100 Best Beatles Books of All Time
We've researched and ranked the best beatles books in the world, based on recommendations from world experts, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. Learn more
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This extraordinary project has been made possible because Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr have agreed to tell their combined story especially for this book. Together with Yoko Ono Lennon, they have also made available the full transcripts (including all the outtakes) of the television and video series The Beatles Anthology. Through painstaking compilation of sources worldwide, John Lennon's words are equally represented in this remarkable volume. Furthermore, The Beatles have opened their personal and management archives specifically for this project, allowing the... more
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Geoff Emerick became an assistant engineer at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in 1962 at age fifteen, and was present as a new band called the Beatles recorded their first songs. He later worked with the Beatles as they recorded their singles “She Loves You” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” the songs that would propel them to international superstardom. In 1964 he would witness the transformation of this young and playful group from Liverpool into professional, polished musicians as they put to tape classic songs such as “Eight Days A Week” and “I Feel Fine.” Then, in 1966, at age nineteen,... more
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Even before the Beatles hit the big time, a myth was created. This version of the Beatles legend smoothed the rough edges and filled in the fault lines, and for more than forty years this manicured version of the Beatles story has sustained as truth - until now.
The product of almost a decade of research, hundreds of unprecedented interviews, and the discovery of scores of never-before-revealed documents, Bob Spitz's The Beatles is the biography fans have been waiting for -- a vast, complete account as brilliant and joyous and revelatory as a Beatles record itself. Spitz begins in... more
The product of almost a decade of research, hundreds of unprecedented interviews, and the discovery of scores of never-before-revealed documents, Bob Spitz's The Beatles is the biography fans have been waiting for -- a vast, complete account as brilliant and joyous and revelatory as a Beatles record itself. Spitz begins in... more
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Tune In is the first volume of All These Years—a highly-anticipated, groundbreaking biographical trilogy by the world's leading Beatles historian. Mark Lewisohn uses his unprecedented archival access and hundreds of new interviews to construct the full story of the lives and work of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.
Ten years in the making, Tune In takes the Beatles from before their childhoods through the final hour of 1962—when, with breakthrough success just days away, they stand on the cusp of a whole new kind of fame and... more
Ten years in the making, Tune In takes the Beatles from before their childhoods through the final hour of 1962—when, with breakthrough success just days away, they stand on the cusp of a whole new kind of fame and... more
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The Barnes & Noble Review
Was there really a Polythene Pam? Where are Strawberry Fields? What connection does the actor Peter Fonda have with the song She Said She Said? In this book music journalist Steve Turner shatters some well-worn myths and reveals many unknown stories behind every Beatle Song, from "I Saw Her Standing There" to Abbey Road's "The End." The lyrics that have been etched in our collective memories take on new meaning as the ordinary people and events behind each song are revealed. Arranged chronologically by album and packed with color and black and white... more
Was there really a Polythene Pam? Where are Strawberry Fields? What connection does the actor Peter Fonda have with the song She Said She Said? In this book music journalist Steve Turner shatters some well-worn myths and reveals many unknown stories behind every Beatle Song, from "I Saw Her Standing There" to Abbey Road's "The End." The lyrics that have been etched in our collective memories take on new meaning as the ordinary people and events behind each song are revealed. Arranged chronologically by album and packed with color and black and white... more
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One of the most important and successful rock 'n' roll books ever published is now available in paperback. This is the definitive guide to every recording session done by the Beatles at EMI's Abbey Road recording studio. 150 full-color, 100 duotone, and 100 black-and-white photographs. less
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Updated to include Paul McCartney’s knighting and the deaths of John Lennon and George Harrison.
Philip Norman’s biography of the Beatles is the definitive work on the world's most influential band—a beautifully written account of their lives, their music, and their times. Now brought completely up to date, this epic tale charts the rise of four scruffy Liverpool lads from their wild, often comical early days to the astonishing heights of Beatlemania, from the chaos of Apple and the collapse of hippy idealism to the band's acrimonious split. It also describes their struggle to... more
Philip Norman’s biography of the Beatles is the definitive work on the world's most influential band—a beautifully written account of their lives, their music, and their times. Now brought completely up to date, this epic tale charts the rise of four scruffy Liverpool lads from their wild, often comical early days to the astonishing heights of Beatlemania, from the chaos of Apple and the collapse of hippy idealism to the band's acrimonious split. It also describes their struggle to... more
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Now in paperback, the New York Times bestselling exposé of the real John Lennon
The time has come when I feel ready to tell the truth about John and me, our years together and the years since his death. There is so much that I have never said, so many incidents I have never spoken of and so many feelings I have never expressed: great love on one hand; pain, torment, and humiliation on the other. Only I know what really happened between us, why we stayed together, why we parted, and the price I have paid for being John’s wife. —From the Introduction less
The time has come when I feel ready to tell the truth about John and me, our years together and the years since his death. There is so much that I have never said, so many incidents I have never spoken of and so many feelings I have never expressed: great love on one hand; pain, torment, and humiliation on the other. Only I know what really happened between us, why we stayed together, why we parted, and the price I have paid for being John’s wife. —From the Introduction less
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Cherished by fans and collectors since its first publication in 1980, I, Me, Mine is now available in paperback. The closest we will come to George Harrison's autobiography, it features George in conversation with The Beatles' spokesperson Derek Taylor, discussing everything from early Beatlemania to his love of gardening. The lyrics to over 80 of his songs, many in his own hand, are accompanied by his uniquely intimate and humorous commentary. Fifty archival photographs of George with The Beatles and solo capture a journey of creative and spiritual transformation. Brimming with the... more
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For more than a quarter century, biographer Philip Norman's internationally bestselling Shout! has been unchallenged as the definitive biography of the Beatles. Now, at last, Norman turns his formidable talent to the Beatle for whom being a Beatle was never enough. Drawing on previously untapped sources, and with unprecedented access to all the major characters, Norman presents the comprehensive and most revealing portrait of John Lennon ever published.
This masterly biography takes a fresh and penetrating look at every aspect of Lennon's much-chronicled... more
This masterly biography takes a fresh and penetrating look at every aspect of Lennon's much-chronicled... more
Don't have time to read the top Beatles books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
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During the past year Paul McCartney has been in the public's eye more than at any time since the peak of Beatlemania over thirty years ago. His fans have been treated to the best-selling Flaming Pie and Standing Stone albums, a full hour of Paul on "Oprah," and this thoughtful and comprehensive biography that brings us closer to the man than ever before. Based on hundreds of hours of exclusive interviews over a period of five years, and with complete access to Paul's own archives, Barry Miles has succeeded in letting Paul tell the story of his life as a Beatle in his own words. It includes...
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The definitive book of Beatles songs, shown as first written by their own hands and put into authoritative context, for the 50th anniversary of the Beatles coming to America.
For the Beatles, writing songs was a process that could happen anytime -- songs we all know by heart often began as a scribble on the back of an envelope or on hotel stationery. These original documents have ended up scattered across the world at museums and universities and with collectors and friends. Many have never been published before. More than 100 songs and lyrics are reproduced in The... more
For the Beatles, writing songs was a process that could happen anytime -- songs we all know by heart often began as a scribble on the back of an envelope or on hotel stationery. These original documents have ended up scattered across the world at museums and universities and with collectors and friends. Many have never been published before. More than 100 songs and lyrics are reproduced in The... more
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About The Awful
I was bored on the 9th of Octover 1940 when, I believe, the Nasties were still booming us led by Madolf Heatlump (who only had one). Anyway they didn't get me. I attended to varicous schools in Liddypol. And still didn't pass—much to my Aunties supplies. As a member of the most publified Beatles my and (P, G, and R's) records might seem funnier to some of you than this book, but as far as I'm conceived this correction of short writty is the most wonderfoul larf I've ever ready.
God help and breed you all.
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The world stopped in 1970 when Paul McCartney announced that he was through with the Beatles. His statement not only marked the end of the band's remarkable career, but also seemed to signal the demise of an era of unprecedented optimism in social history. Though the Beatles' breakup was widely viewed as a cultural tragedy, one of the most fascinating phases of their story was just about to begin.
Now, for the first time, You Never Give Me Your Money tells the behind-the-scenes story of the personal rivalries and legal feuds that have dominated the Beatles' lives since 1969....
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'No book has taken us closer to the music of the Beatles' Tony Parsons 'Consistently brilliant' SUNDAY TIMES 'Essential' Q The Beatles achievement was so dazzling, so extraordinary, that few have questioned it. Agreement that they were far and away the best pop group ever is all but universal. And nowhere is the spirit of the Sixties - both in its soaring optimism and its drug-spirited introspection - more perfectly expressed than in the Beatles' music. Taking all the elements which combined to create each song as it was captured on vinyl - the songwriting process, the stimuli of contemporary... more
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Here is the national bestseller that Newsday called “the most authoritative and candid look yet at the personal lives…of the oft-scrutinized group.” In The Love You Make, Peter Brown, a close friend of and business manager for the band—and the best man at John and Yoko’s wedding—presents a complete look at the dramatic offstage odyssey of the four lads from Liverpool who established the greatest music phenomenon of the twentieth century. Written with the full cooperation of each of the group’s members and their intimates, this book tells the inside story of the music and... more
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alternate cover for: ISBN 0393315711/ISBN13 9780393315714
In this behind-the-scenes look at the most famous musical group in history, Hunter Davies gives the complete story of the Beatles. As the only authorized biographer, Davies had full access to the Fab Four as well as their help and encouragement. He spent eighteen months with them when they were at the peak of their musical genius and at the pinnacle of their popularity, and he remained friends with each of the members as they went their separate ways. This updated edition addresses recent changes in the lives of the Beatles:... more
In this behind-the-scenes look at the most famous musical group in history, Hunter Davies gives the complete story of the Beatles. As the only authorized biographer, Davies had full access to the Fab Four as well as their help and encouragement. He spent eighteen months with them when they were at the peak of their musical genius and at the pinnacle of their popularity, and he remained friends with each of the members as they went their separate ways. This updated edition addresses recent changes in the lives of the Beatles:... more
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Drawing on George Harrison’s personal archive of photographs, letters, diaries, and memorabilia, Olivia Harrison reveals the arc of his life, from his guitar-obsessed boyhood in Liverpool, to the astonishment of the Beatles years, to his days as an independent musician and bohemian squire. Here too is the record of Harrison’s lifelong commitment to Indian music, and his adventures as a movie producer, Traveling Wilbury, and Formula One racing fan. The book is filled with stories and reminiscences from Harrison’s friends, including Eric Clapton, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Paul McCartney, Ringo... more
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Whenever John, Paul, or George went on a trip, they would send Ringo a postcard. Now, for the first time, Ringo Starr is opening his private archive to share this delightful and very intimate correspondence. Whether it's John advising Ringo to record a "great & simple" song like Blondie's Heart of Glass, Paul and Jane Asher dropping a note from Rishikesh to report on their meditation lessons with the Maharishi, or George writing from the Great Barrier Reef to confirm plans for Christmas dinner, each postcard is a warm and personal snapshot of life in (and after) The Beatles. The 51... more
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A lifetime of letters, collected for the first time, from the legendary musician and songwriter.
John Lennon was one of the greatest songwriters the world has ever known, creator of "Help!", "Come Together", "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", "Strawberry Fields Forever", "Imagine", and dozens more. But it was in his correspondences that he let his personality and poetry flow unguarded. Now, gathered for the first time in book form, are his letters to family, friends, strangers, and lovers from every point in his life. Funny, informative, wise, poetic, and sometimes... more
John Lennon was one of the greatest songwriters the world has ever known, creator of "Help!", "Come Together", "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", "Strawberry Fields Forever", "Imagine", and dozens more. But it was in his correspondences that he let his personality and poetry flow unguarded. Now, gathered for the first time in book form, are his letters to family, friends, strangers, and lovers from every point in his life. Funny, informative, wise, poetic, and sometimes... more
Don't have time to read the top Beatles books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
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Every live performance, recording date, major TV and film appearance: follow each exciting moment in the Fab Four's rise to fame, from their beginnings in Liverpool's dank clubs to the dizzying heights of Beatlemania. Years of research went into this lively chronicle, chockablock with photos and rare documents. Author Lewisohn received unprecedented access to studio archives and personnel. less
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Nearly twenty years in the making, Can’t Buy Me Love is a masterful work of group biography, cultural history, and musical criticism. That the Beatles were an unprecedented phenomenon is a given. In Can’t Buy Me Love, Jonathan Gould seeks to explain why, placing the Fab Four in the broad and tumultuous panorama of their time and place, rooting their story in the social context that girded both their rise and their demise.
Beginning with their adolescence in Liverpool, Gould describes the seminal influences––from Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry to The Goon Show... more
Beginning with their adolescence in Liverpool, Gould describes the seminal influences––from Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry to The Goon Show... more
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Published on the twentieth anniversary of his death, this candid book reveals new information on the breakup of the Beatles, fellow musicians such as Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones, Lennon’s attitudes towards revolution and drugs, and his relationship with Yoko Ono. Featuring new introductions by Ono and Wenner, and containing substantial material never before seen in print, Lennon Remembers presents a compelling portrait of a complex musical genius at the height of his career. Sometimes anguished and angry, often tender and poignant, these interviews are indispensable to... more
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A riveting look at the transformative year in the lives and careers of the legendary group whose groundbreaking legacy would forever change music and popular culture.
They started off as hysteria-inducing pop stars playing to audiences of screaming teenage fans and ended up as musical sages considered responsible for ushering in a new era.
The year that changed everything for the Beatles was 1966—the year of their last concert and their first album, Revolver, that was created to be listened to rather than performed. This was the year the Beatles risked their... more
They started off as hysteria-inducing pop stars playing to audiences of screaming teenage fans and ended up as musical sages considered responsible for ushering in a new era.
The year that changed everything for the Beatles was 1966—the year of their last concert and their first album, Revolver, that was created to be listened to rather than performed. This was the year the Beatles risked their... more
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A Top Ten Music Book Bestseller in The Independent (UK)
"Brings the era to vivid life. The mythic moments are all here. Magical Mystery Tours is a tour de force." ---Entertainment Weekly
Growing up in a postwar Liverpool suburb, Tony Bramwell was boyhood friends with three of the Beatles long before they were famous. And by the time he caught up with George Harrison on the top of a bus to check out "The Beatles, direct from Hamburg"---one of which George turned out to be---Tony was well into a life story absolutely... more
"Brings the era to vivid life. The mythic moments are all here. Magical Mystery Tours is a tour de force." ---Entertainment Weekly
Growing up in a postwar Liverpool suburb, Tony Bramwell was boyhood friends with three of the Beatles long before they were famous. And by the time he caught up with George Harrison on the top of a bus to check out "The Beatles, direct from Hamburg"---one of which George turned out to be---Tony was well into a life story absolutely... more
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NPR Best Book of 2017
Winner of the 2017 Virgil Thomson Award for Outstanding Music Criticism
“This is the best book about the Beatles ever written” —Mashable
Rob Sheffield, the Rolling Stone columnist and bestselling author of Love Is a Mix Tape offers an entertaining, unconventional look at the most popular band in history, the Beatles, exploring what they mean today and why they still matter so intensely to a generation that has never known a world... more
Winner of the 2017 Virgil Thomson Award for Outstanding Music Criticism
“This is the best book about the Beatles ever written” —Mashable
Rob Sheffield, the Rolling Stone columnist and bestselling author of Love Is a Mix Tape offers an entertaining, unconventional look at the most popular band in history, the Beatles, exploring what they mean today and why they still matter so intensely to a generation that has never known a world... more
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Every album and every song ever released by the Beatles - from "Please Please Me" (U.S. 1963) to "The Long and Winding Road" (U.S. 1970) - is dissected, discussed, and analyzed by two music historians in this lively, fully illustrated work.
All the Songs delves deep into the history and origins of the Beatles and their music. This first-of-its-kind book draws upon decades of research, as music historians Margotin and Guesdon recount the circumstances that led to the composition of every song, the recording process, and the instruments used. Here, we learn that one of... more
All the Songs delves deep into the history and origins of the Beatles and their music. This first-of-its-kind book draws upon decades of research, as music historians Margotin and Guesdon recount the circumstances that led to the composition of every song, the recording process, and the instruments used. Here, we learn that one of... more
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A must-have for every Fab Four fan, this classic visual tribute to their music is now available in a handsomely repackaged and affordable paperback edition.
The music and lyrics of the Beatles have proven them to be artists of the page as well as the stage and have here provided inspiration to dozens of artists. Rendered in full color on every page are extravagantly colorful scenes and images, from the psychedelic visions evoked by “Strawberry Fields” to the youthful innocence that springs from “She Loves You.” Witty commentary and candid insights from John, Paul, George and Ringo... more
The music and lyrics of the Beatles have proven them to be artists of the page as well as the stage and have here provided inspiration to dozens of artists. Rendered in full color on every page are extravagantly colorful scenes and images, from the psychedelic visions evoked by “Strawberry Fields” to the youthful innocence that springs from “She Loves You.” Witty commentary and candid insights from John, Paul, George and Ringo... more
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Boyd breaks a 40-year silence as she tells the story of how she found herself bound to two of the most addictive, promiscuous musical geniuses of the 20th century and became the most famous muse in the history of rock and roll. 8-page color insert. less
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Don't have time to read the top Beatles books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
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They are the most popular and accomplished musical artists of this century. But for more than three decades, the secrets behind the Beatles' unparalleled artistic evolution were beyond reach--sealed in a locked room at London's Abbey Road Studios. In this comprehensive and brilliantly rendered book the only "outsider" to gain access to these invaluable musical archives provides a new, fascinating look at the music and artistry of the Beatles, revealing how four untrained musicians merged their collective genius into a single creative force, how they came together to paint pictures with... more
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The best and most complete biography about the influential Beatle. less
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An insider?s look at the world?s first major rock-and-roll tour, Ticket to Ride tells the Beatles? story like it?s never been told before.
? Includes a CD featuring an hour of Kane?s rare interviews with the Beatles
? Features a foreword by Dick Clark
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? Includes a CD featuring an hour of Kane?s rare interviews with the Beatles
? Features a foreword by Dick Clark
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"George," he said, "I don't know if you'd be interested, but there's a chap who's come in with a tape of a group he runs. They haven't got a recording contract, and I wonder if you'd like to see him and listen to what he's got?"
"Certainly," I said, "I'm willing to listen to anything. Ask him to come and see me."
"O.K., I will. His name's Brian Epstein..."
All You Need Is Ears is the story of George Martin, the man who spotted the Beatles' talent, who recorded and produced them from the start, and who brought their musical ideas to life. In this witty... more
"Certainly," I said, "I'm willing to listen to anything. Ask him to come and see me."
"O.K., I will. His name's Brian Epstein..."
All You Need Is Ears is the story of George Martin, the man who spotted the Beatles' talent, who recorded and produced them from the start, and who brought their musical ideas to life. In this witty... more
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With 600 fabulous photographs selected from the archives of the Daily Mail, The Beatles: Unseen Archives, comprehensively chronicles the heady years in which the group bestrode the world like a Colossus. The collection includes over 200 photographs from negatives never previously printed and they are published here for the first time. less
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"It is fascinating of course to climb inside a Beatle's head to see what's going on there, but what counts is that what's going on there is really fascinating".--London Sunday Times 30 two-color line drawings. less
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Twenty years ago David Sheff climbed the back steps of the Dakota into the personal thoughts and dreams of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. From the kitchen to the studio and up those fateful Dakota steps, Sheff recorded 20 hours of tape, discussing everything from childhood to the Beatles.
Sheff gives a rare and last glimpse of John and Yoko, one that seemed to look beyond the kitchen table to the future of the world with startling premonitions of what was to come.
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Sheff gives a rare and last glimpse of John and Yoko, one that seemed to look beyond the kitchen table to the future of the world with startling premonitions of what was to come.
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Fifty years ago, The Beatles set off on a magical adventure -- and this psychedelic anniversary edition let fans of all ages join the iconic journey.
It was fifty years ago today! Some 80,000 leagues beneath the sea, a colorful land of music and laughter existed called Pepperland -- a place where Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts' Club Band was always playing your song. That is, until the Blue Meanies burst onto the scene and chased all the magical music away. . . . So began the classic 1968 film Yellow Submarine, inspired by the eponymous song. With a refreshed... more
It was fifty years ago today! Some 80,000 leagues beneath the sea, a colorful land of music and laughter existed called Pepperland -- a place where Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts' Club Band was always playing your song. That is, until the Blue Meanies burst onto the scene and chased all the magical music away. . . . So began the classic 1968 film Yellow Submarine, inspired by the eponymous song. With a refreshed... more
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The definitive Paul McCartney biography, written with his approval by bestselling biographer Philip Norman.
Since the age of twenty-one, Paul McCartney has lived one of the ultimate rock-n-roll lives played out on the most public of stages. Now, Paul's story is told by rock music's foremost biographer, with McCartney's consent and access to family members and close friends who have never spoken on the record before.
Paul McCartney reveals the complex character behind the favßade and sheds new light on his childhood -- blighted by his mother's death but... more
Since the age of twenty-one, Paul McCartney has lived one of the ultimate rock-n-roll lives played out on the most public of stages. Now, Paul's story is told by rock music's foremost biographer, with McCartney's consent and access to family members and close friends who have never spoken on the record before.
Paul McCartney reveals the complex character behind the favßade and sheds new light on his childhood -- blighted by his mother's death but... more
Don't have time to read the top Beatles books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
41
More than a rock star, more than a celebrity, Paul McCartney is a cultural touchstone. As one half of the legendary Lennon-McCartney songwriting duo, he helped transform popular music, moving from the simplistic pop of "Love Me Do" to the avant-garde symphonics of "A Day in the Life" to generation-binding anthems such as "Hey, Jude" and "Let It Be." Along the way the Beatles ascended from the dank basements of working-class Liverpool to heights of fame and wealth no previous entertainer could ever have imagined.
McCartney's own ambitions fueled much of the group's progress. But even as he...
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The Fifth Beatle is the untold true story of Brian Epstein, the visionary manager who discovered and guided The Beatles from their gigs in a tiny cellar in Liverpool to unprecedented international stardom. Yet more than merely the story of "The Man Who Made The Beatles," The Fifth Beatle is an uplifting, tragic, and ultimately inspirational human story about the struggle to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. Brian himself died painfully lonely at the young age of thirty-two, having helped The Beatles prove through Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band that pop... more
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A complete and fascinating chronicle of Beatles music and history, Beatlesongs details the growth, evolution, and dissolution of the most influential group of out time.
Drawing together information from sources that include interviews, insider accounts, magazines, and news wire services, this is a complete profile of every Beatles song ever written -- from recording details such as who played which instruments and sang what harmonies to how each song fared on the charts and how other musicians and critics felt about it. Chronologically arranged by U.K. release date,... more
Drawing together information from sources that include interviews, insider accounts, magazines, and news wire services, this is a complete profile of every Beatles song ever written -- from recording details such as who played which instruments and sang what harmonies to how each song fared on the charts and how other musicians and critics felt about it. Chronologically arranged by U.K. release date,... more
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On 1 June 1967, at the height of the Summer of Love, the Beatles made "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". In this book the band's producer George Martin tells his story of the nine months it took to make the recording, featuring songs such as "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" to "A Day in the Life" and "She's Leaving Home". 1966 had seen a crossroads in the Beatles career, with the band under strain from the pressures of live performances. They decided to make an album that was like a show. Martin follows through the creation of the album's songs and offers an insight into the recording... more
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Howard Sounes, the bestselling author of Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan and Charles Bukowski: Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life, turns his considerable reporting and storytelling skills to one of the most famous, talented—and wealthiest—men alive: Paul McCartney.
moreFab is the first exhaustive biography of the legendary musician; it tells Sir Paul’s whole life story, from childhood to present day, from working-class Liverpool beginnings to the cultural phenomenon that was The Beatles to his many solo incarnations.
Fab is the definitive...
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A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A fascinating, exhilarating portrait of the Beatles in their early years.
Meet the Beatles . . . right at the beginning of their careers. This gorgeous, high-energy graphic novel is an intimate peek into the early years of the world's greatest rock band.
The heart of Baby's In Black is a love story. The "fifth Beatle," Stuart Sutcliffe, falls in love with the beautiful Astrid Kirchherr when she recruits the Beatles for a sensational (and famous) photography session during their time in Hamburg. When the band returns to... more
A fascinating, exhilarating portrait of the Beatles in their early years.
Meet the Beatles . . . right at the beginning of their careers. This gorgeous, high-energy graphic novel is an intimate peek into the early years of the world's greatest rock band.
The heart of Baby's In Black is a love story. The "fifth Beatle," Stuart Sutcliffe, falls in love with the beautiful Astrid Kirchherr when she recruits the Beatles for a sensational (and famous) photography session during their time in Hamburg. When the band returns to... more
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The book's full title is Recording The Beatles: The Studio Equipment and Techniques Used To Record Their Classic Albums. It addresses the technical side of The Beatles' sessions and was written with the assistance of many of the group's former engineers and technicians [1]. The book looks at every piece of recording equipment used at Abbey Road Studios during the Beatles' sessions, including all microphones, outboard gear, mixing consoles, speakers, and tape machines. Each piece is examined in great detail, and the book is illustrated with hundreds of full color photographs, charts, drawings... more
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Frederic Seaman was John Lennon's personal assistant, driver and companion from 1979 until his death. Here is his revealing memoir of Lennon, including Lennon's virtual imprisonment in his apartment house, his obsession with food and sex, the Lennons's colossal shopping sprees, John and Yoko's fascination with the Occult, John's premonition of his violent death, and more. 24 pages of never-before-seen photographs. (Performing Arts) less
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BBC radio and television played crucial roles during The Beatles’ initial breakthrough and subsequent global domination. This book reveals how the relationship between the UK’s foremost broadcasting organization and the world’s most celebrated pop group developed between 1962 and 1970.
This in-depth account of The Beatles’ BBC appearances features transcripts of broadcast interviews plus photographs of the group and fascinating documents from the archives. From the unprecedented excitement of Beatlemania to the mature reflection of the last interviews before the group’s split, it... more
This in-depth account of The Beatles’ BBC appearances features transcripts of broadcast interviews plus photographs of the group and fascinating documents from the archives. From the unprecedented excitement of Beatlemania to the mature reflection of the last interviews before the group’s split, it... more
Don't have time to read the top Beatles books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
51
Almost everyone can sing along with the Beatles, but how many young readers know their whole story? Geoff Edgers, a Boston Globe reporter and hard-core Beatles fan, brings the Fab Four to life in this Who Was...? book. Readers will learn about their childhoods in Liverpool, their first forays into rock music, what Beatlemania was like, and why they broke up. It's all here in an easy-to-read narrative with plenty of black-and-white illustrations! less
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(Guitar Chord Songbook). This great collection features all 194 songs written and sung by The Beatles, specially transcribed here for strumming guitarists, from the actual recordings, in the original keys. Each song includes chord symbols, guitar chord boxes and complete lyrics. Also features a helpful playing guide and a full discography. less
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A whimsical look into a swift and creative mind, Skywriting By Word of Mouth will remind everyone what John Lennon was really like, and why he is still remembered with so much love. 31 line drawings. less
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A unique combination of musical analysis and cultural history, Tell Me Why stands alone among Beatles books with its single-minded focus on the most important aspect of the band: its music. Riley offers a new, deeper understanding of the Beatles by closely considering each song and album they recorded in an exploration as rigorous as it is soulful. He tirelessly sifts through the Beatles discography, making clear that the legendary four were more than mere teen idols: They were brilliant innovators who mastered an extremely detailed art. Since the first publication of Tell Me... more
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When American teenager Richard DiLello wandered into the Beatles' Apple building in 1968, he was immediately appointed "house hippie;" he began making tea, rolling joints, and listening to dozens of demo tapes. By the time Apple crumbled a few years later he was director of public relations. Along the way he noted many of the stoned conversations he heard and the insane bits of business he witnessed: one-man bands auditioning in the reception, Hell's Angels taking over Savile Row, and The Beatles playing on the roof. Full of period detail, this is a fast-paced, witty, and immensely poignant... more
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From his first encounter with the struggling group in 1961, through their meteoric rise, to his tragic, untimely death in 1967, Brian Epstein was in many ways the heart and soul of the Beatles. Much more than simply their manager, confidant, and group guru, Epstein helped create a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon.
A Cellarful of Noise, Epstein's long out-of-print autobiography, gives readers the inside story of his discovery and management of the world's most famous rock 'n' roll band. From their initial struggles to their wild rocket ride to the pinnacle of success, this true story...
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An illuminating look at the most tumultuous decade in the life of a rock icon—the only McCartney biography in decades based on firsthand interviews with the ex-Beatle himself.
As the 1970s began, the Beatles ended, leaving Paul McCartney to face the new decade with only his wife Linda by his side. Holed up at his farmhouse in Scotland, he sank into a deep depression. To outsiders, McCartney seemed like a man adrift—intimidated by his own fame, paralyzed by the choices that lay before him, cut loose from his musical moorings. But what appeared to be the sad finale of... more
As the 1970s began, the Beatles ended, leaving Paul McCartney to face the new decade with only his wife Linda by his side. Holed up at his farmhouse in Scotland, he sank into a deep depression. To outsiders, McCartney seemed like a man adrift—intimidated by his own fame, paralyzed by the choices that lay before him, cut loose from his musical moorings. But what appeared to be the sad finale of... more
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Acclaimed Beatles historian Kenneth Womack offers the most definitive account yet of the writing, recording, mixing, and reception of Abbey Road.
In February 1969, the Beatles began working on what became their final album together. Abbey Road introduced a number of new techniques and technologies to the Beatles' sound, and included "Come Together," "Something," and "Here Comes the Sun," which all emerged as classics.
Womack's colorful retelling of how this landmark album was written and recorded is a treat for fans of the Beatles. Solid State takes readers... more
In February 1969, the Beatles began working on what became their final album together. Abbey Road introduced a number of new techniques and technologies to the Beatles' sound, and included "Come Together," "Something," and "Here Comes the Sun," which all emerged as classics.
Womack's colorful retelling of how this landmark album was written and recorded is a treat for fans of the Beatles. Solid State takes readers... more
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Ringo Starr reveals never-before-seen photographs and mementos from his archives, sharing memories of his childhood, The Beatles and beyond with original text, audio and video descriptions.
‘These are shots that no one else could have. I just loved taking pictures and I still do.’ – Ringo Starr
See Ringo growing up in Liverpool amidst the excitement of the emerging Merseybeat scene, as he remembers his time in hospital, his first car, drum-kits, girls and bands on his ‘road of happy drumming’. Ringo’s lens captures his Beatles bandmates in pensive and playful moments,... more
‘These are shots that no one else could have. I just loved taking pictures and I still do.’ – Ringo Starr
See Ringo growing up in Liverpool amidst the excitement of the emerging Merseybeat scene, as he remembers his time in hospital, his first car, drum-kits, girls and bands on his ‘road of happy drumming’. Ringo’s lens captures his Beatles bandmates in pensive and playful moments,... more
Don't have time to read the top Beatles books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
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(Piano/Vocal/Guitar Artist Songbook). 440 pages featuring over 100 timeless hits from the Fab Four in piano/vocal/guitar arrangements, including: Across the Universe * All My Loving * Back in the U.S.S.R. * Blackbird * Can't Buy Me Love * Come Together * Don't Let Me Down * Eight Days a Week * Eleanor Rigby * The Fool on the Hill * Good Day Sunshine * Here Comes the Sun * Hey Jude * I Want to Hold Your Hand * In My Life * Let It Be * Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds * Michelle * Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) * Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da * Penny Lane * Revolution * Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club... more
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The lyrics notebook and personal journals of Kurt Cobain, iconic singer of the band Nirvana.
Kurt Cobain filled dozens of notebooks with lyrics, drawings, and writings about his plans for Nirvana and his thoughts about fame, the state of music, and the people who bought and sold him and his music. His journals reveal an artist who loved music, who knew the history of rock, and who was determined to define his place in that history. Here is a mesmerizing, incomparable portrait of the most influential musician of his time. less
Kurt Cobain filled dozens of notebooks with lyrics, drawings, and writings about his plans for Nirvana and his thoughts about fame, the state of music, and the people who bought and sold him and his music. His journals reveal an artist who loved music, who knew the history of rock, and who was determined to define his place in that history. Here is a mesmerizing, incomparable portrait of the most influential musician of his time. less
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Until now, the true story of John Lennon's childhood has never been told. John's sister Julia has herself been on a personal journey that has made it possible only now to reveal the full extent of the pain and difficulties - as well as the happier times - living inside John Lennon's family brought. Julia reveals the various strong, self-willed and selfish women who surrounded John as he grew up. John was removed from his mother at the age of 5 to live with his Aunt Mimi, and here Julia shows for the first time the cruelty of this decision - to both mother and son, she sheds a new light on his... more
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Vynikající obsáhlá biografie Graema Thomsona nás provede celým Harrisonovým životem po cestě od skromných liverpoolských začátků až na honosný novogotický zámek Friar Park se sto dvaceti pokoji. Po cestě, jejíž odbočky vedou třeba do Hamburku, himálajských ášramů nebo skrytých útočišť na Havaji. Sledujeme na ní životní příběh kytaristy, člena nejslavnější kapely všech dob, důležitého představitele světové kultury své éry, ale také neúnavného duchovního hledače, manžela a otce, zdráhavé superhvězdy a písničkáře, který občas těžce hledal inspiraci, zatímco jindy jako by ho osvítilo samo nebe.... more
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The result of six years of research and some 1,200 interviews, this book takes fans deep into Lennon’s secretive world, from his traumatic childhood to his Beatles days to his hidden life with Yoko Ono. While the Lennon of legend enjoyed a gifted and inspired life, the private Lennon lived in torment, poisoning himself with drugs and self-hatred. The Lives of John Lennon exposed for the first time all of his various lives, from idealist to cynic, from ascetic to junkie. It is a lasting tribute to his brilliant achievements and a revelation of the price he paid for them.
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A legendary record producer and performer takes readers on an alphabetical journey of insights into the music of the Beatles and individual reminiscences of John, Paul, George, and Ringo.
Peter Asher met the Beatles in the spring of 1963, the start of a lifelong association with the band and its members. He had a front-row seat as they elevated pop music into an art form, and he was present at the creation of some of the most iconic music of our times.
Asher is also a talented musician in his own right, with a great ear for what was new and fresh. Once, when Paul... more
Peter Asher met the Beatles in the spring of 1963, the start of a lifelong association with the band and its members. He had a front-row seat as they elevated pop music into an art form, and he was present at the creation of some of the most iconic music of our times.
Asher is also a talented musician in his own right, with a great ear for what was new and fresh. Once, when Paul... more
69
Toru, a quiet and preternaturally serious young college student in Tokyo, is devoted to Naoko, a beautiful and introspective young woman, but their mutual passion is marked by the tragic death of their best friend years before. Toru begins to adapt to campus life and the loneliness and isolation he faces there, but Naoko finds the pressures and responsibilities of life unbearable. As she retreats further into her own world, Toru finds himself reaching out to others and drawn to a fiercely independent and sexually liberated young woman.
A magnificent blending of the music, the mood,... more
A magnificent blending of the music, the mood,... more
Recommended by Bernard Tan, and 1 others. Bernard TanI’m also a Murakami and Vonnegut fan, Kafka on the Shore, The Wind-up Bird Chronicle, Norwegian Wood, Slaughterhouse-Five, etc. Now that I look at the books listed, they seem to carry an existential theme. I guess I like to understand humanity and human behaviour ultimately to better understand myself. I find reading a means to connect with people who may have lived before my time, or in a... (Source)
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Received wisdom has always put Sgt. Pepper at the head of the class, but it was Revolver that truly signaled the Beatles' sea change from a functional band to a studio-based ensemble. These changes began before Rubber Soul but came to fruition on Revolver, which took an astonishing 300 hours to produce, far more than any rock record before it. The making of Revolver - hunkered down in Abbey Road with George Martin - is in itself a great Beatles story, but would be nothing if the results weren't so impactful. More than even Sgt. Pepper and Pet Sounds, Revolver fed directly into the rock 'n'... more
Don't have time to read the top Beatles books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
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The story of how Lennon and McCartney lost the most valuable song publishing catalogue in the world. This is a staggering saga of incompetence, duplicity and music industry politics. less
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Her whole life, Hikari Hanazono has been consumed with the desire to win against her school rival, Kei Takishima--at anything. He always comes out on top no matter what he does, and Hikari is determined to do whatever it takes to beat this guy!
At age 6 Hikari lost to Kei in an impromptu wrestling match. Now, at 15, Hikari joins "Special A," a group of the top seven students at a private academy, for the opportunity to trounce the guy who made her suffer her first defeat. This opens doors to the discovery of many new things for both of them.... less
At age 6 Hikari lost to Kei in an impromptu wrestling match. Now, at 15, Hikari joins "Special A," a group of the top seven students at a private academy, for the opportunity to trounce the guy who made her suffer her first defeat. This opens doors to the discovery of many new things for both of them.... less
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(Easy Piano Personality). The First 50 Songs by the Beatles You Should Play on the Piano is a simply arranged, must-know collection of the Fab Four's greatest hits. Each arrangement includes chords and lyrics in an easy-to-read and play format for Beatles fans of all ages. Songs include: Across the Universe * Blackbird * Can't Buy Me Love * Day Tripper * Eleanor Rigby * The Fool on the Hill * Good Day Sunshine * Hey Jude * I Want to Hold Your Hand * Let It Be * Michelle * Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da * Penny Lane * Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band * Twist and Shout * We Can Work It Out * Yesterday... more
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January 1970:
> the Beatles assemble one more time to put the finishing touches on Let It Be;
> Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young are wrapping up Déjà Vu;
> Simon and Garfunkel are unveiling Bridge Over Troubled Water;
> James Taylor is an upstart singer-songwriter who’s just completed Sweet Baby James.
Over the course of the next twelve months, their lives ... and the world around them ... will change irrevocably.
Fire and Rain tells the story of four iconic albums of 1970 and the lives, times, and constantly intertwining... more
> the Beatles assemble one more time to put the finishing touches on Let It Be;
> Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young are wrapping up Déjà Vu;
> Simon and Garfunkel are unveiling Bridge Over Troubled Water;
> James Taylor is an upstart singer-songwriter who’s just completed Sweet Baby James.
Over the course of the next twelve months, their lives ... and the world around them ... will change irrevocably.
Fire and Rain tells the story of four iconic albums of 1970 and the lives, times, and constantly intertwining... more
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The Beatles Swan Song is the sixth and final installment in Bruce Spizer's critically accliamined books on the Beatles American records. It tells the fascinating stories behind the records released by companies that had the rights to only a limited number of Beatles recordings. These labels included Swan, United Artists, Decca, MGM, Atco and Polydor, each trying to exploit Beatlemania to the fullest, often milking a cash cow even when they had no legitimate cow to milk. The book also covers the singles and albums released by Capitol Records in the 70s and 80s, including theme albums such as... more
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The New York Times Bestseller
"High-spirited, hugely enjoyable and generous from start to finish." -New York Times Book Review
"Robust, wry, gritty and wise." --The Wall Street Journal
"Confident and well oiled. At times it has the mythic sweep of an early Terrence Malick movie."--New York Times
On the 40th anniversary of The Band's legendary The Last Waltz concert, Robbie Robertson finally tells his own spellbinding story of the band... more
"High-spirited, hugely enjoyable and generous from start to finish." -New York Times Book Review
"Robust, wry, gritty and wise." --The Wall Street Journal
"Confident and well oiled. At times it has the mythic sweep of an early Terrence Malick movie."--New York Times
On the 40th anniversary of The Band's legendary The Last Waltz concert, Robbie Robertson finally tells his own spellbinding story of the band... more
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Eight Days a Week is the inside account of The Beatles' final world tour, through the lens and words of their official photographer, Robert Whitaker.
This lavish book, containing many preciously unpublished photographs, documents the tempestuous journey that began in Germany and included a visit to Hamburg, scene thereof the group's legendary early performances. After playing their last-ever European concert there, The Beatles made an unscheduled stop-over in Alaska before arriving in Japan, where they were confined to ther hotel between shows for their own security....
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Chris O'Dell Wasn't Famous. She Wasn't Even Almost Famous. But She Was There.
She was in the studio when the Beatles recorded The White Album, Abbey Road, and Let It Be, and when Paul recorded "Hey Jude," she sang in the chorus.
She was at Ringo's kitchen table when George Harrison said, "You know, Ringo, I'm in love with your wife." And Ringo replied, "Better you than someone we don't know."
She typed the lyrics to George Harrison's All Things Must Pass. She lived with George and Pattie Boyd at Friar Park, developed a crush on... more
She was in the studio when the Beatles recorded The White Album, Abbey Road, and Let It Be, and when Paul recorded "Hey Jude," she sang in the chorus.
She was at Ringo's kitchen table when George Harrison said, "You know, Ringo, I'm in love with your wife." And Ringo replied, "Better you than someone we don't know."
She typed the lyrics to George Harrison's All Things Must Pass. She lived with George and Pattie Boyd at Friar Park, developed a crush on... more
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The Beatles Solo on Apple Records details the solo records released by John, Paul, George and Ringo on their own Apple label in America from 1968 through 1975. It tells the stories behind classic solo albums such as Imagine, Band On The Run, All Things Must Pass and Ringo. All solo projects are covered in matriclous detail, including all of the albums and singles released by John & Yoko and Paul McCartney & Wings. The book provides complete session and chart information and shows all picture sleeves, album covers and label variations, along with many of the promotional posters,... more
Don't have time to read the top Beatles books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
81
The first and only complete critical guide to all the Beatle recordings ever made — including bootlegs — with a dazzling pictorial record of their lives, loves, quarrels and lawsuits. Compiled and written by 'New Musical Express' editors Roy Carr and Tony Tyler, with over 200 illustrations, a complete diary, selected quotes and all possible recording details. less
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PAUL IS DEAD. It was the late 1960s, the Beatles hadn't toured since 1966, and some truly bizarre indications began appearing, pointing to the unthinkable: Paul McCartney had been killed in a car accident and replaced by a look-alike. The Walrus Was Paul unearths every single clue from one of rock 'n' roll's most enduring puzzles and takes you on a magical mystery tour of baffling, yet fascinating, hints for solving this mystery.
Test your "Paul is dead" trivia knowledge. less
Test your "Paul is dead" trivia knowledge. less
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Following on from Like The Record Volume I, the author seeks out rare interviews from obscure sources that offer an unscripted account of their lives, telling a tale that comes closer to the truth than official versions authorized by the three surviving Beatles themselves. less
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The filming of the blockbuster film Jaws is regarded as a landmark event in both the history of motion pictures and the quaint New England island of Martha's Vineyard, where the geographic isolation necessitated the hiring of hundreds of locals to work as actors and laborers.
Among this virtual army of hometown participants were numerous professional and amateur photographers, each with full access to the production's inner workings--for the first time ever this compiles their behind-the-scenes photographs and stories into a treasure trove of Jaws rarities.
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Among this virtual army of hometown participants were numerous professional and amateur photographers, each with full access to the production's inner workings--for the first time ever this compiles their behind-the-scenes photographs and stories into a treasure trove of Jaws rarities.
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A quarter of a century after his death, the question remains: what was John Lennon really like? Now, in the audio version of "The New York Times'" bestselling book, acclaimed broadcast journalist Larry Kane uncovers the mysteries of Lennon's life and implodes the myths surrounding it. "Lennon Revealed" is filled with eye-opening revelations: Kane provides stunning information about Lennon's relationships with Ono, his childhood soulmate Stuart Sutcliffe, his lover May Pang, and Beatles' manager Brian Epstein. Drawing on extensive personal accounts and extraordinary new interviews--most... more
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'My first encounter with John Lennon gave me a sense of humility, which is funny in a way. The Beatles were such a big deal then - this was in 1963, before we had made a record - and we weren't really anyone.' - Mick Jagger. In this unique and evocative book, Yoko Ono, the widow of John Lennon, gathers together memories from fans, friends, and colleagues about the inspiring and influential singer-songwriter. Even in death Lennon and his work continues to inspire and enthrall. Some of the most well-respected artists, including James Brown, Marshall Crenshaw, Peter Gabriel and Dennis Hopper,... more
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Back in print for the first time in nearly thirty years, here is Yoko Ono's whimsical, delightful, subversive, startling book of instructions for art and for life.
"A dream you dream alone may be a dream, but a dream two people dream together is a reality."
"Burn this book after you've read it." -- Yoko Ono
"This is the greatest book I've ever burned." -- John Lennon less
"A dream you dream alone may be a dream, but a dream two people dream together is a reality."
"Burn this book after you've read it." -- Yoko Ono
"This is the greatest book I've ever burned." -- John Lennon less
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It’s all about the facts—and Uncle John is back with a ton of them!
For the 32nd year, Uncle John and his loyal researchers have teamed up to bring you the latest tidbits from the world of pop culture, history, sports, and strange news stories. If you want to read about celebrity misdeeds, odd coincidences, and disastrous blunders, Uncle John’s Truth, Trivia, and the Pursuit of Factiness has what you need. With short articles for a quick trip to the throne room and longer page-turners for an extended visit, this all-new edition of Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader is a... more
For the 32nd year, Uncle John and his loyal researchers have teamed up to bring you the latest tidbits from the world of pop culture, history, sports, and strange news stories. If you want to read about celebrity misdeeds, odd coincidences, and disastrous blunders, Uncle John’s Truth, Trivia, and the Pursuit of Factiness has what you need. With short articles for a quick trip to the throne room and longer page-turners for an extended visit, this all-new edition of Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader is a... more
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1...2...3...4! Let’s rock and roll, babies!
2019 National Parenting Product Award Winner
From Elvis Presley to Beatlemania, from Janis Joplin to David Bowie—rock has transformed through generations while ringing true with passionate sound. Rock along with the greats in this delightful baby book that introduces little ones to the rockers that started it all!
Parental Advisory: May cause toddlers to play the air guitar with adorable frequency. less
2019 National Parenting Product Award Winner
From Elvis Presley to Beatlemania, from Janis Joplin to David Bowie—rock has transformed through generations while ringing true with passionate sound. Rock along with the greats in this delightful baby book that introduces little ones to the rockers that started it all!
Parental Advisory: May cause toddlers to play the air guitar with adorable frequency. less
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Maximum Volume offers a glimpse into the mind, the music, and the man behind the sound of the Beatles. Martin’s working-class childhood, his education, and his musical influences at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama profoundly shaped his early career in the BBC’s Classical Music department and as head of the EMI Group’s Parlophone Records. These musical influences would become the fount out of which flowed the genius behind his seven years producing the Beatles’ incredible body of work, including such albums as Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts... more
Don't have time to read the top Beatles books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
91
Beatles For Sale on Parlophone Records covers all of the singles, albums and extended play discs issued by the Beatles in the U.K. from 1962 through 1970. Each record is given a separate chapter, which tells the stories behind how the songs appearing on the disc were written and recorded. The chapters also detail how the records were marketed and contain sales and chart information. The book has chapters on the history of EMI and Parlophone Records, how records are mastered and manufactured, how EMI contracted with other record companies to press Beatles singles and albums to help meet... more
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From Revolver to Let It Be, That Magic Feeling: The Beatles Recorded Legacy, Volume Two, 1966—1970, continues the chronicle of the group’s spectacular career from its creative zenith to its irrevocable split
As the Beatles moved into the mid and late 1960s, their collective and individual musical talent and innovations evolved at an unparalleled pace. Like its companion volume, Way Beyond Compare: The Beatles’ Recorded Legacy, Volume One, 1957—1965, this unique work thoroughly chronicles all known and available Beatles recordings during this... more
As the Beatles moved into the mid and late 1960s, their collective and individual musical talent and innovations evolved at an unparalleled pace. Like its companion volume, Way Beyond Compare: The Beatles’ Recorded Legacy, Volume One, 1957—1965, this unique work thoroughly chronicles all known and available Beatles recordings during this... more
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Come sing and dance around in an octupus’s garden in the shade! The classic Beatles song comes to life with colorful illustrations from bestselling illustrator Ben Cort and a CD with a new music recording and audio reading from stellar musician Ringo Starr.
I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’s garden in the shade
He’d let us in, knows where we’ve been
In his octopus’s garden in the shade
Who wouldn’t like to visit an octopus’s garden? Well, now you can! This lively picture book, complete with a CD of the beloved song,... more
I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’s garden in the shade
He’d let us in, knows where we’ve been
In his octopus’s garden in the shade
Who wouldn’t like to visit an octopus’s garden? Well, now you can! This lively picture book, complete with a CD of the beloved song,... more
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"The Beatles on Apple Records" tells the stories behind the entire Beatles catalog on Apple Records from "Hey Jude" and "The White Album" through "Anthology" and "Beatles 1." The book opens with John and Paul's visit to New York in May, 1968, to promote the Beatles home-grown business venture, Apple Corps. After covering the rise and fall and triumphant return of Apple, the book moves on to the Beatles records released by Apple in America, providing complete songwriting, session and chart information and showing images of all picture sleeves, album covers, labels, ads and promotional posters... more
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The Beatles as Musicians: The Quarry Men through Rubber Soul is a comprehensive, chronologically-ordered study of every aspect of the group's musical life--composition, performance, recording and reception histories--from its beginnings in 1956 through 1965. Richly authoritative interpretations from every available reliable musical document are interwoven through a documentary study of many thousands of audio, video, print, and multimedia sources. The text will enable general readers and musicians as well as educated music theorists to learn new levels of beauty in the music of the... more
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This special music book contains every song written and/or recorded by The Beatles (including covers), transcribed exactly as played by the Fab Four. Scores include all instrumental parts (even drums!), guitar, and bass in both notation and guitar tab, plus chords, and complete lyrics. 212 songs. 1,136 pages, hardcover in deluxe slip case. less
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Love is all you need... or is it? Penny's about to find out in this wonderful debut.
Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It's a personal choice. . .and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her nondating ways . . . which is too bad, because there's this certain boy she can't help but like. . . . less
Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It's a personal choice. . .and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her nondating ways . . . which is too bad, because there's this certain boy she can't help but like. . . . less
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(Book). The Unreleased Beatles details the incredible breadth of music The Beatles recorded but did not release, as well as film footage of the group that hasn't been made commercially available. Beatles expert Richie Unterberger examines a huge array of material, including unreleased studio outtakes, BBC radio recordings from 1962-1965, live concert performances, home demo recordings, fan club Christmas recordings, and other informal demos done outside of EMI studios. The staggering wealth of unreleased gems encompasses The Beatles' entire career, from a recording the Quarrymen made on July... more
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Copiously researched and documented, Hit Men is the highly controversial portrait of the pop music industry in all its wild, ruthless glory: the insatiable greed and ambition; the enormous egos; the fierce struggles for profits and power; the vendettas, rivalries, shakedowns, and payoffs. Chronicling the evolution of America's largest music labels from the Tin Pan Alley days to the present day, Fredric Dannen examines in depth the often venal, sometimes illegal dealings among the assorted hustlers and kingpins who rule over this multi-billion-dollar business. less
Recommended by Daniel Ek, and 1 others. 
Don't have time to read the top Beatles books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.