Beatles Facts- Part 2

The sleeve of the Beatles’ first album called Please, Please Me had the distinction of having credited John and Paul’s compositions as McCartney–Lennon instead of Lennon–McCartney. One reason could be the fact that the first two Beatle songs chosen to be put on record (by the group’s producer) are "Love Me Do" and “P.S. I Love You," both McCartney compositions. Sorry, Yoko but those are the facts!

Lennon first wore his famed round eyeglasses during the shooting for the film "How I Won the War" where he had a cameo role. It was believed that while in-between shoots, he was writing a song later to be known as "Strawberry Fields Forever."

John’s "Julia," which appeared on the Beatles White Album and a song dedicated to his late mother Julia, and wife Yoko, was the only Beatle song wherein he played alone, without assistance from the rest of the group.

Paul McCartney had done the same many times. In "Yesterday," string instrumentalists helped him record what would be hailed as the most covered song of all time.

Here’s a big one…who plays that incredible guitar solo during “The End” on the Beatles Abbey Road album? Actually it’s Paul, George and John, in that order the whole way through, trading licks. Each mini solo lasts just 2 bars or 4 seconds. Paul and George are using their Telecasters Electric Guitar and John his Casino Electric Guitar.

Before writing "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," George Harrison randomly picked up a book on a shelf, opened it and read the first word he saw. The word was ‘gently.’

Incidentally, legendary Eric Clapton played the crying ‘lead guitar’ on the song. George was waiting for Eric in his garden one morning when the inspiration for the song “Here Comes the Sun” came to him.

John Lennon considered his lyrics on "Across the Universe" as one of his best. He described it as a "piece of poetry that strongly stood alone, without the help of its melody." John had to wake up from his bed to finish the song after its melody kept ringing in his ears.

Paul McCartney's song 'Yesterday", which was recently voted the most popular song of the century by a BBC poll, had music written before the lyrics. Paul used the working line 'scrambled eggs, oh my baby how I love your legs' before coming up with 'yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away' while composing this song.

The song 'Strawberry Fields Forever" is actually two versions of the song mixed together by George Martin. One was a half-tone higher and slightly faster. When it was slowed down it somehow fit together with the other version perfectly. Then John liked both versions and couldn't decide on one and asked Martin if he could put them together somehow. When he tried it - it worked! You can find the 2 versions fitted together at the one minute mark of the song.

The Beatles featured two left handed members, Paul, whom everyone saw holding his Hoffner bass left handed, and Ringo, whose left handedness is at least partially to blame for his 'original' drumming style.

The Beatles song "Dear Prudence" was written about Mia Farrow's sister, Prudence, when she wouldn't come out and play with Mia and the Beatles at a religious retreat in India

John Lennon originally wrote "Come Together" as a campaign slogan for counterculture guru Timothy Leary's failed California gubernatorial campaign against Ronald Reagan.

The song was also the subject of a lawsuit claiming that a lyric in the song was lifted from Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me." The Beatles' lyric was "Here comes ol' flat-top. He come groovin' up slowly." The Chuck Berry lyric was "Here come up flat top. He was groovin' up with me." The Beatles and Berry's publisher settled out of court. John agreed to record 3 of his songs on his upcoming Rock n Roll album.

“Dr. Robert" was mostly a Lennon composition, with help from McCartney for the middle. The song is about a prominent New York doctor who supplied acid and speed to rock stars and the entourage of Andy Warhol. In his Playboy interview, Lennon said that, in another sense, he himself was also Dr. Robert since he was usually the Beatle who carried and dispensed pills while on tour. Pete Shotton also commented that Lennon was amused at everyone singing along without knowing the song's real meaning.

In the song “Getting Better” the opening guitar riff is actually played by George Martin who is hitting the strings inside a piano with a mallet.

Beatles Facts and Firsts

• Beatles Facts - Part 1
• Beatles Facts - Part 2
• Beatles Firsts