Beatles News
We tend to think of George Harrison in terms of his spiritual questing. But Harrison wasn’t immune to the pressures of the “material world,” as he dubbed it. Those concerns came rising to the fore on his scathing 1973 song “Sue Me, Sue You Blues.”
What is the song about? And what events that were transpiring in his life inspired Harrison to write it? Here is the story about what caused George Harrison to sing the “Sue Me, Sue You Blues.”
Material Concerns
George Harrison went for the brass ring on his 1970 triple-album All Things Must Pass, and he achieved massive success on both critical and commercial levels. But by the time he was ready to follow it up in 1973, some of those good vibes had curdled in the wake of personal problems. To start, his marriage to first wife Olivia had deteriorated. (The pair would separate in 1974.)
It was also hard for Harrison to derive much joy from the musical triumph he had shared, in part because an excess of litigation tied to his profession swamped him. This was the time period when he was joined by John Lennon and Ringo Starr in opposition to Paul McCartney over how The Beatles’ affairs would be settled.
Source:Jim Beviglia/americansongwriter.com
For a song to last and survive the test of time, it must be relatable and relevant over generations. As technology evolves at an ever-increasing rate, things we are accustomed to change and become obsolete. Typewriters, newspapers, payphones, and fold-up maps fall into this category. To avoid becoming irrelevant, songs can be about the four basic elements: earth, water, fire, and air. Many songwriters have utilized these in metaphors or similes.
Writing about the sun will, hopefully, be timeless. “Sunshine of Your Love,” “Ain’t No Sunshine,” and “Here Comes the Sun” are just a few of the many popular songs that compare the hot glowing ball of hydrogen and helium with the happiness and contentment of a relationship. Let’s take a look at the story behind “Good Day Sunshine” by The Beatles.
The summer of 1966 was one of the hottest on record up to that time. U.S. States east of the Rocky Mountains were hit the hardest. The Beatles toured America in August. They had some famous visitors during their New York City appearance at Shea Stadium. Paul McCartney talked with author Paul Du Noyer in his 2015 book Conversations with McCartney: “Backstage there was a buzz. New York bands like the Young Rascals coming round, The Lovin’ Spoonful, the local guys, who we were fans of. That was the nice thing about the sixties. We all loved each other’s records. We were all starting out on this career, and we admired each other.”
Source: Jay McDowell/americansongwriter.com
The Beatles’ 1965 “double A-side” release of “We Can Work It Out” and “Day Tripper” might be a catchy testament to the band’s early years of jangly rock and roll, but it also served as a vinyl memento of one of the band’s most stressful songs they ever had to write.
Although “Day Tripper” is now undeniably in the list of the Fab Four’s most iconic, anthemic tracks, it didn’t come as easy as other ‘Rubber Soul’ tracks like “Nowhere Man” or “I’m Looking Through You.” As John Lennon later said in Anthology, the band wrote the song “under complete pressure.” The Band Wrote “Day Tripper” To Fulfill Label Requirements
The Beatles might’ve been a cohesive, artistic force of a band in the mid-1960s. But they were also a business—a highly profitable one at that—and the management team of that business expected the artists to meet deadlines and make sales quotes whenever necessary. Such was the case for the Fab Four ahead of the 1965 Christmas season.
One year after the band released the split featuring “We Can Work It Out” and “Day Tripper,” John Lennon and Paul McCartney admitted that the latter song was a “forced” composition (via The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions).
Source: Melanie Davis/americansongwriter.com
The Beatles usually appear on the Billboard 200 in America. The chart ranks the most-consumed albums in the country, and as one of the bestselling groups of all time with countless hits to their credit, the band can often find space for at least one of their top titles. Sometimes, the ranking is quiet enough, and the Fab Four’s catalog is popular enough, that they’re able to claim more than a single spot.
The British rockers own two spaces on this week’s Billboard 200. The Beatles double down as one of their most celebrated projects breaks back onto the competitive tally and a favorite continues.
Abbey Road is back on the Billboard 200 this frame. The rock classic settles in at No. 198 on the 200-rung tally, barely managing to re-enter the roster again after not being present on the list last time around.
In the past tracking week, Luminate reports that Abbey Road moved a little under 8,200 equivalent units in the U.S. That sum includes almost 2,000 pure purchases, which is a fairly huge number for a full-length that was released so long ago.
As Abbey Road returns to the Billboard 200, The Beatles’ 1 appears even higher on the list once again. That compilation of the band’s most beloved singles rises from No. 180 to No. 168 this frame.
Source: Hugh McIntyre/forbes.com
Not only was John Lennon in likely the greatest rock group of all time, The Beatles, but he participated in one of the greatest songwriting partnerships of all time, too, with his bandmate Paul McCartney. While they didn’t write every song together The Beatles put out, the two were always big influences on one another’s compositions.
But when the band broke up at the turn of the 1970s, the members went off on their own. And Lennon, with his pointed lyrics and often psychedelic style, put out solo songs that influenced the world and have since stood the test of time. Here below, we wanted to explore three such offerings. A trio of tracks that have remained indellible. Indeed, these are three eternal John Lennon solo songs.
The ultimate song of idealism, this classic track from Lennon asks the question: Could you live without ties? Whether that’s to religion, material things, a sense of country. So far, when it comes to the human race on the whole, the answer is a resounding no. But Lennon’s song continues to hang in the ether and his questions longer after his death in 1980 have continued to reach millions of ears. This song, which hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, was written by Lennon with the help of his wife, artist Yoko Ono.
Source: Jacob Uitti/americansongwriter.com
Younger folks or casual Beatles fans who hear “All You Need is Love” on the radio or as part of a playlist might think it’s just another in a long line of hit songs by the group. And it is. But did you know it was the result of a kind of contract gig, as The Beatles were hired to deliver a song that would transmit a message to television audiences all over the world?
The Beatles wrote “All You Need is Love” for the sole purpose of performing it on the first ever worldwide satellite television broadcast. Here is how the band rose to the occasion with such an apropos message to go all over the globe.
“Love” All over the World
As satellite technology hit new heights in the 1960s, it became clear to television executives it would be possible for signals broadcast in one country to be beamed into other countries. Hence, it was decided the first-ever worldwide satellite program, entitled Our World, would take place on June 25, 1967, with 25 countries involved. The BBC asked The Beatles to be Great Britain’s representative on the show, and the group accepted.
Source: Jim Beviglia/americansongwriter.com
See John Lennon’s Rare Home Movie Footage in ‘Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)’ Video
A new music video for John Lennon‘s “Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)” features never-before-seen footage that Lennon took himself on a Sony Portapak in 1973. Different panels show how he saw the New York City apartment building he’d just moved into, the Dakota, and Central Park across the street. He also captured Yoko Ono giving a phone interview and imagery of himself, taken in a mirror. The recording that accompanies the footage is the new “ultimate mix” of the tune that will feature in the upcoming Mind Games box set when it comes out on July 12.
The new mix, like the ultimate mixes that came out on the 2018 Imagine box set, features a broader spectrum of sound. The original mix sounds almost claustrophobic with its tinny EQ and slap-back echo.
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The Mind Games box set includes “ultimate mixes” of all of the album’s songs as well as additional alternate mixes. There are “elemental mixes,” “elements mixes,” outtakes, raw mixes, and an “evolution documentary.” The documentary edition of the title song came out previously, and you can hear Lennon talking about his songwriting process.
Source: Kory Grow/rollingstone.com
This wasn't your average Chevy. Forget the four-door family hauler. Ringo's Bel Air was a sleek black coupe, designed to grab attention wherever it went. Open the door and you'd be greeted by a luxurious black and yellow leather interior – a far cry from the vinyl seats most cars sported back in the day.
Plus, for that extra touch of cool, the exhaust pipes weren't hidden away under the car. Instead, you can find on the sides.
Power Under the Hood.
Under the hood? Well, Ringo wasn't one for sluggish rides.
This Bel Air packed a serious wallop with a 350 cubic inch engine and a 3-speed manual transmission. In layman's terms, that means this Chevy had enough power to get Ringo wherever he needed to go, fast.
According to classic.com, Ringo's very Bel Air was auctioned for $64,557! So, Ringo's Chevy wasn't just impressive, it was a true collector's item!
Would you trade in your car for Ringo's one-of-a-kind Chevy? What other classic car would you love to own? Let us know in the comments below, and if you dug this article, give it a thumbs up!
Source: Faustino Gregoroff/tork.buzz
John Lennon, born on October 9, 1940, in Liverpool, England, was a legendary singer, songwriter, and peace activist who co-founded the iconic rock band, The Beatles. He was a pivotal figure in the music industry and became one of the most influential and celebrated musicians of the 20th century.
In the early 1960s, along with Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, John Lennon formed The Beatles, a band that would revolutionize popular music and become a cultural phenomenon. As the primary songwriter and co-lead vocalist of the group, Lennon’s creative contributions were instrumental in shaping their sound and style.
The Beatles’ massive success and unprecedented fame brought Beatlemania to the world, influencing an entire generation and changing the landscape of popular music forever. Some of Lennon’s most iconic compositions for The Beatles include “Imagine,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “A Day in the Life,” and “Let It Be.”
In 1969, John Lennon married artist and musician Yoko Ono, and the couple became known for their activism and advocacy for peace. Their “Bed-In” events, peace protests, and iconic song “Give Peace a Chance” demonstrated Lennon’s commitment to promoting non-violence and social harmony.
Source: Edward Tomlin/singersroom.com
Now here’s a thing: in spite of the Lennon & McCartney partnership dominating the Beatles catalogue, the Fab Four’s most-listened track on Spotify is actually by George Harrison. During these long summer days, however, it’s easy to fall for the charm of ‘Here Comes The Sun’ – a song that tops the group’s streaming league. One person might not be such a fan – Ringo Starr had a terrible time trying to get the time shifts correct.
The song itself is a beam of light from the Beatles darkest times. Composed during their final arc, ‘Here Comes The Sun’ is about yearning for optimism when all around you seems gloomy. Writer George Harrison reflected in his memoir I Me Mine: “‘Here Comes the Sun’ was written at the time when Apple was getting like school, where we had to go and be businessmen: ‘Sign this’ and ‘sign that.’ Anyway, it seems as if winter in England goes on forever, by the time spring comes you really deserve it. So one day I decided I was going to sag off Apple and I went over to Eric Clapton’s house. The relief of not having to go see all those dopey accountants was wonderful, and I walked around the garden with one of Eric’s acoustic guitars and wrote ‘Here Comes the Sun'”.
Source: Robin Murray/clashmusic.com
