Beatles News
Paul McCartney can be a hard one to pin down under the spotlight. Unlike his former bandmate, John Lennon, who often took on the role of the more outspoken and brash of the two, McCartney is nown to be measured and self-preserved.
McCartney is known to hold the work of himself and bandmates, Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison close to his heart, and not often disclosing any negativity towards their body of work. Despite their impressive cannon of music, artists are bound to have a few songs that don't sit right with them in the years that follow their release and Lennon was not shy in sharing his least favourites. However, McCartney is a little harder to read - but after a bust-up with his bandmates, there was a song that he didn't feature on, and that could may well be a sore spot for the bassist.
She Said, She Said was a track that Lennon brought to the studio pretty much finished. McCartney shared his feelings about this in Barry Miles’ Many Years From Now. McCartney said: "John brought it in pretty much finished.
"I’m not sure, but I think it was one of the only Beatles records I never played on. I think we’d had a barney or something, and I said: ‘Oh, f*** you!’ and they said: 'Well, we’ll do it.’ I think George played bass." The song is loved by Beatles fans due to its connection the the Swinging Sixties and the use of psychedelics.
It was inspired by actor Peter Fonda and came to fruition during an intense acid trip, with Lennon and Harrison the driving forces behind the track.
Source: Molly Toolan/express.co.uk
The biggest band of the 20th century was the subject of plenty of rumors, myths, and conspiracies through the years. Years after The Beatles had split and well into the internet age, those myths and legends have persisted. Are any of them based in truth? Let’s look at just a few Beatles myths and rumors and examine if they were rooted in reality.
I’ve written about this little rumor often, and I couldn’t leave it off this list. The “Paul is dead” rumor is by far the craziest thing to come out of Beatles lore. The story goes that Paul McCartney was killed in a car crash just as The Beatles were ascending to megafame. Afraid of losing out on their momentum, the band and their management hired a doppleganger to take McCartney’s place and covered up his death. The myth went further into the internet age, with some conspiracy theories claiming that the “new” Paul was one Billy Shears, who is included as a character in Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Is this one true? Obviously not. That would be insane. And I doubt they’d be able to find anyone baby-faced enough to play a convincing Paul McCartney.
This is the kind of legend that followed many great talents of the 20th century. Robert Johnson, the famed early-1900s blues musician with an incredible talent, was rumored to have sold his soul to the devil for success before he met his untimely demise. There’s also a similar rumor about Elvis Presley floating around. John Lennon, too, would also die young in a particularly dark way, leading many to believe he sold his soul for fame and the “devil” came to collect.
This rumor is obviously not true, but it’s pretty fascinating to see how the human psyche will examine tragedy surrounding famous people and assume supernatural forces are at work. Charles Manson’s Connection to The Beatles. This one is unfortunate. The infamous cult leader Charles Manson really tried to get involved in the music industry before committing his heinous crimes. He even worked with The Beach Boys. Later, Manson would claim that The Beatles’ song “Helter Skelter” inspired his crimes, and that there were secret messages in the song that predicted a race war. Some conspiracy theorists believed him.
John Lennon would later say that Manson was an “extreme version” of conspiracy theorists who would pick apart the Fab Four’s songs to find references to LSD or evidence that Paul was dead. I’d have to agree with him on that one.
Source: americansongwriter.comEm Casalena
A song by The Beatles was recorded in 'two takes', and fans say they prefer the first version.
A classic tune from the iconic band The Beatles was reportedly nailed in "just two takes". The original rendition, featured on their film's soundtrack, Help!, quickly became a fan favourite, with enthusiasts thrilled to discover an alternate version of the track exists.
Some fans argue that this earlier take on the song outshines the one released in 1965. An early recording of the Help! number was unearthed and subsequently issued as part of the Anthology series, which compiles early recordings and outtakes from The Beatles' studio sessions. This version, sung by Paul McCartney, continues to thrill fans and is a regular highlight of his live performances.
A social media post commemorates the occasion. They wrote: "60 years ago today Paul McCartney recorded Yesterday in two takes after the other Beatles had decided he should do it solo. "The first take can be heard on Anthology 2. This is the second take, the one we all know, without the string overdubs George Martin would add three days later."
The stripped-down rendition of Yesterday left fans in awe, with some expressing a preference for the string-less version. One enthusiast commented: "I'd never heard it without the strings; wish they'd left it like that." Another admirer was amazed at how swiftly such a remarkable song could be conceived, performed, and finalised. They wrote: "Two takes and that's it! It seems easy, but it's not!".
A third shared: "Thanks for sharing, first time I hear it without the strings. Music composition in the 20th century doesn't get better than this. Beatles forever." Other fans were astonished at how young McCartney was when 'Yesterday' was penned and recorded, with one fan expressing it as "unbelievable".
Source: liverpoolecho.co.uk/Ewan Gleadow
By the time the Beatles called it a day in late 1969, they’d recorded and released more than 200 songs — most of them originals — and left dozens more in the vault. While the bulk of those unissued tracks ranged from rough demos to jams, several were completed recordings that, for one reason or another, they rejected.
Among them was a song that was the first ever written expressly for drummer Ringo Starr: “If You’ve Got Trouble.” Composed by John Lennon for inclusion on 1965’s Help!, the song was a riff-driven rocker built around the I-IV-V chords common to blues and rock. In many respects it bears similarity to a few other Beatles tracks from this period, including “She’s a Woman,” “I’m Down” and “I Feel Fine,” another Lennon-composed riff rocker, albeit one with a great deal more sophistication than “If You’ve Got Trouble.”
From the start of the Beatles’ recording career, Starr was given a vocal spot on each of their albums (except for 1964’s A Hard Day’s Night) in order to please his rabid fan base. It may be hard to fathom today, but for at least the first year of Beatlemania, Starr was the most popular Beatle, certainly in America, where his friendly, down-to-earth demeanor made him a favorite. It’s little wonder he got his own sizable scene in the Beatles’ debut film, A Hard Day’s Night, and was the main focus of its followup, 1965’s Help!
Because Starr wasn’t a songwriter, he sang either covers — “Boys,” on 1963’s Please Please Me, and “Honey Don’t” on 1964’s Beatles for Sale — or inferior cast-offs composed by Lennon and McCartney, such as “I Wanna Be Your Man,” a throwaway from 1963’s With the Beatles, and “What Goes On,” from 1965’s Rubber Soul.
Source: guitarplayer.com/Christopher Scapelliti
As he approaches 85 next month, Ringo Starr remains spry on the mic and the drums when he and his All Starr Band performed a sold-out date at New York’s Radio City Music Hall on Friday evening. It was a positive sign given that the former Beatle had to cancel the last two showas of his summer tour last year, including a date in the Big Apple, due to illness.
The Radio City show more than certainly made up for that cancellation as he and the band — guitarist/singer Steve Lukather (Toto), bassist/singer Hamish Stuart (Average White Band), guitarist/singer Colin Hay (Men at Work), woodwinds player/multi-instrumentalist Warren Ham, drummer Gregg Bissonette and keyboardist Buck Johnson — played a set of Starr’s solo material and Beatles songs that featured him on lead vocals.
The concert kicked off with a rollicking cover of Carl Perkins’ rockabilly classic Honey Don’t (which the Fab Four covered on 1964’s Beatles for Sale). From there, Starr alternated between standing in front of the stage with a mic in his hand and playing behind his drum kit as he ran through other beloved Beatles classics: “Yellow Submarine,” “Boys,” “Octopus’s Garden,” “I Wanna Be Your Man,” and a cover of Buck Owens’ “Act Naturally.”
Additionally, Starr unveiled his popularly known solo songs such as “It Don’t Come Easy,” “I’m the Greatest,” “No No Song” and the sublime “Photograph,” which he co-wrote with his former Beatles’ bandmate George Harrison. He also performed his recent single “Look Up” from the country album (produced by T Bone Burnett) of the same name released earlier this year.
Source: forbes.com/David Chiu
There are a lot of caveats to success, and one band that is certainly no stranger to them is The Beatles. While success brought The Beatles everything they wanted and more, it also brought them unexpected plights. Other than some of the more obvious issues, another issue The Beatles’ success entailed was the illegal use of their likeness and music. Consequently, George Harrison once divulged that The Beatles had the grounds to sue a lot of people.
Thanks to The Beatles’ success and notoriety, parties have used their likeness and music in a plethora of different ways. Folks have printed their faces on mugs, t-shirts. and other random pieces of memorabilia. Furthermore, offshoot cover bands and shows have used their music quite extensively. Well, according to George Harrison, most of it was illegal.
Why George Harrison Thought The Beatles Had the Grounds To Sue
Concerning the intellectual property and copyright crimes against The Beatles, George Harrison sat down with Rolling Stone and briefly disclosed his thoughts on the matter. He told the publication, “There’s not much more we [the Beatles] can be sued for, but we can sue a lot of other people.”
“Being split and diversified over the years has made it difficult to consolidate certain Beatles interests,” he continued. “For example, all those naughty Broadway shows and stupid movies that have been made about the Beatles, using Beatles names and ideas, are all illegal.”
Harrison attributed some of this illegal action to The Beatles’ negligence of the situation brought on by their internal turmoil. “But because we’ve been arguing among ourselves all these years, people have had a free-for-all,” said Harrison. However, at the time of the interview, The Beatles had seemingly figured out a solution to the issue.
“Now we’ve gotten to the point where everybody’s agreed, and we’ve allocated a company to go out and sue them all,” Harrison said. “It’s terrible, really. People think we’re giving all these producers and people permission to do it and that we’re making money out of it, but we don’t make a nickel.”
Source: americansongwriter.com/Peter Burditt
The Beatles legend Ringo Starr has a defiant remark when he was asked about approaching a major milestone.
The drummer will mark his 85th birthday next month. However, Ringo appears to take exception whenever someone mentions his age, reports the Daily Mail. “It’s another birthday. No one does anything these days without mentioning your age,” the former Fab Four member said.
In recent months fans have commented on Ringo’s “unbelievable” energy during recent live shows. It came as the Yellow Submarine creator impressed them with his onstage antics, reports the Express. Commenting on his performances on social media, one fan wrote: "Ringo Starr at 84-years-old. Unbelievable."
Another expressed their joy that both Ringo and fellow former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney are still performing over 65 years after forming the band. They wrote: “Ringo Starr at 84 is unbelievable. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info
“I love that he and Paul McCartney are still out there touring, performing and rocking and rolling. I'm happy for them, but it makes me miss John Lennon and George Harrison." Ringo, whose real name is Richard Starkey, has had a successful solo career, toured with the All-Starr Band, and branched out into the world of film and TV after the Beatles. He even narrated two series of Thomas & Friends.
He has often attributed his spritely performances to the fact he likes to his healthy lifestyle and diet. Previously, he said: “I tend to work out and keep as busy as I can. I'm a vegetarian, I eat lots of berries, lots of fruit and lots of vegetables and salad."
Source: themirror.com/Matt Jackson
The Beatles' legendary status is undisputed, but there are ongoing debates about their best live performance. Even though they stopped touring in 1966 due to the strain of performing for audiences, Ringo Starr, the band's drummer, and their fans can't seem to agree on the group's top concert.
After a brief reunion for an impromptu gig on the roof of Abbey Road studios, The Beatles never returned to a stadium or concert hall following their last tour in 1966. During their controversial US tour, marked by John Lennon's statement that they were "bigger than Jesus," many believe The Beatles gave their most outstanding live performance.
This show is not only considered possibly The Beatles' greatest live spectacle, but it also stands out as one of the first major arena stadium concerts.
One fan posted online: "I was just thinking about how 'The Beatles at Shea Stadium' was the first ever major concert in an arena stadium. Has anyone seen the film?" On August 11, 1966, The Beatles performed a short setlist of 11 songs at New York's Shea Stadium.
However, these 11 songs have made a significant mark in music history, with many fans declaring them the peak of The Beatles' live performances. Released on this day [May 1] in 1966, the Shea Stadium show continues to be hailed as one of the most extraordinary concerts to date, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Source: themirror.com/Ewan Gleadow, Hollie Beale
By the time the Beatles called it a day in late 1969, they’d recorded and released more than 200 songs — most of them originals — and left dozens more in the vault. While the bulk of those unissued tracks ranged from rough demos to jams, several were completed recordings that, for one reason or another, they rejected.
Among them was a song that was the first ever written expressly for drummer Ringo Starr: “If You’ve Got Trouble.” Composed by John Lennon for inclusion on 1965’s Help!, the song was a riff-driven rocker built around the I-IV-V chords common to blues and rock. In many respects it bears similarity to a few other Beatles tracks from this period, including “She’s a Woman,” “I’m Down” and “I Feel Fine,” another Lennon-composed riff rocker, albeit one with a great deal more sophistication than “If You’ve Got Trouble.”
From the start of the Beatles’ recording career, Starr was given a vocal spot on each of their albums (except for 1964’s A Hard Day’s Night) in order to please his rabid fan base. It may be hard to fathom today, but for at least the first year of Beatlemania, Starr was the most popular Beatle, certainly in America, where his friendly, down-to-earth demeanor made him a favorite. It’s little wonder he got his own sizable scene in the Beatles’ debut film, A Hard Day’s Night, and was the main focus of its followup, 1965’s Help!
Because Starr wasn’t a songwriter, he sang either covers — “Boys,” on 1963’s Please Please Me, and “Honey Don’t” on 1964’s Beatles for Sale — or inferior cast-offs composed by Lennon and McCartney, such as “I Wanna Be Your Man,” a throwaway from 1963’s With the Beatles, and “What Goes On,” from 1965’s Rubber Soul.
Source: guitarplayer.com/Christopher Scapelliti
As the news of Brian Wilson’s passing reverberates around the music world, it’s heartening to know that his contributions are celebrated by artists young and old. Paul McCartney, one of Wilson’s biggest admirers, has called The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows” the “greatest song ever written.”
The quote comes from Charles Granata’s 2003 book Wouldn’t it Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, and McCartney reiterated his affection for the song in a 2007 interview with BBC Radio 1, where he discussed why “God Only Knows” means so much to him. “It’s one of the few songs that reduces me to tears every time I hear it,” McCartney said. “It’s really just a love song, but it’s brilliantly done. It shows the genius of Brian.” (For what it’s worth, we agree with his assessment.)
McCartney’s respect for Wilson extends beyond just “God Only Knows.” Over the years, he’s often reflected on how Wilson’s musical innovations shaped his own work with The Beatles. “Brian Wilson sort of proved himself to be a really amazing composer,” McCartney told The Ronnie Wood Show in 2012. “I was into chords and harmonies and stuff at that time, and we ended up with kind of like a rivalry. We put a song out and Brian would hear it, and then he’d do one. Which is nice – it’s like me and John. You know, you kind of try and top each other all the time.” Watch a clip of McCartney discussing Wilson, his performance of “God Only Knows” alongside him for a benefit concert, and the genius of his songwriting below, as well as a clip from the duo’s performance together.
Source: Paolo Ragusa/consequence.net
