The classic rock artists of the 1960s were sometimes seen as anti-establishment or even anti-capitalist. Paul McCartney admitted that The Beatles were materialistic and so were their contemporaries. He discussed why he and John Lennon were so keen to make money. The “Imagine” singer revealed his attitude toward money and socialism.
Paul McCartney said The Beatles used their concerts to sell Coca-Cola
Many fans interpret The Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love” and “Can’t Buy Me Love” as anti-materialistic songs. John’s “Imagine” goes even further, painting a world without possessions as a utopian ideal. To this day, the song spurs controversy for drawing influence from Marxist rhetoric. “Working Class Hero” also mimics Marxism. Despite this, The Beatles were as commercialized as humanly possible, inspiring a cartoon series, several films, merchandise, and more.
During a 1990 interview with Rolling Stone, Paul pulled no punches. “Whether you like it or not, no...
Paul McCartney said The Beatles used their concerts to sell Coca-Cola
Many fans interpret The Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love” and “Can’t Buy Me Love” as anti-materialistic songs. John’s “Imagine” goes even further, painting a world without possessions as a utopian ideal. To this day, the song spurs controversy for drawing influence from Marxist rhetoric. “Working Class Hero” also mimics Marxism. Despite this, The Beatles were as commercialized as humanly possible, inspiring a cartoon series, several films, merchandise, and more.
During a 1990 interview with Rolling Stone, Paul pulled no punches. “Whether you like it or not, no...
- 2/12/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon‘s “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” was “wild and rough,” according to the former Beatle. He compared “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” to a tune from his record Imagine. The Imagine song was about being in a bad headspace.
John Lennon wrote a song called ‘Crippled Inside’ for his ‘Imagine’ album
During a 1974 interview from the book Lennon on Lennon: Conversations With John Lennon, John discussed his then-new single “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night.” “Yeah, and it’s wild and rough,” he said. The tune has a lot of energy but it could very easily be understood as song about substance abuse.
“I call it ‘Crippled Inside,’ y’ know?” John said, referring to a less famous song from Imagine about dealing with internal struggles. “It’s like releasing ‘Crippled Inside’ from the Imagine album instead of ‘Imagine.’ But I took a consensus of opinion because after I’d done it,...
John Lennon wrote a song called ‘Crippled Inside’ for his ‘Imagine’ album
During a 1974 interview from the book Lennon on Lennon: Conversations With John Lennon, John discussed his then-new single “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night.” “Yeah, and it’s wild and rough,” he said. The tune has a lot of energy but it could very easily be understood as song about substance abuse.
“I call it ‘Crippled Inside,’ y’ know?” John said, referring to a less famous song from Imagine about dealing with internal struggles. “It’s like releasing ‘Crippled Inside’ from the Imagine album instead of ‘Imagine.’ But I took a consensus of opinion because after I’d done it,...
- 11/2/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Yoko Ono revealed she likes one of The Beatles‘ albums better than Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. She also named her favorite Beatles song, which was a huge hit. Blasphemous though it may seem, John Lennon wasn’t the biggest fan of Sgt. Pepper.
Yoko Ono loves ‘The White Album’ and the message of 1 Beatles song
During a 2016 interview with US Weekly, Yoko discussed her attitude toward two of The Beatles’ albums. “I don’t know if people will hate me for saying this, but I always preferred The White Album to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” she said. “Don’t get me wrong, I love Pepper’s too.” At this point, plenty of Beatles fans would agree with Yoko’s conclusion.
During a 2012 interview with The Telegraph, Yoko named “All You Need Is Love” as her favorite Beatles song. “I’m glad they were saying all you need is love,...
Yoko Ono loves ‘The White Album’ and the message of 1 Beatles song
During a 2016 interview with US Weekly, Yoko discussed her attitude toward two of The Beatles’ albums. “I don’t know if people will hate me for saying this, but I always preferred The White Album to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” she said. “Don’t get me wrong, I love Pepper’s too.” At this point, plenty of Beatles fans would agree with Yoko’s conclusion.
During a 2012 interview with The Telegraph, Yoko named “All You Need Is Love” as her favorite Beatles song. “I’m glad they were saying all you need is love,...
- 10/31/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
While many musicians practice diplomacy when speaking about their peers’ work, John Lennon never hesitated to call out a song he didn’t like. One of these songs was “We Love You” by The Rolling Stones. The band was one of The Beatles’ biggest competitors in the 1960s, and rumors frequently circulated about a rivalry between the two groups. Lennon publicly rolled his eyes at “We Love You” without mentioning that his voice was on the track.
John Lennon didn’t like a song, but he sang vocals on it
After The Beatles broke up, Lennon began airing many of his grievances from the 1960s in the press. One of his major problems was with The Rolling Stones. Lennon felt they knocked off The Beatles’ music, particularly with albums like Their Satanic Majesties Request.
“I was always very respectful about Mick [Jagger] and the Stones, but he said a lot of...
John Lennon didn’t like a song, but he sang vocals on it
After The Beatles broke up, Lennon began airing many of his grievances from the 1960s in the press. One of his major problems was with The Rolling Stones. Lennon felt they knocked off The Beatles’ music, particularly with albums like Their Satanic Majesties Request.
“I was always very respectful about Mick [Jagger] and the Stones, but he said a lot of...
- 10/4/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Ringo Starr has said for decades that he only ever wanted to be a drummer. Mission accomplished, sir. His steady backbeat helped make The Beatles the biggest band on earth. On a few occasions, he outshined his bandmates and came up big on their best songs. We didn’t know it at the time, but the world changed when Richard Starkey was born on July 7, 1940. To celebrate Ringo’s birthday, here are 10 of his best solo songs from his post-Beatles career to listen to.
Ringo Starr’s birthday coincided with some major Beatles events
There must have been something about early July that made it a special time for members of The Beatles.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney first met on July 6, 1957. Seven years later and well on their way to conquering the pop music world, the band premiered their first movie, A Hard Day’s Night. The album and titular single dropped four days later.
Ringo Starr’s birthday coincided with some major Beatles events
There must have been something about early July that made it a special time for members of The Beatles.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney first met on July 6, 1957. Seven years later and well on their way to conquering the pop music world, the band premiered their first movie, A Hard Day’s Night. The album and titular single dropped four days later.
- 7/6/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beatles released hits in the 1960s, the 1970s, the 1980s, and the 1990s. Some of those songs were hits during their initial run as a band. On the other hand, some Beatles songs were hits after the group disbanded.
The Beatles | Hulton Archive / Stringer The Beatles’ hits were numerous in the 1960s and few in the 1970s
The Beatles were together from 1960 to 1970. Thus, the 1960s were undeniably their heydey as a group. During that decade, they released hits of every flavor. Their first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 was “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
Subsequently, they had 17 more No. 1 singles on the chart in the 1960s, the final one being “Come Together”/”Something.”notably, Billboard counted those two sons as one single. In addition, many of their other songs became hits without reaching No. 1, including “Yellow Submarine,” “Day Tripper,” and “Strawberry Fields Forever.”
The Fab Four...
The Beatles | Hulton Archive / Stringer The Beatles’ hits were numerous in the 1960s and few in the 1970s
The Beatles were together from 1960 to 1970. Thus, the 1960s were undeniably their heydey as a group. During that decade, they released hits of every flavor. Their first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 was “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
Subsequently, they had 17 more No. 1 singles on the chart in the 1960s, the final one being “Come Together”/”Something.”notably, Billboard counted those two sons as one single. In addition, many of their other songs became hits without reaching No. 1, including “Yellow Submarine,” “Day Tripper,” and “Strawberry Fields Forever.”
The Fab Four...
- 5/8/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
A Beatles mashup became a huge hit. The tune combines several Fab Four songs with no apparent rhyme or reason to the editing. The medley was the one song credited to The Beatles to be a hit in the United States during the 1980s. The Beatles | Bettmann / Contributor
There’s a Beatles mashup containing snippets of seven of their songs in a few minutes. The tune isn’t very good. Despite this, it became an international hit for the Fab Four.
A hit Beatles mashup paid tribute to several songs from the Fab Four’s movie soundtracks
On YouTube, numerous artists create mashups — bits and pieces of other songs edited together to create a new work of art. Before YouTube existed, a Beatles mashup became an international hit. “The Beatles’ Movie Medley” combined elements from seven Beatles tracks to create a new song.
The songs in question are “Magical Mystery Tour,...
A Beatles mashup became a huge hit. The tune combines several Fab Four songs with no apparent rhyme or reason to the editing. The medley was the one song credited to The Beatles to be a hit in the United States during the 1980s. The Beatles | Bettmann / Contributor
There’s a Beatles mashup containing snippets of seven of their songs in a few minutes. The tune isn’t very good. Despite this, it became an international hit for the Fab Four.
A hit Beatles mashup paid tribute to several songs from the Fab Four’s movie soundtracks
On YouTube, numerous artists create mashups — bits and pieces of other songs edited together to create a new work of art. Before YouTube existed, a Beatles mashup became an international hit. “The Beatles’ Movie Medley” combined elements from seven Beatles tracks to create a new song.
The songs in question are “Magical Mystery Tour,...
- 5/8/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
Katy Perry’s recorded The Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love” in an acoustic style. The vocals on her cover sound better than John Lennon’s on the original “All You Need Is Love.” The Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love” was a No. 1 single for one week. Katy Perry and Paul McCartney | Kevin Mazur / Contributor
The Beatles‘ “All You Need Is Love” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. In fact, Katy Perry’s “All You Need Is Love” sounds a lot better. Despite this, Perry’s cover isn’t perfect.
Katy Perry’s cover of The Beatles’ ‘All You Need Is Love’ has superior vocals
The Beatles were musical geniuses, giving us classic album after classic album and classic song after classic song. Perry isn’t as highly regarded by critics, but she has given the world great pop songs such as “California Gurls,...
Katy Perry’s recorded The Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love” in an acoustic style. The vocals on her cover sound better than John Lennon’s on the original “All You Need Is Love.” The Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love” was a No. 1 single for one week. Katy Perry and Paul McCartney | Kevin Mazur / Contributor
The Beatles‘ “All You Need Is Love” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. In fact, Katy Perry’s “All You Need Is Love” sounds a lot better. Despite this, Perry’s cover isn’t perfect.
Katy Perry’s cover of The Beatles’ ‘All You Need Is Love’ has superior vocals
The Beatles were musical geniuses, giving us classic album after classic album and classic song after classic song. Perry isn’t as highly regarded by critics, but she has given the world great pop songs such as “California Gurls,...
- 5/5/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Some of The Beatles‘ songs are perfect for kids. After all, Paul McCartney said one of the Fab Four’s most famous hits was meant for children. In addition, one of The Beatles’ greatest social statements works for kids.
The Beatles | Bettmann / Contributor 5. ‘Yellow Submarine’
“Yellow Submarine” is like a Dr. Seuss story in song. It has everything a kid’s song needs: a magical faraway land, silly sound effects, and a lot of whimsy.
In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul discussed his intentions in writing “Yellow Submarine.” “I remember thinking that a children’s song would be quite a good idea and I thought of images, and the color yellow came to me, and a submarine came to me, and I thought, ‘Well, that’s kind of nice, like a toy, very childish yellow submarine,” he recalled.
“I was thinking of it as a song for Ringo,...
The Beatles | Bettmann / Contributor 5. ‘Yellow Submarine’
“Yellow Submarine” is like a Dr. Seuss story in song. It has everything a kid’s song needs: a magical faraway land, silly sound effects, and a lot of whimsy.
In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul discussed his intentions in writing “Yellow Submarine.” “I remember thinking that a children’s song would be quite a good idea and I thought of images, and the color yellow came to me, and a submarine came to me, and I thought, ‘Well, that’s kind of nice, like a toy, very childish yellow submarine,” he recalled.
“I was thinking of it as a song for Ringo,...
- 4/7/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
George Harrison had to fight and scratch to get his songs on Beatles records. That’s a well-known fact among Fab Four fans and might explain why he never missed his bandmates when the group broke up. Yet his tunes left their mark when they did show up. George’s most experimental Beatles songs show he was just as instrumental in pushing the band’s boundaries as Paul McCartney and John Lennon.
George Harrison | Chapman/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images George Harrison wrote several Beatles songs and scored 1 chart-topping hit
George’s Beatles songs were relatively few and far between since John and Paul acted as the gatekeepers when it came to putting tunes on Beatles albums. Still, the so-called quiet Beatle put three songs on Revolver and another four on the White Album.
The guitarist placed two songs on Abbey Road, the final album the Fab Four recorded together.
George Harrison | Chapman/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images George Harrison wrote several Beatles songs and scored 1 chart-topping hit
George’s Beatles songs were relatively few and far between since John and Paul acted as the gatekeepers when it came to putting tunes on Beatles albums. Still, the so-called quiet Beatle put three songs on Revolver and another four on the White Album.
The guitarist placed two songs on Abbey Road, the final album the Fab Four recorded together.
- 4/7/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Choosing the best Beatles songs might be a challenge, especially if you’re a uber-loyal fan who loves their whole catalog. However you feel about the Fab Four and their music, some songs are essential. They epitomize the group’s greatness and are so good that they make us wish they were still together.
The Beatles | Les Lee/Getty Images 10. ‘All My Loving’
“All My Loving” was a true group effort, and therefore, at the top of our list of top 10 Beatles songs that make us wish the band was still together. Paul McCartney wrote the tune, and John Lennon added the chugging rhythm guitar at the last minute. Something about “All My Loving” makes it a classic and one of the best Beatles songs.
9. ‘I Feel Fine’
“I Feel Fine” is just as much of a classic as “All My Loving.” The opening chord is one of the first...
The Beatles | Les Lee/Getty Images 10. ‘All My Loving’
“All My Loving” was a true group effort, and therefore, at the top of our list of top 10 Beatles songs that make us wish the band was still together. Paul McCartney wrote the tune, and John Lennon added the chugging rhythm guitar at the last minute. Something about “All My Loving” makes it a classic and one of the best Beatles songs.
9. ‘I Feel Fine’
“I Feel Fine” is just as much of a classic as “All My Loving.” The opening chord is one of the first...
- 4/6/2023
- by Hannah Wigandt
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
“God Only Knows” is a classic love song by The Beach Boys and is considered one of the greatest songs of all time. The track debuted in 1966 on the band’s album Pet Sounds. It didn’t just win over critics and audiences; several famous musicians have praised it, calling it one of their favorite songs. Here are four artists who have shared their love for “God Only Knows”.
The Beach Boys | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Christine McVie
The late Fleetwood Mac keyboardist had a special connection to The Beach Boys. She had a brief relationship with Dennis Wilson, brother and bandmate of Carl and Brian. During their time together, McVie went on the road with Dennis and The Beach Boys and would listen to Carl sing “God Only Knows”. In an interview with BBC Radio 2, she said “God Only Knows” became her “favorite song” after hearing it being sung by Carl.
The Beach Boys | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Christine McVie
The late Fleetwood Mac keyboardist had a special connection to The Beach Boys. She had a brief relationship with Dennis Wilson, brother and bandmate of Carl and Brian. During their time together, McVie went on the road with Dennis and The Beach Boys and would listen to Carl sing “God Only Knows”. In an interview with BBC Radio 2, she said “God Only Knows” became her “favorite song” after hearing it being sung by Carl.
- 4/3/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beatles‘ songs kept returning to one theme: love, love, love. In the same vein, several of the best Beatles songs have the word “love” in the title. Here are a few of The Beatles’ best songs with that magic word in their names.
The Beatles | Bettmann / Contributor 5. ‘All You Need Is Love’
“All You Need Is Love” is a song with a great message. It also paved the way for John Lennon to write other “message” songs like “Give Peace a Chance,” “Imagine,” and “Working Class Hero.”
The book Lennon on Lennon: Conversations with John Lennon includes a 1972 interview with the rock star. In it, he discusses the tune. “I was saying to Yoko, I still believe all you need is love,” he said. “But I don’t believe that just saying it is gonna do it.
“I still believe in the fact that love is what we all need,...
The Beatles | Bettmann / Contributor 5. ‘All You Need Is Love’
“All You Need Is Love” is a song with a great message. It also paved the way for John Lennon to write other “message” songs like “Give Peace a Chance,” “Imagine,” and “Working Class Hero.”
The book Lennon on Lennon: Conversations with John Lennon includes a 1972 interview with the rock star. In it, he discusses the tune. “I was saying to Yoko, I still believe all you need is love,” he said. “But I don’t believe that just saying it is gonna do it.
“I still believe in the fact that love is what we all need,...
- 3/27/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beatles sometimes advocated antimaterialism. Despite this, some of the best Beatles songs are about money. In addition, one of the best Beatles songs is implicitly about how money is unnecessary.
Piles of money | Harold M. Lambert / Contributor 4. ‘Baby, You’re a Rich Man’
The Beatles gave us many silly songs and many serious songs, “Baby, You’re a Rich Man” is somewhere in the middle. On one level, it’s a ridiculous song about keeping money in a big brown bag inside a zoo. On another level, there was probably a little twinge of introspection in it since the Fab Four members each became very wealthy.
“Baby, You’re a Rich Man” was the B-side of “All You Need Is Love.” The former reached No. 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 while the latter topped the chart for one week. While “All You Need Is Love” has more pop appeal, “Baby,...
Piles of money | Harold M. Lambert / Contributor 4. ‘Baby, You’re a Rich Man’
The Beatles gave us many silly songs and many serious songs, “Baby, You’re a Rich Man” is somewhere in the middle. On one level, it’s a ridiculous song about keeping money in a big brown bag inside a zoo. On another level, there was probably a little twinge of introspection in it since the Fab Four members each became very wealthy.
“Baby, You’re a Rich Man” was the B-side of “All You Need Is Love.” The former reached No. 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 while the latter topped the chart for one week. While “All You Need Is Love” has more pop appeal, “Baby,...
- 3/27/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
While a few of The Beatles’ songs got in trouble for drug and sexual references, the band rarely released any political music. While John Lennon was a public activist for pacifism and human rights, his politics were mostly preached in his solo career. However, there were a few times when the band did voice their political views, even if they were more subtle.
Here are 4 of the most political Beatles songs ‘All You Need Is Love’ The Beatles | Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
“All You Need Is Love” was Britain’s contribution to Our World, the first live global television link. The most memorable moment came when The Beatles performed this song in psychedelic outfits with some friends they invited, including The Rolling Stones, the Who, and the Small Faces. While the track isn’t inherently political, the lyrics promoted love and unity during the Vietnam war.
The song...
Here are 4 of the most political Beatles songs ‘All You Need Is Love’ The Beatles | Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
“All You Need Is Love” was Britain’s contribution to Our World, the first live global television link. The most memorable moment came when The Beatles performed this song in psychedelic outfits with some friends they invited, including The Rolling Stones, the Who, and the Small Faces. While the track isn’t inherently political, the lyrics promoted love and unity during the Vietnam war.
The song...
- 3/24/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
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