Beatles Songs that Borrow From Other Sources - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Steve M. · 03-22-2005, 11:07 PM

Here's a list of Beatles tunes in which John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison pinched musical and lyrical ideas from other songs and instrumentals!

"Love Me Do" - John based the harmonica riff on Delbert McClinton's harmonica playing on Bruce Channel's hit "Hey Baby."

"Do You Want To Know A Secret" - The song was based on a lyric from a Disney song - "Do you want to know a secret, promise not to tell? You are standing by a wishing well."

"Run For Your Life" - John took the opening lyric - "I'd rather see you dead, little girl, than to be with another man" - from Elvis Presley's "Baby Let's Play House."

"Tomorrow Never Knows" - The lyrics are partially based on Dr. Timothy Leary's "translation" of The Tibetan Book Of the Dead.

"Lady Madonna" - Paul admitted that the arrangement for this song was based on Sir Humphrey Lyttleton's 1956 recording of "Bad Penny Blues," which, ironically, was produced by George Martin.

"The Inner Light" - George's first B-side (of "Lady Madonna") took its lyrics almost verbatim from a translation of a verse from the Japanese poet Roshi.

"Come Together" - The opening lyric - "Here come old flat top, he come grooving up slowly" was a variation of a lyric in Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me" - "Here comes a flattop, he was movin' up with me." The rhythm also was based on Berry's song.

"Something" - The opening line of George's song - "Something in the way she moves" - was the title and opening line of a song written by then-Apple artist James Taylor. That, however, is the only thing the two songs have in common.

"Because" - The melody is Ludwig von Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" played backwards.

"Golden Slumbers" - The lyrics are a variation of a sixteenth-century lullaby from Sir Thomas Dekker, but the music is Paul's own.

ABlairican Pie · 03-23-2005, 01:40 AM

Seems that that was part of the blues tradition to borrow from everyone else's tunes and make them uniquely their own. I hope the Fab Four didn't get into trouble over that!

Steve M. · 03-24-2005, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain ABlairica

Seems that that was part of the blues tradition to borrow from everyone else's tunes and make them uniquely their own. I hope the Fab Four didn't get into trouble over that!

Chuck Berry's publishing company sued John Lennon for his pinching of a Berry verse in "Come Together." Lennon wrote a cheeck out to Berry for the amount of money Berry said he thought the song was worth, but the real beef was with the piublishers; Lennon settled that case by agreeing to cover "You Can't Catch Me" on his Rock 'n' Roll solo album.

As for George Harrison's solo song (not included here for that reason) "My Sweet Lord. . . ," well, you know the story by now.

musicradio77 · 03-24-2005, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve M.

"Do You Want To Know A Secret" - The song was based on a lyric from a Disney song - "Do you want to know a secret, promise not to tell? You are standing by a wishing well."

Yep! That song was a referenced to Snow White. Get the picture!

musicradio77 · 03-24-2005, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve M.

As for George Harrison's solo song (not included here for that reason) "My Sweet Lord. . . ," well, you know the story by now.

Yep! "My Sweet Lord" was also a referenced to the Chiffons' "He So Fine". I have the original version on a 45 along with Andy Willams. By the way, does Andy Williams cover that song "My Sweet Lord"?

I have that song from the album "Love Story".

Steve M. · 03-29-2005, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by musicradio77

Yep! "My Sweet Lord" was also a reference to the Chiffons' "He So Fine".

The melody of "My Sweet Lord" was apparaently based on the Chiffons song, but George Harrison always insisted he was thinking of the Edwin Hawkins Singers record "Oh Happy Day" when he wrote "My Sweet Lord."

Steve M. · 03-29-2005, 10:19 PM

Another Beatles song that borrowed from someone else. . . .

"Julia" - The opening line - "Half of what I say is meaningless" - was pinched from a poem from the Lebanese poet Kahlil Gibran.

musicradio77 · 04-02-2005, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve M.

"Because" - The melody is Ludwig von Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" played backwards.

You should listen to the accapella version from "Anthology 3" CD without backing George Martin's orchestra.

Steve M. · 04-02-2005, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by musicradio77

You should listen to the accapella version from "Anthology 3" CD without backing George Martin's orchestra.

I have!

Steve M. · 04-05-2005, 12:03 PM

I forgot about "All You Need Is Love!"

It opens with strains of the French national anthem, "La Marseillaise" (the Rutles parody "Love, Life" opened with strains of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic!"

), and it closes with strains of "Greensleeves" and "In the Mood" woven into the mix by George Martin. Martin thought both songs were out of copyright, but "In the Mood" was not and its publishers successfully sued EMI.

Penny Lane · 04-05-2005, 12:47 PM

Wow, this is so interesting! Whomever they "borrowed" from should feel flattered and privileged! Right?

Paul can steal from me anytime!

Steve M. · 09-23-2005, 11:19 PM

"It's All Too Much" - The line "With your long blonde hair and your eyes of blue" is from the Merseys's 1966 U.K. hit "Sorrow."

Coffeecup · 09-24-2005, 09:15 PM

Where do you get this interesting information? I never knew these things.

Steve M. · 09-24-2005, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coffeecup

Where do you get this interesting information? I never knew these things.

I read it in different places. The borrowed lyric on "It's All Too Much" was mentioned by Mark Lewisohn, but I never realized it was the lyric about bolnde hair and blue eyes until I heard "Sorrow" on BBC Radio 2 recently.

03-22-2005, 11:07 PM	#1
Steve M. Back on the road to reality Forum Superstar Join Date: Nov 07, 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 33,307	Beatles Songs that Borrow From Other Sources Here's a list of Beatles tunes in which John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison pinched musical and lyrical ideas from other songs and instrumentals! "Love Me Do" - John based the harmonica riff on Delbert McClinton's harmonica playing on Bruce Channel's hit "Hey Baby." "Do You Want To Know A Secret" - The song was based on a lyric from a Disney song - "Do you want to know a secret, promise not to tell? You are standing by a wishing well." "Run For Your Life" - John took the opening lyric - "I'd rather see you dead, little girl, than to be with another man" - from Elvis Presley's "Baby Let's Play House." "Tomorrow Never Knows" - The lyrics are partially based on Dr. Timothy Leary's "translation" of The Tibetan Book Of the Dead. "Lady Madonna" - Paul admitted that the arrangement for this song was based on Sir Humphrey Lyttleton's 1956 recording of "Bad Penny Blues," which, ironically, was produced by George Martin. "The Inner Light" - George's first B-side (of "Lady Madonna") took its lyrics almost verbatim from a translation of a verse from the Japanese poet Roshi. "Come Together" - The opening lyric - "Here come old flat top, he come grooving up slowly" was a variation of a lyric in Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me" - "Here comes a flattop, he was movin' up with me." The rhythm also was based on Berry's song. "Something" - The opening line of George's song - "Something in the way she moves" - was the title and opening line of a song written by then-Apple artist James Taylor. That, however, is the only thing the two songs have in common. "Because" - The melody is Ludwig von Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" played backwards. "Golden Slumbers" - The lyrics are a variation of a sixteenth-century lullaby from Sir Thomas Dekker, but the music is Paul's own.
	__________________ I don't really get out a lot. When I do go out, I couldn't be happier. I love being in a nice milieu. I'm as happy as a clam. Just as long as I'm not in some club playing hip-hop. You hear that sort of thing in a lot of places. That's not my milieu. Rock and roll is good-time music. I love rock. So did my parents. Last edited by Steve M.; 03-29-2005 at 10:22 PM.

03-23-2005, 01:40 AM	#2
ABlairican Pie Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 12, 2001 Location: Living where cats reign more Supreme than a pizza. Posts: 31,619	Seems that that was part of the blues tradition to borrow from everyone else's tunes and make them uniquely their own. I hope the Fab Four didn't get into trouble over that!
	__________________ Release the kitties. --Nathan Explosion

04-05-2005, 12:47 PM	#11
Penny Lane Butter Pie Forum Icon Join Date: Jul 03, 2001 Location: Beneath the blue suburban skies Posts: 51,262	Wow, this is so interesting! Whomever they "borrowed" from should feel flattered and privileged! Right? Paul can steal from me anytime!
	__________________ Vulgarity is no substitute for wit- Lady Violet Crawley

03-29-2005, 10:19 PM	#7
Steve M. Back on the road to reality Forum Superstar Join Date: Nov 07, 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 33,307	Another Beatles song that borrowed from someone else. . . . "Julia" - The opening line - "Half of what I say is meaningless" - was pinched from a poem from the Lebanese poet Kahlil Gibran.

04-05-2005, 12:03 PM	#10
Steve M. Back on the road to reality Forum Superstar Join Date: Nov 07, 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 33,307	I forgot about "All You Need Is Love!" It opens with strains of the French national anthem, "La Marseillaise" (the Rutles parody "Love, Life" opened with strains of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic!" ), and it closes with strains of "Greensleeves" and "In the Mood" woven into the mix by George Martin. Martin thought both songs were out of copyright, but "In the Mood" was not and its publishers successfully sued EMI.

09-23-2005, 11:19 PM	#12
Steve M. Back on the road to reality Forum Superstar Join Date: Nov 07, 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 33,307	"It's All Too Much" - The line "With your long blonde hair and your eyes of blue" is from the Merseys's 1966 U.K. hit "Sorrow."

09-24-2005, 09:15 PM	#13
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,183	Where do you get this interesting information? I never knew these things.