Volumes have been written about The Beatles. I suppose my biggest annoyance is the propensity for authors to misquote or misrepresent the facts. In all fairness, all books are open to the author's interpretation, but facts are facts. What's worse is often times you will find a book that is 'authoritative' only to discover the supporting docs and notes are hardly sea-worthy.
A Day In The Life: The Music and Artistry of the Beatles by Mark Hertsgaard is a rare gem in the band's catalog. Author Hertsgaard doesn't bother with the personalities or band dynamics. Instead he examines the albums and songs created by the band, exploring themes, origins and ultimately the versions released to the public.
Hertsgaard makes you want to read with the music on as he dissects each album from start to finish. He brings to light some interesting facts regarding the Beatles' work He leads with this one.
"One of the most remarkable facts about the Beatles is that they released only ten and a half hours of music during their years together--the contents of the group's twenty-two singles and fourteen albums. Yet the tapes inside the Abbey Road archives, it turns out, contain more than four hundreds hours' worth of Beatles recordings."
Imagine the treasure trove he found. For Beatles fans, that remark sends chills up the spine. Hertsgaard takes pains to be objective. Quoting from likes of George Martin and Derek Taylor as well as the boys themselves, Hertsgaard backs up his information with extensive source notes. By his own admission, the author refused to use much of the band information currently available simply because of 'facts'.
Even more remarkable is Hertsgaard keeps from the politics and personal lives, examining those only when the benefit is to the album or song. His respect for the Beatles in obvious. He explores the catalogue chronologically taking time to expound on songs that breached societal conscientiousness. The Beatles' music resonates with people of all different creeds and nationalities. Hertsgaard unintentionally explores that here as well.
A Day in the Life: The Music and Artistry of the Beatles will enhance your musical appreciation of the Beatles, easily. The book is a beautiful read. I fell in love with how Hertsgaard seemed to quantify what I often feel in my soul.
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