:21:00,467
In August, the band, now
773
00:20:57,090 --> 00:21:00,467
calling itself The Beatles,
774
00:21:00,509 --> 00:21:02,011
headed for a season of shows
775
00:21:02,053 --> 00:21:03,804
in the vibrant
776
00:21:02,053 --> 00:21:03,804
German city Hamburg,
777
00:21:03,846 --> 00:21:05,932
and over the following year
778
00:21:05,973 --> 00:21:07,934
it was here that they
779
00:21:05,973 --> 00:21:07,934
earned their stripes
780
00:21:07,975 --> 00:21:09,643
as a rock and roll band.
781
00:21:09,685 --> 00:21:12,563
Upon their return to
782
00:21:09,685 --> 00:21:12,563
Liverpool in 1961,
783
00:21:12,605 --> 00:21:16,109
they quickly rose to the very
784
00:21:12,605 --> 00:21:16,109
top of the city's music scene.
785
00:21:16,150 --> 00:21:18,527
Yet they were
786
00:21:16,150 --> 00:21:18,527
isolated in the North,
787
00:21:18,569 --> 00:21:21,280
and the rest of the country
788
00:21:18,569 --> 00:21:21,280
paid little attention.
789
00:21:21,321 --> 00:21:24,575
- I started writing to
790
00:21:21,321 --> 00:21:24,575
papers like The Daily Mail
791
00:21:24,617 --> 00:21:26,577
saying what is
792
00:21:24,617 --> 00:21:26,577
happening in Liverpool
793
00:21:26,619 --> 00:21:29,496
is like New Orleans at
794
00:21:26,619 --> 00:21:29,496
the turn of the century,
795
00:21:29,538 --> 00:21:32,041
but with rock and roll
796
00:21:29,538 --> 00:21:32,041
instead of jazz.
797
00:21:32,083 --> 00:21:34,043
Of course, no one
798
00:21:32,083 --> 00:21:34,043
was interested.
799
00:21:34,085 --> 00:21:38,881
So I decided to do it myself
800
00:21:34,085 --> 00:21:38,881
and created Mersey Beat
801
00:21:38,923 --> 00:21:42,093
and of course my friends,
802
00:21:42,135 --> 00:21:45,471
John and the group he
803
00:21:42,135 --> 00:21:45,471
formed, The Beatles,
804
00:21:45,512 --> 00:21:47,640
were the main people
805
00:21:45,512 --> 00:21:47,640
I wrote about.
806
00:21:47,681 --> 00:21:51,018
- [Narrator] With a teenage
807
00:21:47,681 --> 00:21:51,018
audience hungry for information
808
00:21:51,060 --> 00:21:53,104
about this new rock
809
00:21:51,060 --> 00:21:53,104
and roll scene,
810
00:21:53,146 --> 00:21:56,565
Bill Harry's Mersey Beat music
811
00:21:53,146 --> 00:21:56,565
paper proved a huge success
812
00:21:56,607 --> 00:21:58,234
in the North of England.
813
00:21:58,276 --> 00:22:00,778
Celebrating The Beatles
814
00:21:58,276 --> 00:22:00,778
in almost every issue,
815
00:22:00,820 --> 00:22:03,739
it brought them to the attention
816
00:22:00,820 --> 00:22:03,739
of one of its contributors,
817
00:22:03,781 --> 00:22:06,617
local businessman Brian Epstein.
818
00:22:06,659 --> 00:22:09,120
The manager of a
819
00:22:06,659 --> 00:22:09,120
Liverpool music store,
820
00:22:09,162 --> 00:22:12,165
through Bill Harry, Epstein
821
00:22:09,162 --> 00:22:12,165
arranged to see the band play
822
00:22:12,206 --> 00:22:14,292
at the city's
823
00:22:12,206 --> 00:22:14,292
legendary Cavern Club
824
00:22:14,333 --> 00:22:16,877
and was blown away
825
00:22:14,333 --> 00:22:16,877
by their performance.
826
00:22:16,919 --> 00:22:19,213
He immediately offered
827
00:22:16,919 --> 00:22:19,213
to manage the band
828
00:22:19,255 --> 00:22:23,634
and by January 1962,
829
00:22:19,255 --> 00:22:23,634
a contract was signed.
830
00:22:23,676 --> 00:22:27,345
Wary of the controlling approach
831
00:22:23,676 --> 00:22:27,345
of managers like Larry Parnes,
832
00:22:27,387 --> 00:22:30,557
Epstein was still conscious
833
00:22:27,387 --> 00:22:30,557
of the unwritten rules
834
00:22:30,599 --> 00:22:32,559
of the British
835
00:22:30,599 --> 00:22:32,559
entertainment industry.
836
00:22:32,601 --> 00:22:34,937
If The Beatles were going
837
00:22:32,601 --> 00:22:34,937
to change the world,
838
00:22:34,979 --> 00:22:37,898
they'd first have to
839
00:22:34,979 --> 00:22:37,898
change their look.
840
00:22:37,940 --> 00:22:40,901
- What I think he
841
00:22:37,940 --> 00:22:40,901
had was the instinct
842
00:22:40,943 --> 00:22:45,031
to realize the general
843
00:22:40,943 --> 00:22:45,031
overall pattern
844
00:22:45,072 --> 00:22:48,159
of how things worked
845
00:22:45,072 --> 00:22:48,159
in this country.
846
00:22:48,201 --> 00:22:50,703
They were the savage
847
00:22:48,201 --> 00:22:50,703
young Beatles
848
00:22:50,744 --> 00:22:52,205
dressed in black leather
849
00:22:52,246 --> 00:22:55,457
and playing rock and
850
00:22:52,246 --> 00:22:55,457
roll to prostitutes,
851
00:22:55,499 --> 00:22:57,877
gangsters and all the rest
852
00:22:55,499 --> 00:22:57,877
of it in Hamburg,
853
00:22:57,918 --> 00:22:59,879
taking drugs
854
00:22:57,918 --> 00:22:59,879
and all the rest of it.
855
00:22:59,920 --> 00:23:01,714
They were the savage
856
00:22:59,920 --> 00:23:01,714
young Beatles.
857
00:23:01,755 --> 00:23:04,217
They would never
858
00:23:01,755 --> 00:23:04,217
have been accepted
859
00:23:04,258 --> 00:23:07,385
by the established media.
860
00:23:07,427 --> 00:23:10,348
- [piano plays]
861
00:23:07,427 --> 00:23:10,348
- [female fans screaming ]
862
00:23:10,388 --> 00:23:13,351
- [Narrator] And The Beatles'
863
00:23:10,388 --> 00:23:13,351
breakthrough in early 1963
864
00:23:13,391 --> 00:23:17,188
confirmed that Epstein's
865
00:23:13,391 --> 00:23:17,188
instincts were spot on.
866
00:23:17,230 --> 00:23:20,774
He had successfully smuggled
867
00:23:17,230 --> 00:23:20,774
a unique band of rebels
868
00:23:20,816 --> 00:23:22,818
into the heart of
869
00:23:20,816 --> 00:23:22,818
the mainstream.
870
00:23:22,860 --> 00:23:24,570
Yet unlike the
871
00:23:22,860 --> 00:23:24,570
controlling managers
872
00:23:24,611 --> 00:23:26,906
that dominated the British
873
00:23:24,611 --> 00:23:26,906
entertainment world,
874
00:23:26,947 --> 00:23:29,658
he then simply set them loose.
875
00:23:29,700 --> 00:23:31,702
From the moment they
876
00:23:29,700 --> 00:23:31,702
soared to the top
877
00:23:31,744 --> 00:23:33,453
of the British charts,
878
00:23:33,495 --> 00:23:35,873
the press, radio interviewers
879
00:23:33,495 --> 00:23:35,873
and television presenters
880
00:23:35,915 --> 00:23:38,251
came face to face
881
00:23:35,915 --> 00:23:38,251
with The Beatles,
882
00:23:38,292 --> 00:23:40,336
and these quick-witted,
883
00:23:38,292 --> 00:23:40,336
confident
884
00:23:40,378 --> 00:23:41,879
and very modern young men
885
00:23:41,921 --> 00:23:45,758
chose to play the game
886
00:23:41,921 --> 00:23:45,758
by their own rules.
887
00:23:45,799 --> 00:23:48,468
- In the beginning, The
888
00:23:45,799 --> 00:23:48,468
Beatles' behavior with the press
889
00:23:48,510 --> 00:23:51,222
was the most revolutionary
890
00:23:48,510 --> 00:23:51,222
thing about it.
891
00:23:51,264 --> 00:23:52,723
Nobody of their age group,
892
00:23:52,765 --> 00:23:55,393
and to a certain extent,
893
00:23:52,765 --> 00:23:55,393
of their background,
894
00:23:55,433 --> 00:23:58,145
had ever behaved this way
895
00:23:55,433 --> 00:23:58,145
with reporters before.
896
00:23:58,187 --> 00:24:00,356
- Do you know, you
897
00:23:58,187 --> 00:24:00,356
look like Matt Monro?
898
00:24:01,481 --> 00:24:03,609
- Give us "Russia with Love."
899
00:24:03,650 --> 00:24:05,236
- [Interviewer] Thanks, boys.
900
00:24:05,278 --> 00:24:07,988
- The Beatles were
901
00:24:05,278 --> 00:24:07,988
just audacious.
902
00:24:08,030 --> 00:24:09,365
When they were
903
00:24:08,030 --> 00:24:09,365
being interviewed,
904
00:24:09,407 --> 00:24:11,075
they kind of turned the tables.
905
00:24:11,117 --> 00:24:13,660
When Adam Faith or someone like
906
00:24:11,117 --> 00:24:13,660
that was interviewed before,
907
00:24:13,702 --> 00:24:17,581
it was very much a master
908
00:24:13,702 --> 00:24:17,581
and servant kind of thing.
909
00:24:17,623 --> 00:24:19,499
- Cliff, what sort
910
00:24:17,623 --> 00:24:19,499
of tour did you have?
911
00:24:19,541 --> 00:24:21,419
- I can honestly say it's been
912
00:24:21,459 --> 00:24:23,379
probably the most pleasurable
913
00:24:21,459 --> 00:24:23,379
one we've had for some time,
914
00:24:23,421 --> 00:24:26,173
mainly because, not
915
00:24:23,421 --> 00:24:26,173
just the audiences,
916
00:24:26,215 --> 00:24:28,301
but because we've
917
00:24:26,215 --> 00:24:28,301
had a few hours off,
918
00:24:28,342 --> 00:24:30,844
we've been swimming
919
00:24:28,342 --> 00:24:30,844
and sunbathing.
920
00:24:30,886 --> 00:24:32,805
- The Beatles just
921
00:24:30,886 --> 00:24:32,805
ripped into that,
922
00:24:32,846 --> 00:24:35,599
and almost ridiculed
923
00:24:32,846 --> 00:24:35,599
the whole thing,
924
00:24:35,641 --> 00:24:37,935
turned the whole thing
925
00:24:35,641 --> 00:24:37,935
into a Marx Brothers farce,
926
00:24:37,977 --> 00:24:39,561
which was fantastic.
927
00:24:39,603 --> 00:24:42,273
- I hear the four of you
928
00:24:39,603 --> 00:24:42,273
are going to be millionaires
929
00:24:42,315 --> 00:24:45,151
by the end of the year.
930
00:24:42,315 --> 00:24:45,151
- Oh, that's nice.
931
00:24:45,192 --> 00:24:49,822
- Have you got time to
932
00:24:45,192 --> 00:24:49,822
actually spend this money?
933
00:24:49,863 --> 00:24:52,283
- What money? He said.
934
00:24:52,325 --> 00:24:54,492
- Doesn't he give any to you?
935
00:24:52,325 --> 00:24:54,492
- No.
936
00:24:54,534 --> 00:24:56,120
- Have you seen that car of his?
937
00:24:56,162 --> 00:24:57,621
[laughing]
938
00:24:57,663 --> 00:24:59,497
- It was very, very
939
00:24:57,663 --> 00:24:59,497
close to the way groups
940
00:24:59,539 --> 00:25:02,335
of male adolescents
941
00:24:59,539 --> 00:25:02,335
interacted with one another
942
00:25:02,376 --> 00:25:03,669
as a matter of course.
943
00:25:03,710 --> 00:25:06,172
This is what teenage boys do.
944
00:25:06,213 --> 00:25:08,007
They try to top one another.
945
00:25:08,048 --> 00:25:10,884
They try to cut one another
946
00:25:08,048 --> 00:25:10,884
down, all this sort of thing.
947
00:25:10,926 --> 00:25:14,472
The Beatles simply had the
948
00:25:10,926 --> 00:25:14,472
nerve to take this thing
949
00:25:14,512 --> 00:25:19,185
and to perform it in front
950
00:25:14,512 --> 00:25:19,185
of microphones and cameras.
951
00:25:19,226 --> 00:25:20,853
- John, we hear there's a rumor
952
00:25:20,894 --> 00:25:22,188
in The News of The Beatles paper
953
00:25:22,229 --> 00:25:23,689
that you might be
954
00:25:22,229 --> 00:25:23,689
leaving the group.
955
00:25:23,730 --> 00:25:26,317
- Rubbish, I'm contracted.
956
00:25:26,359 --> 00:25:28,110
I've been trying to
957
00:25:26,359 --> 00:25:28,110
get out for years.
958
00:25:28,152 --> 00:25:30,029
- You've been
959
00:25:28,152 --> 00:25:30,029
writing some poetry.
960
00:25:30,070 --> 00:25:31,738
- What paper?
961
00:25:31,780 --> 00:25:33,199
- [Interviewer] A paper called
962
00:25:31,780 --> 00:25:33,199
The News of The Beatles.
963
00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:34,450
- Never heard of it.
964
00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:34,450
- Do you want to see it?
965
00:25:34,492 --> 00:25:35,909
- No.
966
00:25:34,492 --> 00:25:35,909
- Must be American.
967
00:25:35,951 --> 00:25:37,703
- Part of their success
968
00:25:35,951 --> 00:25:37,703
came from the fact
969
00:25:37,744 --> 00:25:39,288
that they were not plastic.
970
00:25:39,330 --> 00:25:40,580
They were authentic.
971
00:25:40,622 --> 00:25:42,500
They came out of a
972
00:25:40,622 --> 00:25:42,500
fairly tough city.
973
00:25:42,540 --> 00:25:46,670
They were just being themselves
974
00:25:42,540 --> 00:25:46,670
and that was astonishing.
975
00:25:46,712 --> 00:25:49,547
That was new to actually
976
00:25:46,712 --> 00:25:49,547
be yourself, it was new.
977
00:25:49,589 --> 00:25:53,052
- [Narrator] By presenting
978
00:25:49,589 --> 00:25:53,052
themselves genuinely,
979
00:25:53,093 --> 00:25:55,388
The Beatles managed to
980
00:25:53,093 --> 00:25:55,388
highlight the mannered,
981
00:25:55,429 --> 00:25:58,265
stilted exterior of
982
00:25:55,429 --> 00:25:58,265
British cultural life
983
00:25:58,307 --> 00:26:01,685
at a time when it was already
984
00:25:58,307 --> 00:26:01,685
showing signs of weakness.
985
00:26:01,727 --> 00:26:05,022
Polite society's attitude
986
00:26:01,727 --> 00:26:05,022
to all forms of behavior,
987
00:26:05,064 --> 00:26:06,899
in particular sex,
988
00:26:06,940 --> 00:26:09,402
had been prudish and
989
00:26:06,940 --> 00:26:09,402
stuffy for centuries,
990
00:26:09,443 --> 00:26:13,113
but by the early 1960s
991
00:26:09,443 --> 00:26:13,113
things were changing.
992
00:26:13,155 --> 00:26:15,074
At the beginning of the decade
993
00:26:15,115 --> 00:26:16,867
the novel Lady
994
00:26:15,115 --> 00:26:16,867
Chatterley's Lover
995
00:26:16,909 --> 00:26:18,452
was successfully published.
996
00:26:18,494 --> 00:26:21,705
Withheld from the general
997
00:26:18,494 --> 00:26:21,705
public since the late 1920s,
998
00:26:21,747 --> 00:26:24,500
this erotic tale of love
999
00:26:21,747 --> 00:26:24,500
across the class divide
1000
00:26:24,542 --> 00:26:27,002
became a phenomenon
1001
00:26:24,542 --> 00:26:27,002
upon its release,
1002
00:26:27,044 --> 00:26:29,671
quickly selling over
1003
00:26:27,044 --> 00:26:29,671
three million copies.
1004
00:26:29,713 --> 00:26:32,466
At the same time,
1005
00:26:29,713 --> 00:26:32,466
a scandal erupted
1006
00:26:32,508 --> 00:26:34,718
at the very heart of the
1007
00:26:32,508 --> 00:26:34,718
British Establishment,
1008
00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:36,929
with the exposure
1009
00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:36,929
of an illicit affair
1010
00:26:36,970 --> 00:26:41,767
between politician John Profumo
1011
00:26:36,970 --> 00:26:41,767
and a 19-year-old model.
1012
00:26:41,808 --> 00:26:44,186
The uptight sexual
1013
00:26:41,808 --> 00:26:44,186
attitudes of the British
1014
00:26:44,228 --> 00:26:46,355
were being confronted in public.
1015
00:26:46,397 --> 00:26:49,024
And then Beatlemania happened.
1016
00:26:49,066 --> 00:26:52,986
By the summer of 1963, the
1017
00:26:49,066 --> 00:26:52,986
band's overwhelming effect
1018
00:26:53,028 --> 00:26:56,782
on teenage girls was becoming
1019
00:26:53,028 --> 00:26:56,782
a nationwide epidemic.
1020
00:26:56,823 --> 00:26:59,159
Their critics warned
1021
00:26:56,823 --> 00:26:59,159
that the Liverpudlians
1022
00:26:59,201 --> 00:27:01,412
had unleashed a wave
1023
00:26:59,201 --> 00:27:01,412
of sexual frenzy
1024
00:27:01,454 --> 00:27:03,122
in their female audience.
1025
00:27:03,163 --> 00:27:05,749
Yet the liberation that The
1026
00:27:03,163 --> 00:27:05,749
Beatles offered these girls
1027
00:27:05,791 --> 00:27:09,336
was more complicated
1028
00:27:05,791 --> 00:27:09,336
than it first appeared.
1029
00:27:09,378 --> 00:27:11,464
- What everybody
1030
00:27:09,378 --> 00:27:11,464
wanted to think,
1031
00:27:11,505 --> 00:27:13,299
and also didn't want to think,
1032
00:27:13,340 --> 00:27:16,135
was this was somehow
1033
00:27:13,340 --> 00:27:16,135
all about eroticism,
1034
00:27:16,176 --> 00:27:17,928
this was all about sex,
1035
00:27:17,970 --> 00:27:20,055
and that what was going on here
1036
00:27:20,097 --> 00:27:23,476
was that these young women
1037
00:27:20,097 --> 00:27:23,476
were having something
1038
00:27:23,517 --> 00:27:26,562
that looked like it
1039
00:27:23,517 --> 00:27:26,562
simulated a sexual experience
1040
00:27:26,604 --> 00:27:30,608
in response to the sight
1041
00:27:26,604 --> 00:27:30,608
and sound of The Beatles.
1042
00:27:30,648 --> 00:27:33,402
Therefore, it was always
1043
00:27:30,648 --> 00:27:33,402
talked and written about
1044
00:27:33,444 --> 00:27:36,238
in the Freudian
1045
00:27:33,444 --> 00:27:36,238
terms of hysteria,
1046
00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:39,366
which of course is
1047
00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:39,366
a sexually charged term also.
1048
00:27:39,408 --> 00:27:42,286
Were these girls orgasmic?
1049
00:27:39,408 --> 00:27:42,286
Was this orgasmic?
1050
00:27:42,328 --> 00:27:44,121
That's not what was going on.
1051
00:27:44,163 --> 00:27:46,999
- [Chris] With rock
1052
00:27:44,163 --> 00:27:46,999
and roll in the 1950s,
1053
00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:50,919
that was a catalyst
1054
00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:50,919
for a lot of young men
1055
00:27:50,961 --> 00:27:56,716
finding a reason to be
1056
00:27:50,961 --> 00:27:56,716
something other than a version
1057
00:27:56,758 --> 00:28:00,220
of their dad when they
1058
00:27:56,758 --> 00:28:00,220
became adolescents.
1059
00:28:00,262 --> 00:28:03,349
It wasn't necessarily
1060
00:28:00,262 --> 00:28:03,349
fabulously articulate
1061
00:28:03,390 --> 00:28:06,602
to dress as a teddy boy and
1062
00:28:03,390 --> 00:28:06,602
be a bit rowdy on the street,
1063
00:28:06,644 --> 00:28:10,147
but at least it was
1064
00:28:06,644 --> 00:28:10,147
finding an identity.
1065
00:28:10,189 --> 00:28:12,232
I think for a young female,
1066
00:28:12,274 --> 00:28:13,942
it wasn't quite as
1067
00:28:12,274 --> 00:28:13,942
straightforward.
1068
00:28:13,984 --> 00:28:15,861
Something like Beatlemania,
1069
00:28:15,902 --> 00:28:18,071
the screaming that
1070
00:28:15,902 --> 00:28:18,071
surrounded The Beatles,
1071
00:28:18,113 --> 00:28:20,115
it's quite tempting
1072
00:28:18,113 --> 00:28:20,115
to interpret it
1073
00:28:20,157 --> 00:28:23,243
as a sort of howl of frustration
1074
00:28:23,285 --> 00:28:26,372
as they try and find
1075
00:28:23,285 --> 00:28:26,372
their own identity,
1076
00:28:26,413 --> 00:28:28,582
and it's as
1077
00:28:26,413 --> 00:28:28,582
inarticulate, in a way,
1078
00:28:28,624 --> 00:28:30,876
as teddy boys
1079
00:28:28,624 --> 00:28:30,876
rampaging in cinemas.
1080
00:28:30,917 --> 00:28:32,710
- [Interviewer] Do
1081
00:28:30,917 --> 00:28:32,710
you deliberately try
1082
00:28:32,752 --> 00:28:34,796
and create this
1083
00:28:32,752 --> 00:28:34,796
screaming reaction?
1084
00:28:34,838 --> 00:28:37,508
- No, we just arrive
1085
00:28:34,838 --> 00:28:37,508
at the theater,
1086
00:28:37,550 --> 00:28:39,718
and they're always
1087
00:28:37,550 --> 00:28:39,718
there waiting.
1088
00:28:39,759 --> 00:28:42,721
Whenever we're doing a show,
1089
00:28:39,759 --> 00:28:42,721
the police always come and say,
1090
00:28:42,762 --> 00:28:45,391
"Don't look out the window,
1091
00:28:42,762 --> 00:28:45,391
'cause you excite them."
1092
00:28:45,432 --> 00:28:47,059
[laughing]
1093
00:28:47,100 --> 00:28:50,145
- These girls were
1094
00:28:47,100 --> 00:28:50,145
controlling public space,
1095
00:28:50,187 --> 00:28:53,106
and nobody could do
1096
00:28:50,187 --> 00:28:53,106
anything about it.
1097
00:28:53,148 --> 00:28:56,318
It's a perfect example of what
1098
00:28:53,148 --> 00:28:56,318
we would call bad behavior.
1099
00:28:56,360 --> 00:28:58,904
Screaming, yelling,
1100
00:28:56,360 --> 00:28:58,904
weeping in public.
1101
00:28:58,945 --> 00:29:01,323
This is bad behavior
1102
00:28:58,945 --> 00:29:01,323
in one way or another.
1103
00:29:01,365 --> 00:29:04,117
Yet, it was sanctioned,
1104
00:29:01,365 --> 00:29:04,117
not by the authorities,
1105
00:29:04,159 --> 00:29:05,661
but by The Beatles themselves.
1106
00:29:05,703 --> 00:29:09,373
- [Narrator] The Beatles
1107
00:29:05,703 --> 00:29:09,373
phenomenon was unstoppable.
1108
00:29:09,415 --> 00:29:12,334
At the end of August,
1109
00:29:09,415 --> 00:29:12,334
the single She Loves You
1110
00:29:12,376 --> 00:29:13,919
became the fastest
1111
00:29:12,376 --> 00:29:13,919
selling record
1112
00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:16,547
that had ever been
1113
00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:16,547
released in the UK.
1114
00:29:16,589 --> 00:29:19,174
In less than a year, the
1115
00:29:16,589 --> 00:29:19,174
band's success outstripped
1116
00:29:19,216 --> 00:29:21,677
that of any artist
1117
00:29:19,216 --> 00:29:21,677
who had preceded them.
1118
00:29:21,719 --> 00:29:24,179
And the final stage in
1119
00:29:21,719 --> 00:29:24,179
their conquest of Britain
1120
00:29:24,221 --> 00:29:27,057
came on November 4th, 1963,
1121
00:29:27,099 --> 00:29:29,685
when for the first time The
1122
00:29:27,099 --> 00:29:29,685
Beatles came face to face
1123
00:29:29,727 --> 00:29:32,271
with the highest order
1124
00:29:29,727 --> 00:29:32,271
of the Establishment,
1125
00:29:32,312 --> 00:29:34,147
the royal family.
1126
00:29:34,189 --> 00:29:36,650
The occasion unleashed
1127
00:29:34,189 --> 00:29:36,650
the rock and roll rebel
1128
00:29:36,692 --> 00:29:39,361
in John Lennon, who saw
1129
00:29:36,692 --> 00:29:39,361
in the night's performance
1130
00:29:39,403 --> 00:29:42,822
an opportunity too
1131
00:29:39,403 --> 00:29:42,822
good to pass up.
1132
00:29:42,864 --> 00:29:45,075
- [Interviewer] John, In
1133
00:29:42,864 --> 00:29:45,075
this Royal Variety Show,
1134
00:29:45,117 --> 00:29:46,744
when you're appearing
1135
00:29:45,117 --> 00:29:46,744
before royalty,
1136
00:29:46,785 --> 00:29:49,246
your language has got to be
1137
00:29:46,785 --> 00:29:49,246
pretty good, obviously.
1138
00:29:49,288 --> 00:29:50,664
This thing about
1139
00:29:49,288 --> 00:29:50,664
Ted Heath saying
1140
00:29:50,706 --> 00:29:53,041
that he couldn't distinguish--
1141
00:29:53,083 --> 00:29:55,168
- I can't understand that.
1142
00:29:53,083 --> 00:29:55,168
- The Queen's English...
1143
00:29:55,210 --> 00:29:57,796
- I can't understand Teddy
1144
00:29:55,210 --> 00:29:57,796
saying that at all, really.
1145
00:29:57,837 --> 00:29:59,298
[laughing]
1146
00:29:59,339 --> 00:30:01,425
I'm not going to vote for Ted.
1147
00:30:01,467 --> 00:30:03,636
- [Interviewer] But
1148
00:30:01,467 --> 00:30:03,636
you're not going
1149
00:30:03,677 --> 00:30:05,845
to change your act,
1150
00:30:03,677 --> 00:30:05,845
just for the--
1151
00:30:05,887 --> 00:30:09,349
- Ah no, like, we'll keep the
1152
00:30:05,887 --> 00:30:09,349
same kind of thing, won't we?
1153
00:30:09,391 --> 00:30:11,477
- Oh aye, yes.
1154
00:30:09,391 --> 00:30:11,477
- Yeah, that's right.
1155
00:30:11,518 --> 00:30:16,440
- Lennon always had an
1156
00:30:11,518 --> 00:30:16,440
ambivalent relationship with how
1157
00:30:16,482 --> 00:30:21,445
the Entertainment Establishment
1158
00:30:16,482 --> 00:30:21,445
were cozying up to The Beatles.
1159
00:30:21,487 --> 00:30:22,946
On the one hand,
1160
00:30:22,988 --> 00:30:25,616
the professional in
1161
00:30:22,988 --> 00:30:25,616
him loved the fact
1162
00:30:25,658 --> 00:30:28,452
that they were being
1163
00:30:25,658 --> 00:30:28,452
fantastically successful.
1164
00:30:28,494 --> 00:30:32,247
But the rebel in him
1165
00:30:28,494 --> 00:30:32,247
found it all hard to take.
1166
00:30:32,289 --> 00:30:36,084
So on the occasion of the
1167
00:30:32,289 --> 00:30:36,084
Royal Command Performance,
1168
00:30:36,126 --> 00:30:40,339
he teased Brian
1169
00:30:36,126 --> 00:30:40,339
Epstein by suggesting
1170
00:30:40,380 --> 00:30:44,092
that he was going to go up and
1171
00:30:40,380 --> 00:30:44,092
swear in front of the Queen.
1172
00:30:44,134 --> 00:30:48,180
But in the end, his
1173
00:30:44,134 --> 00:30:48,180
professionalism won out.
1174
00:30:48,221 --> 00:30:50,974
He managed to create a
1175
00:30:48,221 --> 00:30:50,974
little bit of subversion,
1176
00:30:51,016 --> 00:30:54,060
but it was very carefully
1177
00:30:51,016 --> 00:30:54,060
thought through.
1178
00:30:54,102 --> 00:30:55,688
[audience applauding]
1179
00:30:55,729 --> 00:30:57,314
- Thank you.
1180
00:30:57,356 --> 00:31:01,234
For our last number, I'd
1181
00:30:57,356 --> 00:31:01,234
like to ask your help.
1182
00:31:01,276 --> 00:31:04,822
Would the people in the
1183
00:31:01,276 --> 00:31:04,822
cheaper seats clap your hands?
1184
00:31:04,863 --> 00:31:06,448
[laughing]
1185
00:31:06,490 --> 00:31:08,701
And the rest of you, if you
1186
00:31:06,490 --> 00:31:08,701
just rattle your jewelry.
1187
00:31:11,537 --> 00:31:14,456
- And this is like a moment
1188
00:31:11,537 --> 00:31:14,456
of insurrection, it felt like.
1189
00:31:14,498 --> 00:31:18,752
But the thing is it wasn't
1190
00:31:14,498 --> 00:31:18,752
quite as radical perhaps
1191
00:31:18,794 --> 00:31:21,171
because you look at Lennon's
1192
00:31:18,794 --> 00:31:21,171
face after he says it
1193
00:31:21,213 --> 00:31:26,552
and he looks as if he's
1194
00:31:21,213 --> 00:31:26,552
just admitted to his mum
1195
00:31:26,593 --> 00:31:29,137
that he's messed himself,
1196
00:31:26,593 --> 00:31:29,137
or something like that!
1197
00:31:29,179 --> 00:31:31,223
It was something
1198
00:31:29,179 --> 00:31:31,223
really humble pie.
1199
00:31:31,264 --> 00:31:33,016
He felt quite sheepish.
1200
00:31:33,058 --> 00:31:35,227
But no one else but John
1201
00:31:33,058 --> 00:31:35,227
Lennon would come out
1202
00:31:35,268 --> 00:31:37,479
and even have the
1203
00:31:35,268 --> 00:31:37,479
gall to say that.
1204
00:31:37,521 --> 00:31:40,399
What may have seemed
1205
00:31:37,521 --> 00:31:40,399
a kind of revolutionary,
1206
00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:44,695
insurrectionary moment by
1207
00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:44,695
saying, rattle your jewelry,
1208
00:31:44,737 --> 00:31:47,364
in a really class driven moment,
1209
00:31:47,406 --> 00:31:50,033
was actually punctured
1210
00:31:47,406 --> 00:31:50,033
by this sense
1211
00:31:50,075 --> 00:31:52,160
that The Beatles were nice boys
1212
00:31:52,202 --> 00:31:55,581
and they can get
1213
00:31:52,202 --> 00:31:55,581
away with anything.
1214
00:31:55,622 --> 00:31:57,708
- [Narrator] With the youth
1215
00:31:55,622 --> 00:31:57,708
of Britain in their thrall,
1216
00:31:57,750 --> 00:32:00,126
The Beatles headed out
1217
00:31:57,750 --> 00:32:00,126
to new territories,
1218
00:32:00,168 --> 00:32:02,588
traveling to Scandinavia
1219
00:32:00,168 --> 00:32:02,588
at the close of the year
1220
00:32:02,629 --> 00:32:04,256
and then on to France.
1221
00:32:07,259 --> 00:32:09,553
The domestic pop scene
1222
00:32:07,259 --> 00:32:09,553
that they left behind
1223
00:32:09,595 --> 00:32:11,889
had been transformed
1224
00:32:09,595 --> 00:32:11,889
by their success,
1225
00:32:11,930 --> 00:32:14,641
and from Liverpudlian acts
1226
00:32:11,930 --> 00:32:14,641
like Gerry and the Pacemakers
1227
00:32:14,683 --> 00:32:16,685
to London's The Rolling Stones,
1228
00:32:16,727 --> 00:32:19,855
new groups were emerging
1229
00:32:16,727 --> 00:32:19,855
on an almost weekly basis
1230
00:32:19,897 --> 00:32:23,108
to battle it out in the
1231
00:32:19,897 --> 00:32:23,108
clubs and on the charts.
1232
00:32:23,149 --> 00:32:25,151
The Beatles were
1233
00:32:23,149 --> 00:32:25,151
moving on, however,
1234
00:32:25,193 --> 00:32:27,863
with manager Brian
1235
00:32:25,193 --> 00:32:27,863
Epstein's sights set firmly
1236
00:32:27,905 --> 00:32:31,950
on the largest territory
1237
00:32:27,905 --> 00:32:31,950
of all: America.
1238
00:32:31,991 --> 00:32:33,869
- [Interviewer] Looking
1239
00:32:31,991 --> 00:32:33,869
forward to this American trip,
1240
00:32:33,911 --> 00:32:35,370
have you had any
1241
00:32:33,911 --> 00:32:35,370
reaction over there?
1242
00:32:35,412 --> 00:32:36,705
Have you got any
1243
00:32:35,412 --> 00:32:36,705
fan clubs going?
1244
00:32:36,747 --> 00:32:38,206
- There's one
1245
00:32:36,747 --> 00:32:38,206
supposedly started.
1246
00:32:38,248 --> 00:32:41,835
They're getting quite
1247
00:32:38,248 --> 00:32:41,835
a good response.
1248
00:32:41,877 --> 00:32:43,670
12,000 letters a day.
1249
00:32:43,712 --> 00:32:45,714
[laughing]
1250
00:32:45,756 --> 00:32:47,925
- But The Beatle movement's
1251
00:32:45,756 --> 00:32:47,925
going over there?
1252
00:32:47,966 --> 00:32:51,010
- Yeah, it can even be
1253
00:32:47,966 --> 00:32:51,010
a Beatle booster, folks.
1254
00:32:51,052 --> 00:32:53,931
- I must tell you, by the
1255
00:32:51,052 --> 00:32:53,931
way, that Detroit University
1256
00:32:53,972 --> 00:32:55,808
have got a Stamp out
1257
00:32:53,972 --> 00:32:55,808
The Beatles movement.
1258
00:32:55,849 --> 00:32:57,225
- Oh yeah?
1259
00:32:55,849 --> 00:32:57,225
- Ah, no.
1260
00:32:57,267 --> 00:32:58,894
- We're going to
1261
00:32:57,267 --> 00:32:58,894
stamp out Detroit.
1262
00:32:58,936 --> 00:33:02,689
- They think your
1263
00:32:58,936 --> 00:33:02,689
haircuts are un-American.
1264
00:33:02,731 --> 00:33:04,399
- Well, that's very
1265
00:33:02,731 --> 00:33:04,399
observant of them
1266
00:33:04,441 --> 00:33:06,485
because we aren't
1267
00:33:04,441 --> 00:33:06,485
American actually.
1268
00:33:06,526 --> 00:33:09,947
- There was always a thing
1269
00:33:06,526 --> 00:33:09,947
of, what happens next?
1270
00:33:09,988 --> 00:33:13,492
Is The Beatles' bubble
1271
00:33:09,988 --> 00:33:13,492
is going to burst?
1272
00:33:15,034 --> 00:33:16,870
But it never did.
1273
00:33:16,912 --> 00:33:18,956
It just kept going on.
1274
00:33:18,997 --> 00:33:20,540
- [Narrator] If
1275
00:33:18,997 --> 00:33:20,540
Britain was suffering
1276
00:33:20,582 --> 00:33:22,626
a particularly harsh
1277
00:33:20,582 --> 00:33:22,626
winter when The Beatles
1278
00:33:22,668 --> 00:33:26,129
had first set the charts
1279
00:33:22,668 --> 00:33:26,129
alight in early 1963,
1280
00:33:26,171 --> 00:33:28,256
when their single I
1281
00:33:26,171 --> 00:33:28,256
Want to Hold Your Hand
1282
00:33:28,298 --> 00:33:30,342
reached America
1283
00:33:28,298 --> 00:33:30,342
the following year,
1284
00:33:30,383 --> 00:33:34,220
it entered a nation grappling
1285
00:33:30,383 --> 00:33:34,220
with far greater misfortunes.
1286
00:33:34,262 --> 00:33:36,348
Having emerged from
1287
00:33:34,262 --> 00:33:36,348
the Second World War
1288
00:33:36,389 --> 00:33:38,725
as one of the world's
1289
00:33:36,389 --> 00:33:38,725
two superpowers,
1290
00:33:38,767 --> 00:33:40,769
the following decade
1291
00:33:38,767 --> 00:33:40,769
had been dominated
1292
00:33:40,811 --> 00:33:42,855
by the country's
1293
00:33:40,811 --> 00:33:42,855
hostile relationship
1294
00:33:42,896 --> 00:33:44,272
with the Soviet Union
1295
00:33:44,314 --> 00:33:47,317
and the threat of
1296
00:33:44,314 --> 00:33:47,317
a full blown nuclear war.
1297
00:33:47,359 --> 00:33:49,277
But Americans
1298
00:33:47,359 --> 00:33:49,277
themselves were enjoying
1299
00:33:49,319 --> 00:33:51,237
the fruits of
1300
00:33:49,319 --> 00:33:51,237
a flourishing economy,
1301
00:33:51,279 --> 00:33:53,448
a strong consumer
1302
00:33:51,279 --> 00:33:53,448
culture had developed
1303
00:33:53,490 --> 00:33:56,159
and domestic confidence
1304
00:33:53,490 --> 00:33:56,159
was running high.
1305
00:33:56,201 --> 00:34:00,706
In 1960, President John
1306
00:33:56,201 --> 00:34:00,706
F. Kennedy came to office,
1307
00:34:00,747 --> 00:34:03,000
a young, charismatic politician
1308
00:34:03,041 --> 00:34:04,877
who embodied this new confidence
1309
00:34:04,918 --> 00:34:07,796
and who promised a bright
1310
00:34:04,918 --> 00:34:07,796
and optimistic future.
1311
00:34:07,838 --> 00:34:12,009
- My fellow citizens
1312
00:34:07,838 --> 00:34:12,009
of the world,
1313
00:34:12,050 --> 00:34:16,555
ask not what America
1314
00:34:12,050 --> 00:34:16,555
will do for you,
1315
00:34:16,596 --> 00:34:21,226
but what together we can
1316
00:34:16,596 --> 00:34:21,226
do for the freedom of man.
1317
00:34:21,267 --> 00:34:26,272
- [Narrator] Three years
1318
00:34:21,267 --> 00:34:26,272
later, in November 1963,
1319
00:34:26,314 --> 00:34:30,318
his assassination shook
1320
00:34:26,314 --> 00:34:30,318
the country to its core.
1321
00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:33,488
- There was this injection
1322
00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:33,488
of energy into American life
1323
00:34:33,530 --> 00:34:35,032
that he represented.
1324
00:34:35,073 --> 00:34:36,909
He was young, he was handsome.
1325
00:34:36,950 --> 00:34:41,079
It represented such a marked
1326
00:34:36,950 --> 00:34:41,079
change from Dwight Eisenhower.
1327
00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:44,583
Eisenhower was a carry-over
1328
00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:44,583
from World War II.
1329
00:34:44,624 --> 00:34:46,459
Obviously, he was a war hero.
1330
00:34:46,501 --> 00:34:51,590
He was an extension of that
1331
00:34:46,501 --> 00:34:51,590
generation into modern America.
1332
00:34:51,631 --> 00:34:54,259
But John Kennedy
1333
00:34:51,631 --> 00:34:54,259
was modern America.
1334
00:34:54,300 --> 00:34:57,470
All of the optimism
1335
00:34:54,300 --> 00:34:57,470
and youthfulness.
1336
00:34:57,512 --> 00:34:59,138
The baby boom was going on.
1337
00:34:59,180 --> 00:35:02,434
You know, it was kind of
1338
00:34:59,180 --> 00:35:02,434
epitomized by John Kennedy.
1339
00:35:02,475 --> 00:35:06,939
And the Kennedy
1340
00:35:02,475 --> 00:35:06,939
assassination just,
1341
00:35:06,980 --> 00:35:08,732
it just ended that.
1342
00:35:08,774 --> 00:35:12,611
The Beatles
1343
00:35:08,774 --> 00:35:12,611
represented, also, youth,
1344
00:35:12,652 --> 00:35:17,616
just as John Kennedy did,
1345
00:35:12,652 --> 00:35:17,616
and wit and intelligence.
1346
00:35:17,657 --> 00:35:19,117
Certainly, for young people
1347
00:35:19,158 --> 00:35:21,453
it turned things
1348
00:35:19,158 --> 00:35:21,453
around immediately.
1349
00:35:21,494 --> 00:35:24,456
The Beatles just lit America up.
1350
00:35:24,497 --> 00:35:26,833
- I'm sure it could have
1351
00:35:24,497 --> 00:35:26,833
been something else.
1352
00:35:26,875 --> 00:35:31,671
I'm sure that some other joyful
1353
00:35:26,875 --> 00:35:31,671
manifestation of something
1354
00:35:31,713 --> 00:35:35,425
could have occurred, but
1355
00:35:31,713 --> 00:35:35,425
what occurred was a song.
1356
00:35:35,467 --> 00:35:37,928
And it's really
1357
00:35:35,467 --> 00:35:37,928
important to realize
1358
00:35:37,970 --> 00:35:40,806
in Britain,
1359
00:35:37,970 --> 00:35:40,806
The Beatles' personalities,
1360
00:35:40,847 --> 00:35:43,558
their repartee, their
1361
00:35:40,847 --> 00:35:43,558
whole public performance
1362
00:35:43,600 --> 00:35:47,520
was a critical part of the
1363
00:35:43,600 --> 00:35:47,520
way they came to the attention
1364
00:35:47,562 --> 00:35:48,647
of the British public.
1365
00:35:48,688 --> 00:35:50,899
In America, it was a song.
1366
00:35:50,941 --> 00:35:55,654
♪ Oh yeah I tell you somethin'
1367
00:35:55,695 --> 00:35:58,573
♪ I think you'll understand
1368
00:35:58,615 --> 00:36:03,078
♪ When I say that somethin'
1369
00:36:03,120 --> 00:36:06,498
♪ I want to hold your hand ♪
1370
00:36:06,539 --> 00:36:09,334
- It was the perfect vehicle
1371
00:36:09,375 --> 00:36:14,923
to come into this traumatized
1372
00:36:09,375 --> 00:36:14,923
national atmosphere.
1373
00:36:14,965 --> 00:36:16,883
What is the dominant
1374
00:36:14,965 --> 00:36:16,883
quality of the sound
1375
00:36:16,925 --> 00:36:19,177
of John Lennon and Paul
1376
00:36:16,925 --> 00:36:19,177
McCartney signing together?
1377
00:36:19,218 --> 00:36:21,220
Joy, joy in performance,
1378
00:36:21,262 --> 00:36:23,431
joy in listening to
1379
00:36:21,262 --> 00:36:23,431
one another's voices,
1380
00:36:23,473 --> 00:36:27,727
joy in whatever kind of
1381
00:36:23,473 --> 00:36:27,727
reinforcement is going on here.
1382
00:36:27,769 --> 00:36:31,356
That's painting with
1383
00:36:27,769 --> 00:36:31,356
really broad strokes.
1384
00:36:31,397 --> 00:36:32,983
There's nothing
1385
00:36:31,397 --> 00:36:32,983
subtle about that.
1386
00:36:33,025 --> 00:36:35,234
- There is no
1387
00:36:33,025 --> 00:36:35,234
question The Beatles
1388
00:36:35,276 --> 00:36:36,820
changed everything immediately.
1389
00:36:36,862 --> 00:36:40,490
I Want to Hold Your Hand
1390
00:36:36,862 --> 00:36:40,490
made a gigantic impact.
1391
00:36:40,532 --> 00:36:42,951
Then of course the
1392
00:36:40,532 --> 00:36:42,951
flood gates opened,
1393
00:36:42,993 --> 00:36:46,788
not only with one great
1394
00:36:42,993 --> 00:36:46,788
Beatles' song after another,
1395
00:36:46,830 --> 00:36:48,832
but the British Invasion.
1396
00:36:48,874 --> 00:36:51,250
I mean, The Beatles just
1397
00:36:48,874 --> 00:36:51,250
knocked the door down.
1398
00:36:51,292 --> 00:36:53,962
- [Narrator] What The
1399
00:36:51,292 --> 00:36:53,962
Beatles had done to Britain
1400
00:36:54,004 --> 00:36:56,464
they were now doing to America.
1401
00:36:56,506 --> 00:36:59,926
Released at the close of
1402
00:36:56,506 --> 00:36:59,926
1963, within two months
1403
00:36:59,968 --> 00:37:03,055
I Want to Hold Your Hand had
1404
00:36:59,968 --> 00:37:03,055
sold more than a million copies
1405
00:37:03,096 --> 00:37:06,516
and became the band's first
1406
00:37:03,096 --> 00:37:06,516
number one single in the US.
1407
00:37:06,558 --> 00:37:08,727
A week after they
1408
00:37:06,558 --> 00:37:08,727
topped the charts,
1409
00:37:08,768 --> 00:37:11,646
John, Paul, George and
1410
00:37:08,768 --> 00:37:11,646
Ringo crossed the Atlantic
1411
00:37:11,688 --> 00:37:13,356
and arrived in New York City
1412
00:37:13,398 --> 00:37:16,609
to greet a new set of
1413
00:37:13,398 --> 00:37:16,609
screaming teenage fans.
1414
00:37:16,651 --> 00:37:18,945
They were also met by
1415
00:37:16,651 --> 00:37:18,945
members of the press
1416
00:37:18,987 --> 00:37:21,406
keen to understand this
1417
00:37:18,987 --> 00:37:21,406
foreign phenomenon,
1418
00:37:21,447 --> 00:37:23,033
and the group introduced them
1419
00:37:23,075 --> 00:37:25,577
to their unique brand
1420
00:37:23,075 --> 00:37:25,577
of informal humor,
1421
00:37:25,618 --> 00:37:28,663
as rare in America as
1422
00:37:25,618 --> 00:37:28,663
it had been in Britain.
1423
00:37:28,705 --> 00:37:30,289
- There's no question
1424
00:37:30,331 --> 00:37:32,625
that the way they dealt
1425
00:37:30,331 --> 00:37:32,625
with the press was original.
1426
00:37:32,667 --> 00:37:36,421
It was quite clear that they
1427
00:37:32,667 --> 00:37:36,421
were not like anything else.
1428
00:37:36,462 --> 00:37:40,425
How smart they really
1429
00:37:36,462 --> 00:37:40,425
were, how funny they were!
1430
00:37:40,466 --> 00:37:42,510
John and Paul in particular
1431
00:37:42,552 --> 00:37:47,724
were extremely intelligent,
1432
00:37:42,552 --> 00:37:47,724
articulate, original people.
1433
00:37:47,766 --> 00:37:52,270
And George was also
1434
00:37:47,766 --> 00:37:52,270
a very droll guy.
1435
00:37:52,311 --> 00:37:55,565
And Ringo was sort
1436
00:37:52,311 --> 00:37:55,565
of a natural clown.
1437
00:37:55,607 --> 00:37:59,819
Who was just that quick,
1438
00:37:55,607 --> 00:37:59,819
that smart,
1439
00:37:59,861 --> 00:38:02,822
who was a pop star?
1440
00:38:03,949 --> 00:38:06,534
I must be forgetting somebody,
1441
00:38:06,576 --> 00:38:09,704
but damned if I can
1442
00:38:06,576 --> 00:38:09,704
think of who it would be.
1443
00:38:09,746 --> 00:38:12,832
- Do you think of your records
1444
00:38:09,746 --> 00:38:12,832
as funny records or as music?
1445
00:38:12,874 --> 00:38:16,962
- No, we think that
1446
00:38:12,874 --> 00:38:16,962
it's rather peculiar.
1447
00:38:17,003 --> 00:38:18,922
- Do you feel they're musical?
1448
00:38:18,964 --> 00:38:21,591
- Obviously they're musical,
1449
00:38:18,964 --> 00:38:21,591
because it's music, isn't it?
1450
00:38:21,633 --> 00:38:22,968
Instruments make music.
1451
00:38:23,009 --> 00:38:24,761
It's a record.
1452
00:38:23,009 --> 00:38:24,761
- It's musical.
1453
00:38:24,803 --> 00:38:28,556
You know: ♪ Bom ♪
1454
00:38:24,803 --> 00:38:28,556
It's music, isn't it?
1455
00:38:28,598 --> 00:38:31,226
- ♪ Bom ♪
1456
00:38:28,598 --> 00:38:31,226
That's music too.
1457
00:38:31,268 --> 00:38:33,519
- He's good.
1458
00:38:31,268 --> 00:38:33,519
He knows music.
1459
00:38:33,561 --> 00:38:35,438
- All right, but
1460
00:38:33,561 --> 00:38:35,438
what do you call it?
1461
00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:37,149
Do you call it rock and roll?
1462
00:38:37,190 --> 00:38:39,151
- We try not to define it.
1463
00:38:39,192 --> 00:38:42,862
We've got so many wrong
1464
00:38:39,192 --> 00:38:42,862
classifications of it.
1465
00:38:42,904 --> 00:38:46,741
It's no use, we
1466
00:38:42,904 --> 00:38:46,741
just call it music.
1467
00:38:46,783 --> 00:38:48,534
Even if you don't.
1468
00:38:48,576 --> 00:38:50,787
- With a question mark?
1469
00:38:48,576 --> 00:38:50,787
- Pardon?
1470
00:38:50,829 --> 00:38:52,789
- With a question mark?
1471
00:38:50,829 --> 00:38:52,789
- No.
1472
00:38:52,831 --> 00:38:55,000
With an exclamation mark.
1473
00:38:55,041 --> 00:38:59,045
- The underlying message
1474
00:38:55,041 --> 00:38:59,045
of The Beatles' wit
1475
00:38:59,087 --> 00:39:02,882
in their press conferences
1476
00:38:59,087 --> 00:39:02,882
was about a youth movement
1477
00:39:02,924 --> 00:39:09,264
that wasn't going to be
1478
00:39:02,924 --> 00:39:09,264
determined by old people.
1479
00:39:09,306 --> 00:39:11,724
From the point of
1480
00:39:09,306 --> 00:39:11,724
The Beatles' arrival,
1481
00:39:11,766 --> 00:39:14,978
they completely reinvented
1482
00:39:11,766 --> 00:39:14,978
how culture works.
1483
00:39:15,020 --> 00:39:19,565
Before that everything--
1484
00:39:15,020 --> 00:39:19,565
fashion, movies, music--
1485
00:39:19,607 --> 00:39:21,359
it all was top down.
1486
00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:23,695
It all was what grown-ups liked,
1487
00:39:23,736 --> 00:39:25,864
and then it filtered
1488
00:39:23,736 --> 00:39:25,864
down to the kids.
1489
00:39:25,905 --> 00:39:29,075
After a year or two,
1490
00:39:25,905 --> 00:39:29,075
suddenly it was young people
1491
00:39:29,117 --> 00:39:30,702
who were determining everything.
1492
00:39:30,743 --> 00:39:32,745
That started with The Beatles.
1493
00:39:32,787 --> 00:39:35,874
- [Narrator] Having broken
1494
00:39:32,787 --> 00:39:35,874
all previous sales records
1495
00:39:35,915 --> 00:39:37,625
in Britain the year beforehand,
1496
00:39:37,667 --> 00:39:42,255
by April 1964, the band made
1497
00:39:37,667 --> 00:39:42,255
Billboard Hot 100 history
1498
00:39:42,297 --> 00:39:44,465
by becoming the only act ever
1499
00:39:44,507 --> 00:39:47,677
to occupy the first five
1500
00:39:44,507 --> 00:39:47,677
positions on the chart.
1501
00:39:47,719 --> 00:39:51,181
The Four Mop-Tops were now
1502
00:39:47,719 --> 00:39:51,181
revolutionizing popular music
1503
00:39:51,223 --> 00:39:52,849
in America too,
1504
00:39:52,891 --> 00:39:56,602
and Beatlemania spread like
1505
00:39:52,891 --> 00:39:56,602
wildfire throughout the country.
1506
00:39:56,644 --> 00:39:58,146
And then, in July,
1507
00:39:58,188 --> 00:40:00,315
following the time-honored
1508
00:39:58,188 --> 00:40:00,315
career trajectory
1509
00:40:00,357 --> 00:40:02,817
of all post-war
1510
00:40:00,357 --> 00:40:02,817
popular entertainers,
1511
00:40:02,859 --> 00:40:05,737
the band starred in their
1512
00:40:02,859 --> 00:40:05,737
first full-length feature film.
1513
00:40:05,778 --> 00:40:08,781
Yet A Hard Day's Night
1514
00:40:05,778 --> 00:40:08,781
was, unsurprisingly,
1515
00:40:08,823 --> 00:40:11,826
unlike anything that
1516
00:40:08,823 --> 00:40:11,826
had preceded it.
1517
00:40:11,868 --> 00:40:15,538
♪ It's been a hard day's night
1518
00:40:15,580 --> 00:40:19,084
♪ And I been working
1519
00:40:15,580 --> 00:40:19,084
like a dog
1520
00:40:19,125 --> 00:40:23,255
♪ It's been a hard day's
1521
00:40:19,125 --> 00:40:23,255
night... ♪
1522
00:40:23,296 --> 00:40:26,549
- Music movies before
1523
00:40:23,296 --> 00:40:26,549
A Hard Day's Night
1524
00:40:26,591 --> 00:40:28,385
were profit-making ventures
1525
00:40:28,426 --> 00:40:32,305
intended exclusively
1526
00:40:28,426 --> 00:40:32,305
for the teen audience
1527
00:40:32,347 --> 00:40:35,641
of whatever artist
1528
00:40:32,347 --> 00:40:35,641
happened to be in now.
1529
00:40:35,683 --> 00:40:38,311
A Hard Day's Night
1530
00:40:35,683 --> 00:40:38,311
just flipped that.
1531
00:40:38,353 --> 00:40:44,150
They took what was a toss-off
1532
00:40:38,353 --> 00:40:44,150
form, the rock movie,
1533
00:40:44,192 --> 00:40:45,944
and made it something great.
1534
00:40:45,985 --> 00:40:48,571
- [Narrator] Directed by
1535
00:40:45,985 --> 00:40:48,571
American Richard Lester,
1536
00:40:48,613 --> 00:40:51,241
the film created an
1537
00:40:48,613 --> 00:40:51,241
entirely new language
1538
00:40:51,283 --> 00:40:53,618
for rock and roll cinema.
1539
00:40:53,659 --> 00:40:56,037
Previously, musicians had
1540
00:40:53,659 --> 00:40:56,037
all made their transition
1541
00:40:56,079 --> 00:40:58,497
to the big screen playing
1542
00:40:56,079 --> 00:40:58,497
fictional characters
1543
00:40:58,539 --> 00:41:00,333
created by screenwriters.
1544
00:41:00,375 --> 00:41:02,585
In A Hard Day's Night, however,
1545
00:41:02,627 --> 00:41:05,171
The Beatles played
1546
00:41:02,627 --> 00:41:05,171
themselves in a comedy
1547
00:41:05,213 --> 00:41:08,007
inspired by their own
1548
00:41:05,213 --> 00:41:08,007
experiences of fame.
1549
00:41:08,049 --> 00:41:11,010
It was both a commercial
1550
00:41:08,049 --> 00:41:11,010
and a critical phenomenon.
1551
00:41:11,052 --> 00:41:15,432
- They're playing themselves
1552
00:41:11,052 --> 00:41:15,432
in a fictional film.
1553
00:41:15,473 --> 00:41:17,600
That didn't happen.
1554
00:41:17,642 --> 00:41:22,730
So much of what happened in
1555
00:41:17,642 --> 00:41:22,730
the early career of The Beatles
1556
00:41:22,772 --> 00:41:24,565
hadn't really happened before.
1557
00:41:24,607 --> 00:41:26,692
They were breaking through
1558
00:41:24,607 --> 00:41:26,692
on so many different levels.
1559
00:41:26,734 --> 00:41:29,737
- Tell me, how did
1560
00:41:26,734 --> 00:41:29,737
you find America?
1561
00:41:29,779 --> 00:41:31,197
- Turn left at Greenland.
1562
00:41:31,239 --> 00:41:34,284
- Has success changed your life?
1563
00:41:31,239 --> 00:41:34,284
- Yes.
1564
00:41:34,326 --> 00:41:36,119
- I'd like to keep Britain tidy.
1565
00:41:36,161 --> 00:41:38,163
- Are you a mod or a rocker?
1566
00:41:38,204 --> 00:41:40,165
- No, I'm a mocker.
1567
00:41:40,206 --> 00:41:41,749
[laughing]
1568
00:41:41,791 --> 00:41:43,584
- Have you any hobbies?
1569
00:41:49,507 --> 00:41:52,969
- As I see it, it's
1570
00:41:49,507 --> 00:41:52,969
really A Hard Day's Night
1571
00:41:53,011 --> 00:41:59,267
that establishes them as
1572
00:41:53,011 --> 00:41:59,267
something completely new
1573
00:41:59,309 --> 00:42:04,189
and interesting beyond
1574
00:41:59,309 --> 00:42:04,189
your wildest imaginings.
1575
00:42:04,230 --> 00:42:06,774
- I don't snore.
1576
00:42:04,230 --> 00:42:06,774
- You do, repeatedly.
1577
00:42:06,816 --> 00:42:08,193
- Do I snore, John?
1578
00:42:08,234 --> 00:42:10,736
- [John] Yeah, you're
1579
00:42:08,234 --> 00:42:10,736
a window rattler, son.
1580
00:42:10,778 --> 00:42:13,448
- That's just your opinion.
1581
00:42:10,778 --> 00:42:13,448
Do I snore, Paul?
1582
00:42:13,490 --> 00:42:14,991
- With a trombone
1583
00:42:13,490 --> 00:42:14,991
hooter like yours
1584
00:42:15,033 --> 00:42:16,493
it would be unnatural
1585
00:42:15,033 --> 00:42:16,493
if you didn't.
1586
00:42:16,534 --> 00:42:19,120
- No, Paulie, don't
1587
00:42:16,534 --> 00:42:19,120
mock the afflicted.
1588
00:42:19,162 --> 00:42:20,830
- Ah, come off it.
1589
00:42:19,162 --> 00:42:20,830
It's only a joke.
1590
00:42:20,872 --> 00:42:23,249
- It may be a joke,
1591
00:42:20,872 --> 00:42:23,249
but it's his nose.
1592
00:42:23,291 --> 00:42:26,711
He can't help having
1593
00:42:23,291 --> 00:42:26,711
a hideous great hooter,
1594
00:42:26,752 --> 00:42:28,296
and a poor little head
1595
00:42:28,338 --> 00:42:29,922
trembling under
1596
00:42:28,338 --> 00:42:29,922
the weight of it.
1597
00:42:29,964 --> 00:42:31,841
- This was not the
1598
00:42:29,964 --> 00:42:31,841
rock and roll movie
1599
00:42:31,883 --> 00:42:34,177
that you were expecting
1600
00:42:31,883 --> 00:42:34,177
to see, not at all.
1601
00:42:34,219 --> 00:42:36,888
And although their wit,
1602
00:42:36,929 --> 00:42:40,058
it had been clear
1603
00:42:36,929 --> 00:42:40,058
they were always funny
1604
00:42:40,099 --> 00:42:43,602
on the microphone,
1605
00:42:40,099 --> 00:42:43,602
its irreverence
1606
00:42:43,644 --> 00:42:46,523
and its irreverence
1607
00:42:43,644 --> 00:42:46,523
about themselves
1608
00:42:46,564 --> 00:42:49,901
was just completely
1609
00:42:46,564 --> 00:42:49,901
unprecedented.
1610
00:42:49,942 --> 00:42:53,905
And, of course, it just made
1611
00:42:49,942 --> 00:42:53,905
them seem even more godlike.
1612
00:42:53,946 --> 00:42:55,865
- [Narrator] And
1613
00:42:53,946 --> 00:42:55,865
while The Beatles
1614
00:42:55,907 --> 00:42:59,618
embarked on a substantial US
1615
00:42:55,907 --> 00:42:59,618
tour in the summer of '64,
1616
00:42:59,660 --> 00:43:01,579
back in Britain
1617
00:42:59,660 --> 00:43:01,579
the whole country
1618
00:43:01,620 --> 00:43:03,289
was evolving in their wake.
1619
00:43:03,331 --> 00:43:05,875
Following the sex scandals
1620
00:43:03,331 --> 00:43:05,875
of the previous year,
1621
00:43:05,917 --> 00:43:08,378
the nation had turned
1622
00:43:05,917 --> 00:43:08,378
against the Establishment
1623
00:43:08,420 --> 00:43:10,296
and voted in the
1624
00:43:08,420 --> 00:43:10,296
Labor government
1625
00:43:10,338 --> 00:43:12,840
of new Prime Minister
1626
00:43:10,338 --> 00:43:12,840
Harold Wilson,
1627
00:43:12,882 --> 00:43:15,093
a man who seemed to
1628
00:43:12,882 --> 00:43:15,093
represent the voice
1629
00:43:15,134 --> 00:43:18,096
of a younger, more
1630
00:43:15,134 --> 00:43:18,096
progressive United Kingdom.
1631
00:43:18,137 --> 00:43:20,557
- Harold Wilson actually became
1632
00:43:18,137 --> 00:43:20,557
leader of the Labor party
1633
00:43:20,598 --> 00:43:23,184
around the same time that
1634
00:43:20,598 --> 00:43:23,184
The Beatles were having
1635
00:43:23,226 --> 00:43:25,437
the first stirrings
1636
00:43:23,226 --> 00:43:25,437
of huge success.
1637
00:43:25,478 --> 00:43:27,730
He was northern.
1638
00:43:25,478 --> 00:43:27,730
Let's not forget that.
1639
00:43:27,772 --> 00:43:31,609
So this was again part of
1640
00:43:27,772 --> 00:43:31,609
this big northern powerhouse.
1641
00:43:31,650 --> 00:43:33,903
You had The Beatles on
1642
00:43:31,650 --> 00:43:33,903
the popular culture sense,
1643
00:43:33,945 --> 00:43:37,823
and then you had Harold Wilson
1644
00:43:33,945 --> 00:43:37,823
who was reflecting modernity
1645
00:43:37,865 --> 00:43:39,867
in the political sense.
1646
00:43:39,909 --> 00:43:42,245
We're thrusting
1647
00:43:39,909 --> 00:43:42,245
into a new world.
1648
00:43:42,287 --> 00:43:44,622
We were behind
1649
00:43:42,287 --> 00:43:44,622
Europe in the '50s.
1650
00:43:44,663 --> 00:43:45,873
The Tories had let us down.
1651
00:43:45,915 --> 00:43:47,792
He wanted to:
1652
00:43:45,915 --> 00:43:47,792
Let's get modern.
1653
00:43:47,833 --> 00:43:49,752
Like the Italians, like the
1654
00:43:47,833 --> 00:43:49,752
French, like the Germans,
1655
00:43:49,794 --> 00:43:51,504
let's get working
1656
00:43:51,546 --> 00:43:54,632
and let's make everyone enjoy
1657
00:43:51,546 --> 00:43:54,632
the fruits of the success.
1658
00:43:54,673 --> 00:43:57,969
[gentle instrumental music]
1659
00:44:00,972 --> 00:44:02,681
- [Narrator]
1660
00:44:00,972 --> 00:44:02,681
And central to this new,
1661
00:44:02,723 --> 00:44:05,226
progressive Britain
1662
00:44:02,723 --> 00:44:05,226
was its youth.
1663
00:44:05,268 --> 00:44:07,479
The staggering
1664
00:44:05,268 --> 00:44:07,479
international success
1665
00:44:07,520 --> 00:44:09,021
of the homegrown pop scene
1666
00:44:09,063 --> 00:44:11,149
had injected the younger
1667
00:44:09,063 --> 00:44:11,149
generation with confidence,
1668
00:44:11,190 --> 00:44:14,735
and, boosted by the
1669
00:44:11,190 --> 00:44:14,735
country's growing prosperity,
1670
00:44:14,777 --> 00:44:17,696
a new consumer culture emerged.
1671
00:44:17,738 --> 00:44:20,408
Fresh from the breeding
1672
00:44:17,738 --> 00:44:20,408
grounds of the art colleges,
1673
00:44:20,450 --> 00:44:22,160
the modern ideas
1674
00:44:22,201 --> 00:44:24,703
of Britain's budding
1675
00:44:22,201 --> 00:44:24,703
designers were unleashed.
1676
00:44:24,745 --> 00:44:26,747
This was nowhere more
1677
00:44:24,745 --> 00:44:26,747
apparent than in fashion,
1678
00:44:26,789 --> 00:44:30,835
and its nerve center in London's
1679
00:44:26,789 --> 00:44:30,835
bustling Carnaby Street.
1680
00:44:30,876 --> 00:44:33,671
- This was the first time that
1681
00:44:30,876 --> 00:44:33,671
young people had enough money
1682
00:44:33,712 --> 00:44:37,133
to buy records, to buy clothes,
1683
00:44:33,712 --> 00:44:37,133
to have their hair cut.
1684
00:44:37,175 --> 00:44:40,261
Out of that almost immediately
1685
00:44:37,175 --> 00:44:40,261
came a separate youth market.
1686
00:44:40,303 --> 00:44:41,929
Carnaby Street thrived.
1687
00:44:41,971 --> 00:44:44,390
Up until that point,
1688
00:44:41,971 --> 00:44:44,390
when a girl left school,
1689
00:44:44,432 --> 00:44:46,184
she immediately began
1690
00:44:44,432 --> 00:44:46,184
dressing like her mother.
1691
00:44:46,225 --> 00:44:48,769
whereas someone like Mary Quant
1692
00:44:48,811 --> 00:44:50,522
made dresses you could run in,
1693
00:44:50,563 --> 00:44:54,733
you could dance in and do
1694
00:44:50,563 --> 00:44:54,733
stuff that young people do.
1695
00:44:54,775 --> 00:44:56,902
And, of course, that
1696
00:44:54,775 --> 00:44:56,902
transformed the whole face
1697
00:44:56,944 --> 00:44:58,321
of British fashion.
1698
00:44:58,363 --> 00:45:01,073
- Everything felt
1699
00:44:58,363 --> 00:45:01,073
modern, new, fresh.
1700
00:45:01,115 --> 00:45:04,118
Everywhere you looked the world
1701
00:45:01,115 --> 00:45:04,118
started to look different.
1702
00:45:04,160 --> 00:45:07,997
The black and white of the
1703
00:45:04,160 --> 00:45:07,997
early Beatles and pre-Beatles,
1704
00:45:08,039 --> 00:45:10,082
even with The Beatles
1705
00:45:08,039 --> 00:45:10,082
all in black and white,
1706
00:45:10,124 --> 00:45:12,001
even A Hard Day's Night
1707
00:45:10,124 --> 00:45:12,001
was in black and white.
1708
00:45:12,043 --> 00:45:15,588
Within a year, the colors
1709
00:45:12,043 --> 00:45:15,588
started to really emerge,
1710
00:45:15,630 --> 00:45:19,050
the green shoots
1711
00:45:15,630 --> 00:45:19,050
of a new culture.
1712
00:45:19,091 --> 00:45:21,844
- [Narrator] Although they
1713
00:45:19,091 --> 00:45:21,844
had played the central role
1714
00:45:21,886 --> 00:45:24,514
in cultivating this
1715
00:45:21,886 --> 00:45:24,514
new cultural landscape,
1716
00:45:24,556 --> 00:45:28,560
by late 1964, The Beatles
1717
00:45:24,556 --> 00:45:28,560
themselves were growing weary
1718
00:45:28,601 --> 00:45:30,645
of their Eight Days a Week fame.
1719
00:45:30,687 --> 00:45:33,481
In an attempt to escape
1720
00:45:30,687 --> 00:45:33,481
from Beatlemania,
1721
00:45:33,523 --> 00:45:35,608
both John Lennon
1722
00:45:33,523 --> 00:45:35,608
and George Harrison
1723
00:45:35,650 --> 00:45:37,276
had moved to rural Surrey,
1724
00:45:37,318 --> 00:45:39,445
30 miles from the
1725
00:45:37,318 --> 00:45:39,445
center of London,
1726
00:45:39,487 --> 00:45:42,532
and Ringo Starr would join
1727
00:45:39,487 --> 00:45:42,532
them there the following year.
1728
00:45:42,574 --> 00:45:44,825
In December, Beatles For Sale,
1729
00:45:44,867 --> 00:45:47,537
the band's fourth studio
1730
00:45:44,867 --> 00:45:47,537
album, was released,
1731
00:45:47,579 --> 00:45:50,039
and it clearly showed
1732
00:45:47,579 --> 00:45:50,039
signs of fatigue.
1733
00:45:50,081 --> 00:45:51,708
- You only have to
1734
00:45:50,081 --> 00:45:51,708
look at the cover.
1735
00:45:51,748 --> 00:45:54,168
These are young men
1736
00:45:51,748 --> 00:45:54,168
exhausted really
1737
00:45:54,210 --> 00:45:56,629
by a couple of years
1738
00:45:54,210 --> 00:45:56,629
of Beatlemania.
1739
00:45:56,671 --> 00:45:59,215
It was just obvious that
1740
00:45:56,671 --> 00:45:59,215
they were becoming worn out,
1741
00:45:59,257 --> 00:46:02,218
and that the incredible
1742
00:45:59,257 --> 00:46:02,218
appeal of early fame,
1743
00:46:02,260 --> 00:46:05,179
which they just rode that
1744
00:46:02,260 --> 00:46:05,179
like a wonderful wave,
1745
00:46:05,221 --> 00:46:07,306
and you can see and feel the joy
1746
00:46:07,348 --> 00:46:09,225
in the records and
1747
00:46:07,348 --> 00:46:09,225
the interviews.
1748
00:46:09,267 --> 00:46:14,731
By Beatles for Sale, it's
1749
00:46:09,267 --> 00:46:14,731
losing its luster quite quickly.
1750
00:46:14,771 --> 00:46:17,983
- [Narrator] Yet the onward
1751
00:46:14,771 --> 00:46:17,983
march of youth culture
1752
00:46:18,025 --> 00:46:20,152
would soon revive the band.
1753
00:46:20,194 --> 00:46:23,030
While the kaleidoscopic
1754
00:46:20,194 --> 00:46:23,030
colors of Carnaby Street
1755
00:46:23,072 --> 00:46:24,532
were in full bloom,
1756
00:46:24,574 --> 00:46:26,909
a more experimental
1757
00:46:24,574 --> 00:46:26,909
subculture was developing
1758
00:46:26,951 --> 00:46:28,869
in West London, the
1759
00:46:26,951 --> 00:46:28,869
leaders of which
1760
00:46:28,911 --> 00:46:32,039
would soon cross paths
1761
00:46:28,911 --> 00:46:32,039
with The Beatles.
1762
00:46:32,081 --> 00:46:35,460
Inspired by avant-garde
1763
00:46:32,081 --> 00:46:35,460
literature, art and music,
1764
00:46:35,501 --> 00:46:38,337
this loose group of
1765
00:46:35,501 --> 00:46:38,337
artists and artisans
1766
00:46:38,379 --> 00:46:40,172
lacked a sense of community.
1767
00:46:40,214 --> 00:46:44,343
In June 1965, however,
1768
00:46:40,214 --> 00:46:44,343
Barry Miles, the manager
1769
00:46:44,385 --> 00:46:46,971
of renowned independent
1770
00:46:44,385 --> 00:46:46,971
bookshop Better Books,
1771
00:46:47,012 --> 00:46:50,849
arranged a momentous poetry
1772
00:46:47,012 --> 00:46:50,849
event at London's Albert Hall,
1773
00:46:50,891 --> 00:46:52,518
featuring Allen Ginsberg
1774
00:46:52,560 --> 00:46:55,313
and other leading
1775
00:46:52,560 --> 00:46:55,313
American Beat writers.
1776
00:46:55,354 --> 00:46:57,440
It was of huge significance,
1777
00:46:57,482 --> 00:46:59,816
uniting the various
1778
00:46:57,482 --> 00:46:59,816
creative clans
1779
00:46:59,858 --> 00:47:02,194
of an emerging British
1780
00:46:59,858 --> 00:47:02,194
counterculture.
1781
00:47:02,236 --> 00:47:05,406
- The big poetry reading
1782
00:47:02,236 --> 00:47:05,406
at the Albert Hall in '65
1783
00:47:05,448 --> 00:47:08,242
and was I think the
1784
00:47:05,448 --> 00:47:08,242
first time a constituency
1785
00:47:08,284 --> 00:47:09,910
was seen in London.
1786
00:47:09,952 --> 00:47:11,828
Up until that point the
1787
00:47:09,952 --> 00:47:11,828
actors and the poets
1788
00:47:11,870 --> 00:47:15,124
and the filmmakers and the
1789
00:47:11,870 --> 00:47:15,124
people who ran boutiques,
1790
00:47:15,166 --> 00:47:16,959
none of them knew each other.
1791
00:47:17,001 --> 00:47:18,544
At this event,
1792
00:47:18,586 --> 00:47:20,630
which was basically
1793
00:47:18,586 --> 00:47:20,630
a Beat generation reading
1794
00:47:20,672 --> 00:47:23,800
of Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence
1795
00:47:20,672 --> 00:47:23,800
Ferlinghetti and Gregory Corso,
1796
00:47:23,840 --> 00:47:25,134
all of these people
1797
00:47:23,840 --> 00:47:25,134
came together
1798
00:47:25,176 --> 00:47:27,720
into the Albert Hall,
1799
00:47:25,176 --> 00:47:27,720
7,000 people.
1800
00:47:27,762 --> 00:47:29,888
The whole thing
1801
00:47:27,762 --> 00:47:29,888
was a giant party,
1802
00:47:29,930 --> 00:47:35,019
really like the first mass
1803
00:47:29,930 --> 00:47:35,019
networking session, I suppose.
1804
00:47:35,060 --> 00:47:36,937
- [Narrator] At
1805
00:47:35,060 --> 00:47:36,937
this pivotal event
1806
00:47:36,979 --> 00:47:38,272
that he had helped organize,
1807
00:47:38,314 --> 00:47:41,275
Miles met John Dunbar,
1808
00:47:38,314 --> 00:47:41,275
an artist friendly
1809
00:47:41,317 --> 00:47:43,902
with both Allen Ginsberg
1810
00:47:41,317 --> 00:47:43,902
and Gregory Corso
1811
00:47:43,944 --> 00:47:48,324
and who had recently married
1812
00:47:43,944 --> 00:47:48,324
young singer Marianne Faithful.
1813
00:47:48,366 --> 00:47:50,117
Together, they
1814
00:47:48,366 --> 00:47:50,117
planned a new center
1815
00:47:50,159 --> 00:47:53,705
for underground activities,
1816
00:47:50,159 --> 00:47:53,705
the Indica Bookshop and Gallery,
1817
00:47:53,746 --> 00:47:56,040
and this would
1818
00:47:53,746 --> 00:47:56,040
bring Miles directly
1819
00:47:56,081 --> 00:47:58,167
into The Beatles' world.
1820
00:47:58,209 --> 00:48:00,252
- We went along
1821
00:47:58,209 --> 00:48:00,252
to the Albert Hall
1822
00:48:00,294 --> 00:48:03,756
and a friend called
1823
00:48:00,294 --> 00:48:03,756
Paolo Leone went,
1824
00:48:03,798 --> 00:48:05,842
"Oh, you should meet this guy."
1825
00:48:05,882 --> 00:48:08,594
Miles worked at Better
1826
00:48:05,882 --> 00:48:08,594
Books at that point.
1827
00:48:08,636 --> 00:48:11,013
So we got chatting.
1828
00:48:11,055 --> 00:48:14,099
I don't know how many people
1829
00:48:11,055 --> 00:48:14,099
it holds, the Albert Hall,
1830
00:48:14,141 --> 00:48:16,268
couple of thousand,
1831
00:48:14,141 --> 00:48:16,268
5,000, I don't know.
1832
00:48:16,310 --> 00:48:17,687
Anyway, we kind of thought,
1833
00:48:17,729 --> 00:48:19,896
everybody's paid a quid
1834
00:48:17,729 --> 00:48:19,896
to see this,
1835
00:48:19,938 --> 00:48:22,441
so maybe we could do a shop.
1836
00:48:22,483 --> 00:48:24,527
- We decided to combine forces
1837
00:48:24,569 --> 00:48:27,739
and start a bookshop
1838
00:48:24,569 --> 00:48:27,739
art gallery combined.
1839
00:48:27,780 --> 00:48:30,991
His best friend was a
1840
00:48:27,780 --> 00:48:30,991
guy called Peter Asher
1841
00:48:31,033 --> 00:48:33,452
who at that point was
1842
00:48:31,033 --> 00:48:33,452
in Peter and Gordon,
1843
00:48:33,494 --> 00:48:35,705
a little rock and folk duo
1844
00:48:35,747 --> 00:48:37,456
who had number
1845
00:48:35,747 --> 00:48:37,456
one hits, in fact,
1846
00:48:37,498 --> 00:48:39,250
in Britain and
1847
00:48:37,498 --> 00:48:39,250
America and Japan.
1848
00:48:39,291 --> 00:48:41,836
And so Peter had some money,
1849
00:48:39,291 --> 00:48:41,836
so naturally we looked to Peter
1850
00:48:41,878 --> 00:48:43,588
to finance this venture.
1851
00:48:43,629 --> 00:48:46,298
Consequently, we
1852
00:48:43,629 --> 00:48:46,298
started a company
1853
00:48:46,340 --> 00:48:48,551
called Miles, Asher
1854
00:48:46,340 --> 00:48:48,551
and Dunbar, MAD.
1855
00:48:48,593 --> 00:48:51,596
I got to know Peter, of
1856
00:48:48,593 --> 00:48:51,596
course, through this.
1857
00:48:51,637 --> 00:48:53,848
He was living at home
1858
00:48:51,637 --> 00:48:53,848
with his parents.
1859
00:48:53,890 --> 00:48:56,517
Also living at home was
1860
00:48:53,890 --> 00:48:56,517
his sister Jane Asher.
1861
00:48:56,559 --> 00:48:58,477
Jane was a TV personality.
1862
00:48:58,519 --> 00:49:00,229
She interviewed people.
1863
00:49:00,271 --> 00:49:03,441
She was a child star in films
1864
00:49:00,271 --> 00:49:03,441
and did a lot on the radio.
1865
00:49:03,482 --> 00:49:06,611
Also living there was
1866
00:49:03,482 --> 00:49:06,611
Jane Asher's boyfriend
1867
00:49:06,652 --> 00:49:08,279
who was Paul McCartney,
1868
00:49:08,320 --> 00:49:09,739
who was living on the top floor
1869
00:49:09,781 --> 00:49:12,241
in a little attic room
1870
00:49:09,781 --> 00:49:12,241
next to Peter's room.
1871
00:49:12,283 --> 00:49:14,159
So there was this
1872
00:49:12,283 --> 00:49:14,159
extraordinary household
1873
00:49:14,201 --> 00:49:15,994
that I got introduced to.
1874
00:49:16,036 --> 00:49:17,872
And when I was setting
1875
00:49:16,036 --> 00:49:17,872
up the bookshop,
1876
00:49:17,914 --> 00:49:19,874
we had all the books
1877
00:49:17,914 --> 00:49:19,874
delivered to the basement
1878
00:49:19,916 --> 00:49:21,542
because we hadn't
1879
00:49:19,916 --> 00:49:21,542
found any premises yet.
1880
00:49:21,584 --> 00:49:25,045
Obviously, through that I
1881
00:49:21,584 --> 00:49:25,045
got to know Paul as well.
1882
00:49:25,087 --> 00:49:27,757
He would come in late at
1883
00:49:25,087 --> 00:49:27,757
night, browse through the books
1884
00:49:27,799 --> 00:49:29,634
and just leave me a note
1885
00:49:27,799 --> 00:49:29,634
saying what he'd taken.
1886
00:49:29,675 --> 00:49:32,219
So he was my first customer,
1887
00:49:29,675 --> 00:49:32,219
in fact, in the bookshop.
1888
00:49:32,261 --> 00:49:33,721
When we did find some premises,
1889
00:49:33,763 --> 00:49:36,682
he helped put up the
1890
00:49:33,763 --> 00:49:36,682
shelves and paint the walls,
1891
00:49:36,724 --> 00:49:39,518
so he was very, very involved
1892
00:49:36,724 --> 00:49:39,518
with the whole project.
1893
00:49:39,560 --> 00:49:41,061
It was wonderful
1894
00:49:39,560 --> 00:49:41,061
to get to know him.
1895
00:49:41,103 --> 00:49:43,606
- [Narrator] While his
1896
00:49:41,103 --> 00:49:43,606
bandmates had fled London
1897
00:49:43,648 --> 00:49:46,066
in favor of the
1898
00:49:43,648 --> 00:49:46,066
quiet suburban life,
1899
00:49:46,108 --> 00:49:48,527
through his contact with
1900
00:49:46,108 --> 00:49:48,527
the progressive art world,
1901
00:49:48,569 --> 00:49:52,740
Paul McCartney soon became the
1902
00:49:48,569 --> 00:49:52,740
most cultured of The Beatles.
1903
00:49:52,782 --> 00:49:54,909
Where John Lennon had
1904
00:49:52,782 --> 00:49:54,909
been married for years
1905
00:49:54,951 --> 00:49:56,619
and was raising a young son,
1906
00:49:56,661 --> 00:49:59,413
George Harrison had moved in
1907
00:49:56,661 --> 00:49:59,413
with girlfriend Patti Boyd
1908
00:49:59,455 --> 00:50:01,582
and Ringo Starr was a newlywed,
1909
00:50:01,624 --> 00:50:04,460
McCartney was actively
1910
00:50:01,624 --> 00:50:04,460
pursuing fresh sounds
1911
00:50:04,502 --> 00:50:08,714
and fresh concepts, with Miles
1912
00:50:04,502 --> 00:50:08,714
as his avant-garde guide.
1913
00:50:08,756 --> 00:50:10,215
- In his own words,
1914
00:50:10,257 --> 00:50:12,217
he used to go round London
1915
00:50:10,257 --> 00:50:12,217
with his antenna out.
1916
00:50:12,259 --> 00:50:16,639
One day he would go to
1917
00:50:12,259 --> 00:50:16,639
see a John Cage concert
1918
00:50:16,681 --> 00:50:19,934
or Luciano Berio or
1919
00:50:16,681 --> 00:50:19,934
some electronic music.
1920
00:50:19,976 --> 00:50:22,436
Then the next day he would
1921
00:50:19,976 --> 00:50:22,436
go to see Tessie O'Shea
1922
00:50:22,478 --> 00:50:23,771
at the Talk of the Town,
1923
00:50:23,813 --> 00:50:26,774
or some torch singer
1924
00:50:23,813 --> 00:50:26,774
down at The Blue Angel.
1925
00:50:26,816 --> 00:50:28,651
It was all being sucked in.
1926
00:50:28,693 --> 00:50:32,154
- McCartney was very much
1927
00:50:28,693 --> 00:50:32,154
the culturally aware Beatle
1928
00:50:32,196 --> 00:50:33,990
about town, while the others
1929
00:50:34,030 --> 00:50:36,993
went into a slightly
1930
00:50:34,030 --> 00:50:36,993
cozier existence
1931
00:50:37,033 --> 00:50:38,577
in the stockbroker belt.
1932
00:50:38,619 --> 00:50:40,204
He was still curious,
1933
00:50:40,245 --> 00:50:43,875
he was still hungry
1934
00:50:40,245 --> 00:50:43,875
for any stimulation.
1935
00:50:43,916 --> 00:50:46,627
It's around this time,
1936
00:50:43,916 --> 00:50:46,627
1965, 1966,
1937
00:50:46,669 --> 00:50:51,340
that McCartney really
1938
00:50:46,669 --> 00:50:51,340
begins to drive The Beatles.
1939
00:50:51,382 --> 00:50:55,427
He hung around in
1940
00:50:51,382 --> 00:50:55,427
London, being stimulated,
1941
00:50:55,469 --> 00:50:59,015
and bringing all of that
1942
00:50:55,469 --> 00:50:59,015
back to The Beatles' table
1943
00:50:59,055 --> 00:51:03,310
and giving them, continuing
1944
00:50:59,055 --> 00:51:03,310
to give them an artistic edge.
1945
00:51:03,352 --> 00:51:07,023
- [Narrator] That artistic
1946
00:51:03,352 --> 00:51:07,023
edge would prove unmistakable
1947
00:51:07,063 --> 00:51:10,359
when The Beatles headed
1948
00:51:07,063 --> 00:51:10,359
to the studio in mid-1965
1949
00:51:10,401 --> 00:51:12,319
to record the album Rubber Soul.
1950
00:51:12,361 --> 00:51:14,154
Across the previous year,
1951
00:51:14,196 --> 00:51:17,199
the wave of bands inspired
1952
00:51:14,196 --> 00:51:17,199
by The Beatles' example
1953
00:51:17,241 --> 00:51:19,869
had not only begun to catch
1954
00:51:17,241 --> 00:51:19,869
up with the Liverpudlians,
1955
00:51:19,911 --> 00:51:22,830
but in some cases
1956
00:51:19,911 --> 00:51:22,830
threatened to overtake them.
1957
00:51:22,872 --> 00:51:25,165
Following Lennon and
1958
00:51:22,872 --> 00:51:25,165
McCartney's lead,
1959
00:51:25,207 --> 00:51:27,334
the Rolling Stones had
1960
00:51:25,207 --> 00:51:27,334
managed to break America
1961
00:51:27,376 --> 00:51:29,962
and had begun to
1962
00:51:27,376 --> 00:51:29,962
write their own hits.
1963
00:51:30,004 --> 00:51:32,297
Folk icon Bob Dylan
1964
00:51:30,004 --> 00:51:32,297
had gone electric
1965
00:51:32,339 --> 00:51:35,051
and transformed into the
1966
00:51:32,339 --> 00:51:35,051
preeminent poet of rock,
1967
00:51:35,091 --> 00:51:38,387
and new bands were emerging,
1968
00:51:35,091 --> 00:51:38,387
from The Who to The Byrds,
1969
00:51:38,429 --> 00:51:41,682
introducing fresh
1970
00:51:38,429 --> 00:51:41,682
sounds and perspectives.
1971
00:51:41,724 --> 00:51:44,810
Yet The Beatles were ready
1972
00:51:41,724 --> 00:51:44,810
to pave the way once again.
1973
00:51:44,852 --> 00:51:47,563
In pursuit of total
1974
00:51:44,852 --> 00:51:47,563
creative control,
1975
00:51:47,605 --> 00:51:50,733
with Rubber Soul, producer
1976
00:51:47,605 --> 00:51:50,733
George Martin booked the band
1977
00:51:50,775 --> 00:51:53,569
into Abbey Road Studios
1978
00:51:50,775 --> 00:51:53,569
for an entire month,
1979
00:51:53,611 --> 00:51:56,697
turning conventional
1980
00:51:53,611 --> 00:51:56,697
recording rules on their head.
1981
00:51:56,739 --> 00:51:59,992
- Before Rubber Soul,
1982
00:51:56,739 --> 00:51:59,992
a professional recording day
1983
00:52:00,034 --> 00:52:04,120
was overseen by recording
1984
00:52:00,034 --> 00:52:04,120
engineers in white coats.
1985
00:52:04,162 --> 00:52:07,374
And there was three hours in
1986
00:52:04,162 --> 00:52:07,374
the morning, a break for lunch,
1987
00:52:07,416 --> 00:52:09,627
and three hours
1988
00:52:07,416 --> 00:52:09,627
in the afternoon.
1989
00:52:09,668 --> 00:52:10,836
And that was it.
1990
00:52:10,878 --> 00:52:12,588
That was your recording day.
1991
00:52:12,630 --> 00:52:16,884
When Rubber Soul came along,
1992
00:52:12,630 --> 00:52:16,884
they had enough clout to say,
1993
00:52:16,926 --> 00:52:19,595
we want a bit more
1994
00:52:16,926 --> 00:52:19,595
flexibility than that.
1995
00:52:19,637 --> 00:52:22,306
We might want to stay on
1996
00:52:19,637 --> 00:52:22,306
and record into the night.
1997
00:52:22,347 --> 00:52:26,727
- They invented the idea
1998
00:52:22,347 --> 00:52:26,727
of treating a record album
1999
00:52:26,769 --> 00:52:29,605
as if it were a work of art.
2000
00:52:29,647 --> 00:52:33,149
It takes time to do
2001
00:52:29,647 --> 00:52:33,149
anything that's worthwhile.
2002
00:52:33,191 --> 00:52:35,444
So you had this new idea,
2003
00:52:35,486 --> 00:52:37,655
the idea of the recording studio
2004
00:52:37,696 --> 00:52:39,573
as compositional laboratory.
2005
00:52:39,615 --> 00:52:42,034
This was this incredible
2006
00:52:39,615 --> 00:52:42,034
real revolution,
2007
00:52:42,076 --> 00:52:44,620
not just how to make records,
2008
00:52:42,076 --> 00:52:44,620
but how to make music.
2009
00:52:44,662 --> 00:52:47,665
["In My Life" by The Beatles]
2010
00:52:53,587 --> 00:52:58,383
♪ There are places I
2011
00:52:53,587 --> 00:52:58,383
remember... ♪
2012
00:52:58,425 --> 00:53:01,470
- Rubber Soul looks like
2013
00:52:58,425 --> 00:53:01,470
the moment when pop music
2014
00:53:01,512 --> 00:53:04,640
could become popular art.
2015
00:53:04,682 --> 00:53:10,228
The whole album had a sense of
2016
00:53:04,682 --> 00:53:10,228
being an artistic statement.
2017
00:53:10,270 --> 00:53:12,773
Brian Wilson himself
2018
00:53:10,270 --> 00:53:12,773
of The Beach Boys said,
2019
00:53:12,815 --> 00:53:14,232
when I heard Rubber Soul
2020
00:53:14,274 --> 00:53:19,237
I knew that's how good
2021
00:53:14,274 --> 00:53:19,237
pop records could be.
2022
00:53:19,279 --> 00:53:22,491
They could be a
2023
00:53:19,279 --> 00:53:22,491
whole artistic world.
2024
00:53:22,533 --> 00:53:24,451
That's how good Rubber Soul was.
2025
00:53:24,493 --> 00:53:30,166
♪ Is there anybody going
2026
00:53:24,493 --> 00:53:30,166
to listen to my story
2027
00:53:30,206 --> 00:53:35,379
♪ All about the girl
2028
00:53:30,206 --> 00:53:35,379
who came to stay
2029
00:53:35,420 --> 00:53:37,255
♪ She's the kind of girl
2030
00:53:37,297 --> 00:53:40,968
♪ You want so much
2031
00:53:37,297 --> 00:53:40,968
it makes you sorry
2032
00:53:41,010 --> 00:53:45,723
♪ Still you don't
2033
00:53:41,010 --> 00:53:45,723
regret a single day
2034
00:53:45,764 --> 00:53:49,601
♪ Ah, girl
2035
00:53:51,562 --> 00:53:54,106
♪ Girl, girl ... ♪
2036
00:53:56,650 --> 00:53:59,653
- John Lennon is suddenly
2037
00:53:56,650 --> 00:53:59,653
writing lyrics like:
2038
00:53:59,695 --> 00:54:01,030
"Was she told when she was young
2039
00:54:01,072 --> 00:54:02,489
"that pain would
2040
00:54:01,072 --> 00:54:02,489
lead to pleasure?
2041
00:54:02,531 --> 00:54:04,408
"Did she understand
2042
00:54:02,531 --> 00:54:04,408
it when they said
2043
00:54:04,449 --> 00:54:07,119
"that a man must break his back
2044
00:54:04,449 --> 00:54:07,119
to earn his day of leisure?
2045
00:54:07,161 --> 00:54:10,039
Will she still believe
2046
00:54:07,161 --> 00:54:10,039
it when he's dead?"
2047
00:54:10,081 --> 00:54:13,625
And that's in
2048
00:54:10,081 --> 00:54:13,625
a song called Girl.
2049
00:54:13,667 --> 00:54:16,378
Those aren't pop song lyrics.
2050
00:54:16,420 --> 00:54:21,299
That gave Rubber Soul just
2051
00:54:16,420 --> 00:54:21,299
a very different feel.
2052
00:54:21,341 --> 00:54:24,136
["The Word" by The Beatles]
2053
00:54:24,178 --> 00:54:29,058
♪ Say the word
2054
00:54:24,178 --> 00:54:29,058
and you'll be free
2055
00:54:29,100 --> 00:54:33,145
♪ Say the word and be like me
2056
00:54:33,187 --> 00:54:37,108
♪ Say the word I'm thinking of
2057
00:54:37,149 --> 00:54:40,903
♪ Have you heard
2058
00:54:37,149 --> 00:54:40,903
the word is love...♪
2059
00:54:40,945 --> 00:54:43,321
- You could hear that they
2060
00:54:40,945 --> 00:54:43,321
were actually writing songs
2061
00:54:43,363 --> 00:54:46,575
as artists, not just
2062
00:54:43,363 --> 00:54:46,575
as pop performers.
2063
00:54:46,617 --> 00:54:48,410
So you had songs like The Word,
2064
00:54:48,452 --> 00:54:51,496
which is an extraordinary
2065
00:54:48,452 --> 00:54:51,496
song for 1965.
2066
00:54:51,538 --> 00:54:54,083
"Say the word and
2067
00:54:51,538 --> 00:54:54,083
that word is love."
2068
00:54:54,125 --> 00:54:57,128
This is two years before
2069
00:54:54,125 --> 00:54:57,128
the Summer of Love.
2070
00:54:57,169 --> 00:54:58,378
The despair of Beatles for Sale,
2071
00:54:58,420 --> 00:55:00,631
and there they are
2072
00:54:58,420 --> 00:55:00,631
now reaching out
2073
00:55:00,672 --> 00:55:02,674
for something that they've
2074
00:55:00,672 --> 00:55:02,674
picked up on something else.
2075
00:55:02,716 --> 00:55:05,094
- [Narrator] And
2076
00:55:02,716 --> 00:55:05,094
just as Rubber Soul
2077
00:55:05,136 --> 00:55:07,972
reestablished the band's
2078
00:55:05,136 --> 00:55:07,972
musical superiority,
2079
00:55:08,013 --> 00:55:11,183
the four young Northern radicals
2080
00:55:08,013 --> 00:55:11,183
were officially recognized
2081
00:55:11,225 --> 00:55:13,269
by the British Establishment.
2082
00:55:13,309 --> 00:55:15,271
Having already received
2083
00:55:13,309 --> 00:55:15,271
the highest accolades
2084
00:55:15,311 --> 00:55:19,441
from the entertainment world,
2085
00:55:15,311 --> 00:55:19,441
in October 1965
2086
00:55:19,483 --> 00:55:23,112
they were invited to Buckingham
2087
00:55:19,483 --> 00:55:23,112
Palace to meet the Queen.
2088
00:55:23,154 --> 00:55:25,156
Here they would be
2089
00:55:23,154 --> 00:55:25,156
anointed as members
2090
00:55:25,197 --> 00:55:29,618
of the Most Excellent Order of
2091
00:55:25,197 --> 00:55:29,618
the British Empire, or MBEs.
2092
00:55:29,660 --> 00:55:31,912
- This has been one of the
2093
00:55:29,660 --> 00:55:31,912
talents of the Establishment
2094
00:55:31,954 --> 00:55:33,664
for a very long time.
2095
00:55:33,705 --> 00:55:36,625
In fact, this is what
2096
00:55:33,705 --> 00:55:36,625
the MBEs and knighthoods
2097
00:55:36,667 --> 00:55:38,961
and all sorts of things
2098
00:55:36,667 --> 00:55:38,961
like that were all about.
2099
00:55:39,003 --> 00:55:40,629
At a certain point,
2100
00:55:40,671 --> 00:55:43,007
renegades need to be
2101
00:55:40,671 --> 00:55:43,007
brought into the fold.
2102
00:55:43,048 --> 00:55:46,468
But it's at that very
2103
00:55:43,048 --> 00:55:46,468
moment that they now,
2104
00:55:46,510 --> 00:55:49,263
'cause they were always
2105
00:55:46,510 --> 00:55:49,263
importing musical influences,
2106
00:55:49,305 --> 00:55:52,933
but they also become a conduit
2107
00:55:49,305 --> 00:55:52,933
for imported American influences
2108
00:55:52,975 --> 00:55:55,060
in these other fields that
2109
00:55:52,975 --> 00:55:55,060
they're getting interested in.
2110
00:55:55,102 --> 00:55:58,147
Miles is turning them
2111
00:55:55,102 --> 00:55:58,147
onto Ginsberg's poetry.
2112
00:55:58,189 --> 00:55:59,606
Robert Fraser is turning them
2113
00:55:59,648 --> 00:56:01,733
onto American pop
2114
00:55:59,648 --> 00:56:01,733
artists, things like this.
2115
00:56:01,775 --> 00:56:04,069
They've become
2116
00:56:01,775 --> 00:56:04,069
citizens of the world.
2117
00:56:04,111 --> 00:56:07,031
So it's perfectly appropriate
2118
00:56:04,111 --> 00:56:07,031
that at that very moment
2119
00:56:07,072 --> 00:56:09,325
the British
2120
00:56:07,072 --> 00:56:09,325
Establishment should say,
2121
00:56:09,365 --> 00:56:11,367
"Time for you to come
2122
00:56:09,365 --> 00:56:11,367
to Buckingham Palace
2123
00:56:11,409 --> 00:56:15,873
and be certified as members
2124
00:56:11,409 --> 00:56:15,873
of the British Empire."
2125
00:56:15,914 --> 00:56:18,000
- [Interviewer] John, had
2126
00:56:15,914 --> 00:56:18,000
you met the Queen before?
2127
00:56:18,042 --> 00:56:19,626
- No, first time.
2128
00:56:19,668 --> 00:56:21,419
- [Interviewer] What did she
2129
00:56:19,668 --> 00:56:21,419
think of you in the flesh?
2130
00:56:21,461 --> 00:56:22,796
Did she tell you?
2131
00:56:22,838 --> 00:56:24,131
- No, she's not going
2132
00:56:22,838 --> 00:56:24,131
to say either way.
2133
00:56:24,173 --> 00:56:26,300
She seemed pleasant
2134
00:56:24,173 --> 00:56:26,300
enough to us.
2135
00:56:26,342 --> 00:56:27,759
Made us relaxed.
2136
00:56:27,801 --> 00:56:29,928
- [Interviewer] Now
2137
00:56:27,801 --> 00:56:29,928
you've got this,
2138
00:56:29,970 --> 00:56:32,306
do you feel that you're becoming
2139
00:56:29,970 --> 00:56:32,306
part of the Establishment,
2140
00:56:32,348 --> 00:56:33,557
as it's so called?
2141
00:56:33,598 --> 00:56:35,976
- No, don't feel any different.
2142
00:56:36,018 --> 00:56:38,687
I still feel just like before.
2143
00:56:38,729 --> 00:56:41,148
I feel exactly the same.
2144
00:56:38,729 --> 00:56:41,148
- You feel exactly the same.
2145
00:56:41,190 --> 00:56:44,276
- It was a recognition that
2146
00:56:41,190 --> 00:56:44,276
the pop world had come of age.
2147
00:56:44,318 --> 00:56:48,404
They were the aristocracy
2148
00:56:44,318 --> 00:56:48,404
of the pop world,
2149
00:56:48,446 --> 00:56:51,325
of pop culture, of
2150
00:56:48,446 --> 00:56:51,325
working class culture.
2151
00:56:51,367 --> 00:56:55,329
So it was inevitable in a way
2152
00:56:51,367 --> 00:56:55,329
that they would be rewarded
2153
00:56:55,371 --> 00:56:58,332
in the spirit of
2154
00:56:55,371 --> 00:56:58,332
the new democracy.
2155
00:56:58,374 --> 00:57:01,585
But also it closed
2156
00:56:58,374 --> 00:57:01,585
a chapter, because from then on
2157
00:57:01,626 --> 00:57:03,628
they went off and
2158
00:57:01,626 --> 00:57:03,628
did it their way
2159
00:57:03,670 --> 00:57:05,964
which wasn't the
2160
00:57:03,670 --> 00:57:05,964
Establishment's way.
2161
00:57:06,006 --> 00:57:08,967
In fact, it was the
2162
00:57:06,006 --> 00:57:08,967
beginning of a period
2163
00:57:09,009 --> 00:57:13,138
of great antagonism with the
2164
00:57:09,009 --> 00:57:13,138
Establishment and pop culture,
2165
00:57:13,180 --> 00:57:15,724
and The Beatles, as usual,
2166
00:57:15,766 --> 00:57:17,684
were pretty much at
2167
00:57:15,766 --> 00:57:17,684
the center of that.
2168
00:57:17,726 --> 00:57:20,312
- [Narrator] The Beatles'
2169
00:57:17,726 --> 00:57:20,312
position at the center
2170
00:57:20,354 --> 00:57:22,480
of these new developments
2171
00:57:20,354 --> 00:57:22,480
in youth culture
2172
00:57:22,522 --> 00:57:25,943
was crucial to their evolution
2173
00:57:22,522 --> 00:57:25,943
over the next two years.
2174
00:57:25,984 --> 00:57:28,070
With McCartney now
2175
00:57:25,984 --> 00:57:28,070
closely affiliated
2176
00:57:28,112 --> 00:57:31,865
with key players in London's
2177
00:57:28,112 --> 00:57:31,865
underground artistic scene,
2178
00:57:31,907 --> 00:57:34,993
and with similar movements in
2179
00:57:31,907 --> 00:57:34,993
both New York and Los Angeles
2180
00:57:35,035 --> 00:57:36,828
influencing American musicians,
2181
00:57:36,870 --> 00:57:40,291
the stage was now set
2182
00:57:36,870 --> 00:57:40,291
for more radical ideas
2183
00:57:40,332 --> 00:57:41,792
to enter the mainstream.
2184
00:57:41,833 --> 00:57:43,419
And as these were developing,
2185
00:57:43,460 --> 00:57:46,755
a new drug and a new figurehead
2186
00:57:43,460 --> 00:57:46,755
were gaining prominence
2187
00:57:46,797 --> 00:57:48,548
on both sides of the Atlantic.
2188
00:57:48,590 --> 00:57:51,009
- The message is very simple.
2189
00:57:52,886 --> 00:57:55,389
Six words.
2190
00:57:55,431 --> 00:58:01,519
Turn on, tune in, drop out.
2191
00:58:01,561 --> 00:58:04,148
- [Narrator] Psychologist
2192
00:58:01,561 --> 00:58:04,148
Timothy Leary had emerged
2193
00:58:04,189 --> 00:58:06,233
in the US as a
2194
00:58:04,189 --> 00:58:06,233
prominent spokesman
2195
00:58:06,275 --> 00:58:09,486
for the hallucinogen
2196
00:58:06,275 --> 00:58:09,486
LSD, or acid.
2197
00:58:09,527 --> 00:58:11,989
Having led psychedelic
2198
00:58:09,527 --> 00:58:11,989
experiments at
2199
00:58:12,030 --> 00:58:14,783
Harvard University
2200
00:58:12,030 --> 00:58:14,783
since the turn of the '60s,
2201
00:58:14,825 --> 00:58:18,454
and with Beat poet Allen
2202
00:58:14,825 --> 00:58:18,454
Ginsberg a key early supporter,
2203
00:58:18,495 --> 00:58:23,459
by 1965 Leary was becoming a
2204
00:58:18,495 --> 00:58:23,459
major countercultural figure.
2205
00:58:23,500 --> 00:58:28,672
- Tim Leary was a psychiatrist,
2206
00:58:23,500 --> 00:58:28,672
psychoanalyst, psychotherapist.
2207
00:58:28,713 --> 00:58:31,216
He claimed to have
2208
00:58:28,713 --> 00:58:31,216
something like seven PhDs.
2209
00:58:31,258 --> 00:58:33,344
He was a professor at Harvard
2210
00:58:33,385 --> 00:58:36,930
who began working
2211
00:58:33,385 --> 00:58:36,930
originally with psilocybin
2212
00:58:36,972 --> 00:58:38,974
before he got onto LSD
2213
00:58:39,016 --> 00:58:43,270
as a way of treating prisoners
2214
00:58:39,016 --> 00:58:43,270
and treating mental illness.
2215
00:58:43,312 --> 00:58:45,730
I mean, the thing is
2216
00:58:43,312 --> 00:58:45,730
Leary was very much part
2217
00:58:45,772 --> 00:58:47,483
of the Establishment.
2218
00:58:47,524 --> 00:58:50,694
He'd worked right across the
2219
00:58:47,524 --> 00:58:50,694
normal lines of psychiatry.
2220
00:58:50,735 --> 00:58:52,946
But, of course, when he started
2221
00:58:50,735 --> 00:58:52,946
to take all these things,
2222
00:58:52,988 --> 00:58:57,284
he contacted his own self
2223
00:58:52,988 --> 00:58:57,284
on a cellular level
2224
00:58:57,326 --> 00:58:59,286
and he realized that
2225
00:58:57,326 --> 00:58:59,286
an awful lot of this
2226
00:58:59,328 --> 00:59:00,996
was gameplaying and rubbish.
2227
00:59:01,038 --> 00:59:04,124
So he basically felt that this
2228
00:59:01,038 --> 00:59:04,124
was in fact a spiritual key
2229
00:59:04,166 --> 00:59:06,001
that he'd been handed
2230
00:59:06,043 --> 00:59:07,878
and that his message
2231
00:59:06,043 --> 00:59:07,878
really should be
2232
00:59:07,919 --> 00:59:10,172
to encourage people to
2233
00:59:07,919 --> 00:59:10,172
leave the Establishment
2234
00:59:10,214 --> 00:59:13,467
and find themselves
2235
00:59:10,214 --> 00:59:13,467
creatively or spiritually.
2236
00:59:13,509 --> 00:59:17,179
- [Narrator] And the newly
2237
00:59:13,509 --> 00:59:17,179
appointed MBEs, The Beatles,
2238
00:59:17,221 --> 00:59:19,890
were already on their way
2239
00:59:17,221 --> 00:59:19,890
to leaving the Establishment
2240
00:59:19,931 --> 00:59:22,684
and rediscovering themselves
2241
00:59:19,931 --> 00:59:22,684
through hallucinogens.
2242
00:59:22,726 --> 00:59:25,521
John Lennon and George
2243
00:59:22,726 --> 00:59:25,521
Harrison had been introduced
2244
00:59:25,562 --> 00:59:29,858
to LSD in early 1965, and had
2245
00:59:25,562 --> 00:59:29,858
been joined by Ringo Starr
2246
00:59:29,900 --> 00:59:32,652
for their second experience
2247
00:59:29,900 --> 00:59:32,652
with the drug later that year.
2248
00:59:32,694 --> 00:59:35,989
Combined with Paul
2249
00:59:32,694 --> 00:59:35,989
McCartney's newfound interest
2250
00:59:36,031 --> 00:59:38,909
in experimental art through
2251
00:59:36,031 --> 00:59:38,909
his London social circle,
2252
00:59:38,950 --> 00:59:41,370
the world's most commercial band
2253
00:59:41,412 --> 00:59:44,748
were ready to take a
2254
00:59:41,412 --> 00:59:44,748
very unexpected detour.
2255
00:59:44,789 --> 00:59:47,876
- They wanted to
2256
00:59:44,789 --> 00:59:47,876
discover who they were.
2257
00:59:47,918 --> 00:59:50,670
They had no real sense of who
2258
00:59:47,918 --> 00:59:50,670
they were, I think, anymore.
2259
00:59:50,712 --> 00:59:52,506
So they were picking
2260
00:59:50,712 --> 00:59:52,506
up the pieces,
2261
00:59:52,548 --> 00:59:54,132
putting it together it again.
2262
00:59:54,174 --> 00:59:56,093
How the hell did they make sense
2263
00:59:56,134 --> 00:59:58,429
of the goldfish bowl life
2264
00:59:56,134 --> 00:59:58,429
they'd been thrown into?
2265
00:59:58,470 --> 01:00:02,974
From playing at the Casbah
2266
00:59:58,470 --> 01:00:02,974
in Liverpool, and the Cavern,
2267
01:00:03,016 --> 01:00:05,769
to being feted all
2268
01:00:03,016 --> 01:00:05,769
around the world
2269
01:00:05,810 --> 01:00:07,563
and just seeing
2270
01:00:05,810 --> 01:00:07,563
themselves reflected back,
2271
01:00:07,604 --> 01:00:09,398
people getting pieces
2272
01:00:07,604 --> 01:00:09,398
of them everywhere,
2273
01:00:09,440 --> 01:00:11,233
not knowing really
2274
01:00:09,440 --> 01:00:11,233
who they were.
2275
01:00:11,275 --> 01:00:14,778
And I think that was the
2276
01:00:11,275 --> 01:00:14,778
engagement of pop culture,
2277
01:00:14,819 --> 01:00:17,489
represented by The Beatles
2278
01:00:14,819 --> 01:00:17,489
with the counterculture,
2279
01:00:17,531 --> 01:00:19,324
which was growing in confidence.
2280
01:00:19,366 --> 01:00:22,244
And the fact that the two
2281
01:00:19,366 --> 01:00:22,244
started to join forces
2282
01:00:22,286 --> 01:00:25,497
in London, in San Francisco--
2283
01:00:22,286 --> 01:00:25,497
they sparked off each other.
2284
01:00:25,539 --> 01:00:28,833
- [Narrator] It was
2285
01:00:25,539 --> 01:00:28,833
at the close of 1965
2286
01:00:28,875 --> 01:00:31,086
that McCartney drew the
2287
01:00:28,875 --> 01:00:31,086
ever skeptical Lennon
2288
01:00:31,128 --> 01:00:32,796
out of his Surrey sanctuary
2289
01:00:32,837 --> 01:00:35,507
and introduced him to the
2290
01:00:32,837 --> 01:00:35,507
underground world of Miles
2291
01:00:35,549 --> 01:00:38,302
and the Indica
2292
01:00:35,549 --> 01:00:38,302
Bookshop and Gallery.
2293
01:00:38,343 --> 01:00:40,512
- One day, very shortly
2294
01:00:38,343 --> 01:00:40,512
after we opened,
2295
01:00:40,554 --> 01:00:42,389
Paul McCartney showed
2296
01:00:40,554 --> 01:00:42,389
up with John Lennon,
2297
01:00:42,431 --> 01:00:44,975
I think it was the first time
2298
01:00:42,431 --> 01:00:44,975
John was ever in the shop.
2299
01:00:45,016 --> 01:00:49,396
He was looking for
2300
01:00:45,016 --> 01:00:49,396
a book by "Nitzske."
2301
01:00:49,438 --> 01:00:53,275
I just didn't know who he meant.
2302
01:00:53,317 --> 01:00:55,235
It took me maybe half a minute
2303
01:00:55,277 --> 01:00:56,987
to figure out it was Nietzsche.
2304
01:00:57,028 --> 01:01:00,282
And that was just enough time
2305
01:00:57,028 --> 01:01:00,282
for him to get quite irritated
2306
01:01:00,324 --> 01:01:03,160
and think I was being this
2307
01:01:00,324 --> 01:01:03,160
middle class university type,
2308
01:01:03,201 --> 01:01:04,495
putting him down.
2309
01:01:04,536 --> 01:01:06,330
And then Paul had
2310
01:01:04,536 --> 01:01:06,330
to do his usual role
2311
01:01:06,371 --> 01:01:07,831
of sort of calming everybody.
2312
01:01:07,872 --> 01:01:09,583
"No, no, he went to art
2313
01:01:07,872 --> 01:01:09,583
school just like you.
2314
01:01:09,625 --> 01:01:11,960
It's just 'cause you
2315
01:01:09,625 --> 01:01:11,960
didn't know how to say it!"
2316
01:01:12,002 --> 01:01:13,295
In the meantime,
2317
01:01:13,337 --> 01:01:15,422
I remembered we had
2318
01:01:13,337 --> 01:01:15,422
only just the day before
2319
01:01:15,464 --> 01:01:16,881
had a big shipment
2320
01:01:16,923 --> 01:01:18,883
of The Psychedelic
2321
01:01:16,923 --> 01:01:18,883
Experience by Tim Leary.
2322
01:01:18,925 --> 01:01:21,261
John curled up on
2323
01:01:18,925 --> 01:01:21,261
the settee with it.
2324
01:01:21,303 --> 01:01:23,805
And literally in Tim
2325
01:01:21,303 --> 01:01:23,805
Leary's introduction
2326
01:01:23,847 --> 01:01:24,973
before you even get to the text,
2327
01:01:25,015 --> 01:01:27,601
it says, turn off
2328
01:01:25,015 --> 01:01:27,601
your mind, relax
2329
01:01:27,643 --> 01:01:30,687
and drift down the stream,
2330
01:01:27,643 --> 01:01:30,687
or however the lines are
2331
01:01:30,728 --> 01:01:34,191
that finally showed up
2332
01:01:30,728 --> 01:01:34,191
only about a month later
2333
01:01:34,232 --> 01:01:35,775
in Tomorrow Never Knows.
2334
01:01:35,817 --> 01:01:38,111
- [Narrator] This song would be
2335
01:01:38,153 --> 01:01:39,696
the most innovative composition
2336
01:01:39,737 --> 01:01:42,032
of the band's career to date.
2337
01:01:42,073 --> 01:01:44,660
Alongside Lennon's
2338
01:01:42,073 --> 01:01:44,660
Leary-inspired lyrics,
2339
01:01:44,701 --> 01:01:46,370
Paul McCartney's contributions
2340
01:01:46,411 --> 01:01:48,913
to the track were
2341
01:01:46,411 --> 01:01:48,913
equally radical.
2342
01:01:48,955 --> 01:01:50,790
Having joined Miles at a number
2343
01:01:50,832 --> 01:01:52,959
of avant-garde
2344
01:01:50,832 --> 01:01:52,959
electronic music events,
2345
01:01:53,001 --> 01:01:55,504
the Beatle had begun
2346
01:01:53,001 --> 01:01:55,504
enthusiastically working
2347
01:01:55,546 --> 01:01:58,006
on his own experimental
2348
01:01:55,546 --> 01:01:58,006
compositions
2349
01:01:58,048 --> 01:02:00,217
using loops of recorded tape.
2350
01:02:00,258 --> 01:02:02,260
As The Beatles
2351
01:02:00,258 --> 01:02:02,260
entered the studio
2352
01:02:02,302 --> 01:02:04,888
to begin producing
2353
01:02:02,302 --> 01:02:04,888
Tomorrow Never Knows,
2354
01:02:04,929 --> 01:02:07,057
George Martin invited McCartney
2355
01:02:07,098 --> 01:02:09,351
to bring these to the sessions.
2356
01:02:09,393 --> 01:02:11,311
- He had produced a
2357
01:02:09,393 --> 01:02:11,311
whole load of them
2358
01:02:11,353 --> 01:02:14,356
and brought them into the
2359
01:02:11,353 --> 01:02:14,356
studio just in a plastic bag.
2360
01:02:14,398 --> 01:02:15,691
They arranged the studio
2361
01:02:15,732 --> 01:02:17,442
so that there were
2362
01:02:15,732 --> 01:02:17,442
different tape recorders
2363
01:02:17,484 --> 01:02:20,195
in different parts of the
2364
01:02:17,484 --> 01:02:20,195
Abbey Road studio complex.
2365
01:02:20,237 --> 01:02:23,574
And I was in a room
2366
01:02:20,237 --> 01:02:23,574
with Peter Asher
2367
01:02:23,615 --> 01:02:25,950
and we were playing
2368
01:02:23,615 --> 01:02:25,950
quite a long loop
2369
01:02:25,992 --> 01:02:29,829
which entailed
2370
01:02:25,992 --> 01:02:29,829
holding a jam jar.
2371
01:02:29,871 --> 01:02:32,082
The loop went round the jam jar,
2372
01:02:32,123 --> 01:02:34,376
then past the playback
2373
01:02:32,123 --> 01:02:34,376
head and then back over.
2374
01:02:34,418 --> 01:02:36,086
We had to keep it in tension.
2375
01:02:36,127 --> 01:02:38,255
I think there were eight
2376
01:02:36,127 --> 01:02:38,255
or maybe even 10 of us
2377
01:02:38,296 --> 01:02:39,673
around the building
2378
01:02:39,715 --> 01:02:42,259
all standing holding
2379
01:02:39,715 --> 01:02:42,259
pencils or jam jars.
2380
01:02:42,300 --> 01:02:44,553
And all of this information
2381
01:02:42,300 --> 01:02:44,553
was going into the deck.
2382
01:02:44,595 --> 01:02:47,055
George Martin was just sitting
2383
01:02:44,595 --> 01:02:47,055
there with his headphones.
2384
01:02:47,097 --> 01:02:48,515
Whatever he did, of course,
2385
01:02:48,557 --> 01:02:50,934
it was impossible
2386
01:02:48,557 --> 01:02:50,934
to ever reproduce.
2387
01:02:50,975 --> 01:02:52,519
That was it.
2388
01:02:52,561 --> 01:02:54,563
That was the master as
2389
01:02:52,561 --> 01:02:54,563
soon as he pressed "record."
2390
01:02:54,605 --> 01:02:57,941
When I heard the playback,
2391
01:02:54,605 --> 01:02:57,941
it was astonishing actually.
2392
01:02:57,982 --> 01:03:00,944
I thought, "Good God,
2393
01:02:57,982 --> 01:03:00,944
this is the future."
2394
01:03:00,985 --> 01:03:04,906
["Tomorrow Never
2395
01:03:00,985 --> 01:03:04,906
Knows" by The Beatles]
2396
01:03:08,243 --> 01:03:13,998
♪ Turn off your mind,
2397
01:03:08,243 --> 01:03:13,998
relax, and float downstream
2398
01:03:15,626 --> 01:03:22,466
♪ It is not dying,
2399
01:03:15,626 --> 01:03:22,466
it is not dying...♪
2400
01:03:23,759 --> 01:03:25,969
- The studio was an instrument.
2401
01:03:26,010 --> 01:03:29,973
Once upon a time, it was just
2402
01:03:26,010 --> 01:03:29,973
this almost invisible console
2403
01:03:30,014 --> 01:03:31,475
that was just there
2404
01:03:31,516 --> 01:03:33,477
to absorb what was being
2405
01:03:31,516 --> 01:03:33,477
played on the floor.
2406
01:03:33,518 --> 01:03:36,521
Now it was actually being
2407
01:03:33,518 --> 01:03:36,521
used as an instrument.
2408
01:03:36,563 --> 01:03:37,897
And it was more important
2409
01:03:37,939 --> 01:03:40,609
than individual
2410
01:03:37,939 --> 01:03:40,609
instruments, in a way.
2411
01:03:46,531 --> 01:03:50,327
This was unprecedented, and
2412
01:03:46,531 --> 01:03:50,327
the other interesting thing
2413
01:03:50,368 --> 01:03:51,911
about Tomorrow Never Knows,
2414
01:03:51,953 --> 01:03:53,997
it was the first
2415
01:03:51,953 --> 01:03:53,997
recording for Revolver.
2416
01:03:54,038 --> 01:03:56,207
It was done in April '66.
2417
01:03:56,249 --> 01:03:58,251
I mean, this is extraordinary.
2418
01:03:58,293 --> 01:03:59,753
Tomorrow Never Knows
2419
01:03:59,795 --> 01:04:02,547
is undoubtedly the most
2420
01:03:59,795 --> 01:04:02,547
psychedelic song recorded
2421
01:04:02,589 --> 01:04:04,132
at that period.
2422
01:04:04,174 --> 01:04:05,842
There's nothing else like it.
2423
01:04:05,883 --> 01:04:08,011
I mean, the word
2424
01:04:05,883 --> 01:04:08,011
psychedelic wasn't really
2425
01:04:08,052 --> 01:04:09,887
in popular parlance at all.
2426
01:04:09,929 --> 01:04:11,389
It was the title of a book
2427
01:04:11,431 --> 01:04:13,266
that John got from
2428
01:04:11,431 --> 01:04:13,266
Indica Gallery.
2429
01:04:13,308 --> 01:04:14,851
- Tomorrow Never Knows
2430
01:04:14,892 --> 01:04:16,394
is definitely the world's
2431
01:04:14,892 --> 01:04:16,394
first psychedelic track.
2432
01:04:16,436 --> 01:04:18,313
The interesting
2433
01:04:16,436 --> 01:04:18,313
thing is, of course,
2434
01:04:18,355 --> 01:04:20,398
The Beatles were not only the
2435
01:04:18,355 --> 01:04:20,398
world's most commercial band,
2436
01:04:20,440 --> 01:04:22,233
but at that point they were also
2437
01:04:22,275 --> 01:04:26,070
the world's most experimental
2438
01:04:22,275 --> 01:04:26,070
band, which is very unusual.
2439
01:04:26,112 --> 01:04:29,199
- [Narrator] That became clear
2440
01:04:26,112 --> 01:04:29,199
when The Beatles' follow-up
2441
01:04:29,240 --> 01:04:34,496
to Rubber Soul, Revolver,
2442
01:04:29,240 --> 01:04:34,496
was issued in August 1966.
2443
01:04:34,538 --> 01:04:36,540
Alongside Tomorrow Never Knows,
2444
01:04:36,581 --> 01:04:38,458
the album's tracks were brimming
2445
01:04:38,500 --> 01:04:40,460
with invention and originality.
2446
01:04:40,502 --> 01:04:44,339
If Rubber Soul had suggested
2447
01:04:40,502 --> 01:04:44,339
that pop music could be art,
2448
01:04:44,381 --> 01:04:46,717
Revolver confirmed it.
2449
01:04:46,758 --> 01:04:49,177
- Revolver really
2450
01:04:46,758 --> 01:04:49,177
was The Beatles
2451
01:04:49,219 --> 01:04:51,137
moving towards the
2452
01:04:49,219 --> 01:04:51,137
fifth dimension.
2453
01:04:51,179 --> 01:04:54,224
"She said, she said I know
2454
01:04:51,179 --> 01:04:54,224
what it's like to be dead."
2455
01:04:54,265 --> 01:04:55,851
The Beatles, Lennon,
2456
01:04:54,265 --> 01:04:55,851
singing about
2457
01:04:55,892 --> 01:04:57,310
I know what
2458
01:04:55,892 --> 01:04:57,310
it's like to be dead.
2459
01:04:57,352 --> 01:04:59,103
What the hell is going on?
2460
01:04:59,145 --> 01:05:00,605
Well, they've been
2461
01:04:59,145 --> 01:05:00,605
partying with The Byrds
2462
01:05:00,647 --> 01:05:02,399
on the West Coast and
2463
01:05:00,647 --> 01:05:02,399
dropping acid by then.
2464
01:05:02,440 --> 01:05:04,942
Drugs, we have a very
2465
01:05:02,440 --> 01:05:04,942
negative view on them now
2466
01:05:04,984 --> 01:05:08,071
and you can be imprisoned
2467
01:05:04,984 --> 01:05:08,071
by them, but in the mid '60s
2468
01:05:08,112 --> 01:05:09,989
people felt it was the opposite.
2469
01:05:10,031 --> 01:05:12,659
It was to loosen the
2470
01:05:10,031 --> 01:05:12,659
chains of imprisonment,
2471
01:05:12,701 --> 01:05:15,245
this single view
2472
01:05:12,701 --> 01:05:15,245
of who you were.
2473
01:05:15,286 --> 01:05:17,497
And then suddenly
2474
01:05:15,286 --> 01:05:17,497
you had perspectives,
2475
01:05:17,539 --> 01:05:19,624
and with Revolver
2476
01:05:17,539 --> 01:05:19,624
you can hear it,
2477
01:05:19,666 --> 01:05:21,418
with all the different
2478
01:05:19,666 --> 01:05:21,418
production sounds--
2479
01:05:21,459 --> 01:05:24,379
it was all altered states
2480
01:05:21,459 --> 01:05:24,379
and perspectives.
2481
01:05:24,421 --> 01:05:27,465
- The idea was basically
2482
01:05:24,421 --> 01:05:27,465
to turn rock and roll
2483
01:05:27,507 --> 01:05:29,676
into a legitimate art form.
2484
01:05:29,718 --> 01:05:31,219
And I think they did it.
2485
01:05:31,261 --> 01:05:32,763
So many of the
2486
01:05:31,261 --> 01:05:32,763
things they tried,
2487
01:05:32,804 --> 01:05:35,599
from feedback and
2488
01:05:32,804 --> 01:05:35,599
reverse tapes and sitars,
2489
01:05:35,640 --> 01:05:37,183
whatever they did,
2490
01:05:37,225 --> 01:05:39,561
all over the world other
2491
01:05:37,225 --> 01:05:39,561
bands immediately tried out.
2492
01:05:39,603 --> 01:05:41,521
They were tremendous leaders.
2493
01:05:41,563 --> 01:05:43,440
Brian Epstein was concerned
2494
01:05:43,481 --> 01:05:46,234
that they were going too far
2495
01:05:43,481 --> 01:05:46,234
ahead of their fan base.
2496
01:05:46,276 --> 01:05:48,027
But they were very,
2497
01:05:46,276 --> 01:05:48,027
very sensible,
2498
01:05:48,069 --> 01:05:50,697
they always wanted to bring
2499
01:05:48,069 --> 01:05:50,697
the fans along with them.
2500
01:05:50,739 --> 01:05:53,491
They didn't want to
2501
01:05:50,739 --> 01:05:53,491
become some kind of wild,
2502
01:05:53,533 --> 01:05:57,078
avant-garde band that only
2503
01:05:53,533 --> 01:05:57,078
150 people had heard of.
2504
01:05:57,120 --> 01:05:59,748
- [Narrator] Epstein's
2505
01:05:57,120 --> 01:05:59,748
fears that the band
2506
01:05:59,790 --> 01:06:02,834
would start to lose some of
2507
01:05:59,790 --> 01:06:02,834
their audience were unfounded
2508
01:06:02,876 --> 01:06:04,502
regarding their musical output,
2509
01:06:04,544 --> 01:06:08,005
but would prove accurate
2510
01:06:04,544 --> 01:06:08,005
in terms of their politics.
2511
01:06:08,047 --> 01:06:09,549
With The Beatles' compositions
2512
01:06:09,591 --> 01:06:12,009
expressing a more
2513
01:06:09,591 --> 01:06:12,009
complex world view,
2514
01:06:12,051 --> 01:06:15,806
journalists began to ask them
2515
01:06:12,051 --> 01:06:15,806
more significant questions.
2516
01:06:15,847 --> 01:06:17,849
In a series of
2517
01:06:15,847 --> 01:06:17,849
landmark interviews
2518
01:06:17,891 --> 01:06:20,143
for British newspaper
2519
01:06:17,891 --> 01:06:20,143
The Evening Standard,
2520
01:06:20,184 --> 01:06:22,395
the individual band
2521
01:06:20,184 --> 01:06:22,395
members were quizzed
2522
01:06:22,437 --> 01:06:24,606
over their thoughts
2523
01:06:22,437 --> 01:06:24,606
on current affairs.
2524
01:06:24,648 --> 01:06:27,024
Lennon's frank opinions
2525
01:06:24,648 --> 01:06:27,024
on Christianity
2526
01:06:27,066 --> 01:06:30,111
proved uncontroversial upon
2527
01:06:27,066 --> 01:06:30,111
their publication in Britain,
2528
01:06:30,153 --> 01:06:32,196
yet when they were
2529
01:06:30,153 --> 01:06:32,196
reprinted in America,
2530
01:06:32,238 --> 01:06:35,408
the first scandal of
2531
01:06:32,238 --> 01:06:35,408
The Beatles' career erupted,
2532
01:06:35,450 --> 01:06:38,662
with a single quote
2533
01:06:35,450 --> 01:06:38,662
becoming instantly infamous,
2534
01:06:38,703 --> 01:06:41,915
"We're more popular
2535
01:06:38,703 --> 01:06:41,915
than Jesus now."
2536
01:06:41,957 --> 01:06:44,584
- The first time anybody
2537
01:06:41,957 --> 01:06:44,584
had asked John Lennon
2538
01:06:44,626 --> 01:06:47,921
questions about his
2539
01:06:44,626 --> 01:06:47,921
life and his philosophy.
2540
01:06:47,963 --> 01:06:50,799
And it just passed--whoosh--
2541
01:06:47,963 --> 01:06:50,799
without--
2542
01:06:50,841 --> 01:06:55,595
But months later, all
2543
01:06:50,841 --> 01:06:55,595
those teenage magazines
2544
01:06:55,637 --> 01:06:59,474
just printed that:
2545
01:06:55,637 --> 01:06:59,474
"We're bigger than Jesus,"
2546
01:06:59,516 --> 01:07:01,643
which caused a lot of problems.
2547
01:07:01,685 --> 01:07:04,103
A lot of problems.
2548
01:07:04,145 --> 01:07:08,065
Death threats and
2549
01:07:04,145 --> 01:07:08,065
records being burnt
2550
01:07:08,107 --> 01:07:09,776
and broken and smashed,
2551
01:07:09,818 --> 01:07:13,070
and the Ku Klux Klan,
2552
01:07:09,818 --> 01:07:13,070
and concerts being canceled.
2553
01:07:13,112 --> 01:07:16,992
It was very unpleasant
2554
01:07:13,112 --> 01:07:16,992
for everyone.
2555
01:07:17,033 --> 01:07:19,995
- Well, originally I was
2556
01:07:17,033 --> 01:07:19,995
pointing out that fact
2557
01:07:20,036 --> 01:07:21,663
in reference to England,
2558
01:07:21,705 --> 01:07:25,041
that we meant more to
2559
01:07:21,705 --> 01:07:25,041
kids than Jesus did,
2560
01:07:25,082 --> 01:07:27,418
or religion, at that time.
2561
01:07:27,460 --> 01:07:29,337
I wasn't knocking it
2562
01:07:27,460 --> 01:07:29,337
or putting it down.
2563
01:07:29,379 --> 01:07:31,214
I was just saying it.
2564
01:07:29,379 --> 01:07:31,214
It was a fact.
2565
01:07:31,255 --> 01:07:34,634
- Lennon's "The Beatles are
2566
01:07:31,255 --> 01:07:34,634
more popular than Jesus" line,
2567
01:07:34,676 --> 01:07:38,471
which even to me as a kid, I
2568
01:07:34,676 --> 01:07:38,471
could see what he was saying.
2569
01:07:38,513 --> 01:07:40,807
I mean, he wasn't saying--
2570
01:07:40,849 --> 01:07:43,434
It's what he said in his
2571
01:07:40,849 --> 01:07:43,434
quote unquote "apology."
2572
01:07:43,476 --> 01:07:45,353
"I wasn't saying we're
2573
01:07:43,476 --> 01:07:45,353
better than Jesus.
2574
01:07:45,395 --> 01:07:48,272
"I wasn't saying it's
2575
01:07:45,395 --> 01:07:48,272
good or it's bad.
2576
01:07:48,314 --> 01:07:49,691
It's just that it's true."
2577
01:07:49,733 --> 01:07:51,150
And to me it was
2578
01:07:49,733 --> 01:07:51,150
absolutely true.
2579
01:07:51,192 --> 01:07:52,610
It was unquestionable.
2580
01:07:52,652 --> 01:07:55,864
There was such a
2581
01:07:52,652 --> 01:07:55,864
backlash against that.
2582
01:07:55,906 --> 01:07:57,991
It made you aware of
2583
01:07:55,906 --> 01:07:57,991
some of the fault lines
2584
01:07:58,033 --> 01:07:59,701
in American culture.
2585
01:07:59,743 --> 01:08:02,704
Or made you aware once
2586
01:07:59,743 --> 01:08:02,704
again that what seemed maybe
2587
01:08:02,746 --> 01:08:04,998
like a unified culture,
2588
01:08:02,746 --> 01:08:04,998
really wasn't.
2589
01:08:05,040 --> 01:08:08,084
And it was harsh.
2590
01:08:05,040 --> 01:08:08,084
You know, it was scary.
2591
01:08:08,125 --> 01:08:11,379
- [Narrator] These fault
2592
01:08:08,125 --> 01:08:11,379
lines in American society
2593
01:08:11,421 --> 01:08:14,007
had been growing
2594
01:08:11,421 --> 01:08:14,007
since the early 1960s,
2595
01:08:14,049 --> 01:08:16,885
and where the civil rights
2596
01:08:14,049 --> 01:08:16,885
campaigns for racial equality
2597
01:08:16,927 --> 01:08:18,887
had most clearly exposed
2598
01:08:16,927 --> 01:08:18,887
these divisions
2599
01:08:18,929 --> 01:08:21,973
earlier in the decade,
2600
01:08:18,929 --> 01:08:21,973
by the mid 1960s
2601
01:08:22,015 --> 01:08:24,976
there was no issue more
2602
01:08:22,015 --> 01:08:24,976
pressing or more polarizing
2603
01:08:25,018 --> 01:08:26,978
than the Vietnam War.
2604
01:08:27,020 --> 01:08:30,565
Since the US entered into
2605
01:08:27,020 --> 01:08:30,565
the conflict in 1962,
2606
01:08:30,607 --> 01:08:33,150
it had provoked widespread
2607
01:08:30,607 --> 01:08:33,150
public opposition
2608
01:08:33,192 --> 01:08:37,447
and organized protests both
2609
01:08:33,192 --> 01:08:37,447
in the US and across Europe.
2610
01:08:37,488 --> 01:08:40,491
The underground movement
2611
01:08:37,488 --> 01:08:40,491
McCartney had become involved in
2612
01:08:40,533 --> 01:08:44,037
had itself emerged from the
2613
01:08:40,533 --> 01:08:44,037
early '60s pacifist movement
2614
01:08:44,079 --> 01:08:47,999
in the UK, and by the time
2615
01:08:44,079 --> 01:08:47,999
of their 1966 US tour,
2616
01:08:48,041 --> 01:08:50,501
privately both he
2617
01:08:48,041 --> 01:08:50,501
and his bandmates
2618
01:08:50,543 --> 01:08:52,587
were opponents of the war.
2619
01:08:52,629 --> 01:08:54,631
As they traveled across America,
2620
01:08:54,672 --> 01:08:56,633
already battling controversy,
2621
01:08:56,674 --> 01:09:00,053
the ever honest Liverpudlians
2622
01:08:56,674 --> 01:09:00,053
came under fire once again
2623
01:09:00,095 --> 01:09:03,974
when they made this position
2624
01:09:00,095 --> 01:09:03,974
absolutely clear to the press.
2625
01:09:04,015 --> 01:09:07,727
- In 1966, the war was
2626
01:09:04,015 --> 01:09:07,727
without any question
2627
01:09:07,769 --> 01:09:11,481
much more on people's minds
2628
01:09:07,769 --> 01:09:11,481
in America than The Beatles.
2629
01:09:11,522 --> 01:09:14,317
Nineteen-sixty-six was the year
2630
01:09:11,522 --> 01:09:14,317
the war exploded.
2631
01:09:14,358 --> 01:09:17,695
Nineteen-sixty-six was the year
2632
01:09:14,358 --> 01:09:17,695
that the number of draftees
2633
01:09:17,737 --> 01:09:19,405
more than doubled
2634
01:09:17,737 --> 01:09:19,405
in this country.
2635
01:09:19,447 --> 01:09:21,324
Nineteen-sixty-six
2636
01:09:19,447 --> 01:09:21,324
was also the year
2637
01:09:21,365 --> 01:09:23,994
in which the war really got
2638
01:09:21,365 --> 01:09:23,994
terrible in Vietnam itself.
2639
01:09:24,035 --> 01:09:27,288
It was a bigger, bigger
2640
01:09:24,035 --> 01:09:27,288
deal all the time.
2641
01:09:27,330 --> 01:09:29,540
There was more
2642
01:09:27,330 --> 01:09:29,540
destruction going on.
2643
01:09:29,582 --> 01:09:33,753
- At the height of American
2644
01:09:29,582 --> 01:09:33,753
involvement in Vietnam,
2645
01:09:33,795 --> 01:09:36,923
they had 550,000
2646
01:09:33,795 --> 01:09:36,923
troops in that country.
2647
01:09:36,965 --> 01:09:39,509
I mean, that's a
2648
01:09:36,965 --> 01:09:39,509
lot of young people.
2649
01:09:39,550 --> 01:09:42,137
There was a draft in
2650
01:09:39,550 --> 01:09:42,137
the United States.
2651
01:09:42,178 --> 01:09:45,765
The war had come home
2652
01:09:42,178 --> 01:09:45,765
in a big way.
2653
01:09:45,807 --> 01:09:48,852
It wasn't an abstract
2654
01:09:45,807 --> 01:09:48,852
issue in any regard.
2655
01:09:48,893 --> 01:09:53,106
And youth representatives
2656
01:09:48,893 --> 01:09:53,106
like The Beatles,
2657
01:09:53,148 --> 01:09:55,441
people who were part
2658
01:09:53,148 --> 01:09:55,441
of youth culture,
2659
01:09:55,483 --> 01:09:58,486
were expected to
2660
01:09:55,483 --> 01:09:58,486
take a stand on it.
2661
01:09:58,528 --> 01:10:00,321
- [Man] It seems to me
2662
01:09:58,528 --> 01:10:00,321
you've always been successful
2663
01:10:00,363 --> 01:10:02,991
because you've been outspoken
2664
01:10:00,363 --> 01:10:02,991
and direct and forthright
2665
01:10:03,033 --> 01:10:04,492
and all this sort of thing.
2666
01:10:04,534 --> 01:10:06,036
Does it seem a bit hard to you
2667
01:10:06,077 --> 01:10:09,914
that people are now knocking
2668
01:10:06,077 --> 01:10:09,914
you for this very thing?
2669
01:10:09,956 --> 01:10:11,290
- Yes, Richard.
2670
01:10:11,332 --> 01:10:13,501
- It seems very hard.
2671
01:10:11,332 --> 01:10:13,501
- It seems hard.
2672
01:10:13,543 --> 01:10:15,795
But you know, free speech.
2673
01:10:15,837 --> 01:10:17,755
- [Richard] But is it possible
2674
01:10:15,837 --> 01:10:17,755
just to say what you think
2675
01:10:17,797 --> 01:10:19,590
all the time? What about
2676
01:10:17,797 --> 01:10:19,590
14-year-old teenagers
2677
01:10:19,632 --> 01:10:21,342
who think you're
2678
01:10:19,632 --> 01:10:21,342
absolutely marvelous
2679
01:10:21,384 --> 01:10:23,011
and can't bear to be hurt?
2680
01:10:23,053 --> 01:10:25,847
- When we say anything
2681
01:10:23,053 --> 01:10:25,847
like that, we don't say it,
2682
01:10:25,889 --> 01:10:29,809
as older people seem to
2683
01:10:25,889 --> 01:10:29,809
think, to be offensive.
2684
01:10:29,851 --> 01:10:31,936
We mean it helpfully, you know.
2685
01:10:31,978 --> 01:10:34,355
And if it's wrong what
2686
01:10:31,978 --> 01:10:34,355
we say, okay, it's wrong.
2687
01:10:34,397 --> 01:10:37,192
People can say you're
2688
01:10:34,397 --> 01:10:37,192
wrong about that one.
2689
01:10:37,233 --> 01:10:39,527
But in many cases, we
2690
01:10:37,233 --> 01:10:39,527
believe it's right.
2691
01:10:39,569 --> 01:10:41,487
We're quite serious about it.
2692
01:10:41,529 --> 01:10:43,740
- [Richard] Do you mind
2693
01:10:41,529 --> 01:10:43,740
being asked questions?
2694
01:10:43,781 --> 01:10:45,158
For example, in America
2695
01:10:45,200 --> 01:10:46,659
people keep asking you
2696
01:10:45,200 --> 01:10:46,659
questions about Vietnam.
2697
01:10:46,701 --> 01:10:48,578
Does this seem useful?
2698
01:10:46,701 --> 01:10:48,578
- Well, I don't know.
2699
01:10:48,619 --> 01:10:50,329
If you can say
2700
01:10:48,619 --> 01:10:50,329
that war's no good
2701
01:10:50,371 --> 01:10:52,874
and a few people believe
2702
01:10:50,371 --> 01:10:52,874
you, then it may be good.
2703
01:10:52,916 --> 01:10:55,210
You can't say it too much,
2704
01:10:52,916 --> 01:10:55,210
though, that's the trouble.
2705
01:10:55,251 --> 01:10:56,753
- It seems a bit
2706
01:10:55,251 --> 01:10:56,753
silly to be in America
2707
01:10:56,794 --> 01:10:58,546
and for none of them
2708
01:10:56,794 --> 01:10:58,546
to mention Vietnam
2709
01:10:58,588 --> 01:11:00,173
as if nothing was happening.
2710
01:11:00,215 --> 01:11:02,717
- They were the first band
2711
01:11:00,215 --> 01:11:02,717
to be asked about politics,
2712
01:11:02,759 --> 01:11:05,970
about Vietnam, about a whole
2713
01:11:02,759 --> 01:11:05,970
number of social issues.
2714
01:11:06,012 --> 01:11:07,346
And in fact, I mean,
2715
01:11:07,388 --> 01:11:09,473
although Dylan came
2716
01:11:07,388 --> 01:11:09,473
a little bit before,
2717
01:11:09,515 --> 01:11:12,685
as far as I know, he never
2718
01:11:09,515 --> 01:11:12,685
once ever came out in public
2719
01:11:12,727 --> 01:11:14,311
against the Vietnam War.
2720
01:11:14,353 --> 01:11:16,272
So maybe The Beatles
2721
01:11:14,353 --> 01:11:16,272
were the first there,
2722
01:11:16,313 --> 01:11:18,900
in terms of a very
2723
01:11:16,313 --> 01:11:18,900
well-known band.
2724
01:11:18,942 --> 01:11:20,693
- Well, it cost them a lot.
2725
01:11:20,735 --> 01:11:24,155
There were then teenage girls
2726
01:11:20,735 --> 01:11:24,155
in the South, in the Midwest,
2727
01:11:24,197 --> 01:11:26,741
who didn't like
2728
01:11:24,197 --> 01:11:26,741
The Beatles anymore.
2729
01:11:26,783 --> 01:11:28,993
- I think The Beatles
2730
01:11:26,783 --> 01:11:28,993
are a real talented group,
2731
01:11:29,035 --> 01:11:30,828
but I think they need
2732
01:11:29,035 --> 01:11:30,828
to watch what they say,
2733
01:11:30,870 --> 01:11:32,956
because they're in
2734
01:11:30,870 --> 01:11:32,956
such a position
2735
01:11:32,997 --> 01:11:35,666
that a lot of teenagers
2736
01:11:32,997 --> 01:11:35,666
really think of them
2737
01:11:35,708 --> 01:11:37,252
as something really big.
2738
01:11:37,293 --> 01:11:39,003
When they say things like that
2739
01:11:39,045 --> 01:11:41,464
some teenagers are going to
2740
01:11:39,045 --> 01:11:41,464
just believe anything they say.
2741
01:11:41,505 --> 01:11:45,135
- In 1965, The Beatles
2742
01:11:41,505 --> 01:11:45,135
were universally beloved.
2743
01:11:45,176 --> 01:11:46,636
Nobody didn't like them.
2744
01:11:46,677 --> 01:11:49,931
They were just
2745
01:11:46,677 --> 01:11:49,931
wonderful and funny
2746
01:11:49,973 --> 01:11:53,268
and creative and unthreatening.
2747
01:11:54,978 --> 01:11:58,522
As they became more involved
2748
01:11:54,978 --> 01:11:58,522
in the counterculture
2749
01:11:58,564 --> 01:12:00,399
and more representative of it,
2750
01:12:00,441 --> 01:12:02,819
they lost a lot of
2751
01:12:00,441 --> 01:12:02,819
that belovedness.
2752
01:12:02,860 --> 01:12:05,238
They helped to move
2753
01:12:02,860 --> 01:12:05,238
a lot of people
2754
01:12:05,280 --> 01:12:07,031
who might not otherwise
2755
01:12:05,280 --> 01:12:07,031
have gone along
2756
01:12:07,073 --> 01:12:10,576
with the stuff that happened
2757
01:12:07,073 --> 01:12:10,576
in '66 and '67 and '68.
2758
01:12:10,618 --> 01:12:12,203
Without any question,
2759
01:12:12,245 --> 01:12:15,706
they were inspirational and
2760
01:12:12,245 --> 01:12:15,706
influential in that way.
2761
01:12:15,748 --> 01:12:17,834
But they also lost
2762
01:12:15,748 --> 01:12:17,834
a lot of people.
2763
01:12:17,875 --> 01:12:23,089
They became part of what
2764
01:12:17,875 --> 01:12:23,089
many, many people in America,
2765
01:12:23,131 --> 01:12:26,843
probably a majority
2766
01:12:23,131 --> 01:12:26,843
of people in America,
2767
01:12:26,884 --> 01:12:31,388
regarded as a disturbing...
2768
01:12:31,430 --> 01:12:33,850
loosening of values and morals.
2769
01:12:33,891 --> 01:12:36,894
And a political threat.
2770
01:12:36,936 --> 01:12:39,647
- [Narrator] And at exactly
2771
01:12:36,936 --> 01:12:39,647
this point,
2772
01:12:39,689 --> 01:12:43,442
The Beatles ceased operating
2773
01:12:39,689 --> 01:12:43,442
as a traditional band.
2774
01:12:43,484 --> 01:12:45,278
Upon their return from the US,
2775
01:12:45,320 --> 01:12:48,198
they announced that they were
2776
01:12:45,320 --> 01:12:48,198
abandoning live performance,
2777
01:12:48,239 --> 01:12:49,699
with the final show
2778
01:12:49,740 --> 01:12:52,535
of the American tour
2779
01:12:49,740 --> 01:12:52,535
their last ever paid gig.
2780
01:12:52,576 --> 01:12:55,246
And then the most photographed
2781
01:12:52,576 --> 01:12:55,246
celebrities in the world
2782
01:12:55,288 --> 01:12:58,708
simply disappeared from
2783
01:12:55,288 --> 01:12:58,708
the public eye altogether.
2784
01:12:58,749 --> 01:13:01,794
- [ reporter
2785
01:12:58,749 --> 01:13:01,794
Can I have a word?
2786
01:13:01,836 --> 01:13:05,589
Are The Beatles going to
2787
01:13:01,836 --> 01:13:05,589
go their own ways in 1967?
2788
01:13:05,631 --> 01:13:08,759
- We could be on
2789
01:13:05,631 --> 01:13:08,759
our own or together.
2790
01:13:08,801 --> 01:13:11,304
We're always involved with each
2791
01:13:08,801 --> 01:13:11,304
other, whatever we're doing.
2792
01:13:11,346 --> 01:13:12,555
- Could you ever see a time
2793
01:13:12,596 --> 01:13:15,350
when you weren't
2794
01:13:12,596 --> 01:13:15,350
working together?
2795
01:13:15,391 --> 01:13:18,061
- I could see us working
2796
01:13:15,391 --> 01:13:18,061
not together for a period,
2797
01:13:18,102 --> 01:13:20,313
but we'd always get together
2798
01:13:18,102 --> 01:13:20,313
for one reason or another.
2799
01:13:20,355 --> 01:13:24,108
I mean, you need other
2800
01:13:20,355 --> 01:13:24,108
people for ideas as well,
2801
01:13:24,150 --> 01:13:27,695
you know,
2802
01:13:24,150 --> 01:13:27,695
and we all get along fine.
2803
01:13:27,737 --> 01:13:30,073
- [Narrator] Rumors of a
2804
01:13:27,737 --> 01:13:30,073
break-up began to circulate.
2805
01:13:30,114 --> 01:13:32,075
Yet, away from the spotlight,
2806
01:13:32,116 --> 01:13:34,077
the four Liverpudlians
2807
01:13:32,116 --> 01:13:34,077
were hard at work
2808
01:13:34,118 --> 01:13:37,080
on their most ambitious
2809
01:13:34,118 --> 01:13:37,080
production to date.
2810
01:13:37,121 --> 01:13:39,165
The public would have
2811
01:13:37,121 --> 01:13:39,165
to wait for months
2812
01:13:39,207 --> 01:13:40,958
before The Beatles reappeared,
2813
01:13:41,000 --> 01:13:44,420
and when, in February 1967,
2814
01:13:41,000 --> 01:13:44,420
they finally did,
2815
01:13:44,461 --> 01:13:46,547
both their image and their sound
2816
01:13:46,589 --> 01:13:49,842
had undergone a
2817
01:13:46,589 --> 01:13:49,842
startling transformation.
2818
01:13:49,884 --> 01:13:52,011
- Strawberry Fields of course
2819
01:13:49,884 --> 01:13:52,011
was originally intended
2820
01:13:52,053 --> 01:13:54,638
as part of the Sgt. Pepper
2821
01:13:52,053 --> 01:13:54,638
sessions.
2822
01:13:54,680 --> 01:13:57,975
But the press kept on saying,
2823
01:13:54,680 --> 01:13:57,975
"Are The Beatles finished?
2824
01:13:58,017 --> 01:14:01,020
"They've disappeared,
2825
01:13:58,017 --> 01:14:01,020
they've run out of ideas,"
2826
01:14:01,062 --> 01:14:03,106
not realizing that
2827
01:14:01,062 --> 01:14:03,106
they were working
2828
01:14:03,147 --> 01:14:05,858
on one of their
2829
01:14:03,147 --> 01:14:05,858
greatest achievements.
2830
01:14:05,900 --> 01:14:09,195
And to me, obviously,
2831
01:14:05,900 --> 01:14:09,195
it wasn't unexpected
2832
01:14:09,237 --> 01:14:11,364
because, well, I was at
2833
01:14:09,237 --> 01:14:11,364
some of the sessions.
2834
01:14:11,406 --> 01:14:14,951
But I think to the public
2835
01:14:11,406 --> 01:14:14,951
it came as quite a shock.
2836
01:14:19,247 --> 01:14:21,624
♪ Let me take you down
2837
01:14:21,665 --> 01:14:27,546
♪ 'Cause I'm going
2838
01:14:21,665 --> 01:14:27,546
to Strawberry Fields... ♪
2839
01:14:29,590 --> 01:14:32,051
- "Strawberry Fields Forever"
2840
01:14:29,590 --> 01:14:32,051
was something else again.
2841
01:14:32,093 --> 01:14:34,553
It was:
2842
01:14:32,093 --> 01:14:34,553
The Beatles had gone weird.
2843
01:14:34,595 --> 01:14:36,555
That was basically
2844
01:14:34,595 --> 01:14:36,555
what people felt.
2845
01:14:36,597 --> 01:14:39,183
What is wrong with them?
2846
01:14:36,597 --> 01:14:39,183
That's--
2847
01:14:39,225 --> 01:14:40,726
"Let me take you down
2848
01:14:40,768 --> 01:14:43,104
'cause I'm going to
2849
01:14:40,768 --> 01:14:43,104
Strawberry Fields."
2850
01:14:43,146 --> 01:14:44,939
The voice, it didn't
2851
01:14:43,146 --> 01:14:44,939
sound like Lennon.
2852
01:14:44,981 --> 01:14:46,607
Well, that's because they'd
2853
01:14:44,981 --> 01:14:46,607
slowed the voice down.
2854
01:14:46,649 --> 01:14:49,819
Nothing sounded
2855
01:14:46,649 --> 01:14:49,819
normal on that record.
2856
01:14:49,860 --> 01:14:51,404
The whole production.
2857
01:14:51,446 --> 01:14:54,073
Everything was up in the
2858
01:14:51,446 --> 01:14:54,073
air, put through effects.
2859
01:14:54,115 --> 01:14:56,533
And then there was a video that
2860
01:14:54,115 --> 01:14:56,533
was made at the time as well,
2861
01:14:56,575 --> 01:15:00,330
shot in Sevenoaks or somewhere,
2862
01:14:56,575 --> 01:15:00,330
and it was the strangest thing.
2863
01:15:00,371 --> 01:15:02,790
You had Ringo as if
2864
01:15:00,371 --> 01:15:02,790
he was disembodied.
2865
01:15:02,832 --> 01:15:04,292
They were falling out of trees.
2866
01:15:04,334 --> 01:15:06,127
There was nothing
2867
01:15:04,334 --> 01:15:06,127
like that at all.
2868
01:15:06,169 --> 01:15:12,300
♪ Living is easy
2869
01:15:06,169 --> 01:15:12,300
with eyes closed
2870
01:15:12,342 --> 01:15:17,680
♪ Misunderstanding all you see
2871
01:15:17,721 --> 01:15:20,808
♪ It's getting
2872
01:15:17,721 --> 01:15:20,808
hard to be someone
2873
01:15:20,850 --> 01:15:23,353
♪ But it all works out
2874
01:15:23,394 --> 01:15:27,690
♪ It doesn't matter much to
2875
01:15:23,394 --> 01:15:27,690
me...♪
2876
01:15:27,731 --> 01:15:29,859
-It had more in common
2877
01:15:27,731 --> 01:15:29,859
with Salvador Dali
2878
01:15:29,900 --> 01:15:32,069
and the Surrealists and Dada.
2879
01:15:32,111 --> 01:15:35,490
All these highfalutin
2880
01:15:32,111 --> 01:15:35,490
art kind of ideas,
2881
01:15:35,531 --> 01:15:38,493
which was once
2882
01:15:35,531 --> 01:15:38,493
the preserve, really,
2883
01:15:38,534 --> 01:15:41,245
mainly,
2884
01:15:38,534 --> 01:15:41,245
of the educated elite.
2885
01:15:41,287 --> 01:15:44,081
But this is The Beatles now
2886
01:15:41,287 --> 01:15:44,081
bringing it to everybody.
2887
01:15:44,123 --> 01:15:49,045
- The short film for Strawberry
2888
01:15:44,123 --> 01:15:49,045
Fields had a seismic impact
2889
01:15:49,086 --> 01:15:52,923
because it showed that they
2890
01:15:49,086 --> 01:15:52,923
had traveled a distance
2891
01:15:52,965 --> 01:15:56,635
that, well, I felt it
2892
01:15:52,965 --> 01:15:56,635
kind of incumbent on me
2893
01:15:56,677 --> 01:16:01,098
to then travel as a young
2894
01:15:56,677 --> 01:16:01,098
person who believed in them.
2895
01:16:01,140 --> 01:16:02,850
It was like, "Wow, okay,
2896
01:16:02,892 --> 01:16:05,769
this is what's being
2897
01:16:02,892 --> 01:16:05,769
asked of me now."
2898
01:16:05,811 --> 01:16:08,105
It wasn't just,
2899
01:16:05,811 --> 01:16:08,105
"Oh, they look cool."
2900
01:16:08,147 --> 01:16:11,025
It was, "All right,
2901
01:16:08,147 --> 01:16:11,025
this is the path."
2902
01:16:11,067 --> 01:16:13,777
- [Narrator] And that
2903
01:16:11,067 --> 01:16:13,777
path became even clearer
2904
01:16:13,819 --> 01:16:14,904
as the year progressed.
2905
01:16:14,945 --> 01:16:17,614
By the turn of 1967,
2906
01:16:17,656 --> 01:16:20,159
the counterculture
2907
01:16:17,656 --> 01:16:20,159
was gaining momentum,
2908
01:16:20,201 --> 01:16:21,785
with huge numbers of youths
2909
01:16:21,827 --> 01:16:23,538
gravitating towards
2910
01:16:21,827 --> 01:16:23,538
its new Mecca,
2911
01:16:23,579 --> 01:16:26,332
San Francisco's
2912
01:16:23,579 --> 01:16:26,332
Haight-Ashbury district.
2913
01:16:26,374 --> 01:16:29,210
From here, a strong musical
2914
01:16:26,374 --> 01:16:29,210
scene was developing,
2915
01:16:29,252 --> 01:16:31,795
headed by psychedelic
2916
01:16:29,252 --> 01:16:31,795
bands The Grateful Dead
2917
01:16:31,837 --> 01:16:33,464
and the Jefferson Airplane,
2918
01:16:33,506 --> 01:16:37,093
and word spread of a new
2919
01:16:33,506 --> 01:16:37,093
phenomenon: the hippy.
2920
01:16:37,134 --> 01:16:40,263
In the UK, the underground's
2921
01:16:37,134 --> 01:16:40,263
influence expanded,
2922
01:16:40,304 --> 01:16:43,307
with its own newspaper,
2923
01:16:40,304 --> 01:16:43,307
The International Times,
2924
01:16:43,349 --> 01:16:45,268
a live music club, UFO,
2925
01:16:45,309 --> 01:16:47,437
and emerging stars
2926
01:16:45,309 --> 01:16:47,437
the Pink Floyd
2927
01:16:47,478 --> 01:16:49,646
and the American,
2928
01:16:47,478 --> 01:16:49,646
Jimi Hendrix.
2929
01:16:49,688 --> 01:16:52,316
Into this blooming
2930
01:16:49,688 --> 01:16:52,316
scene of peace, love
2931
01:16:52,358 --> 01:16:53,901
and mind-expanding drugs,
2932
01:16:53,943 --> 01:16:56,695
came The Beatles' most
2933
01:16:53,943 --> 01:16:56,695
ambitious work to date,
2934
01:16:56,737 --> 01:16:59,115
one which would not
2935
01:16:56,737 --> 01:16:59,115
only capture the essence
2936
01:16:59,156 --> 01:17:00,616
of this new sensibility,
2937
01:17:00,657 --> 01:17:03,869
but also transform the
2938
01:17:00,657 --> 01:17:03,869
record industry once again:
2939
01:17:03,911 --> 01:17:07,164
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely
2940
01:17:03,911 --> 01:17:07,164
Hearts Club Band.
2941
01:17:07,206 --> 01:17:09,208
Presented as a work of art,
2942
01:17:09,250 --> 01:17:12,462
with a single concept
2943
01:17:09,250 --> 01:17:12,462
unifying the album as a whole,
2944
01:17:12,503 --> 01:17:15,381
it announced that the age of
2945
01:17:12,503 --> 01:17:15,381
the traditional pop single
2946
01:17:15,423 --> 01:17:17,633
and the pop band was over.
2947
01:17:17,674 --> 01:17:21,720
- Sgt. Pepper revolutionized
2948
01:17:17,674 --> 01:17:21,720
the record industry.
2949
01:17:21,762 --> 01:17:25,849
All of a sudden, albums
2950
01:17:21,762 --> 01:17:25,849
sold as much as singles.
2951
01:17:25,891 --> 01:17:28,519
Sgt. Pepper sold
2952
01:17:25,891 --> 01:17:28,519
in the millions.
2953
01:17:28,561 --> 01:17:33,065
On pure business terms, it
2954
01:17:28,561 --> 01:17:33,065
was a revolutionary release.
2955
01:17:33,107 --> 01:17:35,734
But also it was
2956
01:17:33,107 --> 01:17:35,734
revolutionary in terms
2957
01:17:35,776 --> 01:17:38,571
of letting the
2958
01:17:35,776 --> 01:17:38,571
record industry know
2959
01:17:38,613 --> 01:17:40,448
precisely what it could sell.
2960
01:17:40,490 --> 01:17:45,453
What you could do is invest
2961
01:17:40,490 --> 01:17:45,453
in the finest artistic minds
2962
01:17:45,495 --> 01:17:50,749
of a generation and give them
2963
01:17:45,495 --> 01:17:50,749
the freedom to make their art,
2964
01:17:50,791 --> 01:17:55,505
package it up as an album
2965
01:17:50,791 --> 01:17:55,505
and sell it in the millions.
2966
01:17:55,546 --> 01:17:59,258
- Paul had this idea of,
2967
01:17:55,546 --> 01:17:59,258
"we want to get away
2968
01:17:59,300 --> 01:18:01,969
"from being the four mop-tops
2969
01:17:59,300 --> 01:18:01,969
and The Fab Four.
2970
01:18:02,011 --> 01:18:03,762
"So we create this new
2971
01:18:02,011 --> 01:18:03,762
name for ourselves.
2972
01:18:03,804 --> 01:18:05,681
"We're going to be
2973
01:18:03,804 --> 01:18:05,681
a different group.
2974
01:18:05,722 --> 01:18:07,266
That'll give us the freedom
2975
01:18:05,722 --> 01:18:07,266
to do what the hell we want."
2976
01:18:07,308 --> 01:18:09,893
That is the basic concept.
2977
01:18:07,308 --> 01:18:09,893
The songs--
2978
01:18:09,935 --> 01:18:12,271
many of those songs
2979
01:18:09,935 --> 01:18:12,271
could have been on
2980
01:18:12,313 --> 01:18:14,023
any of the other albums.
2981
01:18:14,064 --> 01:18:16,733
They weren't specific
2982
01:18:14,064 --> 01:18:16,733
to that particular one.
2983
01:18:16,775 --> 01:18:19,195
But the influence of it
2984
01:18:16,775 --> 01:18:19,195
was staggering.
2985
01:18:19,236 --> 01:18:21,322
The Beatles were a force
2986
01:18:19,236 --> 01:18:21,322
to be reckoned with.
2987
01:18:21,364 --> 01:18:24,325
Even The Stones were badly
2988
01:18:21,364 --> 01:18:24,325
affected by them at that point.
2989
01:18:24,367 --> 01:18:26,035
Everyone just had
2990
01:18:24,367 --> 01:18:26,035
to deal with them.
2991
01:18:26,076 --> 01:18:27,244
They were like a roadblock.
2992
01:18:27,286 --> 01:18:28,745
If you were in the
2993
01:18:27,286 --> 01:18:28,745
music business,
2994
01:18:28,787 --> 01:18:30,665
you had to deal with
2995
01:18:28,787 --> 01:18:30,665
this great big thing
2996
01:18:30,706 --> 01:18:33,668
in front of you and get
2997
01:18:30,706 --> 01:18:33,668
round it the best you could.
2998
01:18:33,709 --> 01:18:37,630
♪ Lucy in the sky
2999
01:18:33,709 --> 01:18:37,630
with diamonds ♪
3000
01:18:39,131 --> 01:18:43,093
♪ Lucy in the sky
3001
01:18:39,131 --> 01:18:43,093
with diamonds ♪
3002
01:18:44,428 --> 01:18:49,600
♪ Lucy in the sky
3003
01:18:44,428 --> 01:18:49,600
with diamonds ♪
3004
01:18:49,642 --> 01:18:52,353
♪ Ah
3005
01:18:52,395 --> 01:18:55,356
♪ Follow her down
3006
01:18:52,395 --> 01:18:55,356
to a bridge...♪
3007
01:18:55,398 --> 01:18:57,816
- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely
3008
01:18:55,398 --> 01:18:57,816
Heart Club's Band,
3009
01:18:57,858 --> 01:19:02,530
I mean, just the title
3010
01:18:57,858 --> 01:19:02,530
itself was a piece of art
3011
01:19:02,572 --> 01:19:04,657
and something that
3012
01:19:02,572 --> 01:19:04,657
mystified people.
3013
01:19:04,699 --> 01:19:06,200
Peter Blake did the cover,
3014
01:19:06,242 --> 01:19:08,619
and Peter Blake was the
3015
01:19:06,242 --> 01:19:08,619
father of British Pop Art.
3016
01:19:08,661 --> 01:19:11,038
Everything about Sgt. Pepper
3017
01:19:08,661 --> 01:19:11,038
was an enigma.
3018
01:19:11,080 --> 01:19:14,375
The fact that they were
3019
01:19:11,080 --> 01:19:14,375
pretending to not be The Beatles
3020
01:19:14,417 --> 01:19:15,710
but to be another band.
3021
01:19:15,751 --> 01:19:18,045
The locked groove at
3022
01:19:15,751 --> 01:19:18,045
the end of side two.
3023
01:19:18,087 --> 01:19:20,756
Lucy in the sky with
3024
01:19:18,087 --> 01:19:20,756
diamonds. Ah, L-S-D.
3025
01:19:20,797 --> 01:19:23,884
Secret messages all
3026
01:19:20,797 --> 01:19:23,884
the way through.
3027
01:19:23,926 --> 01:19:26,303
It was like a work
3028
01:19:23,926 --> 01:19:26,303
of literature.
3029
01:19:26,345 --> 01:19:27,846
It was like a Ulysses
3030
01:19:26,345 --> 01:19:27,846
or something,
3031
01:19:27,888 --> 01:19:29,056
where people were just thinking,
3032
01:19:29,098 --> 01:19:30,641
I don't quite understand this
3033
01:19:30,683 --> 01:19:32,976
but there's definitely
3034
01:19:30,683 --> 01:19:32,976
something really going on.
3035
01:19:33,018 --> 01:19:35,145
- [Narrator] This
3036
01:19:33,018 --> 01:19:35,145
combination of imagination
3037
01:19:35,187 --> 01:19:37,273
and mystery proved irresistible.
3038
01:19:37,314 --> 01:19:39,734
With Sgt. Pepper, The
3039
01:19:37,314 --> 01:19:39,734
Beatles transformed
3040
01:19:39,775 --> 01:19:44,238
from pop culture icons into
3041
01:19:39,775 --> 01:19:44,238
mystics of the modern age.
3042
01:19:44,280 --> 01:19:46,907
- When The Beatles came
3043
01:19:44,280 --> 01:19:46,907
out with their new song,
3044
01:19:46,949 --> 01:19:49,493
people started pondering
3045
01:19:46,949 --> 01:19:49,493
that these are people
3046
01:19:49,535 --> 01:19:53,330
that you're looking
3047
01:19:49,535 --> 01:19:53,330
to for meaning.
3048
01:19:53,372 --> 01:19:55,750
- [Barry] By '67,
3049
01:19:53,372 --> 01:19:55,750
I think the release
3050
01:19:55,791 --> 01:19:57,376
of Sgt. Pepper in America
3051
01:19:57,418 --> 01:19:59,169
established
3052
01:19:57,418 --> 01:19:59,169
The Beatles basically
3053
01:19:59,211 --> 01:20:01,213
as the leaders of
3054
01:19:59,211 --> 01:20:01,213
the counterculture
3055
01:20:01,255 --> 01:20:02,673
along with a few other people
3056
01:20:02,715 --> 01:20:04,717
like Allen Ginsberg,
3057
01:20:02,715 --> 01:20:04,717
Timothy Leary.
3058
01:20:04,759 --> 01:20:08,429
But The Beatles were
3059
01:20:04,759 --> 01:20:08,429
the musical leaders.
3060
01:20:08,471 --> 01:20:12,516
Right across the board, they
3061
01:20:08,471 --> 01:20:12,516
were seen as, yes, as gods.
3062
01:20:12,558 --> 01:20:15,811
Leary himself said a lot
3063
01:20:12,558 --> 01:20:15,811
of silly things about them,
3064
01:20:15,852 --> 01:20:18,230
they were a type of new
3065
01:20:15,852 --> 01:20:18,230
superheroes, leaders of men,
3066
01:20:18,272 --> 01:20:20,107
and all this stuff.
3067
01:20:20,149 --> 01:20:24,528
- I'm not convinced that the
3068
01:20:20,149 --> 01:20:24,528
youth culture in the mid '60s
3069
01:20:24,570 --> 01:20:28,991
were terribly aware of
3070
01:20:24,570 --> 01:20:28,991
LSD and Timothy Leary
3071
01:20:29,032 --> 01:20:31,786
and even counterculture
3072
01:20:29,032 --> 01:20:31,786
attitudes.
3073
01:20:31,827 --> 01:20:37,040
If it hadn't been for that
3074
01:20:31,827 --> 01:20:37,040
conduit that was The Beatles,
3075
01:20:37,082 --> 01:20:40,043
this sort of stuff
3076
01:20:37,082 --> 01:20:40,043
might have just stayed
3077
01:20:40,085 --> 01:20:42,546
in San Francisco, in California.
3078
01:20:42,588 --> 01:20:45,090
The counterculture wasn't
3079
01:20:42,588 --> 01:20:45,090
called the "underground"
3080
01:20:45,132 --> 01:20:47,092
for no reason.
3081
01:20:47,134 --> 01:20:48,511
Not many people knew about it.
3082
01:20:48,552 --> 01:20:51,263
- [Narrator] Yet
3083
01:20:48,552 --> 01:20:51,263
The Beatles were determined
3084
01:20:51,305 --> 01:20:53,516
to spread the word even further.
3085
01:20:53,557 --> 01:20:55,851
At the end of June 1967,
3086
01:20:55,892 --> 01:20:58,562
less than a month after
3087
01:20:55,892 --> 01:20:58,562
the release of Sgt. Pepper's,
3088
01:20:58,604 --> 01:20:59,980
the band were invited
3089
01:21:00,022 --> 01:21:02,191
to represent Britain
3090
01:21:00,022 --> 01:21:02,191
in the first ever
3091
01:21:02,232 --> 01:21:05,152
international satellite
3092
01:21:02,232 --> 01:21:05,152
television broadcast.
3093
01:21:05,194 --> 01:21:07,822
Across the US,
3094
01:21:05,194 --> 01:21:07,822
Canada and Europe,
3095
01:21:07,863 --> 01:21:10,282
the youthful optimism
3096
01:21:07,863 --> 01:21:10,282
of the counterculture
3097
01:21:10,324 --> 01:21:13,536
was reaching its peak
3098
01:21:10,324 --> 01:21:13,536
during the Summer of Love,
3099
01:21:13,577 --> 01:21:16,372
with thousands flocking
3100
01:21:13,577 --> 01:21:16,372
to large public events.
3101
01:21:16,413 --> 01:21:19,625
With their historic contribution
3102
01:21:16,413 --> 01:21:19,625
to the One World broadcast,
3103
01:21:19,667 --> 01:21:22,670
The Beatles delivered the
3104
01:21:19,667 --> 01:21:22,670
scene's definitive anthem
3105
01:21:22,712 --> 01:21:27,717
to an audience of over 500
3106
01:21:22,712 --> 01:21:27,717
million viewers worldwide.
3107
01:21:27,758 --> 01:21:29,468
- The Beatles, true to form,
3108
01:21:29,510 --> 01:21:32,346
national representatives
3109
01:21:29,510 --> 01:21:32,346
representing their country,
3110
01:21:32,388 --> 01:21:34,390
they start with
3111
01:21:32,388 --> 01:21:34,390
the national anthem.
3112
01:21:34,431 --> 01:21:37,852
The only problem is it's
3113
01:21:34,431 --> 01:21:37,852
the French national anthem!
3114
01:21:37,893 --> 01:21:39,645
That's a classic.
3115
01:21:39,687 --> 01:21:41,313
That is total Beatles humor.
3116
01:21:41,355 --> 01:21:44,608
["All You Need Is
3117
01:21:41,355 --> 01:21:44,608
Love" by The Beatles]
3118
01:21:50,656 --> 01:21:53,992
♪ Love, love, love
3119
01:21:55,202 --> 01:21:58,539
♪ Love, love, love
3120
01:21:59,832 --> 01:22:03,252
♪ Love, love, love...♪
3121
01:22:05,755 --> 01:22:07,548
- It was fun.
3122
01:22:05,755 --> 01:22:07,548
I was at that one.
3123
01:22:07,590 --> 01:22:08,965
It was like a party.
3124
01:22:09,007 --> 01:22:10,760
They'd invited a load
3125
01:22:09,007 --> 01:22:10,760
of their friends,
3126
01:22:10,801 --> 01:22:13,011
The Small Faces and
3127
01:22:10,801 --> 01:22:13,011
The Rolling Stones,
3128
01:22:13,053 --> 01:22:15,931
and everybody was there,
3129
01:22:13,053 --> 01:22:15,931
all in our psychedelic finery.
3130
01:22:15,972 --> 01:22:17,516
Sitting on the floor there,
3131
01:22:17,558 --> 01:22:21,520
it looked like it might
3132
01:22:17,558 --> 01:22:21,520
all explode at some point.
3133
01:22:21,562 --> 01:22:22,605
And there was an awful lot
3134
01:22:21,562 --> 01:22:22,605
of frantic waving
3135
01:22:22,646 --> 01:22:25,023
and people rushing around,
3136
01:22:25,065 --> 01:22:27,610
holding on to their headphones
3137
01:22:25,065 --> 01:22:27,610
and talking to people.
3138
01:22:27,651 --> 01:22:28,985
That was mostly
3139
01:22:29,027 --> 01:22:30,362
to do with the international
3140
01:22:29,027 --> 01:22:30,362
link-up, though,
3141
01:22:30,404 --> 01:22:31,988
because no one had
3142
01:22:30,404 --> 01:22:31,988
ever done that before.
3143
01:22:32,030 --> 01:22:34,450
It really did go out live
3144
01:22:32,030 --> 01:22:34,450
all around the world.
3145
01:22:34,491 --> 01:22:36,118
It was fantastic.
3146
01:22:38,036 --> 01:22:40,497
♪ All you need is love
3147
01:22:42,792 --> 01:22:45,377
♪ All you need is love
3148
01:22:47,296 --> 01:22:52,217
♪ All you need is love, love
3149
01:22:52,259 --> 01:22:54,177
♪ Love is all you need...♪
3150
01:22:54,219 --> 01:22:58,682
- This is mere weeks after
3151
01:22:54,219 --> 01:22:58,682
the release of Sgt. Pepper.
3152
01:22:58,724 --> 01:23:03,437
Every other band would
3153
01:22:58,724 --> 01:23:03,437
choose to use that moment
3154
01:23:03,479 --> 01:23:07,274
to promote Sgt. Pepper by doing
3155
01:23:03,479 --> 01:23:07,274
a couple of tracks from it.
3156
01:23:07,316 --> 01:23:09,652
Right? It just makes total
3157
01:23:07,316 --> 01:23:09,652
business sense.
3158
01:23:09,693 --> 01:23:15,449
But they took the opportunity
3159
01:23:09,693 --> 01:23:15,449
to send a message to the world
3160
01:23:15,491 --> 01:23:18,619
that all you need is love.
3161
01:23:18,661 --> 01:23:21,079
They'd already been
3162
01:23:18,661 --> 01:23:21,079
saying it on Rubber Soul,
3163
01:23:21,121 --> 01:23:22,665
the word is love.
3164
01:23:22,706 --> 01:23:24,917
But this was the time they
3165
01:23:22,706 --> 01:23:24,917
could tell the whole world
3166
01:23:24,959 --> 01:23:26,627
all at the same time.
3167
01:23:26,669 --> 01:23:29,880
The Beatles are clearly
3168
01:23:26,669 --> 01:23:29,880
leading the way.
3169
01:23:29,922 --> 01:23:32,090
I think there's a
3170
01:23:29,922 --> 01:23:32,090
great significance
3171
01:23:32,132 --> 01:23:35,552
in the idea of them sitting
3172
01:23:32,132 --> 01:23:35,552
on those high chairs,
3173
01:23:35,594 --> 01:23:38,806
with the beautiful people of
3174
01:23:35,594 --> 01:23:38,806
London, including Mick Jagger,
3175
01:23:38,848 --> 01:23:42,142
sitting at their feet,
3176
01:23:38,848 --> 01:23:42,142
looking up at them
3177
01:23:42,184 --> 01:23:45,187
and singing along to a song
3178
01:23:42,184 --> 01:23:45,187
they've only just heard.
3179
01:23:45,228 --> 01:23:46,856
That's powerful.
3180
01:23:46,897 --> 01:23:50,108
- [Narrator] All You Need Is
3181
01:23:46,897 --> 01:23:50,108
Love was an anthem of hope
3182
01:23:50,150 --> 01:23:52,444
from a youth movement
3183
01:23:50,150 --> 01:23:52,444
certain that the old order
3184
01:23:52,486 --> 01:23:54,237
was about to crumble.
3185
01:23:54,279 --> 01:23:56,949
The Beatles were steering
3186
01:23:54,279 --> 01:23:56,949
an entire generation
3187
01:23:56,991 --> 01:23:58,742
into uncharted territory,
3188
01:23:58,784 --> 01:24:01,119
yet it would not take
3189
01:23:58,784 --> 01:24:01,119
the Establishment long
3190
01:24:01,161 --> 01:24:04,456
to respond to these
3191
01:24:01,161 --> 01:24:04,456
peaceful revolutionaries.
3192
01:24:04,498 --> 01:24:06,667
In the UK, the
3193
01:24:04,498 --> 01:24:06,667
police were mobilized
3194
01:24:06,709 --> 01:24:08,711
and began to make a
3195
01:24:06,709 --> 01:24:08,711
number of drug busts,
3196
01:24:08,752 --> 01:24:10,963
arresting not only
3197
01:24:08,752 --> 01:24:10,963
prominent figures
3198
01:24:11,005 --> 01:24:12,506
on the underground scene
3199
01:24:12,548 --> 01:24:14,424
but also Mick Jagger,
3200
01:24:12,548 --> 01:24:14,424
Keith Richards
3201
01:24:14,466 --> 01:24:17,553
and later Brian Jones
3202
01:24:14,466 --> 01:24:17,553
of the Rolling Stones.
3203
01:24:17,594 --> 01:24:19,471
These high-profile cases
3204
01:24:19,513 --> 01:24:21,807
didn't faze Paul
3205
01:24:19,513 --> 01:24:21,807
McCartney, however.
3206
01:24:21,849 --> 01:24:24,685
Following the arrests,
3207
01:24:21,849 --> 01:24:24,685
he not only paid for,
3208
01:24:24,727 --> 01:24:27,103
but also put his name to
3209
01:24:24,727 --> 01:24:27,103
a national press advert
3210
01:24:27,145 --> 01:24:30,232
calling for the
3211
01:24:27,145 --> 01:24:30,232
legalization of marijuana.
3212
01:24:30,273 --> 01:24:32,818
Weeks later, he
3213
01:24:30,273 --> 01:24:32,818
admitted to a journalist
3214
01:24:32,860 --> 01:24:34,444
that he had taken LSD
3215
01:24:34,486 --> 01:24:36,780
and repeated this in
3216
01:24:34,486 --> 01:24:36,780
a television interview,
3217
01:24:36,822 --> 01:24:39,366
much to the shock
3218
01:24:36,822 --> 01:24:39,366
of Brian Epstein.
3219
01:24:39,408 --> 01:24:42,244
- Brian didn't like
3220
01:24:39,408 --> 01:24:42,244
things being made public.
3221
01:24:42,285 --> 01:24:44,204
He was a very private person,
3222
01:24:44,246 --> 01:24:47,165
obviously, because of
3223
01:24:44,246 --> 01:24:47,165
his way of life.
3224
01:24:47,207 --> 01:24:52,379
The thing about
3225
01:24:47,207 --> 01:24:52,379
drugs is it wasn't
3226
01:24:52,421 --> 01:24:54,965
anything about them
3227
01:24:52,421 --> 01:24:54,965
being good or bad.
3228
01:24:55,007 --> 01:24:57,593
It's just it was illegal.
3229
01:24:57,634 --> 01:25:02,347
- [Interviewer] Paul, how
3230
01:24:57,634 --> 01:25:02,347
often have you taken LSD?
3231
01:25:02,389 --> 01:25:04,016
- About four times.
3232
01:25:04,058 --> 01:25:06,643
- [Interviewer] Where
3233
01:25:04,058 --> 01:25:06,643
did you get it from?
3234
01:25:06,685 --> 01:25:10,188
- If I was to say where I
3235
01:25:06,685 --> 01:25:10,188
got it from, it's illegal.
3236
01:25:10,230 --> 01:25:11,732
It's silly to say that.
3237
01:25:11,774 --> 01:25:13,984
- Don't you believe
3238
01:25:11,774 --> 01:25:13,984
that this was a matter
3239
01:25:14,026 --> 01:25:16,737
which you should
3240
01:25:14,026 --> 01:25:16,737
have kept private?
3241
01:25:16,779 --> 01:25:21,951
- The thing is, I was asked
3242
01:25:16,779 --> 01:25:21,951
a question by a newspaper
3243
01:25:21,992 --> 01:25:25,245
and the decision was
3244
01:25:21,992 --> 01:25:25,245
whether to tell a lie
3245
01:25:25,287 --> 01:25:28,665
or to tell him the truth.
3246
01:25:28,707 --> 01:25:31,668
I decided to tell him the truth.
3247
01:25:33,169 --> 01:25:36,339
But I really didn't want
3248
01:25:33,169 --> 01:25:36,339
to say anything.
3249
01:25:36,381 --> 01:25:39,885
If I'd had my decision,
3250
01:25:36,381 --> 01:25:39,885
if I had it my way,
3251
01:25:39,927 --> 01:25:41,971
I wouldn't have told anyone.
3252
01:25:42,012 --> 01:25:45,348
'Cause I'm not trying to
3253
01:25:42,012 --> 01:25:45,348
spread the word about this.
3254
01:25:45,390 --> 01:25:48,351
But the man from the
3255
01:25:45,390 --> 01:25:48,351
newspaper is the man
3256
01:25:48,393 --> 01:25:49,895
from the mass medium.
3257
01:25:49,937 --> 01:25:53,356
I'll keep it a personal
3258
01:25:49,937 --> 01:25:53,356
thing if he does too,
3259
01:25:53,398 --> 01:25:55,442
if he keeps it quiet.
3260
01:25:55,484 --> 01:25:57,193
But he wanted to spread it.
3261
01:25:57,235 --> 01:26:00,196
So it's his responsibility
3262
01:25:57,235 --> 01:26:00,196
for spreading it, not mine.
3263
01:26:00,238 --> 01:26:02,699
- The thing is, Paul
3264
01:26:00,238 --> 01:26:02,699
is always honest.
3265
01:26:02,741 --> 01:26:04,952
If a reporter asked him,
3266
01:26:02,741 --> 01:26:04,952
have you taken LSD?,
3267
01:26:04,994 --> 01:26:06,912
he's going to say yes.
3268
01:26:04,994 --> 01:26:06,912
He wouldn't lie.
3269
01:26:06,954 --> 01:26:08,288
Why should he?
3270
01:26:08,330 --> 01:26:09,539
If they're going to
3271
01:26:08,330 --> 01:26:09,539
ask that question,
3272
01:26:09,581 --> 01:26:10,874
they get an honest answer.
3273
01:26:10,916 --> 01:26:13,168
It was a risky thing
3274
01:26:10,916 --> 01:26:13,168
for him to say.
3275
01:26:13,209 --> 01:26:16,880
It probably gave Brian
3276
01:26:13,209 --> 01:26:16,880
Epstein a conniption.
3277
01:26:16,922 --> 01:26:21,885
But basically, although The
3278
01:26:16,922 --> 01:26:21,885
Beatles had made a lot of money,
3279
01:26:21,927 --> 01:26:23,887
they were never really
3280
01:26:21,927 --> 01:26:23,887
in it for the money.
3281
01:26:23,929 --> 01:26:26,974
Once they had enough to
3282
01:26:23,929 --> 01:26:26,974
really live well, that was it.
3283
01:26:27,016 --> 01:26:28,976
I think that was a
3284
01:26:27,016 --> 01:26:28,976
very good sign of them.
3285
01:26:29,018 --> 01:26:31,979
They paid their tax and
3286
01:26:29,018 --> 01:26:31,979
they said what they wanted.
3287
01:26:32,021 --> 01:26:34,356
- [Narrator] The Beatles'
3288
01:26:32,021 --> 01:26:34,356
sense of security
3289
01:26:34,397 --> 01:26:36,525
was about to be
3290
01:26:34,397 --> 01:26:36,525
challenged, however.
3291
01:26:36,566 --> 01:26:39,528
In late August, the band were
3292
01:26:36,566 --> 01:26:39,528
shocked to receive the news
3293
01:26:39,569 --> 01:26:42,364
that their manager
3294
01:26:39,569 --> 01:26:42,364
Brian Epstein had died,
3295
01:26:42,405 --> 01:26:44,366
their most trusted accomplice.
3296
01:26:44,407 --> 01:26:46,451
In his absence they
3297
01:26:44,407 --> 01:26:46,451
were suddenly left
3298
01:26:46,493 --> 01:26:48,912
without his
3299
01:26:46,493 --> 01:26:48,912
stabilizing influence.
3300
01:26:50,998 --> 01:26:52,624
At the same time,
3301
01:26:52,666 --> 01:26:55,961
their quest for personal and
3302
01:26:52,666 --> 01:26:55,961
spiritual growth continued.
3303
01:26:56,003 --> 01:26:58,296
George Harrison had
3304
01:26:56,003 --> 01:26:58,296
become fascinated
3305
01:26:58,338 --> 01:27:00,757
by Indian music in 1965,
3306
01:27:00,799 --> 01:27:03,468
and as he immersed
3307
01:27:00,799 --> 01:27:03,468
himself in its techniques,
3308
01:27:03,510 --> 01:27:07,723
he became increasingly drawn
3309
01:27:03,510 --> 01:27:07,723
to its spiritual foundations.
3310
01:27:07,764 --> 01:27:10,600
This led him to
3311
01:27:07,764 --> 01:27:10,600
discover the Indian guru
3312
01:27:10,642 --> 01:27:12,519
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
3313
01:27:12,561 --> 01:27:15,522
and his technique of
3314
01:27:12,561 --> 01:27:15,522
transcendental meditation.
3315
01:27:15,564 --> 01:27:19,234
By mid-1967, Harrison was
3316
01:27:15,564 --> 01:27:19,234
introducing his bandmates
3317
01:27:19,275 --> 01:27:21,195
to the Maharishi's ideas,
3318
01:27:21,236 --> 01:27:23,989
and soon The Beatles had
3319
01:27:21,236 --> 01:27:23,989
a new spiritual advisor.
3320
01:27:26,533 --> 01:27:28,577
- When they first got
3321
01:27:26,533 --> 01:27:28,577
involved with him,
3322
01:27:28,618 --> 01:27:30,787
I wrote and asked Allen
3323
01:27:28,618 --> 01:27:30,787
Ginsberg what the story
3324
01:27:30,829 --> 01:27:32,706
was on the Maharishi, in India,
3325
01:27:32,748 --> 01:27:35,042
because Ginsberg had lived there
3326
01:27:32,748 --> 01:27:35,042
for a number of years
3327
01:27:35,084 --> 01:27:39,337
and he knew a lot of the
3328
01:27:35,084 --> 01:27:39,337
gurus and the teachers.
3329
01:27:39,379 --> 01:27:42,925
He wrote back saying the
3330
01:27:39,379 --> 01:27:42,925
Maharishi was very commercial
3331
01:27:42,966 --> 01:27:46,302
and that he was under
3332
01:27:42,966 --> 01:27:46,302
a lot of criticism in India
3333
01:27:46,344 --> 01:27:48,388
for taking disciples' money,
3334
01:27:48,430 --> 01:27:50,891
because in fact the
3335
01:27:48,430 --> 01:27:50,891
teaching should be free.
3336
01:27:50,933 --> 01:27:53,102
So I reported this to
3337
01:27:50,933 --> 01:27:53,102
John Lennon who came out
3338
01:27:53,143 --> 01:27:55,478
with a wonderful line of,
3339
01:27:55,520 --> 01:27:57,022
"Ain't no ethnic bastard
3340
01:27:57,064 --> 01:27:59,983
going to get any golden
3341
01:27:57,064 --> 01:27:59,983
castles out of me."
3342
01:28:00,025 --> 01:28:02,736
- [Narrator] Despite his
3343
01:28:00,025 --> 01:28:02,736
initial reservations,
3344
01:28:02,778 --> 01:28:05,655
in February 1968, Lennon
3345
01:28:02,778 --> 01:28:05,655
and his bandmates
3346
01:28:05,697 --> 01:28:09,826
traveled to India for an
3347
01:28:05,697 --> 01:28:09,826
extended retreat with the guru.
3348
01:28:09,868 --> 01:28:12,579
Joined by their various
3349
01:28:09,868 --> 01:28:12,579
wives and girlfriends,
3350
01:28:12,621 --> 01:28:15,540
their departure to the East
3351
01:28:12,621 --> 01:28:15,540
for spiritual fulfillment
3352
01:28:15,582 --> 01:28:17,542
made headlines worldwide.
3353
01:28:17,584 --> 01:28:19,628
The press swarmed
3354
01:28:17,584 --> 01:28:19,628
around the perimeter
3355
01:28:19,669 --> 01:28:22,172
of the Maharishi's
3356
01:28:19,669 --> 01:28:22,172
14-acre compound,
3357
01:28:22,214 --> 01:28:25,300
both intrigued and baffled
3358
01:28:22,214 --> 01:28:25,300
by this latest chapter
3359
01:28:25,341 --> 01:28:27,510
in The Beatles'
3360
01:28:25,341 --> 01:28:27,510
unpredictable journey.
3361
01:28:27,552 --> 01:28:30,680
This exposure brought Eastern
3362
01:28:27,552 --> 01:28:30,680
religion to the attention
3363
01:28:30,722 --> 01:28:33,142
of an enormous audience.
3364
01:28:33,183 --> 01:28:36,311
- Sometime in January,
3365
01:28:33,183 --> 01:28:36,311
it was sudden,
3366
01:28:36,352 --> 01:28:38,772
"Right, we're off to Maharishi
3367
01:28:38,814 --> 01:28:42,276
to live in a holiday
3368
01:28:38,814 --> 01:28:42,276
camp in India."
3369
01:28:42,317 --> 01:28:44,987
"Oh, right.
3370
01:28:42,317 --> 01:28:44,987
Have a good time.
3371
01:28:45,028 --> 01:28:47,739
But they did write a
3372
01:28:45,028 --> 01:28:47,739
heck of a lot of songs
3373
01:28:47,781 --> 01:28:50,492
while they were there,
3374
01:28:47,781 --> 01:28:50,492
churning them out.
3375
01:28:50,533 --> 01:28:52,702
- The Beatles
3376
01:28:50,533 --> 01:28:52,702
introduced the world,
3377
01:28:52,744 --> 01:28:54,079
especially the young world,
3378
01:28:54,121 --> 01:28:56,748
to things they would
3379
01:28:54,121 --> 01:28:56,748
never have stumbled upon
3380
01:28:56,790 --> 01:28:58,374
had The Beatles not been there.
3381
01:28:58,416 --> 01:29:01,295
The philosophy
3382
01:28:58,416 --> 01:29:01,295
behind transcendental
3383
01:29:01,336 --> 01:29:04,506
meditation, Buddhism,
3384
01:29:01,336 --> 01:29:04,506
they were looking outwards.
3385
01:29:04,547 --> 01:29:06,800
Meditation was at
3386
01:29:04,547 --> 01:29:06,800
the center of it.
3387
01:29:06,842 --> 01:29:08,677
That's actually really
3388
01:29:06,842 --> 01:29:08,677
all that matters.
3389
01:29:08,718 --> 01:29:11,387
It's the soul.
3390
01:29:08,718 --> 01:29:11,387
The reality is here.
3391
01:29:11,429 --> 01:29:13,515
Not many people had really
3392
01:29:11,429 --> 01:29:13,515
thought about that before.
3393
01:29:13,556 --> 01:29:16,392
And if The Beatles, the most
3394
01:29:13,556 --> 01:29:16,392
popular band in the world,
3395
01:29:16,434 --> 01:29:18,436
the most popular cultural
3396
01:29:16,434 --> 01:29:18,436
phenomenon in the world,
3397
01:29:18,478 --> 01:29:21,815
were talking earnestly
3398
01:29:18,478 --> 01:29:21,815
about this stuff,
3399
01:29:21,857 --> 01:29:25,443
obviously, as much as a lot
3400
01:29:21,857 --> 01:29:25,443
of the elders might laugh,
3401
01:29:25,485 --> 01:29:27,737
at least as many young
3402
01:29:25,485 --> 01:29:27,737
people went along with them.
3403
01:29:27,779 --> 01:29:31,533
And, you know, sales of
3404
01:29:27,779 --> 01:29:31,533
texts of Eastern wisdom
3405
01:29:31,574 --> 01:29:33,910
went through the roof
3406
01:29:31,574 --> 01:29:33,910
in the late '60s.
3407
01:29:33,952 --> 01:29:36,205
People flocked to
3408
01:29:33,952 --> 01:29:36,205
see the Maharishi.
3409
01:29:36,246 --> 01:29:39,916
The Beatles were this
3410
01:29:36,246 --> 01:29:39,916
gateway to another world.
3411
01:29:39,958 --> 01:29:42,836
- [Narrator] Although the
3412
01:29:39,958 --> 01:29:42,836
band emerged from India
3413
01:29:42,878 --> 01:29:45,547
both spiritually and
3414
01:29:42,878 --> 01:29:45,547
creatively refreshed,
3415
01:29:45,588 --> 01:29:48,424
this sense of calm
3416
01:29:45,588 --> 01:29:48,424
would be short-lived.
3417
01:29:48,466 --> 01:29:53,429
In February 1968, they set up
3418
01:29:48,466 --> 01:29:53,429
their own corporation, Apple.
3419
01:29:53,471 --> 01:29:56,058
This multifaceted
3420
01:29:53,471 --> 01:29:56,058
company was developed
3421
01:29:56,099 --> 01:29:57,893
to broaden
3422
01:29:56,099 --> 01:29:57,893
The Beatles' activities
3423
01:29:57,934 --> 01:30:00,520
and to retain full
3424
01:29:57,934 --> 01:30:00,520
control over their output.
3425
01:30:00,562 --> 01:30:03,982
Yet it would prove the first
3426
01:30:00,562 --> 01:30:03,982
of many overambitious projects
3427
01:30:04,024 --> 01:30:05,775
for the band.
3428
01:30:05,817 --> 01:30:07,944
As they entered the
3429
01:30:05,817 --> 01:30:07,944
studio in the summer
3430
01:30:07,986 --> 01:30:09,988
to work on their
3431
01:30:07,986 --> 01:30:09,988
follow-up to Sgt. Pepper,
3432
01:30:10,030 --> 01:30:13,075
for the first time, creative
3433
01:30:10,030 --> 01:30:13,075
and personal disputes
3434
01:30:13,116 --> 01:30:15,451
crept into the
3435
01:30:13,116 --> 01:30:15,451
recording sessions.
3436
01:30:15,493 --> 01:30:18,621
A particular source of
3437
01:30:15,493 --> 01:30:18,621
tension was the daily presence
3438
01:30:18,663 --> 01:30:21,333
of an outsider in
3439
01:30:18,663 --> 01:30:21,333
The Beatles' inner sanctum,
3440
01:30:21,375 --> 01:30:24,002
the conceptual artist Yoko Ono,
3441
01:30:24,044 --> 01:30:27,172
with whom John Lennon had
3442
01:30:24,044 --> 01:30:27,172
fallen deeply in love.
3443
01:30:27,214 --> 01:30:30,133
It was a relationship that had
3444
01:30:27,214 --> 01:30:30,133
been blossoming, in private,
3445
01:30:30,175 --> 01:30:31,718
for more than a year.
3446
01:30:31,760 --> 01:30:34,012
While McCartney had been
3447
01:30:31,760 --> 01:30:34,012
growing in confidence
3448
01:30:34,054 --> 01:30:35,889
through his
3449
01:30:34,054 --> 01:30:35,889
underground activities,
3450
01:30:35,931 --> 01:30:40,102
Lennon's sense of isolation
3451
01:30:35,931 --> 01:30:40,102
in rural Surrey had increased.
3452
01:30:40,143 --> 01:30:42,938
Initially finding a
3453
01:30:40,143 --> 01:30:42,938
release through LSD,
3454
01:30:42,979 --> 01:30:46,816
it was Yoko Ono who offered
3455
01:30:42,979 --> 01:30:46,816
him a means of escape.
3456
01:30:46,858 --> 01:30:49,945
A relatively unknown artist
3457
01:30:46,858 --> 01:30:49,945
when she had traveled to London
3458
01:30:49,986 --> 01:30:52,739
with husband Tony Cox in 1966,
3459
01:30:52,781 --> 01:30:54,657
it was through
3460
01:30:52,781 --> 01:30:54,657
the Indica Gallery
3461
01:30:54,699 --> 01:30:56,993
that she came into
3462
01:30:54,699 --> 01:30:56,993
contact with Lennon.
3463
01:30:57,035 --> 01:30:59,662
Its owner, John Dunbar,
3464
01:30:57,035 --> 01:30:59,662
provided the space
3465
01:30:59,704 --> 01:31:02,124
for Ono's first UK exhibition,
3466
01:31:02,165 --> 01:31:04,334
and it was he who
3467
01:31:02,165 --> 01:31:04,334
invited his Beatle friend
3468
01:31:04,376 --> 01:31:06,711
to attend this unusual show.
3469
01:31:06,753 --> 01:31:09,839
- She was plainly an
3470
01:31:06,753 --> 01:31:09,839
interesting, powerful woman.
3471
01:31:09,881 --> 01:31:14,303
I didn't show ordinary pictures
3472
01:31:09,881 --> 01:31:14,303
on the wall at all, really.
3473
01:31:14,344 --> 01:31:18,514
And so, you know, she had some
3474
01:31:14,344 --> 01:31:18,514
good ideas and I liked them.
3475
01:31:18,556 --> 01:31:19,891
She wanted to do a show.
3476
01:31:19,933 --> 01:31:22,727
We managed to find
3477
01:31:19,933 --> 01:31:22,727
a couple of weeks
3478
01:31:22,769 --> 01:31:24,938
where we didn't
3479
01:31:22,769 --> 01:31:24,938
have something on.
3480
01:31:24,980 --> 01:31:27,857
Yoko was reluctant to
3481
01:31:24,980 --> 01:31:27,857
have anybody look at it
3482
01:31:27,899 --> 01:31:31,027
until she'd totally finished
3483
01:31:27,899 --> 01:31:31,027
and labeled everything.
3484
01:31:31,069 --> 01:31:33,029
So we were sort of doing that.
3485
01:31:33,071 --> 01:31:37,117
But me and Tony had
3486
01:31:33,071 --> 01:31:37,117
to sort of tell her,
3487
01:31:37,159 --> 01:31:40,703
"Look, this guy might buy
3488
01:31:37,159 --> 01:31:40,703
something, you never know."
3489
01:31:40,745 --> 01:31:44,416
He came round and he
3490
01:31:40,745 --> 01:31:44,416
did like the ladder
3491
01:31:44,458 --> 01:31:47,710
and then looking through
3492
01:31:44,458 --> 01:31:47,710
the magnifying glass
3493
01:31:47,752 --> 01:31:49,754
and it says "yes,"
3494
01:31:47,752 --> 01:31:49,754
so, he liked that.
3495
01:31:49,796 --> 01:31:51,756
- [Narrator] The
3496
01:31:49,796 --> 01:31:51,756
relationship that developed
3497
01:31:51,798 --> 01:31:53,425
across the following two years
3498
01:31:53,467 --> 01:31:56,178
would be consummated
3499
01:31:53,467 --> 01:31:56,178
in May 1968,
3500
01:31:56,219 --> 01:31:59,264
just before The Beatles began
3501
01:31:56,219 --> 01:31:59,264
work on the White Album.
3502
01:31:59,306 --> 01:32:01,683
Lennon emerged a changed man,
3503
01:32:01,724 --> 01:32:03,726
released from an
3504
01:32:01,724 --> 01:32:03,726
unhappy marriage
3505
01:32:03,768 --> 01:32:06,021
and liberated as an artist.
3506
01:32:06,062 --> 01:32:08,398
- The arrival of Yoko Ono
3507
01:32:06,062 --> 01:32:08,398
into John's life
3508
01:32:08,440 --> 01:32:11,026
transformed Lennon completely.
3509
01:32:11,067 --> 01:32:14,528
She was the mother,
3510
01:32:11,067 --> 01:32:14,528
lover, teacher.
3511
01:32:14,570 --> 01:32:17,699
She was kind of everything
3512
01:32:14,570 --> 01:32:17,699
really to John. He needed that.
3513
01:32:17,740 --> 01:32:20,743
- When he met Yoko, she was
3514
01:32:17,740 --> 01:32:20,743
basically a mother figure.
3515
01:32:20,785 --> 01:32:22,620
I mean, he used to
3516
01:32:20,785 --> 01:32:22,620
call her "mother."
3517
01:32:22,662 --> 01:32:24,914
She, for her own reasons,
3518
01:32:22,662 --> 01:32:24,914
took him on,
3519
01:32:24,956 --> 01:32:26,208
and saved him, actually.
3520
01:32:26,249 --> 01:32:28,626
[crowd chanting]
3521
01:32:33,131 --> 01:32:36,259
- [Narrator] As Ono's presence
3522
01:32:33,131 --> 01:32:36,259
made an impact on both Lennon
3523
01:32:36,301 --> 01:32:38,220
and the bond
3524
01:32:36,301 --> 01:32:38,220
between The Beatles,
3525
01:32:38,261 --> 01:32:41,139
the world outside of the
3526
01:32:38,261 --> 01:32:41,139
band began to darken.
3527
01:32:41,181 --> 01:32:45,060
As the war in Vietnam spiraled
3528
01:32:41,181 --> 01:32:45,060
further out of control
3529
01:32:45,101 --> 01:32:47,979
and with no apparent end
3530
01:32:45,101 --> 01:32:47,979
to the conflict in sight,
3531
01:32:48,021 --> 01:32:51,024
across the West, the
3532
01:32:48,021 --> 01:32:51,024
cultural movement so inspired
3533
01:32:51,066 --> 01:32:52,526
by The Beatles
3534
01:32:52,566 --> 01:32:55,445
no longer believed
3535
01:32:52,566 --> 01:32:55,445
love is all you need.
3536
01:32:55,487 --> 01:32:58,490
The progressive, liberal
3537
01:32:55,487 --> 01:32:58,490
core of the counterculture
3538
01:32:58,532 --> 01:33:00,950
came under fire, with
3539
01:32:58,532 --> 01:33:00,950
the assassinations
3540
01:33:00,992 --> 01:33:03,537
of, first, civil rights
3541
01:33:00,992 --> 01:33:03,537
leader Martin Luther King,
3542
01:33:03,577 --> 01:33:06,122
and, then, Presidential
3543
01:33:03,577 --> 01:33:06,122
candidate Robert Kennedy,
3544
01:33:06,164 --> 01:33:08,458
increasing tensions.
3545
01:33:08,500 --> 01:33:10,085
Both in the US and Britain,
3546
01:33:10,126 --> 01:33:12,462
once peaceful anti-war
3547
01:33:10,126 --> 01:33:12,462
demonstrations
3548
01:33:12,504 --> 01:33:14,047
descended into violence.
3549
01:33:14,089 --> 01:33:16,758
Student riots brought
3550
01:33:14,089 --> 01:33:16,758
Paris to a standstill,
3551
01:33:16,799 --> 01:33:18,552
and images of street skirmishes
3552
01:33:18,592 --> 01:33:21,721
and police brutality
3553
01:33:18,592 --> 01:33:21,721
became commonplace.
3554
01:33:21,763 --> 01:33:24,474
As the authorities led
3555
01:33:21,763 --> 01:33:24,474
an unforgiving onslaught
3556
01:33:24,516 --> 01:33:25,975
on the counterculture,
3557
01:33:26,017 --> 01:33:29,687
revolution replaced love
3558
01:33:26,017 --> 01:33:29,687
as the new objective.
3559
01:33:29,729 --> 01:33:32,606
- In '68, it all exploded.
3560
01:33:32,648 --> 01:33:35,026
You know, you had
3561
01:33:32,648 --> 01:33:35,026
assassinations in the States,
3562
01:33:35,068 --> 01:33:37,571
the threat of civil war,
3563
01:33:37,611 --> 01:33:39,489
riots in the
3564
01:33:37,611 --> 01:33:39,489
Democratic Convention,
3565
01:33:39,531 --> 01:33:43,910
riots in Paris, in London,
3566
01:33:39,531 --> 01:33:43,910
violence on the streets.
3567
01:33:43,952 --> 01:33:46,580
Actually, there was
3568
01:33:43,952 --> 01:33:46,580
a sort of a fight. Power--
3569
01:33:46,620 --> 01:33:49,207
you don't really get power,
3570
01:33:46,620 --> 01:33:49,207
it won't trickle down.
3571
01:33:49,249 --> 01:33:53,044
It has to be
3572
01:33:49,249 --> 01:33:53,044
sort of...forced.
3573
01:33:53,086 --> 01:33:55,547
If you look at history,
3574
01:33:53,086 --> 01:33:55,547
that tends to be the case.
3575
01:33:55,589 --> 01:33:58,258
The Beatles revolution
3576
01:33:55,589 --> 01:33:58,258
was a benign one,
3577
01:33:58,300 --> 01:34:00,176
through art and love,
3578
01:34:00,218 --> 01:34:03,472
but by '68, the bricks were
3579
01:34:00,218 --> 01:34:03,472
flying all over the place.
3580
01:34:03,513 --> 01:34:07,476
- It wasn't just
3581
01:34:03,513 --> 01:34:07,476
the sweet utopianism
3582
01:34:07,517 --> 01:34:12,314
of the Summer of Love,
3583
01:34:07,517 --> 01:34:12,314
but really days of rage.
3584
01:34:12,355 --> 01:34:15,484
The demonstrations at
3585
01:34:12,355 --> 01:34:15,484
the Democratic Convention
3586
01:34:15,525 --> 01:34:18,111
in Chicago in 1968,
3587
01:34:18,153 --> 01:34:21,239
you know, was a kind
3588
01:34:18,153 --> 01:34:21,239
of dividing line.
3589
01:34:21,281 --> 01:34:23,866
You saw the police out
3590
01:34:21,281 --> 01:34:23,866
there clubbing kids,
3591
01:34:23,908 --> 01:34:28,079
and there really was a sense of,
3592
01:34:23,908 --> 01:34:28,079
"We're kind of at war now."
3593
01:34:28,121 --> 01:34:31,207
- [Narrator] Just as this
3594
01:34:28,121 --> 01:34:31,207
unrestrained police brutality
3595
01:34:31,249 --> 01:34:34,169
tore through Chicago
3596
01:34:31,249 --> 01:34:34,169
in August 1968,
3597
01:34:34,210 --> 01:34:36,921
The Beatles issued
3598
01:34:34,210 --> 01:34:36,921
the single Revolution,
3599
01:34:36,963 --> 01:34:40,550
addressing the struggles of
3600
01:34:36,963 --> 01:34:40,550
a youth culture under threat.
3601
01:34:40,592 --> 01:34:43,761
Yet unlike All You Need
3602
01:34:40,592 --> 01:34:43,761
Is Love the previous year,
3603
01:34:43,803 --> 01:34:46,889
John Lennon's composition
3604
01:34:43,803 --> 01:34:46,889
refused to express the voice
3605
01:34:46,931 --> 01:34:48,600
of this disillusioned movement
3606
01:34:48,642 --> 01:34:51,561
or to accept the call to
3607
01:34:48,642 --> 01:34:51,561
arms of the radical Left.
3608
01:34:51,603 --> 01:34:54,439
For the first time, this
3609
01:34:51,603 --> 01:34:54,439
saw The Beatles turned upon
3610
01:34:54,481 --> 01:34:56,566
by their own peers.
3611
01:34:56,608 --> 01:34:59,027
Yet Lennon's reluctance
3612
01:34:56,608 --> 01:34:59,027
to commit to violence
3613
01:34:59,068 --> 01:35:01,655
not only led to two different
3614
01:34:59,068 --> 01:35:01,655
versions of the track
3615
01:35:01,695 --> 01:35:03,948
but also reflected
3616
01:35:01,695 --> 01:35:03,948
the inner struggles
3617
01:35:03,990 --> 01:35:06,576
that many young people
3618
01:35:03,990 --> 01:35:06,576
were dealing with.
3619
01:35:06,618 --> 01:35:08,119
- The song Revolution,
3620
01:35:08,161 --> 01:35:09,703
there are two versions of it.
3621
01:35:09,745 --> 01:35:11,206
Lennon goes back and forth on
3622
01:35:11,247 --> 01:35:12,999
"don't you know that
3623
01:35:11,247 --> 01:35:12,999
you can count me out"
3624
01:35:13,041 --> 01:35:15,502
as far as Revolution
3625
01:35:13,041 --> 01:35:15,502
is concerned.
3626
01:35:15,544 --> 01:35:19,130
Exactly where you were supposed
3627
01:35:15,544 --> 01:35:19,130
to stand was difficult.
3628
01:35:19,172 --> 01:35:21,216
All young people
3629
01:35:19,172 --> 01:35:21,216
were feeling that.
3630
01:35:21,257 --> 01:35:24,260
You know, go to a protest?
3631
01:35:21,257 --> 01:35:24,260
Yeah, sure.
3632
01:35:24,302 --> 01:35:28,973
Go to a protest that maybe
3633
01:35:24,302 --> 01:35:28,973
occupies a building? Oh, maybe.
3634
01:35:29,015 --> 01:35:31,685
You know, burning
3635
01:35:29,015 --> 01:35:31,685
that building down?
3636
01:35:33,395 --> 01:35:34,854
Do you draw the line there?
3637
01:35:34,896 --> 01:35:38,774
♪ You say you want
3638
01:35:34,896 --> 01:35:38,774
a revolution
3639
01:35:38,816 --> 01:35:42,654
♪ Well, you know
3640
01:35:42,696 --> 01:35:45,574
♪ We'd all love to
3641
01:35:42,696 --> 01:35:45,574
change the world
3642
01:35:48,493 --> 01:35:52,497
♪ You tell me that
3643
01:35:48,493 --> 01:35:52,497
it's evolution
3644
01:35:52,539 --> 01:35:56,376
♪ Well, you know
3645
01:35:56,418 --> 01:35:59,753
♪ We'd all love
3646
01:35:56,418 --> 01:35:59,753
to see the word
3647
01:36:02,674 --> 01:36:06,844
♪ But when you talk
3648
01:36:02,674 --> 01:36:06,844
about destruction
3649
01:36:06,886 --> 01:36:12,225
♪ Don't you know that
3650
01:36:06,886 --> 01:36:12,225
you can count me out, in... ♪
3651
01:36:12,267 --> 01:36:14,185
- If you're talking
3652
01:36:12,267 --> 01:36:14,185
about destruction
3653
01:36:14,227 --> 01:36:17,813
Lennon's saying count me out
3654
01:36:14,227 --> 01:36:17,813
then he's saying count me in.
3655
01:36:17,855 --> 01:36:19,524
He doesn't know.
3656
01:36:19,566 --> 01:36:21,817
He's on the fence at that point.
3657
01:36:21,859 --> 01:36:24,654
Lennon, as much as he
3658
01:36:21,859 --> 01:36:24,654
could be a bit handy,
3659
01:36:24,696 --> 01:36:27,616
was seduced by this
3660
01:36:24,696 --> 01:36:27,616
idea of peace and love.
3661
01:36:27,657 --> 01:36:30,493
He'd just written the
3662
01:36:27,657 --> 01:36:30,493
anthem of the previous year.
3663
01:36:30,535 --> 01:36:33,371
- There always was a
3664
01:36:30,535 --> 01:36:33,371
kind of inherent optimism
3665
01:36:33,413 --> 01:36:34,706
in The Beatles somehow,
3666
01:36:34,748 --> 01:36:36,999
whereas that wasn't true
3667
01:36:34,748 --> 01:36:36,999
of Dylan,
3668
01:36:37,041 --> 01:36:40,587
it wasn't true of The Stones.
3669
01:36:40,629 --> 01:36:43,047
It was almost like
3670
01:36:40,629 --> 01:36:43,047
Martin Luther King.
3671
01:36:43,089 --> 01:36:45,467
People don't say this now
3672
01:36:45,508 --> 01:36:48,010
but there was a sense in which
3673
01:36:45,508 --> 01:36:48,010
a lot of the black radicals
3674
01:36:48,052 --> 01:36:52,181
who were emerging seemed
3675
01:36:48,052 --> 01:36:52,181
more of the moment.
3676
01:36:52,223 --> 01:36:55,351
Dr. King seemed
3677
01:36:52,223 --> 01:36:55,351
like kind of part
3678
01:36:55,393 --> 01:36:57,395
of the protest Establishment.
3679
01:36:57,437 --> 01:36:59,272
And in a certain way
3680
01:36:59,314 --> 01:37:01,149
The Beatles seemed a
3681
01:36:59,314 --> 01:37:01,149
little bit like that too.
3682
01:37:01,190 --> 01:37:04,068
- [Narrator] If the band were
3683
01:37:01,190 --> 01:37:04,068
losing some of their relevance
3684
01:37:04,110 --> 01:37:07,489
as a cultural force through
3685
01:37:04,110 --> 01:37:07,489
Yoko Ono's influence,
3686
01:37:07,530 --> 01:37:11,200
John Lennon ensured that they
3687
01:37:07,530 --> 01:37:11,200
remained musical pioneers.
3688
01:37:11,242 --> 01:37:13,745
Where Revolution had pulled
3689
01:37:11,242 --> 01:37:13,745
its punches politically,
3690
01:37:13,787 --> 01:37:17,873
an experimental collage that
3691
01:37:13,787 --> 01:37:17,873
he created with his new partner
3692
01:37:17,915 --> 01:37:22,337
captured the chaos of 1968
3693
01:37:17,915 --> 01:37:22,337
simply through sound itself.
3694
01:37:22,378 --> 01:37:25,214
When it was issued on
3695
01:37:22,378 --> 01:37:25,214
the band's self-titled LP
3696
01:37:25,256 --> 01:37:28,176
at the close of the year,
3697
01:37:25,256 --> 01:37:28,176
the track Revolution 9
3698
01:37:28,217 --> 01:37:30,011
became the most widely heard
3699
01:37:30,052 --> 01:37:32,846
avant-garde composition
3700
01:37:30,052 --> 01:37:32,846
ever released.
3701
01:37:32,888 --> 01:37:35,350
It was a startling
3702
01:37:32,888 --> 01:37:35,350
statement from a man
3703
01:37:35,391 --> 01:37:36,810
who had been heralding
3704
01:37:36,850 --> 01:37:39,395
in the Summer of Love
3705
01:37:36,850 --> 01:37:39,395
only a year beforehand.
3706
01:37:39,437 --> 01:37:42,607
- He went from one
3707
01:37:39,437 --> 01:37:42,607
extreme to the other.
3708
01:37:42,649 --> 01:37:45,652
Lennon suddenly saw
3709
01:37:42,649 --> 01:37:45,652
it's all gone wrong.
3710
01:37:45,694 --> 01:37:47,529
He turned to the flip side,
3711
01:37:47,570 --> 01:37:50,532
and the flip side
3712
01:37:47,570 --> 01:37:50,532
was Revolution number 9,
3713
01:37:50,573 --> 01:37:53,284
Revolution 9,
3714
01:37:50,573 --> 01:37:53,284
which was a very,
3715
01:37:53,326 --> 01:37:57,622
very different view
3716
01:37:53,326 --> 01:37:57,622
of the future.
3717
01:37:59,582 --> 01:38:02,544
♪ Number nine, number nine
3718
01:38:02,585 --> 01:38:07,256
♪ Number nine, number
3719
01:38:02,585 --> 01:38:07,256
nine, number nine... ♪
3720
01:38:07,298 --> 01:38:10,343
Revolution 9 was
3721
01:38:07,298 --> 01:38:10,343
the sound really
3722
01:38:10,385 --> 01:38:14,514
of not just the riots in Paris
3723
01:38:10,385 --> 01:38:14,514
or the streets of Chicago.
3724
01:38:14,556 --> 01:38:17,099
This is the sound
3725
01:38:14,556 --> 01:38:17,099
of the apocalypse.
3726
01:38:17,141 --> 01:38:21,187
["Revolution 9" by The Beatles]
3727
01:38:24,733 --> 01:38:28,653
["Revolution 9" by The Beatles]
3728
01:38:33,199 --> 01:38:36,494
[ violent cacophony ]
3729
01:38:38,663 --> 01:38:43,626
[ bombs exploding,
3730
01:38:38,663 --> 01:38:43,626
people screaming ]
3731
01:38:43,668 --> 01:38:48,130
This is his incredibly
3732
01:38:43,668 --> 01:38:48,130
honest depiction
3733
01:38:48,172 --> 01:38:50,759
of the worst fear of all
3734
01:38:50,800 --> 01:38:55,889
which is a society
3735
01:38:50,800 --> 01:38:55,889
and a world in global turmoil.
3736
01:38:55,929 --> 01:38:57,724
It's an extraordinary piece,
3737
01:38:57,766 --> 01:39:01,310
and one of the scariest pieces
3738
01:38:57,766 --> 01:39:01,310
of music you could ever hear.
3739
01:39:01,352 --> 01:39:03,271
In the 21st century,
3740
01:39:03,312 --> 01:39:06,940
Revolution 9
3741
01:39:03,312 --> 01:39:06,940
is far more relevant
3742
01:39:06,982 --> 01:39:08,818
than it ever was in '68.
3743
01:39:08,860 --> 01:39:12,154
- [Narrator] Having delivered
3744
01:39:08,860 --> 01:39:12,154
the most extreme composition
3745
01:39:12,196 --> 01:39:13,907
in The Beatles' catalog,
3746
01:39:13,947 --> 01:39:16,033
Lennon's further
3747
01:39:13,947 --> 01:39:16,033
experimental activities
3748
01:39:16,075 --> 01:39:18,160
continued outside of the band.
3749
01:39:18,202 --> 01:39:20,162
By the end of 1968,
3750
01:39:20,204 --> 01:39:23,750
the first of a trilogy of albums
3751
01:39:20,204 --> 01:39:23,750
with Yoko Ono was issued -
3752
01:39:23,792 --> 01:39:27,169
Two Virgins, with a cover
3753
01:39:23,792 --> 01:39:27,169
depicting the couple naked.
3754
01:39:27,211 --> 01:39:29,004
Still a member of
3755
01:39:27,211 --> 01:39:29,004
the most popular
3756
01:39:29,046 --> 01:39:31,549
and commercially successful
3757
01:39:29,046 --> 01:39:31,549
act in the world,
3758
01:39:31,591 --> 01:39:34,343
Lennon was now breaking
3759
01:39:31,591 --> 01:39:34,343
every rule imaginable.
3760
01:39:34,385 --> 01:39:37,639
Yet the anger in some
3761
01:39:34,385 --> 01:39:37,639
quarters of the counterculture
3762
01:39:37,680 --> 01:39:40,015
toward the song
3763
01:39:37,680 --> 01:39:40,015
Revolution also led him
3764
01:39:40,057 --> 01:39:41,559
into a greater political role.
3765
01:39:41,601 --> 01:39:45,563
In 1969, as Richard
3766
01:39:41,601 --> 01:39:45,563
Nixon was sworn in
3767
01:39:45,605 --> 01:39:47,356
as the new President of America,
3768
01:39:47,398 --> 01:39:49,317
John Lennon and Yoko Ono emerged
3769
01:39:49,358 --> 01:39:52,946
as the world's most
3770
01:39:49,358 --> 01:39:52,946
prominent activists.
3771
01:39:52,986 --> 01:39:55,030
- When Lennon came out and said,
3772
01:39:55,072 --> 01:39:57,283
if you're talking about
3773
01:39:55,072 --> 01:39:57,283
destruction, count me out,
3774
01:39:57,325 --> 01:40:01,203
he was terribly criticized
3775
01:39:57,325 --> 01:40:01,203
by the hard Left.
3776
01:40:01,245 --> 01:40:04,165
And it seems to me that
3777
01:40:01,245 --> 01:40:04,165
his reaction to that
3778
01:40:04,206 --> 01:40:07,251
was not to change his
3779
01:40:04,206 --> 01:40:07,251
mind about destruction,
3780
01:40:07,293 --> 01:40:09,211
but actually to say,
3781
01:40:09,253 --> 01:40:12,340
"No, I really don't think
3782
01:40:09,253 --> 01:40:12,340
the answer is destruction.
3783
01:40:12,381 --> 01:40:15,134
I think the answer
3784
01:40:12,381 --> 01:40:15,134
actually is peace."
3785
01:40:15,176 --> 01:40:17,345
- [Narrator] In March 1969,
3786
01:40:17,386 --> 01:40:19,973
John Lennon and Yoko
3787
01:40:17,386 --> 01:40:19,973
Ono were married.
3788
01:40:20,013 --> 01:40:22,141
With their honeymoon,
3789
01:40:20,013 --> 01:40:22,141
the couple embarked
3790
01:40:22,183 --> 01:40:24,853
on a high-profile
3791
01:40:22,183 --> 01:40:24,853
campaign for peace,
3792
01:40:24,894 --> 01:40:28,773
presented as a series of
3793
01:40:24,894 --> 01:40:28,773
conceptual art events.
3794
01:40:28,815 --> 01:40:31,943
In the spirit of The Beatles'
3795
01:40:28,815 --> 01:40:31,943
initial attitude to the press,
3796
01:40:31,985 --> 01:40:35,488
the first of these took place
3797
01:40:31,985 --> 01:40:35,488
in their hotel bridal suite,
3798
01:40:35,530 --> 01:40:37,281
in which they
3799
01:40:35,530 --> 01:40:37,281
invited journalists
3800
01:40:37,323 --> 01:40:40,242
to discuss politics
3801
01:40:37,323 --> 01:40:40,242
openly and frankly.
3802
01:40:40,284 --> 01:40:42,244
- [ Yoko Ono ]
3803
01:40:40,284 --> 01:40:42,244
This is for world peace.
3804
01:40:42,286 --> 01:40:47,709
And we're thinking that
3805
01:40:42,286 --> 01:40:47,709
instead of going out and fight,
3806
01:40:47,750 --> 01:40:50,169
and make war,
3807
01:40:47,750 --> 01:40:50,169
something like that,
3808
01:40:50,211 --> 01:40:52,171
we should just stay in bed,
3809
01:40:52,213 --> 01:40:55,717
everybody should just stay
3810
01:40:52,213 --> 01:40:55,717
in bed and enjoy the spring.
3811
01:40:55,758 --> 01:40:59,052
- He put his career right on
3812
01:40:55,758 --> 01:40:59,052
the line there for his beliefs.
3813
01:40:59,094 --> 01:41:01,723
And you have to applaud
3814
01:40:59,094 --> 01:41:01,723
him for that, of course.
3815
01:41:01,764 --> 01:41:05,768
It brought him an awful lot
3816
01:41:01,764 --> 01:41:05,768
of harassment and trouble.
3817
01:41:05,810 --> 01:41:07,645
- [Interviewer]
3818
01:41:05,810 --> 01:41:07,645
While you're in bed
3819
01:41:07,687 --> 01:41:10,857
and you're giving your press
3820
01:41:07,687 --> 01:41:10,857
conferences in pillow cases,
3821
01:41:10,899 --> 01:41:13,150
are you laughing at us?
3822
01:41:10,899 --> 01:41:13,150
- No, no.
3823
01:41:13,192 --> 01:41:14,944
- No more than you're
3824
01:41:13,192 --> 01:41:14,944
laughing at us.
3825
01:41:14,986 --> 01:41:17,196
We have a laugh, we
3826
01:41:14,986 --> 01:41:17,196
think it's funny,
3827
01:41:17,238 --> 01:41:20,742
the fact that the front
3828
01:41:17,238 --> 01:41:20,742
page news should be the fact
3829
01:41:20,783 --> 01:41:23,202
that two people went to
3830
01:41:20,783 --> 01:41:23,202
bed on their honeymoon.
3831
01:41:23,244 --> 01:41:24,954
We see the funny side of it.
3832
01:41:24,996 --> 01:41:27,790
And that in Vienna, which
3833
01:41:24,996 --> 01:41:27,790
is a pretty square place,
3834
01:41:27,832 --> 01:41:29,918
there's all these
3835
01:41:27,832 --> 01:41:29,918
beautiful photographs
3836
01:41:29,959 --> 01:41:33,421
of microphones
3837
01:41:29,959 --> 01:41:33,421
being held to a bag,
3838
01:41:33,462 --> 01:41:35,088
to wait for the bag to speak.
3839
01:41:35,130 --> 01:41:36,549
-It's rather nice.
3840
01:41:36,591 --> 01:41:39,301
-But we're serious
3841
01:41:36,591 --> 01:41:39,301
about the peace bit.
3842
01:41:39,343 --> 01:41:42,638
- Brave, foolhardy,
3843
01:41:39,343 --> 01:41:42,638
they were all of that.
3844
01:41:42,680 --> 01:41:44,640
But who else would
3845
01:41:42,680 --> 01:41:44,640
have done that then?
3846
01:41:44,682 --> 01:41:47,351
It would be front page
3847
01:41:44,682 --> 01:41:47,351
news if they were in bed,
3848
01:41:47,393 --> 01:41:49,604
talking about peace.
3849
01:41:49,645 --> 01:41:52,732
John didn't know
3850
01:41:49,645 --> 01:41:52,732
necessarily the ins and outs
3851
01:41:52,774 --> 01:41:54,233
of the whole Vietnam thing.
3852
01:41:54,275 --> 01:41:56,569
He and Yoko knew
3853
01:41:54,275 --> 01:41:56,569
that it was wrong
3854
01:41:56,611 --> 01:41:59,447
to be dropping
3855
01:41:56,611 --> 01:41:59,447
napalm on villages
3856
01:41:59,488 --> 01:42:01,783
and stripping the
3857
01:41:59,488 --> 01:42:01,783
skin off children.
3858
01:42:01,824 --> 01:42:05,494
I mean, he wasn't
3859
01:42:01,824 --> 01:42:05,494
wrong in that thinking.
3860
01:42:05,536 --> 01:42:08,081
He really wasn't wrong.
3861
01:42:08,121 --> 01:42:10,207
- [Narrator] As the
3862
01:42:08,121 --> 01:42:10,207
couple's honeymoon moved
3863
01:42:10,249 --> 01:42:11,918
from Europe to Canada,
3864
01:42:11,960 --> 01:42:14,169
they were joined in their
3865
01:42:11,960 --> 01:42:14,169
hotel room by Timothy Leary,
3866
01:42:14,211 --> 01:42:17,256
Allen Ginsberg and a variety
3867
01:42:14,211 --> 01:42:17,256
of counterculture figures,
3868
01:42:17,298 --> 01:42:20,342
to record an anthem
3869
01:42:17,298 --> 01:42:20,342
for their campaign.
3870
01:42:20,384 --> 01:42:22,386
And where their
3871
01:42:20,384 --> 01:42:22,386
experimental records
3872
01:42:22,428 --> 01:42:25,723
and their public appearances
3873
01:42:22,428 --> 01:42:25,723
had left many confused,
3874
01:42:25,765 --> 01:42:27,767
this song managed to
3875
01:42:25,765 --> 01:42:27,767
bring their message
3876
01:42:27,809 --> 01:42:29,226
to a global audience.
3877
01:42:29,268 --> 01:42:32,271
- Give Peace a Chance
3878
01:42:29,268 --> 01:42:32,271
was his attempt
3879
01:42:32,313 --> 01:42:36,484
to do something in his own
3880
01:42:32,313 --> 01:42:36,484
terms that was actually useful
3881
01:42:36,525 --> 01:42:39,028
and I think it proved to be so.
3882
01:42:39,070 --> 01:42:42,281
He wrote an anthem.
3883
01:42:39,070 --> 01:42:42,281
It's a simplistic anthem,
3884
01:42:42,323 --> 01:42:45,493
but it's an anthem that has a
3885
01:42:42,323 --> 01:42:45,493
good heart and a good message
3886
01:42:45,534 --> 01:42:47,912
and that people have
3887
01:42:45,534 --> 01:42:47,912
been singing ever since.
3888
01:42:47,954 --> 01:42:50,790
["Give Peace A Chance"]
3889
01:42:53,166 --> 01:42:56,462
♪ Ev'rybody's talking
3890
01:42:53,166 --> 01:42:56,462
'bout Bagism, Shagism
3891
01:42:56,504 --> 01:42:59,340
♪ Dragism, Madism,
3892
01:42:56,504 --> 01:42:59,340
Ragism, Tagism
3893
01:42:59,381 --> 01:43:03,469
♪ This-ism, that-ism,
3894
01:42:59,381 --> 01:43:03,469
is-m, is-m, is-m
3895
01:43:03,511 --> 01:43:09,017
♪ All we are saying
3896
01:43:09,058 --> 01:43:15,023
♪ Is give peace a chance
3897
01:43:15,064 --> 01:43:20,611
♪ All we are saying
3898
01:43:20,653 --> 01:43:24,490
♪ Is give peace a chance... ♪
3899
01:43:24,532 --> 01:43:27,994
- He's moved further
3900
01:43:24,532 --> 01:43:27,994
and further away
3901
01:43:28,036 --> 01:43:29,871
from the elegant combination
3902
01:43:29,912 --> 01:43:34,917
of artistic musical
3903
01:43:29,912 --> 01:43:34,917
choices and resonant text
3904
01:43:34,959 --> 01:43:39,588
into records that
3905
01:43:34,959 --> 01:43:39,588
only have a message.
3906
01:43:39,630 --> 01:43:42,967
He had that ability to
3907
01:43:39,630 --> 01:43:42,967
distill something down
3908
01:43:43,009 --> 01:43:46,387
to its bare essence,
3909
01:43:43,009 --> 01:43:46,387
make it communicative,
3910
01:43:46,428 --> 01:43:49,932
make it unforgettable, and it
3911
01:43:46,428 --> 01:43:49,932
still resonates to this day.
3912
01:43:49,974 --> 01:43:52,685
- [Narrator] While
3913
01:43:49,974 --> 01:43:52,685
Lennon pressed on
3914
01:43:52,727 --> 01:43:54,395
campaigning for peace,
3915
01:43:54,436 --> 01:43:57,148
the close of the decade saw
3916
01:43:54,436 --> 01:43:57,148
the first major casualties
3917
01:43:57,190 --> 01:43:58,649
of the youth movement,
3918
01:43:58,691 --> 01:44:01,027
with the death of
3919
01:43:58,691 --> 01:44:01,027
Rolling Stone Brian Jones
3920
01:44:01,069 --> 01:44:03,154
and permanent narcotics damage
3921
01:44:03,196 --> 01:44:06,824
on both Beach Boy Brian Wilson
3922
01:44:03,196 --> 01:44:06,824
and Pink Floyd's Syd Barrett.
3923
01:44:06,866 --> 01:44:10,745
The utopian vision of a brave
3924
01:44:06,866 --> 01:44:10,745
new world was crumbling,
3925
01:44:10,786 --> 01:44:14,373
and this was reflected within
3926
01:44:10,786 --> 01:44:14,373
The Beatles camp itself.
3927
01:44:14,415 --> 01:44:17,250
The tensions that had
3928
01:44:14,415 --> 01:44:17,250
previously arisen in the studio
3929
01:44:17,292 --> 01:44:19,837
now spread into the bandmates'
3930
01:44:17,292 --> 01:44:19,837
own relationships
3931
01:44:19,879 --> 01:44:21,797
with each other,
3932
01:44:19,879 --> 01:44:21,797
and when McCartney
3933
01:44:21,839 --> 01:44:25,218
married his new partner Linda
3934
01:44:21,839 --> 01:44:25,218
Eastman in 1969,
3935
01:44:25,258 --> 01:44:28,554
none of his fellow Beatles
3936
01:44:25,258 --> 01:44:28,554
attended the ceremony.
3937
01:44:28,596 --> 01:44:31,473
As the world moved
3938
01:44:28,596 --> 01:44:31,473
into the 1970s,
3939
01:44:31,515 --> 01:44:33,976
Paul issued his
3940
01:44:31,515 --> 01:44:33,976
debut solo record
3941
01:44:34,018 --> 01:44:35,561
along with a press release
3942
01:44:35,603 --> 01:44:38,522
which announced that he
3943
01:44:35,603 --> 01:44:38,522
was quitting the band.
3944
01:44:38,564 --> 01:44:42,401
It was official.
3945
01:44:38,564 --> 01:44:42,401
The Beatles were no more.
3946
01:44:42,443 --> 01:44:45,320
The demise of the band
3947
01:44:42,443 --> 01:44:45,320
shocked their fans worldwide,
3948
01:44:45,362 --> 01:44:47,489
yet those close to the musicians
3949
01:44:47,531 --> 01:44:49,366
had watched them
3950
01:44:47,531 --> 01:44:49,366
gradually drift apart
3951
01:44:49,408 --> 01:44:52,161
over a two-year period.
3952
01:44:52,203 --> 01:44:54,329
- There was no cohesion.
3953
01:44:54,371 --> 01:44:56,289
The old Liverpool bubble that
3954
01:44:54,371 --> 01:44:56,289
they all used to live in
3955
01:44:56,331 --> 01:44:58,918
and see each other all the
3956
01:44:56,331 --> 01:44:58,918
time and love each other
3957
01:44:58,960 --> 01:45:01,170
and be tolerant of
3958
01:44:58,960 --> 01:45:01,170
each other's foibles
3959
01:45:01,212 --> 01:45:02,797
and differences had gone.
3960
01:45:02,838 --> 01:45:04,799
So now they were spinning
3961
01:45:02,838 --> 01:45:04,799
off in different directions
3962
01:45:04,840 --> 01:45:09,553
with new ideas, new families,
3963
01:45:04,840 --> 01:45:09,553
new girlfriends, new children.
3964
01:45:09,595 --> 01:45:11,013
It just wasn't working anymore.
3965
01:45:11,055 --> 01:45:12,807
It was obvious really
3966
01:45:12,848 --> 01:45:15,517
that The Beatles as a group
3967
01:45:12,848 --> 01:45:15,517
had pretty much come to an end.
3968
01:45:15,559 --> 01:45:19,021
- Has a multi-million
3969
01:45:15,559 --> 01:45:19,021
dollar entertainment act
3970
01:45:19,063 --> 01:45:24,277
ever broken up because
3971
01:45:19,063 --> 01:45:24,277
it wasn't fun anymore?
3972
01:45:24,317 --> 01:45:26,487
Well, we know actually
3973
01:45:26,528 --> 01:45:29,322
because so many groups
3974
01:45:26,528 --> 01:45:29,322
from that same period
3975
01:45:29,364 --> 01:45:31,492
continued and
3976
01:45:29,364 --> 01:45:31,492
continued and continued
3977
01:45:31,533 --> 01:45:34,162
when it most definitely
3978
01:45:31,533 --> 01:45:34,162
wasn't fun anymore.
3979
01:45:34,203 --> 01:45:36,831
The Beatles ended it
3980
01:45:34,203 --> 01:45:36,831
because the reasons
3981
01:45:36,872 --> 01:45:39,083
that they had
3982
01:45:36,872 --> 01:45:39,083
gotten into doing it
3983
01:45:39,125 --> 01:45:41,334
ceased to have value for them.
3984
01:45:41,376 --> 01:45:43,712
So they said, let's
3985
01:45:41,376 --> 01:45:43,712
not do this anymore.
3986
01:45:43,754 --> 01:45:48,759
That's as powerful a statement
3987
01:45:43,754 --> 01:45:48,759
about their integrity
3988
01:45:48,801 --> 01:45:51,053
and their intentions
3989
01:45:48,801 --> 01:45:51,053
and their values
3990
01:45:51,095 --> 01:45:53,139
as anything that I can think of.
3991
01:45:53,181 --> 01:45:55,641
- [Narrator] In
3992
01:45:53,181 --> 01:45:55,641
The Beatles' wake,
3993
01:45:55,683 --> 01:45:57,977
youth culture
3994
01:45:55,683 --> 01:45:57,977
became more divided,
3995
01:45:58,019 --> 01:46:00,771
rock music got heavier
3996
01:45:58,019 --> 01:46:00,771
and more self-indulgent
3997
01:46:00,813 --> 01:46:03,398
and pop turned its
3998
01:46:00,813 --> 01:46:03,398
attention to glamor.
3999
01:46:03,440 --> 01:46:05,193
As for the band
4000
01:46:03,440 --> 01:46:05,193
members themselves,
4001
01:46:05,234 --> 01:46:07,736
despite Lennon's
4002
01:46:05,234 --> 01:46:07,736
continued activism
4003
01:46:07,778 --> 01:46:09,322
and string of hit singles,
4004
01:46:09,362 --> 01:46:12,158
McCartney's mainstream
4005
01:46:09,362 --> 01:46:12,158
triumph through his band Wings
4006
01:46:12,200 --> 01:46:14,243
and Harrison's
4007
01:46:12,200 --> 01:46:14,243
successful emergence
4008
01:46:14,285 --> 01:46:16,037
as an artist in his own right,
4009
01:46:16,078 --> 01:46:18,914
their impact as individuals
4010
01:46:16,078 --> 01:46:18,914
could never match that
4011
01:46:18,956 --> 01:46:21,042
of their Beatles glory days.
4012
01:46:21,083 --> 01:46:23,169
Yet although their
4013
01:46:21,083 --> 01:46:23,169
vision of utopia
4014
01:46:23,211 --> 01:46:25,004
had failed to materialize,
4015
01:46:25,046 --> 01:46:27,131
the world was still
4016
01:46:25,046 --> 01:46:27,131
forever changed
4017
01:46:27,173 --> 01:46:28,841
by The Beatles' innovations
4018
01:46:28,883 --> 01:46:31,135
and the values that
4019
01:46:28,883 --> 01:46:31,135
they represented.
4020
01:46:31,177 --> 01:46:33,804
Even if no one has ever managed
4021
01:46:31,177 --> 01:46:33,804
to compete with that impact,
4022
01:46:33,846 --> 01:46:37,350
with every successive
4023
01:46:33,846 --> 01:46:37,350
generation of musicians
4024
01:46:37,390 --> 01:46:39,768
The Beatles remain the benchmark
4025
01:46:39,810 --> 01:46:42,230
for how popular
4026
01:46:39,810 --> 01:46:42,230
entertainers can interact
4027
01:46:42,271 --> 01:46:43,856
with the wider world.
4028
01:46:43,898 --> 01:46:46,775
- Did cultural and
4029
01:46:43,898 --> 01:46:46,775
musical changes,
4030
01:46:46,817 --> 01:46:48,903
to which they were
4031
01:46:46,817 --> 01:46:48,903
without any doubt
4032
01:46:48,944 --> 01:46:51,530
the largest contributors,
4033
01:46:48,944 --> 01:46:51,530
have a permanent effect
4034
01:46:51,572 --> 01:46:54,325
on how rock and roll
4035
01:46:51,572 --> 01:46:54,325
conceived itself?
4036
01:46:54,367 --> 01:46:55,993
Yeah, permanent effect
4037
01:46:56,035 --> 01:46:58,246
on how rock and roll
4038
01:46:56,035 --> 01:46:58,246
perceived itself.
4039
01:46:58,287 --> 01:47:02,124
So that there's even now
4040
01:46:58,287 --> 01:47:02,124
in this glitzy pop era,
4041
01:47:02,166 --> 01:47:06,419
pop stars see it as an option
4042
01:47:06,461 --> 01:47:10,507
that they have to
4043
01:47:06,461 --> 01:47:10,507
accept or refuse
4044
01:47:10,549 --> 01:47:16,013
to be conscious,
4045
01:47:10,549 --> 01:47:16,013
controversial...
4046
01:47:16,055 --> 01:47:19,058
and some choose one,
4047
01:47:16,055 --> 01:47:19,058
and others really deny it,
4048
01:47:19,100 --> 01:47:21,894
and some are extremely bland,
4049
01:47:21,936 --> 01:47:24,730
but it's there on the table.
4050
01:47:24,772 --> 01:47:27,316
Always there on the
4051
01:47:24,772 --> 01:47:27,316
table, for everybody.
4052
01:47:27,358 --> 01:47:30,152
- [Narrator] And as the band's
4053
01:47:27,358 --> 01:47:30,152
astonishing achievements
4054
01:47:30,194 --> 01:47:33,364
continue to make an impact
4055
01:47:30,194 --> 01:47:33,364
half a century later,
4056
01:47:33,406 --> 01:47:35,324
the legacy of The Beatles,
4057
01:47:35,366 --> 01:47:36,867
and of the remarkable decade
4058
01:47:36,909 --> 01:47:40,288
in which they flourished,
4059
01:47:36,909 --> 01:47:40,288
remains unrivaled.
4060
01:47:40,329 --> 01:47:43,832
The unique story of four
4061
01:47:40,329 --> 01:47:43,832
working class Liverpudlians
4062
01:47:43,874 --> 01:47:45,751
who changed the world.
4063
01:47:45,793 --> 01:47:47,628
- [Chris] Lennon said
4064
01:47:45,793 --> 01:47:47,628
something along the lines of,
4065
01:47:47,669 --> 01:47:50,839
"We weren't leaders
4066
01:47:47,669 --> 01:47:50,839
in this world.
4067
01:47:50,881 --> 01:47:55,803
"We were just the guys on
4068
01:47:50,881 --> 01:47:55,803
the mast saying land ahoy.
4069
01:47:55,844 --> 01:47:58,847
We were letting you
4070
01:47:55,844 --> 01:47:58,847
know what we could see."
4071
01:47:58,889 --> 01:48:03,769
And without The Beatles,
4072
01:47:58,889 --> 01:48:03,769
understanding the '60s
4073
01:48:03,811 --> 01:48:06,439
would have been a completely
4074
01:48:03,811 --> 01:48:06,439
different experience.
4075
01:48:06,479 --> 01:48:08,607
- They touched everything.
4076
01:48:08,649 --> 01:48:10,276
The Beatles covered it all.
4077
01:48:10,318 --> 01:48:12,153
If you want to know what
4078
01:48:10,318 --> 01:48:12,153
the '60s were about,
4079
01:48:12,194 --> 01:48:14,487
you listen to Beatles records.
4080
01:48:14,529 --> 01:48:17,032
It tells you--
4081
01:48:14,529 --> 01:48:17,032
the story is there.
4082
01:48:17,074 --> 01:48:20,411
- It sounds like a cliché,
4083
01:48:17,074 --> 01:48:20,411
but it's really impossible
4084
01:48:20,453 --> 01:48:22,413
to overstate
4085
01:48:20,453 --> 01:48:22,413
The Beatles' impact.
4086
01:48:22,455 --> 01:48:24,206
It sounds like
4087
01:48:22,455 --> 01:48:24,206
you're exaggerating,
4088
01:48:24,248 --> 01:48:26,041
and to younger people
4089
01:48:24,248 --> 01:48:26,041
who weren't there,
4090
01:48:26,083 --> 01:48:29,337
you know,
4091
01:48:26,083 --> 01:48:29,337
it just sounds ridiculous.
4092
01:48:29,378 --> 01:48:33,632
But it was true.
4093
01:48:29,378 --> 01:48:33,632
They changed everything.
4094
01:48:35,050 --> 01:48:36,760
[energetic instrumental music]
242005
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