Beatles News
The Beatles quit touring for good in 1966, and many of the songs from later releases never got a proper Fab Four performance. That being said, each respective member of The Beatles went on to perform a number of those post-Beatles songs during their solo runs. But surprisingly, there’s one hit track that never got a performance; not even from the man who wrote it.
That song would be “Martha My Dear” from the band’s 1968 self-titled album. The track was written by Paul McCartney and is a heartfelt tribute to his beloved sheepdog, Martha. Some have interpreted the song as a reference to his public breakup with Jane Asher, notably with the lyrics “Don’t forget me”. The lyrics “Help yourself to a bit of what is all around you” is seen as a dig at a potential alleged affair Asher had while McCartney was traveling with The Old Vic Theatre.
However, McCartney has never verified these claims. He’s also never performed the song live. Why Paul McCartney Never Performed “Martha My Dear” Live?
“Martha My Dear” is a major fan-favorite among Beatles superfans and casual listeners alike. The band’s contemporaries and other artists love it too, with the likes of Brass, World Party, Phish, and more covering the track. It’s quite surprising that McCartney never played the song live with Wings or during his solo endeavors. Ironically, the song sounds as close to a Wings song as you can get.
Source: Em Casalena/americansongwriter.com
John Lennon and Yoko Ono's move to New York City in the early 1970s is the subject of the new documentary One to One: John & Yoko
The film will explore the backlash Ono faced from Beatles fans upon entering into a relationship with Lennon
"Society suddenly treated me as a woman who belonged to a man who is one of the most powerful people in our generation," she says in the documentary. A new documentary is revisiting the difficult road Yoko Ono faced when she fell in love with John Lennon in the late 1960s.
One to One: John & Yoko focuses on never-before-seen material of the high-profile couple as they uproot their life in England to move to New York City in 1971, where a changing American culture collides with the pair’s desire to do good in the world.
In one moving section of the film, Ono gives a speech at the First International Feminist Conference, which took place in 1973. During the emotional address, Ono, then 40, detailed the harsh way she was treated by society after she first started dating Lennon and how a constant barrage of criticism chipped away at her self-confidence.
When Ono and the former Beatle first met in 1966, she was already established as a successful artist. She told the crowd in her speech that because she was an independent, creative woman, society had already deemed her a “bitch” — and when she and Lennon got together, she was “upgraded into a witch,” which was “very flattering,” she quipped.
“Society suddenly treated me as a woman who belonged to a man who is one of the most powerful people in our generation. And some of his closest friends told me that probably I should stay in the background, I should shut up, I should give up my work and that way I’ll be happy,” she said. “Because the whole society started to attack me, and the whole society wished me dead, I started to stutter.”
She continued, “I consider myself a very eloquent woman, and also an attractive woman. And suddenly, because I was associated with John, I was considered an ugly woman, ugly Jap, who took your monument away from you. That’s when I realized how hard it is for women. If I can start to stutter, being a strong woman, it is a very hard road.”
Source: Rachel DeSantis/people.com
George Harrison gained a reputation as being a seeker of sorts, constantly searching for insight about the way to live his life under the strange circumstances of being a worldwide celebrity. As it happens, he was also actively researching the proper way to leave this life.
The song “Art of Dying,” which was released on Harrison’s incredible triple album All Things Must Pass in 1971, expresses some of the former Beatle’s ideas on the subject, many of which were sourced from his study of Indian religious beliefs. It’s an incredibly nimble lyric that elucidates a weighty subject with smarts and feeling.
A Song Years in the Making
Many of the songs that appeared on All Things Must Pass were begun when Harrison was still a member of The Beatles. In the case of “Art of Dying,” he had begun writing it all the way back in 1966, some five years before he’d get a chance to release it once he had gone solo. Early versions of the song even contained references to Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein.
The title of “Art of Dying” is telling, because that’s essentially what Harrison is trying to communicate to his audience. As he explained in his book I, Me, Mine, he was singing about trying to get to a point where all loose ends are tied up when it’s time to shuffle off this mortal coil:
“Everybody is worried about dying, but the cause of death (which most can’t figure out unless they are diseased) is birth, so if you don’t want to die you don’t get born! So the ‘art of dying’ is when somebody can consciously leave the body at death, as opposed to falling down dying without knowing what’s going on. The Yogi who does that (Maha-samadhi) doesn’t have to reincarnate again.”
Harrison’s own life was cut short by cancer and a stabbing incident, and he died at 58 years old. If you believe his wife Olivia’s quote from the documentary George Harrison: Living in the Material World, his seeking seems to have paid off. “He lit the room,” Olivia said, describing the moment when Harrison died.
The Meaning of the Lyrics to “Art of Dying”
Source: Jim Beviglia/americansongwriter.com
The band performed two sold-out shows on Sept. 3, 1964. Now, the fairgrounds are bringing the magic back with a tribute band, an art installation, and more. The Beatles toured the United States and Canada between August 19 and September 20, 1964.
What was life like in 1964? College students from across the US traveled to Mississippi to participate in Freedom Summer, the Ford Mustang debuted, Muhammad Ali became the world heavyweight champion... and The Beatles played at the Indiana State Fair.
In honor of the 60th anniversary of the two sold-out shows played on Sept. 3, 1964, the fairgrounds are celebrating all things Fab Four once more. The festivities on Tuesday, Sept. 3 include:
The unveiling of an art installation
A listening session of the original audio from the 1964 performance
A live performance of the original setlist by cover band 1964 The Tribute
An encore performance of The Beatles’ greatest hits
Merchandise + themed food and beverage options, such as “Hard Day’s Flight” “and “Yellow Submarine Sandwich”
Tickets are still available for $5, the same price thousands of screaming fans originally paid to see the band — or you can get closer to the stage with floor tickets for $25.
Source: Shea Stapley/indytoday.6amcity.com
Ann Arbor wasn’t immune to the fanatical craze sweeping the nation 60 years ago when the Beatles arrived in the United States.
With the British Invasion underway, Beatlemania struck Tree Town in 1964.
That was on full display that August as hundreds of enthusiastic teenagers lined up along State Street outside the State Theatre downtown for tickets to see the Beatles’ first feature film, “A Hard Day’s Night.”
“I love the Beatles” was among messages in the crowd, along with posters of the rockers from Liverpool, England, known for hits such as “She Loves You” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
Beatlemania in Ann Arbor
Enthusiastic teenagers line up along State Street outside the State Theatre in downtown Ann Arbor for tickets to see the Beatles film "A Hard Day's Night" in August 1964.Duane Scheel | Ann Arbor News archives courtesy of OldNews.AADL.org
Ann Arbor News reporter Dave Bishop and photographer Duane Scheel were there to document the excited scene as tickets went on sale two weeks ahead of the movie’s Sept. 3 opening at the theater. The crowd filled the sidewalk down to Washington Street and was estimated to include about 300 to 400 people.
Ralph Hinterman, a 15-year-old from the Allmendinger Park area, was first in line, sitting in a camping stool, and said the line began forming at 1:30 a.m. — over seven hours before the ticket window was set to open that morning.
“I don’t believe it,” he said in response to rumors the Beatles were “dying out” in England.
“I love the Beatles,” proclaimed 14-year-old Karen Reese, also in line. “I’d do anything for them,” she added when asked if it was worth waiting since 6 a.m.
"I love the Beatles" is among the messages in the crowd, along with posters of the British rockers, as enthusiastic teenagers line up along State Street outside the State Theatre in downtown Ann Arbor for tickets to see the Beatles film "A Hard Day's Night" in August 1964.Duane Scheel | Ann Arbor News archives courtesy of OldNews.AADL.org
The length of the band members’ hair was a subject of discussion and debate.
Source: mlive.com
In interviews Paul McCartney gave during the promotion of his album Band on the Run, he stated that “Jet” was the name of a black Labrador puppy. In later years, he told the story of how it was the name of a Shetland pony he owned. Both stories could be true, but either way, it doesn’t make a difference to the meaning of the song “Jet’s” lyrics. McCartney also talks about his father-in-law in relation to the words. David Bowie’s “Suffragette City” played a role as well. Dress it all up with a cool saxophone riff and some fist-pumping, arena-rock hooks and you’ve got one of McCartney’s most memorable singles. Let’s take a look at the story behind “Jet” by Paul McCartney & Wings.
Jet, Jet
Jet, I can almost remember their funny faces
That time, you told them you were going to be marrying soon
And Jet, I thought the only lonely place was on the moon
Jet the Puppy
McCartney wasn’t sure there was a single on his 1973 album Band on the Run. Al Coury, head of marketing at Capitol Records, convinced him to edit “Jet” down to a length more condusive to FM radio play. In 1973, McCartney told author Paul Gambaccini in Paul McCartney: In His Own Words: “We’ve got a Labrador puppy who is a runt, the runt of a litter. We bought her along a roadside in a little pet shop out in the country one day. She was a bit of a wild dog, a wild girl who wouldn’t stay in. We have a big wall around our house in London, and she wouldn’t stay in. She always used to jump the wall. She’d go out on the town for the evening, like Lady and the Tramp. She must have met up with some big black Labrador or something. She came back one day pregnant. She proceeded to walk into the garage and have this litter. … Seven little black puppies, perfect little black Labradors, and she’s not black, she’s tan. So we worked out it must have been a black Labrador. What we do is if either of the dogs we have has a litter, we try to keep them for the puppy stage so we get the best bit of them, and then when they get a bit unmanageable, we ask people if they want to have a puppy. So Jet was one of the puppies. We give them all names. We’ve had some great names. There was one puppy called Golden Molasses. I rather like that. Then, there was one called Brown Megs, named after a Capitol executive. They’ve all gone now.”
Source: Jay McDowell/americansongwriter.com
Already one of history's greatest rock bands, The Beatles were even more than the sum of their parts. In the wake of the band's legendary 1960s run came a number of high-profile solo releases from each individual member. That includes Ringo, whose eponymous 1973 album peaked at #2 on the U.S. charts and yielded two #1 singles … with a little help from his friends, of course.
What's no less striking than the substantial output of each respective Beatle is the evolution of their signature sounds and styles. From George Harrison's idiosyncratic slide guitar to John Lennon's raw candor, certain albums were nearly as groundbreaking as the group efforts that preceded them. Acclaimed releases such as "All Things Must Pass" and "Plastic Ono Band" also helped redefine the personas of their creators.
Then there's Paul McCartney, or Macca, which is his English nickname, who arguably carried the torch of Beatles-style melodies into each of the subsequent decades. At the same time, he tirelessly explored an assortment of production styles and peripheral genres, including classical and electronic. As a solo artist or with Wings, Macca has released over 20 top 10 singles to date, putting his post-Beatles career in the same ranks as some of music's bestselling acts.
Source: MSN
When John Lennon and Pete Shotton began a skiffle group at Quarry Bank High School in Liverpool, England, they had no idea what the future had in store. As other schoolmates joined, they performed at friend’s parties, school dances, and local cinemas. Their earliest material consisted of songs by skiffle inspiration Lonnie Donegan, R&B giant Fats Domino, and rock ‘n’ roller Elvis Presley. When Paul McCartney and, later, George Harrison joined the band, they continued to perform hits by established acts such as The Everly Brothers, Carl Perkins, and Duane Eddy.
As the band evolved, other members had disagreements or changed schools, causing them to leave the group. This resulted in a trio of guitarists. Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison did not have a drummer or a bassist, causing them to explain to potential employers, “The rhythm’s in the guitars.” They continued to perform rock ‘n’ roll and R&B but began composing their own songs. By the time drummer Pete Best joined and Lennon convinced Stuart Sutcliffe to purchase a bass guitar, they had gone through several names. As a quintet, they took on a new moniker. The Beatles split time between Liverpool and Hamburg, West Germany, still performing music of Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Larry Williams. As Lennon and McCartney composed their own songs, they were taking inspiration from those earlier hitmakers. Let’s take a look at the story behind “She’s a Woman” by The Beatles.
Source: americansongwriter.com
I learned about the Beatles in the spring of 1980 from my older brother Craig. I was only a kid, but I started listening obsessively to their music and reading everything I could get my hands on about the band.
But 1980 was a bad year to become a Beatles fan: John Lennon was murdered in December of that same year.
I’m still a massive fan — so much so that my husband Michael and I recently went to Liverpool, England, to see the hometown of the band’s four famous members: Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Richard Starkey (who is better known by his stage name, Ringo Starr).
There are lots of reasons why I love the Beatles:
I agree with the critical consensus that they’re the best rock band ever. They also created the idea of the modern rock band, pioneering “concept albums,” and distinctive covers, and lyric sheets, and stadium tours, and all kinds of studio and musical innovations, and on and on and on.
They turned pop music into an art form. Virtually every one of their 213+ songs includes something unique and interesting — like those fantastic staccato violin chords in “Eleanor Rigby,” or the delightful lyrics to “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” and how, at the end of the song, Desmond and Molly happily trade places, and she goes off to work in the marketplace, and he stays home with the kids — in 1968, about a decade before anyone had even heard the concept of a “stay-at-home husband.”
Source: Brent Hartinger and Michael Jensen/yahoo.com
On This Day, Aug. 29, 1966 …
The Beatles played what would be their last-ever full public concert, at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park.
The band played an 11-song set, which didn’t include any songs from their recently released album, Revolver.
The public was unaware that it would be the band’s final concert, although The Beatles themselves knew and brought a camera onstage to capture the moment.
The Beatles’ final public performance of any kind was their iconic “rooftop concert” in London in January 1969. That concert was recorded for the documentary Let It Be, which was rereleased on Disney+ in May and was also part of the 2021 Disney+ documentary The Beatles: Get Back.
Source: ABC News
