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English Pages [212] Year 2005
STEVE TURNER
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A HARD DAY’S WRITE
The Stories Behind Every Beatles’ Song
CARLTON
Steve Turner
This book is dedicated to T-Bone Burnett and Larry Norman in memory of many hours of Beatle-talk over the years.
A LITTLE BROWN/CARLTON BOOK First published in Great Britain in 1994 by Little, Brown and Company
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‘Baby, Let’s Play House’, words and music by Arthur Gunter © Williamson Music Inc./Carlin Music Inc. ‘Daydream’, words and music by John Sebastian © 1966 Hudson Bay Music Corp. Reproduced by kind permission of Robbins Music Corp Ltd, London. ‘I’m Wishing’, words and music by Larry Morey and Frank Churchill; and ’Please’, words and music by Leo Robbin and Ralph Rainger © Warner Chappell Music Ltd, London. Reproduced by kind permission of
This paperback edition published in 1995
International Music Publications Ltd. ‘Something in the Way She Moves’, words and music by
Text copyright © Steve Turner 1994 Design copyright© Carlton Books Limited 1994
James Taylor © 1968 EMI Blackwood Music Inc./Country Road Music Inc., USA. The songs of the Beatles, words and music by John Lennon and Paul McCartney or George Harrison © Northern Songs. Reproduced by kind permission of
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CONTENTS PREFACE / 6 INTRODUCTION / 9
RUBBER SOUL / 85
THE BEATLES / 149
Day Tripper; We Can Work It Out;
Back In The USSR; Dear Prudence;
Drive My Car; Norwegian Wood; You
Glass Onion; Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da; Wild
Won't See Me; Nowhere Man; Think For
Honey Pie; The Continuing Story of
PLEASE PLEASE ME / 17
Yourself; The Word; Michelle; What Goes
Bungalow Bill; While My Guitar Gently
I Saw Her Standing There; Misery; Ask
On; Girl; I'm Looking Through You; In My
Weeps; Happiness Is A Warm Gun; Martha
Me Why; Please Please Me; Love Me Do;
Life; Walt; If I Needed Someone; Run For
My Dear; I'm So Tired; Blackbird; Piggies;
PS I Love You; Do You Want To Know A
Your Life
Rocky Raccoon; Don't Pass Me By; Why
/
Don’t We Do It In The Road?; I Will; Julia;
Secret?; There's A Place
WITH THE BEATLES / 29
REVOLVER / 99 Paperback Writer; Rain; Taxman;
From Me To You; Thank You Girl; She
Me And My Monkey; Sexy Sadie; Helter
To; Here, There and Everywhere; Yellow
Skelter; Long Long Long; Revolution; Honey
Submarine; She Said, She Said; Good Day
Pie; Savoy Truffle; Cry Baby Cry; Revolution 9;
Sunshine; And Your Bird Can Sing; For No
Good Night; Don't Let Me Down
One; Doctor Robert; Got To Get You Into
n
All I've Got To Do; All My Loving; Little Child; Don't Bother Me; Hold Me Tight; I Wanna Be Your Man; Not A Second Time; I Want To Hold Your Hand; This Boy; I Call My Life; I Want To Tell You; Tomorrow
3
A HARD DAY'S NIGHT / 45 A Hard Day’s Night; I Should Have
Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except
Eleanor Rigby; I'm Only Sleeping; Love You Loves You; I’ll Get You; It Won't Be Long;
Your Name
Birthday; Yer Blues; Mother Nature's Son;
Never Knows
8
LET IT BE / 173 Two Of Us; Dig A Pony; Across The
Universe; I Me Mine; Dig It; Let It Be; I've
SGT PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS
Known Better; If I Fell; I'm Happy Just To
CLUB BAND / 117
Got A Feeling; One After 909; For You Blue; The Long And Winding Road; Get Back; The
Dance With You; And I Love Her; Tell Me
Penny Lane; Strawberry Fields Forever; Sgt
Ballad of John and Yoko; Old Brown Shoe;
Why; Can't Buy Me Love; Any Time At All;
Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band; With A
You Know My Name
I'll Cry Instead; Things We Said Today;
Little Help From My Friends; Lucy In The Sky
When I Get Home; You Can’t Do That; I’ll
With Diamonds; Getting Better; Fixing A
Be Back
Hole; She's Leaving Home; Being For The
BEATLES FOR SALE / 59
Benefit of Mr Kite!; Within You Without You; When I’m Sixty-Four; Lovely Rita;
I Feel Fine; She's A Woman; Eight Days A Week; I'm A Loser; No Reply; I Don't Want To Spoil The Party; I'll Follow The Sun; Baby's In Black; Every Little Thing; What You're Doing
Good Morning, Good Morning; A Day In The Life
ABBEY ROAD / 187 Come Together; Something; Maxwell's Silver Hammer; Oh Darling; Octopus’s Garden; I Want You; Here Comes The Sun; Because; You Never Give Me Your Money; Sun King; Mean Mr
9
Mustard; Polythene Pam; She Came In
MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR / YELLOW SUBMARINE 135
HELP! / 71
All You Need Is Love; Baby, You’re A Rich
Yes It Is; I'm Down; Helpl; The Night
Man; Hello Goodbye; Only A Northern
Through The Bathroom Window; Golden Slumbers; Her Majesty; Carry That Weight; The End
Before; You've Got To Hide Your Love Away;
Song; All Together Now; Hey Bulldog; It’s All
CHRONOLOGY / 202
I Need You; Another Girl; You're Going To
Too Much; Magical Mystery Tour; The Fool
DISCOGRAPHY / 204
Lose That Girl; Ticket To Ride; Tell Me What
On The Hill; Flying; Blue Jay Way; Your
You See; You Like Me Too Much; It's Only
Mother Should Know; I Am the Walrus; Lady
Love; I've just Seen A Face; Yesterday
Madonna; The Inner Light; Hey Jude
BIBLIOGRAPHY / 207 INDEX / 208
PREFACE
others. If you do want to know what Paul was say¬ ing, read a book like Paul McCartney: From Liverpool To
Let It Be by Howard DeWitt (Horizon Books, 1992) or, if you want to catch the drift of John's intellectu¬
©
al development, read The Art and Music of John Lennon by John Robertson (Omnibus, 1990) or John Lennon's
Hard Day's Write tells the stories behind
Secret by David Stuart Ryan (Kozmik Press, 1982).
the Beatles' songs, which I've defined as
What I have tried to do is simply to tell the story
;ongs written and recorded by the Beatles.
of how each song came into being. It could have been
This book doesn't include songs by other writers
a musical inspiration, such as wanting to emulate a
which the Beatles covered, Lennon-and-McCartney
Little Richard single, or trying to write in the style of
numbers recorded by other artists or the recent
Smokey Robinson. It could have been a phrase that
Beatles adaptations of the two Lennon songs 'Free as
just wouldn’t go away, like the ‘waves of sorrow,
a Bird' and ‘Real Love'. It looks at the how, why and
pools of joy’ line that forced John to write ‘Across
where of the songwriting and traces the inspiration
The Universe’. Or it could have been an incident like
back to source. Alongside the stories there are over
the death of socialite Tara Browne which led to the
200 illustrations, including pictures of the people and
writing of part of ‘A Day In The Life’.
places that prompted the group members to write. In
Not every song has a great story behind it. Some
essence, A Hard Day’s Write is a scrapbook for those
of the earlier material, particularly the soundtrack for
seeking insight into the best-known popular song
the films A Hard Day’s Night and Help!, was written to
catalogue of modern times.
deadline and owed more to the vernacular of other
Having said that, this is not a book about how the
songs than the Beatles' own experience. Four num¬
Beatles recorded the songs, nor about who played
bers from A Hard Day’s Night were apparently
what on which sessions. Mark Lewisohn has done
churned out in one intense session. There are also
that job definitively in The Complete Recording Sessions
songs from this period which neither John nor Paul
and anyone who writes about the Beatles now can¬
had any clear memory of once the Beatles had split
not fail to refer to Mark's book. I have only men¬
up. Paul has referred to them as "work songs” and
tioned production details where they have had a
John commented that many of them were written
significant bearing on the actual construction of a
"with no thought to them”, dismissing them as
song, such as when George Martin suggested begin¬
"garbage”. Later songs, like 'Dig It’ and 'Dig A Pony',
ning a song with the chorus, or when lyrics were writ¬
were 'knocked off in a different way. By this time,
ten or altered in the studio. Neither is A Hard Day's
the pair were each in their own way disenchanted
Write a book of in-depth musical analysis. I haven't
with the Beatles and were only in the studio to fulfil
attempted to describe to the reader what he/she has
contractual obligations, so they began to make up
been listening to for all these years in the language of
nonsense lyrics while jamming. For the purposes of
pentatonic melismas and syncopated stresses. For a
this book, the most fruitful period was between 1965
musicological take on the Beatles, see Twilight Of The
and 1969 when the group recorded Rubber Soul,
Gods by Professor Wilfrid Mellers (Schirmer Books,
Revolver, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the
1973) or Revolution in the Head by Ian McDonald
Yellow Submarine soundtrack. Magical Mystery Tour,
(Fourth Estate, 1994).
The Beatles (The White Album) and Abbey Road.
This is also not a book that explains what the
During this time, the Beatles challenged the conven¬
Beatles ‘were really trying to say'. Although I've given
tions of pop songwriting, drawing on everything
outlines of many songs for those who may not be
around them for inspiration instead of relying on
familiar with the lyrics and have referred to psycho¬
lyrics that were derivative.
logical factors that I believe influenced the standpoint
My primary source is the words of the Beatles
of the writing, I’ve left the task of interpretation to
themselves. I was fortunate enough to meet John,
McCartney
On
interviewing him and Yoko at the Apple office in
the
Savile Row in the summer of 1971, shortly before
McCartney, broadcast on BBC Radio I during 1989,
Imagine was released. I remember complimenting
and The Lost Lennon Tapes, an American production
him on the personal nature of his new songs which
co-ordinated by Elliot Mintz, featuring demo tapes
had come after an intense period of therapy. "My
from John’s private collection which Yoko had
songs have always been personal," he responded.
allowed to be broadcast for the first time.
songwriting:
Mike
Read’s
"‘Help!’ was personal. ‘You’ve Got To Hide Your
As informative as all these were, they didn’t tell
Love Away’ was personal. Tm A Loser’ was person¬
me the whole story. Many of the anecdotes are
al. I’ve always been on that kick."
already well known. William J Dowlding’s book
Now that John is dead, I had to refer questions
Beatlesongs (Fireside, 1989) does a very good job of
arising from this book to Elliot Mintz, a close friend of
listing the session information from Mark Lewisohn’s
his who represents the John Lennon Estate. He was
book alongside Beatle quotes from newspapers and
helpful throughout, sharing memories of discussions
magazines. I wanted to go a step further than this by
he’d had with John about his writing and keeping
interviewing the people who were around when the
Yoko informed of my research. I didn’t meet Paul
songs were written, or who had even been the sub¬
until 1992 when I was asked to help Linda in the writ¬
ject of songs. I also wanted to track down the news¬
ing of the text for her photographic book Sixties:
paper stories which had provided ideas, the books
Portrait Of An Era. I had hoped that Paul would con¬
from which they’d taken lines and the places which
tribute his own memories to A Hard Day’s Write but
had inspired them. I wanted to surprise even the
after reading through an early draft of the manuscript,
Beatles themselves because I knew that they didn’t
he decided that he couldn’t just dip into a project
know who Mr Kite was or what happened to the girl
like this and yet didn’t have the time to give a full
whose story inspired ‘She’s Leaving Home’. I knew
account of every song. He did, however, point out
they would have also long since forgotten the letters’
some discrepancies in the stories I had collected
column which supplied them with the title 'From Me
which I was then able to change.
To You’ and the face of the girl who became
If the most reliable comments on the songs are
Polythene Pam.
those made by the Beatles themselves. I’ve also
The definitive book on this subject won’t be writ¬
drawn on the published interviews I have personally
ten until John’s journals, letters and work books are
collected since beginning my first Beatles’ scrapbook
made public and Paul, George and RIngo sit down in
in 1963. Those that I had missed, I searched out at
front of a microphone and share everything they
the National Newspaper Library and the National
remember about the 186 songs which the Beatles
Sound Archives in London. There were six invalu¬
recorded. The chances are though that John’s mate¬
able written accounts which I found myself coming
rial will remain locked in vaults for the foreseeable
back to repeatedly and without which I wouldn’t have
future because much of it refers to people still living
known where to start. In order of publication these
and Yoko believes that it is too sensitive to release.
were: Alan Aldridge’s interview with Paul McCartney
It also seems rather unlikely that even the long-awaited
published as A Good Guru's Guide To The Beatles’
6-part television series The Beatles Anthology will have
Sinister Songbook in the Observer magazine, London,
the time to delve into the specifics of songwriting
on November 26, 1967; The Beatles by Hunter
inspiration.
Davies, 1968; Lennon: The Greatest Natural Songwriter
That’s why it was worth compiling A Hard Day's
of our Time by Mike Hennessey in Record Mirror,
Write. It may be the closest we’ll ever get to under¬
October 2, 1971 (reprinted in Hit Parade, April
standing how the Beatles conjured up their song¬
1972); Lennon Remembers by Jann Wenner, 1971;
writing magic.
/ Me Mine by George Harrison, 1980 and The Playboy
Interviews with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, 1981. There were also two radio series which shed light on
STEVE TURNER • LONDON, SEPTEMBER 1995
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS For interviews carried out specifically for this book I thank: Al Aronowitz, Diane Ashley, Margo Bird, Tony Bramwell, Prudence Bruns, Iris Caldwell, Maureen Cleave, Melanie CoeT Richard A Cooke, Nancy Cooke de Herrera, Meta Davis, Rod Davis, Pat Dawson, Richard DiLello, Royston Ellis, Peter Fonda, Johnny Guitar, Paul Horn, Stephen James, Rod Jones, Tony King,
Timothy Leary, Donovan Leitch, Julian
Lennon, Dick Lester, Roger McGough, Thelma McGough,
Elliot
Mintz,
Rod
Murray,
Delbert
McClinton, Denis O'Dell, Lucy O'Donnell, Alun Owen, Little Richard, Jimmy Savile, John Sebastian, Helen Shapiro, Don Short, Joel Shumacher, Derek Taylor, James Taylor, Doug Trendle, Dr John Turner, Jan Vaughan and Gordon Waller. I also drew on past inteo/iews conducted with Lionel Bart, Hunter Davies, John Dunbar, Cynthia Lennon, George Martin, Barry Miles, Spike Milligan, Roy Orbison, Ravi Shankar, Bruce Welch and Muriel Young. For supplying information or setting up interviews I thank: Tony Barrow, Penny Bell, Gloria Boyce, Eleanor Bron, Lynne DeBernardis, Liz Edwards, Mike Evans, Peggy Ferguson, Roberta Freymann, Sarah Jane Freymann, Lynda Gilbert, Matt Godwin, Adrian Henri, Corinna Honan, Shelagh Jones, Andrew King, Martha Knight, Carol Lawrence, Mark Lewisohn, Brian Patten, Mrs Juan Mascaro, Robbie Montgomery, Iona Opie,
Peter Rhone,
Bettina Rose, Juliet Rowe, Phil Spangenberger, Alvin Stardust, Jean Stein, Sue Turner, Lisa Ullmann and 4 George, John, Ringo ; and Paul seen here in
Linda Watts. I used facilities supplied by the following organi¬
1964 with Maureen
zations: American Federation of Musicians, ASCAP,
: Cleave, feature writer
BMI, Beatles Shop (Liverpool), Bristol Library, Bristol
: and pop columnist with
Old Vic, British Library, Chiswick Library, Highland
: the Evening Standard.
Bookshop and Wildlife Art Gallery (Traverse City,
: One of the first London
Michigan), National Newspaper Library, National
: journalists to cover the
Sound
: group, she wrote the
Performing Rights Society, Rochdale Library, Theatre
: interview in which John
Museum, UCLA Library and Westminster Library.
: claimed that the
Archives,
Nigerian
High
Commission,
Finally, I would like to thank my agent Lisa Eveleigh
: Beatles were now
who never gave up on the project and Piers Murray-
: “bigger than Jesus”.
Hill and Jonathan Goodman at Carlton Books.
INTRODUCTION
.
■4
The Beatles, pictured here in 1963 after recording a session for BBC Radio, were to create a body of work which would inspire a generation. The true identities of the characters who populate their songs are still a source of fascination to us today.
\ esearching a feature for the 20th anniver|\
.
■4
) sary of the Beatles' Sgt Pepper's Lonely
A painting of Lucy
Hearts Club Band album, I was delighted to
O’Donnell by Julian
be able to track down Lucy, the girl who as a four-
Lennon while at
year-old had unwittingly starred in John Lennon's
nursery school in 1967
♦.song 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds'. I soon dis¬
inspired John to write
covered that she hadn't given much thought to her
‘Lucy In The Sky With
immortalization. After all, the Beatles had broken up
Diamonds’. In 1974
by the time she was seven and she was well into her
archeologists named
teens before she learned that John's inspiration had
an ancient skull dug up
come from a nursery school painting his son Julian
in Ethiopia ‘Lucy’
had made of her floating in the sky surrounded by
because the song
diamonds. Yet here she was, a girl who had been res¬
happened to be
ident in my consciousness for 20 years and who
playing on their radio.
therefore appeared to me to be a celebrity. She was of course an ordinary person, made extraordinary by the touch of a Beatle's pen.
9
INTRODUCTION
Anyone who, like me, had grown up with the
Most of the early interviewers completely ignored
Beatles’ music would have been similarly impressed
the Beatles as songwriters. Even after turning out the
to meet Lucy, with or without diamonds, because
splendidly-crafted A Hard Day's Night, the first album
our memories are thronged by a cast of characters
to consist of nothing but Lennon and McCartney
created by John Lennon, Paul McCartney and, to a
songs, no-one seemecTinterested in how they did it
lesser degree, George Harrison. The fireman with an
or where the ideas came from or how much of them¬
hourglass and the banker without a mac have
selves they were revealing in the lyrics. Instead, to
become as familiar to us as any incidental character in
their increasing frustration, they had to put up with
Dickens and, from Peking to Peru, there must be
questions on the level of ’’Do you prefer filming to
people who can sing about Dr Robert or who can
making records?” or "When is Paul getting married?”.
hum
Fields
No wonder they turned their backs on touring mid¬
Forever' and 'Penny Lane'.
way through their recording career and restricted the
It
access of journalists.
is
'Strawberry
precisely
because
these people and these
It was only with the arrival of the more serious
places are now part of us,
albums {Revolver, Sgt Pepper) and the interest of the
that it becomes fascinating
more serious press (The Sunday Times, Rolling Stone)
to discover where they
that the Beatles began to be interviewed as artists
came from: the true identi¬
capable of discussing the creative process. Although
ty of Dr Robert,
what
they often volunteered invaluable information, no-
Penny Lane really looked
one, as far as I know, has properly followed up the
like, or the emotional truth
clues to discover the full story. We may know, for
behind the writing of songs
example, that 'She’s Leaving Home’ was based on a
like
Her',
newspaper story of a teenage runaway but do we
'Yesterday' or 'We Can
know who she was? Did she ever come back home?
Work It Out',
Did she ever know that she was the subject of a
'And
I
Love
Of course, knowing the inspiration
the
Paul has, at various times, said it was the phrase of a
songs doesn't make them
London night club habitue called 'jimmy', or perhaps
any better or worse. The
'Scott', which he appropriated for his reggae-inspired
songs exist as creations in
number. But how did this character react to having a
their own right, enhanced
song written around one of his catch phrases?
by
the
behind
Beatles' song? What about 'Ob-La-Di Ob La-Da'?
memories
sur¬
By the time the Beatles released their first single in
rounding the time when
1962, there was already a considerable Lennon and
we first heard them. If you
McCartney catalogue because they'd been writing
A George, John and Paul
loved 'A Hard Day's Night' in 1964, you’re not going
together for five years, meeting mostly at Paul's fam¬
: outside the back door
to love it any better for knowing that Ringo supplied
ily home in Allerton, Liverpool, to polish off songs
: of the McCartney
the quip which became the title, or that John wrote
that they'd begun on their own. Starting a song may
: home at 20 Porthlin
it on the back of a birthday card in a small flat behind
have meant having an idea for a melody, or arriving
: Road, Allerton,
London’s Cromwell Road. It is just that these songs
with an almost complete song which just needed the
: Liverpool. John and
are so much a part of us and we are so much a part
essential middle eight 'hook'. It may also have meant
: Paul wrote over 100
of what the songs have become, that it is almost an
coming up with a great title and a first line and need¬
: songs in the front room
act of self-discovery to learn the stories behind them.
ing help with direction, or having heard a great new
: here, before ‘Love Me
Looking closely at the songs also gives us an insight
rock'n’roll song and wanting to make a version that
: Do’ became their first
into the Sixties and the lives of the Beatles, who have
was all their own.
i British hit in 1962.
been examined frequently as celebrities, performers and businessmen but rarely as composers.
II
From fairly early on, each song bore the distinctive signature of either John or Paul because although
INTRODUCTION
they were united in their love of primitive American
of them seemed to have what the other lacked.
rock'n'roll, they were markedly different in their
Where Paul was bright and uncomplicated, John was
approaches to songwriting. Crudely put, Paul's songs
serious and brooding. Where Paul looked on the
were melodic and optimistic while not giving a lot
bright side, John always suspected the worst. Where
away about his passions and anxieties. John's songs
Paul wanted show business with flashing lights, John
tended to be more rhythmic, his outlook was pes¬
wanted to be taken seriously as an artist.
simistic and, even before he’d heard of Bob Dylan, he was letting his feelings show.
It worked well for a decade. When Paul wanted 'beauty queen' to rhyme with 'just seventeen’ in 'I
These different styles of writing owed everything
Saw Her Standing There', John told him it was ‘crap’
to their different backgrounds. Paul grew up in an
and thus saved a beat music classic. When they were
old-fashioned working-class home where music
writing 'Getting Better’, John offered the line ‘couldn't
brought people together. If you wanted to get a party
get much worse’ and, forthe similarly optimistic ‘We
going, you would persuade someone to bang out a
Can Work It Out', it was he who added the con¬
tune on the piano and everyone would stand around
trasting middle eight that started: ‘Life is very hard...'
and sing along. Although Paul’s mother died when he
In restraining each other's excesses, they were
was 14, his father was always encouraging and praised
pulled back to the central cause, which was always
the values of hard work and ambition. His own tastes
the Beatles. At the same
in music - he'd been a band leader in the Twenties -
time,
were passed on to his son and songs like ‘When I’m
became each other's main
64', ‘Your Mother Should Know' and 'Honey Pie'
rival.
were Paul's affectionate tributes to the pre-war music
underestimate the creative
he knew his dad loved. It was Jim, his dad, who
power that was unleashed
advised Paul to learn to play the piano because, he
by the desire to top the
said, it was people who played the piano who got
other’s
invited to the best parties.
There
Paul
It's
and
John
impossible to
achievements. was
always
an
In a way, that's how Paul got on. He mastered sev¬
unspoken contest to write
eral instruments and songs and became the life and
the A side of the next
soul of the party. After all, it was the fact that he
Beatle single and this pres¬
could play guitar chords rather than banjo chords and
sure drove standards ever higher. The Beatles didn't
knew the words to ‘Be Bop A Lula’ and ‘Twenty Flight
really have to fear the competition of the Rolling
home at 25 I Menlove
Rock’ that so impressed John Lennon when he first
Stones or the Byrds or even of the Beach Boys, but
Avenue, where he lived
met him at a church fete in the summer of 1957 and
John had to fear the competition of Paul and vice
with his Aunt Mimi.
got him the job with John’s group the Quarrymen.
versa. If John wrote a cracker of a song, Paul would
The Quarry Men and
Although John is often seen as the working-class
have to go away and come back with something
then the Beatles used
Liverpudlian, a perception encouraged by his song
twice as good. This often resulted in them trying to
to rehearse inside the
'Working-Class Hero’, he really came from a middle-
write in the other's style just to show that they could
front porch; John
class background where the deprivations were emo¬
do it. One such example, the gritty, dirty, minimalist
wrote ‘Please Please
tional
He grew up in a
piece 'Why Don't We Do It In The Road?' was com¬
Me’ in the bedroom
semi-detached private home on one of Liverpool's
posed by Paul and recorded without John's help. At
above.
grandest avenues and was an only child whose father
around the same time, John was working on 'Julia', a
ran out on him as a child and whose mother aban¬
song as tender as anything Paul had written.
rather than material.
doned him to the care of her sister. By contrast, Paul’s
Now that Beatle songs saturate the airwaves and
father had to work hard to bring up his motherless
can safely be regarded as a soundtrack for an era that
sons in a council house, but there was always a lot of
started with Kennedy's assassination and ended with
affection in the McCartney home.
Perhaps this is
Neil Armstrong's moon walk, it's not easy to pinpoint
what made Paul and John such a perfect match. Each
the changes they ushered in. It's particularly difficult
A John’s main childhood
II
4. While Paul and John
for those born and raised in the post-Beatle era to
too complex to be duplicated live in concert. Before
; wrote the songs that
see what all the fuss was about. After all, the average
the Beatles it was rare in rock'n’roll for songwriters to
: provided a soundtrack
rap or ambient record uses more sophisticated tech¬
perform, or for performers to write. Indeed in Britain
: for a generation, it was
nology than Sgt Pepper required and songwriters such
it was rare that performers had anything to say at all,
: the older and more
as David Byrne, Morrissey and Elvis Costello all write
except perhaps to confess a love of milk shakes and
; conservative George
lyrics which transcend the old Tin Pan Alleyisms of
steak and kidney pies, or a desire to buy a cottage for
; Martin who helped
moon and June, love and above. As T S Eliot
mum and dad. Nearly all the rock’n'roll songs at this
i translate their ideas
responded when asked why contemporary writers
time were about love, fashion and adolescence. One
; into recordings. His
knew so much more than their forebears: “Precisely,
of the great legacies of the Beatles was to extend the
; experience and
and they are that which we know." In other words,
subject matter of pop. Fewer than half the songs on
; maturity were an
what were breakthroughs for the Beatles have
Revolver were about love. The rest of the songs on
: important ingredient in
become commonly accepted work practices for
this album ranged from taxation, through submarines,
: the final Beatles’ mix.
those who have followed.
to altered states of consciousness, drugs and Tibetan
It was the Beatles, under the guidance of produc¬
Buddhism.
er George Martin, who pioneered multi-tracking in
John Lennon and Paul McCartney were the first
the studio and the idea of recording songs that were
major pop stars to have benefited from an extended
fNlTRO&UCTION
education. Before the Beatles, the assumption was
didn't make it on to record. Iris Caldwell, an early
that a typical pop star would be an academic failure
girlfriend of Paul's from Liverpool, remembered him
who had turned to music for a quick ride to fame
singing a song he'd written called 'I Fancy Me Chances
and fortune. Elvis Presley was a truck driver, Cliff
With You' which had a chorus of 'I fancy me chances
Richard had worked as an office clerk, but John
with you, I fancy me chances with you. When I'm at
Lennon had been to art school in Liverpool and Paul
the dances, I fancy me chances, I fancy me chances
McCartney had studied for his A level exams at the
with you'.
best grammar school in the city. This was significant
The Quarry Men became the Silver Beetles, then
because it meant that for the first time rock'n'roll had
the Beetles, before metamorphosing into the Beatles
reasonably well-educated performers who were able
with George Harrison joining on lead guitar and Pete
to produce work informed by art and literature. It
Best on drums. For a while Stuart Sutcliffe, an art
also meant that the Beatles would later rank along¬
school friend of John's, also played bass guitar. Their
side painters, poets and novelists in the popular cul¬
repertoire was dominated
ture of the Sixties. Expecting more of their chosen
by covers of songs associ¬
medium than Gene Vincent or Billy Fury had ever
ated
envisioned allowed the Beatles to outgrow the teen
Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis
market. Before them, no-one had managed the tran¬
and
sition from heart throb to 'serious' artist but,
rock'n'rollers but gradually
between 1966 and 1970, the Beatles had extended
they
their appeal to college and university students. The
enough to insert Lennon
John Lennon look of centre-parted hair and granny
and McCartney originals
glasses became a familiar campus stereotype.
into the set.
with
Elvis,
other
became
Little
American
confident
The early songs were hardly profound because
In 1961, Stuart Sutcliffe
they were written within the limitations of the pop
left and the following year
singles market, as well as for an increasingly adoring
Ringo Starr, drummer with
female audience. “We were just writing songs a la
Rory
Everly Brothers, a la Buddy Holly," John once admit¬
Hurrifcanes, replaced Pete
ted. “They were pop songs with no more thought to
Best. Managed by Brian
them than...to create a sound. And the words were
Epstein and produced by
almost irrelevant." John would later say that he delib¬
George Martin, the Beatles
erately kept himself out of the early songs, channelling
became a national phenomenon and their musical
A Stuart Sutcliffe was a
his personal observations and feelings into poems
interests expanded to include black American girl
: poor musician, but his
and short stories, some of which would eventually
groups like the Shirelles and the Chiffons and the new
I devotion to painting
make up the books In His Own Write and A Spaniard
Motown sound of the Miracles and Barrett Strong.
: and rock’n’roll was an
In The Works. “I was already a stylized songwriter on
They admired Gerry Coffin and Carole King who
: inspiration to his friend
the first album," he said. “To express myself I would
were then at their peak as a songwriting team writ¬
; John, who invited him
write... personal stories which expressed my person¬
ing pop hits such as 'Will You Still Love Me
; to play bass guitar with
al emotions. I'd have a separate songwriting John
Tomorrow?', 'Chains', 'One Fine Day', 'Take Good
: the Beatles. Sutcliffe’s
Lennon who wrote songs for the sort of meat mar¬
Care Of My Baby' and 'Please Don't Ever Change'
; death in 1962 was
ket, and I didn't considerthe lyrics to have any depth
for a variety of American artists.
: indirectly referred to in
at all. They were just a Joke."
Storm
and
the
"First of all, Paul and I wanted to be the Coffin
: John’s moving song ‘In
Some of the songs from these days lived on to
and King of England," said John, and you can see the
: My Life’. In 1994,
become Beatle songs. 'Love Me Do' became their
hallmarks of that Brill Building style of songwriting,
: Sutcliffe was the focus
first single. 'I Call Her Name', 'I'll Follow The Sun' and
where hits were written to order within office hours,
; of Backbeat, a feature
'The One After 909' became album tracks. Other
in many of their early compositions. As with Coffin
: film about the early
songs such as 'Thinking Of Linking' and 'Just Fun'
and King, they too began to write for other artists.
: Beatle years.
II
INTRODUCTiON
major pop starto write songs which dealt with defeat
iid TP' -f'
and insecurity; songs that, for example, made state¬ ments like 'I'm a loser’ or 'I need help’ or 'I don't want to spoil the party and so I’ll go’. The only thing that cushioned the impact was the Beatles' jaunty image, sustained particularly by films like Help!. As the film was a rollicking romp, the title song was generally assumed to be a joke. It wasn’t though because, as John himself admitted years later, he was desperate¬ ly unhappy at the time and literally crying out for help. Paul was affected in different ways. Through Jane Asher, his girlfriend, herself an accomplished film, television and stage actress, her brother Peter, and their mother, a professor of music, Paul was intro¬ duced to students of psychology, classical musicians, actors, theatre directors, film makers and members of London’s fledgling ‘underground’ scene. He devel¬ oped a fascination for the avant-garde and hung out
4i Manager Brian Epstein,
finding themselves
prolific in 1963 and 1964 that
in art galleries. The effect could be heard in ambi¬
: pictured here with Paul
they had material to spare. Thus, they gave 'World
tious new songs in which he developed characters
: and George, encour-
Without Love', 'Nobody I Know’ and 'I Don’t Want
and told stories like 'Eleanor Rigby', songs which used
: aged other artists to
To See You Again’ to Peter and Gordon (Peter
orchestral settings like ‘Yesterday’ and songs like 'For
: cover Beatles’ songs
Asher was the brother of Paul’s girlfriend, Jane) and
No One’ which looked at the world through a film
: and persuaded John
'Bad To Me’ and 'Do You Want To Know A Secret?’
maker’s eye. This was the period during which the
; and Paul to write for
to Billy] Kramer (who Brian Epstein also managed).
Beatles began to impress those who had once dis¬
SO
I Cilia Black, Billy J
These songs became hits and the rush was on to
missed them as just another noisy pop group. They
; Kramer, Tommy
record Lennon and McCartney songs. Stephen James,
weren’t to be just an overnight sensation. They had
; Quickly and the
son of the Beatles’ original music publisher Dick
made the transition from Liverpool stars to British
; Fourmost, who he
James, remembers that the first task they had when
stars to international stars and were clearly writing
; also managed.
the Beatles sent in a demo was to find the right act to
songs destined to become standards.
II
cover the songs. By the mid-Sixties, almost every
Until 1965, the Beatles simply refined and synthe¬
song on a Beatles album would crop up as a single by
sized accepted notions of rock’n’roll. From that year
another artist, some of them like 'Michelle' by the
on. they stretched and dislocated it, challenging all
Overlanders, 'Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da’ by Marmalade
the conventions. In the mid-Sixties they were taking
and 'Got To Get You Into My Life’ by Cliff Bennett
inspiration not from Buddy Holly but from Karlheinz
and the Rebel Rousers becoming major UK hits.
Stockhausen, the German electronic composer, and
The second stage of songwriting came in 1964
Ravi Shankar, the classical sitar player. They experi¬
when Paul and John’s horizons were broadened in
mented with rhythms and recording techniques, rein¬
other ways, by other influences. Although it was Paul
vented the concept of the pop album and, in
who first got hold of a Bob Dylan album it was John
deserting the stage for the recording studio, changed
who was the most obviously affected. With songs
forever the public perception of pop stars. Through
like 'I’m A Loser', 'You’ve Got To Hide Your Love
their unbridled imaginations the Beatles transformed
Away’ and 'Help!', there came a new intensity and
pop music. From the outset they were determined to
honesty which signalled that John had discovered that
avoid cliches, whether that was cliche of lyric, cliche
he could be as revealing in song as he had been in his
of rhyme or cliche of chord change. They imagined
poems and jottings. It was startling at the time for a
new sorts of songs and believed if they had the
I K T R 0 D U C 1
capacity to imagine something, tnwf^producer
Tour’, ‘Lady Madonna’, ‘Hey Jude’, ‘Get Back’, ‘Let It
George Martin would be able to pet it down on tape.
Be’. By 1967, the world was wondering not so much
Their great burst of creativity in the mid- to late
whether the Beatles could push the form of the pop¬
Sixties came about because they accepted no limits.
ular song any further but where they would take it to
Accidents such as studio feedback or twisted tapes
next. The general feeling was that their recordings
were seized upon and incorporated into their art.
would be even more complex and full of tricks.
Random lyrics, which made no literal sense, were
The fourth and final era of the Beatles’ songwrit¬
kept because they sounded better. Songs were
ing began in 1968. Against all expectations, it marked
plucked from newspaper headlines, snatches of con¬
a return to simplicity. They released ‘Lady Madonna’,
versation, posters, television commercials, religious
as basic a rock’n’roll song as they had ever written,
tracts, dreams and letters. In the studio they demand¬
and then went off to India where they composed a
ed the impossible and usually got it. ‘“Make me sound
set of acoustic songs. The album cover this time was
like a thousand chanting Buddhist monks, George’,
plain white. By now the Lennon and McGartney part¬
‘Get me a piccolo sound like I heard last night on the
nership was falling apart. Although most of the songs
Brandenburg Concerto, George’, 'Stick these two
were still credited to them as a pair, it was clear that
half-written songs together and make a new song.‘“
The Beatles (The White Album as it is popularly
John and Paul had started by scrawling lyrics in old
known) relied on solo contributions. In private life
school notebooks and imagining themselves as Leiber
too, they were pulling in different directions. John
and Stolier (the songsrpitbtbehind Elvis’ ’Hound
had a new partner in Yoko. Paul had a new partner
Dog’), or even Rod^rs and l^mmerstein.
in Linda. There weren’t the same reasons for being
Now
they were evepyTTTas well-known a?^beir idols. The third/stage of Jj^l^^gwriting^as heavily
i O N
together anymore. In 1969, the Beatles decided they had done every¬
influenced ty drug^fand
thing they could ever do
.
eastern mediation.
together and parted com¬
The wooded grounds of
phrase ’turns ftie on’ hac
pany. Abbey Road, with its
the Salvation Army
appeared
tales
children’s home in
in
^he’s
A
of financial
woes,
Woman’ but the firitTeal
arguments and discord was
Liverpool lying beyond
fruit of the new altered
the last album the group
this gate post came to
states was John’s song ’The
recorded, although Let It
represent the idyllic
Word' with its message
Be was the final album to
world of John’s lost
that love can solve all our
be released. In seven years
childhood. Today, the
problems. Songs such as
they had gone from young
old building has gone
‘Tomorrow Never Knows’,
Liverpudlians happy to sing
but the posts remain
’She Said She Said' and ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’
about the delights of chatting up a girl in a ballroom
and are'a significant
would never have been written without marijuana
to worldly-wise men waxing philosophical about the
tourist attraction.
and LSD. Equally, George Harrison’s ‘Within You
power of love and groaning underthe weight oftheir
Without You' and ‘The Inner Light’ wouldn’t have
business empire.
been possible without the experience of India. John’s
Somehow they had managed to take us along with
ability to write was first enhanced and then ham¬
them, particularly those of us who were I 3 when
pered by his experimentation with drugs. He later
they sang 'I Saw Her Standing There' and 20 wh^n
confessed that LSD had virtually destroyed his ego
they sang ‘Come Together'. They seemed to ha{ve
and that in turn cost him the unacknowledged lead¬
documented the whole struggle of adolescence, fro'
ership of the Beaties. In 1964 and 1965, most of the
the desire to simply touch a loved one (‘I Wann
hit singles were songs where John was the major con¬
Hold Your Hand’), through the feelings of loneliness
tributor. After Sgt Pepper, the hits were almost all
(‘Help!’), moving on to inquisitive experimentation
written by Paul - ‘Hello Goodbye’, ‘Magical Mystery
with drugs and religion (’Within You Without You’),
iKTRODUCTSON
to facing up to the burdens of earning a living (‘Carry That Weight') and marriage ('The Ballad Of John and Yoko'). The Beatles’ songs were never as dense as Bob Dylan's or as raunchy and direct as the Rolling Stones'. At the time, however, they were taken no less seriously, as Beatles' songs were always believed to 'mean' something. Twenty-five years after the band stopped playing, those songs still mean some¬ thing to us. They are like old friends who we met when we were young and who made life a little more exciting and easier to cope with. Because of what they did for us, we have great affection for them. It is because we hold such affection for them that it makes sense to find out where they came from.
A Several of the Beatles’
; songs were inspired by ; items in newspapers : and magazines, : including ‘A Day In The : Life’, ‘She’s Leaving : Home’ and ‘Lady : Madonna’.
II
PLEASE PLEASE ME ^
\ ne of the great strengths of the Beatles was
Lee Lewis, Larry Williams, Ray Charles, the Coasters,
II
ythat by 1962, the year they cut their first
Arthur Alexander, Little Richard and the Everly
record, they were already seasoned per¬
Brothers. Studying the music of these artists taught
formers, well-versed in American soul, gospel,
John and Paul the basics of songwriting. When they
rhythm and blues and rock'n'roll. Most of what they
came together at Paul’s house to write their own
knew had been learned the hard way. They knew
material, it was a case of reassembling the familiar
how songs were constructed because, unable to
chords and words to make something distinctively
afford sheet music, they had to decipher lyrics and
theirs. This is how a bass riff from a Chuck Berry num¬
work out chord changes by listening to records over
ber came to be incorporated into 1 Saw Her Standing
and over again. Having played rock'n'roll to adoring
There’, a song about seeing a girl at the Tower
teenagers at the lunchtime Cavern Club sessions in
Ballroom in New Brighton, and explains how the
Liverpool, as well as to inebriated German business¬
sound of Roy Orbison’s voice came to be the inspi¬
: the Beaties up and
men in Hamburg, they also knew how to excite, calm
ration behind ‘Please Please Me’, the Beatles' first
: made them acceptabie
and seduce an audience.
Number I single.
A Brian Epstein spruced
John and Paul had been together for five years;
Sometimes their songs were 'about' incidents
: expected their
George had been with them for almost as long. Ringo
from their lives but often the words, like the chords,
: entertainers to be
was a recent member, having replaced Pete Best on
were borrowed from what had gone before. At this
: polished, polite and
drums, but they'd known him since 1959 and his pre¬
stage, the words were important to create sounds
: well dressed. Beneath
vious position with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes
and impressions, rather than to convey a message.
: the suits and the ties
meant that they had all played the same venues.
: to a British pubiic who
Most of their debut album was recorded in a sin¬
At this time, the Beatles' material was standard
gle session on February II, 1963. It was released on
: leather jacketed
beat group fare - the best-known songs by the best-
March 22, I 963 and reached the top spot in the
: rock’n’rollers who’d
known rock'n'roll artists. Top of their list was Elvis
British charts. In America it was titled Introducing The
: learnt their craft in
Presley. They covered almost 30 of the songs he'd
Beatles, and released on the little-known Vee jay
: dank cellars and sweaty
recorded, as well as numbers by Chuck Berry, Buddy
label.
: nightclubs.
Holly, Carl Perkins, Gene Vincent, Fats Domino, jerry
Me' or ‘Ask Me Why', and failed to make the charts.
: though, were four
The US version didn't include 'Please Please
PLEASE
PLEASE
ME
I SAW HER STANDING THERE
Q
which the group’s largely female audience could eas¬ ily relate to. “I didn't think a lot about it as I sang it to myself” he said four years later. "Originally the first, two lines were 'She was just seventeen. Never been a beauty queen’. It sounded like a good rhyme to me at the time. But when I played it through to John the
roducer George Martin’s initial idea had
next day, I realized that it was a useless line and so did
been to tape a Beatles' show at the
John, So we both sat down and tried to come up
Savern Club In Liverpool but it was even¬
with another line which rhymed with 17 but which
tually decided to get the group to play their live show
meant something.” After a while, John came up with
; Mrs Violet Caldwell
in the studio and cut the album in a day. This was
‘you know what I mean', which as Paul recognized,
; pours tea for her son
done on February 11,1963, when in a 15-hour ses¬
could either be dismissed as a filler or be seen as sex¬
i Rory Storm who was
sion the Beatles recorded ten new tracks which were
ual Innuendo. It was also a very Liverpudlian phrase
: one of Liverpool’s top
then added to both sides of their first two singles and
avoiding the borrowed Americanisms which littered
: performers in the years
released as the album P/ease Please A/le.
most rock'n’roll of the time.
'I Saw Her Standing There' was the perfect song
The two boys completed the melody on their
; Rory’s sister Iris (in the
with which to open the Beatles' first album because
acoustic guitars and wrote the lyrics in a Liverpool
; photo on the wall) met
it set the group firmly In its context of sweaty ball¬
Institute exercise book. Paul later explained in an
; Paul when she was
rooms, full of adoring teenage girls and dancing. They
interview with Beat Instrumental that the bass riff was
: demonstrating the
decided to keep the I-2-3-4 'intro' as this added to
stolen from Chuck Berry's 1961 song ‘I'm Talking
; twist at the Tower
the feeling of a raw Liverpool beat group captured In
About You'. "I played exactly the same notes as he
live performance.
did and it fitted our number perfectly,” he confessed.
I before Beatlemania.
V Ballroom. She was 17.
Originally titled 'Seven¬
“Even now, when I tell people about it, I find few of
teen, I Saw Her Standing
them believe me. Therefore, I maintain that a bass
There’, the song tells the
riff doesn't have to be original."
simple story of a boy who
December
1961,
Paul started dating Iris
sees a girl dancing at the
Caldwell, sister of local beat singer Rory Storm,
local ballroom and, after
whose group the Hurricanes featured Ringo Starr as
deciding that her looks are
drummer (he joined the Beatles in August 1962). Just
‘way
compare’,
like the girl in 'I Saw Her Standing There', Iris was
determines to dance with
only 17 at the time when Paul saw her dancing the
no other from that day on.
twist at the Tower Ballroom in New Brighton (situ¬
beyond
There's
a
wonderful
ated 25 minutes out of Liverpool). She was a trained
mixture of youthful arro¬
dancer and Paul was apparently impressed by her
gance and Insecurity as the
legs, which were displayed in fishnet stockings, and
story unfolds, for there is
the fact that she was already working professionally In
no hint that the boy has
show business.
considered the possibility
Paul became a frequent guest at the Caldwell fam-
of rejection and yet, in that
lly home at 54 Broad Green Road, Liverpool 15,
unforgettable beat group
which was known to the local beat groups as
rhyme, we're told that as
Hurricaneville. He became close to Iris' mother,
he ‘crossed the room' his heart ‘went boom'.
I 8
In
Violet, and would often drop In with John to sit
Paul started composing this song one night in 1961
around and write songs. "Paul and I dated for a cou¬
driving back to his home in Allerton, Liverpool. He
ple of years,” says Ins. “It was never that serious. We
liked the idea of writing about a 17-year-old girl
never pretended to be true to each other. I went out
because he was conscious of the need to have songs
with lots of people. I was working away in different
PLEASE
theatres at the time but if I was back home then we would go out. There were never any promises made
PLEASE
ME
MISERY
or love declared." According to Iris, Paul Intended giving 'I Saw Her Standing There' to her brother Rory to record. "He thought it would be a good song for him but it wasn’t dealt out that way. Brian Epstein didn’t want Rory to have it." Certainly, by 1962, ’I Saw Her Standing There’ was
©
y January 1963, with ’Love Me Do’ a British Top 20 hit under their belt, the songwrit-
part of the Beatles’ stage act, one of the earliest
ng confidence of the McCartney-Lennon
Lennon and McCartney songs slipped between those
team (as theywere initially credited) had grown, but
of Buddy Holly and Little Richard. The first cover ver¬
when plans were made to record their first LP, they
sion of the song was by English rock’n’roll singer
were suddenly under pressure to come up with some
Duffy Power in 1963. In America, it became the flip
new songs.
side of ’I Want To Hold Your Hand’, the single
Although not all the songs were going to be their
released in January 1964 that was the Beatles’ first
own compositions - they had chosen material by
US Number I, It was one of five songs which the
American songwriters to fill almost half the album -
Beatles performed on the celebrated Ed Sullivan Show
they were determined to stamp their own mark on
of February 9, 1964, which was watched by 70 million
the recording and not become yet another British act
people, then the largest US TV audience ever record¬
making a living out of cover versions. In the climate of
ed, In November 1974, John performed the song
the times, this was ahold move. Traditionally British
with Elton John at Madison Square Garden.
rock’n’roll acts didn’t record their own songs but. •
Pam',
the group who transformed popular music.
time on John’s
Ill
s the final proper track on the last album
CHRONOLOGY
1940 JULY 7
MAY
Ringo Starr born in Liverpool as Richard Starkey
OCT 9
at a Liverpool reading. While
Beatles for the first time
Terrace, Ellis introduces
Lennon
1942
JAN I
recorded for Decca Records in London
roll manager, Larry Parnes,
JAN 24
1956 Paul's mother, Mary, dies of
JULY 9
brain haemorrhage while in Germany with his girlfriend
a tour of Scotland playing for
dency at the Star-Club in Hamburg JUNE 4
called the Beetles to London
with school friend Pete Shotton JULY 6
AUG 12
son in Hamburg, Germany-
Vaughan Paul McCartney makes his
OCT 4
debut with the Quarry Men
1958 and Paul and shortly after¬
FEB 9
Quarry Men John's mother, Julia, is killed
JULY 15
APRIL I
AUG 29 The Quarry Men play the
Club JUNE
newly opened Casbah Club mother of drummer Pete Best
AUG
Sweden NOV I
opens in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire NOV 4
Road
before the Queen Mother
SEPT 11
Third Abbey Road session
and Princess Margaret
at which 'Love Me Do’ is
OCT 5
DEC 24
JAN
Show' opens at the Astoria
drummer Andy White
Cinema, Finsbury Park,
British release of'Love Me
London for a I 6-night run
Do', the Beatles’ first single NOV I
1964
Return to the Star-Club, Hamburg, for 14 nights
JAN 16
NOV 26 Second single,'Please Please
Hamburg and back English
Road DEC 18
Hamburg - 13 nights at the
Polydor in Germany release
Star Club
Sutcliffe joins the group on bass guitar. They start to be known variously as the Beatals, the Silver Beetles and the Silver Beats
2 0 2
SEPT
France FEB 7
3,000 screaming fans FEB 9
First appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show to an estimated
FEB 2
Start of Beatles first British tour. They support I 6-year-
Paul and John change their
old Helen Shapiro. FEB 4
Last lunctime session at the
FEB 11
Debut album Please Please
later become known as the 'Beatle haircut' or 'mop top'
The Beatles fly to New York where they are greeted by
1963
During a holiday trip to Paris, hairstyles into what would
An I 8-day run at the Qlympia Theatre, Paris,
Final return to club dates in
Sheridan
to Tony Sheridan and 'The
John's art school friend Stuart
'The Beatles' Christmas
re-recorded with session
Me', recorded at Abbey
Beat Brothers'
Royal Command Performance at Prince of
'My Bonnie' which is credited
1960
The Beatles' Autumn Tour
Wales Theatre, London,
The Beatles return to guitarist-vocalist Tony
which is run by Mona Best,
OCT 25 Start of a short tour of
Office, London
engagement at the Top Ten
1959
phenomenon the press later dub 'Beatlemania'
Second session at Abbey
The Beatles return to Hamburg for a 13-week
in a hit-and-run accident
Palladium helps create the
SEPT 3
The Beatles play the Cavern Liverpool, for the first time
George Martin
at Mount Pleasant Register
Club in Matthew Street,
wards is invited to join the
rated British TV show Sunday Night At The London
Hulme Hall in Birkenhead
1961
George Harrison meets John
Beatles album OCT 13 An appearance on the top-
AUG 23 John marries Cynthia Powell
nights
FEB
Work starts on With The
First session at EMI Studios in
and Ringo concert is held at
They then appear at the Kaiserkeller for a further 58
almost 300 times SEPT 11
The first John, Paul, George
48 nights at the Indra Club
OCT 18 After weeks of rehearsals
mance at the Cavern Club
Abbey Road with producer
AUG 18 Ringo Starr joins the Beatles,
the group begins its first sea¬
The Beatles' final perfor¬ where they had played
drummer
AUG 17 Now known as the Beatles,
which John is to Paul by Ivan
first time AUG 3
AUG 16 Pete Best is dismissed as
drums
garden fete of St Peter's Church, Woolton, after
JUNE 6
Pete Best auditions for the group and later joins on
The Quarry Men play at the
Paul meets teenage actress Jane Asher for the
The Beatles sign a contract with EMI in England.
bringing a Liverpool group
Quarry Men skiffle group
London's Royal Albert Hall,
Astrid Kirchherr
Royston Ellis is considering
MARCH John Lennon forms the
Liverpool APRIL 18 After an appearance at
APRIL 13 Start of a seven week resi¬
Johnny Gentle
Record Mirror reveals that
Charles Julian Lennon in
APRIL 10 Stuart Sutcluffe dies of a
pop star, Billy Fury. They
MAY 20 Sliver Beetles begin seven-
and Chris Montez
Epstein
date tour with Johnny Gentle
1957
The Beatles sign a manage¬
and Liverpool's best known
backing Fury but instead get
Nationwide tour with
APRIL 8 Julian Lennon born as John
ment contract with Brian
aren't offered the job of
Liverpool
Fifteen audition tracks
by sniffing a broken-down
before Britain's top rock 'n'
George Harrison born in
breast cancer
nine hours MAR 9
American stars Tommy Roe
MAY 10 The Silver Beetles audition
1943
OCT3I
Me recorded in just over
1962
them to the high produced benzedrine inhaler
McCartney
FEB 25
Brian Epstein visits the Cavern Club and sees the
at their flat in Gambier
Liverpool as John Winston
Liverpool as James Paul
NOV 9
staying with John and Stuart
John Lennon born in
JUNE 18 Paul McCartney born in
London poet Royston Ellis uses the group to back him
Cavern
audience of 73 million FEB 11
First American concert takes place at the Washington Coliseum
MAR 2
Shooting begins on A Hard Day's Night.
MAR 23 John's first book, In His Own
CHRONOLOGY
Write, is published JUNE 4
The first date of what would
Francisco where they visit
Beatles leave for a tour of
turn out to be their final
the Haight Ashbury district
Denmark, Holland, Hong
British tour
Kong, Australia and Nev^
DEC 3
DEC 25
Zealand with Jimmy Nicol
AUG 24
JUNE 14
JULY 6
ture given by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at the Hilton
become the documentary
Hotel in London's Park Lane
Let It be
1966
AUG 25
George marries Pattie Boyd
the Maharishi the Beatles
Ringo re-joins the Beatles in
MAR 4
John's inter^'iew with
travel to Bangor, North
Melbourne
Maureen Cleave in which he
Wales, for a summer school
World premiere of A Hard
claims that the Beatles are
Day's Night at the London
now "more popular than
AUG 27
SEPT M - 24
Pavilion
Jesus" is published in
JULY
John buys a home in
London's Evening Standard
AUG 19
The Beatles' second visit to
Recording Revolver at Abbey
America but their first
Road
AUG 28
DEC 24
APRIL 6-JUNE 22
MAR 25-31
John and Yoko organize their
World premiere of How I
first 'bed-in' at the
Philippines are published in the American
time
magazine Datebook and trig¬
British tour begins in Brad¬
ger a Beatles backlash in the
ford, Yorkshire
'Bible Belt states
Another Beatles Christmas
AUG 12
AUG 29
I96S Ringo Starr marries Maureen Cox Filming Help!, the Beatles' second feature film,
NOV 9
MARCH - APRIL
John and George experience LSD for the first time when a
NOV 24
Songs
Paul announces his engage¬
MAY 26-JUNE 2
John and Yoko arrange a bed-in at the Queen
1968 (BBC) FEB 15
Elizabeth Hotel in
Magical Mystery Tour pre¬
in Chicago
John, Cynthia, George and
Montreal JULY I
AUG
8
ebrated cover photo of the four Beatles walking across
Candlestick Park, San
in Rishikesh where they will
Francisco
study meditation FEB 19
Maureen join the rest of the
War in Germany and Spain
Beatles in India
John meets Japanese artist
Abbey Road AUG 11
Paul, Jane, Ringo and
John films How I Won The
Tittenhurst Park, Sunningdale, Ascot AUG 20
Beatles would be together in
York to announce the forma¬
a recording studio
in London
tion of Apple, Paul is reunit¬
Beatles enter Abbey Road to
ed with Linda Eastman MAY
JAN 1 - APRIL 2
AUG 31
Isle of Wight festival. SEPT 13
Beatles demo the songs
Yoko, Eric Clapton, Klaus Voormann and
their stay in India
Alan White) makes its live
Spaniard In The Works, is
Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club
Recording The beetles, better
published
Band
known as 'The White Album'
debut in Toronto
MAY 3 I - OCT 14 NOV 25
World premiere of Help!
APRIL 3
Paul flies to San Francisco
AUG 14
Beatles arrive in New York
JUNE
Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts
Paul is in Los Angeles on
Club band is released in
business and again meets up
JAN 4
with Linda Eastman
APR 10
to confess to having taken LSD, in a Life cover story
almost 56,000 makes it the
JUNE 25
biggest pop concert ever
gramme in which the Beatles
The Beatles meet Elvis
sing the specially composed
AUG
John and George take their
AUG 31
JULY 24
Beatles sign petition forthe
second LSD trip in the com¬
legalization of cannabis which
pany of actor Peter Fonda
is published in the London
Final concert of 1965 North
Times
American tour takes place at Cow Palace, San Francisco
AUG I
George and Pattie
left the Beatles due to "per¬
her engagement to Paul is off
sonal, business and musical
JULY 31
The Apple Boutique is closed down
OCT 16
to Los
Angeles and later on to San
differences" MAY - AUG
George goes to California to
Battles over the ownership
produce Apple artist Jackie
of Northern Songs and
Lomax
involvement of
OCT 18
John and Yoko arrested on a
Allen Klein continue
NOV 8
Divorce granted to John and
charge of drug possession Cynthia
fly
Paul announces that he has
Jane Asher announces that
'All You Need Is Love',
Presley at his home in Bel Air
1970 The final taping of Let It Be
JULY 20
Our Wor/d television pro¬
AUG 27
to
JUNE 20-24
America
Stadium in Queens, New
John returns his MBE Buckingham Palace
JULY 29
York, The attendance of
The Plastic Qno band (Johnr
which were written during
Recording continues on Sgt
Paul becomes the first Beatle
John, George and Ringo see Bob Dylan perform at the
John begins his affair with Yoko Qno
MAY 30
JUNE 16
The last day on which all four
John and Paul travel to New
MAY 15
John's second book, A
First appearance at Shea
John and Yoko move to
Yoko Qno forthe first time,
1967
concert tour
lain MacMiilan shoots the cel¬
the Maharishi at his ashram
12 Each Beatle is awarded an
AUG 15
on
album
and Ringo takes place at
Lonely Hearts Club band
for their second American
in earnest begins
Abbey Road
Pattie fly out to India to join
after-dinner coffees
I
Work
mance by John, Paul, George
begin recording Sgt. Pepper's
Honours list
poised to buy Northern
Baker Street, London WI
miered on British television
dentist friend spikes their
MBE in the Queen's Birthday
It is announced that ATV are
Apple Boutique opens at 94
Final tour at America begins The last-ever concert perfor¬
Amsterdam Hilton MAR 28
ment to Jane Asher
JAN 5
SEPT6 - NOV 6
FEB 23 - MAY 11
DEC 25
at Marylebone Registry
Time magazine
Japan and on to the
Hammersmith, London
JUNE 24
Beatles make the cover of
San Francisco
John's comments about Jesus
ments with John and Paul.
John marries Yoko Qno
In New York City they are
DEC 5
George temporarily leaves the group after disagree¬
MAR 20
Lennon
JULY
divorce FEBio
Magical Mystery Tour is filmed
which goes from Germany to
the Odeon Cinema,
JUNE
OCT 18
Yoko Qno and Tony Cox
Paul marries Linda Eastman
cert is at the Cow Palace In
Show opens for 20 nights at
FEB 11
SEPT 22
smoke marijuana for the first
FEB 2
MAR 12
Won The War, starring John
JUNE 24
ham for what will eventually
in Transcendental Meditation Brian Epstein dies
Beginning of Far Eastern tour
introduced to Bob Dylan and
OCT 9
At the personal invitation of
JAN 21
American tour. The first con¬
Filming begins in Twicken¬
Pattie Boyd
and pharyngitis
Weybridge, Surrey
1969 JAN 2
George gets engaged to
substituting for RIngo who Is hospitalized with tonsillitis
All four Beatles attend a lec¬
NOV 10
AUG 4
Apple's press office closes down
DEC 31
Paul files a suit against The
John puts his Weybridge
Beatles and Co to dissolve
home on the market
the partnership
2 0 3
DISCOGRAPHY, 1962 - 1970
UK RELEASES
'Something'/Come Together', October 31,1969, Apple [Parlophone] R 5814.
SINGLES 'Love Me Do'/'PS I Love You', Octobers, 1962, Parlophone 4S-R 4949.
'Let It Be'/You know My Name (Look Up The Number)', March 6, 1970, Apple [Parlophone] R 5833,
'From Me To You'/’Thank You Girl', April I I, 1963, Parlophone RS0I5. ‘She Loves You'/TII Get You', August 23, 1963, Parlophone R 5055. ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand'/'This Boy', November 29, 1963, Parlophone R5084. 'Can't Buy Me Love'/'You Cant Do That', March 20, 1964. Parlophone RSI 14. 'A Hard Day's Night'/'Things We Said Today', July 10, 1964, Parlophone R 5 160. 'i Feel Fine'/'She's A Woman', November 27, 1964, Parlophone R 5200. 'Ticket To Ride'/'Yes It Is', April 9, 1965, Parlophone R 5265. 'Helpl'/'I'm Down', July 23, 1965, Parlophone R 5305. 'We Can Work It Out'/'Day Tripper', Decembers, 1965, Parlophone R5389, ‘Paperback Writer'/Rain', June 10, 1966, Parlophone R 5452, 'Eleanor Rigby'/'Yellow Submarine', August 5, 1966, Parlophone R 5493. 'Strawberry Fields Forever'/'Penny Lane', February i 7, 1967, Parlophone R 5570. ‘All You Need Is Love'/'Baby, You're A Rich Man', July 7, 1967, Parlophone R 5620 'Hello, Goodbye'/'l Am The Walrus', November 24, 1967, Parlophone R 5655, 'Lady Madonna'/'The Inner Light', March 15, 1968, Parlophone R 5675, ‘Hey jude'/'Revolution', August 30, 1968, Apple [Parlophone] R 5722, ‘Get Back'/'Dont Let Me Down', April 11,1969, Apple [Parlophone] R 5777, 'The Ballad Of John And Yoko'/'Old Brown Shoe', May 30, 1969, Apple Parlophone] R 5786.
1 0 4
'She Loves You'; 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'/’Can't Buy Me Love'; ‘I Feel Fine', Yesterday, March 4, 1966, Parlopone GEP 8948 (mono only)- ‘Yesterday’; 'Act Naturally’/'You Like Me Too Much'; 'It's Only Love',
'Please Please Me'/'Ask me Why', January I I, 1963, Parlophone 45-R 4983.
Parlophone GEP 8946 (mono) -
EPS Twist And Shout, July 12, 1963, Parlophone CEP 8882 (mono)'Twist And Shout'; 'A Taste Of Honey'/ Do You Want To Know A Secret'; ‘There's A Place'. The Beatles'Hits, September 6, 1963, Parlophone
Nowhere Man, July 8, 1966, Parlophone GEP 8948 - ‘Nowhere Man'; 'Drive My Car’/'Michelle'; 'You Won't See Me'. Magical Mystery Tour, Decembers, 1967, Parlophone MMT-1 (mono), SMMT-I (stereo) - 'Magical Mystery Tour’; 'Your Mother
CEP 8880 ( mono) —
Should Know'/'l Am The Walrus'; ‘The Fool On
'From Me To You'; 'Thank You Girl'/'Please
The Hill'; 'Flying'/’BlueJay Way’.
Please Me'; 'Love Me Do'. The Beatles (No I). November I, 1963, Parlophone CEP 8883 (mono) 'I Saw Her Standing There'; 'Misery'/'Anna (Go To Him)'; ‘Chains'. All My Loving, February 7, 1964, Parlophone GEP 889 I (mono) -
ALBUMS Please Please Me, March 22, 1963, Parlophone PMC 1202 (mono), PCS 3042 (stereo) 'I Saw Her Standing There'; 'Misery'; 'Anna (Go To Him)’; 'Chains'; 'Boys'; 'Ask Me Why'; 'Please Please Me’/'Love Me Do'; ‘PS I Love You’; ‘Baby
'All My Loving'; 'Ask Me Why'/'Money (That's
It's You'; 'Do you Want To Know A Secret'; 'A
What I Want)'/'PS I Love You'.
Taste Of Honey'; ‘There's A Place'; 'Twist And
Long Tall Sally, June 19, 1964, Parlophone GEP 8913 (mono) -
Shout'. With The Beatles, November 22, 1963, Parlophone
'Long Tall Sally’; 'I Cali Your Name'/ 'Slow Down';
1206 (mono), PCS 3045 (stereo) -
'Matchbox'.
'It Won't Be Long'; ‘All I've Got To Do'; 'All My
Extracts From The Film A Hard Day’s Night,
Loving'; 'Don't Bother Me’; ‘Little Child'; 'Till
November 6, 1964, Parlophone GEP 8920
There Was You’; 'Please Mister Postman'/
(mono) - 'I Should Have Known Better'; 'If I
'Roll Over Beethoven'; 'Hold Me Tight'; 'You
Feli'/'Tell Me Why'; ‘And I Love Her’.
Really Got A Hold On Me'; 'I Wanna Be Your
Extracts From The Album A Hard Day's Night,
Man'; '(There’s A) Devil In Her Heart'; 'Not A
November 6, 1964, Parlophone GEP 8924
Second Time'; ‘Money (That's What I Want)',
(mono)- 'Any Time At AH’; 'I'll Cry Instead'/
A Hard Day's Night, July 10, 1964, Parlophone PMC
'Things We Said Today’; ‘When I Get Home'. Beatles For Sale, April 6, 1965, Parlophone GEP
1230 (mono), PCS 3058 (stereo) ‘A Hard Day's Night'; ‘I Should Have Known
893 I (mono)- 'No Reply’; 'I'm A Loser'/'Rock
Better'; 'If I Fell'; 'I’m Happy Just To Dance With
And Roll Music'; 'Eight Days A Week’.
you’; 'And I Love Her'; 'Tell Me Why’; 'Can't Buy
Beatles For Sale (No 2), June 4, 1965, Parlophone GEP 8938 (mono) 'I'll Follow The Sun'; 'Baby’s In Black'/’Words Of
Me Love'/'Any Time At AH'; ‘I'll Cry Instead'; ‘Things We Said Today’; ‘When I Get Home'; 'You Can’t Do That'; 'I'll Be Back’,
Love'; ‘I Don't Want To Spoil The Party’
Beatles For Sale, December 4, 1964, Parlophone
The Beatles' Million Sellers, December 6, 1965,
PMC 1240 (mono), PCS 3062 (stereo) -
DISCOGRAPHY
'No Reply'; 'I'm A Loser’; 'Baby's In Black'; ‘Rock And Roll Music'; 'I'll Follow The Sun'; ‘Mr
Day In The Life’,
US RELEASES
The Beatles, November 22, 1968, Apple
Moonlight’; ‘Kansas CIty’/'Hey-Hey-Hey!’/
[Parlophone] PMC 7067-7068 (mono),
'Eight Days A 'vVeek; 'Words Of Love'; 'Honey
7067-7068 (stereo) -'Back In The USSR'; 'Dear
Don't'; ‘Every Little Thing'; 'I Don't Want To
Prudence’; ‘Glass Onion'; 'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da’;
Spoil The Party'; ‘What You're Doing’; ‘
‘Wild Honey Pie’; 'The Continuing Story Of
Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby'. Help!, August 6, 1965, Parlophone PMC 1255
PCS
Bungalow Bill’; 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'; ‘Happiness Is A Warm Gun'/‘Martha My Dear’;
(mono), PCS 3071 (stereo) -
Tm So Tired’; 'Blackbird'; ‘Piggies'; 'Rocky
'Helpl'; 'The Night Before'; ‘You’ve Got To Hide
Racoon'; 'Don’t Pass Me By'; 'Why Don't We Do
Your Love Away'; ‘I Need You'; ‘Another Girl’;
It In The Road'; 'I Will’; 'julia'/'Birthday’; 'Yer
'You’re Going To Lose That Girl'; ‘Ticket To
Blues'; 'Mother Nature's Son’; ‘Everybody’s Got
Ride’/'Act Naturally'; 'It's Only Love'; ‘You Like
Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey’;
Me Too Much'; ‘Tell Me What You See'; Tvejust
'Sexy Sadie'; 'Helter Skelter’; ‘Long Long
Seen A Face’; 'Yesterday’f‘Dizzy Miss Lizzy'.
Long'TRevolution I'; ‘Honey Pie’; ‘Savoy Truffle';
Rubber Soul, Decembers, 1965, Parlophone PMG 1267 (mono), PCS 3075(stereo) -
'Cry Baby Cry’; 'Revolution 9’; ‘Good Night', Yellow Submarine, january 17, 1969, Apple
'Drive My Car'; ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has
[Parlophone] PMG 7070 (mono), PCS 7070
Flown)'; ‘You Won’t See Me'; ‘Nowhere Man';
(stereo) - A; ‘Yellow Submarine'; 'Only A
‘Thing For Yourself; 'The Word'; 'Michelle'/
Northern Song'; 'All Together Now'; 'Hey
‘What Goes On’; ‘Girl’; Tm Looking Through
Bulldog’; 'It's All too Much'; 'All You Need Is
You'; 'in My Life’; 'Wait'; ‘If I Needed Someone';
Love'/ [Seven soundtrack instrumental cuts by
‘Run For Your Life'. Revolver, Augusts, 1966, Parlophone PMG 7009
the George Martin Orchestra] Abby Road, September 26, 1969, Apple
(mono), PGS 7009 (stereo) - ‘Taxman’; 'Eleanor
[Parlophone] PCS 7088 (stereo only) -
Rigby'; Tm Only Sleeping’; 'Love You To'; ‘Here,
‘Come Together’; 'Something’; ‘Maxwell’s Silver
There And Everywhere’; 'Yellow Submarine'; 'She
Hammer'; 'Oh! Darling’; 'Octopus’s Garden’; 'I
Said She Said’/'Good Day Sunshine’; ‘And Your
Want You (She’s So Heavy)7'Here Comes The
Bird Can Sing'; ‘For No One’; 'Doctor Robert’; 'I
Sun’; 'Because'; ‘You Never Give me Your
Want To Tell You'; 'Got To Get You Into My
Money’; ‘Sun King'/'Mean Mr Mustard'; 'Polythene
Life’; 'Tomorrow Never Knows',
Pam'/’She Came In Through The Bathroom
A Collection Of Beatles Oldies, December 9, 1966, Parlophone PMC 701 6 (mono), PPCS 701 6 (stereo) - 'She Loves You'; 'From Me To You’;
Window’; ‘Golden Slumbers’/'Garry That Weight'; ‘The End’; Her Majesty', Let It Be, May 8, 1970, Apple [Parlophone] PCS
'We Can Work It Out'; 'Helpl'; 'Michelle';
7096 (stereo only) - ‘Two Of Us’; ‘Dig A Pony’;
‘Yesterday’; ‘I Feel Fine'; 'Yellow Submarine’/
'Across The Universe'; 'I Me Mine’; 'Dig It'; 'Let It
'Can't Buy Me Love'; ‘Bad Boy’; ‘Day Tripper’; 'A
Be’; 'Maggie Mae'/Tve Got A Feeling'; 'The One
Hard Day's Night’; ‘Ticket To Ride‘;' Paperback
After 909'; 'The Long And Winding Road’; 'For
Writer’; ‘Eleanor Rigby'; 'I Want To Hold Your
You Blue'; 'Get Back.
Hand'. Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, June 1, 1967, Parlophone PMC 7017 (mono), PCS 7027 (stereo) - ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’; ‘With A Little Help From My Friends'; 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds'; 'Getting Better'; 'Fixing A Hole'; ‘She's Leaving Home'; 'Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kitell'/ ‘Within You Without You'; 'When I'm Sixty Four'; 'Lovely Rita'; 'Good Morning Good Morning’; ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)'; 'A
SINGLES "Please Please Me'/’Ask Me Why', February 25, 1963, VeejayVJ498, 'From Me To You'/’Thank You Girl', May 27, 1963, Vee Jay VJ 522. 'She Loves You’/TII Get You’, September I 6, 1963, Swan 4152. 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'/’l Saw Her Standing There’, December 26, 1963, Capitol 5112. ‘Please Please Me’/'From Me To You', January 30, 1964, Vee Jay VJ 581. ‘Twist And Shout’/’There’s A Place', March 2, 1964, Tollie 9001. 'Can’t Buy Me Love'/'You Can't Do That', March 16, 1964, Capitol 5 150. 'Do You Want To Know A Secret’/'Thank You Girl’, March 23, 1964, Veejay VJ 587. 'Love Me Do’/'PS I Love You’, April 27, 1964, Tollie 9008. 'Sie Llebt Dich'/TII Get You', May 21,1964, Swan 4182. 'A Hard Day’s Night’/’l Should Have Known Better’, July 13, 1964, Capitol 5222. Til Cry Instead'/’I'm Happy Just To Dance With You’, July 20, 1964, Capitol 5234. 'And I Love Her’V'lf I Fell’, July 20, 1964, Capitol 5235. ‘Matchbox'/’Slow Down', August 24, 1964, Capitol 5255. ‘I Feel Fine'/’She's A Woman', November 23, 1964, Capitol 5327. 'Eight Days A Week’/'l Don't Want To Spoil The Party’, February 15, 1965, Capitol 5371. 'Ticket To Ride'/’Yes It Is', April 19, 1965, Capitol 5407, 'Help!’/Tm Down’, July 19, 1965, Capitol 5476. 'Yesterday'/’Act Naturally', September 13, 1965, Capitol 5498. 'We Can Work It Out’/'Day Tripper’, December 6, 1965, Capitol 5555. 'Nowhere Man’/'What Goes On', February 21, 1966, Capitol 5587. 'Paperback Writer’/Rain’, May 30, 1966, Capitol 5651. 'Eleanor Rigby'/’Yellow Submarine', August 8, 1966, Capitol 5715 'Strawberry Fields Forever'/'Penny Lane', February 13, 1967, Capitol 5810,
II
DISCOGRAPHY
'Ail You Need Is Love'/'Baby, You're A Rich Man', 17 July 1967, Capitol 5964.
Instead'; 'I'm Happy Just To Dance With You’; plus two soundtrack instrumental cuts by George
'Lady Madonna'/’The Inner Light', March 18, 1968, Capitol 2138.
Martin & Orchestra/ Love’; plus two soundtrack instrumental cuts by George Martin & Orchestra.
'Hey jude'/'Revolution', August 26, 1968, Apple [Capitol] 2276, 'Get Back'/'Don't Let Me Down', May 5, 1969, Apple [Capitol] 2490. 'The Ballad Of John And Yoko'/'Old Brown Shoe’, June 4, 1969. Apple [Capitol] 253 I. 'Something'/'Come Together', October 6, 1969,
Something New, July 20, 1964, Gapitol T-2108
Orchestra. Rubber Soul, December 6, 1965, Capitol T-2442 (mono), ST-2442 (stereo) - A; Tvejust Seen A Face'; Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)’;
(mono), ST-2108 (stereo) - ‘I’ll Cry Instead’;
'You Won't See Me’; 'Think For Yourself; 'The
'Things We Said Today’; 'AnyTime At AH';
Word’; 'Michelle'/ ‘It’s Only Love'; 'Girl'; ‘I'm
'When I Get Home’; 'Slow Down';
Looking Through You'; ‘In My life'; 'Wait'; 'Run
‘Matchbox’/'Tell Me Why'; 'And I Love Her'; 'I'm Happy Just To Dance with You'; 'If I Fell'; 'Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand'. The Beatles' Story, November 23, 1964, Gapitol
Apple [Capitol] 2654.
soundtrack instrumental cuts by George Martin &
For Your life', "Yesterday"... And Today, June 20, 1966, Capitol T2553 (mono), ST-2553 (stereo) 'Drive My Car’; 'I’m Only Sleeping’; 'Nowhere
TBO-2222 (mono), STBO-2222
Man’; ‘Doctor Robert’; ‘Yesterday’; ‘Act
Number)', March 11,1970, Apple [Capitol]
(stereo) - ‘Interviews plus extracts from 'I Want
Naturally’/'And Your Bird Can Sing’; 'If I Needed
2764.
To Hold Your Hand’; 'Slow Down'; 'This Boy'/
Someone'; 'We Can Work It Out’; ‘What Goes
'Let It Be'/'You Know My Name (Lock Up The
'The Long And 'Winding Road'/'For You Blue', May 11,1970, Apple [Capitol] 2832.
Interviews plus extracts from 'You Can't Do That'; 'If I Fell'; 'And I Love Her’/Interviews plus
On’; ‘Day Tripper'. Revolver, August 8, 1966, Gapitol T-2576 (mono),
extracts from 'A Hard Day’s Night’; 'And I Love
ST-2576 (stereo) -
ALBUMS
Her'/Interviews plus extracts from 'Twist And
Taxman’; 'Eleanor Rigby’; 'Love You To'; 'Here,
Introducing the Beatles, July 22, 1963, Veejay VJLP
Shout’ (live); 'Things We Said Today'; Tm Happy
There And Everywhere'; 'Yellow Submarine’; 'She
1062 (mono), SR 1062 (stereo) -
Just To Dance With You’; ‘Little Child’; ‘Long Tall
Said She Said’/'Good Day Sunshine’; ‘For No
'I Saw Her Standing There’; 'Misery’; 'Anna (Go
Sally’; ‘She loves You'; 'Boys’.
One’; 'I WantToTell You'; ‘Gotto GetYou Into
To Him)’; 'Chains’; 'Boys'; 'Love Me Do'/ 'PS I Love You’; 'Baby It’s You’; 'Do You Want To
Beatles ‘65, December 15, 1964, Capitol T-2228 (mono), ST-2228 (stereo) -
My Life'; 'Tomorrow Never Knows', Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, June 2, 1967,
Know A Secret'; 'A Taste Of Honey’; 'There's A
'No Reply'; 'I’m A Loser’; ‘Baby’s In Black'; 'Rock
Capitol MAS-2653 (mono). SMAS-2653 (stereo)
Place '; 'Twist And Shout’.
And Roll Music’; ‘I’ll Follow The Sun’; 'Mr
- tracks as UK release
/Meet The BeatlesI, January 20, 1964, Capitol T-2047
Moonlight’/'Honey Don’t; 'I'll Be Back’; 'She’s A
Magical Mystery Tour, November 27, 1967, Capitol
(mono), ST-2047 (stereo) - 'I Want To Hold
Woman’; 'I Feel Fine'; ‘Everybody's Trying To Be
MAL-2835 (mono), SMAL-283S (stereo) -
Your Hand'; 'I Saw Her Standing There"; ‘This
My Baby’.
'Magical Mystery Tour'; 'The Fool On The Hill';
Boy'; 'It Won't Be Long'; 'All I’ve Got To Do'; 'All
The Early Beatles, March 22, 1965, Capitol T-2309
'Flying'; 'Blue Jay Way'; 'Your Mother Should
My Loving'/'Don't Bother Me’; 'Little Ghild'; ‘Till
(mono), ST-2309 (stereo) -
There Was You'; 'Hold Me Tight'; 'I Wanna Be
'Love Me Do'; 'Twist And Shout’; 'Anna (Go To
'Strawberry Fields Forever'; 'Penny Lane'; 'Baby,
Your Man’; 'Not A Second Time'.
Him)'; ‘Chains'; 'Boys'; ' Ask Me Why'/'Please
You’re A Rich Man'; ‘All You Need Is Love’.
Introducing The Beatles, January 27, 1964, Veejay
Please Me’; 'PS I Love You'; 'Baby It’s You’; ‘A
VJLP 1062 (mono) - 'I Saw Her Standing There’;
Taste Of Honey’; ' Do You Want To Know A
Misery’; 'Anna (Go To Him)'; 'Ghains'; ‘Boys’; 'Ask
Secret’.
Me Why'/'Please Please Me'; 'Baby It's You'; 'Do You Want To Know A Secret’; 'A Taste Of Honey’; 'There’s A Place’; 'Twist And Shout'. The Beatles'Second Album, April 10, 1964, Capitol
Beatles VI, June 14, 1965, Capitol T-2358 (mono). ST-2358 (stereo) 'Kansas City’/’Hey-Hey-Hey-Heyl'; 'Eight Days A
Know'; 'I Am The Walrus'/'Hello, Goodbye’;
The Beatles, November 25, 1968, Apple [Gapitol] SWBO-101 (stereo) - tracks as UK release Yellow Submarine, 13 January 1969, Apple [Gapitol] SW-153 (stereo) - tracks as UK release Abbey Road, October 1, 1969, Apple [Gapitol] SO383 (stereo) - tracks as UK release
Week’; 'You Like Me Too Much’; 'Bad Boy'; I
Hey Jude, February 26, 1970, Apple [Capitol] SW-
T-2080 (mono), ST-2080 (stereo) -
Don’t Want To Spoil The Party’; ‘Words Of
385 (stereo) - ‘Can't Buy Me Love'; 'I Should
■Roll Over Beethoven'; 'Thank You Girl'; ‘You
Love'/ What You're Doing'; 'Yes It Is'; 'Dizzy Miss
Have Known Better’; ‘Paperback Writer’;
Really Got A Hold On Me’; '(There’s A) Devil In
Lizzy’; 'Tell Me What You See'; 'Every little Thing’.
'Lady Madonna'; 'Revolution'/'Hey Jude'; ‘Old
Her Heart'; 'Money (That's What I Want)'; 'You Can't Do That'/ 'Long Tall Sally'; 'I Call Your
Help! August 13, 1965, Capitol MAS-2386 (mono), SMAS-2386 (stereo) -
Name’; 'Please Mister Postman'; 'I'll Get You';
'Helpl'; 'The Night Before'; You’ve Got To Hide
'She Loves You'.
Your Love Away’; 'I Need You'; plus three
A Hard Day's Night, June 26, 1964, United Artists UA 6366 (mono). UAS 6366
(stereo) —
'A Hard Day's Night'; 'Tell Me Why’; 'I’ll Cry
2 0 6
soundtrack instrumental cuts by George Martin & Orchestra/'AnotherGirl'; 'Ticket To Ride'; 'You're Going To Lose That Girl'; plus three
'Rain';
Brown Shoe’; 'Don’t Let Me Down’; ‘The Ballad of John And Yoko’. Let It Be, May 18, 1970, Apple [Capitol] AR-34001 (stereo) - tracks as UK release
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOKS ABOUT THE BEATLES Bacon, David and Maslov, Norman. The Beatles' England. Columbus Books, London ,1982; 910 Books, San Francisco, 1982. Baird, Julia. John Lennon My Brother. Grafton, London, 1988. The Beatles Lyrics. MacDonald, London, 1969. Bedford, Carol. Waiting For The Beatles, Blandford Press, Newron Abbot, 1984. Braun, Michael. Love Me Do. Penguin, London, 1964. Brown, Peter. The Love You Make. MacMillan, London, I 983. Coleman, Ray. Lennon. McGraw Hill, New York, 1984. Dalton, David and Cott, Jonathan. The Beatles Get Back. Apple, London, 1969. Davies, Hunter. The Beatles. Heinemann, London 1968. Elson, Howard. McCartney: Songwriter. W.H.AIIen, London, 1986. Freeman, Robert. The Beatles: A Private View. Pyramid, London, 1992. Fulpen, H.V. The Beatles: An Illustrated Diary. Plexus, London, 1982. Giuliano, Geoffrey. Blackbird. Smith Gryphon, London, 1991. Goldman, Albert. The Lives Of John Lennon. Bantam Press, London, New York, Harrison, George. I A4e Mine. W.H.AIIen, London, 1980. Harry, Bill (Editor). Mersey Beat: The Beginnings Of The Beatles. Columbus Books, London, 1977. The Ultimate Beatles Encyclopedia. Virgin, London, 1992. Lennon, Cynthia. A Twist Of Lennon. W.H. Allen, London 1978. Lennon, John. In His Own Write. Jonathan Cape, London, I 964. Lewisohn, Mark. The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions. Hamlyn, London, 1988.
GENERAL BOOKS The Complete Beatles Chronicle. Pyramid, London, 1992. McCabe, Peter and Schonfeld, Robert. Apple To The Core. Sphere Books, London, 1972. McCartney, Mike. Thank U Very Much.Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1982. Mellers, Wilfrid. Twilight Of The Gods. Schirmer Books, New York, 1973. Norman, Philip. Shout, Elm Tree, London, 1981, Rolling Stone magazine. The Ballad Of John and Yoko. Michael Joseph, London, 1982. Salewicz, Chris. McCartney: The Biography. MacDonald, London, 1986. Schafiner, Nicholas. The Beatles Forever. MSF Books, New York, 1978. Schultheiss,Tom. A Day In The Life. Pierian Press, Ann Arbor, 1980, Sheff, David. The Playboy Interviews with John Lennon and Yoko Ono. New English Library, London, 1981; Playboy Press, Chicago, 1981. Shepherd, Billy. The True Story of the Beatles. Beat Publications, London, 1964. Shotton, Pete. John Lennon In My Life. Stein & Day, New York, 1983. Stuart Ryan. David, John Lennon's Secret, Kozmik Press Center, New York, 1982. Taylor, Alistair. Yesterday. Sidgwick and Jackson, London; Pioneer Books, Las Vegas, 1989. Wenner, Jann. Lennon Remembers. Straight Arrow Books, San Francisco, 1971.
Anthony, Gene. Summer Of Love. Celestial Arts, Berkeley, 1980. Buglioso, Vincent. Helter Skelter. Bantam, New York, 1974. Fein, Art. The LA Musical History Tour. Faber and Faber, Boston, 1990. Gaines, Steven. Heroes and Villains. MacMillian, London, I 986; New American Library, New York, 1986. Gibran, Kahlil. Sand and Foam, 1927, Gillett, Charlie. The Sound Of The City. Sphere Books, London, 1970. Goodman, Pete. The Rolling Stones: Our Own Story. Bantam, New York, 1965. Guinness Book of Rock Stars. Guinness, London, 1989. Hotchner, A.E. Blown Away. Simon and Schuster, London, 1990. Leary, Timothy, Flashbacks. Heinemann, London, 1983. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi,. The Science of Being and the Art of Living. International SRM Publications, London, 1963. Mascaro, Juan. Lamps of Fire, Methuen, London 1958. Marsh, Dave. The Heart of Rock and Roll. Penguin, London, 1989; New American Library, New York, 1989 Smith, Joe. Off The Record. Sidgwick and Jackson, London, 1989.
Wiener, Jon. Come Together: John Lennon In His
Stein, Jean. Edie. Jonathan Cape, London, I 982.
Time. Faber & Faber, London, 1984; Random
Turner, John M. A Dictionary of Circus Biography
.House, New York, 1984
(unpublished). White, Charles. Little Richard. Pan, London, 1984, Wolfe, Tom. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. i:
' r
Bantam, New York, 1968. Worth, Fred and Tamerius, Steve. Elvis: His Life from A-7.. Contemporary Books, New York, 1988, Wyman, Bill. Stone Alone. Viking, London, 1990
II
NDEX
Numbers in italics refer to captions
Freymann, Dr Robert I 14
147, 159, 165, 169, 171,
Mintz, Elliot 64-5, 97
Cochran, Eddie 163
Frost, David 147
177, 181
Miracles 27, 29, 35, 35, 44,
Coe, Elsie 126, 127
Fury. Billy 13,30, 46
95, 106, 106
Aldridge, Alan 23. 125
Coe, John 126
Alexander, Arthur 17
Coe, Melanie 125, 126, 126,
Gaye, Marvin 27, 56
Lennon, Frederick 163
98 Moore, Pete 35
Scott, Jimmy 153, 153, 154
Lennon, Julian 9, 9, 37, 47,
Morey, Larry 25
Scott. Lurcrezia 154
Murray, Rod 94
Sebastian, John III. 112,
Nicol, Jimmy 124, /24
Segal, Erich 135, 141, /4/ Shankar, Ravi 14, 89, 128,
122, 122, 123, 123, 147,
Coley, Doris 38
Ginsberg, Allen 146, 197
147, 148, 148, 172, 172,
Anthony. Les 184
Colyer, Ken 39
Goons 47, 186
181
Apple Scruffs 160, 161, 198,
Como, Peggy 49
Govinda, Lama I 15
Lennon, Sean / 72
Noebel, David A 150-51
Cooke, Nancy 155
Green, Peter / 95
Lester, Dick 46, 47, 48, 53,
Northern Songs Ltd 140,
Cooke III, Richard 155, 155
Gunter, Arthur 98
56, 63, 75, 76, 82, 83,
46. 49, 49, 55, 55, 69, 84,
Costello, Elvis 12
Guru Dev 177
86, 87, 87, 90, 90, 94, 96,
Crosby, Bing 21,2/
104, 108, 108. I 13, 125,
Crosby, David I I I
96
198 Asher, Jane 29. 36. 36,42,
127
142. 159 Asher, Peter 14. 42, 43, 157, 189 Aspinall, Neil 93, I I I. 130, 139, 144, 157
Davies, Hunter 91,96, 122,
Lomax, Jackie 190
Harrison (Boyd), Pattie 82,
Love, Mike 150, 150, 152,
92, 92,78,98, 106, 129,
145, 146, 170
129, 139, 144, 149, 154, 163, 163, 168, 183, 189, 190
Davies, Meta 13 I Davis, Rod 44
73, 163
Harris. Micki 38 124, 128, 134, 142, 143,
I 13
193
I 19, 132 Little Richard 17. 62, 68, 73,
Hargreaves, Christine 129
154 Lovin' Spoonful III, 112,
112 Lynch, Kenny 20, 31 Lyttleton, Humphrey 146,
O'Donnell, Lucy 9. 9, 10, 122, 122, 123
Short, Don 80, I I I Shotton, Pete 77, 89, 97,
147, 147, 157, 159, 163, 165, 171, 171, Ml. 173,
Owen, Alun 46. 48, 53
Stephanie 196, 196
Owens, Shirley 38
Stookey, Paul 62
Havens, Richie 146
Bayley, Stephen 145
Del Vikings 44
Hawkins, Daisy 104
Beach Boys M, 108, 150,
Dene, Terry 46
Hedges, Sandra 24
Domino, Fats 17, 163
Henderson, John 128
Bedford, Carol 198
Donegan, Lonnie 42, 182
Hendrix, Jimi 61, 146
129, 140, 141, 147, 149, 149, 150, 151, 152, 155,
Berry, Chuck 17, 18, 39, 39,
Donovan 104, 108, 150,
Holly, Buddy 14, 17, 68
165, 166, /66, 167, 168,
Palmer. Tony 194
Horn. Paul 140, 149, 150,
177
Panic Brothers 154
Simon and Marijke 129-30 Simone, Nina 94 Starr, Maureen 55
Strong, Barrett 27 Sutcliffe, Stuart 13, 13, 24,
24. 94, 97, 98
Best, Pete 13,17, 24, 24
Doran, Terry 126, 132
Bird, Margo 160, 161, 198
Dorsey, Lee 189
Bishop, Dr John I 14
Duncan, Johnny 182
How I Won The War I 19, 132, 132
Bowie, David 177, 177
Dylan, Bob I I, 14, 22, 35,
Hoyland, John 169
Manson, Charles 160. / 60.
Perkins, Carl 17, 68
Jackson, Ziggy 44
Mardas, Alex 144
Jacobson, Dr Max I 14
Marmalade 154, 154
Peter, Paul and Mary 62
Taylor, Neil 139
Jagger, Mick 39, 134, 137,
Marsh, Dave 32
Phillips, Julia 91
Townsend, Ken 101
Martin, George 12, 12, 13,
Pickett, Wilson 57. 57, 101
Traveling Wilburys 22
Boyd, Jennie / 63
60, 62, 64, 64, 65, 69, 77,
Bramwell, Tony 20, 77, 101,
I 13, 146, 165, 168
127, 195 Bron, Eleanor 77, 77, 104,
105 Brown, Michael 91
Eastman, John 193
Ed Sullivan Show 11, 42, 69, 70, I 12-13
151, 166-67
145, 146, 157 Shumacher, Joel I 14
Harry. Bill 37
152, 161, 163, 163, 170
98, 104, 105, I 19, 128,
MG. 180, 181, 184, 184, 185, 185, 188, 191, 192, 192, 193, 194 Orbison, Roy M, 21,21, 22
Dekker, Thomas 200
150, 189, 189, 194
Shirelles 29, 38, 38, 50
Ono, Yoko 15, 35,97, 123,
Dawson (Hodgett), Pat 196
Mahesh Yogi, Maharishi
30 Sheridan, Tony 37, 144
Oldham, Andrew 39
Bart, Lionel 104
147
183 Shannon, Del 58, 58 Shapiro, Helen / 9, 20, 20,
O'Dell, Denis 186, 186
Barrow, Tony 23
ISO. 154
Savile, Jimmy 101, 101 Schwartz, Francie 160
Lennon, Julia 21, 163 Gin, Auntie 83
Allsop, Kenneth 60, 64, 65,
Samwell, Ian 20
Manfred Mann 129
Paramor, Norrie 20
Mann, William 40, 40
Pariser, Alan 170
Mansfield, Jayne 163
Parker, Bobby 86
161, 167, 170, 171
169
Peter and Gordon 14, 42.
43
Taylor, Alistair 125, 139, 143, 144 Taylor. Derek 55, 98. 144, 145, 152, 157, 170 Taylor, Joan 157
James, Dick 65, 65
15, 18,20,22, 22,33,34,
Plastic Ono Band 19 I
Travers, Mary 62
Brown, Peter 184
Elliot, Mama Cass I 12
James, Stephen 14
46, 53,61,65, 82, 86, 89,
Potier, Suki 134
Trendle, Doug (Buster
Browne, Tara 132, 132, 134
Ellis, Royston 101, 101, 196,
Janov, Arthur 50
95,98, 102, I 15, I 16,
Power, Duffy 19
Bloodvessel) 153
Jarry, Alfred 190, /9/
121, 123, 124, 130, 131,
Presley, Elvis 13, 17, 30, 32,
Bugliosi, Vincent 167
/96, 197, 197
Burley, Dan 146
Emerick, Geoff I 15
Jefferson Airplane 121, 138
132, 134, 135, 137, 146,
Busby, Matt 178, 178
Epstein, Brian 13, 14, 17, 19,
John, Elton 19
157, 174, 182, 187
Bygraves, Eleanor 104
25, 25, 26, 26, 37, 47, 65,
Johns, Glyn 174
Marvellettes 27, 29
Byrds I 1,98
77, 106, 121, 136, 139,
Jones, Brian 39, 134
Mascaro, Juan 147
Byrne, David 12
149, 180
King, B B 178
McCartney, Jim I I. 83, 130,
Evans, Mai 62, 121, 134, Caldwell, iris 13, 18, (8. 19,
142, 143
21,84
King. Freddie 178 King, Tony 129, 191, 198
130, 145, 170,200
Waller, Gordon 42, 43 Warhol, Andy /14 Welch, Chris 167
Kite, William 127, 128, 128
183, 193, 194, 198
Charles, Ray 17, 190
Quits, Eugene 198
Welch, Bruce 83, 84
Fame and the Blue Flames,
Farrow, Prudence 151 -52,
Voorman, Klaus 129
Quickly, Tommy 26, 37
Richard, Cliff 13, 20, 30, 42,
Cannon, Freddy 65
Channel, Bruce 23, 23
Vincent Gene 13, 17, 163
Rhone, Dot 24, 24, 25
163, 174, 175, /75, 181,
Fanque, Pablo 127, 128
45, 130, 163
15, 157, 157, 159, 162,
Kite, James 128
Cassady, Neal 142
Quarry Men II. II, 13, 44,
Kirchner, Astrid 24 Faithfull, Marianne 84, 137 Georgie 124, 154
Vaughan, Ivan 94, 119 Vaughan, Jan 94
McCartney (Eastman), Linda
Caldwell, Violet 18, /8 Carroll, Lewis 60, 123, 146
46, 98, 163, 194
43,46
Whitaker, Bob 85, 99
Klein, Allen 174, 193, 193
McCartney, Mary 180
Richard, Keith 39
White, Ronnie 35
Kramer, Billy J 14,25, 25, 26,
McCartney, Mike 119, 134
Rigby, Eleanor 104, 105
Who 61, 167
McClinton, Deibert 23, 23
Rigby, Frank 105
Williams, Larry 17
McGough, Roger I 19
Riley, Tim 70, 82
Wilson, Brian 150
McGough, Thelma 27, 34,
Robin, Leo 21
Wilson, Carl 150
Robinson, Smokey 27, 35,
Wilson, Harold 102, 103
37, 53
151
Chiffons 38, 50
Feinstein, Barry 170
Leary, Rosemary 188
Christgau, Robert 21
Fitzpatrick, Paul 144
Leary, Timothy 115, 116,
Churchill, Frank 25
Fleetwood Mac 195, 195
Clapton, Eric I 13, 137, 155,
Fonda, Peter III,///
Lee, Beverly 38
Miles, Barry I 15. I 18
Rogers, Bobby 35
Fourmost 26, 37
Lennon (Powell), Cynthia
Milligan, Spike 123,
Rogers, Claudette 35
Yanovsky, Zal 112
Mimi, Aunt //,34, 97, 120,
Rolling Stones 11,39, 39,
Yarrow, Peter 62
170, 183, 193 Clarke, Allan 20 Cleave, Maureen 8, 47, 75,
2 0 8
Freeman, Robert 34, 42-3, 60
/16, 125, 188, 189, 189
24, 25. 37, 46. 48, 48, 85, 89, 89, 122, 132, 147,
34 McGuinn, Roger 98, I I I
163, 184
35, 40, 44. 190
134, 15.4, 194
Wonder, Stevie 27, 154
Young, Muriel 94, 94
'
i.
.VI
0-
'
1
WHO WERE POLYTHENE PAM AND MR. KITE?
I ADAY'S HARD
DOES OB-LA-DI OB-LA-DA MAKE SENSE?
WRITE /
/
The first pop performers to write their own material, the Beatles raised the quality of song-writing beyond the banal to stand alongside the greats of the golden age of song, Gershwin, Porter, and Berlin. Their lyrics are among the most analysed in pop history.
Rock music journalist Steve Turner reveals the true tales behind the Beatles’ songs. Not hearsay, opini sensation - but the truth as revealed through in-de interviews with the real-life subjects of the songs a the people who were at the heart of the Beatles’ w ISBN 0-316-87871-5
90000>
jacket photograph: London Features International
9 780316 878715
THIS IS A CARLTON/ LITTLE, BROWN BOOK