The Beatles in Seven Years
Of all the many reasons the Beatles careers were such an explosive magical mystery tour, the most convincing argument for their musical and cultural supremacy might have been the simplest of all — time.
The Beatles did everything in just 7 years.
Think about that for a moment.
Case in Point: Here are the *first* and *last* photographs of all four of the Beatles together, which were taken just 7 years apart.
Photo 1: Drummer Ringo Starr was the final addiction to the group, and the Beatles played their first show together at the Cavern Club on the night of August 22, 1962.
Photo 2: Exactly 7 years later to the day, after completing most recordings on their swan song album, “Abbey Road,” the Beatles met up at John Lennon’s home in St. John’s Wood near London for the group’s final photo shoot. This moment would turn out to be the last photo of them taken together, on August 22, 1969.
I think what’s most remarkable about these two images side-by-side is pondering how short a time 7 years is. Just think back to 2016 as a contemporary time reference from this moment, and recall where you were and what you were doing then. It doesn’t seem like so long ago, does it?
Yet, these photos show astonishing contrasts. Things happened fast. They matured. Music changed. The world was a very different place from 1962 to 1969. The first photo was taken shortly after John Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth. The second photo was taken two months after Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. They were unrecognizable from before. So too was the world.
Sadly, not all changes are either joyous or positive. The youthful energy of the Beatles in their early days dissolved into a four-way divorce. Everyone in the group grew very gradually in a different direction. But from the faces and the body language we see here, which doesn’t look at all like a group anymore, they grew *apart.* Yet, perhaps the eventual split was also liberating.
So many things can happen in 7 years. Such a short time. Unlimited possibilities.
__________
Note: Credit Thomas Hobbs, who took the final photo. The story of that photo session is HERE, published in The Guardian.