On this late Beatles classic, John Lennon and Paul McCartney went into the studio alone and left with the band’s last No. 1 hit in the UK.
adding a piano part and filling in for Ringo on drums. It was the old Lennon-McCartney magic, and the song was ready for the presses just after nightfall that same evening.
The track hit No. 1 despite the censorship of John’s lyrics.
The Beatles stand at a window of Cliveden House during the filming of ‘HELP!’ in May 1965.
John and Paul were joined by longtime producer George Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick that day. After the debacle that was the recording of The White Album the previous summer, that seems like a bit of good fortune.
Obviously, it wouldn’t have been possible had Paul not been so proficient at drums (or John at lead guitar). According to stories from the studio, both joked about the absence of their bandmates. At one point, John called Paul “Ringo” and Paul answered by calling him “George.”
Even though they recorded “The Ballad of John and Yoko” in a single afternoon, it’s remained one of the late, great Beatles classics. In fact, when the band released it in the UK later that year, it became their last No. 1 single in England.
That success came despite some censorship for the track’s lyrics. According to The Beatles Bible, several radio stations refused to play the song due to John’s use of “Christ” in the chorus and the lyric, “they’re gonna crucify me.”
Apparently, there were enough fans and record stations to nullify the impact of any bans. In the U.S., “The Ballad of John Yoko” peaked at No. 8 that July. Collectors can find it on the album of singles titled Hey Jude.
What Caused Paul McCartney’s Meltdown During the ‘White Album’ Sessions
