Abstract
Drawing upon the terminology of Jerome Bruner and James Olney's life-writing theories, this essay traces the literary nuances of the Beatles' musical canon in terms of their historical and biographical components. In addition to attempting to understand the ways in which the band's significant family dynamics impacted their early musical development, this essay addresses the remarkable musical arc that characterizes the band's progress from such adolescent-oriented love songs as “I Saw Her Standing There” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand” through the more lyrically innovative “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” and the bittersweet nostalgia of the symphonic suite that marks the zenith of their career. How, indeed, do the Beatles make such an astounding musical and lyrical leap in the space of only a few scant years? What do the Beatles' life-writing efforts tell us, moreover, about the ways in which music—specifically, sound recordings—functions in terms of life writing and autobiographical studies?
