Understanding the Beatles

In the 1950s and 60s, a cultural revolution swept the world. It involved young people finding their voice and imparting a new existential vision. Accelerating the trend in the early 1960s were the creative personalities, beautiful songs and positive lyrics of the Beatles. The wave crashed as the decade closed, influenced by social upheaval and the rampant drug use and impractical outlook of the hippies. Nevertheless, the legacy of its surge lives on, notably of the Beatles. Below is a Vedic Astrology reading of the horoscopes of the four individuals that made up the Beatles, and how their group dynamic resulted in a sum that far outstripped its parts in spreading their novel, joyful, beautiful and exciting music around the world. The focus here is on the rising sign to bring out their personalities, but also on a few special combinations in each chart that add further insight to them and their contribution.

John: Leader and driving force

As an Aries rising, John Lennon, was a born leader. He founded the group by attracting the others. This is seen in his 9th lord of luck, Jupiter, being conjunct his 11th lord of friends, Saturn, in his 1st house of self. His 7th lord Venus was also in the most effective point (MEP) of the 5th house, aspecting his 11th house of friends. Indeed, he required close partnerships in his life, first with Paul McCartney and later with Yoko Ono. Having created the group, John Lennon led them to the top. There is a story about how he, as their early leader, kept the band's spirits high when it was still struggling to break out. John Lennon was also the band's original lead singer, which is seen in clips of their early performances, with Paul McCartney and George Harrison adding harmonies. Another interesting fact is that John´s instrument was the rhythm guitar, where his energetic and upbeat guitar playing made the songs soar. It was no accident; he is quoted as having said "Rhythm Guitar can really drive a band." At the same time, he was an immensely creative musician. All these expressions are consistent with his Aries rising personality and chart placements, notably Venus, as 7th lord, in the most effective placement of the 5th house. His 4th lord Moon was in the most effective point of his 10th house, explaining his enormous public appeal.

Paul: King of harmonic melodies

As a Leo rising, Paul McCartney soon became Lennon's equal and full partner in their musical creations. Indeed, his 1st lord of self, the Sun, is placed in the 11th house of friends, along with the 5th lord of creativity, Jupiter. His cheerful presence and enormous musical abilities impressed Lennon. He also added a feeling of majestic splendor to the overall effect, by e.g. adding brass sections to certain songs. In his 2019 book, The Beatles from A to Zed, Peter Asher mentions Paul's love of brass bands. McCartney himself says the orchestral arrangement of A Day in the Life, is one of his favourite memories in Abbey Road Studios. With Paul's 3rd lord Venus in the MEP of the 9th house, made him fortunate in his expression and songwriting. Meanwhile, his 2nd lord of status, Mercury, in the 10th house MEP made him supremely famous. While he played bass throughout, he also sometimes played the guitar "full of reckless abandon and bravado" on Good Morning, Good Morning, while on songs like Blackbird, he used "succint phrasing". His abilities knew no bounds. Lennon and McCartney shared writing credit for most of the Beatles repertoire, even when they increasingly began to write independently. Paul wrote and sang their biggest hits, like Yesterday and Hey Jude. Brian Epstein's death and Yoko Ono beginnig to eclipse Paul's creative partnership with John, set in motion the end of the band. As John withdrew from 1968, Paul increasingly took over the creative helm, befitting his Leo ascendant.

George: Exotic innovator of beauty 

As a Libra rising, George Harrison became the bands virtuoso guitar player. His 11th lord of friends and goals, the Sun, was placed in the MEP of the 5th house of creativity, boosting his creative abilities. With 10th lord of fame, the Moon, in the MEP of the 1st house of self, he had wide public appeal. Like Paul, he has Jupiter as 3rd lord of expression, in the 9th house of fortune, making him the most religious of the band, bringing in exotic sounds from India through his sitar playing. As the youngest of the group, he became known as the "quiet Beatle". Even so, he impressed the others with his skills as a guitar player, including parts that added depth and refinement to the songs. Over time, he began to bring out his own compositions, but the others were initially reluctant to include them on the LPs. However, songs like I Need You, Something and While My Guitar Gently Weeps, now stand among the best songs of the band.

Ringo: Rhythmic fountain of unity 

As a Pisces rising, Ringo Starr was the most sensitive and congenial member of the group. He joined the line-up in 1962 already an accomplished drummer, reflecting his conjunction of three functional benefic planets, the 2nd lord Mars, 5th lord of intelligence, Moon, and 7th lord of others, Mercury, in the creative 5th house. His 10th lord of fame, Jupiter, is well placed in the 2nd house of status, bringing wealth and fame. His charming and quietly funny personality fit well with the others, and later served to defuse tensions and keep the band together. More than that, he contributed drumming licks and rhythmic hooks, with a unique feel to them, that rounded out the genius of the others contributions, to make the songs as amazing as they are.

Conclusion

Early days (June 2, 1960)

The spirit of the Beatles was expressed in a creative fusion of their immense personalities and natural talents in over 200 songs. John Lennon brought a compelling force that drove the group to the top, Paul McCartney lent his melodic genius to all of their efforts, George Harrison added his refined virtuosity and beautiful parts and songs, and Ringo Starr rounded out the picture with his unique and feel laden drumming. Additionally, we may note that two of the Beatles, John and Paul, have fire signs in the ascendant, making them focused on the creative spirit, George has an air sign, making him focused on ideas and Ringo has a water sign, focusing more on the emotive side. Furthermore, John and George have cardinal signs in the ascendant, making them interested in change, with John focusing on promoting peace and George on introducing Indian cosmology and music, while Paul has a fixed sign, making him interested in preserving what is, as seen in e.g. his emphasis on mining existing musical canons in his creative activity, while Ringo has a mutable sign in the ascendant, allowing him to focus on the here and now while inter-mediating between the others. Without these diverse talents and creative elements being brought together, the Beatles would never have reached the pinnacle of their field while creating music that continues to delight to this day. This 'sum is greater than its parts' factor, is also seen in the fact that even if each of them was an outstanding artist in his own right, their solo material, while also great, is nevertheless judged to fall short of their collaboration as the Beatles.