Impact of the Beetles on Popular Culture
The Beatles, the band responsible for social change in post war England, and the entire world. A band creating music to transcend all cultures , and in my opinion the band not only forced social change in the world, but they saved the United States, from going in a direction that could only be described as ridiculous. Just prior to the Beetles coming on the scene, the number one single at the end of 1963 was a song called Dominique, by the Singing Nun ( http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2053 ). What were people thinking? All I can say is thank god for the Beetles. We do not know what may have happened if Beetles hadn’t intervened.
The Beatles upstaged the celebrity world of the 1950s with their political views, their youthful thinking, and their projected attitude of not having a care in the world. The Beatles had a passion to get their music out to the masses, and had established themselves as a more down to earth group than their peers. They were approachable where stars like Elvis Presley were not. The Beatles continuously proved themselves to their fans, and were willing to go to whatever lengths were necessary in order to please them. School girls were infatuated with the group keeping pictures of their favorite band member in their lockers. Parents described them as a weird looking group, and they were shocked by their mop top haircuts. Parents had coined it as the rebellion of long hair. Teen boys were kicked out of school for growing out their hair like the Beetles. The fans wanted to be with them, and around them. When the band came to town, the sheer volume of people made their music impossible to hear. The Beatles as seen on a Hard Day’s Night (1964) were viewed as disrespectful, as rebels against the old and the authoritarian. The impression and the message demonstrated by the band, young people would decide what songs would be played, what clothes would be worn, and how they would look. Hard Day’s Night (1964) was considered the very first music video. The beetles launched the British invasion paving the way for the Rolling stones. Their musical roots stemmed from Black America. They were able to bring the music to a broader audience than was possible for black bands because of racist attitudes in America.
Early in their careers the Beatles filled the London Palladium, it was unprecedented. Beatle mania was born with a TV series called Sunday Night at the Palladium. (Spizer, B.,2004).
The Beatles came to America in 1964. They were set with an impossible schedule, to play in 25 cities in just 31 days. While on tour they were being short changed with shoddy rooms, poor transportation, and faulty stage equipment, even so they pressed on. In those days, band touring as an industry was in its infancy. The tour in America completed their transformation to the most famous band in the world.
The Beatles second U.S. tour (1965) was the height of their career as far as live concerts. After they completed the tour, they went to Japan; heavy security was set up, as they were playing in a place considered sacred to most Japanese. A faction of the Japanese had threatened them. This marked the beginning of an era of confrontation for the band.
After Japan, they toured the Philippines, while there; they had managed to insult the Royal family. The Beatles manager ignored an invitation by Imelda Marcos to a royal luncheon, the consequences of that came when the security forces assigned to protect them was recalled (Goldman, D. , 2000). The band had a very rough time after that, and band would never return to the Philippines. Vietnam and the civil rights movement were heating up, and the threat of nuclear war was at hand. John Kennedy had been assassinated a couple of years prior, and with so much controversy the youth of America looked for something to lift them up. America had seen teen idols before but none with the power to unite them. The third US tour would mark the end of live concerts for the Beatles. A newspaper article which had been printed in England a few months earlier had been hardly noticed in Europe, but was later released to a popular US teen magazine. John Lennon had made a statement; something to the effect they were more popular than Jesus. The interview with John Lennon would throw the band into controversy with America’s Bible belt and the Ku Klux Klan. Later, John Lennon would try to explain the interview, the writer was a friend of his, and he was just making an observation, but no explanation would satisfy the KKK. The Ku Klux Klan sprang into action to defend American Christianity, and America’s youth from a band who would dare make such a claim. Young people were burning Beatle records, books, and memorabilia, The Beatles well into their third tour were subjected to death threats, record burnings and radio boycotts. On stage a cherry bomb was thrown and exploded half way down. Security believed someone in the band had been shot.
The Beatles were the first to play in outside stadiums; the equipment of the time wasn’t designed for large audiences, and the music industry knew it had to change. Candlestick Park was the last live concert for the band, and after that show the modern touring industry was born.
After Beatles stopped the live shows, they retreated to the studio to create Sergeants Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967). It was the kick off for the summer of love.
The White Album (1968) was a statement to the fear and violence which engulfed the world. Their message of peace and love would be recognized by the people, but many would interpret the music as they wanted it to be. Charles Manson said he heard messages in the White Album (1968) which told him to commit murder ( http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/manson/mansonbeatles.html ).
As they aged, the Beatles began to wear their clothes more loosely, and they journeyed into the psychedelic.
There last album Abby Road (1969) was produced just before wood stock. They offered peace to a world at odds with itself.
John Lennon was assassinated in 1980 by Mark David Chapman and George Harrison died of cancer in 2001. This was not the end for the fabulous four; their message to fight oppression and celebrate freedom lives on.

References
Goldman, D. (2000). Beatles 4 Ever!. Biography, 4(10), 88. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database.
Spizer, B. (2004). The Beatles Take America. American History, 39(1), 44. Retrieved from
MasterFILE Premier database. http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2053 retrieved from the world wide web on Nov 13, 2010. http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/manson/mansonbeatles.html retrieved from the world wide web on Nov.13, 2010.