THE BEATLES AS BORROWERS (2021): Just let me hear that . . .

 |   |  <1 min read

THE BEATLES AS BORROWERS (2021): Just let me hear that . . .

As original as they were, the Beatles – especially in their early days – drank from some very deep wells of rock'n'roll, country and black American soul.

As we noted in What the Beatles Knew By '62, they had an enormous repertoire of covers in their armory, so when they came to write originals they knew how songs worked and could mix'n'match styles to create something of their own.

Throughout their career however they would often -- Lennon in particular -- revert to these templates, as when Lennon lifted the riff from Pee We Crayton's Do Unto Others for Revolution and they took from Bobby Parker's Watch Your Step the hook for I Feel Fine. 

Here are two Spotify playlists which are by no means complete but just give a hint of their rock'n'roll and r'n'b soul roots.

The Beatles: Deep rock'n'roll Cuts is here.

The Beatles: Deep rock'n'soul Cuts is here.


Share It

Your Comments

post a comment

More from this section   Absolute Elsewhere articles index

BAND OF HORSES, TYLER RAMSEY AUDIO INTERVIEW (2010)

BAND OF HORSES, TYLER RAMSEY AUDIO INTERVIEW (2010)

Originally out of Seattle, Band of Horses have had one of those constantly evolving line-ups that makes for a confusing family tree. Three-quarters of those on the first album quit before the... > Read more

MARTIN PHILLIPPS INTERVIEWED (2018): A lone guide cutting through snow

MARTIN PHILLIPPS INTERVIEWED (2018): A lone guide cutting through snow

Martin Phillipps takes the guitar off his knee so he can talk about, among many other things, the Chills' new album Snow Bound. But he immediately admits that he can leave such instruments... > Read more

Elsewhere at Elsewhere

GUEST WRITER CLAIRE MABEY looks ahead to this year's LitCrawl in Wellington

GUEST WRITER CLAIRE MABEY looks ahead to this year's LitCrawl in Wellington

Wellington’s LitCrawl is controlled chaos. Over 80 writers, musicians, actors, scientists, journalists and artists will populate 15 venues over 3 hours for 15 unique literary-related... > Read more

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT . . . BARRY GOLDBERG: From lost in the basement to Light in the Attic

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT . . . BARRY GOLDBERG: From lost in the basement to Light in the Attic

The cobwebs are brushed back to reveal a door with a rusty lock. It gives way to a hefty shove and the light from the flaming torch illuminates rows of dusty boxes and there in one way at the... > Read more