London Eye - Difficult - Lesson 4
Dialogue 4
- What is this you're humming?
- Just a tune I've heard on the radio, and now it's stuck in my head. So catchy!
- It sounds a bit like 'Help!' by the Beatles.
- Possibly. I'm not really familiar with their stuff.
- Are you serious? Come on! Are you pulling my leg? Everyone knows the Beatles!
- Well, what can I say, I guess their music has sort of passed me by...
- Wow... I'm so jealous of you right now!
- Why is that?
- You're about to discover some seriously amazing music! Come along, I'll put one of their records on for you... You're gonna love it!
The Beatles Story
They were the Fab Four and today we're taking a look at the history of the Beatles.
Rock band the Beatles formed in 1960 in Liverpool, England. The group originally consisted of guitarist John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, along with bassist Stu Sutcliffe and drummer Pete Best. Much of the group's early time was spent playing shows in Hamburg, Germany. McCartney then took on bass after Sutcliffe's 1961 departure (уход) and they began recording as a backing band. After meeting their future manager Brian Epstein the Beatles were signed to EMI's Parlophone label (подписали контракт с Parlophone, подразделением фирмы грамзаписи EMI) by producer George Martin in 1962.
That same year Ringo Starr replaced Best during their first recording session and the classic Beatles lineup (состав) was solidified (сформировался).
All four members contributed (внесли вклад в) vocals but Lennon and McCartney singing and songwriting partnership stood out (выделялось на фоне других). The group released two successful singles before their number one 1963 debut Please Please Me, and followed that with two more hits.
As they toured the UK in 1963, their popularity generated frenzy fan reactions dubbed “Beatlemania” (истерическую реакцию фанатов, которую назвали “Битломания”). That year the four also released a chart-topping LP With The Beatles. Next came their first number one single.
The song and their first 1964 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show started the British invasion (захват) in America.
Screaming fans continued to pursue (преследовать) the band on their international tour dates in 1964. The group also starred in the successful comedy A Hard Day's Night and released a popular soundtrack.
That year also saw the UK release of the number one album Beatles For Sale and the US release of the chart-topping record Beatles 65.
The next year their second film Help and a number one soundtrack that featured the song Yesterday came out.
The Beatles recorded the folk-rock LP Rubber Soul, often considered one of the greatest albums ever made.
In 1966 controversy (скандальная ситуация) arose when Lennon commented on the band's popularity.
"Are you burning your Beatles record?" - "Yes sir, I've burned them." - "You've burned them all yourself?" - "I already burned them."
Despite this the band continued to crank out hits (штамповать хиты) they also topped the charts with the psychedelic rock record Revolver, and this was another triumph.
After their final tour, came the 1967 record Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The successful mix of musical genres and its use of various instruments and sounds made it one of history's most important pop albums.
The Beatles song All You Need Is Love was followed by a meditation retreat (отпуск) in Bangor, Wales.
That was kind of stunning, because we were off on this sort of finding the meaning of life, and there he was... dead.
Following the shocking death of Epstein the Beatles released a successful psychedelic rock soundtrack to their Magical Mystery Tour film.
In 1968 the well-received animated movie (мультфильм) Yellow Submarine and corresponding soundtrack were followed by the Beatles first single on their label Apple Records.
After visiting the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India that same year...
"It was a bit of a phase (на нас нашло ненадолго), but he still a nice fellow and everybody's fine, but we don't go out with him anymore."
...the group released a self-titled LP commonly known as The White Album
Despite tension-filled recording sessions and Lennon's romantic fixation with Yoko Ono, the record topped the charts.
Over the course of their 1969 recording sessions for the album Let It Be, the Beatles began to fall apart (разваливаться). During this time they made their final live performance on the rooftop (живой концерт на крыше) of their recording studio.
Unable to resolve the issues (раздираемые противоречиями), the Beatles put Let It Be on hold and began work on Abbey Road. They released that album later in the year, and it became one of the group's most commercially successful efforts.
Though it was recorded before Abbey Road, Let It Be was the band's final album release.
It was finally released in 1970 along with an accompanying documentary.
"I'll play, you know, whatever your want me to play, or I won't play at all. Whatever it is that will please you, I'll do it."
By this point both Lennon and McCartney started releasing their solo material.
Despite their subsequent break-up and the deaths of Lennon and Harrison, the band's popularity did not diminish (не уменьшилась) with time. The members continued releasing solo albums and many projects were released with and without input from the band.
The Beatles were artistic innovators who quickly achieved massive success. With their colossal pop culture influence it is without a doubt that their musical legacy will live on (их музыкальное наследие будет жить).
"I'd like to say thank you on behalf of the group (от имени группы) and ourselves and I hope we've passed the audition (надеюсь, мы прошли прослушивание)“.
Help
by the Beatles
Help! I need somebody
Help! Not just anybody
Help! You know I need someone
Help!
When I was younger so much younger than today
I never needed anybody's help in any way
But now these days are gone and I'm not so self assured
And Now I find I've changed my mind, I've opened up the doors
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me?
And now my life has changed in oh so many ways
My independence seems to vanish in the haze
But every now and then I feel so insecure
I know that I just need you like I've never done before
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me?
When I was younger, so much younger than today
I never needed anybody's help in any way
But now these days are gone and I'm not so self assured
Now I find I've changed my mind, I've opened up the doors
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me?
Help me, help me
Ooh