Early Beatles Songs Recorded by Other Artists Quiz

Answer: Woman

Because Peter and Gordon had success with songs penned under the Lennon/McCartney name, Paul used the name Bernard Webb when he wrote "Woman" to see if the composition would succeed without the Beatles' name. When it reached Number 14 on the US charts there was no doubt that "Woman" was a hit.

It didn't take long for news to get out that it was really written by Paul McCartney. When Peter and Gordon performed "Woman" on "Hullabaloo" it was introduced as written by Paul. "I Don't Want to See You Again" was by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon-McCartney. Peter and Gordon took it to Number 16 in the US in 1964. "A World Without Love" was written by Paul McCartney and also attributed to Lennon-McCartney.

It topped the US charts in 1964. The flip side, "If I Were You", was written by Peter and Gordon. "Nobody I Know" by Paul McCartney and attributed to Lennon-McCartney was the follow up to "A World Without Love" and made it to Number 12 in the US.

Answer: Goodbye

Although it only reached Number 13 on the US charts "Goodbye" was ironically held at Number Two in the UK by "Get Back". Paul McCartney recorded a demo of "Goodbye" so Mary could learn the song before he produced it for her in 1969. Mary was one of the artists signed to the Beatles' Apple Records label.
Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle were Apple songwriters who wrote the flip side, "Sparrow". The only recording known to exist of The Beatles recording "Goodbye" song is McCartney's demo.
"Temma Harbour" (1970) broke the Top Forty in the US at 39. "Let My Name Be Sorrow" failed to chart in the US when released in 1971 and "Think About Your Children" made it to Number 87 in 1970.

Answer: Plastic Ono Band

John Lennon composed "Give Peace A Chance" but as per their agreement it was credited as a Lennon/McCartney song at the time. John Lennon formed Plastic Ono Band with Yoko Ono in 1969 for their individual and collaborative efforts. Their first release was the 1968 album "Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins". "Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions" was released in 1969 and the final album with the Plastic Ono Band came in 1969 after their marriage titled "The Wedding Album".
The Plastic Ono Band did not have a specific lineup of members. When John and Yoko relocated to New York they named their group Plastic Ono Elephant's Memory Band.
The Sundown Playboys was an Apple Records band.

Answer: Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas

Billy J. Kramer was born William Howard Ashton. When he began a musical career he chose the name Kramer from a telephone book and John Lennon suggested he add the initial "J". Kramer formed a backing group called The Coasters. When Brian Epstein heard them he liked Billy but not the band so he got a group from Manchester called The Dakotas to back him. They were originally called Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas.
They released a cover of The Beatles' "Do You Want To Know A Secret?" which did well in the UK but failed to chart in the US. Lennon/McCartney's composition "Bad to Me" followed and made the Top Ten in the US in 1964.
Brian Epstein also managed Gerry and the Pacemakers. The Cyrkle was named by John Lennon and was the only American group managed by Epstein. The Searchers were the second Liverpool band to have a US hit when "Needles and Pins" was released in 1964.

Answer: Ringo

Ringo handled vocals chores on "I Wanna Be Your Man". It was included on the group's second album, "With the Beatles" (1963). The Beatles also performed the song on "Live at the BBC".
Brian Jones played slide guitar and did backing vocals on the Rolling Stones' version. It was released in the US as the B-Side to "Not Fade Away".

Answer: Cilla Black

Priscilla Maria Veronica White changed her name to Cilla Black when she set out to be a singer. She began working as a hat check girl in The Cavern Club where she met The Beatles. She then began working at the Casanova Club billed as "Swinging Cilla" while she sat in with groups of the days such as The Beatles and Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. John Lennon persuaded Brian Epstein to audition her and in 1963 she became the only female act that he represented.

Her first single was Lennon/McCartney's "Love of the Loved".

She went on to have modest success and later covered other Beatles songs including "Across the Universe" and "The Long and Winding Road". Lulu was born Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie. Marianne Faithfull was originally managed by the Rolling Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham.

In 1942 Petula Sally Olwen Clark began singing on radio with her father.

Answer: Hello Little Girl

The Fourmost also recorded the Lennon/McCartney song "I'm in Love" in 1963. In 1957 the band started out as Two Jays, changing to Four Jays and finally becoming The Fourmost when they began playing at the Cavern Club before the Beatles began performing there.

They eventually became managed by Brian Epstein and signed by the Parlophone label. Their first two Lennon/McCartney recordings failed to chart in the US. In 1966 they covered the Beatles' "Here, There and Everywhere". In the late sixties the band ceased recording but continued to perform live. "One and One Is Two" was rejected by Billy J. Kramer and recorded by the South African group The Strangers with Mike Shannon. Paul McCartney recorded a demo of "Thingumybob" during the sessions for "Mother Nature's Son".

It was later recorded by Black Dyke Mills Band. The Beatles' version of "Like Dreamers Do" is on "Anthology 1".

Answer: Tommy

Tommy Quickly (Thomas Quigley) was fronting the Challengers when he was heard by Brian Epstein. Brian didn't like his backing band and suggested that Quickly be backed by The Remo Four. Epstien then changed Tommy's format from Rhythm and Blues to Pop.

He had Tommy record and release the John Lennon/Paul McCartney composition "Tip of My Tongue" as his first single and promote him in public appearances and stage performances. "Tip of My Tongue" did not fare well on the charts and Quickly's follow-ups didn't do any better so he left the music business in 1965.

The following year he suffered a nervous breakdown. If you watch the 1965 film "Pop Gear" Quickly can be seen singing "Humpty Dumpty".

Answer: The Magic Christian

Joseph McGrath directed "The Magic Christian" featuring Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr. Also seen in the film are John Cleese, Roman Polanski, Raquel Welch and Christopher Lee. In the film Peter Sellers adopts Ringo and the pair play practical jokes on people. The film was loosely based on a 1959 novel by Terry Southern.
Badfinger was signed with Apple Records and recorded McCartney's "Come and Get it". The song was on the film's soundtrack and also released as a single that made the US Top Ten. Paul McCartney did all the instruments and vocals on the demo for Badfinger to learn the song.
"Take the Money and Run" is a 1969 Woody Allen film. In 1969 "The Love God?" starred Don Knotts and Anne Francis. "Where's Jack?" starred Stanley Baker and Tommy Steele.

Answer: True

"Like Dreamers Do" was one of the songs performed by The Beatles when they unsuccessfully performed songs auditioning for Decca Records in 1962 before Ringo joined the band. The song was recorded by Decca featuring Pete Best on drums and can be heard on the 1995 "Anthology 1" album. The Applejacks was a band signed to Decca and released a version of "Like Dreamers Do".

They were originally an Instrumental group until singer Al Jackson joined them in 1963. Their first single, "Tell Me When", did well on the UK charts followed by the UK Number 20 "Like Dreamers Do" . Disputes with Decca derailed their career and they performed on cruise lines until the seventies.