Beatles FAQ

Wedding photo

  "one of the Beatles most dispensable items". [8] Run for Your Life’ I always hated ... John Lennon Lennon Remembers (1971

  “We’ve just come across... the most weird song.  I’ve no recollection of ever recording it.” George Harrison Anthology

For a drummer who supposedly could not sing, Ringo was frequently called upon to carry a tune.

  A special Christmas present

I wrote that in my front parlour in Forthlin Road. I was about 16. 

 The Beatles' record sales dwarfed those of Bob Dylan. In terms of musical influence the relationship was inverse. Paul McCartney has descrbeded the guru master relationship:  “He was our idol... I could feel myself climbing a spiral walkway as I was talking to Dylan. I felt like  I was figuring it all out, the meaning of life.” Despite this adulation, Paul was clear-sighted about incorporating elements of Dylan's approach into his own songwriting. These included  expanding the guitar band template.   the invention of different personas to narrate songs (e.g Sergeant Pepper, She's Leaving Hom)  combining musical styles (country rock etc) ambiguous narration (Hey Jude, She's Leaving Home) inventing new folk tales (Eleanor Rigby, Penny Lane) expanding the range of vocabulary McCartney did not, however, abandon his general adherence to the American songbook AABA format. Nor did he adopt the more acerbic tone associated with songs like Positively Fourth St...