Beatles News
Is 'Here Comes The Sun' the most popular Beatles song of modern times?
If you include 'Now and Then', The Beatles recorded a total of 213 different songs. 25 of them were covers of rock 'n' roll classics, pop standards and country hits. The bulk of the other 188 were compositions by the immortal songwriting team of John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
Alongside a trio of curios with full band co-writes – namely Let It Be's 'Dig It' and 'Maggie Mae' and Magical Mystery Tour's 'Flying' – George Harrison wrote just 22 of the songs officially released by The Beatles.
But if you go on to Spotify and look up The Beatles and look at their top ranked songs, one track is way out in front of all the others.
'Here Comes The Sun' has racked up over 1.5 BILLION listens in the ten years since The Beatles belated came to the platform.
John Lennon's 'Come Together' is languishing in second place with a mere 811 million spins. Read on to find out how this not-even-a-single became such a hit. Who wrote 'Here Comes The Sun'?
We just made a big song and dance about the song being one of George Harrison's, but you do have to be careful with songwriting credits.
Some of the songs listed as Lennon-McCartney weren't exactly that. 'Yesterday' was entirely written by Paul McCartney while 'Please Please Please' me was one of John's solo efforts, for example.
Source: goldradio.com/Mayer Nissim
On Feb. 9, 1964, the Beatles made their first live American television appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” broadcast from New York on CBS. The quartet played five songs, including “She Loves You” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” to a crowd of screaming teenagers in person and more than 70 million viewers across the country.
Source: courant.com
About the track, Paul said: "It’s really just a love song, but it’s brilliantly done"
English musician and songwriter Paul McCartney of The Beatles attends a press conference to promote Leicester University's arts festival at the Royal Garden Hotel in London on 5th February 1968
Paul McCartney has written more than his fair share of classic songs. Alongside John Lennon, Paul, now 82, wrote the bulk of The Beatles' songbook and was the driving force behind beloved tracks like 'Let it Be', 'Yesterday', 'Hey Jude' and 'Penny Lane'.
About the Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership, Music and Musicians magazine's Wilfred Mellors wrote in 1972: "Opposite poles generate electricity: between John and Paul the sparks flew. John's fiery iconoclasm was tempered by Paul's lyrical grace, while Paul's wide-eyed charm was toughened by John's resilience."
Paul and John set the standard for songwriting in the 1960s, inspiring many of their peers. About their 1964 arrival in the United States, Bob Dylan said: "They were doing things nobody was doing. Their chords were outrageous, just outrageous, and their harmonies made it all valid. But I just kept it to myself that I really dug them.
"Everybody else thought they were for the teeny-boppers, that they were gonna pass right away. But it was obvious to me that they had staying power. I knew they were pointing the direction of where music had to go."
It wasn't just Dylan who they inspired and led the way for. John and Paul even famously wrote the Rolling Stones' first hit single for them - 1963's 'I Wanna Be Your Man'.
Source: liverpoolecho.co.uk/Dan Haygarth
A legendary performance featuring John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and guitarist Chuck Berry has reignited discussions online.
Some hailed the live show from the trio, which has recently gone viral again on social media, while others couldn't help but chuckle at Ono's vocal outbursts.
Their rendition of iconic guitar tunes was peppered with Ono's unique contributions, leading to a divide among viewers: some applauding her artistry, whereas others resort to ridicule.
An edited video from the @historyrock account suggested that Ono "embarrassing" Beatles legend Lennon, alongside rock icon Berry, exacerbated discussions.
A fan pointed out that the viral clip was edited for comic effect, stating: "You should mention that this video has been digitally altered and edited for comedic effect. Yoko Ono is only heard for about three seconds in the actual performance."
Music enthusiasts jumped to Ono's defence, praising her historical influence. Despite clarifications, the debate persists as viewers either praise or disparage Ono.
One individual commented: "It was a miracle that Chuck Berry could even play with that rattling his ears. Thankfully a wise tech shut off her microphone."
Another reminisced: "Lennon must have been in love with her to let her sing. The first Plastic Ono Band album I bought was in a bargain bin for $2."
Source: express.co.uk/Ewan Gleadow
The Beatles penned hit after hit, all of which demonstrated their mastery of the songwriting form. But while they racked up classic songs for themselves beyond counting, they still found the time to write songs for other musicians.
Not everyone was aware that the song they were hearing on the radio had been written by John, Paul, George, or Ringo, especially if the song had been credited to a pseudonym. Here are some examples of songs that were recorded by other artists but dreamed up by the world’s favorite Liverpudlians.
1. "I Wanna Be Your Man" by The Rolling Stones
1963
Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, this song became one of The Rolling Stones' early hits. In fact, it was such a good tune that Lennon and McCartney borrowed it back so they could record their own version of it on their 1963 sophomore album, “With the Beatles.”
2. "Come and Get It" by Badfinger
1969
Written and produced by Paul McCartney, this song became a top 10 hit for Badfinger, a band signed to the Beatles’ Apple label. The band had several big hits of their own, so they didn’t necessarily need Macca to write material for them. But hey, when you’re signed to the Fab Four's label, it doesn’t hurt to ask if they have potential hits lying around that they’re not using.
3. "Bad to Me" by Billy J. Kramer With the Dakotas
1963
“Bad to Me” was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney for British pop singer Billy J. Kramer. His recording of the song topped the U.K. charts. It was covered by other artists, most notably Graham Parker, but the Beatles themselves never took a crack at it. The only known Beatle-adjacent recording of "Bad to Me" emerged in 2013 on iTunes in the form of a John Lennon demo that was part of the compilation, “The Beatles Bootleg Recordings 1963.”
Source: Daniel Bukszpan/aol.com
Another engaging review of a Beatles album. Still details I didn't know! And challenging interpretations. Rubber Soul and Revolver are indeed their most interesting album titles (if only Abbey Road would have been called Everest..)
I really like Wait (lesser overplay helps) but The Word is definitely one of my favourite Beatles tunes. It's so out there, like a mad religious (sect) leader screaming its selling points and all. Way more interesting than the by-request "All You Need Is Love" (perfect as it is, of course), a bit out of place here, even.
I like What Goes On amongst Ringosungs. The instrumentation in this album in general is really my thing. Power pop should I call it? Folk rock (apparently that's what they label the US version)?
I never liked Nowhere Man a lot, as important as it is, for some reason (I highly prefer "There's a Place" as an *almost* non love song, at least "that" line). You Won’t See Me is a favourite too, and yeah I cannot listen to Michelle anymore (but still I can bear it more than Yesterday, specially in the album context). John's and George songs are all great for me too.
Source: George Starostin/onlysolitaire.substack.com
When you’re part of the biggest rock band of the 20th century, it’s pretty easy to get sick of at least a few of your biggest songs. For most of the members of The Beatles, quite a few songs in their discography were worthy of being hated from the get-go. Let’s take a look at just a few songs that The Beatles produced and famously hated!
The Meaning Behind the WEIRDEST Beatles Song, “I Am The Walrus”
1. “Birthday”
Paul McCartney was inspired to pen this classic rock track after watching the 1956 film The Girl Can’t Help It. “Birthday” ended up making it to the third side of The Beatles’ White Album. McCartney, interestingly enough, spoke fondly of the song in later years. John Lennon, however, was not a fan of the song at all.
“‘Birthday’ was written in the studio,” said Lennon. “[…] I think Paul wanted to write a song like ‘Happy Birthday Baby’, the old ’50s hit. But it was sort of made up in the studio. It was a piece of garbage.”
2. “Little Child”
The Beatles hated mostly their throwaway songs, but this one was more neglected and unrespected than hated. And sadly for Ringo Starr, quite a few songs that McCartney and Lennon didn’t want to use themselves went straight to their drummer. Not everyone can be a multi-level threat, after all. Starr was a great drummer, but his singing ability was limited. “Little Child” ended up featuring the vocals of Lennon and McCartney, but it was originally given to Starr for the album With The Beatles.
Source: American Songwriter.com/Em Casalena
John Lennon played a rare live show in New York City.
John Lennon is one of the greatest songwriters and performers of all time.
He also was an experienced live performer, racking up 1,500 odd shows first with The Quarrymen and then The Beatles.
But The Beatles quit touring after a final show in Candlestick Park, San Francisco, only playing live once more on the roof of Apple HQ during the fractious Get Back sessions.
When John Lennon went solo after the breakup, it seemed as though he'd lost his taste for live performance. Despite releasing six studio albums during the 1970s, Lennon didn't go on a proper tour. In fact, Lennon barely played live at all after The Beatles. His only full-length shows came on August 30, 1972.
On that date, Lennon and Yoko Ono performed two sets at Madison Square Garden in New York City for the One to One Concert. They were backed up by the Plastic Ono Band with Elephant's Memory and Special Guests.
Some of the songs from the first set were available on the much-maligned Some Time in New York City album, but many of the performances from that momentous day have never seen an official release.
Source: goldradio.com/Mayer Nissim
Berry and the team at Selby created an exhibition to celebrate Harrison’s love for nature and music. It’s an exhibit set to open on Feb. 9 called George Harrison: A Gardener’s Life.
After his time with the Beatles, George Harrison lived on a country estate in England and continued to write music.
But there developed another passion for gardening.
“It sort of makes sense. You can see the prevalence of garden imagery on album covers, videos, and even references in his songs,” said David Berry, chief museum curator at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
Berry and the team at Selby created an exhibition to celebrate Harrison’s love for nature and music.
It’s an exhibit set to open on Feb. 9 called George Harrison: A Gardener’s Life.
“It’s wonderful to celebrate his life and legacy and then to tell an aspect of his story that is a little less familiar to most people,” said Berry.
Selby CEO Jennifer Rominiecki says her family actually told her about George’s connection to gardening.
“I did not know that he was such a significant gardener. We are all Beatles fans. And in fact, Something is my wedding song,” she said.
There are displays representing Harrison’s songs, like While My Guitar Gently Weeps.
Angel Lara is in charge of the Tropical Conservatory.
“There’s not too many hanging guitar waterfalls out there,” he said.
The exhibition will be open until June 29.
It features many George-inspired touches, from the sundials he loved so much to the Gnmoes that were on the cover of his All Things Must Pass album.
Source: abcactionnews.com/Erik Waxler
The Beatles took their first steps on American soil on Feb. 7, 1964, before their ground-breaking performance on the Ed Sullivan Show on Feb. 9, 1964. Take a look back at the British Invasion, which sent America into a state of Beatlemania.
They're here! The Beatles arrived at Kennedy Airport in New York for the very first time to thousands of screaming fans on Feb. 7, 1964.
A throng of screaming fans was on hand to greet The Beatles as they stepped triumphantly off their plane at Kennedy Airport from London for the first time on Feb. 7, 1964.
Look who has arrived! Paul, Ringo, George and John were greeted at Kennedy Airport in New York by a swarm of press and fans at the start of their 10-day tour on Feb. 7, 1964.
Everywhere The Beatles went, thousands of screaming, crying and fainting fans followed during their 10-day tour in the U.S. Here, fans await a chance to see the Fab Four outside the Plaza Hotel on Feb. 11, 1964.
A frenzy of mass hysteria broke out when thousands of Beatles fans ran against traffic to the Plaza Hotel in New York City where The Beatles were staying during their first trip to New York City in 1964.
Viewed by 73 million people, The Beatles’ appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” was the single most significant moment in pop music 56 years ago on Feb. 9, 1964. Here, the Fab Four chat with the host himself. The historic show marked the beginning of the Beatles’ first U.S. 10-day tour.
Source: nydailynews.com/New York Daily News
