Common Sense Note
"Yesterday," "Eleanor Rigby," and "Help!" address adult themes of loneliness and self-doubt. "Day Tripper" alludes to a less-than-romantic liaison. "Get Back"'s controversial references to drugs ("JoJo left his home in Tucson, Arizona, for some California grass") and "Sweet Loretta Modern" (who "thought she was a woman, but she was another man") don't seem quite so inflammatory thirty years after the fact. "The Ballad of John and Yoko" repeats the exclamation, "Christ, you know it ain't easy!"
Still, this is pop music nirvana. Each song is a gem, and hearing them one after another offers young listeners a mind-boggling treatise of the Beatles' lasting contributions to 20th-century music history. It's easy to overlook lyrics that have become so familiar, but don't discount valuable messages in "Can't Buy Me Love," "We Can Work It Out," "All You Need Is Love," "Hey Jude," and many others.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Gregory Isola
For well over thirty years, Beatles music has held surprising appeal for kid audiences, and this collection of #1 hits presents the band's biggest songs ever. Classic light-hearted romps ("Yellow Submarine," "Penny Lane") still garner giggles from preschoolers and early grade-schoolers, but even some of the more straight-faced songs ("The Long and Winding Road," "Let It Be," "Help!") continue to resonate with sensitive young listeners. Simply put, this is some of the best "kids'" music ever recorded for grown-ups.
Many parents relish this opportunity to inject a little Beatle magic into their kids' lives. Lots of teens, too, appreciate the remarkably high quality and far-reaching influence of this enduring pop music. Also, taken as a whole, THE BEATLES: 1 presents a concise overview of the moods, motivation, and musical experimentation that characterize the band's storied career. Discuss this chronology with interested young fans.
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Sexual Content"Day Tripper" alludes to a less-than-romantic liaison. |
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Language"The Ballad of John and Yoko" repeats the exclamation, "Christ, you know it ain't easy!" |
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Social Behavior"Yesterday," "Eleanor Rigby," and "Help!" address adult themes of loneliness and self-doubt. |
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Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco"Get Back" has some controversial references to drugs ("JoJo left his home in Tucson, Arizona, for some California grass"). |
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