When was the last time the Beatles were happy as a band?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by MaybeI'mMrsVandebilt, Sep 11, 2021.

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  1. MaybeI'mMrsVandebilt

    MaybeI'mMrsVandebilt Just spinning on my axis Thread Starter

    Location:
    London
    I have just been watching two videos featuring a fabulous collection of photos from the Sgt Pepper launch party and All You Need Is Love press shoot, and the Beatles appear happy and relaxed, especially John. It made me wonder if this particular time period represents the last time the Beatles were reasonably content with being together as a band.

    Or was it earlier? Rubber Soul/Revolver era could be said to represent them at their most musically unified at least, whilst still pushing boundaries, although Paul did walk out on a session. I read that John had a fondness for 1964, so it could be that A Hard Day's Night was the last time all four were happy being together as the Beatles. I'm still inclined to think it was 1967. What do people think?



    Gotta love 13:20 Paul holding Ringo's hand. :D
     
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  2. Suncola

    Suncola Possibilities

    Location:
    NW Indiana U.S.A.
    Seems like right up until Epstein's death they were optimistic for the future.
     
  3. Wildest cat from montana

    Wildest cat from montana Humble Reader

    Location:
    ontario canada
    Lennon did say that 'Sgt Pepper's...' was a 'high' point for the band but I'd think it must have been a happy and heady time for them when they were becoming popular and successful.
     
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  4. JimBop

    JimBop Forum Resident

    Location:
    Uk
    I think they seemed happy in each others company in Rishikesh 1968...after that not so much
     
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  5. probably back when they knew I was still a fan
     
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  6. Droogmeister

    Droogmeister Welcome to the Atrocity Exhibition

    Location:
    West Yorkshire, UK
    The day they split
     
  7. DK Pete

    DK Pete Forum Resident

    Location:
    Levittown. NY
    The Pepper period gives an effective illusion that it was a very happy time but there was a lot brewing beneath the surface which I think put their heads in different places. In my view, the last time they were a "happy" band of nearly one mind was during the recording of Revolver. Even George remembers it as a happy album to make (along with Rubber Soul) and that says a lot.
     
  8. Rfreeman

    Rfreeman Senior Member

    Location:
    Lawrenceville, NJ
    1-30-69, except George.
    George was last happy before the others started leaving India ahead of him.
     
  9. MaybeI'mMrsVandebilt

    MaybeI'mMrsVandebilt Just spinning on my axis Thread Starter

    Location:
    London
    Hmm...people have conflicting ideas about that trip, the way I understand it. Seems that John wasn't very happy towards the end and Paul left early, and some sort of negative vibe was carried over to the White Album, although even the Beatles themselves didn't seem to agree on that one. But maybe they did enjoy each other's company at the start of the trip.
     
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  10. jacchank

    jacchank Forum Resident

    Location:
    rochester new york
    objection.......calls for speculation....sustained!!!
     
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  11. Psychedelic Good Trip

    Psychedelic Good Trip Beautiful Psychedelic Colors Everywhere

    Location:
    New York


    "All You Need Is Love" Our World Broadcast 6/25/1967.
     
  12. MaybeI'mMrsVandebilt

    MaybeI'mMrsVandebilt Just spinning on my axis Thread Starter

    Location:
    London
    Love me a good ol' speculative thread. Not enough of them concerning the Beatles you know. ;)
     
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  13. Jack White

    Jack White Senior Member

    Location:
    Canada
    They seem to be enjoying themselves during the rooftop performance. That may be a momentary exception during that era, though.
     
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  14. MaybeI'mMrsVandebilt

    MaybeI'mMrsVandebilt Just spinning on my axis Thread Starter

    Location:
    London
    I've been re-appreciating this song of late. The ending intrigues me. It's so at odds with the mood and tone of the rest of the song. It goes off on this weird trip, a sort of dizzy intensity...vaguely creepy. You know how a lot of Beatles songs have this underlying spookiness? I can't explain it. But it's there.
     
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  15. Wildest cat from montana

    Wildest cat from montana Humble Reader

    Location:
    ontario canada
    Ringo split because he couldn't handle the food and had run out of the canned baked beans he had brought with him.
    John split because he realized he was more cosmic than the Maharishi.
    Paul split cause John split.
     
  16. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    Hard call really, because we only really know second hand information.
    I think that there were some internal personal issues for each member. I think drugs messed them up a bit, and there were residual effects on the band.

    I imagine that they, like everybody, had good times and bad times all the way through.
     
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  17. Bluepicasso

    Bluepicasso Android Confused

    Location:
    Arlington, Va
    --
    I've kinda pointed in that direction myself for the past couple of years during that trip. If that 3rd installment of the trilogy gets done by Lewisohn, perhaps some light will be shed. Something very bad went down there.
     
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  18. Wildest cat from montana

    Wildest cat from montana Humble Reader

    Location:
    ontario canada
    This begs the question : Are there more Beatles threads or are there more posts complaining about the amount of Beatles threads?
     
  19. Wildest cat from montana

    Wildest cat from montana Humble Reader

    Location:
    ontario canada
    Something very bad indeed went down there..like I said , Ringo ran out of canned beans.
     
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  20. Andrew J

    Andrew J Forum Resident

    Location:
    South East England
    When they had those trousers. ;)
     
  21. Bluepicasso

    Bluepicasso Android Confused

    Location:
    Arlington, Va
    :biglaugh:
     
  22. MaybeI'mMrsVandebilt

    MaybeI'mMrsVandebilt Just spinning on my axis Thread Starter

    Location:
    London
    It's interesting you say that about Pepper giving this illusion of them being unified. And there's Paul inventing this 'pretend band' as the premise of the album. On one level, it's just the Beatles playing dress up. On another, it's an illusion of a band. Well, John certainly thought so by the time they broke up. Still...pretty convincing illusion! We got some brilliant music out of it.
     
  23. jamesmaya

    jamesmaya Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Really, REALLY happy as a band? The Hamburg Star-Club days?
     
  24. linklinc

    linklinc Forum Resident

    ~At the very end...

    While there was clearly plenty of tumultuous energy later on, this ran parallel to great times together- the one doesn't undo/negate the other... they co-exist. This seems to be a big focus of the upcoming Peter Jackson film- to dispelthe myth that just because their was some difficulties & turbulence didn't mean that there also wasn't still a great amount of (arguably quite a majority even) joy & happiness.

    Since they were talking about continuing as a band, & how that might happen, up to their operational end (either "Abbey Road" sessions- very happy, productive & cooperative by all accounts... or, stretching it, the early 1970 overdub sessions The Threetles did without Dr. Winston O'Boogie...)... I'd say they were happy as a band (despite all the humanity, issues & eventual decision to break up) from the beginning to the very end.
     
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2021
  25. DK Pete

    DK Pete Forum Resident

    Location:
    Levittown. NY
    Well, as Ringo said, when it cane down to the music, all the B.S. went out the window. Thankfully for us and to their everlasting credit, the music remained brilliant to the last drop.
     
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