News

“Mellow Yellow” by Donovan is the most beloved 1960s song with the word “yellow” in the title that wasn’t released by The Beatles. During an interview, the “Atlantis” singer opined that his catalog was a lot more diverse than The Beatles’, to the point where he sounded like a completely different artist from song to song. Donovan also said something about his background made him similar to George Harrison, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney. While “Mellow Yellow” might be one of the most unusual hits of the period, it wouldn’t be the same without a little help from Paul.

Donovan said ‘Mellow Yellow’ and ‘Barabajagal’ were more original than any Beatles songs

During a 2016 interview with Best Classic Bands, a reporter asked Donovan why “Mellow Yellow” was so different from the rest of his catalog. “Why were they all so different?” he replied. “I displayed more of the painterly,...

Paul McCartney was saddened when John Lennon compared him to another popular singer. However, the comparison doesn’t work at all. Notably, this comparison came from John’s era of edgy trash-talking.

Paul McCartney hated John Lennon comparing him to Engelbert Humperdinck

In the 1970s, John was as known for his digs as he was for his music. For example, in the 1971 book Lennon Remembers, John criticizes all the other Beatles, Elvis Presley, Mick Jagger, Orson Welles, Frank Zappa, Judy Collins, Joan Baez, and so many others.

During a 1974 interview with Rolling Stone, Paul said he didn’t like everything John did, however, he kept his mouth shut. “I mean, he came out with all stuff like I’m like Engelbert Humperdinck,” Paul recalled. “I know he doesn’t really think that.”

Paul was asked what he thought about John’s comments. “Oh, I hated it,” he recalled. “You can imagine,...

Graham Nash covered the George Harrison song “If I Needed Someone” when he was in The Hollies. Nash felt the band put out a solid cover, but Harrison didn’t agree. He publicly criticized the song, saying he didn’t want to be associated with it. Nash didn’t take the insult lying down. He ripped Harrison for using his platform to insult a smaller artist and wondered if Harrison would collect royalties from the cover he hated.

Graham Nash didn’t appreciate George Harrison’s negative opinion of a cover

The Hollies covered “If I Needed Someone” in 1965, much to Harrison’s distaste. He noted that the band had “spoilt it” and sounded like session men on the record. Nash was not happy when he heard this.

“Sometimes, even Saint George didn’t know when to keep his snarky views to himself,” Nash wrote in his book Wild Tales.

Paul McCartney wrote classic rock songs for numerous artists besides The Beatles. For example, he penned Badfinger’s “Come and Get It.” Subsequently, Paul revealed what he thought of the song and the band.

Paul McCartney left Linda McCartney in bed to write Badfinger’s ‘Come and Get It’

In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul discussed how “Come and Get It” came together. “I wrote this very late one-night at Cavendish Avenue, leaving Linda in bed and saying, I’ve got an idea for a song,” he recalled.

Paul had a positive reaction to the song immediately. “I went downstairs and just whispered it into my tape recorder,” he said. “I played it very quietly so as not to wake her.” Paul described the tune as “a very catchy song.” Notably, The Beatles recorded a demo of “Come and Get It” that appears on some copies of the album Abbey Road.

Paul McCartney wrote songs for several other classic rock stars. For example, he penned Mary Hopkin’s “Goodbye.” Despite her gratefulness to work with Paul, Hopkin wasn’t a fan of “Goodbye” — and she explained why.

Paul McCartney wrote Mary Hopkin’s ‘Goodbye’ but she likes ‘Those Were the Days’

Hopkin’s first single was a ballad called “Those Were the Days” that Paul produced but did not write. Paul wrote and produced her second single, “Goodbye.” During a 2007 interview posted on her website, Hopkin discussed her feelings about the two songs. “If one has to be eternally linked with any one song, then I’m relieved that it is ‘Those Were the Days’ and not one of my later singles,” Hopkin said. “Although I’m flattered that Paul wrote ‘Goodbye’ especially for me, it was, I believe, a step in the wrong direction for me.”

Hopkin explained why she...

Tl;Dr:

Paul McCartney helped create two tunes for another singer inspired by Russian songs. He explained why he never worked with the singer after her first album. He discussed his strongest memory of one of the songs.

Some of Paul McCartney‘s songs were written for other artists. For example, Paul once produced a hit based on a Russian folk song. Subsequently, he tried to write a Russian-style track himself.

Paul McCartney produced an adaptation of a Russian song for singer Mary Hopkin

Paul produced “Those Were the Days” for Mary Hopkin. “Those Were the Days” is an adaptation of a Russian folk tune called “Dorogoj dlinnoju.” The song was a hit. According to the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, the “Silly Love Songs” singer decided to produce a follow-up called “Goodbye.”

“I didn’t have in mind any more Russian folk songs, so I just wrote one for her,...

Tl;Dr:

Paul McCartney was present at the recording of Donovan’s “Mellow Yellow.” Donovan helped inspire the instrumentation of The Beatles’ “Dear Prudence.” “Mellow Yellow” was more popular in the United States than it was in the United Kingdom. Donovan | Evening Standard / Stringer

One of the most striking classic rock songs from the 1960s is Donovan’s “Mellow Yellow.” Donovan explained Paul McCartney’s role in recording the song. In addition, Donovan revealed he influenced the production of The White Album.

Paul McCartney added a clap and a giggle to Donovan’s ‘Mellow Yellow’

Donovan is known for songs like “Hurdy Gurdy Man,” “Season of the Witch,” “Sunshine Superman,” and “Atlantis.” Paul was rumored to have sung backup on “Atlantis.” During a 2008 interview with Goldmine, Donovan was asked if that was the case. “No,” Donovan replied, chuckling.

Subsequently, Donovan discussed some of his actual collaborations with Paul. “Paul did...

Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 and an Irish song tradition inspired Paul McCartney on The Beatles‘ “I Saw Her Standing There.” Paul used many of his literary and musical favorites in his songs.

The Beatles, who released ‘I Saw Her Standing There’ in 1963 | Mark and Colleen Hayward/Getty Images Paul McCartney said ‘I Saw Her Standing There’ had rough beginnings

In The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, Paul wrote that he loves The Beatles’ “I Saw Her Standing” and considers it one of the best songs he’s ever written. However, it had challenging beginnings. Paul played the song for John Lennon as they smoked tea in Paul’s father’s pipe.

There was an issue with one of the lyrics. Paul wrote, “I said, ‘She was just seventeen. She’d never been a beauty queen.’ And John said, ‘I’m not sure about that.’ So our main task was to get rid of the beauty queen.

There are classic rock songs about every topic under the sun. For example, some great classic rock songs deal with getting older. Notably, Paul McCartney once produced such a song for another singer.

The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ | Science & Society Picture Library / Contributor 5. The Beatles’ ‘When I’m Sixty-Four’

Getting older can be difficult, but The Beatles’ “When I’m Sixty-Four” makes it seem fun. Paul had a thing for vaudeville music, and this is probably his best stab at the genre. It’s not one of the more experimental classic rock songs on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, but it’s still a lot of fun.

Paul turned 64 in 2006. During that year, he told the Los Angeles Times he had a regret about the song: it should’ve been “When I’m Ninety-Four.” He said some listeners don’t even think “When I’m Sixty-Four” is about old age.

Paul McCartney wrote a song that made him feel “optimistic” following The Beatles‘ split. For a while, he didn’t know what to do with himself. How do you follow The Beatles?

Paul McCartney | Bettmann/Getty Images Paul McCartney entered a dark period following The Beatles’ split

You can hear Paul’s desperation to keep The Beatles alive in their song “Get Back.” He thought they could stay together if they tried returning to their roots. However, John Lennon couldn’t contain his excitement about moving on and leaving Paul behind. He was done living in the past.

Eventually, Paul couldn’t deny that The Beatles had grown apart. All their other financial problems aside, they’d become four extremely different people. So Abbey Road was their final album, and Paul quickly got to work on his debut solo album. Despite seeming ready to move on, Paul had entered a rut.

George Harrison liked “highbrow” music, but that doesn’t mean he was more musical than his fellow Beatles. The guitarist admitted many times that he should’ve practiced more.

John Lennon, George Harrison, and Paul McCartney of The Beatles | Keystone Features/Getty Images George said he liked ‘highbrow’ music but wasn’t sure if he was more musical than the other Beatles

The guitarist interviewed himself in a November 1964 issue of The Beatles Book Monthly (per Beatles Interviews). George asked the questions he thought reporters missed, including if he thought he was the most musical out of The Beatles.

George replied that it depends. He explained that some people have said he is only because he admitted to liking Segovia’s guitar playing, “and they think that’s all very highbrow and musical.”

George believed he loved his guitar more than the others loved theirs. For John Lennon and Paul McCartney,...

After watching her on TV, Paul McCartney knew he wanted to work with Mary Hopkin. By then, The Beatles had become talent scouts for their recently formed Apple Records. They were always on the lookout for bright talent.

Hopkin was one of the lucky. Paul produced her and wrote her a song that contained a certain kind of lyric he’d never used before or since.

Paul McCartney and Mary Hopkin | Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Twiggy told Paul McCartney about Mary Hopkin

In The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, Paul wrote that actor Twiggy mentioned Hopkin during dinner one night. The actor asked Paul if he’d seen her sing on TV. When Paul said he hadn’t, Twiggy told him to watch her next week.

Paul did, and he thought, “Wow, terrific voice.” Hopkin was singing in a competition called Opportunity Knocks, which was like American Idol. Hopkin won.

Tl;Dr:

The Beatles’ “Hey Jude” battled a song produced by Paul McCartney on the charts.The latter song was performed by a singer who was not a member of The Beatles.The tune in question was based on a Russian song. Paul McCartney | Fiona Adams / Contributor

Paul McCartney gave a song to another 1960s singer. Subsequently, The Beatles‘ “Hey Jude” stopped the song from hitting No. 1. The incident might not have happened without the advice of the supermodel Twiggy.

Twiggy told The Beatles’ Paul McCartney to watch a certain Welsh singer perform on television

In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, the “Band on the Run” singer said Twiggy told him to watch a singer named Mary Hopkin on television. “So I tuned in next week to see her and she did have a very nice, very soft, well-controlled Welsh voice,” he said. “And she looked very pretty,...

While Radiohead wasn't the first band to break free of the corporate machine and drop an album on their own terms, they were easily the most promiment. And while this was par for the course for underground artists and bands through the '80s and '90s who thrived within a specific independent framework (that was arguably co-opted by the mainstream post-Nirvana, but that's another discussion), the release of In Rainbows opened the eyes of acts of similar stature, proving that they didn't need to rely on the expensive machinations and iron clad contracts of a major record label to survive. And in fact, they could sell less records and earn more money by striking it out on their own. Nowadays, if a band isn't founding their own label, they're at least setting up vanity shingles under corporate umbrellas, and taking a stronger say in how they conduct their careers.

You still can’t get the Beatles catalog on iTunes, but maybe this is a step in the right direction. Apple Records, rights holder of all things Beatles, is remastering and reissuing 15 albums non-Fab Four albums released on the label. Additionally, for the first time, the albums will be available digitally, marking the first Apple releases to be offered via download. Among the titles, all out Oct. 26, are classic albums from James Taylor, Badfinger, Mary Hopkin and Billy Preston, some of which record collectors have been paying as much as $75 for recently. The Beatles began signing artists to the...

By Roger Friedman

HollywoodNews.com: The word around Capitol Records is that they’re about to launch a re-master re-release program for the Beatles’ Apple Records catalog.

Those were the days, my friend. We thought they’d never end. We were wrong.

The last time someone cleaned up and re-released the Apple catalog was back in 1991. Since then, most of the releases have drifted out of print.

Apple Records was not a great success, but it had its shining moments. The catalog consists of James Taylor’s first album ever, plus albums by Badfinger, Billy Preston, R&B great Doris Troy, Mary Hopkin (pictured), and Jackie Lomax.

There are also early solo albums by Ringo Starr and George Harrison that have fallen by the wayside.

Apple’s shiniest moment, for my money, is Badfinger’s “Straight Up” album, produced by Harrison and Todd Rundgren. It’s just perfection–and that...

O'Rourke's was our stage, and we displayed our personas there nightly. It was a shabby street-corner tavern on a dicey stretch of North Avenue, a block after Chicago's Old Town stopped being a tourist haven. In its early days it was heated by a wood-burning pot-bellied stove, and ice formed on the insides of the windows. One night a kid from the street barged in, whacked a customer in the front booth with a baseball bat, and ran out again. When a roomer who lived upstairs died, his body was discovered when maggots started to drop through the ceiling. A man nobody knew was shot dead one night out in back. From the day it opened on December 30, 1966 until the day I stopped drinking in 1979, I drank there more or less every night when I was in town. So did a lot of people.

Jay Kovar and Jeanette Sullivan behind the bar

Neil Steinberg,...