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10 Things You Didn't Know About The Beatles

The Beatles, from left to right: George Harrison, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney
The Beatles, from left to right: George Harrison, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney | Courtesy of Roger - Flickr

Do you think you know everything about The Beatles? Do you know what Hey Jude was originally called? What about John Lennon’s real ambition? How about the significance of a tin bath? Check out 10 weird and wonderful facts about our favourite Liverpudlian band.

The Beatles Used To Live In A Cinema

The Beatles didn’t always live in the lap of luxury; at the beginning they lived in Hamburg from 1960-1962, but when they first arrived, they lived in a cinema. Lennon commented on his experience there: ‘We would go to bed late and be woken up the next day by the sound of the cinema show. We’d try to get into the ladies first, which was the cleanest of the cinema’s lavatories, but fat old German women would push past us.’

Trade Ad for The Beatles’ 1964 Grammy’s

Ringo Wasn’t The Drummer For Their First Hit

Ringo Starr was the drummer for all The Beatles songs, correct? Wrong – he didn’t play the drums on their first hit Love Me Do. In fact, session player Andy White stepped in whilst Starr was told to tap a tambourine. Their producer George Martin (may he rest in peace) thought that Starr was rushing into the choruses so had White stand in.

The Beatles playing with Jimmie Nicol in place of Starr when he was hospitalised with tonsilitis

The Beatles Had Other Dreams

Whilst The Beatles revelled in their success as musicians, they also had various other aspirations. In early 1963 in an issue of the NME, the boys were asked to list their ambitions. Lennon’s dream had always been ‘to write a musical’; he wanted to write about Jesus coming back as an ordinary person. McCartney fantasised about having his ‘picture in the Dandy’ and Harrison always wanted ‘to design a guitar.’ Best of all, Starr’s ambition was simply ‘to be happy.’

The Beatles Guitar

Is Paul Here?

Beatlemania was massive. Fans were throwing themselves at the boys and the hype was indescribable. However, in the very early days of this craze, screaming fans would turn up at Harrison’s house in Liverpool, and he would greet them in person. Yet, despite his equal fame the fans left when they were told ‘No, Paul McCartney doesn’t live here.’

The Beatles Live 1964

Ready To Rock & Roll

The song Yesterday apparently came to McCartney in a dream completely formed and ready to record. The Beatle was so surprised by how easily it had come to him that he had to ask friends ‘Is this by me or did someone else write it?’ The song’s catchy title however was originally called something else entirely – Scrambled Eggs. Perhaps it’s a good thing that they changed the title…

The Beatles Jumping

A Tin Bath Was Used To Make Music

Yellow Submarine is one of the most iconic songs from The Beatles and was helped along by George Martin’s engineers. In order to make the sounds of the recording seem genuine and to ‘add some colour’ to the mix the engineers were instructed to find props for the song. A whole range of props were used including chains, whistles, hooters, hand bells, and even a tin bath.

The rock group, The Beatles, is shown in 1967. From left, are: Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Paul McCartney; and George Harrison

The Famed Final Chord

There are many famous moments in a number of The Beatles’ songs, but the famed final chord in A Day in the Life was actually played simultaneously by McCartney, Lennon, Martin, and the band’s road manager, Mal Evans. They recorded it on three separate pianos and created the legendary final chord together.

The Beatles with Ray Teret

Banned By The BBC

Do you think I Am The Walrus is an R-rated song? Well apparently the BBC did as it banned the hit, not for its anti-establishment tone, but for the word ‘knickers’ that is used within the song lyrics.

The Beatles with Birmingham police officer’s hats on

Hey Jules

Whether you’re a Beatles fan or not, we all know the song Hey Jude. Nah nah nah… What a hit. But did you know that it wasn’t originally written about someone called Jude? It was in fact initially called Hey Jules and aimed at Lennon’s five year old son Julian. ‘Hey Jules, don’t make it bad…’

She Literally Came In Through The Bathroom Window

Songwriters have to get their inspiration from somewhere, often it’s from personal experiences, much like McCartney did for the song She Came In Through the Bathroom Window. Intrigued? Well this song, from the medley section of Abbey Road, was inspired by something that happened to the famed Beatle. A fan actually used a ladder to climb up into Paul’s bathroom window via his back garden and proceeded to steal a picture of his father, some clothes, and some slides of photos taken by Linda Eastman (later Linda McCartney.) Creepy, right? Well at least she got a Beatles song about her out of it…

The Beatles arrive at John F. Kennedy International Airport, 7 February 1964

About the author

A recent English Literature and Classical Civilisation graduate, Francesca is interested in pursuing a career as an editor or publicist. Having worked previously with Woman & Home magazine and Healthy magazine, she is keen to experience the workings of different publications. Most likely found with her nose in a book, doodling, baking or cuddling her cockapoo puppy.

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