Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Beatles Myth Busted!
Admittedly, calling this a Beatles Myth is probably a stretch since it's a myth about Paul's late wife Linda McCartney. I'm posting it here because I've heard it stated as fact a so many times and I wanted to clear up the confusion: Linda Eastman McCartney was not an Eastman from Eastman-Kodak. I completely understand how the rumor spread. Linda was a professional photographer and her last name was Eastman. Those two facts are enough to keep this myth circulating. Her family was originally Epstein, but she was also not related to Beatles' manager Brian Epstein. Her grandfather changed the name from Epstein to Eastman when he immigrated from Russia to the United States.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
On this day in Beatles History...February 17, 1967
49 years ago today on February 17, 1967, The Beatles recorded the majority of the song Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite for the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. Throughout February and March, additional overdubs were also recorded, including numerous recordings of various pianos and organs played by The Beatles' producer, George Martin. However, it was on February 17 that the bulk of the song was put down on tape. The recording took place at EMI Studio Two.
The song's strange lyrics are very unusual, even for The Beatles later works! The song was written based on a circus poster from 1843 that John Lennon purchased from an antique shop a few weeks earlier in Kent when the band was making a film for Strawberry Fields Forever. Although it was generally assumed that the song was written primarily or entirely by John, Paul McCartney stated in a 2013 interview with Rolling Stone magazine that the pair co-wrote the song while looking at the poster in John's home. The song title and many of the lyrics were taken directly from the poster. One lyric that was changes was the name of the horse. In the song, the horse is called Henry, but on the poster the horse is named Zanthus. This change led to the song being banned from radio play by the BBC because the words Henry and Horse were both slang for heroin.
The Beatles never performed the song live as a group and it wasn't until Paul McCartney played it at a show in Brazil on May 4, 2013 that any member of the band performed the song live. After this performance in Brazil, Paul continued to perform the song at concerts through 2015 and even live on The Colbert Report on June 12, 2013, a few weeks after the first live performance!
The song's strange lyrics are very unusual, even for The Beatles later works! The song was written based on a circus poster from 1843 that John Lennon purchased from an antique shop a few weeks earlier in Kent when the band was making a film for Strawberry Fields Forever. Although it was generally assumed that the song was written primarily or entirely by John, Paul McCartney stated in a 2013 interview with Rolling Stone magazine that the pair co-wrote the song while looking at the poster in John's home. The song title and many of the lyrics were taken directly from the poster. One lyric that was changes was the name of the horse. In the song, the horse is called Henry, but on the poster the horse is named Zanthus. This change led to the song being banned from radio play by the BBC because the words Henry and Horse were both slang for heroin.
The Beatles never performed the song live as a group and it wasn't until Paul McCartney played it at a show in Brazil on May 4, 2013 that any member of the band performed the song live. After this performance in Brazil, Paul continued to perform the song at concerts through 2015 and even live on The Colbert Report on June 12, 2013, a few weeks after the first live performance!
Saturday, February 13, 2016
On this day in Beatles History...February 13, 1967
49 years ago today on February 13, 1967, The Beatles release the Penny Lane / Strawberry Fields single in the USA and became The Beatles 13th #1 single in the USA. Although both songs are credited to the Lennon / McCartney, Strawberry Fields was written by John Lennon and Penny Lane was written by Paul McCartney. Both songs were inspired by actual places from their past. John played in the garden of Strawberry Field. Penny Lane was written about the Penny Lane bus terminus where Paul and John had to switch buses whenever they went to each other's houses. It was where the two would meet and hang our or take a bus into the city.
Strawberry Fields was the first song recorded for the Sgt. Pepper album and both songs were recorded during sessions for that album, but when the record company needed a new single, producer George Martin suggested these two. He mentioned that he believed they were the two best Beatles songs so far. Because they were released as a single, they were not included on the Sgt. Pepper album.
Strawberry Fields was the first song recorded for the Sgt. Pepper album and both songs were recorded during sessions for that album, but when the record company needed a new single, producer George Martin suggested these two. He mentioned that he believed they were the two best Beatles songs so far. Because they were released as a single, they were not included on the Sgt. Pepper album.
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
On this day in Beatles History...February 9, 1964
On February 9, 1964, The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and Beatlemania went into full swing in the USA. Legend has it that Mr. Sullivan had originally offered The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein a very substantial amount of money for a Beatles appearance on his show, but Epstein knew what an opportunity this was and countered with an offer to have The Beatles appear three times at a lower price if they could both open and close each show. This would give the boys much more exposure. The plan certainly worked. Allegedly, their February 9th appearance drew a record breaking 73 million viewers!
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