History of the Beatles |
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The Beatles began in 1957, when John Lennon formed a skiffle group with his friends called the Quarrymen. The band underwent many name and membership changes, culminating in 1962 with the famous line-up of Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.
After the Beatles disbanded in 1970, each of the four members went on to have success, both as solo acts and with their own groups. Although Lennon died in 1980, the remaining Beatles re-united in 1994 to record new songs, "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love", for the Anthology project. Harrison died in 2001; McCartney and Starr re-united again as the Beatles in 2022 to complete the unfinished Anthology project “Now and Then”, which was released the following year. These three songs were written and originally recorded on a cassette tape by Lennon.
The Blackjacks (November 1956) [1] | |
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The Quarrymen (November–December 1956) [2] |
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The Quarrymen (December 1956 – Early 1957) [2] |
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The Quarrymen (Early 1957 – 7 August) [3] |
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The Rebels (Spring 1957) [4] |
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The Quarrymen (August 1957) [5] |
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The Quarrymen (August – 18 October 1957) [5] |
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The McCartney Brothers (August 1957) [6] |
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The Quarrymen (18 October 1957 – February 1958) [7] |
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The Quarrymen (February 1958) [8] |
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The Quarrymen (February–March 1958) [9] | |
The Quarrymen (March – July 1958) [10] |
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The Quarrymen (July – November 1958) [11] |
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The Vikings (Summer 1958) [12] |
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Johnny and the Moondogs (November – 19 December 1958) [13] |
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Japage 3 (19 December 1958 [14] – May 1959 [15] ) |
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The Les Stewart Quartet (22 February – 22 August 1959) [16] |
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The Quarrymen (22 August 1959 – 9 January 1960) [17] |
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The Quarrymen (9–21 January 1960) [18] |
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The Quarrymen (21 January – Early Winter (January - March) 1960) [19] |
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Los Paranoias (Early Winter 1960) [19] |
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The Blackjacks (20 December 1959 [20] – March 1960 [21] ) |
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The Eddie Clayton Skiffle Group (1957 – Spring 1959) [22] |
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Richy Starkey's unnamed group (Spring 1959) [23] |
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Darktown (Spring–Summer 1959) [23] |
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The Raving Texans (May – 11 November 1959) [23] |
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Rory Storm and the Hurricanes (11 November 1959 – December 1961) [25] |
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Lu Walters (15 October 1960) [26] |
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Top Ten Club house band (December 1961 – March 1962) [27] |
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Rory Storm and the Hurricanes (March – 18 August 1962) [28] |
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The Beatals (27 March – 10 May 1960) [29] |
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The Nerk Twins (23–24 April 1960) [30] |
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Long John and the Silver Beetles (10–12 May 1960) [31] |
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The Silver Beetles (13–20 May 1960) [31] |
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Johnny Gentle and his group (20–28 May 1960) [32] |
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The Silver Beetles (31 May – 11 June 1960) [33] |
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The Silver Beetles (June 1960) [34] |
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The Silver Beatles (June 1960) [35] |
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The Silver Beatles (July – 12 August 1960) [36] |
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The Silver Beatles (12–17 August 1960) [37] |
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The Beatles (17 August - 30 November 1960) Official name change to the Beatles. |
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Lu Walters (15 October 1960) [26] |
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The Beatles (November - November 21, 1960) |
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The Beatles (21 November 1960) Harrison gets deported. |
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The Beatles (1 December 1960) McCartney and Best get deported. |
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The Beatles (1–16 December 1960) [38] |
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The Beatles (17 December 1960 – January 1961) [39] |
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The Beatles (January 1961) [40] |
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The Beatles (15 January – 1 April 1961) [41] |
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The Beatles (1 April – 1 July 1961) [42] |
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Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers (June 1961) [43] |
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The Beatles (2 July 1961 – 20 August 1961) [44] |
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The Savage Young Beatles (20 August 1961 - 19 October 1961) [45] |
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The Beatmakers (19 October 1961) [45] |
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The Beatles (20 October 1961 - 18 August 1962) |
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The Beatles (18 August 1962 – 2 June 1964) |
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The Beatles (3–13 June 1964) Starr is ill |
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The Beatles (14 June 1964 – 22 August 1968) [19] |
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The Beatles (22 August 1968 - 5 September 1968) Starr briefly quits [46] [19] |
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The Beatles (6 September 1968 – 10 January 1969) |
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The Beatles (10 January 1969 – 15 January 1969) Harrison briefly quits |
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The Beatles with Billy Preston 15 January – 2 May 1969 Get Back and early Abbey Road sessions [47] |
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The Beatles (3 May – 20 September 1969) |
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The Beatles (21 September 1969 – 10 April 1970) Lennon leaves the group[ citation needed ] |
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The Beatles ("The Threetles") (1994–1996) Anthology reunion ("Free as a Bird" and "Real Love") [48] |
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The Beatles (2022–2023) The completion of "Now and Then" |
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The Dirty Mac (December 1968) |
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Plastic Ono Band (June 1969) |
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Plastic Ono Band (September 1969) |
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Plastic Ono Band (September 1969) |
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Plastic Ono Band (December 1969) |
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Plastic Ono Band (January 1970) |
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John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (September–October 1970) |
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Plastic Ono Mothers |
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John Lennon and Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band with Elephant's Memory plus Invisible Strings (1972) |
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Plastic Ono Elephant's Memory Band (1972) |
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Plastic U.F.Ono Band (1973) |
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Plastic Ono Nuclear Band (1974) |
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Wings (August 1971 – January 1972) |
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Paul McCartney and Wings (January 1972 – August 1973) |
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Paul McCartney & Wings (August 1973 – August 1974) |
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Wings (August 1974 – January 1975) |
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Wings (January 1975 – September 1977) |
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Wings (September 1977 – August 1978) |
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Wings (August 1978 – April 1981) |
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Rockestra (1979) |
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Paul McCartney (1989–1990) |
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Paul McCartney (1991–1993) |
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Paul McCartney (2002–present) |
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Delaney & Bonnie & Friends (1969) |
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George Harrison & Friends (1971) |
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George Harrison (1974) |
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Traveling Wilburys (1988) |
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Traveling Wilburys (1990) |
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George Harrison (1991) |
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The Hi Jack Band (1992) [49] |
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Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (1989) |
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Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (1992) |
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Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (1995) |
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Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (1997–1998) |
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Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (1999) |
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Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (2000) |
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Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (2001) |
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Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (2003) |
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Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (2006) |
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Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (2008) |
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Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (2010–2011) |
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Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (2012–2013) |
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Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (2014) |
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Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (2018) |
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Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (2019) |
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Lee Curtis and the All-Stars (Sept. 1962 – mid. 1963) |
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The Original All-Stars / The Pete Best Four / The Pete Best Combo (1963–1968) |
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The Pete Best Band (1988–present) |
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The Bats (2–9 February 1962) [50] [51] |
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Sir Richard Starkey, known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the group, usually for one song on each album, including "Yellow Submarine" and "With a Little Help from My Friends". He also wrote and sang the Beatles songs "Don't Pass Me By" and "Octopus's Garden", and is credited as a co-writer of four others.
The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the development of 1960s counterculture and the recognition of popular music as an art form. Rooted in skiffle, beat, and 1950s rock 'n' roll, their sound incorporated elements of classical music and traditional pop in innovative ways. The band also explored music styles ranging from folk and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock. As pioneers in recording, songwriting, and artistic presentation, the Beatles revolutionised many aspects of the music industry and were often publicised as leaders of the era's youth and sociocultural movements.
"Let It Be" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, released on 6 March 1970 as a single, and as the title track of their album Let It Be. It was written and sung by Paul McCartney, and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The single version of the song, produced by George Martin, features a softer guitar solo and the orchestral section mixed low, compared with the album version, produced by Phil Spector, featuring a more aggressive guitar solo and the orchestral sections mixed higher.
"Love Me Do" is the debut single by the English rock band the Beatles, backed by "P.S. I Love You". When the single was originally released in the United Kingdom on 5 October 1962, it peaked at number 17. It was released in the United States in 1964 and topped the nation's song chart. Re-released in 1982 as part of EMI's Beatles 20th anniversary, it re-entered the UK charts and peaked at number 4. "Love Me Do" also topped the charts in Australia and New Zealand.
"What Goes On" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, featured as the eighth track on their 1965 album Rubber Soul. The song was later released as the B-side of the US single "Nowhere Man", and then as the tenth track on the North America-only album Yesterday and Today. It is the only song by the band credited to Lennon–McCartney–Starkey and the only song on Rubber Soul that features Ringo Starr on lead vocals. The song reached number 81 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1966.
"Maxwell's Silver Hammer" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1969 album Abbey Road. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The song is about a student named Maxwell Edison who commits murders with a hammer, with the dark lyrics disguised by an upbeat sound. McCartney described the song as symbolic of the downfalls of life, being "my analogy for when something goes wrong out of the blue, as it so often does".
"For You Blue" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1970 album Let It Be. The track was written by George Harrison as a love song to his wife, Pattie Boyd. It was also the B-side to the "Long and Winding Road" single, issued in many countries, but not Britain, and was listed with that song when the single topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and Canada's national chart in June 1970. On the Cash Box Top 100 chart, which measured the US performance of single sides individually, "For You Blue" peaked at number 71.
"Please Please Me" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. It was their second single in the United Kingdom, and their first in the United States. It is also the title track of their first LP, which was recorded to capitalise on the success of the single. It is a John Lennon composition, although its ultimate form was significantly influenced by producer George Martin.
"Octopus's Garden" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written and sung by Ringo Starr, from their 1969 album Abbey Road. George Harrison, who assisted Starr with the song, commented: "'Octopus's Garden' is Ringo's song. It's only the second song Ringo wrote, and it's lovely." He added that the song gets very deep into the listener's consciousness "because it's so peaceful. I suppose Ringo is writing cosmic songs these days without even realising it." It was the last song released by the Beatles featuring Starr on lead vocals.
"I'm Looking Through You" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1965 album Rubber Soul. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. McCartney wrote the song about English actress Jane Asher, his girlfriend for much of the 1960s, and her refusal to give up her stage career and focus on his needs. The line "You don't look different, but you have changed" reflects his dissatisfaction with their relationship. The lyrics also refer to his changing emotional state: "Love has a nasty habit of disappearing overnight".
"You're Going to Lose That Girl" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1965 album and film Help! Credited to the Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership, the song was mostly written by John Lennon with contributions from Paul McCartney.
"Mr. Moonlight" is a song written by Roy Lee Johnson and recorded by Dr. Feelgood and the Interns in 1962. The song was covered by the Beatles on their 1964 albums Beatles for Sale and Beatles '65.
"Ask Me Why" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles originally released in the United Kingdom as the B-side of their single "Please Please Me". It was also included on their 1963 debut album Please Please Me. It was written primarily by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership.
The Beatles were an English rock band, active from 1960 until 1970. From 1962 onwards, the band's members were John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Their break-up is attributed to numerous factors, including: the strain of the Beatlemania phenomenon, the 1967 death of their manager Brian Epstein, bandmates' resentment of McCartney's perceived domineering behaviour, Lennon's heroin use and his relationship with Yoko Ono, Harrison's increasingly prolific songwriting, the floundering of Apple Corps, the Get Back project and managerial disputes.
"You Know What to Do" was the second song written and recorded by George Harrison with the Beatles. It was recorded on 3 June 1964 but remained unreleased until its inclusion on the band's 1995 outtakes compilation Anthology 1.
Harrisongs Ltd is a music publishing company, founded in 1964 by English musician and songwriter George Harrison, then a member of the Beatles. On 11 September 1964, Harrison created Mornyork Ltd, which, by 7 December that year, had changed its name to Harrisongs Ltd. The company is headquartered at 27 Ovington Square in London's Knightsbridge district, in the same building that houses the Beatles' Apple Corps.
"Christmas Time (Is Here Again)" is a Christmas song by the English rock band the Beatles, originally recorded for their fifth fan club Christmas record, Christmas Time Is Here Again! (1967). One of the few Beatles songs credited to all four members of the band, it consists of a blues based backing track as well as double-tracked vocals sung by them, George Martin and Victor Spinetti. The lyrics are mostly made up of the song's title refrain, repeated across nine verses.
The Beatles were a rock group from Liverpool, England. This timeline chronicles their activities.
"Thinking of Linking" is one of the first songs written by English musician Paul McCartney. Inspired by a cinema advertisement for Link Furniture, McCartney composed the song in 1958. The lyric consists of only three lines, while the music is influenced by the sound of Buddy Holly and the Crickets, particularly the song "Peggy Sue Got Married".