1. American Responses to the
British Invasion of 1964-66
MUS 1240
Fall 2014

2. The American Response
• The Beatles and other B.I. bands did not completely wipe
out American pop music during the year 1964-66
• By summer 1965, new styles were being created in America
that were combinations of Merseybeat and popular
American styles
• Many young people who learned to play acoustic guitar in
the folk revival of the early 60s made an easy transition to
electric instruments
• Also, a slew of guitar-based garage bands began to emerge
based on the enthusiasm of the B.I. groups.
• Television becomes even more important in the music
industry during this time, and most of the major pop music
coming out of America originates in L.A., not NYC.

3. Urban Folk Music in the 1960s

4. Urban Folk Music in the 1960s
• Folk music is usually defined as
– music of the common people
– expressing the feelings of the people of a
particular region
• Lyrics more significant that music
• Interest in folk music grew in the 1960’s
– Maturing rock audience
• Serious look at culture
– Protest songs

5. Bob Dylan (b. 1941)
• First poet of the mass media
• Took his stage name from his favorite poet,
Dylan Thomas
• Coffeehouse folk music scene in Greenwich
Village
• High quality songs
– Imagery and metaphor
• Rough-hewn performance style
– Guitar, vocals, harmonica
• Listening: “Blowin’ in the Wind”

6. Bob Dylan
• Dylan arrives in NYC in 1960, begins to make a
name for himself; by 1964, one of the most
respected folk singers in the US.
• Known for his “finger-wagging” songs which
brought attention to political, economic, and
social issues.
• Not as well known outside the folk community;
had success on album charts mostly, like most
folk artists.
• More popular in the UK initially, but did well on
both sides of the Atlantic

7. Bob Dylan
• Dylan’s early songs emulated the style of his hero,
Woodie Guthrie, often reworking existing songs
with new words to address a new topic.
– Blowin’ in the Wind – civil rights
– Masters of War – Vietnam
• He becomes more skilled as a songwriter of his
own feelings and questions, such as:
– Girl from the North Country
– Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright

8. Dylan Goes Electric
• Dylan had long been interested in using rock
instrumentation for his music, which did not keep with the
traditions of the folk movement.
• Dylan had actually used electric instruments on a few
recordings, but had not met with much resistance, probably
due to the strong acoustic material on the album.
• In July 1965, Dylan performed with an electric band at the
famous Newport Folk Festival; many of the senior members
of the folk movement felt somewhat betrayed by Dylan.
Pete Seeger
– The audience did not really care for his electric music either,
shouting out heckles and even booing.

9. Listening: “Like a Rolling Stone”
• Composed and performed by Bob Dylan (1965)
• Unique timbre and sound for the time
– Use of keyboard and organ
• Establishes folk rock
• At six minutes, the song was by far the longest 45 r.p.m. pop
single ever released up to that time.
• Rose to #2 on US charts (UK 4)

10. Listening: “Positively 4th Street”
• “Highway 61 Revisited” - Fall 1965
• This song is a reference back to Dylan’s “finger-wagging”
songs from his earlier days, only in this
case, he is wagging the finger at the folk
establishment who he felt had unfairly criticized
his move toward more of a rock sound.
• The song consists of a short introduction,
followed by 12 verses of lyrics, with no breaks.
The accompaniment does not change much,
leaving the listener to focus on the lyrics.

11. Dylan
• 1966 – records landmark album Blonde on Blonde with
the Hawks (later known as the Band) and session
musicians from Nashville
• Motorcycle accident in upstate NY almost kills him in
July ‘66, keeps him out of spotlight for a while; his
music continues to inspire others even in his absence.
• Dylan’s example that pop music could tackle heavier
subject matter changed the game for the music
industry; it no longer was somewhat taboo for artists
outside of folk music to tackle those kinds of topics.

12. Emergence of Folk Rock-1965
• Folk music gone electric
– Dylan’s song “Mr. Tambourine Man” was covered
by the the Byrds.
• Soared to Number One in both US and UK in
June 1965, becoming the first folk-rock hit.
– Shows Dylan’s importance

14. The Byrds
• Formed in L.A. in 1964
• Band’s members had studied folk music
– Roger McGuinn – studied folk music in Chicago, then worked in the
NYC Greenwich Village folk scene by night while working as a Brill
Building songwriter by day; wrote for Bobby Darin.
– Met Gene Clark at gig in L.A., begin writing songs together
• Clark was a member of folk revivalist group New Christy Minstrels
– David Crosby (later of CSN) joins as a singer/guitarist
– Chris Hillman – bass (bluegrass mandolinist)
– Michael Clarke – drums
• The band rehearses and makes a change from a folk-based group to
a rock band quickly.
• A big part of the Byrds’ sound was the jingle-jangle of the guitar,
which was a direct influence of Beatle George Harrison’s electric 12-
string guitar on “Hard Day’s Night”

15. The Byrds
• The Byrds’s early career was represented by
rock versions of folk songs
– Mr. Tambourine Man #1 US pop charts (album US
6, UK 7, 1965)
– Turn Turn Turn (US 1 pop chart, US album 17 uk 11
1966)
• Once Dylan became successful with rock
versions of his own music, the Byrds had to
focus on songwriting.

16. Listening: “Mr. Tambourine Man”
• This song represents a crossroads in the music industry
present in the mid-60s.
• Only two of the Byrds actually participate in this records;
Roger McGuinn sings and plays guitar, David Crosby sings.
The rest was performed by the Wrecking Crew.
• The Wrecking Crew used the same rhythmic feel as on
Beach Boys’ “Don’t Worry Baby”
• The use of the electric 12-string guitar evokes a direct
inspiration of the Beatles (British Invasion)
• So you have a combination of folk (song written by Dylan),
girl groups (Wrecking Crew/Spector), surf music (Beach
Boys), and Beatles (British Invasion)

17. Simon and Garfunkel

18. Simon and Garfunkel
• Folk artists – began career under names Tom and
Jerry
• Based themselves on the Everly Brothers
• Album “Wednesday Morning 3AM” sold poorly;
group breaks up.
• After success of Dylan and Byrds, Producer
overdubbed rock band onto original recording of
“Sound of Silence”
– Without Simon or Garfunkel’s prior knowledge or
permission
• It became a Number One pop hit in 1966.

20. Other Folk Rock Groups
• Barry McGuire
– Former member of New Christy Minstrels
– Had hit with P.F. Sloan’s “Eve of Destruction”
• The Turtles
– Had a number 8 hit with cover of Dylan’s “It Aint Me Babe”
– Moved to a more mainstream pop style with hits like “Happy Together” (#1 US
1967)
– Vocalists later went on to work with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention
• The Mamas and the Papas
– Formed in NYC in 1965, moved out to LA where they enjoyed commercial
success.
– Featured singer John Phillips’ intricate four-part vocal arrangements in the
style of Peter, Paul, and Mary; added a rock beat and sound
– “California Dreamin’” (US 4 UK 11 1966), “Monday Monday” (US 1 UK 3 1966)

22. Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys
• Formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, CA by:
– Brian Wilson
– Brian’s two brothers Carl and Dennis
– a cousin named Mike Love
– a family friend (Al Jardine)
• Brian Wilson was the guiding spirit of the
band during the group’s first decade, and is
one of the most influential American pop
musicians of the past 50 years.
• The band’s influences range from black doo-wop
groups to Chuck Berry to Phil Spector’s
Wall of Sound.

23. Defining model of Beach Boys
Imitation
• Demonstrate
mastery of
early rock ’n’
roll
Emulation
• Create
original
material
based on and
extending
those styles
Innovation
• Branch out
beyond
traditional
rock ’n’ roll to
create
something
truly unique

24. Song Themes
• Until 1964, the songs of the Beach Boys focused on
Wilson’s somewhat mythical version of California
(cars, girls, surfing)
– “Surfin’ Safari” (US 14 1962)
– “Surfer Girl” (US 7 1963)
– “The Warmth of the Sun”
– “California Girls”
• P.S.- Brian Wilson didn’t surf

25. Imitation
• #3 1963
• Chuck Berry’s 1958 hit “Sweet Little
Sixteen”
• Surf music sounds: electronic organ,
reverb-soaked guitar solos
• Brian Wilson’s distinctive falsetto vocals
“Surfin’
USA”

26. Emulation
• #7 1963
• Emulated the doo-wop ballad by infusing it with California
beach content
“Surfer
Girl”
• 1964
• Evoked Chuck Berry
• The solo guitar introduction cops its twelve-bar blues licks
directly from Berry’s “Roll Over Beethoven” and “Johnny
B. Goode.”
• Reached #5 in the US at the height of Beatlemania
“Fun,
Fun, Fun”

27. Innovation
• Wilson begins experimenting with
styles 1964
• First #1 Record
• B-Side “Don’t Worry Baby”
• Turns the up-tempo rock ’n’ roll
anthem into a thoroughly
individual kind of expression
• Becomes big hit just as Beatles hit
US
“I Get
Around”

29. “Don’t Worry Baby”
• This song shows the connection betweek Wilson and Phil Spector.
• Spector is one of Brian Wilson’s musical heroes.
– Story of Wilson hearing “Be My Baby” for the first time, pulling over
his car to avoid an accident
• Wilson was so enamored by “Be My Baby” that he wrote “Don’t
Worry Baby” for the Ronettes to sing. Spector rejected the song for
the Ronettes, so Wilson had the Beach Boys record it.
• Many similiarites between the two songs, up to the opening drum
beat and the use of call and response in the chorus.
• Wilson’s story about the song’s inspiration is that he was truly
worried that he would never be as good as Phil Spector, to which
his wife replied, “Don’t Worry Baby.”

31. Spector’s legacy
• Phil Spector’s big hits “Doo Doo Ron Ron” and “Then He Kissed Me”
with the Crystals, and “Be My Baby” with the Ronettes had been big
hits in the months leading up to the Beatles’ arrival in the US.
• Favorite of the Beatles – he made the trip from London to NYC with
the Beatles on Feb. 7, 1964.
• Spector would continue to have success in the wake of the Beatles.
– Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” and “Unchained
Melody” from 1965 were his last big hits. He retired from the music
business after a huge failure with a 1966 Tina Turner record.
– Comes out of retirement to produce Beatles “Let it Be” (1970), George
Harrison’s solo debut “All Things Must Pass” (1970), and John Lennon’s
“Imagine” (1971)

32. Brian Wilson changes his focus
• The success of the Beatles had lasting repercussions for
many musicians, but the effect on the Beach Boys was of
paramount importance.
• The Beatles were signed to Capitol Records in the US; so
were the Beach Boys. The BB’s had to fight for not only the
recognition of the public, but of their own record label.
• Wilson felt that a change was necessary in the band’s
direction in order to compete with the Beatles.
• Wilson decides in Dec. 1964 to stop touring to focus on
composition and recording new music for the band. The
rest of the BB’s continued to tour, with Glen Campbell and
Bruce Johnston in place of Brian.

34. Brian Wilson changes his focus
• Increased sophistication can be heard on “The
Beach Boys Today!” (1965) and “Summer Days
and Summer Nights!!” (1965)
– “Help Me Rhonda” (US 1 UK 27 1965)
– “California Girls” (US 3 UK 26 1965)
• “Beach Boys Party!” was released in 1966,
basically a live album of the band jamming.
– Had one hit single – “Barbara Ann” (US 2 UK 3 1966)
• Brian then turns to a more ambitious project….

36. Pet Sounds
• Brian Wilson, inspired by the Beatles’ album Rubber Soul (1965),
produced what is arguably rock’s first concept album, Pet Sounds.
– Released in mid-1966
– New Standard for record production and musical sophistication
– Modest seller, compared with some other Beach Boys albums
– Had an enormous impact on other musicians
• “Sloop John B” – combination of Spector’s Wall of Sound with
Wilson’s lush vocal harmonies
• “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” uses a harp! This symbolized that the band
had moved past the surf music of their early years.
• “God Only Knows” – Paul McCartney called it the “perfect rock
song” – best illustration of how Wilson’s music had progressed
away from the sounds of surf and the topics of surf.
• What is a “concept album”?
• Paul McCartney affirmed that Pet Sounds was the single greatest
influence on the Beatles’ landmark 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely
Hearts Club Band.