“If I Needed Someone” was the only George Harrison composition ever performed live by the Beatles on stage. Otherwise, Harrison only sang covers during any of the Beatles’ tours. The song was performed in the Beatles’ Tokyo concerts in July 1966, as seen in a clip from the documentary The Compleat Beatles. The Beatles also performed the song during their very last concert, which was in San Francisco’s Candlestick Park on August 29, 1966. Although not confirmed, it is believed that “If I Needed Someone” was performed at every Beatles concert in 1966.
The Beatles recorded “If I Needed Someone” in October 1965 and it first appeared in the UK on 1965′s Rubber Soul album, and then later included on 1966′s Yesterday…and Today (released in the U.S.). The Hollies also recorded a version of the song as a single and it was released on the same day as Rubber Soul.
At a play time of 3:10, “Ticket to Ride” was the first Beatles song to surpass the three minute mark. It was perhaps a little risky, in the mid 1960s, to release a single more than 3 minutes long because most pop radio stations had a standard two and a half or three minute time limit per song. Radio back then was formatted to shorter “bite-sized” songs compared to today’s more open ended policy, as far as song lengths go.
The Beatles were always pushing boundaries and setting new standards and this case of disregard for the “time barrier” is an example of that.
John Lennon, an avid television watcher, got the inspiration for the Beatles song “Good Morning Good Morning” from a TV commercial for Kellogg’s Corn Flakes. The jingle in the commercial went: “Good morning, good morning, The best to you each morning, Sunshine Breakfast, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Crisp and full of fun”. Lennon actually liked Corn Flakes and he mentioned them in “I Am The Walrus” when he sang “Sitting on a corn flake, waiting for the van to come.”
The line in the lyrics “It’s time for tea and Meet the Wife” is in reference to the 1960′s BBC sitcom Meet the Wife, starring Freddie Frinton and Thora Hird.
“Good Morning Good Morning” was recorded in February and March 1967 and was included on the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album. The guitar solo was played by Paul McCartney.
Cilla Black’s debut single was “Love of the Loved”, a Lennon-McCartney composition mainly written by Paul McCartney. Black (born Priscilla White) was contracted with manager Brian Epstein as his only female client. George Martin, who signed Cilla to Parlophone Records, produced her recording of the song. Released September 27, 1963, the single peaked at a modest number 35 on the UK Singles Chart, and was not to be one of her bigger hits.
“Love of the Loved” was one of Paul McCartney’s earliest compositions and the Beatles performed it in their live act in their early years. The band recorded the song during their 1962 audition for Decca Records, but it has never been included in any of their official releases. It was even left off of 1995′s Anthology 1 (compilation CDs that covered 1958-1964), supposedly vetoed from inclusion by McCartney.
Saturday is the only day of the week not mentioned in the Beatles song “Lady Madonna.” According to the book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now
The lyrics that mention the other six days are:
Friday night arrives without a suitcase.
Sunday morning creeping like a nun.
Monday’s child has learned to tie his bootlace, see how they run…
Tuesday afternoon is never ending.
Wednesday morning papers didn’t come.
Thursday night your stockings needed mending, see how they run…
“Lady Madonna” was released as a single in March 1968. It was written by Paul McCartney with a minor contribution from John Lennon (credited to Lennon/McCartney).
