Beatles News
Few artists have left as indelible a mark on music and culture as John Lennon. From his revolutionary work with The Beatles to his bold solo career, Lennon’s songwriting transcended boundaries, touching hearts and challenging minds across the globe. His lyrics, often infused with raw emotion, wit, and a deep yearning for peace and unity, continue to resonate with listeners of all generations. In this article, we’ll take a journey through Lennon’s most iconic songs, from his introspective ballads to his powerful anthems of change. These tracks not only showcase his musical genius but also offer a window into the mind of an artist unafraid to confront the complexities of life, love, and the human condition. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or a newcomer to his timeless catalog, these top 10 John Lennon songs will remind you why his music remains as powerful and relevant today as ever. So, sit back, turn up the volume, and get ready to experience the very best of an artist whose voice still echoes across generations. Let’s dive in and celebrate the legacy of a true music legend!
Source: Edward Tomlin/singersroom.com
With tensions growing between John Lennon and Paul McCartney, one song on the famous White Album sent things to boiling point.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney are two of the most beloved figures to ever emerge from this city. From the early days of The Beatles, the duo formed a songwriting force that some regard as the greatest ever in popular music.
But as we all know, the harmony between these two creative geniuses didn't last. In a new article for Far Out Magazine, journalist Jack Whatley has looked into the recording of one particular McCartney track that made him so furious that he left the studio in disgust.
As Whatley describes, as the split grew between Lennon and McCartney, they moved from writing songs together to working separately on their numbers before coming together in the recording studio with George and Ringo to record them. The rule of thumb was generally that whoever wrote the song got to sing it.
The article explains how this process had initially seen McCartney take the lead on the creative process, most notably with the creation of the masterpiece that was Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club. While the album is one of the most beloved amongst Beatles fans to this day, John Lennon later said it was his least favourite album - partly because of how dominant his fellow songwriter was in the creative process.
Source: Liam Thorp/liverpoolecho.co.uk
There was a time when a pop song wasn’t supposed to run much longer than the two-minute mark. Anything over three minutes and you’d run the risk radio wouldn’t play it. As they did with so many other aspects of music, The Beatles helped to change all that.
By the second half of their recording career, The Beatles occasionally released songs that soared past the four-minute mark. A few of those songs are now regarded as being among the finest they ever released, and they’re included in this list of five longer-than-usual Fab Four tracks.
“A Day in the Life” from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
So much of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band flew in the face of rock and pop orthodoxy that it felt just right when the group clocked in at 5:38 with closing track “A Day in the Life,” by far and away their longest recording to that point. The song needed that extra length to include all of its wonderful, disparate elements: John Lennon’s meditative main section, Paul McCartney’s chugging middle part, and the chaotic dual orchestra crescendos. Don’t forget that last piano chord, which thanks to The Beatles’ cleverness in the studio, accounts for about 30 seconds of that time.
“I Am the Walrus” from Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
Of the tracks included on this list, “I Am the Walrus” is the shortest, and its 4:35 running time isn’t long at all by today’s standards. But it somehow feels a lot longer, and not because it’s in any way tedious. Quite the opposite, in fact, as there’s just so much going on it’s amazing they packed it into that length of time. Heck, for all we know, those ascending, unresolved chords at the end of the track might still be climbing into the ether somewhere. John Lennon’s masterpiece of gobbledygook throws everything (Shakespeare, chorale singers, et al.) into a psychedelic blender, and if only we could recapture that recipe.
“While My Guitar Gently Weeps” from The Beatles (1968)
Source: Jim Beviglia/americansongwriter.com
Few songs from The Beatles are objectively bad. They’re known as one of the greatest rock bands of all time for a reason, after all. That being said, the Fab Four put out quite a few B-sides back in the day that were so good that they should have been front and center as A-sides instead. Let’s look at four Beatles B-sides that were good enough to be A-sides!
Keep in mind that this list is simply a matter of opinion. The beauty of being a Beatles fan is that you can find a piece of yourself in one song while having no taste whatsoever for another song. The Fab Four really knew how to make music for everyone!
1. “I Am The Walrus”
Some people love it, some people don’t. But one can’t deny that “I Am The Walrus” is one of The Beatles’ most memorable songs. This song was the B-side to “Hello, Goodbye”, and it’s tough to pit these two iconic tracks together. “I Am The Walrus” is, at the very least, a much more experimental and creative effort than “Hello, Goodbye”.
2. “P.S. I Love You”
This track was the B-side to the 1963 single “Love Me Do”. This one’s tough; both songs are incredible pieces of work and must-haves in any self-respecting Beatles fan’s collection. However, it’s worth noting that “P.S. I Love You” was supposed to be a single before the thought was shot down by Please Please Me’s producer.
“And I was originally a music publishing man, a plugger, so I knew that someone had already done a record with that title,” producer Ron Richards once said in reference to “P.S. I Love You”.
The song he was referring to was a ditty by Gordon Jenkins and Johnny Mercer.
3. “Rain”
“Rain” is one of our favorite Beatles B-sides ever. This Revolver track was released in 1966 as the B-side to “Paperback Writer”. It’s a delightful song and one of the band’s best tracks. And a big part of what makes this song so darn good is Ringo Starr’s drumming. According to the Beatle himself, he was “possessed” on the track and felt “as though that was someone else playing.”
4. “Don’t Let Me Down”
Source: Em Casalena/americansongwriter.com
Singer-songwriter-keyboardist Billy Preston rubbed shoulders with musical royalty during his many decades as a working musician, including the Beatles on their final two albums as a group, 1969's Abbey Road and 1970's Let It Be.
It was love at first note when Preston started playing the electric piano during the 1969 Let It Be sessions, which led John Lennon to deem him "like a fifth Beatle." But Preston had an especially close bond with the quiet Beatle that continued long after the group disbanded in 1970.
Preston's relationship with George Harrison is discussed by one of the people who knew Harrison best — his widow Olivia Harrison — in the new documentary Billy Preston: That's the Way God Planned It, premiering Nov. 17 at the DOC NYC festival. The film is directed by Paris Barclay, whose credits include Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, and produced by Stephanie Allain, Jeanne Elfant Festa, Nigel Sinclair and Cheo Hodari Coker.
Olivia Harrison, along with former Beatle Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton and Sam and Dave's Sam Moore are all featured in the documentary, sharing memories of the man they called a colleague and friend.
George Harrison and Olivia Harrison in 1981. AP Photo
“I think George and Billy connected in a way the others didn’t," Olivia, 76, says in the film. "He was certain of Billy the moment he laid eyes on him. He saw him, and I think Billy saw George, and somehow, they recognized each other, and they really saw who they were. And I think that’s what kept them together.”
Preston played the Hammond organ on "Something," the No. 1 single from the Abbey Road album that was written and sung by Harrison. In return, Harrison produced Preston's 1969 single "That's the Way God Planned It," which gives the documentary its title.
Source: Jeremy Helligar/people.com
Ringo Starr recently took part in a video interview with music journalist Katherine Yeske Taylor for American Songwriter and the Drummerworld website. During the conversation, the 84-year-old ex-Beatles legend was asked if he there was one Fab Four song on which he’d played drums differently.
“I don’t wish I’d played differently on any of them,” Starr explained. He then pointed out a rare Beatles on which he purposely approached playing drums in a different way.
“‘Rain’ I played differently,” Ringo noted. “I was trying to be the rain.” He then demonstrated how he plays a series of drum rolls that he intended to represent rain.
Starr added, “I don’t do that sort of drumming, but I did for ‘Rain.’ But I think, you know, you got what I could give you then.”
“Rain” was a psychedelic pop-rock tune first released in May 1966 as the B-side of The Beatles’ single “Paperback Writer.” “Paperback Writer” topped the Billboard Hot 100, while “Rain” reached No. 23 on the chart.
The song later was included on The Beatles’ 1970 compilation Hey Jude, and on the 1988 comp Past Masters, Volume Two.
Source: Matt Friedlander/americansongwriter.com
The Fab Four released countless hits throughout the 1960s, but each individual member’s solo works are nothing to sneeze at. A few of those solo tracks would have been perfect under The Beatles’ name, had another album came to be. Let’s take a gander at four solo songs from Beatles members that could have easily been on a Fab Four record!
5 of the Beatles’ Least Popular Songs
1. “Isn’t It A Pity” by George Harrison
George Harrison emerged from The Beatles’ breakup a little wet behind the ears as a songwriter, though he did have some experience. However, without the shadow of the two main songwriters of the Fab Four hiding him, he was really able to flourish as a solo musician. “Isn’t It A Pity” would have made an excellent Beatles single; Harrison’s vocals are on another level here.
2. “Gimme Some Truth” by John Lennon
This wouldn’t be a proper list without at least one solo John Lennon track. There are plenty to choose from that would have done well on a Beatles record. However, we’re particularly fond of “Gimme Some Truth”.
This is one of Lennon’s catchiest solo efforts, with enough of a pop vibe that would have made it a standout track on a Beatles album. “Gimme Some Truth” is packed with controversial lyrics and some of Lennon’s best vocals. McCartney allegedly helped write this tune, too, so it’s basically a Beatles song already.
Source: Em Casalena/americansongwriter.com
When you think of Rubber Soul, the iconic sixth studio album (in just two years!) from The Beatles, you likely envision its groundbreaking blend of folk, soul, and pop. But beneath its polished veneer are hidden gems of trivia and fascinating tidbits that shaped this masterpiece. Here are five little-known facts about the album that changed the game for rock and roll forever.
1. The Title Was Inspired By a Compliment (and a Slight Jab)
Paul McCartney was inspired to name the album Rubber Soul after overhearing an American musician describe Mick Jagger’s singing style as “plastic soul.” McCartney turned the phrase into a cheeky nod to The Beatles’ own attempts at soul music, adding a dose of self-deprecating humor to their groundbreaking LP.
2. “Norwegian Wood” Introduced the Sitar to Rock Music
George Harrison’s use of the sitar on “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” marked the first time the instrument was featured prominently in a rock song. Inspired by Ravi Shankar and introduced to the instrument during the filming of Help!, Harrison’s sitar work sparked a fascination with Indian music that would deeply influence the band’s later works.
3. A Marathon Recording Schedule
The Beatles recorded Rubber Soul in just over a month, an unusually tight schedule by today’s standards. Working long nights and early mornings, they completed the album with just hours to spare before the release deadline. Despite the pressure, the sessions yielded some of their most innovative work, showcasing their growing studio prowess.
4. The Hidden Bach Influence on “In My Life”
The iconic piano solo in “In My Life” isn’t actually played in real time. Producer George Martin recorded the solo at half speed, then sped it up during playback to give it the intricate, harpsichord-like quality fans adore. Lennon had requested something “Bach-like,” and Martin delivered a timeless classical touch to the track.
5. The Album’s Cover Was a Happy Accident
Source: thatericalper.com
A watch that Yoko Ono gifted to John Lennon, later stolen after his death, rightfully belongs to his widow and not a collector who bought it from an auction house decades later, Switzerland’s highest court has ruled.
Ono bought the Patek Phillippe watch from Tiffany for around $25,000 and gave it to her rockstar husband as a 40th birthday present on October 9, 1980. On the back, she had engraved the text “(Just Like) Starting Over Love Yoko 10-9-1980 N.Y.C.”
The timepiece, which was described as the “El Dorado of lost watches” in a profile by The New Yorker documenting its storied history, appears to be the only wristwatch the Beatle owned and is estimated to now be worth some $4.5 million. Lennon, famously, was photographed by Bob Gruen wearing the watch at the Hit Factory recording studio—an image that would spark discussions about its whereabouts in the early 2000s among online horological circles.
After his murder that December, the watch was kept in a locked room of the couple’s apartment in the Dakota building on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It was allegedly stolen in 2005 by Ono’s chauffeur, and later discovered to have changed hands several times before an Italian collector bought it from a German auction house in 2014.
Ono was purportedly unaware that the watch was missing until the unnamed collector submitted the watch for an appraisal at another auction house in Geneva. Ultimately, the collector filed a lawsuit to legally establish ownership of the watch in 2018.
“I’m more of a Rolling Stones man,” the collector said in an email reply to The New Yorker ahead of the recent ruling by Switzerland’s Federal Supreme Court, noting that he remained hopeful he could wear the watch as soon as possible.
Source: Adam Schrader News Reporter/news.artnet.com
While nothing is confirmed, rumors of Gladiator II star Paul Mescal playing Paul McCartney in the upcoming Beatles biopics from Sam Mendes have surfaced.
During an interview with Mescal about Gladiator II, I asked him what he would ask McCartney if he met him in preparation for playing him in the biopics. “Oh god,” Mescal said, stammering. “How long is a piece of string?”
The somewhat sarcastic answer was followed up with, “I don't know specifically off the top of my head what I'd ask him — [it] depends on how much time you'd have.” As for his status in the Beatles biopics, Mescal kept it close to the vest. “I mean, I would love to be involved wholeheartedly,” he said. “You could pick any moment from any of those characters' lives, and you would have a very, very interesting film.”
However, he did seem to slip up, saying he is “so curious to see who's going to be involved and what those scripts are going to look like” before adding “fundamentally” to the end of his sentence.
Maybe Mescal is not waiting on scripts, but it sure sounded like it. We will have to wait and see if the Aftersun star gets announced as a part of the cast. Whether or not Paul Mescal plays Paul McCartney in Sam Mendes' Beatles biopics, he is already an Oscar-nominated actor. He launched his career with his role in Normal People, which earned him an Emmy nomination.
His first movie role came in Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Lost Daughter. Mescal subsequently starred in Aftersun, which earned him his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Since then, Mescal has starred in Carmen, All of Us Strangers, and Foe. He is now promoting Gladiator II, the long-awaited sequel to Ridley Scott's 2000 movie Gladiator.
Source: Andrew Korpan/clutchpoints.com
