What Can You Learn From Source a About the Impact of the Beatles In the 1960s?

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WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM SOURCE A ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE BEATLES IN THE 1960S?

Source A shows the extreme hysteria and passion that some people in the sixties showed towards the Beatles. The Beatles’ very existence ruled people’s lives to the extent that they wanted to grasp every opportunity to watch their every movement and appearance. The indications were that the Beatles were regarded as personalities full of colour, “cool, hip, smart, lippy, charming and funny”, and held most of the nation in complete awe. However it has to be remembered that this is only one girls’ opinion on the subject. Joanna Lumley who wrote this source in the 1990s not the 1960s could have been looking at the past through ‘rose-petal glasses’. The Beatles were not the only groups around at that time, other groups like the Rolling Stones, also had a large fan base. Despite their huge popularity there were still some people who disliked the Beatles. It is also impossible to prove that the Beatles were the soul reason for the streets of London being unoccupied. The source shows the Beatles’ popularity that gripped the country with excitement and happiness and had a huge influence on people’s lives.

DOES THE EVIDENCE OF SOURCE C SUPPORT THE EVIDENCE OF SOURCES A AND B ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF POP MUSIC IN THE 1960S? EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER

The hysteria that was created by pop music during the 1960s is mentioned and described in sources A, B and C. All three see the effect of music of the sixties from a different angle. Sources B and C indicate that the pop music fans of the sixties were very obsessive about their idols. Sources A and B are both written by fans who reinforce the dramatic effect pop music was having on people in the sixties. It is obvious that the fans had a suffocating commitment that turned them into screaming mobs. This obviously had a terrifying impact on some performing groups and artists. Joanna Lumley, the writer of Source A liked the Beatles whereas Source B preferred the Stones. Paul McCartney, one quarter of the Beatles, wrote Source C and conveys that this manic behaviour was not that crazy. He reinforces this by saying that the fans could easily by restrained by understanding and knowing how to treat them. McCartney suggests, however, that sources not written in the sixties, like A and B, may not be entirely accurate as the writers may remember the past how they wanted it to be and how others had convinced them that it was like. The other similarity between the sources is the dedication that is portrayed for their favourite bands. Joanna Lumley is running home to see them on the television, the audience at the ‘Mad Mod Ball’ just wanted to get really close to their idols. The co-operating pop star could offer the fans described in Source C an autograph or photo, whereas a cooperating one a bit of the clothes they were wearing. The youth of the sixties wanted to be as close to the stars as possible.

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HOW USEFUL ARE SOURCES D AND E IN HELPING YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHY MANY YOUNG PEOPLE BELIEVED THAT THE SIXTIES OFFERED THEM OPPURTUNITIES THAT THEY HAD NEVER HAD BEFORE?

Source D is showing an advert in the TV times. The television was a relatively new source of entertainment in the sixties with the last generation of teenagers gleaming their amusement from the radio, often listening to the same programs as their parents. However this poster is advertising a television show that is obviously aimed at teenagers. This means that not only did teenagers have television to watch but ...

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