The Beatles really were quite extraordinary at this point in their career.
I recall the previous year when they first played for George Martin there
was quite a stir when it was discovered they’d written a song. “Oh, you’ve
written something yourself. That’s a novelty, good for you.” Because it wasn’t
really done you see. Performing artistes didn’t really write songs. That’s what
songwriters did.
But they wrote the
entire of A Hard Days Night.
The whole thing, from opening to close. They didn’t need to top
the disc up with with any cover versions or a tune someone else had penned for
them. They just composed the whole thing. Marvellous stuff.
Have you seen the
movie?
Not for some time. Although there is a small tribute in it
to yours truly, which is most gratifying.
Really? I never
noticed that.
The Beatles were accustomed to having me in the studio and
they’re a very jovial bunch, or at least they were during that time. They were quite the wags,
especially John. He used to watch me hard at my duties and comment that I was very
clean. “He’s very clean” he used to say and it quickly became something of a
catchphrase. It found its way into the dialogue of the motion picture.
It’s said often.
Yes, it is. And it always brings something of a smile to my
face I don’t mind telling you. I remember hearing it in the cinema and turning
to the person next to me saying “John used to say that about me” which did
generate an askance glance or two, and justifiably so. Without context, it was
just a bizarre thing said by an educated English accent in a cinema, but I
couldn’t help myself. I was quite chuffed.
You certainly could
boast an incredible array of acquaintances by this point.
Well yes, one supposes that’s true. I didn’t like to, of
course, I don’t think “name-dropping,” as I’ve heard it called, is something an
English gentleman should indulge in. But I do recall attending a formal
function in London at one point and hearing someone boast of sharing a cup of
tea with the then Chancellor of the Exchequer. He expected it would impress
some young ladies he was talking to at the time but it had no impact
whatsoever. He turned to me and asked if I had ever had tea with the Chancellor
and I admitted I hadn’t but had shared several beverages with Elvis Presley,
numerous light meals with the Beatles and an excellent fish supper with four-fifths of the Rolling Stones. I was pleased to see this had a considerably
larger impact on the ladies present who were most intrigued.
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