In 2019, the movie Yesterday was released, making an assumption: The Beatles and their music never existed in the world? A humorous assumption but leading us to a not so bright scenario.
As author Philip Norman, in his biography Shout! The Beatles - The breath of the 20th century (translated by Hien Trang, Live and just published by Dan Tri Publishing House) affirms that the lack of The Beatles' existence in the 20th century is like losing breath - vitality of the whole era.
The Beatles' existence is a revolutionary existence. Nowadays, we are used to closed stages with crowds and "crazy fans" dying for their idols and see it as a natural thing. But few people know that all these phenomena exploded when four British boys: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr stepped on stage to perform their immortal songs.
The Beatles' existence is a long-term existence, even though the time from their formation to their disbandment in 1970 was only about a decade, but it was a decade that created an entire era. Even long after the Beatles broke up, the band's impact on popular culture is still evident today.
There have been many books, documentaries, and movies about the life and music of The Beatles, but rarely have there been any works as comprehensive and massive as the biography written by Philip Norman. Norman was more ambitious than just chronicling a musical group, he wanted to write about The Beatles in the flow of history as if to answer the above assumption, what our world would be like today if The Beatles had not been ever existed.
The biography Shout! The Beatles - The breath of the 20th century shattered the illusions of those who thought they knew enough about this legendary group, Philip Norman forced them to think again. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr did not suddenly "grow" like strawberries in a field and become legends. The Beatles' existence is a combination of many factors, including the historical and social context that has a significant impact on explaining the appearance and success of the band.
Philip Norman was meticulous and careful, trying to keep the painting of The Beatles clear and detailed. Too many characters, too many events and too many interacting relationships, the author sometimes confuses the reader. He interviewed the band's former collaborators, band members, and even their childhood friends. The first draft of Shout! The original was shorter but was edited and supplemented by Philip Norman over many years, because he realized that the story of The Beatles was an unfinished story. The band's inevitable breakup simply ended the mechanical part, The Beatles and their music have never disbanded but are still present in life even now.
The Beatles are the center of the circle, everything converges to that center and from the center spreads its influence. Shout! is a loud shout announcing the existence of a band that has become a cultural icon.
For example, the photo of the moment John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr stepped over the road markings still appears in cultural products today, being imitated many times.
Now, when the second millennium has passed 20 years, what else can we say about a band that disbanded half a century ago? Perhaps we will find the answer in the words of another legend. “They did things no one else did. Their chords were bold, very bold, and their harmonies made everything make sense… I knew they showed the direction the music should go.” Bob Dylan said that about The Beatles. As for posterity, as Taylor Swift praised, "their music makes me feel that there are many good things in this life."
