Did the Beatles know much about music theory?

Well, maybe this tendency is exactly what Macca is trying to avoid by not learning too much theory.

Actually John, I do recall that a female classical musician of my acquaintance did ask me once, while I was playing some sort of mix tape to her, "Why do pop/rock songs always have to end on the tonic chord?" So yes, that's certainly an example of a woman trying to escape the (male) musical rules that demand resolution.

BTW, I'm kind of hopeful that a male songwriter who is schooled in theory will be able to achieve some kind of new direction despite it all (because that's what I am working on at the moment).

 

Just had this discussion with a pal: The Beatles knew the most important thing: how to keep the listener's attention (keep a song interesting). Obviously they did it viscerally, but believe the didn't just simply on every good idea. For example - when Hey Jude was released, it was by far the longest AM radio song ever - the reason the listener's tolerated such long song is because despite being over 7 minutes, it kept their interest. A huge reason for that is the stark key change introduced in the second half of Hey Jude (na na na na). It's fresh all over again at that point (like a brand new song). I have no doubt that they were aware that they were changing keys and that by doing so they would keep the listener interested. Similarly (and earlier) a song that seems as simple as a the other contemporaneous pop tunes by their "competition," but isn;t is I wanna hold your hand: The verse is a simple I V vi iii progression, except the second time around they swap a III for the iii (essentially changing keys) which made the verse less boring and then on the chorus, the use a simple VI V I vi VI V I I with chord changes twice as fast as they were int he verse - simple mechanical stuff typical of all Beatles songs that were certainly "intuitively created" but at the same time, they were hardly oblivious to the mechanical or formulaic aspect of what they were INTENTIONALLY doing (to keep the songs interesting. Their nonpariel combination of intuition and intellect when it came to the musical songwriting is what set them apart form the rest of the world.