#1 for weeks of February 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, and March 7 and 14th, 1964.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, The Beatles!" - And with those words, the music world would never be the same again. For those of you born post 1964 and reading this blog, we can't say we were eyewitnesses when The Beatles' music first took over the charts. However, I can certainly give a parallel - The country was just getting over an unthinkable tragedy, we were on the cusp of a gradually unpopular war, the pop music on the radio was sounding stale and repetitive - Sounds familiar?
Back in 1964, the country needed some cheering up. They needed some fresh, new, and exciting music. In January, Capitol Records released "Meet The Beatles", a compilation of most of the songs from The Beatles' second British album "With The Beatles". The former album included their first US smash hit, the one that started it all - "I Want To Hold Your Hand".
I'm not going to go into the whole history of The Beatles illustrious career as this has been covered in numerous books, documentaries and even fan websites, throughout their history. Although it is important to bring up where the fab four were at, musically, during this stage of their career. "I Want To Hold Your Hand" was recorded on October 17, 1963 towards the end of the recording sessions for "With The Beatles". In Britain, it was a non-album single like most of their hit songs. It was also the first Beatles song that was recorded on four track recording equipment so as a result, we have a genuine stereo sound which goes against the previous American style of the mono "Wall Of Sound".
When this song was released in America during late 1963, it made its way up the charts until by February 1964, it was a #1. Since The Beatles were due to arrive in America for a three week period starting on February 7th, it was perfect timing. Their three consecutive appearances on the famed Ed Sullivan Show only solidified their reputation as the next big music stars. What is it that made "I Want To Hold Your Hand" such a hit though? To make a long story short, the song is one big musical hook all the way through. Let's analyze this masterpiece, section by section -
1 - The introduction - That opening chord sequence, which many amateur and virtuoso guitarists to this day can't exactly replicate. Just those opening few bars make me want to go back and give the previous six or so reviewed songs scathing reviews. This song is 100% free of the shackles of 1950's pop and blows those previous easy-listening pop songs out of the water.
2 - The Verses - Having the guitar echo the vocal lines keeps the listener concentrated on both the lyrics and the music. Most pop acts prior would focus on one but not the other. As icing on the cake, you have handclaps which take us back to the classic Brill Building sound.
3 - The Choruses - Simple, yet effective. Has a very sing-a-long quality without being repetitive or annoying.
4 - The Bridges - Clever key change and a slightly darker tone. This more minor tone is blown out of the cellar by the "I Can't Hide" lines that re-introduce us to the powerful introduction.
5 - The Outro - Most pop bands during this time period would not have ended the song the way The Beatles do. We have an unexpected brief minor key change followed by a windmill-like chord progression that as a montage of the entire song. Those last few chords act like the bells of the new musical era. Ringing out the old, ringing in the new.
In the cynical internet age, there are quite a few people online who try their hardest to bring The Beatles legacy down. They will claim that the band is overrated and that "So-and-so" is much better. Many of these people to me come across as teenagers or college-age students who think that Punk Rock was invented in the 1990's or that cookie-cutter dance pop acts are more than just flavors of the month. To each their own I say, but I will add this -
The reason that I, as well as millions of others, consider The Beatles the greatest Rock band is because they introduced the pop world to the idea of the "Artist". In other words, writing your own music, playing your own instruments, striving to progress musically with each new song you write. Compare this to the pop formula which is still in place to this very day all over top 40 radio - Anonymous songwriters, no sense of progression, and when applicable, they don't even play their own instruments. It's the fast food of the music industry and The Beatles in comparison are gourmet.
Not that all of the music in this pop singles format was bad, (Motown was certainly an assembly-line style of music yet that music is classic). It's just that at the end of the day, it is more satisfying to hear a song that comes from the singer's own pen and paper, played on an instrument they took the time to master, and recorded in their own style without conforming to the status quo. Those golden rules more than apply to John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.
Final Verdict - "I Want To Hold Your Hand" showcases a talented group that would always strive to raise the bar musically and lyrically. It is a masterpiece which can easily be placed among the top songs of the 20th century. A wholeheartedly deserved #1 hit, and one that I continue to enjoy countless listens to.
Coming Up Next - "She Loves You" by The Beatles.
Until Next Time - I'm Dr. Rock, looking forward to the next many Beatles songs on this list!
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