Beatles News

Considering The Beatles' success, which continues to mount more than five decades after their split, it's hard to imagine any of the Fab Four wishing for more. Or, maybe it's not when reflecting on how much a perfectionist John Lennon was concerning the band.‌

Lennon was often the most critical of The Beatles' endeavors, both in and out of the recording studio, and continuously voiced negative views even after the group called it quits. He wasn't ever shy to throw certain Beatles songs under the bus and brutally bash them.

In fact, Lennon wasn't happy with any of The Beatles' songs, it turns out, and once confided in one of the most important figures in the band's life, their producer, George Martin, who was often referred to as the fifth Beatle, about a wild wish he had about their tunes.

Lennon wrote some of the most famous songs in music history with and without his songwriting partner, Paul McCartney, but Martin said that he didn’t exactly look back at his songs fondly.  Throughout The Beatles' lifetime, Lennon would call some of their songs like Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, Hey Bulldog, Run For Your Life, and Dig a Pony garbage or even embarrassing. Despite what he thought abo details

An early version of Norwegian Wood from The Beatles‘ Rubber Soul album has been hailed as “genius” by fans.

Preference for the early version comes as a demo version of the song was uploaded to YouTube. Racking up nearly two million views over the last nine years, fans are still cropping up in the comments to share their love for the Norwegian Wood alternate. It’s a version that has people still left surprised by the song, while others have suggested this Norwegian Wood is superior to the one featured on the album. The Beatles’ Rubber Soul is considered a turning point for the band, with Norwegian Wood featuring lyrics influenced by Bob Dylan. The legendary artist would not, however, influence the sitar featured on the song.

John Lennon had asked George Harrison to add a sitar layer to the song, with the track suggested as a veiled account of an extramarital affair. Harrison’s additions to the song have been hailed as a “genius” inclusion on the track. One user wrote: “I can’t get over how much of a genius George is.”

Another agreed, adding: “Paul McCartney’s harmonies on this song get me every time. Their two voices together we details

Meet the Beatles! That’s what happened 60 years ago when the Fab Four played their only concert in the Twin Cities on Aug. 21, 1965.

The show was at Met Stadium, the old ballpark in Bloomington that was home to the Twins and Vikings, located where Mall of America now stands.

Tickets cost $3.50, $4.50 and $5.50 (about $56 in today’s money).

Sixty years later, the tax man would do a double take at the price to see Beatle Paul McCartney at U.S. Bank Stadium on Oct. 17 — from $135 and to $750-plus.

That’s now. Let’s look at some numbers from back then.

A ticket from The Beatles' only Minnesota performance, on Aug. 21, 1965 at the old Met Stadium. Provided by Jeff Syme. (Jeff Wheeler/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

1 Ringo Starr and George Harrison each sang one tune at Met Stadium. John Lennon and/or Paul McCartney sang the rest.

2 There were only two Beatles souvenirs for sale at Met Stadium that night, a $1 program and a $1 megaphone, with all four musicians photos on it.

4 A quartet of limousines waited at Wold–Chamberlain Field airport to transport each Beatle to the stadium. Instead, all four rode in the same limo.

4 Opening details

George Harrison, the late, great, and often underrated member of The Beatles, was arguably the most fearless. He was the first to release a solo album (the 1968 effort Wonderwall Music) among the Fab Four. And he was also the first to release his own autobiography.

4 of the Best Opening Lines in Rock Music History

The autobiography in question was released on this day in 1980 and was titled I, Me, Mine. Published on August 15, 1980, this little memoir was clearly something very special to Harrison. In its original publication run, each book was hand-bound and considered a limited edition, with about 2,000 signed by Harrison himself.

But don’t expect to find any new Beatles lore in this book. Though, Harrison did talk about how much he loved Monty Python.
What George Harrison Revealed in ‘I, Me, Mine’

I, Me, Mine felt like a true published diary of Harrison’s, as well as a little piece of music history. The book, which you can still find today, is filled with copies of Harrison’s own handwritten song lyrics. It also features commentary from The Beatles’ press officer, Derek Taylor.

George Harrison revealed quite a bit in the book about himself. And details

The Beatles' legendary member, Sir Paul McCartney, played a pivotal role in creating what fans now call a "perfect" song. McCartney suggested the band shift their sound on Abbey Road and minimize the Chuck Berry influences for this particular track.

This strategy seems to have paid off, as the song is now considered one of the all-time favorites by the band. The song, written by John Lennon but credited to the Lennon-McCartney writing partnership, has been delighting fans for decades. Now 83, McCartney has shared insights into how The Beatles crafted the song and how one small change made a significant impact.

The song, Come Together, is hailed as a 'perfect' song by The Beatles, a band known for its numerous timeless hits. Fans were touched by McCartney's explanation of how the song was created. In a snippet from the documentary series "McCartney, 3, 2, 1," the "Let It Be" songwriter revealed the suggestion he made that transformed the song into a hit.

He recalled: "I said, 'Wait a minute, wait a minute, that's a Chuck Berry song.' The opening line is, 'Here come old flat-top.' I said, 'But we gotta do something to get away from that. So I just suggested we slowed it down."

The "swampy back details

Paul McCartney reveals what he would want to say to John Lennon and George Harrison. Paul McCartney revealed what he would say to John Lennon and George Harrison if they were still alive today. John was fatally shot by Mark David Chapman at the age of 40 in 1980 and George died from cancer at the age of 58 in 2001.

Both of their deaths caused an outpouring of grief across the world as Beatles fans came together to remember the icons. Paul frequently pays tribute to them, marking their birthdays on social media with messages, while he also uses his live performances to remember John and George and the music they made as a band.

Paul was on reflective form in a 2024 documentary as he looked back at The Beatles' early days, how he wrote the group's songs and what he would now want to say to John and George. Released on the streaming platform on November 29 last year, "Beatles '64" captured Paul, John, George and Ringo Starr's triumphant arrival in America in 1964.

Produced by legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese, the film combined archive footage and new interviews to look back on the spread of Beatlemania across the United States.

Having already tasted huge success in the UK and Europe, the ban details

We can all think of that one slightly strange sandwich combination that's followed us from childhood through adulthood. For some, it might be the peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwich (aka the Elvis sandwich), or maybe it's the Fluffernutter, filled with marshmallow fluff and peanut butter. George Harrison, lead guitarist of The Beatles, didn't just remember his go-to sandwich fondly, but instead immortalized it on a song recording.

To make Harrison's favorite sandwich, you need cheese, lettuce, and the often-debated Marmite spread (one of many all-time favorite foods of The Beatles). While Harrison didn't give any explicit directions on how to make this sandwich, there are two ways to go about it. It's likely that Harrison would have had a cold version in 1960's Britain, made with sliced white sandwich bread, butter, a layer of Marmite, cheese, and crisp lettuce. For a hot sandwich, begin by lightly toasting the bread, spread a layer of Marmite, pile high with lettuce and cheese, then toast or grill the entire thing until crispy and gooey. In either version, you'll want to serve the sandwich with a side of savory chips, or you can follow in Harrison's footsteps even further and enjoy the sandwich with a piping hot details

The Beatles’ breakup in the tail-end of the 1960s and the earliest part of the 1970s was a shocking blow to the musical community at large, but it was an even more devastating blow to bandmates Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon. After becoming one of the biggest bands in the world together, the musicians parted ways, finally free to pursue their own interests (and even scarier: to sit with the silence when there was nothing they felt like chasing).

For some members of the Fab Four, their coping mechanism was the bottle. McCartney would later say that this was his go-to method of emotional soothing until his wife, Linda McCartney, snapped him out of the vicious cycle. Harrison chose comedy. George Harrison Reflects On What Saved Him In The 1970s

As the old adage goes, the higher you fly, the harder you fall. One could apply this idea to many facets of the 1960s, from the disillusionment of the Summer of Love movement to an increase in political turmoil both at home and overseas to the changing of the musical vanguard of the time. The Beatles’ breakup in the final moments of the ‘60s almost served as another period, another ending, another definitive conclusion. S details

On this day (August 12) in 1964, A Hard Day’s Night starring The Beatles premiered in theaters across the United States. It was a low-budget film created to capitalize on Beatlemania and sell records, and was successful in doing so. However, no one involved with the film’s production could have predicted its impact on the music world.

A Hard Day’s Night was far from the first movie to star a popular musician. For instance, Elvis Presley starred in more than a dozen movies before The Beatles made their big-screen debut. However, this was something different. Instead of casting John Lennon, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, and Paul McCartney in a movie about something far-removed from their real lives, this movie focused on the band. More specifically, it portrayed their massive popularity.

According to the British Film Institute, screenwriter Alun Owen was “a working-class Welshman who’d grown up in Liverpool, so he understood the group’s vernacular.” This, and the fact that he had spent time on the road with the Fab Four, allowed him to capture the group’s dynamic and their personalities for the film. At the same time, he took their lack of acting experience into acco details

The Beatles arguably remain the most influential band in history, despite being formed more than six decades ago.

Their timeless hits like Yesterday, Let It Be and All You Need Is Love continue to resonate with fans across generations. But did you know the Fab Four's lineup could have been drastically different?

The band's drummer Ringo Starr was once wanted by another group - and it was an offer he considered. Kingsize Taylor and the Dominoes, a Liverpool-based band, formed in 1958, around the same time The Beatles were still known as The Quarrymen. Kingsize Taylor and the Dominoes began making waves in West Germany shortly after their formation, but they soon faced issues.

When their drummer Dave Lovelady left the band, which had secured a regular gig at the Star Club in Hamburg, they found themselves in need of a replacement. Their sights turned to Ringo Starr.  Ringo had already made a name for himself in Germany, playing with another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. When Kingsize Taylor and the Dominoes approached him with an offer to join their ranks, he faced a tough decision.

Ultimately, it all boiled down to the paycheck. While Kingsize Taylor and the Dominoes off details

John Lennon wasn’t the most complimentary of Paul McCartney‘s music. He often thought his songwriting leaned on the silly side, calling his unique voice “granny sh**.” That fact might come as a shock to many new Beatles fans, considering Lennon and McCartney were the most famous writing duo in the band. While they had their moments as a united front, the cracks in their partnership grew larger over time.

Lennon issued that insult to many McCartney-penned songs, but there is one hit in particular that Lennon once called “meaningless.” There was only one saving grace to this song, according to Lennon: his contribution.

“Hello, Goodbye” is one of the Beatles’ most famous songs. It’s also one of their simplest. On the surface, there is nothing super complex or profound about this track. It feels as though it was written more for the jovial vibe than any hard-hitting statement. Nevertheless, McCartney had a theme in mind while penning this song.

“‘Hello, Goodbye’ was one of my songs,” McCartney once said. “There are Geminian influences here I think: the twins. It’s such a deep theme in the universe, duality – details

Why a ’70s Singer Missed Out on Recording What Became the Beatles' Final Hit Song originally appeared on Parade.

Can you imagine anyone but Paul McCartney singing “The Long and Winding Road”? Released in May 1970, a month after The Beatles broke up, the song stood as a makeshift eulogy for the band. Fans found solace and sympathy in McCartney’s voice as he sang, “The wild and windy night that the rain washed away / Has left a pool of tears, crying for the day / Why leave me standing here? / Let me know the way.”

Released as a single in the U.S. (and oddly, not in the U.K.), “The Long and Winding Road” went to the top of the charts. As of today, it’s the band’s last No. 1 song on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100—but, as Beatles lore goes, it was meant for someone else: Tom Jones.

Recently, Tim David Kelly, aka Tim From Kicking Harold, highlighted how McCartney and Tom Jones “were having a great time” while out on the town. After a few drinks, Jones asked McCartney to write him a song. “Paul, who very much enjoyed doing this type of thing, told his friend he’d be happy to write a song for him.”

McCartney soon details

Even before the band went their separate ways, The Beatles had begun working on their own projects. The last years of the 1960s saw relations strain due to many factors, including differences of opinion regarding their artistic output and business arrangements.‌

The sessions for 1968's 'The White Album' were notoriously tempestuous, causing Ringo Starr to leave the band for a period during the recording of 'Back in the USSR'. The acrimonious mood continued into 1969 as The Beatles worked on the 'Get Back' project, which resulted in their final studio album 'Let it Be'.‌

This time, George Harrison walked out of the band following an argument with Paul McCartney, though he returned days later. The actual split followed shortly after.‌

The group's break-up was made public in 1970, but the process was said to have begun the previous year when John Lennon asked for a "divorce" from The Beatles. This led Paul to retreat to his home in Scotland to write his debut solo album, believing the band's time was over.

This was confirmed with the release of Paul's album 'McCartney' in April 1970, a press release for which said he was no longer working with the band. 'Let it Be' was released the fo details

Paul McCartney's live shows are packed with material from his days with The Beatles and Wings, as well as plenty of solo tracks. Though he's into his ninth-decade, Paul still performs three-hour sets to huge audiences around the world.‌

After the European leg of his long-running Got Back tour came to an end with concerts in Manchester and London last December, Paul has announced he will be back on the road later this year. The Walton-born Beatles legend, 83, will take the tour, which began in 2022, around North America in 2025.‌

The tour will begin on September 29 in Palm Desert, California, stopping in places including Las Vegas, Denver, Tulsa, San Antonio, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Montreal before it concludes in Chicago in November.‌

Paul's most recent live appearance was at Anfield on June 7 when he joined Bruce Springsteen on stage at the home of Liverpool FC to play two tracks, including The Beatles' 'Cant Buy Me Love'.

He also played intimate gigs at the Bowery Ballroom in New York in February, which were announced at the last minute and led fans dashing to the venue for tickets. Nowadays, the shows are celebrations of Paul's entire career but his concerts weren't always lik details

The Beatles’ catalog, decorated as it is, includes a few songs that just don’t get a ton of attention. Diehard fans know their entire output inside and out. But those who only dabble in Beatle fandom, or those who are maybe just learning about the group, might have missed a few gems. These five songs won’t appear on too many greatest hits compilations by the Fab Four. But we’re here to tell you that they’re wonderful Beatles deep cuts that should be praised to the utmost.
“I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party” from ‘Beatles For Sale’ (1964)

It makes sense that one of the songs on this list would come from Beatles For Sale. That LP doesn’t get a lot of attention as a whole. The record came at a point where John Lennon and Paul McCartney were starting to stretch their songwriting boundaries, both in terms of topics and styles. “I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party” came from John Lennon, and it finds him trying out a subtle country and western vibe. But it’s the lyrics that truly stand out, as the narrator struggles with insecurity over a girl he can’t seem to corral.
“Yes It Is” B-side (1965)

B-sides also t details