Beatles

November 29: I want to hold your hand by The Beatles was released in 1963

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and recorded in October 1963, it was the first Beatles record to be made using four-track equipment.

With advance orders exceeding one million copies in the United Kingdom, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” would have gone straight to the top of the British record charts on its day of release (29 November 1963) had it not been blocked by the group’s first million seller “She Loves You”, their previous UK single, which was having a resurgence of popularity following intense media coverage of the group. Continue reading “November 29: I want to hold your hand by The Beatles was released in 1963” →

November 24: The Beatles released Hello, Goodbye / I Am The Walrus in 1967

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

The Beatles’ third single of 1967 was released in the UK on November 24: ‘Hello, Goodbye’, with ‘I Am The Walrus’ on the b-side (The single was released on 27 November in the US.)

“Hello, Goodbye” is written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. Backed by John Lennon’s “I Am the Walrus“, it was issued as a non-album single in November 1967, the group’s first release since the death of their manager, Brian Epstein. The single was commercially successful around the world, topping charts in the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada, Australia and several other countries. Continue reading “November 24: The Beatles released Hello, Goodbye / I Am The Walrus in 1967” →

September 26: Abbey Road by The Beatles was released in 1969

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

Released 26 September 1969
Recorded 22 February – 20 August 1969,EMI, Olympic and Trident Studios,London
Genre Rock
Length 47:23
Label Apple
Producer George Martin


Abbey Road is the 11th studio album released by the English rock band The Beatles. It is their last recorded album, although Let It Be was the last album released before the band’s dissolution in 1970. Work on Abbey Road began in April 1969, and the album was released on 26 September 1969 in the United Kingdom, and 1 October 1969 in the United States.

Abbey Road is widely regarded as one of The Beatles’ most tightly constructed albums, although the band was barely operating as a functioning unit at the time. Despite the tensions within the band, Abbey Road was released to near universal acclaim and is considered to be one of the greatest albums of all time. In 2012, Abbey Road was voted 14th on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. In 2009, readers of the magazine also named Abbey Road the greatest Beatles album.

Continue reading “September 26: Abbey Road by The Beatles was released in 1969” →

The story of how John Lennon’s Beatles demo Child of Nature became Jealous Guy

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

During the Beatles’ stay in Rishikesh in 1968 studying transcendental meditation under the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the members of the fab four wrote ca. 30 songs. It was a creative boost.

A lot of them ended up on “the white album”.

Lennon wrote “Julia,” “Dear Prudence,” “Sexy Sadie,” and more. McCartney wrote “Rocky Raccoon,” “Why Don’t We Do It in the Road,” and “Back in the U.S.S.R,” among them. Harrison wrote “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Sour Milk Sea,”and a few others.

The period was so productive that John Lennon and Paul McCartney each wrote a song following the same lecture by the Maharishi.

Paul wrote Mother’s Nature Son (that ended up on “the white album”), John wrote the song Child of Nature ( or I’m just a child of nature that it was called first). John’s song did not end up on any Beatles albums, but was part of the so called Esher demos:

Continue reading “The story of how John Lennon’s Beatles demo Child of Nature became Jealous Guy” →

September 11: John Lennon and Yoko Ono on the Dick Cavett Show 1971

Posted on by Egil Mosbron

john cavett

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_color=”mulled_wine” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-quote-left”]So a long time ago I said that I didn’t want to be singing “She Loves You” when I’m 30. I said that when I was about 25 or something, which in a roundabout way meant that I wouldn’t be doing whatever I was doing then, you know. Well, I was 30 last October, and that’s about when my life changed, really.
-John Lennon[/vc_message][/vc_column][/vc_row]

John Lennon and Yoko Ono made their first appearance on The Dick Cavett show on September 11, 1971 to present their new work. They do small-talk and jokes around. They discuss John Lennon’s evolving career. It is mostly a PR-job: showing some film clips and Yoko plays a track from the album Fly.
Continue reading “September 11: John Lennon and Yoko Ono on the Dick Cavett Show 1971” →

The story of the unreleased Beatles medley Black Dog Blues / Right String Wrong Yo Yo

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

This is a traditional country blues that dates back to the1920s. It has been recorded a lot of  times under several names, including Daddy Where You Been Gone So Long, Black Dog, Black Dog Blues, Call Me A Dog and Honey Where You Been So Long.

It is however NOT the same song as the Blind Blake song called Black Dog Blues. It also has nothing to do with the Led Zeppelin song.

Beatles recorded this “jam” on the last day of the so called Get Back sessions, 31st of January 1969. I don’t think it should be released as such, but I do think it’s interesting to see (hear) what was floating around in the studio. And to speculate what it resulted in or inspired the Beatles to create on a later stage, together or as solo artists. Also I like to find out why these songs were chosen to run through.

Continue reading “The story of the unreleased Beatles medley Black Dog Blues / Right String Wrong Yo Yo” →