The Beatles in the Big 500 Countdown Quiz

Answer: If I Fell

First released on the "A Hard Day's Night" soundtrack, "If I Fell" was allegedly written by John about one of his many indiscretions. Ironically in the movie "A Hard Day's Night", John sang this tender love song to Ringo.
"All My Loving" was number 60 on the 2005 Countdown, down from number 39 in 2004. "She Loves You" placed at number 113 in 2005, also down from 103 in 2004, and "I Feel Fine" occupied spots 439 and 289 respectively.

Answer: Come Together

John wrote "Come Together" as a campaign song for Timothy Leary (he of "tune in, turn on, drop out" fame), when Leary decided to run for Governor of California against Ronald Regan. Leary's slogan was "Come Together - Join the Party", which is what he gave John to work with. When Leary's arrest on drug related charges ended his political career, "Come Together" was released on "Abbey Road".
Down from number 47 in 2004, "Get Back" was number 90 on the 2005 Countdown. "Help!" was number 128 in 2005, up from 205 in 2004, and "Nowhere Man" scored numbers 285 and 172 respectively.

Answer: Lady Madonna

Released as a single in 1968, Paul's inspiration for writing "Lady Madonna" came from a picture in the newspaper, of an African woman nursing her child. The caption under the picture read "Mountain Madonna".
(Did you notice what day of the week was not mentioned in the song?)
"She's a Woman" was number 420 in 2005, down from 307 in 2004. "Yesterday" was number seven in 2005 and number five in 2004. "Hello, Goodbye" occupied spots numbered 94 and 54.
(The day of the week not mentioned was Saturday.)

Answer: Revolution

The Beatles recorded two versions of this song, written by John. The first version recorded was the slower version that appeared on "The White Album". This faster version was recorded later, but released first as a single, in the summer of 1968. "Revolution 9", an artsy collaboration between John and Yoko was also released on "The White Album", to very mixed reviews. Twenty years later The Beatles sued Nike for using the song in a commercial. Nike felt that they had paid Capitol records for the rights to the song, but The Beatles did not believe that Capitol Records had the right to sell the rights.

Answer: Can't Buy Me Love

Released as a single in 1964, and written by Paul while they were touring in France, "Can't Buy Me Love" is one of the very few Beatles releases not actually recorded in London, England.
"I Saw Her Standing There" was number 348 in 2005, up from number 368 on the 2004 Countdown. "And I Love Her" was not on the list in 2004, but made it to number 400 in 2005. "Love Me Do" was numbered 238 and 337 respectively.

Answer: In My Life

John has referred to this bittersweet song as his "first real, major piece of art", although McCartney claims that he wrote the tune. It was released on the "Rubber Soul" album in December of 1965.
"A Hard Day's Night" was number 108 in 2005, up from 166 in 2004. "Here Comes the Sun" was 173 in 2005, also up from the 2004 placement of 266. "A Day in the Life" made the biggest jump, from 406 in 2004, to 213 in 2005.

Answer: Eleanor Rigby

Paul has always claimed that he chose the name Eleanor because of Eleanor Bron, an actress who worked on the movie "Help!" with them, and that Rigby came from the name of a shop near where he grew up. The discovery of a headstone with the name Eleanor Rigby, in the graveyard of the church where Paul first met John, does not change his story.

He has no memory of ever having seen the gravestone, and says that if he were influenced by it at all, it wasn't on a conscious level. "Help!" was number 128 in 2005, up from 166 in 2004. "All You Need is Love" was number 28 in 2005, up slightly from 34 in 2004, and "Let It Be" occupied spots numbered 80 and 89 respectively.

Answer: Ticket to Ride

First released as a single in 1965, "Ticket to Ride" was also included in the movie "Help!", and released on the soundtrack. Although subject to a lot of different interpretations, John insists that the song was about a girl who left him. Ironically, the song was recorded on the day that John was granted his driver's license.
"Please Please Me" was number 452 on the 2005 Countdown, down from 351 in 2004. "Let It Be" was number 80 in 2005 and 89 in 2004, and "We Can Work it Out" occupied spots numbered 271 and 128 respectively.

Answer: Hey Jude

Released as a single in 1968, "Hey Jude" was a mega hit for the Beatles. Paul wrote this song for Julian Lennon, when his parents were going through a divorce. It started out as "Hey Jules", but was switched to "Hey Jude" because it was less awkward sounding, and because St. Jude was the patron saint of lost causes, which is very ironic when you think about it.

Answer: Paperback Writer

Released as a single in 1966, "Paperback Writer" was written because of a comment that Paul's aunt made. She essentially challenged him to write a song that wasn't about love, and this was the result. Of course it wasn't long before they were writing many songs that weren't about love.
"Penny Lane" was number 33 in 2005, up from 196 in 2005. "Eight Days a Week" was also up in 2005, from number to 215 to 314, but "Rock and Roll Music" dropped from 2004 to 2005, from 101 to 314.

Also on the 2005 Countdown by the Beatles; "Twist and Shout" (68, 51), "I Should Have Known Better" (204, 86), and "Ob La Di Ob La Da" (255, 43).
The first number was the song's position on the 2005 chart, while the second number was the 2004 placement.