Tell Me Why

A unique combination of musical analysis and cultural history, Tell Me Why stands alone among Beatles books with its single-minded focus on the most important aspect of the band: its music.

Riley offers a new, deeper understanding of the Beatles by closely considering each song and album they recorded in an exploration as rigorous as it is soulful. He tirelessly explores the Beatles catalog, making clear that the legendary four were more than mere teen idols: They were brilliant innovators who mastered an extremely detailed art.

Since the first publication of Tell Me Why in 1988, much new primary source material has appeared—Paul McCartney’s authorized biography, the Anthology CDs and videos, the complete Parlophone-sequenced albums on CD, the Live at the BBC sessions, the global smash one, and Peter Jackson's epic behind-the-scenes chronicle. Riley incorporates much of the the new material—especially that which pertain to the music—in an update that makes this a consistently crucial book for Beatles fans.

“Tell Me Why is meticulous in its purpose and long overdue. . . .Of the hundreds of books written about [the Beatles] none bring the musical knowledge and the familiarity with the period that Riley offers here.” —Cleveland Plain Dealer