How the Beatles Songs Came to be!

"Across the Universe" ~ The images in this song came to John while he was laying in bed. He couldn't stop thinking about them, so he got out of bed to write them down.

"Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite" ~ Inspired by a victorian circus poster that John saw at an antique shop. Many of the words came directly off the poster.

"Blackbird" ~ While with the Maharishi, Paul was awakened by a blackbird. He wanted to make a song that sounded like the bird's song.

"Blue Jay Way" ~ George was waiting in a house rented on a street called Blue Jay Way. Someone was supposed to come to his house, but got lost. George wrote this while he was waiting for him to arrive.

"Come Together" ~ Timothy Leary was running for a government position and asked John to write a campain song for him, with "Come Together" as his slogan. Leary was arrested and couldn't be elected, so John wrote the song, having nothing to do with politics.

"A Day in the Life" ~ Based on many articles in the newspaper. The first verse was about the Guiness heir who was killed in a car crash. The last verse was about the potholes in the roads of Blackburn, Lankashire.

"Dear Prudence" ~ While meditating with the Maharishi, Mia Farrow's sister, Prudence, spent all her time in her room meditating rather than coming "out to play."

"Get Back" ~ Rumor has it that Paul wrote this song because he wanted Yoko to get out of the studio and back to where she once belonged.

"Glass Onion" ~ John wrote this to confuse the people who seeked secret meanings in his songs.

"Good Morning Good Morning" ~ Inspired by a Corn Flakes commercial. The line "Time for tea and meet the wife" was inspired by a TV show called "Meet the Wife."

"Happiness Is a Warm Gun" ~ John saw the phrase "happiness is a warm gun" on the cover of a gun magazine. He wrote this song around it, becuase he thought it was so crazy.

"Help!" ~ John's cry for help from being a Beatle.

"Helter Skelter" ~ Paul heard Pete Townshend say that the Who had just recorded the nastiest, dirtiest record. He wanted to top it, so he wrote this song.

"Here Comes the Sun" ~ George wrote this as therapy for the stress of running Apple Corps.

"Hey Jude" ~ Paul wrote this song for John's son, Julian, during John and Cynthia's divorce. It was initally going to be called "Hey Jules." John, however, thought it was written for him, supporting his relationship with Yoko.

"I Am the Walrus" ~ John was reading fan letters with a friend, Pete Shotton, when he came to one from a student. In his class, they interpreted Beatles lyrics. John put together the images and phrases in this song to confuse people who looked fo deep meanings. The first line written was "Yellow matter custard dripping from a dead dog's eye." This was made by putting together lines from a poem chanted by children. Next was "Semolina pilchard climbing up the Eiffel Tower." Semolina was a kind of pudding, and pilchards were a kind of fish. The walrus was added later, from Lewis Caroll's "The Walrus and the Carpenter."

"Let It Be" ~ This was based on a dream Paul had, in which his deceased mother Mary told him that everything will be alright.

"Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds" ~ Although some people claim it was about drugs, it was inspired by a painting done by John's son, Julian. John asked him about his painting of a girl flying and Julian said it was "Lucy in the sky with diamonds."

"Martha My Dear" ~ Paul wrote this song for his sheepdog, Martha. Some people say it is really about a girl he had a relationship with.

"Nowhere Man" ~ John was trying to write a song, but he couldn't come up with any ideas. Then he thought he was a "nowhere man sitting in his nowhere land," trying to think.

"Octopus's Garden" ~ While Ringo was vacationing on a boat, he talked to the captain. He told him about the octopuses who collect beautiful things and put them in gardens.

"Paperback Writer" ~ I've heard several different stories about this. One was that it was about John, who had already written "In His Own Write" and "A Spainiard in the Works." Another is that it was written as a tribute to an author who did a book on the Beatles. Yet another says it was written because Paul had recently helped a friend open a book store.

"Piggies" ~ This song was inspired by the money-crazed businessmen at the newly formed Apple company.

"P.S. I Love You" ~ Paul wrote this for Dot Rohne, his girlfriend at the time.

"Savoy Truffle" ~ Inspired by George's friend, Eric Clapton's, crave for chocolates.

"Sexy Sadie" ~ John was upset with the Maharishi when he became interested in the women he was meditating with, so he wrote this song about him. He was originally going to sing the word "Maharishi" instead of "Sexy Sadie."

"Strawberry Fields Forever" ~ John wrote this about a Strawberry Field, a children's home located near his house.

"Tomorrow Never Knows" ~ Inspired by the Tibetian Book of the Dead.

"Two of Us" ~ Some say it is about Paul and Linda. Others think it is about Paul and John.

"While my Guitar Gently Weeps" ~ George opened up a book and saw the phrase "gently weeps." He wrote this song around it.

"Wild Honey Pie" ~ Paul started singing "Honey Pie, Honey Pie." Jane Asher liked it (I've also heard that Pattie Harrison is the one who liked it), so he made it into a song.

"Yellow Submarine" ~ As Paul was falling asleep, strange thoughts began popping into his head. He started thinking, "We all live in a yellow submarine..."

"Yesterday" ~ Paul woke up with a tune in his head. When no one knew what song it was, he realized he dreamed it up. He added words and it became "Yesterday."

"You Know My Name (Look up the Number)" ~ Based on the British phone company's slogan.