Dear Friends:

I had an interesting question recently:

"What is it that makes the Beatles stand out above the rest?"

Allan:

For a variety of reasons, but the short answer is that they had two superbly talented lead singers rather than just one, but more importantly, both became extraordinarily talented songwriters. John Lennon and Paul McCartney may or may not have become successful on their own. But together, they complimented one another’s songwriting talents perfectly, such that they became almost immeasurably better than they might have individually.

Lennon was more lyrically adventurous, which inspired McCartney to try to match him. Likewise McCartney was more gifted musically, which inspired Lennon to up his game. So in the spirit of friendly competition, Lennon & McCartney spurred each other on and became the most successful songwriting duo in history (by records sold).

That creative fuel in turn inspired George Harrison to excel as a songwriter. Also, Harrison’s wonderful vocals made for impeccable 3-part harmonies with Lennon & McCartney. And Ringo was the solid backbone they needed to evolve as a cohesive unit, who could also sing.

Together they pushed songwriting and musical boundaries in revolutionary ways faster than virtually any musical act before or since. They recorded their entire catalogue including 27 #1 hits (US & UK), 12 albums (UK), several of which set new standards for albums as works of art unto themselves, 13 EPs (UK), made 2 major movies and participated in several other films, while simultaneously doing exhausting world tours (until August 1966) - in only 7 years. That’s an absolutely staggering thought when you consider that modern major acts typically release maybe 3 - 5 albums and perhaps 10 or so singles in that same time-frame.

Put it this way, from the time you first heard of Ed Sheeran (say, 2011) until now - the Beatles would have done what they did, changed the world, and broke up in 2018.

Also, unlike many other acts, the Beatles rarely repeated themselves, which is why listeners didn’t grow tired of them. After about 1965 almost every new release was a radical departure from the prior. They kept pushing boundaries, which is risky, but it paid off. The range of their stylistic diversity is arguably unparalleled for a major pop act.

Another, often overlooked factor is that they were surrounded by the right people - especially their producer George Martin and manager Brian Epstein. If they hadn’t captured the interest of Epstein (who had never managed a band) they almost certainly wouldn’t have wound up in the position of being signed to Parlophone by George Martin - who decided to take a chance on them after they were rejected by other labels.

George Martin’s importance cannot be overstated. He was a classically trained musician, yet willing to experiment, so he helped guide the Beatles and turn their often radical ideas into reality. He was crucial to the ever-evolving “sound” of the Beatles.

Finally they arrived at the right time and place in history to touch a cultural nerve in a way that was almost unprecedented. Some sociologists theorize that the JFK assassination, which occurred less than 6 months before Beatlemania, created a void, or absence of joy (at least in the US) which needed to be filled. Regardless of the cause(s), they became a worldwide cultural phenomenon that remains unmatched to this day.

It’s not that John, Paul, George and Ringo were the most talented musicians on the planet - it’s the fact that they were in an environment that nurtured and inspired each of them to attain most of their full potential. Or to become self-actualized, to use a psychological term - as individuals, and as a unit.

Many, if not all, human beings have the latent potential to achieve great things, but very few wind up in environments which make that possible. The Beatles were four talented individuals who grew to become extraordinarily talented, and who emerged on the world stage at precisely the right moment. For the Beatles, all the stars happened to align perfectly, and the whole became far greater than the sum of its parts.

W Boutros