Why the Beatles Did Both ‘Beat and Ballad,’ According to George Harrison
The Beatles recorded rock ‘n’ roll hits like “Twist & Shout,” “psychedelic” songs like “Strawberry Fields Forever” and ballads like “Yesterday.” One “Fab Four” member acknowledged their experimentation in other sounds and genres, sharing his thoughts in a 1966 interview.
What genre is the Beatles?
As noted by Musician Wave, most listeners classify the Beatles as a rock ‘n’ roll group, especially with early hits like “Twist & Shout” and “Love Me Do.” The website argues this genre would be too narrow for the group, as they also explored blues, pop rock, and folk.
As the group matured, they explored new instruments, sounds, and recording techniques. They were one of the first groups to use backward vocals and guitar tracks. They featured an anvil on “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” and string instruments on “Eleanor Rigby.”
With some members leaning regularly taking LSD and other hallucinogenic substances, the Beatles began releasing “psychedelic rock” albums like Revolver and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The latter included “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” a song believed to be about LSD (even if Lennon confirmed the song was inspired by his son’s drawing.) By 1966, the Beatles were also writing ballads like the Help original “Yesterday.”
George Harrison on why the Beatles created both ‘beat and ballad’
There were changes in the Beatles’ arrangements. In a 1966 interview, the group acknowledged their shift away from once rhythm-centered music, to ballads like “Michelle” and “Yesterday.”
“Well, we’ve always done both types of music — Beat and Ballad,” Harrison responded (via Beatles Interviews). “And we haven’t actually changed it right over from one to the other. We still do both types.”
In a separate interview, the Beatles members noted their complex recordings are a contributing factor to their paused live performances.
Of course, catchy guitar riffs remained a theme throughout the Beatles’ discography, with Harrison functioning as the group’s lead guitarist. The members sometimes switched instruments, though, with Paul McCartney playing guitar, bass guitar, piano, and singing — depending on the song.
Did George Harrison write his own solo music?
After the Beatles’ split in 1970, the “Fab Four” continued to write original music. Harrison, the songwriter behind Abbey Road’s “Here Comes the Sun,” released solo songs. That includes “My Sweet Lord,” “Got My Mind Set On You,” “What Is Life,” and “If Not for You.”
In The Beatles: Get Back, fans saw Harrison play “I Me Mine” for the other band members, even if it wasn’t well received. McCartney and Ringo Starr continue to release original solo music, with McCartney embarking on his Got Back tour in 2022.
Now, music by the Beatles is available on most major streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music.
