Beatles News
This wasn't your average Chevy. Forget the four-door family hauler. Ringo's Bel Air was a sleek black coupe, designed to grab attention wherever it went. Open the door and you'd be greeted by a luxurious black and yellow leather interior – a far cry from the vinyl seats most cars sported back in the day.
Plus, for that extra touch of cool, the exhaust pipes weren't hidden away under the car. Instead, you can find on the sides.
Power Under the Hood.
Under the hood? Well, Ringo wasn't one for sluggish rides.
This Bel Air packed a serious wallop with a 350 cubic inch engine and a 3-speed manual transmission. In layman's terms, that means this Chevy had enough power to get Ringo wherever he needed to go, fast.
According to classic.com, Ringo's very Bel Air was auctioned for $64,557! So, Ringo's Chevy wasn't just impressive, it was a true collector's item!
Would you trade in your car for Ringo's one-of-a-kind Chevy? What other classic car would you love to own? Let us know in the comments below, and if you dug this article, give it a thumbs up!
Source: Faustino Gregoroff/tork.buzz
John Lennon, born on October 9, 1940, in Liverpool, England, was a legendary singer, songwriter, and peace activist who co-founded the iconic rock band, The Beatles. He was a pivotal figure in the music industry and became one of the most influential and celebrated musicians of the 20th century.
In the early 1960s, along with Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, John Lennon formed The Beatles, a band that would revolutionize popular music and become a cultural phenomenon. As the primary songwriter and co-lead vocalist of the group, Lennon’s creative contributions were instrumental in shaping their sound and style.
The Beatles’ massive success and unprecedented fame brought Beatlemania to the world, influencing an entire generation and changing the landscape of popular music forever. Some of Lennon’s most iconic compositions for The Beatles include “Imagine,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “A Day in the Life,” and “Let It Be.”
In 1969, John Lennon married artist and musician Yoko Ono, and the couple became known for their activism and advocacy for peace. Their “Bed-In” events, peace protests, and iconic song “Give Peace a Chance” demonstrated Lennon’s commitment to promoting non-violence and social harmony.
Source: Edward Tomlin/singersroom.com
Now here’s a thing: in spite of the Lennon & McCartney partnership dominating the Beatles catalogue, the Fab Four’s most-listened track on Spotify is actually by George Harrison. During these long summer days, however, it’s easy to fall for the charm of ‘Here Comes The Sun’ – a song that tops the group’s streaming league. One person might not be such a fan – Ringo Starr had a terrible time trying to get the time shifts correct.
The song itself is a beam of light from the Beatles darkest times. Composed during their final arc, ‘Here Comes The Sun’ is about yearning for optimism when all around you seems gloomy. Writer George Harrison reflected in his memoir I Me Mine: “‘Here Comes the Sun’ was written at the time when Apple was getting like school, where we had to go and be businessmen: ‘Sign this’ and ‘sign that.’ Anyway, it seems as if winter in England goes on forever, by the time spring comes you really deserve it. So one day I decided I was going to sag off Apple and I went over to Eric Clapton’s house. The relief of not having to go see all those dopey accountants was wonderful, and I walked around the garden with one of Eric’s acoustic guitars and wrote ‘Here Comes the Sun'”.
Source: Robin Murray/clashmusic.com
The history of music can be divided into two parts: before the Beatles and after. Such was the potency of their influence, not only as songwriters and music makers, but as a business entity and industry role model.
Arguably the clearest example of how the Beatles changed the world within a matter of months is the period leading up to the release of their fourth U.S. album, 1964's A Hard Day's Night.
In February of that year, the Beatles made their first pilgrimage to America, performing on The Ed Sullivan Show which was televised to some 73 million viewers. (Among the list of musicians who would later cite this moment as the one in which they knew they wanted to be performing artists themselves: Billy Joel, Tom Petty, Gene Simmons, Joe Perry, Nancy Wilson and Bruce Springsteen.) Thanks in no small part to that television show, American audiences became nearly insatiable for all things Beatles.
There was also the fact that the New York City radio station WMCA was granted the exclusive rights to play the A Hard Day’s Night film soundtrack album in full 10 days before it was scheduled to be released, which only fueled the fire and emphasized the unprecedented times. "There is little question that stations in a hotly competitive market who fail to get on important new records run serious risk of losing listeners to the competition," Billboard reported in July of 1964.
Source: Allison Rapp/retro1025.com
Nah, nah, nah, nah nah nah nah! Nah nah nah nah!
When it comes to signature songs, The Beatles simply do not have one.
They released too many important songs, too many incredibly popular songs, and too many greatest-of-all-time songs to have their back catalogue reduced to one, two or even a dozen standouts.
Instead, it feels like we get an endless, glorious conveyor belt of Beatles songs that resurface once in a while to have their moment before another one grabs its place in the spotlight.
One of those songs is of course 'Hey Jude', the standalone masterpiece that soared to the top of the charts in 1968.
But who wrote the song, who is "Jude", and what's it really about? Read on for all you need to know.
Who wrote 'Hey Jude'?
Source:Mayer Nissim/goldradiouk.com
John Lennon video for “You Are Here” features unseen 1968 footage of Lennon, Yoko Ono
A new John Lennon music video has been released to accompany a new “Ultimate Mix” version of his solo song “You Are Here,” a love ballad that Lennon wrote for his future wife, Yoko Ono. The video features previously unseen 1968 footage of Lennon and Ono at the opening of his “You Are Here (To Yoko From John Lennon, With Love)” art exhibit at the Robert Fraser Gallery in London. You Are Here is taken from Lennon’s 1973 album ‘Mind Games’ which will be reissued in deluxe form on July 12. John and Yoko’s son, Sean Ono Lennon, produced the new mix of the track.
The You Are Here (To Yoko From John Lennon, With Love)” art exhibit opened on July 1, 1968, and was Lennon’s first major art show, featuring a bare gallery with a series of collection boxes for various charities leading visitors to a white canvas with the words “you are here” written on it by Lennon. As part of the show, Lennon released 365 white helium-filled balloons in which tags were attached telling those who discovered them to send a message to John via the gallery sharing their address and where they were found. Lennon then sent back a personal letter along with a “you are here” button.
Source: espnradioorlando.com
Ringo Starr might have been underestimated when he started his solo career after The Beatles’ breakup. That didn’t last for long, as he proved to have one of the highest percentages of hits to misses of all the Fab Four, at least in the early 1970s. The hard-rocking “Back off Boogaloo” added to the hits category, as it rolled into the Top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic when released in 1972.
Meaning Behind “You’re in My Heart' by Rod Stewart and the Famous Girl Who Inspired It
What is the song about? What in the world is a boogaloo anyway? And was Starr taking a subtle shot in song at fellow ex-Beatle Paul McCartney? Let’s get all the answers as we explore the story and meaning behind “Back off Boogaloo.”
Ringo on a Roll
Ringo Starr seemed to benefit from his reluctance to come out swinging for the pop charts after The Beatles’ breakup. His solo debut, the 1970 album Beaucoup of Blues, was a low-key tribute to the country music he loved. It was never meant for anything more than a niche audience. In terms of his rock music, Starr decided to stick with singles off the bat, instead of committing to an album’s worth of material.
That approach proved wise, as it gave fans time to miss what Ringo brought to the table. His next single, “It Don’t Come Easy” in 1971, made a big splash. He then took another year off while concentrating on his career as an actor in films. “Back off Boogaloo” came a year later, and then, the year after that, he had raised expectation levels to such a pitch that the public was waiting for his album Ringo, which became a runaway success.
Source:Jim Beviglia/americansongwriter.com
Though they both wrote songs for the Beatles, Paul McCartney and George Harrison rarely teamed up as a duo. Nevertheless, they once hopped into the writer’s room together for their skiffle band, The Quarrymen. Learn more about this McCartney–Harrison joint venture, below.
Back before the Beatles skyrocketed to fame, McCartney and Harrison were apart of a smaller venture called The Quarrymen. While in that group, they wrote a song titled “In Spite of All The Danger.” It’s one of the only songs credited to McCartney–Harrison, making it novel in the Fab Four’s catalog.
In spite of all the danger
In spite of all that may be
I’ll do anything for you
Anything you want me to
If you’ll be true to me
Though the Beatles would later come to be finite in their copyrights and songwriting credits, The Quarrymen didn’t quite understand how to fairly distribute those credits–at least according to McCartney.
Though this song is credited to both members, Macca once said that he penned the song and Harrison just played the guitar solo.
“It says on the label that it was me and George but I think it was actually written by me, and George played the guitar solo,” McCartney once said. “We were mates and nobody was into copyrights and publishing, nobody understood – we actually used to think when we came down to London that songs belonged to everyone. I’ve said this a few times but it’s true, we really thought they just were in the air, and that you couldn’t actually own one. So you can imagine the publishers saw us coming!”
Source: Alex Hopper/americansongwriter.com
The event on Saturday, Aug. 3 celebrates the 60th anniversary of two performances by The Beatles at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
INDIANAPOLIS — On Global Beatles Day, the Indiana State Fair has announced an upcoming daylong event to celebrate all things "Fab Four."
"Celebrating The Beatles at the Indiana State Fair" on Saturday, Aug. 3 will mark the 60th anniversary of two performances by The Beatles at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Those sold-out shows, featuring John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison, took place Sept. 3, 1964.
According to a press release from the Indiana State Fair, the Aug. 3 events include:
A tribute to The Beatles by "A Hard Day's Night" performing a concert at 2 p.m., where the exact setlist from the 1964 Indianapolis shows will be performed on the Hoosier Lottery Free Stage. A display of artifacts from the Jim Irsay collection, including three guitars used by The Beatles in the early years. Beatles-themed movies played at the fairground's outdoor theater. An evening concert at 7 p.m. of "Live and Let Die: The Music of Paul McCartney," featuring Tony Kishman.
There will also be additional celebrations onsite at various times throughout the day:
6 a.m.: Beatles-themed hot air balloon
10 a.m.: Beatlemania Brunch, featuring special themed food and drink selections
Noon: Liverpool Lunch
4 p.m.: Fab Afternoon Tea
Throughout the day, there will be impersonators of the Fab Four, themed photo and selfie stations, and music played throughout the fairgrounds.
Special food and drink options will include:
Hard Days Flight
Coo Coo Ka Choo on this Turkey Leg
Strawberry Fried Green Salad
Yellow Submarine Sandwich
Here Comes the Sun Punch Drink
According to the state fair, Aug. 3 will begin a monthlong celebration of The Beatles. Additional details will be announced that morning at 10 a.m. at a special press event.
Source:wthr.com
On This Day, June 25, 1966 …
The Beatles topped the Billboard singles chart with “Paperback Writer,” which spent two nonconsecutive weeks at #1. The song also topped the chart in the U.K., Ireland, West Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Norway.
McCartney wrote most of the song’s lyrics. He said he was inspired to write it after his aunt complained that he wrote too many love songs and asked why he didn’t write about a “horse or the summit conference or something interesting.”
“Paperback Writer” was released as a single with “Rain” as its B-side, and later appeared on the 1970 compilation album Hey Jude in the U.S. and Canada.
The tune is known for its boosted bass guitar sound, which Lennon reportedly wanted after wondering why Wilson Pickett’s record had more bass than any Beatles album.
The track was the only new song The Beatles performed during their final 1966 tour.
Source: kslx.com
