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10.56am
4 August 2015
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Does anybody remember this novel which was a comical biography of the Beatles? It came out in the late 70s when all the Beatles were alive and well. I just found my old copy deep in a box. It probably got lost in the shuffle because it came out around the same time as the Rutles. But in this book, the actual Beatles were spoofed. The ending involved a Beatles reunion that did not go as planned.
I remember a lot of jokes were pun-related including funny footnotes. There were also actual Beatle photos with humorous captions.
Some of gags I remember:
After firing Pete Best, the Beatles invited one Richard Starkey to join the band. * Even if there was two Richard Starkeys they would have still invited only one of them.
Their second LP turned gold 3 days after release. * This was due to a manufacturing error and the records had to be recalled.
The first album “Introducing the Beatles” was just them going “Paul, I’d like to you meet George” “Pleased to meet you” for one hour.
In a photo showing George and John sharing a microphone, caption read something like “One reason John needed glasses was from frequently bumping heads during concerts”.
They mock George’s religious obsessions all through the book. For one photo where George is above other Beatles waving, caption reads “God dropped by unexpectedly for this photo session. George waves hello. Others can’t see him”.
The landmark album “Sgt. Pepper ” was inspired by an incident with John. On the set of How I Won The War, John tried to season his food. But they would not let him saying those salt and pepper shakers were for military officers only. John was outraged as this injustice.
John and Yoko briefly collaborated with Cher’s ex. Their avant garde activities included trying to find tubes of the discontinued Ipana toothpaste. They later formed the Plastic Bono Band.
One of Paul’s earliest solo hits was “Maybe I’m Amazed , Maybe I’m Not (It’s None Of Your Business)”.
You get the idea. If you remember this book, I’d like to get your thoughts. If not, would you have enjoyed such a book?
The following people thank Jolly Jimmy for this post:
darrenjray, Beatlebug, SgtPeppersBulldogYou are all my friends.
11.51am
24 March 2014
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I would, for sure.
"I Need You by George Harrison"
11.37am
18 June 2017
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Ha, I love ‘Paperback Writer ‘.
Great examples.
How about when Linda threatens to leave Wings and join Steely Dan unless Paul gives her top billing?
Ringo enjoying all those hits.
Here’s an excerpt re: the HELP! album when they ran this classified ad in every major newspaper after all the touring had left them with no time to write their own new songs:
HELP! We’re looking for contemporary pop material for our Spring, 1965 album. Rock and Roll, Rhythm and Blues, Standard pop songs, virtually anything except songs about God or Krishna.
The ads were signed by John, Paul & Ringo. George was conspicuous by his absence.
The subsequent album included standards of the rock era (Larry Williams’ ‘Bad Boy ’ and ‘Dizzy Miss Lizzie’, Carl Perkins’ ‘Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby’ and ‘Matchbox ’, Chuck Berry’s ‘Rock & Roll Music’ and Smokey Robinson’s ‘You Really Got A Hold On Me ‘) with cover versions of the day (Petula Clark’s ‘Downtown’, the Knickerbockers’ ‘Lies’ and Freddie & the Dreamers’ ‘I’m Telling You Now’) and exciting new material fished out by George Martin from tons of submitted songs from professional writers and amateurs. These included ‘You and Me Against the World’ by Paul Williams (later a big hit for Helen Reddy), ‘Helter Skelter ’ by an unknown American writer, Charles Manson; and, of course, the song that went on to become one of their all-time biggest singles, H W Casey and Rick Finch’s ‘Shake Your Booty’. The Beatles’ ballad version of this song utilized a string quartet (the first such use by a rock group) and contrasted sharply with the sizzling, up-tempo rendition that Casey and Finch took to the top of the charts in 1978 as members of KC & the Sunshine Band.
Then of course their comeback concert in 1979 where they couldn’t even get top billing…
The following people thank darrenjray for this post:
Beatlebug, SgtPeppersBulldog12.52pm
Moderators
15 February 2015
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That author’s surname though…
(sorry)
The following people thank Beatlebug for this post:
SgtPeppersBulldog([{BRACKETS!}])
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