Please consider registering
Guest
sp_LogInOut Log Insp_Registration Register
Register | Lost password?
Advanced Search
Forum Scope


Match



Forum Options



Minimum search word length is 3 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters
sp_Feed sp_TopicIcon
Paperback Writer - Mark Shipper
1 September 2015
10.56am
Avatar
Jolly Jimmy
Candlestick Park
Members
Forum Posts: 1047
Member Since:
4 August 2015
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Does anybody remember this novel which was a comical biography of the Beatles?  It came out in the late 70s when all the Beatles were alive and well.  I just found my old copy deep in a box.  It probably got lost in the shuffle because it came out around the same time as the Rutles.  But in this book, the actual Beatles were spoofed.  The ending involved a Beatles reunion that did not go as planned.

I remember a lot of jokes were pun-related including funny footnotes.  There were also actual Beatle photos with humorous captions.

Some of gags I remember:

After firing Pete Best, the Beatles invited one Richard Starkey to join the band. * Even if there was two Richard Starkeys they would have still invited only one of them.

Their second LP turned gold  3 days after release. * This was due to a manufacturing error and the records had to be recalled.

The first album “Introducing the Beatles” was just them going “Paul, I’d like to you meet George”  “Pleased to meet you” for one hour.

In a photo showing George and John sharing a microphone, caption read  something like “One reason John needed glasses was from frequently bumping heads during concerts”.

They mock George’s religious obsessions all through the book.  For one photo where George is above other Beatles waving, caption reads “God dropped by unexpectedly for this photo session.  George waves hello.  Others can’t see him”.

The landmark album “Sgt. Pepper ” was inspired by an incident with John.  On the set of How I Won The War, John tried to season his food.  But they would not let him saying those salt and pepper shakers were for military officers only.  John was outraged as this injustice.

John and Yoko briefly collaborated with Cher’s ex.  Their avant garde activities included trying to find tubes of the discontinued Ipana toothpaste.  They later formed the Plastic Bono Band.

One of Paul’s earliest solo hits was “Maybe I’m Amazed , Maybe I’m Not (It’s None Of Your Business)”.

You get the idea.  If you remember this book, I’d like to get your thoughts.  If not, would you have enjoyed such a book? 

The following people thank Jolly Jimmy for this post:

darrenjray, Beatlebug, SgtPeppersBulldog

You are all my friends.

1 September 2015
11.51am
Avatar
Shamrock Womlbs
Waiting for the van to come
Rishikesh
Members
Forum Posts: 3968
Member Since:
24 March 2014
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I would, for sure.

"I Need You by George Harrison"

8 November 2017
11.37am
darrenjray
A Beginning
Members
Forum Posts: 3
Member Since:
18 June 2017
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Ha, I love ‘Paperback Writer ‘. 

Great examples. 

How about when Linda threatens to leave Wings and join Steely Dan unless Paul gives her top billing?

Ringo enjoying all those hits. 

Here’s an excerpt re: the HELP! album when they ran this classified ad in every major newspaper after all the touring had left them with no time to write their own new songs:

HELP! We’re looking for contemporary pop material for our Spring, 1965 album. Rock and Roll, Rhythm and Blues, Standard pop songs, virtually anything except songs about God or Krishna.

The ads were signed by John, Paul & Ringo. George was conspicuous by his absence.

The subsequent album included standards of the rock era (Larry Williams’ ‘Bad Boy ’ and ‘Dizzy Miss Lizzie’, Carl Perkins’ ‘Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby’ and ‘Matchbox ’, Chuck Berry’s ‘Rock & Roll Music’ and Smokey Robinson’s ‘You Really Got A Hold On Me ‘) with cover versions of the day (Petula Clark’s ‘Downtown’, the Knickerbockers’ ‘Lies’ and Freddie & the Dreamers’ ‘I’m Telling You Now’) and exciting new material fished out by George Martin from tons of submitted songs from professional writers and amateurs. These included ‘You and Me Against the World’ by Paul Williams (later a big hit for Helen Reddy), ‘Helter Skelter ’ by an unknown American writer, Charles Manson; and, of course, the song that went on to become one of their all-time biggest singles, H W Casey and Rick Finch’s ‘Shake Your Booty’. The Beatles’ ballad version of this song utilized a string quartet (the first such use by a rock group) and contrasted sharply with the sizzling, up-tempo rendition that Casey and Finch took to the top of the charts in 1978 as members of KC & the Sunshine Band.

Then of course their comeback concert in 1979 where they couldn’t even get top billing…

[Image Can Not Be Found]

The following people thank darrenjray for this post:

Beatlebug, SgtPeppersBulldog
8 November 2017
12.52pm
Avatar
Beatlebug
Find me where ye echo lays
Moderator

Moderators
Forum Posts: 18181
Member Since:
15 February 2015
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

That author’s surname though…

(sorry)

a-hard-days-night-ringo-14

The following people thank Beatlebug for this post:

SgtPeppersBulldog

([{BRACKETS!}])
New to Forumpool? You can introduce yourself here.
If you love The Beatles Bible, and you have adblock, don't forget to white-list this site!
whiteheart.png
avatar_creative_signature_Hmm.pngStarSpangledBanner.png

Forum Timezone: Europe/London
Most Users Ever Online: 700
Currently Online: Richard
Guest(s) 1
Top Posters:
Starr Shine?: 16105
Ron Nasty: 12534
Zig: 9832
50yearslate: 8759
Necko: 8043
AppleScruffJunior: 7583
parlance: 7111
mr. Sun king coming together: 6402
Mr. Kite: 6147
trcanberra: 6064
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 88
Members: 2859
Moderators: 5
Admins: 1
Forum Stats:
Groups: 3
Forums: 44
Topics: 5509
Posts: 380341
Newest Members:
frankc, viv@nelsontraining.co.uk, bornhairyman, frankkilmore123@gmail.com, onlyanorthernsong
Moderators: Joe: 5691, meanmistermustard: 24950, Ahhh Girl: 22213, Beatlebug: 18181, The Hole Got Fixed: 8410
Administrators: Joe: 5691