Answers to All Your Questions About ‘The Beatles: Get Back’

Sixty years after they started, the Beatles are once again at the top of the charts thanks to "The Beatles: Get Back," the latest documentary about the band.

The Beatles began their career nearly 60 years ago, and they are still one of the most talked-about bands in the world thanks to the stunning documentary “The Beatles: Get Back.”

If you’ve seen the Beatles movie or you just love their music and want to know more about these beloved mop tops, we’re here to answer your most pining questions about the band and its members.

Who Were the Beatles?

OK, this isn’t a quiz, but this question will be self-explanatory for most. The Beatles were a band from Liverpool, England, that formed in the early 1960s.

Its members were Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

Who Was the Most Famous Beatle?

They were all famous in their own right. Everyone knows the four members, but the two de facto leaders of the group were John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

That said, George Harrison has been dubbed the “most popular” in recent years.

How Long Were the Beatles Together?

As one of the biggest bands in the history of music, the Beatles were in existence for a relatively short time.

They were together for only eight years.

What Is the No. 1 Beatles Song of All Time?

IMDb

They had many songs that topped the charts. In fact, they had 20 No. 1 hits, which is the most ever of any band.

However, “Hey Jude” is widely considered their best-selling single.

How Many Songs Did the Beatles Write?

In the very early days, the Beatles did covers, but John Lennon and Paul McCartney began writing songs when they met in 1957. They stayed a songwriting team throughout the Beatles’ existence and wrote almost 200 songs. George Harrison and Ringo Starr also wrote songs that appeared on the band’s albums.

In total, the band recorded 227 songs together, but that included some covers.

Which Beatles Are Still Alive?

Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are the only two still alive.

John Lennon died in 1980, and George Harrison passed away in 2001.

What Is Ringo Starr’s Real Name?

Ringo Starr’s real name is Richard Starkey, which wasn’t a particularly great stage name. Richard became “Ringo” because he wore rings on nearly every finger.

Before he was a member of the Beatles, he was in a band called Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, which billed his drum solos as “Starr Time.”

How Did John Lennon and Paul McCartney Meet?

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The teens met at church in Liverpool on July 6, 1957.

Lennon was playing with a band called The Quarrymen that Paul and George later joined.

How did Paul McCartney Meet George Harrison?

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They met on a bus on the way to school.

The duo quickly bonded over their love of rock ‘n’ roll.

How Did Ringo Starr Meet the Beatles?

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Ringo knew the other members from being on the club circuit when he was playing with Rory Storm.

In 1962, he was hired by the Beatles manager Brian Epstein to replace their first drummer, Pete Best.

Where Did the Beatles Get Their Name?

Wikipedia

They wanted to have an insect-related name as an homage to Buddy Holly and The Crickets.

John Lennon is the one who altered the spelling from “Beetles” to “Beatles.” According to Lennon, “It was beat and beetles, and when you said it, people thought of crawly things, and when you read it, it was beat music.”

What Was the Title of the Beatles Debut Single?

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The first single by the Beatles was “Love Me Do.” It was released on Oct. 5, 1962, in the U.K.

Their first single in the U.S., however, was “Please Please Me,” released in February of the following year.

Who Was Brian Epstein?

He was the Beatles’ manager from 1962 until his death in 1967.

He is one of a few people who is referred to as the “the fifth Beatle.”

Why Did the Beatles Stop Touring?

The Beatles only played live for about four years — they stopped altogether in 1966. They had done about 1,400 shows at that point and were not only exhausted from being on the road, but they were also worried about their personal security.

Their songs also became next to impossible to replicate live.

Who is Yoko Ono?

Yoko was married to John Lennon. She is a performance artist who also lended background vocals to later-era Beatles songs.

For years, many believed she was responsible for their break up.

Why Did the Beatles Break Up?

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The Beatles broke up due to rising tensions between the members. The loss of their manager, Brian Epstein, in 1967, derailed them, as he was the person “who expertly managed their finances and their egos,” according to the History Channel.

There were arguments about who should be their next manager and started going their separate ways soon after that, although they did not break up formally until 1970.

Who Was the First Beatle to Quit the Band?

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All the members quit at one point or another, but Ringo Starr left during the recording of their self-titled 1968 album, known as the “White Album,” due to increasing tensions.

He rejoined the sessions a few weeks later.

How Did John Lennon Die?

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On Dc. 8, 1980, 40-year-old Lennon was entering the Dakota, his Manhattan apartment building, when crazed gunman Mark David Chapman shot him four times.

He died on the way to the hospital.

How Did George Harrison Die?

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George Harrison died of cancer on Nov. 29, 2001.

He was only 58 years old.

Is the Beatles Documentary Real Footage?

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“The Beatles: Get Back” is indeed real footage.

Director Peter Jackson was given nearly 60 hours of footage and 140 hours of audio to make the film.

Who Played Organ on the Beatles’ Song “Get Back”?

David Hume Kennerly / Wikipedia

Billy Preston played on the track.

He is another person who is sometimes referred to as the “fifth Beatle.”

How Many Beatles Albums Did Billy Preston Play On?

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He played on two: “Let It Be” and “Abbey Road.”

He also joined the Beatles in London during their final rooftop performance.

Who Was George Martin?

He was the Beatles’ producer and contributed greatly to their songs. He played on some and wrote arrangements for many others.

He, too, is sometimes referred to as the “fifth Beatle.”

What Was the Last Song the Beatles Recorded as a Group?

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Appropriately enough, “The End,” which was recorded on Sept. 26, 1969, was the group’s last song recorded together.

It was the last one recorded that involved all four members and is the final song on “Abbey Road,” their final album while still together.

Where Was the Beatles’ Last Performance?

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The Beatles played on the London rooftop of Apple Studios in 1969 with the intention of announcing their return to the road.

Instead, it would be their last ever live performance.

Which Beatles Members Went Solo?

They all did!

All of them released albums throughout their lives with varying degrees of success.

Which Beatle Had the Most Successful Solo Career?

Paul McCartney has had the most successful solo career of all the Beatles.

That’s due to the fact that he led the band, Paul McCartney and Wings, with his wife, Linda, in the 1970s and 1980s. The band had several hits in its own right.

Who Owns the Publishing Rights to the Beatles Music?

Epic/CBS / Wikipedia

Michael Jackson outbid Paul McCartney on the Beatles catalog in 1985. Due to financial issues, he sold half of the rights to Sony Music for $100 million.

Today, ownership belongs to Paul McCartney and Sony Music Publishing.

Did the Beatles Ever Consider Getting Back Together?

According to McCartney, they did consider it, but nothing ever really jelled.

He told Rolling Stone, “There was not enough passion behind the idea. The reformation suggestions were never convincing enough. They were kind of nice when they happened. ‘That would be good, yeah,’ but then one of us would always not fancy it. And that was enough because we were the ultimate democracy.”

Do the Former Beatles Still Make Music Today?

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Both Paul McCartney and Ringo Star still make albums.

Both still tour as solo artists, although Ringo has played the occasional McCartney concert (as you can see here).