Beatles News
It’s hard to pick a definitive Beatles song. The rockers have too many classic tracks to their name, but “Yesterday” is a strong contender for the title. The Paul McCartney penned track sees the singer long to turn back time. Revisit the meaning behind this hit, below.
Behind the Meaning....
Yesterday
All my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they’re here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Like much of McCartney’s catalog, “Yesterday” is concerned with romantic relationships–or the lack thereof. He finds himself reeling from heartbreak, wishing he could turn back the clock and erase the breakup.
Suddenly
I’m not half the man I used to be
There’s a shadow hanging over me
Oh, yesterday came suddenly
Source: Alex Hopper/americansongwriter.com
John Lennon and Paul McCartney weren't on good terms when The Beatles broke up. Lennon was reportedly ready to put their differences aside.
After The Beatles broke up, John Lennon and Paul McCartney were on decidedly chilly terms. They insulted one another in interviews and songs and rarely saw one another. Several years after the breakup, though, much of their anger had waned. According to Lennon’s girlfriend, May Pang, he considered reuniting with McCartney to write music.
After the vitriolic Beatles break up, Lennon and McCartney steered clear of each other. McCartney said that anytime he attempted to reach out to his former bandmate over the phone, he was met with nothing but anger.
By 1973, though, neither felt nearly as angry. According to Lennon’s girlfriend, May Pang, McCartney and his wife Linda visited them often.
“Paul and Linda would visit us whenever we were [in New York],” she told Cultural Sonar. “Well, they said that they were going to New Orleans to record their new album. John thought it was a fabulous idea.”
Source: Emma McKee/cheatsheet.com
John Lennon got into many fights in his life. After one, his ex-wife told Lennon's opponent that he should have hit him harder.
John Lennon’s first wife, Cynthia, was likely more familiar with the musician’s caustic side than most. The couple did not separate on good terms, and Cynthia dealt with his coldness and infidelity throughout their marriage. After their divorce, Cynthia learned that musician Terri Hooley punched Lennon. She told Hooley he should have hit him harder.
In 1970, Hooley met Lennon in London. They were looking for radio equipment, but Lennon, incorrectly believing they were members of the IRA, offered to give them weapons.
“Me and a few friends had just set up a pirate radio station in the Craigantlet Hills and were in London to get equipment for it when I met Lennon,” Hooley told the Belfast Telegraph. “I can clearly remember that one of Lennon’s friends brought us to a garage and showed us guns and asked us if we wanted to bring them back home. They obviously thought we were ‘the lads.’ We were ‘the lads,’ just not the ones they thought we were.”
Source: Emma McKee/cheatsheet.com
Receiving over 50 awards during his time in Hollywood, Robert Downey Jr. solidified himself as an A-list actor thanks to roles in films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Zodiac, Tropic Thunder, Iron Man, and his latest, Oppenheimer. Showcasing his range over the last 50 years, the actor is among some of the top celebrities in Hollywood. Although Downey Jr. knows what it is like to watch fans become awestruck to meet him, he recently detailed the individual who caused him to fanboy. Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the actor discussed numerous topics like his new film Oppenheimer, which he won a Golden Globe for, and how he screened the movie for a few celebrities to promote the film. While excited for her role in the movie, due to the actor’s strike at the time, he couldn’t attend the premiere.
So instead, he created a premiere himself. “I invited everyone who was in the Hamptons, and for the first time in my whole career, strangely, everyone RSVP’d. ” While Downey Jr. found himself in the company of stars like Steven Spielberg and Michael J. Fox, none compared to the iconic Paul McCartney. Sharing his experience, the actor explained, “I sit down, and the movie starts and I realize I’m sitting next to Paul McCartney. And I was like dude, Paul McCartney RSVP’d and he’s sitting next to me.” He added, “And then I was just like, smelling his cologne, and I started like, breathing in the same rhythm as him. I didn’t even watch the movie.”
Source: Chris Piner/americansongwriter.com
The 62 year old Hollywood star said McCartney sent him the song ‘Now And Then' a year ago and asked him if he had ‘any place in a movie' to feature it.
Paul McCartney boasted ‘We rock’ when he first showed off the new Beatles song, George Clooney has revealed.
The 62 year old Hollywood star said McCartney sent him the song ‘Now And Then’ a year ago and asked him if he had ‘any place in a movie’ to feature it.
The actor was in awe when he first heard the song and said the music legend seemed pretty pleased with it himself.
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Discussing the single on the Soundtracking with Edith Bowman podcast, Clooney said: “[McCartney] sent it to me a year ago, and said ‘I got this thing, do you have any place in a movie for it?’
“I was like ‘Oh my god’.
“I got to hear it, and I wrote him and said ‘Jesus Paul, it’s a Beatles song. It’s a 50 year old Beatle’s song’.
“And he was like ‘Yeah, we rock’. And I was like ‘Yeah you rock dude.’”
Source: Tara Fair/express.co.uk
While talking with another rock star, Ringo Starr revealed the album where The Beatles started writing songs about love that were cosmic. The album in question was a huge upgrade.
The Beatles‘ love songs are untouchable. While talking with a 1990s rock star, Ringo Starr revealed the album where The Beatles started writing songs about love that were more cosmic. The album in question was a huge upgrade from the boy band that gave us “Love Me Do” and “Please Please Me.”
In a 2019 Rolling Stone article, Ringo and Dave Grohl interviewed each other. Grohl made an observation about The Beatles. “Love has always been a theme with The Beatles,” he said. “At the beginning.”
Ringo concurred, noting that The Beatles initially wrote love songs directed at girls, such as “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
Grohl asked Ringo when the love in The Beatles’ music became more spiritual and universal. “Probably ’round about ’67, going into the Revolver album,” Ringo replied. “I mean, you know, we were growing up, we were changing, we were smoking dope! And things unclouded, and I think that made big changes and we were used to being in the studio, we knew how to do that.”
Source: Matthew Trzcinski/cheatsheet.com
Ringo Starr said The Beatles’ prominence could have ended after one of their most famous songs came out. The track in question has a country music influence.
It’s hard to imagine now, but the success of The Beatles’ songs was never a given. Ringo Starr said the band’s prominence could have ended after one of their most famous songs came out. Notably, the track in question was a No. 1 single in the United States but not in the United Kingdom.
During a 2019 article from Rolling Stone, Ringo and Grohl interviewed one another. Ringo reflected on his hits with The Beatles. “‘Love Me Do’ could’ve been the first and last, but it went on,” he said. “And there’s interviews of us, like, ‘Well, you know, it’ll probably last about four years.'”In actuality, The Beatles lasted for 10 years together. Afterward, each had a string of hit tunes in the 1970s. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison each managed to have hit singles in the 1980s. Paul even managed a big hit in the 2010s: “FourFive Seconds,” a collaboration between the former Beatle, Rihanna, and Kanye West.
Source: Matthew Trzcinski/cheatsheet.com
On November 10, The Beatles’ 1962-1966 (‘The Red Album’) and 1967-1970 (‘The Blue Album’) collections is released in 2023 Edition packages by Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe.
Since their first incarnations appeared 50 years ago, these albums have introduced successive generations to The Beatles’ music. Now, both collections’ tracklists have been expanded, with all the songs mixed in stereo and Dolby Atmos. New 4CD and 180-gram 6LP vinyl collections pair ‘Red’ and ‘Blue’ in slipcased sets. The UK single version of “Love Me Do” now kicks off 1962-1966 (2023 Edition) and “Now And Then” is featured on 1967-1970 (2023 Edition) to complete the career-spanning collections.
Source: thebeatles.com
A book of autographs that includes signatures of all four of The Beatles is set to be auctioned.
The book, with an estimated sale price of £4,500, also includes a piece of a broken plectrum used by Paul McCartney.
Seller Julian Dennis, said it was time to pass on the "fascinating keepsake", with the Fab Four's 60-year-old signatures, and much more.
"I was, and still am, a massive Beatles fan and their music has accompanied me throughout my life," he said.
His book also features a personal message from Beatles' road manager Mal Evans.
Source: By Alice Cullinane/bbc.com
Known for his talents as both a musician and songwriter, Donovan landed numerous hits like “Colours,” “Catch the Wind,” and “Sunshine Superman.” He also helped John Lennon learn the style of finger-picking in 1968. Lennon would go on to use that style in songs like “Happiness Is a Warm Gun” and “Julia.” While always willing to help fellow artists, the musician recently admitted to mentoring George Harrison after noticing he was “in the shadow” of other great stars like Lennon and Paul McCartney.
Discussing his time in music with Record Collector magazine, Donovan recalled his time with Harrison. “I became George’s mentor for songwriting,” he said. “He was in the shadow of John and Paul for so many years and I said, ‘Look, I’ll show you a few tricks, how to encourage the songs.’ There’s a way to encourage the song to come.”
Source: americansongwriter.com/Chris Piner
