Table of Contents

Foreword Anthony DeCurtis; Chronology of the Beatles' lives and works; Introducing the Beatles Kenneth Womack; Part I. Background: 1. Six boys, six Beatles: the formative years, 1950–1962 Dave Laing; Appendix: the repertoire, 1957–1962; 2. The Beatles as recording artists Jerry Zolten; Part II. Works: 3. Rock and roll music Howard Kramer; 4. 'Try thinking more': Rubber Soul and the Beatles' transformation of pop James M. Decker; 5. Magical mystery tours, and other trips: yellow submarines, newspaper taxis, and the Beatles' psychedelic years Russell Reising and Jim LeBlanc; 6. Revolution Ian Inglis; 7. On their way home: the Beatles in 1969 and 1970 Steve Hamelman; 8. Apple records Bruce Spizer; 9. The solo years Michael Frontani; 10. Any time at all: the Beatles' free phrase rhythms Walter Everett; Appendix: the Beatles' canon on compact disc; Part III. History and Influence: 11. The Beatles as zeitgeist Sheila Whiteley; 12. Beatles news: product line extensions and the rock canon Gary Burns; 13. 'An abstraction, like Christmas': the Beatles for sale and for keeps John Kimsey; General discography.

Promotional Information

From Please Please Me to Abbey Road – the fascinating story of the Fab Four's creation, works, and enduring musical legacy.

About the Author

Kenneth Womack is Professor of English at Penn State University's Altoona College.

Reviews

'Recently published by Cambridge University Press, The Cambridge Companion to The Beatles is further evidence of their lingering influence on contemporary culture. … if you are interested in the 1960s and The Beatles, you will enjoy this book.' Shane Creevy, Politico

'Before delving into this companion, one should have one's LPs, CDs, or iPod handy, because the music should be playing as one reads the book. Womack … and his fellow contributors explain the social phenomenon of the Beatles (individually and collectively) and their music from the four musicians' pre-Beatles world, through the heyday of Beatlemania, to the decisions to quit touring and ultimately break up the band, to the individual careers of the four musicians and the tragedy that ended all hope for the longed-for reunion. The essays offer explanations of the Beatles' 'transformative impact on world culture' and their continuing success four decades after they last recorded together. Whether readers were there at the beginning or are newcomers to the magical mystery world of Beatlemania, this in-depth compendium is a must read … 'toppermost of the poppermost' … Highly recommended.' T. Emery, Choice