JOHN & PAUL

A new take on a legendary partnership.

British journalist Leslie’s thoroughly delightful portrait of the Beatles comes by way of the duo’s friendship and their songs. Early on, besides playing others’ tunes, they came up with their own, like “I Lost My Little Girl”; the “more they shared, the closer they became.” Manager Brian Epstein’s relationship with producer George Martin resulted in their composing more songs, including “Love Me Do” and “P.S. I Love You” on their first single, garnering income for the now songwriting pair. Their first hit, “Please Please Me,” and a TV appearance, were followed by their first album, opening with “I Saw Her Standing There.” Leslie meticulously works through the canon, with the bio unfolding. He’s excellent at delving just deeply enough into how the music and words created songs. “She Loves You” became the “bestselling single of the decade.” For a new album came a “powerhouse”: “I Want To Hold Your Hand.” The single sold nearly 700,000 copies in America. Their songs began to show the influence of Bob Dylan—especially for John—and pot. Leslie notes that the band probably saved John’s life—he literally meant “Help.” “Ticket to Ride” is a “masterpiece”; nobody “sounded like this before.” Paul’s “Yesterday” was a striking, masterful departure for the band. The inventive Rubber Soul brought “out the best in John.” His “In My Life” is for Paul. “Eleanor Rigby”: “Nobody had created a pop song like this before.” “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Penny Lane” begat Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. On Feb. 10, 1967, they had a party at Abbey Road that resulted in “A Day in the Life.” Paul said: “We weren’t the Beatles anymore.” Leslie closes nicely with Abbey Road’s “The End” and the duo’s rocky post-Beatles relationship.

Fans will love this fresh, insightful approach to the band.