(CRITIC AT LARGE Perfect storm The further we get from the Beatles, the more important they become. Hunter Davies looks at the strange collision of culture, chemistry and magic that created this extraordinary band Why did Paul Johnson, in his 1964 attack ‘on William Deedes for praising the Beatles (Gee page 2), éragin the fact Deedes was an (Old Harrovian? Because he himself went to a minor public school, Stonyhurst? Or because someone who went to Harrow, and presumably could speak fluent Algebra at the age of sx, should know better? ‘And why did he have to attack pop fans for their “cheap confectionery .. . chain store make-up ... open, sagging mouths"? Allsounds like asneer to me. It s interesting that, in lashing outat the Beatles, Johnson basa goatjazz— which the Beatles also hated. In their ealy years, they hhad trouble geting bookings at the Cavern (Club, ajaze venue, and gotonly the less pop- ular dates. John Lennon's own sneer at jazz {fans was to describe them asthe sartofpeo- pile who wore Marks & Spencer pullovers. Johnson was right to point out how our leaders do love tagging on to any popular bandwagon, especially among the young, ss Blhirand now Cameron sil do; bt that wasn’ new. A couple of years ear, in an important speech, Harold Macmillan, not exactly a cool eat quoted (infact, al sang) 2 popular song of the spgos, “She Didnt Say Yee" (she didn’ say "yer, she didn't say ‘no'sshe didnt say stay, she didnt say “go’”). That showed how in tune the prime. sinister as with pp cltare. Johnson was also right about Juke Box Jury, presumably one of the TV pop pro- (Ganumnes he was larbasting Itran on BBC ZV from 1939 to 1967 — playing records, an you imagine, ona television show. So Galed experts voted them a Fit or» Mis it was appalling rly awful. Which was why well loved it. ‘The thing about popular culture is that likingit, or not liking it, has ltd wo do with ‘brains or intellect, education or social back- ground. Its the backdrop to our lives, in- fluencing ust vital stages, sinking into our souls, usually staying with us forever. Johnson, naturally, wasbeing provocative as all opinion columnists have to be, rub- bishing stuff that everyone else i drooling about. Which isn't new, either. Poor old Wordsworth in 1807, not very long after hhe and Coleridge had become favour of the month for their Lyrical Ballads, he got a tight good kicking from the Edinburgh Review. “Childish”, tedious”, “miserable” and “disgusting absurdities” were justsome ‘of the reviewer's insults about hie poems. Sharper, pichier insults than any Johnson ‘usedabout the Beatles, “Apotheorisofinan- iy” and "bottomless chasm of vacuity" »» areabitofa mouthful. Sounds more like 1864 than 1964. Bill Deedes proved to be spot-on. The Beatles did “herald a culeural movement mong the young" that became “part ofthe history of our time". No argument there. ‘One of the strange things about the Bes- ‘des phenomenon is that the Further we get from them, the bigger and more influential they become. The seruffiest scrap of paper signed by them is worth a fortune, Uni- versities all around the world are studying their work. The soth-anniversary celebra- ‘ons this year of thes arrival in New York seemed to receive just as much coverage in the United States as the band did back in 1964. Quite recently, there have been ‘wo academic books suggesting the Beatles helped bring about the fall of communism. Even wouldn’tgo that far. ‘But why have they lasted? And where did ial come from? How did they create their songs when they had no musical taining and could not read or write musie? Since 1964 about two thousand books, many of them highly academic, have tried toanalyse and explain the secre ofthe Beatles. Even more mysterious is the question, cof how, having got started, they suddenly ‘metamorphosed, discarding childish, hack neyed, borrowed forms to blossom into she most admired, most studied, most gift- ced songwriters of our age. All good arists develop, but in the case of the Beatles the ‘uansformation was dramatic. Who would have thought that the minds responsible forthe banal lyrics of "Love Me Do" would goon to produce “Eleanor Righy"? In defence of Paul Jobnson, it has to be said that in February 1964, when he was ‘writing, very few people were praising the ‘Beatles’ pris. But raving about their music, bby the intellectuals, had already begun. ‘On 23 December 1963 Willism Mann, the music ere ofthe Times, was extolling the "Aeolian cadence” of their songwriting and their ability to “think simultaneously of harmony and melody, so firmly are the ‘major tonic sevenths and ninths built into their tunes”, The tune Mann had picked ‘on was “Nota Second Time", one of those ‘hatrarely appears today in Beatles fans’ top faves, Ir had just come out on their second album, With the Beatles. Itis often forgotten how long John and Paul had been at it “The big breakthrough inthe quality and variety of their songs ~ music and Iyees ‘ame in 965 with Rubber Soul. They went fon developing and experimenting, into ddocing us to new sounds and instruments, forthe next five years, ill they packed up for goodin 570. Te often forgotten how long John and Paul had been at it. At che age of 6, they ‘might not have been speaking Greek, but they were already ceaive, composing their ‘own songs and writing poems snd stores Both had a Hterary bent, read widely, ap- reciated good writing, knew exactly what they did like ~The Wind in the Willows, ‘Alice in Wonderland, Treasure island ~ and ‘what they did WIGTOWN BOOK FESTIVAL ean art ter iy Itis also overiooked that John and Paul along with George, pased the eleven-plus ‘exams, went to very good grammar schools and had grounding in Eng Lit. The influ- fence of their grammar-school education, and their early reading, emerged as theit lyrics progressed and developed (OF course, no one realy knows where words come from. "Songs are lke rabbit: ‘they lke t come out of their holes when you're not looking,” sad Neil Young TS EI- ioe observed that the words ina poem were there merely 0 “divert” the mind. This feven more the case with Iris, which of- ten get chosen for their sound, t0 ft the musical mood, rather than to convey pre= cise meaning. Paul and John met chrough music — and forno other reason, They didn't attend the same school or even live in the same area Tn fac, they had never met before Saturday 6 July 1957, when John’s lvl schoolboy group, the Qusrrymen, played ata church {ere in Woolton, Liverpool, and Paul was brought slongby amutual acquaintance. Paul, jst tured 15, had bie guitar with him, and after watching the Quarrymen perform he was introduced to John, the group's leader, and proceeded to demon- Strate his expertise on the guitar, paying a number called “Twenty Fight Rock”, John was impressed but ered not vo show ie of course, being tough, being the boss. He realised thit Paul new more chords and ‘was probably a beter gitaris than him, 30 fora week he pondered whether ic would bea good idea to introduce a rival into the group. On reflection, he decided it would {nd invited Paul tojoin yea ater, George Hizzison, who was atthe same school as Paul a year younger but already as good a suitarist as either of them, was inroduced by Pau to John and he, too, became one of the Quarrymen. ‘And so began the long, hard slog with the word showing no interest in what they were doing ~ which was begging for hum- ble engagements at partes and village halls and, mostly, John and Paul siting in Paul's house with their guitars, head to head, pushing, crdeising each other, ying Compore songs. The fist and obviows ex: planation for their musical ability is dheir family backgrounds. John’s father, Fred- dic, who went off ose, hada good singing voice (sohetoléme, and ofcourse believed him) and would entertain hs friends at get- togethers with a song or two, but he never didi foraliving. His own father, also called Joba Lennon, had toured the Stites ss part cof group of Kentucky minstrels Jobin mother, lis played thebanjo, well «enough to each him some basic chords. She also played the acordion, according to herdaughter Julia Baird Giohn’s half-sister) and [nad a good singing voice but could not read ‘music. Yet John's aunt Mimi, who brought ‘him up, was so against him playing guitar she made him practise outside inthe porch. ‘She appears to have had no interest in mu- sc, at least popular music. John refused all ‘msi lessons, bur he learned eo play the ‘mouth organ asa youngboy, afterafashion, Fis unele George (Mimi's husband) had aiven him a cheap one and in 1952 he tookit ‘with him on abus trip to Edinburgh tostay ‘with his aunt Elizabeth, playing it forthe entire journey. The driver told him to come back to the bus station the next day and ‘presented him with a much better one. Paul had a much stronger musical herit- age. His father, Jim, although never a full- ‘ime professional musician (he spent most ‘ofhis working life asa cotton salesman), did Ihave his own lite jazz band before the war: Jim Mac's Band. Paul remembers loving all the family gatherings where his uncles and snunts would sing songs and play instru: ‘ments, In this, the McCartneys were fairly typical. Many working-class families could ‘boast someone able to play the piano or the fiddle ~selFcaught,andalwayson call foran ‘old-fashioned family knees-up. Jim played the piano and the trumpet (nul his teeth went) and the family had instruments in the house, but because he played by ear he fle unable to teach Paul hhow to play, not knowing the rales and the language. Paul did have a couple of lessons, then gave up. Yet his aptitude was clearly always there, encouraged by Jim, who told Jhim that ifhe learned the piano he would always be invited to patie. As for George, neither of his parents seems to have been very musial. His fa. ther, a bus conductor, owned a guitar but it appears he didn't play it while George ‘was growing up. George's mother, Lou ise, enjoyed a sing-song and, unlike John’s aunt Mimi, she actively encouraged her ‘son when he joined the Quarrymen, going along to watch them ply. Ringo does not feature as a composer or lyric writer of any Beatles songs apart from “Don't Pass Me By” and “Ocropus's Gar- den”, and is family background appears to Ihavebeen totally non-masical. In 1967, [did ‘uack down his father, also called Richard, ‘who separated from Ringo’s mother when Ringo was very young. He was then living in Crewe, working asa window cleaner, and ‘was not keen on talking. Ringo did not pass the eleven-plus and go to grammar school: ‘he spent much of his childhood in hospital ‘with various illnesses. Paul's mother, Mary, died in 1956 from breast cancer. Paul was 14 and his younger 3 brother, Michael, recalls it was around then that Paul's obsession with playing the guitar ‘began. Was ita compensation mechanism? ‘Would it have happened otherwise? The first song Paul remembers writing was “I LoseMy Litle Gel". Mary MeCarmey, like George's mother, was Roman Catholic, but nether Paul nor George was sent to 2 Catholic school. Both boys attended Church of England Sunday schools, as did John. Paul was a keen choir boy. Though none of the Beatles’ parents was overtly religious, or even 2 regular churchgoer, the boys followed working- class conventions of 19408 and 19508 Brit ‘in whereby childzen were sent to church For me, there is one “what if”: what if Paul’s mother had lived? or Sunday school on a Sunday, giving thelr ‘parents a break and perhaps the opports- nity fora bit of Sunday-morning cuddle. Did Catholic mothers and Church of Eng- land attendance have any influence on their musical tastes? A case has been made for the effect ofreligion on their musie: think of “Lady Madonna” and “Let Ite". And what of ther Irish ancestry? Paul and John had Ibish roots, as did George. The Irish, so we are always told, are very musical, And have away with wards. So they also say. ‘Then thereis humour. Merseysideculture is built on mockery, irony, sarcasm, satire, not taking yourself or others too serious! Liverpoot has been described as “a desig- nated area of outstanding natural sarcasm ‘As the Beatles'Iyrics progressed, there were jokes, puns, wordplay, pastiche. Even when ‘being terribly serious and preschy — which they could be at times ~ they usually ended witha laugh. If Brian Epstein had not come along as, their manager, would they have made ic? 7 ( w \ “hay eas forthe next verse fey Jude’, ads?” Or if thee producer George Martin had not encouraged and allowed them from the be- inning to record their own compositions? [hinkethey would. Their talent would sure- Iyhave been ‘Yer there fs one “what i" aboue which {'m not so sure. What if Pauls mother had lived? Asa tained nurse and midwife, she was keen on her sons’ eduction and on their economic and soci] improvement. am sure that when Paul aged just 8, came hhome to announce he wanted to go of to Hamburg with Joha to py in some doday- sounding nightclubs, she would have put her foor down, insisted he say on and go to cllege, tain asa teacher, And Paul, be- ing a good son, might well have obeyed In which case, even Before they had properly begun, John and Paul might well have gone their separate ways. One ofthe most common clichés zbout genius is that itis 20 percent inspiration 10 90 per cent perspiration. The Beatles certainly worked hard. When they frst ap- peared they were assumed to be averight Eensations In fac, they had spent the si yeats leading up °o 1963 unknown and ‘mostly unpaid, slogging away. ‘When T'was abserving them at Abbey Road in 1967, during the making of Sgt Pep- er'sLonely Hearts Gub Band, wasalways fsnazed how many takes they would re ard, going on and on, late into the night, ‘while they all sounded much the same to Ine, And at Paul's home beforehand, in his lie seuio a che top of the house, he and John would take for ever, trying outendless variations of lyrics and music. They would move on only when the other one agreed yeah, that will do. Te is strange tht Paul never composed with George, who turned out to be an ex Callen songwriter, when they went tothe same school Pethapeitwasbecause George ‘was younger anda ate developer, that atl never sat down and composed with him. Pethaps there was nothing there between ‘them. With John and Paul, though, the vital spackshone from the moment they met ‘The band’s biggest single musical influ- cence was therefore not fry background nd not Liverpool, nor even the hard grind “ytwas eachother. We didn’ now all his back in 1964, or how they would develop. But we can now see twas the combination of Paul and John, their rivalry, competing and contesting, making the other try bard ef, do better, That was the real secret ofthe Beatle success, and made them part ofthe istry of our time. © Hunter Davies isthe authored biographer ofthe Beatles Hine bool, “The Reales’ Lyric willbe published by Weldenfeld Nicolton on2s September 2 AUGUST 2g INEWSTATESMAN 29Copyright of New Statesman is the property of New Statesman Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.