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The Beatles revolutionized music in the 1960’s and, to this day, new generations continue to fall in love with the band’s songs and story. At the heart of this phenomenon lies the dynamic between John Lennon and Paul McCartney, a partnership as mysterious as it was iconic. In this one-off live event Ian Leslie, author of John and Paul, will break down the Fab Four’s most career-defining songs. He will be joined on stage by Helen Thompson, Professor of Political Economy at Cambridge and a regular contributor to UnHerd, for this special event.
Disappointing. No mention, yet at least, of Mark Lewisohn , the doyenne of Beatles authors and no one on the panel experienced the excitement and sheer joy of every Beatles new 45 and LP.
Those of us who had the good fortune to see the Fabs live ( never really hearing them!) , who went to A Hard Day’s Night and Help, who tuned into Our World and All you Need is Love, Magical Mystery Tour and then Get Back simply remember the magic, the continuing magic.
The cynical part of me views this discussion as a masterclass of over intellectualization. But there’s also part of me that feels the speakers unearthed the cultural significance of the Beatles’ work, even if the Beatles might not have perceived themselves as cultural influencers in any way.
Maybe this discussion is really about the indefinable quality called talent. There’s really no explaining it. What from the outside looks like four young guys larking around is actually a process of cultural transformation via some really excellent music. Part of me just wants to enjoy the music and not worry about such stuff.