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| Peter And Gordon(photo:Rex pictures) |
Though John Lennon and Paul McCartney have written a large bulk of material for the Beatles in the 1960s,they were never too busy to write songs for other bands and artists.Many have considered these tracks as "throwaways" but nevertheless,the songs they have written became staple hits and these friends/contemporaries became famous because of it.
1.PETER AND GORDON
Peter Asher is the brother of McCartney's then-girlfriend Jane Asher and Beatles fans could hardly imagine that Peter nearly became Paul's brother-in-law.The songs Paul wrote for the duo were credited as Lennon-McCartney as a part of the contract they had signed with Northern Songs.In 1964,at the height of Beatlemania,McCartney was living with the Ashers and was sharing a room with Peter,and with it began a long term friendship that Paul would soon give Peter And Gordon four songs which he eventually wrote.
"A WORLD WITHOUT LOVE"
This Lennon-McCartney track became a huge hit for Peter And Gordon where it went to number one on both sides of the Atlantic.
"NOBODY I KNOW"
Peter And Gordon's second single for 1964 is also a Lennon-McCartney composition,it made the US top 20 and would be a top 10 hit in the UK.
"I DONT WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN"
The duo's third A side single was released on September 21,1964 and again,a Lennon-McCartney composition.It made the top 20 in the US yet failed to chart in the UK.
"WOMAN"
In 1966,Paul McCartney was challenged by the music press that anything he put his name on would become a hit.Paul then responded by writing a song under the pseudonym Bernard Webb and once again giving it to Peter and Gordon.The result: the song made it to the US top 20.
2.BILLY J KRAMER
One of the few people from Brian Epstein's 'boys' and 'girls' eventually became more friendly with both Lennon and McCartney,though Im not really saying that their not friends with them all but lets just say that they got even closer to the extent of musical collaboration.Billy J Kramer is one of the few hometown neighbors that had a huge hit with a Lennon-McCartney tune.
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| Billy J Kramer(photo:unknown) |
Billy J Kramer and The Dakotas had a mega success in 1963 and 1964 with a couple of Lennon-McCartney tunes in their song catalogue.Sadly,his career waned in the mid-1960s after several record flops.
"BAD TO ME"
This is Billy J Kramer's biggest hit,written solely by John Lennon though credited to Lennon-McCartney as their contract would've stated.This song would go to the top of the UK charts and a top 10 hit in the US.Its B-side "I Call Your Name" is also a Lennon-McCartney composition with whom the Beatles had also recorded.Story goes that Kramer didn't like the song that much so it was issued as a B-side instead backing "Bad To Me".
The Beatles' version of "I Call Your Name" was included on the Long Tall Sally EP and was issued as a separate single,it was later compiled in 1988 on their Past Masters album.
"I'LL BE ON MY WAY"
This is somewhat an unreleased Beatles tune given to Billy J Kramer along with his own cover version of "Do You Want To Know A Secret".The song actually pre-empted his biggest hit "Bad To Me" which was featured here before.The Beatles did a live version of this song that can actually be found on their Live At The BBC album which was released in 1994.
"I'LL KEEP YOU SATISFIED"
This song is actually one of the last Lennon-McCartney compositions that would feature Billy J Kramer in the top 10.With another Lennon-McCartney penned song "From A Window" reaching the US top 40,Kramer was convinced that he was hereby living in the Beatles' shadow and decided to make it on his own.Sadly,it was a bad career move for him.
3.THE ROLLING STONES
One of the greatest rock n' roll bands of all time had their first huge hit in 1963 with a Lennon-McCartney tune.
"I WANNA BE YOUR MAN"
This song was given to the Stones as a gift by Lennon and McCartney.The Stones had their top 20 hit in the UK with mostly cover versions on their first and second albums.Inspired by Lennon-McCartney,Jagger and Richards was later persuaded by their then-manager Andrew Oldham to write original material for the band and thus started the trend of the singer/songwriter craftsmanship for most bands in the sixties.
The Beatles' version of the song with Ringo Starr on vocals was later released three weeks later and was featured on their second album With The Beatles.
4.THE FOURMOST
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| The Fourmost,1963 |
The Fourmost were an English band also under the management of Brian Epstein.
The band had hits in the UK and a couple of minor hits in the US with several Lennon-McCartney tunes.
"HELLO LITTLE GIRL"
This song was written again by John Lennon though credited to Lennon-McCartney.It was actually written way back during the Quarry Men days and was said to be used during the Beatles' Decca audition wherein they were famously put down.The Beatles' version featuring Stuart Sutcliffe on bass was recorded in 1961 and was released later on Anthology 1 in 1995.
"I'M IN LOVE"
This is another Lennon-McCartney composition that was given to the Fourmost and would later make it to the UK top 20.
5.CILLA BLACK
Priscilla White is a former cloakroom attendant at the Cavern Club in Liverpool where the Beatles were famous for being a resident band.White was reputedly discovered by Brian Epstein and renamed her Cilla Black. She is one of among the Beatles' lady friends at Epstein's inner circle.
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| Cilla Black with Paul McCartney |
"LOVE OF THE LOVED"
This Lennon-McCartney composition was given to Cilla Black and was considered to be her debut single.Though the Beatles had also recorded this on their infamous 1962 Decca audition they never issued it officially to themselves.A couple of bootlegs of the Beatles demo version were circulating that was taken from the original tapes of the said audition.Issued as Black's debut single,it barely made the UK top 40.
"ITS FOR YOU"
Another Lennon-McCartney composition that was given to Cilla Black that would put her in the UK top 10 in 1964.
"STEP INSIDE LOVE"
This Lennon-McCartney composition was actually written solely by Paul to be given to Cilla Black for her TV special titled Cilla in 1968.It would also be the show's theme song.The track was first cut by Paul McCartney with the Beatles during the White Album sessions though the band had actually never issued it for themselves.
The Beatles' demo version,however,later appeared on the Anthology 3 album released in 1997.
5.THE STRANGERS WITH MIKE SHANNON
One could hardly knew about the Strangers except that they were a South African rock band.Their song "One And One Is Two" which was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney was originally given to Billy J Kramer wherein it was rejected as he moves away from the Beatles' wing and had been set to have a career of his own without any songs written by the two Beatles.As bad as Kramer's next career move,the song would become one of the most forgettable tunes from the sixties as it failed to chart in both the US and the UK.
Listen to "One And One Is Two", a rare Lennon-McCartney track recorded by The Strangers with Mike Shannon:
6.THE APPLEJACKS
The Applejacks were a six piece 1960s pop/rock group and one of the earliest rock n'roll bands ever to feature a female musician.The band was way ahead of their time by featuring Megan Davies,the band's only female member and bass player--a thing that is unusual at the time.
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| The Applejacks(photo:Decca Records) |
This song written by Paul McCartney dates back during their days as the Quarry Men in the late fifties.Again,credited to Lennon-McCartney,the song would be the Applejacks' second single and would put the band in the UK top 20.
The Beatles' demo version features original drummer Pete Best and later came out on the Anthology 1 album in 1995.
7.PJ PROBY
Aside from the Beatles,PJ Proby also worked with then-session musician Jimmy Page who later became one of the greatest guitar players the world has ever seen.Working with the Beatles,he was given a song which would earn him a UK top 40 hit.
"THAT MEANS A LOT"
This Lennon-McCartney tune would be a hit for PJ Proby.Released in 1965,the Beatles had actually cut the song during the recording sessions for Help! but decided against it and was given instead to PJ Proby.The Beatles' recorded version later appeared on the Anthology 2 album released in 1996.
8.MARY HOPKIN
Mary Hopkin is a Welsh singer/musician and best known to be a protege of Paul McCartney.He discovered her through a mutual friend,sixties model Twiggy.She is one of the first artists ever to record on Apple,the Beatles' very own record label.
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| Mary Hopkin(second left) with the Beatles and Yoko Ono (photo:Linda McCartney/Apple Records) |
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| Mary Hopkin |
McCartney would go on to produce Hopkin's biggest hit "Those Were The Days" that would top the UK charts in 1969.Her 1969 album Postcard was also produced by Paul McCartney.
By the time the Beatles had disbanded regarding business problems and Apple,Hopkin's career went into hiatus and never achieved the same success like when she had Paul as a producer/mentor.She was once married to producer Tony Visconti,who later married May Pang-Yoko Ono's former secretary and former girlfriend of John Lennon.
"GOODBYE"
This Lennon-McCartney tune would also be a hit for Mary Hopkin as a follow up to her mega success with "Those Were The Days".
Like most of Lennon and McCartney's throwaway tracks, "Goodbye" was never issued by the Beatles themselves though a demo version had floated around on some of the bootleggers. The song was actually recorded during the sessions for the White Album,hence,the trademark brass arrangement and choral part similar to songs from the album can be heard on the track.
9.BADFINGER
Like Mary Hopkin,Badfinger would be one of the few bands/artists that first got a record deal with the Beatles' own label Apple.
With a string of classic rock staples,Badfinger would be a rock group that was marred with bad management,tragedy and suicide among its members.
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| Badfinger(photo:the Express UK) |
"COME AND GET IT"
This Paul McCartney-penned hit would catapult the band into stardom. Badfinger was among the first rock bands ever to sign a contract with Apple Records along with James Taylor,Mary Hopkin and Billy Preston.McCartney would go on and produce two more songs from the band namely: "Rock Of All Ages" and "Carry On Till Tomorrow".
(c) Keith Vernon Adagio
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