20 Beatles Songs Written About or Inspired by Real People and Places
20 Beatles Songs Written About or Inspired by Real People and Places
1. "And I Love Her"
Written by Paul about Jane Asher, his girlfriend during the mid-1960s.
2. "Baby, You're a Rich Man"
Written by Paul and John about Beatles manager Brian Epstein.
3. "Blue Jay Way"
Written by George while waiting for Derek Taylor to come to the house he was staying at in Los Angeles (on a street called Blue Jay Way) in the early summer of 1967.
4. "A Day in the Life"
John was inspired by the death of a friend, Tara Brown, who "blue his mind out in a car"; it has also been said that Lennon read a newspaper item about such a person, but not someone he knew.
5. "Dear Prudence"
Written by John for Mia Farrow's sister.
6. "Dr. Robert"
Written by John and Paul about a doctor who supposedly prescribed pills freely for his star clients.
7. "For the Benefit of Mr. Kite"
John and Paul were inspired by British carnival figures.
8. "Hey Jude"
Written by Paul about John's son Julian.
9. "I am the Walrus"
The Walrus was Paul.
10. "I'm Looking Through You"
Another song Paul wrote about Jane Asher.
11. "Julia"
Written by John and Paul for Julia Lennon, John's mother, who died while he was still a teenager. She also would inspire the "Plastic Ono Band" song "Mother."
12. "Martha My Dear"
Written by Paul about Martha, his English sheep dog.
13. "Norwegian Wood"
Written by John about a woman with hom he had had an affair; he was afraid to tell Cynthia, his first wife, but decided he had to get the story out somehow.
14. "Penny Land"
Written by Paul and John about people they had known on the Liverpool street of the same name.
15. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
John and Paul were inspired by British carnival figures.
16. "Sexy Sadie"
Written by John about Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the original lyric was more direct, but when it came time to record the song, Lennon changed the words.
17. "She Said, She Said"
John and Paul were inspired by a comment made by Peter Fonda while he and Lennon were tripping on acid; He said, "I know what it's like to be dead."
18. "Taxman"
Written by George about the general economic situation in Britain but with speicial emphasis on the two most recent prime ministers, Edward Heath and Harold Wilson, both of whom are mensioned in the song.
19. "When I'm Sixty-four"
Written by John and Paul for James McCartney, Paul's father.
20. "You Never Give Me Your Money"
Considered to be a McCartney reference to the debacle with Allen Klein.
Taken from "The Book of Rock Lists" by Dave Marsh and Kevin Stein