The Beatles have always seemed to be part of music; 38 years after they broke up, the two surviving member are still releasing albums. But a few weeks ago, I began to worry. My niece could not name a single Beatles song and had no idea what the Beatles' names were.

This, my friends, is a call to action. A whole generation is growing up not knowing who the Beatles are and even worse, they haven't heard "Yesterday" or "Eleanor Rigby" or "Revolution." So I've decided to give a little primer on the Beatles and suggest some albums that people can buy to gain an appreciation for the best rock group of all time.

The Basics

• John Lennon. The first half of the Lennon/McCartney songwriting team, he was considered the wild, avant-garde part of the group. A guitarist for the group, he was better known for writing poetic and profound lyrics, and his solo song "Imagine" is one of the most famous songs of the 1970s. Lennon was shot and killed by a lunatic in 1980.
• Paul McCartney. Dubbed "the cute one" by the media, McCartney was better at writing memorable melodies, including some of the most famous Beatles songs ("Hey Jude," "Yesterday"). McCartney, the bass player for the Beatles, is still recording today.
• George Harrison. "The quiet one," Harrison played guitar in the shadows of Lennon and McCartney. His songwriting talents grew over the years, and several of his songs are among the Beatles' best ("Here Comes the Sun," "Something"). Harrison was very spiritual, having joined the Krishna religion in the late 1960s. He died in 2001 of cancer.
• Ringo Starr. The drummer for the Beatles was the funny one, an aloof guy with the off-key voice. He was considered a great drummer, but did not have the songwriting and singing talent that the other three possessed. He continues to release solo recordings, though.

The Beatles formed in the beginning of the 1960s, quickly shot to fame in their native England in 1962 and 1963, and took America by storm in 1964. Their mop-top haircuts and sleek suits made them lovable idols among teens everywhere. In fact, the furvor over the group was so great that by 1966, they refused to play live anymore, retreating into the studio to play their music.

But the Beatles were more than cuddly teen idols. By 1967, their mop tops grew longer, they grew beards and moustaches, and their music took on a deeper, more complex sound. From 1965 to 1970, they released groundbreaking albums that were unlike anything the public had ever heard. Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is considered one of the greatest albums ever made.

But internal squabbles soon began, and by 1970, the group was splintered beyond repair. (See Why Did The Beatles Break Up?) In April 1970, McCartney released his first solo album and announced that he was leaving the group. They never recorded together again.

So what's the big deal? Their accomplishments are too many to list here. You may want to check out the 20 Reasons the Beatles are the Greatest Band Ever for more evidence of their legendary status.

Their notable songs include:

• "A Hard Day's Night"
• "I Want to Hold Your Hand"
• "Yesterday"
• "Help!"
• "Yellow Submarine"
• "Hey Jude"
• "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds"
• "Strawberry Fields Forever"
• "Yellow Submarine"
• "All You Need Is Love"
• "Let It Be"
• "The Long and Winding Road"
• "Something"
• "Here Comes the Sun"