Product Description

In the ultimate tribute to the Beatles, dazzling illustrations by noted artists enhance 200 favorite songs and reminiscences of the Fab Four. 320 color and b&w photos and illustrations.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #160989 in Books
• Published on: 2005-05-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 272 pages

Amazon.com Review
First published in 1969, this reissued collection of illustrated lyrics for 200 Beatles songs will be a treasure for any fan of the Fab Four. Editor and Beatle-buddy Alan Aldridge states in his introduction to the original edition: "What I have tried to do is present a book [that] is as entertaining to the eye and the imagination as a Beatles album is to the ear." Indeed, he more than succeeds, creating a lavish pageant of art and music that embraces not only the Beatles but also the psychedelic spirit of the entire era.

In 320 photos and illustrations, renowned artists offer their interpretations of various songs. "Help" is visualized by Ronald Searle; "Fixing a Hole," by Tomi Ungerer; "Glass Onion," by Peter Max; "I'm So Tired," by David Hockney; and "Oh, Darling," by Ralph Steadman. Aldridge also contributes his own trippy illustrations, which reflect the bold, bulbous, cartoons-on-acid style of 1960s poster art. This rich compilation also has brief quotes from the Beatles explaining the origins of the themes and lyrics of certain songs. For example, despite the buzz that "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" is about LSD, according to Paul, "What happened was that John's son Julian did a drawing at school and brought it home, and he has a schoolmate named Lucy, and John said, 'What's that?' and he said 'Lucy in the sky with diamonds.'" Band members also share their thoughts on superstardom, including this now weighty comment from John: "I don't intend to be a performing flea anymore. I was the dreamweaver, but although I'll be around I don't intend to be running at 20,000 miles an hour trying to prove myself. I don't want to die at 40." It can't bring them back, but The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics can take you on a long and winding road of nostalgia. --Brangien Davis

About the Author
Alan Aldridge is an award-winning graphic designer and artist based in London. He was also a colleague and friend of the Beatles. This extraordinary collection is the result of his idea to have artists illustrate their songs in any and every way possible for print.

Customer Reviews

Handsome book, but why the snubbing of Harrison/Starr songs?
Overall, this is a nice volume which augments the lyrics of the Beatles with striking and memorable illustrations, particularly from editor Aldridge, which very well capture the spirit of the Beatles' music. However, the book contains one serious shortcoming: its inexplicable (and unexplained) leaving out of almost all of the Beatle numbers not written by Lennon/McCartney. This means that such indispensible songs such as "Here Comes The Sun", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Something", "Old Brown Shoe", and "Octopus's Garden" (among others) are conspicously absent from this collection. Why? Instead, we get at least a dozen Lennon/McCartney compositions that were never actually recorded by the Fab Four, as well as Lennon's three most famous songs from his early solo career.
Another drawback is that the lyrics are presented in a seemingly random, haphazard order as opposed to any kind of a chronological or even thematic one.
A wonderful concept well-executed, but must be docked points for incompleteness because of the missing Harrison and Starr songs.

For the Beatlemaniac who has all their books...
No reviews, no bios, just great lyrics and good art. This book was originally published during the late 60s, and so the art reflects the time. My only complaint: "Two of Us" is not about Paul and Linda (as the picture suggests), it's about the friendship of John and Paul (lines like "you and I have memories, longer than the road that stretches out ahead" make little sense in regard to Linda; Paul had only recently met her at the time of the song's writing, and he went on to spend the next 30 years with her). That aside, I say no Beatle library is complete without it.

Where are Ringo & George? What were they, Stealth Beatles?!
I was delighted to see this book is still in print. The illustrations, ranging from line drawings to wonderfully Psychedelic Sixties from artists such as Beatle John Lennon to Peter Max add a touch of whimsical charm to the written lyrics. The songs are not arranged in alphabetical order or chronological order, which gives the entire book a free-formless and free-flowing feel.

I was highly displeased that Harrison and Starkey tunes were not included; rather, this book should have been more aptly titled "Illustrated Lyrics of Lennon & McCartney." There is just no excuse for omitting masterpieces such as "I Want to Tell You," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Here Comes the Sun," to name three.

As much as I enjoyed the book, the omission of Harrison and Starkey and the seemingly random placement of song lyrics has cost this otherwise excellent book one star.