Paul McCartney wrote the song "Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)," inspired by a challenge from actor Dustin Hoffman to create a song from a newspaper headline about Pablo Picasso's death; the lyrics were then credited to both Paul and Linda McCartney. McCartney famously composed the song on the spot after Hoffman read him the article during a visit in Jamaica, leading to the track on the 1973 album Band on the Run.
After a dinner with Hoffman, with McCartney playing around on guitar, Hoffman did not believe that McCartney could write a song "about anything", so Hoffman pulled out a magazine where they saw the story of the death of Pablo Picasso and his famous last words, "Drink to me, drink to my health.
Paul McCartney called The Beach Boys' "God Only Knows" the greatest song ever written, often citing it as a masterpiece that reduces him to tears and showcases Brian Wilson's genius, though he also holds his own song, "Here, There and Everywhere," as a personal favorite he'd written when pushed. He's also expressed admiration for other songs, like Sting's "Fields of Gold", but "God Only Knows" is the one he famously praised as the "greatest song ever written".
Paul McCartney wrote the song around the time that highlife and reggae were beginning to become popular in Britain. The tag line "ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on, bra" was an expression used by Nigerian conga player Jimmy Scott-Emuakpor, an acquaintance of McCartney.
John Lennon's last words to Paul McCartney, spoken during a phone call a couple of months before Lennon's murder in 1980, were reportedly, "Think about me every now and then, my old friend". These poignant words, echoing their deep bond, later resonated profoundly with Paul after Carl Perkins wrote the song "My Old Friend" using a similar phrase, bringing McCartney to tears as he recognized John's message.
George Harrison's last words, as reported by those present, included spiritual phrases like "Everything else can wait, but the search for God cannot wait, and love one another," along with personal messages to his wife Olivia ("Olivia, you'll be fine") and a witty offer to Paul McCartney ("I'll see you around, mate") and Ringo Starr ("Do you want me to come with you?"). His final words were a mix of his deep spiritual beliefs and characteristic gentle humor, showing his peace and care for loved ones.
The Beatles didn't attend Brian Epstein's funeral at his family's request to prevent a media circus, as their presence would have turned the solemn event into a chaotic spectacle of fans and press, overshadowing the family's grief. They were devastated by his death but chose to honor him privately, later attending a memorial service at the New London Synagogue where they could express their respect more appropriately.
John Lennon refused to sing lead vocals on his own song, "Good Night," a tender lullaby written for his son Julian, ultimately giving the part to Ringo Starr because he felt it wasn't his style and might be too "soft" for his public image, despite singing it beautifully during teaching sessions, as noted by Paul McCartney, and Far Out Magazine,.
Lennon later expressed dismay upon belatedly realising that the walrus was a villain in the poem. The Animals frontman Eric Burdon claimed that he inspired the line "I am the eggman" after telling John Lennon about a sensual experience he had with his girlfriend involving a raw egg.
Here, There And Everywhere remains McCartney's favourite song he's written, when under pressure to answer, running Yesterday to a close second. "I'm often asked what my favourite song I've ever written is and I don't ever really want to answer it," McCartney told Muldoon.
Paul McCartney: In 1953, at the age of 11, Paul McCartney reportedly scored 137 on an IQ test. This score places him above the 99th percentile and suggests a high level of performance intelligence.
George Harrison's 11 favorite Beatles songs: 'Every Little Thing' 'This Boy' 'She Came In Through the Bathroom Window' 'Because' 'Golden Slumbers' 'Norwegian Wood' 'I Want You She's So Heavy' 'In My Life' 'Eleanor Rigby' 'Strawberry Fields Forever' Thanks to Birthday Boy Boris for this image.
The "number one played song in the world" depends on the metric: The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" is the most-streamed song ever on Spotify (over 5.231 billion streams), while Djo's "End of Beginning" was a top global song recently on Spotify; historically, Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" is the best-selling single of all time, and Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" is the biggest-selling single since charts began, but in terms of current global popularity, it's a rotating list with many contenders.
The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is widely considered the world's #1 most famous painting, renowned for its enigmatic smile, mysterious subject, and artistic mastery (sfumato), drawing massive crowds to the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, and making it the most recognized artwork globally.
Picasso was so distraught when Matisse died that he was unable to attend the funeral but he paid his old friend a tribute by observing that "Matisse left me his odalisques as a legacy." This was a reference to the many paintings of reclining harem women painted first by Matisse and then by Picasso.
Picasso would call him “the father of us all”.
The saddest Beatles songs often focus on loneliness, loss, and despair, with frequent mentions including "Eleanor Rigby," about isolated lives; "Yesterday," a classic lament for lost love; "The Long and Winding Road," reflecting on endings; and "Julia," a deeply personal tribute to Lennon's mother, while "Help!" is a desperate cry for support hidden in a pop song. Other contenders are "For No One," depicting a fading relationship, and "She's Leaving Home," capturing family heartbreak.
🎸📚 Though his IQ was never officially tested, experts estimate it could've been around 165 - genius level!
According to Beatles lore, "goo goo ga joob" are "the last words uttered by Humpty Dumpty before his fall." This was a popular notion among the conspiracy theorists who were convinced that Paul McCartney had died in a mysterious accident and looked for clues to his demise in Beatles lyrics.
While all the Beatles had friction with {!nav}Yoko Ono's constant presence, especially {!nav}Paul McCartney and {!nav}George Harrison, George was arguably the most openly critical, feeling she disrupted the band's sacred studio space, with Paul later admitting discomfort and Ringo trying to keep peace but feeling Yoko was possessive and isolating John.
Paul, 83, wrote that he discovered the news from his manager early in the morning that day. "It was just too crazy,” he said of Lennon's death. Comparing it to "the same horrific moment" as John F. Kennedy Jr.'s assassination in 1963, the "Riding to Vanity Fair" artist wrote that everything had "blurred."
John Lennon did not know he was dyslexic until much later in life, but he always knew he was different than all the others. He described his feelings about it to Jann Wenner in his famous 1971 Rolling Stone interview.
George Harrison's last words to Ringo Starr, as recounted by Ringo in the documentary George Harrison: Living in the Material World, were a poignant offer of support: "Do you want me to come with you?" when Ringo was leaving to see his daughter in Boston, who had a brain tumor. Despite being very ill himself, Harrison's concern for his friend's family demonstrated his incredible spirit, even as he was lying down, unable to move.
There's a persistent myth that Cynthia Lennon and their son Julian were left with nothing after John Lennon left. But the facts say otherwise: In 1968, John Lennon's fortune was estimated at £700,000 — a massive sum at the time. Cynthia received £100,000 in their divorce settlement, equivalent to over £2 million today.
Many have speculated about who made the decision to reject the Beatles. While various accounts of the audition have been published, most agree that it was either Dick Rowe or Mike Smith.