Controversial Stories behind The Beatles
The Controversies of The Beatles
By John Doe
It's hard to believe that a critically acclaimed rock group such as The Beatles could have any controversial issues attached to their name, however, digging a little deeper reveals some of the controversies associated with the band. Through the years their music and album footings, passionate relationships to undisclosed events behind the scenes, the Fab Four have had a journey full of surprises and scandal.
The Rooftop Concert
It was the iconic and final studio based performance from The Beatles and set the tone for bands that followed. On January 30th, 1969, The Beatles took to the rooftop of the Apple Studios in London where the band played a number of their most popular songs including Get Back and Don't Let Me Down. It was a moment that many remember well, however, it wasn't all smiles and cheerful melodies. In fact, their 42minute show caused a stir with a lot of local residents as reports began to surface of a nearby studio complaining about the "noise nuisance". Not long after, the police were called in and the stage-fit was forced to an end.
The Discontinuation of The Beatles
It's no secret that The Beatles ended suddenly without warning. On April 10th, 1970, the band quietly and unceremoniously announced that they were going to go their separate ways. As the fans were left heartbroken, the news slowly started to circulate that the band had become divided. It was widely reported that disagreements between Paul McCartney and the other three members (John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr) had caused a rift and it was irreparable. While the public may have been taken aback by the sudden split, it is likely the band members had been contemplating it internally for some time.
Secret Messages
It's a fact that The Beatles had implanted secret messages in their lyrics, however, many fans became suspicious that the band were pushing a Satanic message through some of their content. With the help of advanced sound engineering, several Beatles songs were actually found to have backwards masking embedded deep in their music. It was such a tantalizing concept that Alahambra Productions went as far as producing a film in 1976 called All This and World War II which detailed the session where the alleged messages were created and buried beneath the melody. Though, it was always just a rumor and nothing was ever confirmed by the band or their representatives.
The Beatlemania Frenzy
Besides their wonderful and mesmerizing songs, The Beatles also faced a news frenzy with the constant media attention and the swarms of screaming fans that would often accompany them everywhere they went. Often there were times where they couldn't hear themselves think in the company of the crowds, let alone play any music in peace. It got to a point where Lennon was reported as having said "if we ever had a chance of producing another Sergeant Pepper, forget it".
Conclusion
Controversial or not, The Beatles are a legendary band, celebrated by millions around the world and of course their music will never be forgotten. Who knows what caused the split or why they embedded secret messages into their music, but it's part of what makes them so unique and remembered today.