An Attempt at an Original Beatles' Quiz (sigh)

Answer: At least three recorded versions exist each with a different drummer

There are three different versions of this song recorded. In June 1962, a version with Pete Best as drummer was recorded. On September 4, 1962, a version was made with Ringo Starr as the drummer. Another version was made on September 11 using a session drummer, Andy White, with Ringo being relegated to percussion by being given a tambourine. The single featured Starr drumming but the album version contains the tambourine indicating the Andy White version was played.
This song also contains a harmonica piece which was dubbed in afterwards. Some claim this is the first rock and roll record containing a harmonica.
The song reached Number 17 on the UK singles Chart and Number one in the US eighteen months later.

Answer: Boys

"Boys" (1960) was a Dixon/Farrel composition recorded by the Shirelles as a B-side to their "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" single in 1960. The song was sung with the same words as the Shirelles without changing to "Girls" so it was always mildly embarrassing to the other Beatles when it was sung. "Boys" was always the "drummer's song". Pete Best used to sing it before Ringo joined the band.

The song was recorded for the Beatles' 1962 British album, "Please, Please Me" and on the American "Introducing...The Beatles" which was released in January 1964. Starr sang lead vocal on only eleven Beatles' songs, writing two: "Don't Pass Me By" (1968) and "Octopus's Garden" (1969).

Answer: Lady Madonna

The five songs were "Twist and Shout" (1963), "She Loves You" (1962), "Can't Buy Me Love" (1964 ), "I Want To Hold Your Hand" (1962), and "Please, Please Me" (1962) with "Can't Buy Me Love" holding down the Number One spot and "Twist and Shout" being the only non-original song of the five.
The "arrival" of The Beatles was delayed in the US. While the hits were coming one after the other in the UK, it was uncommon for musical acts to be big on both sides of the Atlantic, possibly due to air travel being restricted and global communications being primitive by contemporary standards. It wasn't until The Beatles performed on "The Ed Sullivan Show" on February 9, 1964, that 73 million Americans were exposed to their music for the first time. This caused a compression of their British hits to be released close together in the States. It was also exemplified by two albums from two different recording companies, being released almost simultaneously.
Incidentally, "Can't Buy Me Love" was the first single to sell over a million copies BEFORE it was released.

Answer: Hard Day's Night

The Beatles were not just innovative with their songs but also with their albums. (Albums were really made popular by The Beatles). Their debut album in Britain, "Please Please Me" (1962) contained fourteen songs when eight to ten songs was the norm per album for the time. "A Hard Day's Night" (1964) was the first album of The Beatles that contained all their own composition with no covers.

This was unusual as most bands recorded other songwriters' songs. Some claim this was the first rock album in the world to contain only original material sung by the songwriters.

There were two versions of the album, with different song listings, one for each side of the Atlantic. Nevertheless, the album contained only songs from the main two songwriters; there was no contribution from Harrison; and this was one of three albums where Ringo Starr did not sing his customary one-off song.

The US version contained four instrumental songs taken from the movie of the same name but none of these appeared on the British version which contained 12 songs, all with vocals.

Answer: Yesterday

"Yesterday" (1965), an iconic Beatles' song, is one of the most covered songs in history. It is a most unusual song as while it received the usual dual song writing credit, it was written solely by McCartney. None of the other Beatles played (or even sang) on the song.

It was just McCartney playing an Epiphone Texan acoustic guitar backed by a string quartet. This is the first pop song that contained classical instruments. The Beatles did not want this song released as a single as it effectively was a solo vehicle for McCartney.

They were initially successful with their British record company, Parlophone, but not their US record company, Capitol, who did release it in the US where it went to Number One on the Billboard Hot 100. It was subsequently released in Britain the following year as an EP, where it went to Number One on the UK Singles Chart.

Answer: Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)

This song was recorded in October 1965 and released in January 1966. The story tells of one of the Beatles having an affair whilst he was married. The "other woman" has never been identified. The Norwegian wood of the title refers to pine panelling which was popular in the 60s.

The protagonist wants revenge for the affair so burns down the other woman's flat containing said Norwegian wood panelling. The song is notable for its absence of a chorus (not a first for The Beatles) and the lack of conventional drums though various percussion instruments were played by Ringo Starr (absence of drums was also not a first for the Beatles).

The song is notable as the first rock song released to feature a sitar. (Whilst The Kinks and The Yardbirds had previously recorded songs with sitars, they were not released). George Harrison picked up a sitar on the film set of "Help!" (1964) after a scene featuring Indian instruments.

He later bought a cheap sitar and taught himself to play well enough for the rest of The Beatles to convince George Martin to include it on their next record.

The release of the song caused a flurry of other artists' songs with sitars. Other notable Beatles' songs featuring Harrison playing sitar include "Love You To" (1966), "Across the Universe" (1968), and "Something" (1969).

Answer: Paperback Writer

Supposedly, the background to this song was that McCartney's Aunt Mimi challenged him to write a song not about love. While various versions of this story exist and which people (if any) inspired the song (The reference to Lear is arguably about Edward Lear who wrote nonsense poems not novels), the title itself would be considered an anachronism today. Paperbacks are ubiquitous but in post-war England, they had just become popular as they were cheaper than the 'normal' hard-backed equivalents due to austerity measures.
For the single "Paperback Writer" / "Rain", The Beatles were reluctant to appear on television to promote the single, so they spent two days in Chiswood House, (eight miles south west of Abbey Road Studios) filming seven promotional films for the single. on both film and videotape, and in colour for US audiences ("Ed Sullivan Show") and in black and white for UK audiences. These were the first made for television video clips (Elvis Presley had music clips aired previously but these were excerpts from his movies).
Interestingly, the song was written as if the protagonist is writing a letter. The lyrics, written by McCartney, are written in the same way, not in verse as songs usually were. The manuscript was signed by Ian Iachimoe, which is apparently what McCartney's name sounds like, said backwards.

Answer: First Beatles' song not to include the words I, me, mine, you or your

"Eleanor Rigby" (1966) was a good example of how experimental they had become with their music. Ringo Starr did not appear (not for the first time) on the record (though he contributed the line, "darning his socks"), none of The Beatles played any instruments: McCartney sang lead with the remaining two singing back up / harmonies, and a string octet covered all the instrumentation. (A string quartet was used in "Yesterday" (1965).

However, it was the lyrical content that was arguably the most innovative part of the song. With dark, sorrowful lyrics featuring two lonely people who met at a funeral (Eleanor Rigby was dead when this happened), the song was the first Beatles' song that did not contain any personal pronouns such as "I, me, mine, you" or "your" .

This was a third person song - very unusual for The Beatles. If you want to know the first Beatles' song with a girl's name in the title, you need to go back to 1963 to find "Anna, (Go To Him)".

Answer: Something

Harrison had to wait for the Beatles' penultimate album (and even then "Let It Be" (1969), the final Beatles' album, had already been recorded) before his first A-side, "Something" was released in 1969. It was unusual for a Beatles' song to be found on an album before being released as a single. It was a double A-Side with "Come Together" (1969). After "Yesterday" (1965), "Something" is, by far, the most covered Beatles' song. When covered by Frank Sinatra, Sinatra introduced it as a song by the Beatles' major songwriters. Poor George. No wonder his first solo album, released a year later, "All Things Must Pass" was a triple album. He had so much material that was never used on Beatles' albums.
"Chains" (1962) was a Goffin/King composition which was recorded but not released by the Everly Brothers and was a 1962 hit for The Cookies (Little Eva's backing band). The Beatles covered it on their 1963 UK "Please Please Me" album. This was the first song George Harrison, as a Beatle, sang lead on a record.
"Do you want to Know A Secret" (1963) was the first Beatles' composition sung by Harrison. It was a top ten hit when released in the US a year later.
"Don't Bother Me" (1963) was the first Harrison composed song. This song appeared on the "With The Beatles" (1963).
"Taxman" (1966) was the first Harrison song to open an album. It was the first track on the 1966 album, "Revolver".

Answer: McCartney

The Beatles officially broke up on April 10, 1970 when Paul McCartney announced in an interview on this date that he was leaving The Beatles, and he was releasing his own solo album "McCartney". This decision caused an uproar. All the other Beatles had either temporarily left the group before or said "They were getting a divorce from The Beatles" but this was decisive.

At this stage, the "Let It Be" project had not been released (It was released a month later). The reason for the break-up was multi-factorial and a long time coming, but it was McCartney's announcement in April, 1970 that confirmed the split. McCartney instigated legal proceedings in December 1970 to formalise the dissolution but this was not ratified until 1975. The album "McCartney" was released on 17 April 1970.

It was made somewhat secretly after McCartney withdrew to his farm in Scotland. His wife Linda encouraged him to get involved in music to help him get over what appeared to be a depressive illness. The result was this album, which was a series of home recordings and studio songs.

It was criticised, perhaps unfairly, as it was seen as the cause of the break-up of the Beatles but it still went to Number One in the US and Number Two in the UK.