The Beatles Changed Music Forever With This Memorable Hit Single From 1965
In 1965, The Beatles released “Ticket To Ride”. Written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, “Ticket To Ride” appears on Help!, their fifth studio album.
Although they likely didn’t know it at the time, McCartney and Lennon forever changed music with “Ticket To Ride”. The song is just over three minutes, making it The Beatles’ longest song at the time. From there, The Beatles began releasing longer songs, as did other acts. Their “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” comes in at just under eight minutes, although it wasn’t a hit single. That song appears on The Beatles’ final record, Abbey Road, out in 1969. The Beatles’ longest single came in 1968, with “Hey Jude”, which is just over seven minutes.
The Beatles may be known for their longer songs, but they aren’t the only artist to break the three-minute barrier. Although other artists had longer songs on their records, Bob Dylan is one of the first to have a hit on the radio with a longer song. In 1965, Dylan had his first Top 5 single, with “Like A Rolling Stone”. The song is just over six minutes long.
The Story Behind “Ticket To Ride” by The Beatles
“Ticket To Ride” is actually a sad song about a relationship ending. The song begins with “I think I’m gonna be sad / I think it’s today, yeah / The girl that’s driving me mad / Is going away / She’s got a ticket to ride / She’s got a ticket to ride / She’s got a ticket to ride / But she don’t care.”
The format of “Ticket To Ride” is also different from anything The Beatles had done before, using an outro in the song. According to McCartney, it’s what makes “Ticket To Ride” stand out.
Source: americansongwriter.com/Gayle Thompson
