Early or Later Beatles?

#Beatles
Discussing the relative merits of the 'earlier' Beatles (up to 'Rubber Soul'?), and the 'later' period (from 'Revolver' onwards?). Please share your thoughts on this fascinating topic!!!
This video is in response to Gary at In the Sticks:
• A sonic change

[@aimeebrito1565]

New subscriber here! I’m just loving your Beatles analytical. With the early Beatles it’s the absolutely gorgeous soaring harmonies! You’d have to be a stone not to be moved by “If I fell”, “This Boy”, etc. and don’t forget “I wanna hold your hand” , “She loves you” even seized the attention of a four year old me, those songs are just so unlike anything playing on the radio at the time. One again: the harmonies! middle Beatles - the really unusual lyrics, song topics, early experimental stuff. All the way to Sgt Pepper (and Moody Blues ) - they are kind of the founders of the “Concept Album.”, which they continued and expanded with Abbey Road. Abby Road. In fact, I was recently in the hospital. I played a lot of music for the under thirty crowd (which was all My nurses and techs). I had to introduce them to some of that going on in mid to lste 60d

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Sounds like you are doing a great job converting people! Thanks for watching and welcome to the channel.

[@stevecarlsonvinylcommunity9147]

When I was growing up I liked the early Beatles. Once they started growing long hair and beards they spooked me, they looked like hippies. I was only around 8 years old and growing up in Nebraska long hair was seriously frowned upon. By my teen age years I listened to later Beatles and really got into liking their later stuff. I would put myself in the 3rd period with Revolver and Sgt Pepper.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Hi Steve. It's funny to think of long hair being frowned on. I think the Beatles spooked a lot of people from the mid-sixties onwards.

[@FatCityVinyl]

Ah, the eternal question...yes, that early Merseybeat era sounds rather antiquated and quaint to my ears these days...that said it was my gateway to the Fabs when I was about 13 or 14...one of the first records I ever bought on my own (which has since been lost in the mists of time) was a reissue of the Love Me Do 45, I can still remember it being displayed on the counter of the first record store I ever visited. Soon after I got a copy of the red compilation on cassette, but within a year or two the "blue" years seemed much more exciting and innovative and thus it has remained to this day...whether that means my tastes or preferences were permanently locked in at that age and have remained static ever since is perhaps an interesting question...these days if I'm surfing radio stations and hear one of the early songs, I'll usually gloss over it or keep scanning the dial. I've likely told the story ad nauseam about a high school teacher of mine who saw the Beatles live before they were famous but here it goes again...don't recall how he got on the subject but he started telling us about it in class one day, a crusty, cynical old Scot he was - "they were awful!" he said...then he asked about what music we liked and a guy at the back yelled "Fight For Your Right To Party"...Mr. Bailey scoffed and said "Beastie Boys? Nobody's going to care about them in a year"...

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

I don't believe I have heard that story before, brilliant! It's surprising at how many 'first-hand accounts' there are of people who apparently saw the Beatles before they were famous and found them awful. Maybe they just had a lot of off-nights. Thanks Doug!

[@FatCityVinyl]

@@jamesgriffithsmusic I have remembered that conversation all these years and still get a chuckle over it! Good thing the Beatles kept plugging away at the music thing, they got better apparently 😂

[@edvonblue]

great content, it's later Beatles for me, although I see demarcation points for early - mid - late Beatles also

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

I probably lean more towards the later period overall, but the earlier stuff seems more turbo-charged in many ways.

[@graniterhythm53]

I'd say the 'Beatlemania' years covered those mainly when they were on the road - so '63- '66. But Revolver was a crossover album, they only played Paperback Writer live from those sessions. For me, early Beatles is '62-'65 & late Beatles '66- '70.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Fair comment!

[@dylanblonde]

Hi James, Great video! Thankyou so much for the kind words and support. I like the concept of three Beatle era's, with Beatles for sale, Help and Rubber Soul representing the middle period. I always believed Rubber Soul was closer in sound and spirit to Help, certainly more so than being paired with Revolver. Saying that who am I to disagree with George Harrison! This all originates from listening to the Red and Blue albums at the beginning of this year and just really enjoying the Red album more so than the Blue. This 'early Beatles' trend has thus continued on through out the year. The problem is that today the house was empty for a bit so I cranked up Sgt Pepper and am now of the firm opinion that THIS album is the Beatles greatest. Give it another month or so and there will most probably be a video posted about why I really do prefer the 'later' Beatles era. So many problems!

[@bobsbigboy_]

right in the middle for me. i know that might not be the question but I just love the more mod rocker era where they were starting to become more sophisticated. late 64 to 66

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Great period indeed. Can't beat Paperback Writer.

[@grahampratchett8207]

Hi James just watched your latest video. Thourghly enjoyed it, especially anyone that lays praise onmy Favourite Group. Fell for them & their music after seeing them Live in London1964. And then brought EVERYTHING!!! It's a pity you can't placed Photos on here. Your then will see howmuch of theirs I brought over the Length of Years. It's also a pity you haven't GOT A 5.1 Surround Sound System. Caise then you'd appreicate Abbey Road even more. I enjoy every single album from Please Please Me - Abbey Road. Cause (for me) you can see & hear the Improvement Of Them & their Song Writing. Also Imagine what would have been if they hadn't listened to George Martin............Great Video James

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Thanks Graham! Maybe one day I'll get surround sound.

[@aminahmed2220]

What a fantastic video have a wonderful day also last night was my friends birthday ❤❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@6758pasi]

I first got into Beatles through their early work, later became more interested in their later work. To me their later period starts with Rubber Soul. It was when they started experimenting with sounds and with studio. I certainly have no problems with their early albums, they're great in their own way. Pasi

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Hi Pasi. Yes, I usually think of the 'later' period beginning with Rubber Soul too. I found it interesting though that Gary had it at the end of the 'earlier' period.

[@thetrevorosborne]

Great ramble James

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Thanks! I do like a good ramble.

[@RandyforRoyals]

This was a very interesting discussion. My first two Beatles albums were the red and blue compilations which delineated 1966 as the break off point for the early and later periods. I started out listening to the blue album the most but in the end the red album became my favorite. When I started buying their individual albums it always seemed to be Rubber Soul which I now kind of picture in the middle that became my favorite and still is. It was good to hear your thoughts.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Thanks Randy. I guess those red and blue albums helped a lot of people get to know the Beatles back in the seventies. Funnily enough I didn't own them till much later, though my cousins had them and I used to study them carefully!

[@anotherfatbeardedmantalkin5893]

Hey, James! I imagine that the more someone knows about The Beatles, the more likely they would be to divide their discography into more periods. I definitely gravitate to the first part of their career...But not so much the earlier albums with all the cover versions. I love A Hard Day's Night to Sgt Pepper. Maybe that's a middle period. The films A Hard Day's Night, Help and The Yellow Submarine were incredibly important in shaping my view of the band and their music. I had those films taped off the telly and I watched them over and over, to the point of practically knowing all the lines verbatim. So, all of the albums from which the songs in those three films were drawn are my favourites. My enjoyment of The Beatles is a classic bell curve. Cheers - Hedley

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Hi Hedley. I think you're on pretty solid ground going for 64-67. Funnily enough, I never did watch the Beatles movies over and over. I've probably seen each of them three or four times.

[@robison5396]

Great topic and video James..to say this was in your wheelhouse would be the understatement of the year!. Where to begin?. For me, The Beatles started with ' Oldies, but Goldies' which I heard from about 4 years old and gave an eclectic overview of mainly hits right up to Revolver..( Yellow Submarine, charming as it is, was not a particularly great example of the quality of material on that album)..so when I heard the Beatles 1967-1970 in the very early 80s, my mind was completely blown and I couldn't get songs like A Day in the Life and Across The Universe..where were the hooks, the catchy choruses ?.. I guess I was still only really into pop at 12/ 13 and so back then the early- mid 60s Beatles resonated much more strongly. These days I never play their really early material, apart from A Hard Days' Night which i adore, opting for Pepper, The White Album and Abbey Road, I guess those records are more of an immersive experience to be listened to in their entirety, as opposed to comps or singles and I never play 45s these days..so I guess i can only conclude that it is the later Beatles for me. That said..if I had to pick my absolute favourite Beatles song, it would probably be Ticket To Ride..go figure??!!.😊

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Great comment Rob, thanks. I remembered that you starting point was Oldies but Goldies. I didn't get that until much later. The lack of 'hooks' on some of that '67 material is interesting to contemplate - I guess by then they were interested in developing different sides to their music. I know what you mean about Ticket to Ride, it sounds immense!

[@dixielandfarm]

To me, Help marks the Later Beatles, but I do think most people pick Rubber Soul. I am fine with Revolver being the dividing line as well. I have been listening to Bass/Drums Only versions of some of The Beatles albums, and they sound so much more vibrant and alive that sometimes is buried.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Ah yes, I've heard some of those vocal-less mixes too. On a tangent, I've also been listening to some AI-generated Beatles things, but that's another story. Thanks Kris.

[@dixielandfarm]

@@jamesgriffithsmusic Same for me, but with the Beach Boys

[@otisdylan9532]

I love both early and late Beatles. Each has qualities that the other doesn't. If we think of the Beatles as having 3 periods, then middle period Beatles is my favorite, but I still love early and late too. As to George's quote that Revolver is Rubber Soul, part 2, I think Rubber Soul is closer to Help! than to Revolver. The US version of Rubber Soul even contains 2 Help! tracks, and I think they fit right in. And "Wait" was recorded during the Help! sessions.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

I'd say Help! and Revolver definitely belong together. Thanks.

[@nigelelliott4901]

Early Beatles really clicked for me when those BBC sessions came out. Wow! Same pin-you-to-wall energy The Sex Pistols or Nirvana had in their respective eras. Of course those kids in The Cavern lost their minds over them.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Great comment, thanks Nigel.

[@Wayner71]

This is a great topic. I would also say that there were at least three periods in their evolution. But the production sound really changed after Rubber Soul. Rubber Soul's production sounded like the earlier albums even though the music was much more advanced in composition. Revolver's production sounded like the albums that came after it. I like the fact that Lennon was so engaged in the earlier period and in fact dominated those records. For me, McCartney started to dominate with Revolver. But Lennon still contributed marvelous music and in my opinion dominated The White Album. These days, I like the earlier albums as much as the later work. There is much to be said for their optimism and dynamism in that '62 to '65 period. Cheers.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Thanks for your thoughts. I agree that the dividing line between the before and after Revolver is basically down to the production.

[@philharding3289]

100% agree about the RS and Help similarities. These have always sounded like sister albums to me. Revolver sounds completely different. Think you're right about 4 eras, maybe: Merseybeat, Folk rock, Psychedelic, and...Rock?? Or, Scotch&Coke, Pot, LSD, Heroin&Coke 😂

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Thanks Phil, loved the drug run-down!

[@matthewmedley8532]

Brilliant video James has to be later Beatles for me. So many great tracks and essential albums. Spoilt for choice really.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Thanks Matthew!

[@matthewmedley8532]

@@jamesgriffithsmusic when’s your next book out?

[@CharlesHarris-cy6sl]

HELLO, JAMES MY NAME IS CHARLES I LIKE THE EARLY THE BEATLES FROM 1962 -1965 THE BEATLES ARE THE BEST !

[@CharlesHarris-cy6sl]

WHAT IS FAVORITE BEATLE ALBUM ? HEY JAMES KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Hey Charles, glad to hear from you! Revolver is my favourite I think, though I am very fond of The White Album too.

[@chrismoyse3529]

Always early Beatles for me

[@popselias]

I think 4 periods too

[@67Parsifal]

Later. I don’t think there’s an argument as to which era is better. The superior pop group of 1962-65 became something else between 1965 and 1969 - left pop behind and either spawned or influenced several new genres. Plus, Harrison Starr and McCartney improved out of all recognition as musicians and George Martin and his engineers got to extend themselves in the studio. There’s no argument: later was better. 😊

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

I think you're probably right. I still enjoy the early stuff though!

[@hansvandermeulen5515]

They spawned several nee genres in the early days as well, folkrock, countryrock, that 12 string jangle pop, baroque pop (Yesterday, In My Life).

[@PhilJS67]

I would say it’s 4 periods if you divide the albums up into groups. 3 groups of 3 albums essentially in release order. One group of 4, Revolver, Sgt Peppers, MMT and Yellow Submarine.

[@PhilSmithRHR]

Of all attempts to split their career into eras, this makes the most sense. It’s amazing to think that the “psychedelic” period only lasted about 18 months. I’ve never really viewed Yellow Submarine as a proper album. I really enjoy all the eras of the Beatles and which one I prefer depends what mood I’m in. My parents only had stuff up to A Hard Days Night, so I had to go out and discover the rest myself. I guess it’s fair to say that the early material feels more like a Beatles/60s time capsule that I enjoy visiting, whereas the later stuff feels more timeless.