I live in a place called Ryde on the Isle of Wight as some of you know. I got talking to someone yesterday and it reminded me of a previous conversation I had had around 10 years earlier.

Was the track 'Ticket to Ride' a play on words after Paul was visiting an 'auntie' who happened to own a bar in Ryde.

All Beatles officianado's please help. Would love to find a valid connection.

Found this on Wikipedia:

"Ticket To Ride" is a song by The Beatles from their 1965 album, Help!. It was recorded 15 February 1965 at Abbey Road Studios and released 9 April 1965 in the UK and 19 April 1965 in the U.S. as a single with "Yes It Is" as its b-side (see 1965 in music). The song is credited to Lennon-McCartney, though it is considered a Lennon song.

Lennon performed the lead vocals. The lead guitar breaks are by Paul McCartney on a lead guitar; this is the first time the bassist played lead guitar on a Beatles record, though it is believed that Paul played the guitar solo in the outro on "Another Girl". Live versions of the song generally break into double-time in the "My baby don't care" section which concludes the song.

The actual inspiration of the song is cloudy: some say it was a reference to Lennon passing his driving test, some say it was a reference to a girl walking out of his life, some say it was about buying a train ticket to Ryde (on the Isle of Wight), and the more cynical say it was about a special ticket given to prostitutes in Hamburg (where The Beatles played their earliest serious gigs) that showed they had a clean bill of health and therefore had a "Tikka to Ride". It has also been said that it is about the time Lennon's mother left the family when he was a child.

After the breakup of the Beatles, Lennon proudly claimed that it was the first heavy metal song of all time; given the droning bassline, repeating drums, and loaded guitar lines, he may be right, despite being less intense than later metal songs. Given this notion it seems almost ironic to the original concept that the famously wholesome Carpenters recorded a cover version of the song. Hard rock pioneers Vanilla Fudge also recorded a cover version in 1967.

The original 45s released of "Ticket to Ride" have written on them that the song appears in the motion picture "Eight Arms to Hold You." This was the original title of The Beatles' second movie "Help!" and was not changed until after the single was initially released.

An orchestral version of the song is barely audible in the fadeout at the very end of newer CD issues of the Pink Floyd album The Dark Side of the Moon. This is probably a mistake in remastering; coincidentally both The Beatles and Pink Floyd were well-known patrons of Abbey Road Studios.


And this on QuickSeek Encyclopedia: the title of the song "Ticket To Ride" was inspired by by a trip John took to Ryde in the 60's. (A Ticket To Ryde)

Thanks Bobber....was wondering though if anyone knew any more about this 'family' connection.

The funny thing about buying a ticket to ryde is that it would be impossible due to the Isle of Wight being an Island!!!! lol (Unless you caught the train from Shanklin which is on the island)

This I imagine would be the sort of humour the lads would have liked and may have inspired the track? The Hamburg connection sounds equally plausible.

Thanks again BobStarr.

Wooh!

Just found this!!

John Lennon and Paul McCartney used to hitch-hike down from Liverpool during school and college holidays to work at the Fox and Hounds Pub, Reading. They worked behind the bar during the week and then played their guitars on saturday nights as The Nerk Twins. The pub was run by Paul's cousin Elizabeth and her husband Mike Robbins who later went on to run the Bow Bars, Union St, Ryde, Isle of Wight - where John and Paul then used to hitch hike to - This then reappears punningly in 'Ticket To Ride'.

Ah! Interesting... But I always thought they only played once or twice as The Nerk Twins.

To find proof that they may have played there would inspire a great 'plot' for a venue I am planning to open. This could open doors to a few possibilities....eh bobber?

Oh certainly. See pm.