"Hey, hey, we're the Monkees!"

Ok, Beatles final exam tomorrow. To help me study, I wrote out notes on some of the songs with interesting facts/stories behind them. Is this just a desperate attempt to get someone to talk about The Beatles with me? Possibly. Is it also just an excuse to post more pictures of George in order to convince people of how GORGEOUS he was? Of...course not. I reject the accusation...

Please Please Me-JOHN AND PAUL-First number 1 in the UK. The rumor is that John wrote it because Cynthia wasn't...willing to do...certain things. And so he wrote a song about it. And sang it to the world. Because boys do crap like that.

Love Me Do-JOHN AND PAUL- First Beatle recording with "real" line-up-George Martin wouldn't let Ringo play because he already hired musician Andy White to fill in on drums for the recently fired Pete Best.

I Want To Hold Your Hand-JOHN AND PAUL-First Beatle #1 in the US, first Beatle song recorded with 4 track tape recorder.

Day Tripper-JOHN- Reference to tripping, and not in the falling down sense, kiddies. The line "she's a big teaser/she took me half the way there" was supposed to be "she's a prick teaser" and that was wisely censored by George Martin because, holy hell, if the grown-ups had issues with the long hair and Elvis' hips, I think all of America over the age of 30 would have had one giant collective heart-attack.

Paperback Writer-PAUL- Another of my favorites. Because I can not WAIT until I write the great American novel and I go on Oprah and she says "so, what is this book about?" and I will say "well, Oprah, it's a dirty story, about a dirty man. His clinging wife just doesn't understand." John and George are saying "fraire-Jacques" or however one might choose to spell that French nursery rhyme title in the background, and now that I've told you that you will never listen to the song without hearing it again. One of my favorite Beatles stories is about this song; the part where they are all saying "paaaaaperback wriiiiiiter" is actually 8 voices (all of the Beatles sang, and then overdubbed it) so they clearly couldn't even come close to recreating this song onstage. So they'd sing it, and whenever they got to that part, George would smile and wave at a random area of the audience and the girls would scream so loudly that no one could hear them mess up.

Rain-JOHN-First use of backwards lyrics on any song, ever. Want to see stoned Beatles? Watch the promo video.

A Hard Day's Night-JOHN- Written specifically for the film, after Ringo was quoted in an interview after leaving the studio using the phrase that he made up. Ringo plays bongos, George plays 12 string guitar, George Martin on piano in the solo.

You've Got To Hide Your Love Away-JOHN- Many believe it's about Brian Epstein, the Beatles manager, who was gay and hid his sexuality for his entire life for fear of hurting the Beatles (many also think that John had a thing with him, but...debatable).

Yesterday-PAUL-The number one most covered song of all time. Paul by himself (first time ever solo Beatle on a Beatle album) on acoustic guitar with string quartet. Paul dreamt the melody and was convinced that it was someone else's song that he was just remembering. He put the words "scrambled eggs" to it (just to have some lyrics) and played it for everyone that he knew before finally realizing that he did in fact compose it in his sleep. So, yeah. Paul McCartney is a better musician thann you EVEN WHEN HE IS UNCONCIOUS.

Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)-JOHN-Ok, so first of all, this is the song where George uses the sitar for the first time (the first use of the sitar in pop music, too) and so that is a big deal. But the biggest thing with this song is that it's like a coded story about John's affair with Maureen Cleave, a reporter (the one who later wrote the story where John is quoted talking about the whole Jesus thing). And Norweigan wood is just this really cheap wood that crappy furniture was made out of (like Ikea of the 60's!). In the last stanza that says "this bird has flown", bird is being used in the British slang sense, not as in the carriers of the flu that is going to kill us all. And I LOVE this song. Because I am going to support anything that encourages an affair between cute British rockstars and journalists, always.

Nowhere Man -JOHN- John wrote it about himself, which isn't nearly as fun (I was expecting a really good story because this song is kind of mean, ya'll). And it has the distinction of being the first Beatles song to abandon the theme of love completely.

The Word-JOHN- The word is love, man. First hint at psychedelia

Girl-JOHN-Really pretty, Greek inspired music, but the greatest part about this song is what George and Paul are saying in the background. They're repeating "tit" over and over because they thought it would be hilarious. And I've said it before, I'll say it again; this song is undeniable proof that a 24 year old boy is a 24 year old boy, regardless of how much money they have.

Taxman-GEORGE-George's big breakout song, it opens Revolver, and it generally kicks ass. Basically George found out that they were being taxed this insane amount of money because they were so wealthy. Has the first references to real people in a Beatles song-Harold Wilson was the prime minister of England in 1963. Paul gets the guitar solo, and it is pretty insane. Also, listening to George say the word "declare" in his accent WILL make you kind of fall in love with him (that's scientifically proven, ps)

Eleanor Rigby--PAUL-Paul with a string octet. He's a big liar, too, and always claimed that he made up the name, which he probably did subconsciously, but if you go to the church where John and Paul first met in 1957, and Paul probably never really returned to, you will see a headstone with the name Eleanor Rigby on it. Creeeeepy.

I'm Only Sleeping-JOHN- If you don't believe that George Harrison was a musical genius and so underrated that it's sick, please allow me to change your mind. The guitar solo in this song? BACKWARDS. So why does it sound like real chords, only kind of weird? BECAUSE GEORGE WROTE IT BACKWARDS. Yeah. When you play the song backwards, you hear how George wrote it and recorded it, and it sounds like a bunch of noise that sounds like nothing. He wrote a guitar solo backwards, guys. Sick.

Here, There And Everywhere-PAUL-Paul's trying to sound like Marianne Faithful here, Mick Jagger's girlfriend at the time.

Yellow Submarine-RINGO- Written by John and Paul for Ringo, Beatle wives, engineers, roadies all sing on it.

And Your Bird Can Sing-JOHN- Crazy good dual guitar solo, Paul and George, this song played in my head non-stop for a good three weeks, but I'll forgive it.

Doctor Robert-JOHN- FIRST OVERT DRUG REFERENCE IN A BEATLES SONG, GUYS. About a real doctor in LA who had all the good stuff for all the rockstars. Also, just picture George playing maracas. So cute.

Got To Get You Into My Life-PAUL- And keeping with the theme, and sorry to ruin this song for everyone, it's about marijuana. Oh, Paul.

Tomorrow Never Knows-JOHN- Insane, basically. The Grateful Dead were walking down the street in San Francisco, they heard this song in a store, and they went on to make many, many crazy songs for years to come.

With A Little Help From My Friends-RINGO- Banned for a drug reference that's not a drug reference! The "I get high"part is honestly just about depending on your friends, for REAL.

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds-JOHN-Not about LSD; based on a picture drawn by his son Julian entitled, you guessed it, "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds".

Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!-JOHN-Lyrics taken completely from a vintage poster John owned.

Lovely Rita-PAUL-Paul recorded this in one afternoon; he wrote it after someone told him that the women who read the parking meters in the US were called "meter maids", and he thought it was so hilarious.

Good Morning, Good Morning-JOHN-About cornflakes.

A Day In The Life-JOHN AND PAUL- Again, banned for the "I'd love to turn you on" part, which was slang for getting someone high. Reference to the man who "blew his mind out in a car" is about the Guiness heir who was friendsneighborhoodeatles and died in a car crash (in the South Kensington nighborhood that I lived in while in London, as a matter of fact).

Penny Lane-PAUL- Actual place in Liverpool; the "pretty nurse selling poppies" is a reference to Paul's late mother, who was indeed a nurse. ALSO has probably the dirtiest lyric, a Liverpool slang term that all of middle America probably thought was just a charming little British term and thought nothing of it. And yes, it's exactly the line that you think it is.

All You Need Is Love-JOHN- Recorded live in front of a television audience; opens with the medley national anthem as a show of good will towards France. Ends with a medely of songs from the ages, including "Greensleeves" and the Beatles own "She Loves You"

Dear Prudence-JOHN- Written in India about Mia Farrow's sister, who meditated for hours on end and refused to leave her tent

The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill-JOHN- First appearance of Yoko on a Beatles song! About a real guy who came to India to do the whole meditation thing with them and then shot and killed a tiger. The guy was so distraught by this song that he went on to work for National Geographic and became an animal-rights activist.

While My Guitar Gently Weeps-GEORGE- Eric Clapton was brought in to play lead guitar by George, because he knew that everyone would stop fighting and behave themselves if another person was at the recording session.

I'm So Tired-JOHN- Let's hear it for a Virginia reference! Sir Walter Raleigh, involved in bringing tobacco, and, therefore cigarettes, to Britain. What what.

Piggies-GEORGE- The line "what they need's a damn good whacking" was written by George's mom.

Julia-JOHN-Nothing much to say, except that this might be the most beautiful song ever recorded in life. It's about John's mom who died when he wasa teenager, but "ocean child" is the translation of the word "Yoko"

Sexy Sadie-JOHN- The lyrics read "Maharishi" until the last moment when they changed it to sexy Sadie. Written after the Beatles left India and Mia Farrow lied about the Maharishi sexually assaulting her. So it's about an Indian guru, not a woman.

Helter Skelter-PAUL- Paul wrote it in response to a review that called a Who song the most badass rock and roll song of all time. Yeah, this is crazy; Sir Paul can rock it out.

Savoy Truffle-GEORGE-About Eric Clapton's chocolate addiction, almost every lyric comes from the back of a candy box.

Come Together-JOHN- Really cool song, possible reference to George ("hair down to his knees") enjoyable until you realize that John is saying "shoot me" in the background at the beginning and between the stanzas, and that somehow ruins it a little.

Something-GEORGE- Frank Sinatra called it his favorite Lennon/McCartney song, even though it's a Harrison song. One of the greatest love songs on the planet for real, though, and Harrison denied that it was about Pattie, and instead said that he was thinking about Ray Charles. And now that I've typed that , I kind of regret the picture below, but what can you do...

Maxwell's Silver Hammer-PAUL- Kind of creepy, kind of weird, and the best George Harrison quote came out of this song-he could never understand how Paul could just make up fake people and write songs about them, he thought it was so weird- "Sometimes Paul would make us do these really fruity songs. I mean, "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", my God." Ringo plays an anvil (and come on, you can see why he began to felt under-utilized and not appreciated in the band).

Let It Be-PAUL- Not about Christianity- "Mother Mary" is Paul's actual mother, Mary, who passed away when he was a child. While he was fighting with John during this album, Paul got this vision where his mom came to him and said "let it be", something she used to tell Paul and his brother whenever they were arguing.

Hey Jude-PAUL- Biggest selling single of the 60's in the US, written by Paul for Julian after Cynthia and John split up.