> "Genius" is just practice, and deliberate at that. You don't see it.
Actually, in the case of the Beatles we can sort of see it. Half of their first album was covers, and the originals, while nice pop songs, were still a long way from their greatest work a few years later. During that time, they worked really hard, they wrote and released a lot of songs, and their songwriting improved immensely. How they were able to work so hard and stay focused while in the maelstrom of Beatlemania, though, is hard for me to grasp. Most others would have gone astray.
My own Beatles preference is for the middle period, roughly from Help! (1965) through Revolver (1966), when they were still polishing their pop songwriting skills and only beginning the experimentation. Though there’s great stuff later as well, of course.
> were still a long way from their greatest work a few years later.
Their whole existence was really only a few years. That said, even "I saw her standing there" kicking off the first album is a really good 'basic rock' song that has become a classic (they're all classics, I know, but it's... just still so fresh 60 years on). Not 'greatest' piece, of course, but holds up well compared to a few other originals on that album.
> During that time, they worked really hard, they wrote and released a lot of songs, and their songwriting improved immensely. How they were able to work so hard and stay focused while in the maelstrom of Beatlemania, though, is hard for me to grasp...
Their progress is astounding. From "I Want to Hold Your Hand" (October 1963) to "Day Tripper" and "Drive My Car" and "Nowhere Man" and "In My Life" (October 1965) - that level of progression in writing/recording/production in a self-contained band which also produced 2 films, 5 albums and more than a hundred shows around the globe... it's just not going to be repeated. Between changes in the entertainment business itself, as well as the talent/skill combination we witnessed in those four... it just won't happen again. But we have all the recorded legacy to enjoy :)
I made a comment about One After 909 in another thread last week. It's the only(?) song we have of theirs with a recording from both 1963 and from 1969. The evolution in their playing, their approach to their own song - is really something to ... I hesitate to say 'marvel' at, but just really engaging for people who want to hear their progression. IIRC it was slightly under 6 calendar years - March 1963 to January 1969. They were good as a group in 1963 - they were so much tighter (yet looser!) just a few years later in 1969.
Actually, in the case of the Beatles we can sort of see it. Half of their first album was covers, and the originals, while nice pop songs, were still a long way from their greatest work a few years later. During that time, they worked really hard, they wrote and released a lot of songs, and their songwriting improved immensely. How they were able to work so hard and stay focused while in the maelstrom of Beatlemania, though, is hard for me to grasp. Most others would have gone astray.
My own Beatles preference is for the middle period, roughly from Help! (1965) through Revolver (1966), when they were still polishing their pop songwriting skills and only beginning the experimentation. Though there’s great stuff later as well, of course.