Cultural heritage of The Beatles and the influence of their love songs on students’ empathy

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Cultural heritage of The Beatles and the influence of their love songs on students' empathy

Yuliia A. Rybinska,

Doctor of Science (Dr. Hab) in Education,

Professor, Head of Foreign Philology Department,

Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts, (Kyiv, Ukraine)

Svitlana S. Pechenizka,

Candidate of Philological Sciences (PhD in Philology),

Senior Lecturer, Department of Foreign Philology,

Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts,(Kyiv, Ukraine)

Oksana V. Stebaieva,

Assistant, Department of Foreign Philology,

Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts (Kyiv, Ukraine)

The article describes and analyses the cultural heritage and the Beatles mania phenomenon. Explorations and expressions of love have dominated the lyrical content of popular music for decades, to the extent that the love song can be said to be the archetypal pop song. A detailed division of "love styles" has been proposed by the psychologist John Alan Lee, who suggests that there are six distinct styles of love. Through a consideration of the application of his typology to the lyrics ofpopular songs, it can be seen that the categories he has identified have relevance musically, as well as socially and emotionally. When these insights are employed in the analysis of songs written and performed by the Beatles, significant differences are seen in the approach to love between the group's earlier and later material. It is argued that these are not random variations, but indications of the ways in which their personal experiences and professional evolution were reflected in the nature of their music.

Key words: national colouring, the Beatles, heritage, cultural phenomenon, methods and techniques for implementing songs in class, love songs, translation techniques.

Культурна спадщина The Beatles та вплив їх пісенної лірики на емпатію студентів

Рибінська Юлія Анатоліївна,

доктор педагогічних наук, професор, завідувач кафедри іноземної філології Київського національного університету культури та мистецтва

Печенізька Світлана Сергіївна,

кандидат філологічних наук, старший викладач кафедри іноземної філології Київського національного університету культури та мистецтва

Стебаєва Оксана Володимирівна,

асистент кафедри іноземної філології Київського національного університету культури та мистецтва

У статті описано й проаналізовано культурну спадщину та феномен так званої Бітломанії. Дослідження та вираження любові протягом десятиліть настільки домінували в ліричному змісті популярної музики, що любовну пісню можна назвати архетипною естрадною піснею. Детальний поділ «любовних стилів» запропонував психолог Джон Алан Лі, який припускає, що існує шість різних стилів (типів) кохання. Застосовуючи його типологію до популярної пісенної лі¬рики, можна побачити, що визначені ним категорії є доречними як у музичному, так і в соціальному й емоційному плані. Коли ці уявлення використовуються для аналізу пісень, написаних та виконаних групою «Бітлз», стають помітними суттєві відмінності у підході до любові, що простежуються між ранніми та більш пізніми матеріалами групи. Існують суперечки щодо того, що це не випадкові відхилення, а вказівки на шляхи відображення їхнього особистого досвіду та професійної еволюції через характер їх музики. cultural heritage beatles

Ключові слова: національний колорит, «Бітлз», спадщина, культурний феномен, методи та прийоми опрацювання пісень на заняттях зі студентами, любовні пісні/пісенна лірика, методи/техніки перекладу.

According to Ian Inglis [4], the predominant theme of popular music lyrics has always been - and continues to be today - love. The principal styles in which it has been expressed have been the lament for last or unrequited love, the celebration of mutual and genuine love, and the comment about the nature and significance of love. There styles were present in the major threads of twentieth century popular music whose convergence in the early 1950s, via rock'n'roll, led to the emergence of a contemporary popular music or pop- and the multiplicity of sub-categories that continue to derive from it.

The annual IATEFL Conference held in Liverpool, a city forever associated with the Beatles. The conference opened with a lecture by David Crystal [2], entitled “The world in which we live in: Beatles, blends and blogs” (the second “in” is deliberate). So it seemed like a good idea to republish a post on the language of the Beatles' songs which first appeared on this blog in October 2012.

In our corpus, the expression “the sixties” occurs over twice as often as “the fifties” or “the nineties” (“the seventies” and “the eighties” are somewhere in between, but still nowhere near as frequent as “the sixties”). Why do people talk about the 1960s more than any other decade? One reason is the phenomenon of the Beatles, whose first single was released on October 5th, 1962.

The Beatles' influence on music and popular culture is well-known, but this is a good moment to reflect on their impact on the English language. Up to this point, pop music in Britain mostly copied the music coming out of the U.S., whose dominance of popular culture was taken for granted. British bands sang American songs, using American words, in an American accent. All this changed with the Beatles. As the linguist Harold Somers points out, the band gradually developed their own distinctively British idiom, and “embedded references to British locations and customs, or used language patterns that seem a little strange to Americans” [9]. Somers has produced a fascinating guide to Briticisms in Beatles' lyrics, which include both cultural references, such as the National Health Service (from “Dr Robert”) or the News of the World (“Polythene Pam”), and British English vocabulary like “ring my friend” (“Dr Robert” again: Americans would say call), “time for tea” (“Good Morning, Good Morning”), and dressing gown (“She's Leaving Home” - it's a bathrobe in American English). Not to mention those plasticine porters in “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”- the American equivalent Play-Doh doesn't quite work here.

For the first time it became acceptable for pop music to have a British accent. And not just a British accent, but a Liverpudlian one. In the early sixties, it was still unusual to hear non-RP accents on British TV or radio, and one side-effect of the Beatles' success was that regional and working-class accents suddenly became “cool” - Michael Caine's cockney is another example. As Hanif Kureishi notes: “By 1966 the Beatles behaved as if they spoke directly to the whole world” [5]. This was not a mistake: they were at the centre of life for millions of young people in the West.

As evidence of this, when the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, it was estimated that almost half the U.S. population was watching. It was the beginning of the so-called “British invasion”.

This had consequences in the field of language learning: young people all over the world were listening to English songs, and when they started their own bands and wrote their own songs, they overwhelmingly used English too. Fortunately, you didn't need a huge vocabulary to understand the Beatles' early output: as the titles suggest, songs like Please Please Me, From Me To You, She Loves You, and the one that came out 50 years ago, Love Me Do, use incredibly simple language. In a (highly recommended) corpus analysis of nine Beatles albums released between 1964 and 1970, Guy Cook and Neil Mercer demonstrate that “the later songs use a much wider range of vocabulary” [1]. On A Hard Day's Night, for example, the songs contain a total of 2004 words, but since many of these occur more than once, there are only 420 different words in the whole album. But just three years later Sgt Pepper, with an only slightly higher word count (2257), includes 743 distinct words. Taken together with the fact that words like “you” and “love” appear progressively less often, this “reflects the fact that the writers were dealing with more varied topics” and writing fewer straightforward “boy meets girl” love songs.

But although the band became more sophisticated over time, both musically and in their use of language, the lyrics on even the later albums aren't too challenging. From a brilliant infographic entitled “The Language of the Beatles Abbey Road”, we learn that over 91% of the words on this late Beatles album appear in the General Service List. The GSL lists the 2000 commonest English words, roughly corresponding to the 3-star red words in the Macmillan Dictionary - in other words, the most basic vocabulary of the language.

The aim of the article is to highlight the importance of Beatle's music and implement some songs in class.

Bob Dylan galvanized young people to speak up for themselves. His best early songs championed civil rights and decried injustice. The Rolling Stones sparked feelings of rebellion. And The Beatles, the greatest band of the era and of all time, invariably promoted peace and love.

Yes, it now seems trite to repeat the title of the group's 1967 hit single, “All You Need Is Love.” After all, the message corresponded to the raging Vietnam War. It somehow rings hollow today in the wake of global terrorism and violence in Iraq and Afghanistan, among other hot zones. But it is still the best message around.

The Beatles believed it. They have said over the years that they were proud that their songs brought people together and tried to promote positive feelings among the warring generations. When The Beatles recorded “She's Leaving Home,” on “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,” they offered empathy for the heartbroken parents of the teenager who had packed up and split seemingly without a warning. They could easily have mocked the hapless mother and father in the song.

But instead, they suggested a lyrical shoulder to cry on. Countless families were being ripped apart during the tumultuous late 1960s, just ask in the song.

Remember, too, John Lennon's first big song as a solo star was “Give Peace A Chance,” in 1969. It may have been a coincidence that he chose this title, but probably not. Lennon morphed from a pop star to a peace spokesman. He and his wife Yoko Ono later created “Happy Christmas (War Is Over),” and it has since become one of the most played and widely beloved holiday season songs.

The Beatles could have done anything they wanted, once they made it big. They could have sung about any theme and it would have become the gospel to their loyal followers. But they pointedly chose peace and love.

It was the best gesture they could have made with their global power.

The following materials, taken from Dalton and Lewes [3], were implemented in English class and provided with authenticity and motivation in time of learning.

Help, Hey Jude, Let it Be, A Taste of Honey, And I Love her, Yesterday, A Hard Day's Night, Love me Do, Girl, Michelle, Yellow Submarine.

Exercises.

Practise the pronunciation of these words and word-combinations:

Need somebody; not just; was younger; than today; help in any way; now these days; self assured; now I find; opened up the doors; feeling down; appreciate you; get my feet back; please, help me; has changed; my independence; vanish in the haze; now and then; so insecure; don't make it bad; a sad song; remember to let; made to go out; under your skin; feel the pain; don't carry; upon your shoulders; it's a fool; a little colder; let me down; found her now go; into your heart; let it out; for someone to perform; that it's just you; the movement you need is; not gonna break it.

Give your translation of these word-combinations and make up sentences with them:

Not just anybody; these days are gone; I'm feeling down; vanish in the haze; let her into your heart; being to make it better; don't carry the world; upon your shoulders; let it out and let it in; not gonna break it.

Complete these sentences using the right word:

Vanish; so; better; help; afraid; feel; then; insecure; need; the pain; seems; get; just; on; for; was; don't; down; with; done; back; if; any.

1. A few years ago I... younger... today. 2. I... believe Jack, he's not... self assured. 3. Marry! I... some money, help me... you can. 4. ... Helen to ... her feet the ground. 5. My hope ... to ... 6. Why do you ... so .? 7. You've ... many mistakes in your homework, try to make it ... 8. Don't be ... of snakes. 9. ... time you feel ... call me. 10. Peter! Don't let me ... cos I know it's ... you. 11. Our group is looking ... someone to perform..

Find the antonyms in the songs:

Nobody; older; always; come; closed; OK; dependence; appear; full of joy; worse; forget; finish; throw; sensible; warmer lost; on; make.

Answer the following questions:

1. Do you always need smb to help study English at home? Who? 2. Are you always self assured while planning a new project, idea at work (school; the university)? In what way? 3. Which means are the best to get one's feet back on the ground after shock (failure) of any kind? 4. How has your life changed for the last two, three years? 5. When and where can you feel so insecure? 6. What is the best sad song you have ever heard? 7. Who do you remember every time you feel the pain? 8. How much housework can your mother (granny) carry upon her shoulder? 9. Is it clever or foolish to let into your heart someone you've just met? 10. Who is someone you'd like to perform with (to sing, dance or just act on the stage)?

Give it a name:

Make up questions to the missing parts:

1. Mother Mary comes... 2. There will be... 3. For though they may be... 4. I wake up... 5. I dream of.. .6. I feel ... again, a taste of honey. 7. ... was the kiss that awoke my heart. 8. And if you saw my love you'd.. .9. And ... the kiss my lover brigs. 10. are the stars.

Complete the sentences using the vocabulary of the songs:

1. ... my friends call me and help to solve any problems. 2. Ok! We're going for a picnic on Saturday. 3. If you ask me for some money.,.no. 4. Sveta and Sasha. but they will never forget each other. 5. There. that Shakhtar or Dynamo will play in the CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE next year. 6. Oh! I like this beautiful cocktail. 7. .and then of our romantic travelling to Paris. 8. Don't worry,. very soon. 9. .my heart and aroused the feeling of complete and utter love. 10. . but why? Her heart is as cold as ice. 11. . is hard to understand; she never reveals her . to me. 12. . in the blue sky today.

Give the right equivalents:

Translate into English:

1. Коли для мене настає нелегка година, розумію: у кожній людині є щось цінне: годинник, одяг, гроші та прикраси.2. І коли у нелегку годину звучить телефон, усвідомлюєш: життя прекрасне! Та плювати, що це неправда. 3. Вона постає переді мною - уся кар'єра: від корки до... ікорки. 4. Відповідь така: дурнів, яких мало, здається багато. 5. Чесна бідність - сестра дурниці. Але хай буде так. 6. Хай люди живуть у згоді у цьому світі довгі роки. 7. Усе ще є шанс сказати правду, адже якщо людина називає більше однієї причини, вона бреше! 8. І в хмарну ніч, і в світлий день з-поза столу потрібно вставати трішки голодним, а не . трішки живим. 9. Прокидаюсь під звуки музики «Бітлз» та думаю, було б краще, аби час плив повільніше. 10. Кажучи слова мудрості, ніколи не відмовляйся від них. У крайньому випадку, бери їх назад. 11. Кохана! Смак твого поцілунку набагато солодше вина. 12. Ця каша для Каті! Спробуй, спробуй ще! 13. Не переймайся! я повернусь за медом і за тобою, за . двома ощадкнижками та своєю часткою спадщини. 14. Вмію вгадувати кожне твоє бажання, хоч ми інколи так далеко один від одного. 15. Як так можна? Віддаю їй усе своє кохання, а їй . жаль якихось двадцяти гривень. 16. Збираю книги, одяг, фотографії - ось усе, що роблю. 17. Побачиш, скільки в неї на рахунку, полюбиш її точно! 18. Поки ти поряд зі мною, готовий на будь-яку шаленість заради одного погляду.

Exercises

Practice the pronunciation of the following words and word-combinations:

Yesterday; seemed so far away; it looks as though; here to stay; not half a man I; a shadow hanging over; had to go; something wrong; long for; such an easy; hide away; believe in; been a hard day's; I've been working; should be sleeping; get home to; find the things that; feel alright; worth it just to hear; give me everything; why on Earth; moan; when I'm home; holding me tight; love me do; I'll always be; so please; someone to love.

Match the following

Express the same in English:

Здавалися такими далекими; й на половину не той; яким звик бути; прийшло так раптово; спрага повернути вчорашній день; мені потрібно шукати притулок; я працював як пес; коли приходжу до тебе додому; здобути тобі грошей; готова віддати мені все; усе в порядку; завжди будь щирим; кохати кого-небудь; таку як ти.

Make up your own sentences using these words and word-combinations:

Seemed so far away; looks as though; used; an easy game to play; to hide away; should be sleeping like a log; make me feel alright; just to hear you say; get you alone; when I'm home; find the things that you do; someone to love; somebody new; love me do.

Answer the questions:

What events in the nearest past seem so far away to you? 2. Do you often long for yesterday? 3. Are you sometimes half a man you used to be? When and where? 4. In what situations are you not able to apologize for saying something wrong? 5. What can be such an easy game to play for you? Football or maybe some feelings? 6. While doing what can one work like a dog? 7. How long should you be sleeping like a log on Monday? 8. Which music makes you feel alright after a hard day? 9. Do you always know your darling is OK when you get him/her alone? 10. Is it easy to be always true in any situation?

Give it a name:

Paraphrase using the vocabulary of the songs:

Years of traveling changed Mary more than a half. 2. I wish yesterday would come back. 3. All of a sudden the Red Hat saw a Wolf. 4. Two years ago love seemed a play but now everything's changed. 5. Susan is much bored with city's life so she needs to get away for some time. 6. As I've been working hard, please, clean the room. 7. Nothing can wake her up `cos she's having a rest after very difficult examination. 8. Vera! I see what you do to make my life more comfortable. 9. Darling! I earn all my money for you. 10. It's worthwhile listening to your words of love and tenderness. 11. I feel good sitting close to you and embracing you. 12. Darling! Love me stronger and I will love you. 13. Sveta! I'll never tell you a lie.

Exercises.

I. Practise the pronunciation of the following words and word-combinations:

Is there anybody; all about the; girl you want so much; don't regret; think of all the times; tried so hard; turn to me; promises the Earth to; she's the kind of; puts you down; friends are there; looking cool; would lead to pleasure; back to earn; leisure; there are words; all I want tov the only words; make you see; mean to me; get to you somehow; a man who sailed; land of submarines; lived beneath; are all aboard; band begins; speed ahead; cut the cables; has all we need.

II. Give the Ukrainian equivalents:

The kind of; when I think of all the times; promises the Earth to me; puts you down; she acts as if it's understood; they would lead to pleasure; to earn his day of leisure; these are words that go together well; until I find a way; I need to make you see; I get to you somehow; in the land of submarines; beneath the waves; many more of them; cut the cable; we live a life of ease.

III. Express the same in English:

Все про ту дівчину, що прийшла, щоб залишитися; не шкодуєш і дня; будеш благати мене; в присутності друзів; розбитися в коржик; ось і все, що хочу сказати; сподіваюся, ти дізнаєшся, що я маю на увазі; хочу, щоб ти тепер знала; ходив в море; поки не знайшли зелене море; на борту; оркестр повний вперед; у кожного з нас є все, що потрібно.

IV. Give the antonyms to the followings:

Not looking forward to; left; forever; easily; stop; realize; clever; old; do nothing; working day; alive; hate; many (words); dead; above; faraway; full speed back; hard life.

V. Answer the following questions:

1. Who is going to listen to the stories about the girl-vampire in the cemetery? 2. What is the kind of girl who can make you sorry on the beach? 3. In what situations can one promise the Earth to your date? 4. Can you break your back to earn the place in the lift accompanied by seven boys/girls? 5. What pets can one call “ma belle”? 6. “Sont les mots...” What do these words mean? 7. Who of your friends sailed to sea? 8. How long can one live the land of submarines alone? 9. Who in the crew may give a command: “Cut the cable, drop the cable”? 10. How can you imagine living a life of ease?

VI. Give it a name:

* account of a real or imagined event

* emotions accompanied by sadness, disappointment

* only

* call on/apply to

* behave

* do one's best

* denote

* by some means unknown

* vessel designed to operate submerged

* travel in a boat or a ship

* under

* orchestra

1. Our manager will do or die but will get this playing business. 6. Helen, my beautiful, doesn't jump the gun. 7. Bring him back by hook or by crook. 8. I don't remember any other words to give my project the green light. 9. Don't give me a song and dance. I think you'll understand me. 10. That gentleman lives in my native town. 11. The orchestra starts to play and everybody begins to dance.

1. Some people live untroubled life in the Hawaii.

The lesson gives students an opportunity to perform songs, in groups or alone, for others in the class building confidence in producing the sounds and words of English. Dalton and Lewes note that this activity also helps with recognition of high-frequency words as well as lowering of the affective filters. Songs provide natural repetition that does not feel like a drill but can serve the same reinforcement function.

There is an abundant collection of Beatles songs in karaoke format on YouTube, many of them created outside English-dominant countries [3].

Conclusion. The Beatles are one of the most enduring musical groups, and it is not only because the songs of the «Fab Four» appeal to so many. It is also due to several striking features of the group's music:

1. The catalog of Beatles songs is large and has musical genres and arrangements in many styles, using instruments from sitar to string quartet to raunchy guitar.

2. Beatles songs have unusually audible lyrics, clearly pronounced and performed by four different singers, singing alone or in harmony.

3. The songs have simple, catchy lyrics and usually have a repeating chorus, giving more opportunities for practice and mastery.

4. Many of the songs deal with universal themes about loneliness, love, nostalgia, daily problems, or hopes for peace.

5. Finally, let's not forget that Beatles songs are «toe tappers» and «earworms» - they tend to get stuck in our heads for a long time!

An online survey of more than 500 ESL teachers found that Beatles songs were used by an astounding 40 percent of classroom teachers [8]. Dalton and Lewes [3] created a lesson using Beatles songs in karaoke.

References

1. Cook Guy and Mercer, Neil. From me to you: austerity to profligacy in the language of the Beatles, in Ian Inglis (ed.) The Beatles, Popular Music and Society. 2000. P. 100.

2. Crystal David. Sounds Appealing: The Passionate Story of English Pronunciation, 2017.

3. Dalton C. and Lewes O. Utilizing karaoke in the ESL classroom: The Beatles. English in Texas 45 (1). 2015. Pp. 32-36.

4. Inglis Ian. The Beatles, 2017.

5. Kureishi Hanif. Collected Essays. 2011. P. 89.

6. Lee John Alan. Colours of Love: An Exploration of the Ways of Loving, 1973.

7. Lems Kristin. New Ideas for Teaching English Using Songs and Music. Faculty Publications. 2018. 90. https://digitalcommons. nl.edu/faculty_publications/ 90.

8. Martin. How to teach English infographic. 2013. KBlog. https://www.kaplaninternational.com/blog/howto-teach-english-kaplan- infographic.

9. Somers Harold. Britguide: An Introduction to Britishisms in the Beatles' Lyrics, 1993.

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