Know the characteristics of each of the three musical styles that fed into the emergence of Rock & Roll; i.e., melody, harmony, rhythm, instrumentation, form, lyrics, & vocal style.
Know the "Elements of Music" and the "Musical Structures" as discussed in class.
Review the list of musical terms included in Module 01A: The Roots of Rock. You still need to know these terms.
The unprecedented popularity of the Beatles "exploded" across Britain in 1963. What was the name given to the screaming teenagers and fans who would do almost anything to meet, talk with, or touch the Beatles?
By March 1962, what specific things had Brian Epstein been responsible for in the Beatles image (i.e., their looks) and their performance style?
What radio program became crucially important to introducing the Beatles to youth across the UK? On what radio station was this program heard?
For what purpose was EMI Studio No. 2 booked on February 11, 1963? What was the method for recording the 10 songs resulting from this session?
What five cover songs were included on the Beatles' first album, Please Please Me (1963)?
According to the Melody Maker album chart, what was the success of the Beatles' first album release? What was unique about the way the chart run for their first album ended? Between the Beatles' first two albums -- Please Please Me (March 1963) and With the Beatles (November 1963) -- how successful were the Beatles in holding the no. 1 album spot?
On their third national tour in the UK, what shift in the performance lineup (i.e., "headliner" status) occurred? According to John Lennon, when did he know that the Beatles had become successful?
What action did the BBC Radio take in May through September 1963 to accommodate the phenomenal stardom of the Beatles?
What is "vocal octave doubling"? [You may find Video 1.7 on the textbook Companion Website helpful.]
Name three other artists/groups who were included in the Liverpool beat music scene with the Beatles in the early 1960s.
After hearing the Rolling Stones in April 1963, what member of the Beatles recommended the band to Decca Records? What was the outcome of this recommendation?
What impact did seeing John and Paul finish writing a song in front of them have on Mick Jagger and Keith Richards (of the Rolling Stones)?
After the Beatles' success in transitioning from British rock stars to the U.S., other bands were able to ride their coattails during 1964-1966, performing their own tours across America. What name was given to this influx of artists from the UK?
What was the most obvious difference in sound between the albums Please Please Me and With the Beatles?
What development in studio technology had occurred by the time the Beatles began recording for With the Beatles?
Looking several years into the future, how did the Beatles' support of their album releases by touring change between 1963 and 1966? [We'll certainly discuss this more in future chapters.]
Beginning when they started recording with George Martin under Brian Epstein's management, what goals did the Beatles set regarding the number of recordings they should release each year?
On November 4, 1963, the Beatles were given the highest honor bestowed on British entertainers? What was special about this performance?
How many viewers were reported to watch the Beatles' first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964? Why was the United States so important to the Beatles' success?
How did Capitol Records assemble the Meet the Beatles! album? [IMPORTANT: Be aware of the differences between the early Beatles albums released in the U.K. and those released in the U.S.]
Beyond the excitement resulting from the music they performed, in what other ways did the Beatles' Ed Sullivan performances impact young Americans?What was unique (and unprecedented) about the U.S. "Hot 100" chart in Billboard magazine on April 4, 1964?
To what album by a U.S. folk artist did the Beatles listen obsessively near the beginning of 1964, resulting in more attention being paid to their lyrics in future work? What was the name of the folk artist?
Shortly after their widely popular appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, what new type of electric guitar did George begin to use that, a short time after, helped to launch the genre of folk rock (e.g., music by The Byrds).
What was the name of the first Beatles movie, constituting the first extended project by the Beatles with all-original songs, and in what year was that film released?
What was uniquely unusual about Lennon & McCartney's arrangement regarding legal and financial credit for their work from the early years of their songwriting collaborations?
For what reason was Ringo replaced in their early June 1964 appearances in Denmark and Holland? Who replaced him during this time?
How did the Beatles' contracts during their 1965 tour manage the issue of segregated audiences?
What new musical trend resulted from the Beatles' rise to "iconic" status, which reversed the way early rock music had been created and recorded?
What was different about the types of songs included on Beatles albums after Beatles for Sale?
By the time the Beatles released Beatles for Sale (late 1964), they had matured both personally and musically. How did this impact the music they recorded?
What recording earned the Beatles their first Grammy? What specific Grammy award did they receive?
As members of the Beatles (Lennon, in particular) began to speak out on political issues, including their anti-war position, how did their management grapple with this issue 1966-1968? How did the Beatles respond to this handling by their managers?
On October 28, 1965, award was bestowed on members of the Beatles by Queen Elizabeth? How did some previous recipients respond?
What TV sitcom (situational comedy) that debuted in Fall 1966 was inspired by the Beatles' antics?
Many fans and Beatles scholars point to the period of late-1965 as the time when the Beatles embraced the inclusion of non-Western sounds in their recordings (sitar, tabla, etc.). What song that they began recording in February of that same year reveals that their interest in such sounds began even earlier? What musical pattern was integrated into this February recording and from what region of the world did it come?
What common instruments did the Beatles begin using in their recordings in early 1965 as they entered their period of "experimentation"?
Beyond the four core members of the Beatles, how did they expand the musical "colors" represented in their recordings as they moved into this period of experimentation? Be able to cite three recordings from this period (1965) that exemplify the group's exploration of tonal variety.
What is meant by "overdubbing"? In the title track to Help!, how was this technique used on lead guitars? How did this influence Paul the following year?
What was unique about the instruments used in the Beatles' recording of "Yesterday"? Who created the string arrangement for the quartet?
What was the "working title" (the stand-in words used before the final lyrics were determined) for "Yesterday"?
What was the outcome of Paul's request to Yoko Ono regarding the writing credit for "Yesterday"?
What creative freedom(s) did the Beatles gain by "declaring a lack of boundaries" in their music?
How did the number of Beatles' live performances change between 1962 and 1966?
The lyrics for "We Can Work It Out" represent a romantic argument, but how else could the lyrics be interpreted in this context? How might the ambiguity at the end of the recording be interpreted regarding this latter "argument"?
What later genre of rock music was foreshadowed by the Beatles' "Day Tripper"?
Develop an understanding of how "Day Tripper" represents a "12-bar blues run amok" (i.e., what parts of this song follow the 12-bar blues form and which do not?)
What was the creative process used by George Martin to create the "wind-up piano" sound on "In My Life"?
In what way did Rubber Soul mark "a new way of experiencing pop music"? How was this represented in fans' comments regarding their favorite Beatles recording(s)?
What impact did teen spending habits have on the charts?
Regarding the idea of a "concept album," to what 19th-century compositions do Everette & Riley point for comparison?
For many ardent listeners, how did Rubber Soul change the way albums were listened to?
Is "Michelle" in the key of F major or in the key of F minor? What is a "Picardy third"?
How did Paul's bass lines change in recording Rubber Soul?
What "disastrous" outcome did their world tour during Summer 1966 have on the prospect of future live performances?
Beyond the noise (screaming) made by the crowds, what was the reality that was becoming more and more clear regarding the Beatles' live performance of songs created during their middle period of experimentation?
Why did many Japanese citizens object to the Beatles' live performances in Tokyo at the Nippon Budokan Temple?
Why were the Beatles forced to exit Manila quickly? What did Brian Epstein have to do in order to ensure safe passage out of the country?
What scandal resulted when preparing the album cover for the U.S. release of Yesterday and Today? In what two specific ways could this decision be interpreted as a multi-layered protest by the band?
In a March 1966 interview for the London Evening Standard, John Lennon is quoted saying: "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue with that; I'm right and I'll be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now; I know know which will go first--rock and roll or Christianity." What happened as a result? Did this have any influence on Lennon's murder 14 years later? What topics did the Beatles debate in a Playboy interview in February 1965? How did George Harrison describe Lennon's role in the group after his comment about Christianity?
What four "Beatlemania incidents" spiraled out of control, leading to a crisis of group unity?
What was George Harrison's comment as the Beatles left San Francisco on August 29, 1966, after what turned out to be their final live performance (except for one, to be discussed later) at Candlestick Park?
Compared to previous Beatles album releases, how do Everette & Riley describe the relationship between the level of creativity represented when comparing Revolver to Rubber Soul?
For what primary purpose did the Beatles use psychedelic drugs? Which proved to be their favorite of these drugs??
Where and when did John Lennon meet Yoko Ono? Who was responsible for making this introduction?
What socio-political message is John Lennon making in the lyrics for "And Your Bird Can Sing"? In what later songs did this same basic message appear?
What is the story ("legend") behind the song "Dr. Robert"?
What is meant by "a capella waterfall" in Everette & Riley's description of "Paperback Writer"? What musical texture does this section of music represent each time it returns?
What folk melody do the Beatles use as a countermelody in verse 3 of "Paperback Writer"?
What was the first music that was credited to a solo Beatle? Who was the composer?
During Fall 1966, what musical or artistic activities were undertaken by John Lennon and George Harrison?
How did John Lennon describe "Strawberry Fields Forever"?
What inspired Paul McCartney to compose "Penny Lane"?
Though initially intended for a future album, how were "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" released? What was an important factor that pushed EMI and Capitol to release the songs this way?
How does McCartney's "Penny Lane" relate to Lennon's "Strawberry Fields Forever" regarding the mood it creates and the content of the lyrics?
What is a "piccolo trumpet"? On what McCartney song did this instrument initially appear? Where did McCartney hear the sound of this instrument?
What was "Strawberry Field" and how did it relate to Lennon's early life?
What is unique and interesting about the transition that occurs at 1:00 of "Strawberry Fields Forever"? What technological "magic" -- quite a miracle, really -- did George Martin do to make this possible?