Deconstructing The Beatles

Deconstructing The Beatles By Episode

• The Beatles Come to America (#101)

  While the craze known as "Beatlemania" had taken over the U.K., in the fall of 1963, the Beatles were practically unknown in America. Through the efforts of band manager Brian Epstein, TV host Ed Sullivan, and a teenage fan from Silver Spring, Md., all of that would change by February 1964. By the time The Beatles arrived at JFK Airport on February 7, 1964, "Beatlemania" was a full-blown phenomenon in America. Their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show garnered 73 million viewers, making it one of the most-watched shows in television history.

• Deconstructing Rubber Soul (#102)

  In October 1965, The Beatles faced an impossible task: produce a new album of original music in time for a Christmas release. Within a month, they had emerged with what many consider to be one of their greatest albums - Rubber Soul. They even had time to create a Double A-side single, "We Can Work It Out," backed by "Day Tripper." Both sides, as well as the album, hit No. 1 on the charts. Composer/producer/"Beatle-ologist" Scott Freiman walks fans through the creation of Rubber Soul - and the band's day-by-day race against the clock.

• A Trip Through Strawberry Fields (#103)

  In August of 1966, after years of relentless touring, the Beatles found themselves grappling with inadequate sound systems, raucous, screaming fans, and the inability to hear themselves play. Their music was getting increasingly complex, but it could not be performed live due to the limitations of the technology of the time. And so, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr made the pivotal decision to stop touring. This could have spelled the end for the Beatles. Instead, they used this critical moment to embark on a new artistic direction, pushing the boundaries of songwriting and recording. The song that started it all - "Strawberry Fields Forever'' - began with a melancholic John Lennon strumming his guitar in a small apartment in Almeria, Spain.