--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The big turning point, really, was the…" description: "\"The big turning point, really, was the Beatles' influence on American folk music, and then Roger took it to the next step, and then along came the Lovi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfb/barry-mcguire-23832_beatles_the-big-turning-point-really-was-the-bea_3199606.jpg" --- # The big turning point, really, was the Beatles' influence… ![“The big turning point, really, was the Beatles' influence on American folk music, and then Roger took it to the next step, and then along came the Lovin' Spoonful and everybody else.” quote by Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfb/barry-mcguire-23832_beatles_the-big-turning-point-really-was-the-bea_3199606.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfb/barry-mcguire-23832_beatles_the-big-turning-point-really-was-the-bea_3199606.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfb/barry-mcguire-23832_beatles_the-big-turning-point-really-was-the-bea_3199606.jpg) > “The big turning point, really, was the Beatles' influence on American folk music, and then Roger took it to the next step, and then along came the Lovin' Spoonful and everybody else.” [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Beatles reshaped American folk, leading Roger to innovate, then inspiring the Lovin' Spoonful and others to evolve the genre. **In simple terms:** Beatles sparked a chain reaction in folk music. Key Takeaway Recognize pivotal influences in culture. Themes music evolution influence innovation Mood analytical nostalgic Type historical educational When to use this quote - songwriting - music education - radio programming - festival planning Key Concepts cultural diffusion artistic lineage Questions to Reflect On - What other forces shaped folk music? - How do modern artists become catalysts? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex musical trends. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beatles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beatles/) [Folk music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folk-music/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Next step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-step/) [Next steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-steps/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Turning point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turning-point/) ## Related quotes > [The first ghost to leave the world of the dead was Roger. He took a step forward, and turned to look back at Lyra,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/the-first-ghost-to-leave-the-world-of-the-dead-was-roger-he-took-a/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [The Beatles had an influence on everybody. You have to realize what an incredible explosion the Beatles were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy-kilmister/the-beatles-had-an-influence-on-everybody-you-have-to-realize-what-an/) [Lemmy Kilmister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy-kilmister/) > [I knew Bobby Dylan back in the days when he lived in the village. He used to come and see me and sing songs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lomax/i-knew-bobby-dylan-back-in-the-days-when-he-lived-in-the-village-he/) [Alan Lomax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lomax/) > [I'm not a fan of Dylan's music, per se, but I'm not a hater. I like the American folk music tradition, and I'll listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-katharine-ham/i-m-not-a-fan-of-dylan-s-music-per-se-but-i-m-not-a-hater-i-like-the/) [Mary Katharine Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-katharine-ham/) > [I read a lot - surveys of vernacular music. A lot of it is the Harry Smith Anthology of American Folk Music, which I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradford-cox/i-read-a-lot-surveys-of-vernacular-music-a-lot-of-it-is-the-harry/) [Bradford Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradford-cox/) > [ He \[Alan Lomax\] started right off trying to find people who could introduce folk songs to city people. He found a young actor named… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-seeger/he-alan-lomax-started-right-off-trying-to-find-people-who-could/) [Pete Seeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-seeger/) > [When you listen to the Anthology of American Folk Music, or anything like that - a compilation of garage bands from the Northeast in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradford-cox/when-you-listen-to-the-anthology-of-american-folk-music-or-anything/) [Bradford Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradford-cox/) > [I always thought I was singing American folk music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonnie-donegan/i-always-thought-i-was-singing-american-folk-music/) [Lonnie Donegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonnie-donegan/) > [Jazz I regard as an American folk music; not the only one, but a very powerful one which is probably in the blood and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gershwin/jazz-i-regard-as-an-american-folk-music-not-the-only-one-but-a-very/) [George Gershwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gershwin/) > [It seems to me that the American popular song, growing out of American folk music, is the basis of the American musical theater… it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-weill/it-seems-to-me-that-the-american-popular-song-growing-out-of-american/) [Kurt Weill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-weill/) > [Skiffle was a name that was attached to what was, in essence, American folk music with a beat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/skiffle-was-a-name-that-was-attached-to-what-was-in-essence-american/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [One thing that I love about country music, probably more so than any other culture - maybe the blues rivals it - there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-stuart/one-thing-that-i-love-about-country-music-probably-more-so-than-any/) [Marty Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-stuart/) > [The first songs I learned were 'It Takes a Worried Man' and Woody Guthrie's 'Grand Coulee Dam,' 'Rock Island Line' - those kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/the-first-songs-i-learned-were-it-takes-a-worried-man-and-woody/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [When I sang my American folk melodies in Budapest, Prague, Tiflis, Moscow, Oslo, or the Hebrides or on the Spanish front, the people understood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-robeson/when-i-sang-my-american-folk-melodies-in-budapest-prague-tiflis/) [Paul Robeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-robeson/) > [I absolutely love American folk art, can't get enough of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-spencer/i-absolutely-love-american-folk-art-can-t-get-enough-of-it/) [Lara Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-spencer/) ## More by Barry McGuire > [That's why I had to leave Hair on Broadway, because I did it for about a year, and one night I was doing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/that-s-why-i-had-to-leave-hair-on-broadway-because-i-did-it-for-about/) [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) > [I was very laced with drugs myself, but Fred seemed to be even more so than me. That might have had something to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/i-was-very-laced-with-drugs-myself-but-fred-seemed-to-be-even-more-so/) [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) > [I know great songwriters. Fred Neil would come up when he was in L.A., we all used to hang out. He would sit there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/i-know-great-songwriters-fred-neil-would-come-up-when-he-was-in-l-a/) [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) > [When I wrote 'Green, Green,' it was like a really a statement of where I was at philosophically in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/when-i-wrote-green-green-it-was-like-a-really-a-statement-of-where-i/) [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) > [Marches alone won't bring integration when human respect is disintegratin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/marches-alone-won-t-bring-integration-when-human-respect-is/) [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) > [And a friend of mine in the Christys, we used to sit up at night and talk and read and wonder if reincarnation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/and-a-friend-of-mine-in-the-christys-we-used-to-sit-up-at-night-and/) [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) > [And there was a real shedding of the old dogma, like boundaries of morality were being broken down and everybody was into the new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/and-there-was-a-real-shedding-of-the-old-dogma-like-boundaries-of/) [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) > [You know, the music business is like the Lotto. Just put your numbers down and sometimes they hit, and sometimes they don't. There's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/you-know-the-music-business-is-like-the-lotto-just-put-your-numbers/) [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) > [So he was opening night... I was out of a job, and I'd been to every producer in Hollywood trying to get a job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/so-he-was-opening-night-i-was-out-of-a-job-and-i-d-been-to-every/) [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) > [You tell me over and over and over again, my friend, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/you-tell-me-over-and-over-and-over-again-my-friend-you-don-t-believe/) [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) > [My buddies worked with me for weeks, and I went up to take my test, and started crying because I couldn't remember the words.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/my-buddies-worked-with-me-for-weeks-and-i-went-up-to-take-my-test-and/) [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) > [Hate your next-door neighbor, but don't forget to say grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/hate-your-next-door-neighbor-but-don-t-forget-to-say-grace/) [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) > [You may leave here for four days in space, but when you return it's the same old place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/you-may-leave-here-for-four-days-in-space-but-when-you-return-it-s/) [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) > [To have a songwriter that wrote so specifically what I felt to be true... I've never been much of an actor either. If something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/to-have-a-songwriter-that-wrote-so-specifically-what-i-felt-to-be/) [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) > [I remember we woke up one morning at Denny's house and John Phillips called. He said, you guys okay? We said, yeah, what's wrong,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/i-remember-we-woke-up-one-morning-at-denny-s-house-and-john-phillips/) [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) [Explore all 25 Barry McGuire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) ## More Beatles quotes > [When I first started making music, it was learning other people's songs and putting them onto four-track. Like Beatles songs and stuff. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/when-i-first-started-making-music-it-was-learning-other-people-s/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [I am a big Beatles fan. And, you know, unbeknownst to anyone, I used to be one. But I have no problems of putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ringo-starr/i-am-a-big-beatles-fan-and-you-know-unbeknownst-to-anyone-i-used-to/) [Ringo Starr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ringo-starr/) > [As a child, I was this record collector/listener that would sit in a room and listen to the entire Beatles catalog alone, over and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cornell/as-a-child-i-was-this-record-collector-listener-that-would-sit-in-a/) [Chris Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cornell/) > [I thought my Beatles LPs sounded pretty good on a record player, but that was before I had heard a CD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-wood/i-thought-my-beatles-lps-sounded-pretty-good-on-a-record-player-but/) [Alastair Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-wood/) > [Growing up in San Diego, my main interests were the Beatles, Louis Armstrong, 'Star Wars,' baseball cards, and drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-mooney/growing-up-in-san-diego-my-main-interests-were-the-beatles-louis/) [Kyle Mooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-mooney/) > [He's (Ringo Starr) not even the best drummer in the Beatles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/he-s-ringo-starr-not-even-the-best-drummer-in-the-beatles/) [Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/) > [It was great fun to be able to work with so many different artists. And I'm paying a tribute to the Beatles. I've just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-preston/it-was-great-fun-to-be-able-to-work-with-so-many-different-artists/) [Billy Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-preston/) > ['The X Factor' seems to be more about building up personalities and people in tears. And it's not a new idea. The pre-Beatles pop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jools-holland/the-x-factor-seems-to-be-more-about-building-up-personalities-and/) [Jools Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jools-holland/) > [Oh, I think country has changed tremendously. I think country has totally changed. Country music when I was a kid was Hank Williams. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/oh-i-think-country-has-changed-tremendously-i-think-country-has/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [Elvis Presley's music said, 'Free your body.' The Beatles said, 'Free your mind.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/elvis-presley-s-music-said-free-your-body-the-beatles-said-free-your/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [The Beatles have a deeper appreciation of all music. There's a humor, there's a Broadway sense, and later on, the Indian stuff came in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-vivino/the-beatles-have-a-deeper-appreciation-of-all-music-there-s-a-humor/) Jimmy Vivino > [The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Barbra Streisand, Bruce Springsteen, these are just some of the people who threatened to sue if we used their songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-mochrie/the-beatles-rolling-stones-barbra-streisand-bruce-springsteen-these/) [Colin Mochrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-mochrie/) > [If you look in my CD case, you'll see it's Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, now I can't think of anyone else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-angarano/if-you-look-in-my-cd-case-you-ll-see-it-s-pink-floyd-the-rolling/) [Michael Angarano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-angarano/) > [ “Like almost all of Beefheart's recorded work, \[Trout Mask Replica\] was not even "ahead" of its time in 1969. Then and now, it stands… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-bangs/like-almost-all-of-beefheart-s-recorded-work-trout-mask-replica-was/) [Lester Bangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-bangs/) > [It's marvelous when you visit Tokyo: they have these clubs, and they'll have 'Motown Night' or 'The Beatles - Totally Authentic and Live!' You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-palmer/it-s-marvelous-when-you-visit-tokyo-they-have-these-clubs-and-they-ll/) [Robert Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-palmer/) [Browse all 786 Beatles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beatles/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The big turning point, really, was the Beatles' influence on American folk music, and then Roger took it to the next step, and then along came the Lovin' Spoonful and everybody else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barry McGuire" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/the-big-turning-point-really-was-the-beatles-influence-on-american/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beatles" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/the-big-turning-point-really-was-the-beatles-influence-on-american/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfb/barry-mcguire-23832_beatles_the-big-turning-point-really-was-the-bea_3199606.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfb/barry-mcguire-23832_beatles_the-big-turning-point-really-was-the-bea_3199606.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfb/barry-mcguire-23832_beatles_the-big-turning-point-really-was-the-bea_3199606.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The big turning point, really, was the Beatles' influence on American folk music, and then Roger took it to…” — Barry McGuire", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Barry McGuire", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The big turning point, really, was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/the-big-turning-point-really-was-the-beatles-influence-on-american/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/the-big-turning-point-really-was-the-beatles-influence-on-american/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```