Women named in Beatles songs?
Lennon and McCartney frequently named women in song titles - some real, some disguised, several invented. Lennon tried a generic shoutout with Girl, while the cautious George steered clear of naming and/or shaming/celebrating
Named in the title
- Prudence (Farrow)
- Michelle (ma belle)
- The Ballad of John & Yoko
- Eleanor Rigby
- Polythene Pam
- Lovely Rita & Sexy Sadie
- Julia - John's cry from the heart to his mother.
Other possibles ruled out by judging panel (me)
The Lucy that came from Julian’s imagination was strictly speaking a minor. Is Maggie Mae an interlude or a song? Trad the creator of her, anyway. Alex Alexander wrote Anna — he got two hits out of moaning about his girlfriend/wife/ex.
And, whisper it, but the muse for Martha was Paul and Jane’s sheepdog. No shout out for Ms Asher herself, other than finger pointing in We Can Work It Out. (Thanks for that, Paul — and for mentioning the dog and Eleanor Bron but NOT ME!! Jane x).
Notable by their absence
Nothing either for other big hitters in Beatle-woman-world — no reference to Cynthia, Mimi (John wouldn’t dare) Maureen, Linda or Pattie.
The jury is still out Paul’s ‘mother Mary’ is still in the judge’s room. Yes, he later said that this was his late mum but Catholic listeners assume it’s that Madonna again.
Have I missed some? Most probably — please correct in comments. Preferably not in all-caps.
