The Beatles are nothing if not legendary and while all their performances have been memorable, the following 10 were particularly outstanding.
1. Abbey Road
This was the band’s last album but the fact that the EMI London Recording Studio changed its name to Abbey Road Studios, should give you an idea about how amazing the recording sessions were. After the release of the album, this studio became the most sought after studio and those who worked there were treated like celebrities.
2. Strawberry Fields Forever
This was the first song recorded by the band when they decided to stop touring and were told to pull up their socks. Needless to say, they followed it up and the final recording session was remarkable. However, Lennon did not like it as much as the rest of the band members. It influenced the likes of Jeff Lynne and ELO.
3. I Wanna Be Your Man
When this song was first recorded, none of the band members were happy with it. McCartney and Lennon felt that that they needed to change the sound in such a way that it would be at par with their debut hit single. The two members then vanished for about 15 minutes and came back with a much better version of the song. Mick Jagger says that he was greatly influenced by this song.
4. Rubber Soul
Brian Wilson was significantly influenced by this song even though the band felt that the original sound was not at par with the quality they were known to produce. If The Beatles did not perform this song at a concert, the audience would beg them to until they did- at least 4 times!
5. I Wanna Hold Your Hand
This single was not accepted by most recording studios in the United States. However, Columbia Records finally released it and it became the band’s first hit single. The song raised the bar for the band and all their subsequent songs were made to match up to its superior sound. Needless to say, all the contemporary bands were forced to see what they were up against and had no choice but to work even harder!