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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

Weapons debuted at No. 1 at the box office this weekend — what's the haunting classic rock song that opens the chilling new mystery horror film?

The movie — written and directed by Zach Cregger and starring Josh Brolin, Julia Garner and Alden Ehrenreich, among others — follows the baffling case of 17 children from the same classroom who all run away on the same night, seemingly abducted by an unseen force.

"Last night at 2:17 a.m. every child from Mrs. Gandy's class woke up, got out of bed, went downstairs, opened the front door, walked into the dark," the Weapons release poster says. "... And they never came back."

Weapons begins, accordingly, with the kids running out of their houses in the middle of the night. (Not a spoiler!) And their mysterious exodus is soundtracked, fittingly, by George Harrison's "Beware of Darkness."

"Beware of Darkness" appeared on Harrison's 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass, opening its second disc. As with many Harrison songs from that era, it's achingly beautiful but vaguely foreboding — and it's in that second light that the lyrics perfectly suit the premise of Weapons.

"Take care, beware of the thoughts that linger / Winding u details

Though they would reform for the Anthology releases a decade after this “absolute rubbish” performance, The Beatles did “reunite”.

At the wedding of Eric Clapton and Pattie Boyd, three of the four Beatles got together to perform for the first time since their impromptu rooftop gig. Almost a decade on from their tumultuous split and Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison got back together on stage. Harrison, who had been married to Boyd, finalised their divorce in 1977 but remained a close friend. He would marry Olivia Arias in 1978, and remained with her until his death in 2001. But he still attended Boyd’s wedding, with Clapton and Harrison remaining friends despite the infidelities between them.

Clapton had written the hit track Layla for Harrison’s then-wife, while the so-called quiet one would begin an affair with Starr’s first wife, Maureen Starkey. Despite the messy personal relationship between the group, Starr, Harrison, and McCartney attended Clapton’s wedding and gave what would can be considered the last-ever performance of The Beatles.

Though they were missing John Lennon, the band would take to the stage of Clapton and Boyd’s we details

The Beatles understandably reached back to unused material from their time together while completing early solo projects. With so much musical talent, some very good stuff got left on the cutting-room floor.

Songs that the Beatles took the longest to finish include four entries from Paul McCartney's first LP after their split in 1970. There are three more from George Harrison's and one from John Lennon's, as well.

But the Beatles had long made a habit of resurrecting unreleased material, with Lennon and McCartney including songs they'd started in their teens on band recordings. They also turned to legacy material when they found themselves struggling creatively, first because overwork and then later amid growing interpersonal issues.

After their breakup, the group's three main songwriters continued to dig around in the vaults. None of them was more determined to complete older unissued tracks than Harrison. He was still releasing songs he'd started but never finished with the Beatles into the '80s.

In compiling this countdown of 25 Beatles songs that took the longest to finish, we focused as much as possible on starting with their first run throughs of the material during band sessions. (Recollec details

It’s been 60 years since The Beatles released Help!, their fifth British LP. Perhaps because it was attached to a chaotic movie, or maybe because it was followed up by a series of masterpiece albums, this 1965 LP doesn’t quite get its proper due.

The Beatles were transitioning away from the simplicity of their early stuff into much more lyrically and musically complex work. Here are some tidbits about the making of the album that you might not have known.

“Yesterday” now stands as one of the most important songs in pop music history. It showed that a rock band need not release music reliant on the instrumentation we usually associate with the genre. And thanks to the touch of producer George Martin, it demonstrated a way for strings to be incorporated into a pop music structure without overdoing it. Still, The Beatles felt a little self-conscious about the whole thing at the time of its release. That’s why they chose not to release it as a single in England. In America, where they had less control over their catalog, it did come out as a single. And it soared to dizzying levels of success in the process.

Source: americansongwriter.com/Jim Beviglia

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A demo version of the John Lennon song Imagine has left fans wondering if the former Beatle knew he “had a hit on his hands”.

The title track of Lennon’s 1971 album would be released to critical acclaim from the press and public. Imagine would make it to third on the Billboard 100, and while it would never top the charts in the UK or US, it would become one of Lennon’s best-known solo songs. Fans believe Lennon knew he “had a hit on his hands” because of how well-formed the song is during its demo phase. Others have praised the early version of Lennon’s much-loved song as a “wonderful listening” experience that highlights the “beauty” of the song.

One comment underneath the YouTube upload of the Imagine demo reads: “He obviously knew he had a ‘hit’ on his hands. It’s so perfect and fully formed: the lyrics, the melody, the chords. He really delivered a masterpiece.”

Another agreed, adding: “There is always something wonderful listening to demos. Often they capture the rawness and beauty of the melody and lyrics. As this does…” Other listeners were full of praise for the early years of a song details

The Beatles have never completely vacated the charts in the United Kingdom — at least not for long. Whether as a band or via the solo work of its members, the impact of the biggest band of all time can always be felt. Reissues, vinyl exclusives, and one-off special surges in popularity keep the music of all four artists coming back. This frame, it’s John Lennon who returns to a pair of tallies with one of his most direct and politically-charged solo statements.  “Power to the People” Is Back

“Power to the People,” credited to John Lennon, Yoko Ono – as simply John & Yoko – and the Plastic Ono Band, is back on two U.K. singles rankings. The track returns at No. 29 on the Official Vinyl Singles chart and at No. 36 on the Official Physical Singles list. A top 40 comeback more than half a century after the tune’s drop is the kind of surge any artist hopes for.  A Late Arrival to the Charts

 Though “Power to the People” was first issued in 1971, it didn’t become a charting hit in the U.K. until April 2025. It debuted that month on both the Official Vinyl Singles and Official Physical Singles charts, and even found roo details

During her 70-year reign, it would be easier to ask which celebrities Queen Elizabeth didn't meet. She rubbed shoulders with everyone from Elton John to Lady Gaga at events like the Royal Variety Performance, movie premieres and charity galas. She also presented plenty of honors during royal investitures, and in 1965, she awarded the members of The Beatles with their MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire). According to Craig Brown's biography Q: A Voyage Around The Queen, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison—who were in their early twenties at the time—had quite the crush on Queen Elizabeth before their trip to Buckingham Palace.

The late Queen was just 27 during her 1953 coronation, and Brown wrote that the four Beatles "had entertained lustful thoughts about the young Princess Elizabeth" when they were teenagers. In 2017, Paul McCartney reflected on their feelings about the monarch during an interview with 60 Minutes Australia, sharing, "They were very formative teenage years, and The Queen was, sort of, 24 or something, so, to us, she was a babe."

"We were like, 'Phowar!'" he continued, adding "there was a certain lustfulness in us teenagers" when it came to Elizab details

Both Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney are doing something they've never done when it comes to the new biopics that are in the works, and that's not only backing the project but actively getting involved. They are both promoting the films on their social media, and Starr, in particular, has had several meetings with the cast and crew. Recently, while he was interviewed during a show in celebration of his 85th birthday, he opened up about his feelings regarding Barry Keoghan being cast to play him in the biopic. He said he doesn't know exactly how he will choose to play the part, but that he has "spent time with him" and was reassured that the Irish actor "knows what he's doing."

"He's fabulous. He has a great love of The Beatles."

Ringo Starr's involvement in the upcoming movies extends beyond just meetings with the cast. He's also been working closely with the writers and has spoken candidly whenever he disagrees with their decisions. In a recent interview with Variety, he revealed that Sam Mendes had given him the chance to read the four scripts and had asked for his thoughts. Some things, Starr admitted, were not up to his standards. Especially the characterization of him and his family. “He had a writer & details

The Mets will honor the 60th anniversary of the Fab Four's performance at Shea Stadium, where they will host the Mariners on Aug. 15 for The Beatles Night at Citi Field.

The 1965 performance was a milestone because The Beatles became the first rock band to perform a major stadium concert. A 50-minute documentary titled "The Beatles at Shea Stadium" captured the show. At the time, the multipurpose stadium was home to the Mets and New York Jets.

The celebration will begin with a performance by 1964 the Tribute in front of Shea Bridge at 6:15 p.m. ET. The first 15,000 fans to enter Citi Field will receive an exclusive Shea Stadium replica.

The first pitch will be thrown by members of the game-day staff who worked the famous concert. A themed fireworks show will be held after the game.

Source: espn.com/Jesse Rogers

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‘Grow Old With Me’: A Look Back at the Song That Brought John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr Back Together Again

During the making of Ringo Starr’s 2019 album What’s My Name, his producer Jack Douglas brought up the Bermuda Tapes: had he heard the message John Lennon had left for him on them?

These tapes were demos recorded in the summer of 1980 that went unreleased by John, who died in December of that year. In them, he enthusiastically states that one of the songs would be “great!” for Ringo.

The message seemed to have come out of nowhere but would act as a major inspiration almost forty years later.

“That’s why I love life,” Ringo says. “Things just arrive!”

He says the song he heard following the message was beautiful. Why it was left unfinished, they will never know — but Ringo was up for the task.

In the studio, he recorded vocals and piano. And when his friend and fellow Beatle Paul McCartney came into town, he asked him to come and work on it with him. Over the years, the two had continued to collaborate, and asking Paul to join in on this track just made sense.

“He can only enhan details

Cultivating just the right environment for the studio is not always an easy task, considering all the external distractions, sicknesses, and general mindlessness that can cause a recording session to turn sour. Fortunately for Tom Petty, George Harrison was on hand while the Florida rocker was tracking what would become one of his most iconic and inspiring hits, “I Won’t Back Down.”

The context in which Petty wrote the song already added a significant layer of emotional distraction. The Full Moon Fever single was Petty’s direct response to a harrowing attack he and his family endured at their California home, which made revisiting the song as cathartic as it was uncomfortable. Moreover, Petty was incredibly sick the day that they were going to lay down the vocal track. Enter George with the ginger.
Save any obvious exceptions, like major trauma and injury, one of the worst things that can happen to a singer on the day of a recording session is to get a head cold. Singers’ instruments are their bodies: the lungs, diaphragm, larynx, sinuses. If mucus or inflammation affects any of these elements of the vocal passageway too strongly, it won’t just ruin a take. It can make it to details