*Includes Suggested Playlists for both Lennon and McCartney.
*Includes detailed descriptions of the origins and recording of some of The Beatles' timeless classics, including Tomorrow Never Knows, Strawberry Fields Forever, and A Day in the Life.
*Includes descriptions of the Beatles' famous encounters with Bob Dylan and Elvis Presley.
*Includes pictures of Lennon, McCartney and important people, places, and events in their lives.
*Includes a Bibliography for both Lennon and McCartney for further reading.
In 1964, girls all across the United States filled venues, almost literally screamed their heads off, and fainted en masse. Almost from the second they played the first note, The Beatles would be hit with the resounding screams, which made it impossible for them to even hear themselves sing. When they made their American debut on The Ed Sullivan Show in early 1964, they were greeted by young fans who whipped themselves up into such a frenzy that some of them fainted. Beatlemania had struck North America, creating a musical and pop culture phenomenon unlike anything the world had ever seen.
At the center of it all was John Lennon and Paul McCartney, the principal songwriting duo who were instrumental in creating the soundtrack of the 1960s, while producing some of the world's most timeless classics. Together with George Harrison and Ringo Starr, Lennon and McCartney propelled The Beatles to unprecedented heights, sparking Beatlemania on two sides of the Atlantic and experimenting with their sound in ways that revolutionized rock and inspired bands across various musical genres.
Through it all, Lennon became one of the world's most interesting and outspoken men, a complex figure who survived a turbulent upbringing, addictions to drugs, and unstable relationships, only to be tragically killed just as he was settling into a serene, comfortable life. His loss is as widely felt today as it was in December 1980, as people remain in awe of his music and continue to grapple with the contradictory nature of his life and work, which at any given moment could oscillate from his notoriously acerbic wit to the endless optimism of Imagine.
McCartney lacked the controversy of Lennon, the spirituality of Harrison, and the silliness of Starr, but he was unquestionably one of the driving forces behind the Beatles' most productive recording periods, especially on the Beatles' seminal Revolver album. It was also McCartney who tried hardest to keep the Beatles together from 1968-1970, even while his perfectionist attention to detail frequently drove his bandmates crazy. Ultimately, it was McCartney who was the first to publicly announce his departure from the Beatles.
Sir Paul may have never topped the highs established by the Beatles, but he has gone on to have the longest and most productive solo career of the four. While that was helped in part by the tragic murder of Lennon in 1980, McCartney has nonetheless remained at the forefront of pop culture since 1970, and the Guinness Book of World Records has recognized him as the most successful recording artist of all time. Indeed, McCartney wrote or co-wrote over 30 #1 hits and has sold over 100 million albums and 100 million singles in his music career.
Lennon-McCartney chronicles the lives and legacies of the two rock icons and analyzes their lasting musical legacies, humanizing both the rebellious hellion and the "cute" one. Along with suggested playlists of the two's greatest songs, descriptions of the recording and inspiration behind some of their classics, and pictures, you will learn about history's greatest songwriting duo like you never have before.