Thursday, October 23, 2008

The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics

Edited by Alan Aldridge

The Beatles have been a part of our lives for almost three decades. They were heroes and poets of the sixties and seventies, expressing the spirit of the times. With an influence that crossed social barriers--in addition to the boundaries of art, fashion and music--the Beatles lifted pop music to a new level of artistic achievement, culminating in the classic masterpiece, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics is the only major collection of illustrated Beatles lyrics available. Originally published in 1969, this book has become a symbol of an era, a must-have for Beatles fans and a brilliant tribute to the band that changed a generation.

Quotes from John,Paul, George and Ringo provide candid, witty, insightful commentary on the songs and their origins. Clarification of controversial lyrics is offered by the only true authorities, the Beatles themselves. All of the famous songs are included--from Can't Buy Me Love and A Hard Day's Night to Rocky Raccoon, Revolver [sic] and Yellow Submarine.

Lavish full-color illustrations by internationally famous artists and specially commissioned photographs reflect the psychedelic world the Beatles lived in and the whole generation and pop culture they influenced.

As the editor comments in the introduction, "[this book is as] entertaining to the eye and the imagination as a Beatles album is to the ear." The magic remains.

Alan Aldridge is an award-winning graphic designer and artist. A colleague and friend of the Beatles, Aldridge originally put The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics together in 1969. He asked notable contemporary artists to illustrate the lyrics in any way they liked and advertised for fan art from the public--this extraordinary collection is the result.

1 comment:

Professor Benjamin Levi Marks said...

there were actually two volumes. i have them both - original copies from my teenage years.

your's is an enjoyable site