The Songs Lennon and McCartney Gave Away
Encyclopedia
The Songs Lennon and McCartney Gave Away was a conceptual compilation album
containing the original artist recordings of songs composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
in the 1960s that they had elected not to release as Beatles songs. The original album was released in the UK on EMI's mid-price Music for Pleasure label in 1971.
The album was reissued by EMI in 1979 with a 1973 Ringo Starr track added.
In the earliest days of their songwriting partnership, Lennon and McCartney expressed a desire to emulate the success of composing duos such as Goffin & King and Leiber & Stoller in having their compositions recorded by other artists, so this was an aspect of the songwriting craft that they were interested in pursuing.
With the encouragement of the Beatles' manager Brian Epstein, they supplied some of their songs deemed unsuitable for the Beatles to fellow artists several of whom were also managed by Epstein and were friends with Lennon and McCartney. Once the Beatles' initial success in early-mid 1963 mushroomed into a phenomenon, there was great interest in songs written by the Beatles "in-house" writing duo. Artists began clamoring to secure original Lennon–McCartney songs knowing that there would automatically be media and public interest in such songs.
The quality of the songs and the subsequent commercial success of such songs added to the demand by artists for even more compositions.
In 1970, music writer Martin Lewis, who in 1967 had compiled the discography for Hunter Davies
' authorized biography of the Beatles,
Side one
Side two
, and Lennon's profile is a drawing that duplicated the back-cover photograph from his album Imagine
.
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
containing the original artist recordings of songs composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Lennon/McCartney
The Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership is one of the best-known and most successful musical collaborations in history...
in the 1960s that they had elected not to release as Beatles songs. The original album was released in the UK on EMI's mid-price Music for Pleasure label in 1971.
The album was reissued by EMI in 1979 with a 1973 Ringo Starr track added.
Background
Lennon and McCartney started writing songs together in the late 1950s and by 1963 were prolific composers who wrote songs for the Beatles and also for other artists. There were broadly three categories of Lennon–McCartney songs that were not released by the Beatles:- Recordings by the Beatles of Lennon–McCartney songs that the group ultimately decided not to release.
- Lennon–McCartney songs that the Beatles deemed unsuitable for the group at the outset and did not even attempt to record themselves.
- Songs that had been intentionally written for other artists.
In the earliest days of their songwriting partnership, Lennon and McCartney expressed a desire to emulate the success of composing duos such as Goffin & King and Leiber & Stoller in having their compositions recorded by other artists, so this was an aspect of the songwriting craft that they were interested in pursuing.
With the encouragement of the Beatles' manager Brian Epstein, they supplied some of their songs deemed unsuitable for the Beatles to fellow artists several of whom were also managed by Epstein and were friends with Lennon and McCartney. Once the Beatles' initial success in early-mid 1963 mushroomed into a phenomenon, there was great interest in songs written by the Beatles "in-house" writing duo. Artists began clamoring to secure original Lennon–McCartney songs knowing that there would automatically be media and public interest in such songs.
The quality of the songs and the subsequent commercial success of such songs added to the demand by artists for even more compositions.
In 1970, music writer Martin Lewis, who in 1967 had compiled the discography for Hunter Davies
Hunter Davies
Edward Hunter Davies is a prolific British author, journalist and broadcaster, perhaps best known for writing the only authorised biography of The Beatles.- Early life :...
' authorized biography of the Beatles,
Song Information
"Penina" was written by McCartney at the Hotel Penina in December 1968, when he was vacationing in the Portugese region of The Algarve. The song was first recorded by the band Jota Erre, but two months later it was recorded by the singer Carlos Mendes (until 1967 he was a member of The Sheiks).Track listing of the 1979 reissue
The 1979 reissue was essentially the original 1971 album with the addition of a Ringo Starr album track written for him by John Lennon in 1973 - which was at variance from the original concept of the album only being songs written, recorded and released as singles during the active Beatles years in the 1960s.Side one
- "I'm the GreatestI'm the Greatest"I'm the Greatest" is a song written by John Lennon for Ringo Starr; both former members of the music group The Beatles. It was released by Starr on the 1973 Ringo album and 4 compilation and live albums....
" (John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
) · Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
· 1973 · 3.23 - "One and One Is Two" · The Strangers with Mike Shannon · 1964 · 2.11
- "From a WindowFrom a Window"From a Window" is a song written by Paul McCartney, attributed to John Lennon and Paul McCartney, which was recorded by Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas. It was the sixth and final Lennon/McCartney composition that was given to Kramer....
" · Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas · 1964 · 1.58 - "Nobody I KnowNobody I KnowNobody I Know is a song by Paul McCartney , recorded by Peter and Gordon in 1964....
" · Peter and Gordon · 1964 · 2.29 - "Like Dreamers DoLike Dreamers Do"Like Dreamers Do" is a song written by Paul McCartney in 1957. It was performed by the Beatles at their unsuccessful 1962 audition for Decca Records. In 1964 the track was recorded by The Applejacks. This was the first commercial release of the song. The single's music director was Mike Leander...
" · The Applejacks · 1964 · 2.31 - "I'll Keep You SatisfiedI'll Keep You Satisfied"I'll Keep You Satisfied" is a song written mainly by Paul McCartney but credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released as a single by Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas on 1 November 1963. It reached number 4 and spent 13 weeks in the UK charts, kept off the top spot by The Beatles' "She Loves You" ...
" · Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas · 1963 · 2.05 - "Love of the LovedLove of the Loved"Love of the Loved" is a song written mainly by Paul McCartney, credited to Lennon–McCartney. It is one of his earliest compositions and featured in the Beatles live act in their early days. The group recorded the song at their 1962 audition for Decca Records, but never issued it on any of their...
" · Cilla BlackCilla BlackCilla Black OBE is an English singer, actress, entertainer and media personality, who has been consistently popular as a light entertainment figure since 1963. She is most famous for her singles Anyone Who Had A Heart, You're My World, and Alfie...
· 1963 · 2.02 - "WomanWoman (Paul McCartney song)"Woman" is a 1966 single by Peter and Gordon, written by Paul McCartney under a pseudonym.-Authorship:Under the Lennon/McCartney moniker, McCartney had written three previous Peter and Gordon singles "Woman" is a 1966 single by Peter and Gordon, written by Paul McCartney under a...
" (Bernard Webb) · Peter and Gordon · 1966 · 2.26 - "Tip of My TongueTip of My Tongue"Tip of My Tongue" is a single by Tommy Quickly backed by The Remo Four. Written by Paul McCartney and attributed to the songwriting partnership of Lennon–McCartney, it was one of their relatively few songs that were never officially released by The Beatles...
" · Tommy QuicklyTommy QuicklyTommy Quickly was a Liverpool rock and roll singer in the early 1960s. He was a later signing of artist manager Brian Epstein, whose biggest act was The Beatles....
· 1963 · 2.06 - "I'm in LoveI'm in Love (Lennon/McCartney song)"I'm in Love" is a song written by John Lennon and credited to both Lennon–McCartney. In 1963 the English Merseybeat band The Fourmost made a recording of the song at the EMI Studios, produced by George Martin.Billy J...
" · The FourmostThe FourmostThe Fourmost were an English Merseybeat band that recorded in the 1960s. Their biggest UK hit single was "A Little Loving" in 1964.-Biography:...
· 1963 · 2.08
Side two
- "Hello Little GirlHello Little Girl"Hello Little Girl" is the first song ever written by John Lennon. According to Lennon, he drew on an old "Thirties or Forties song" that his mother sang to him . Written in 1957, it was used as one of the songs at The Beatles unsuccessful Decca audition in 1962...
" (McCartney—Lennon) · The Fourmost · 1963 · 1.51 - "That Means a LotThat Means a Lot"That Means a Lot" is a song written by Lennon–McCartney and released in 1965 by P.J. Proby. Proby's version reached #24 on the NME chart. Prior to the release by Proby, The Beatles recorded a version that was intended for the Help! film and soundtrack...
" · P.J. Proby · 1965 · 2.33 - "It's for YouIt's for You"It's for You" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney of the Beatles for Cilla Black for whom it was a UK Top Ten hit in 1964....
" · Cilla Black · 1964 · 2.21 - "Penina" (Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
) · Carlos Mendes · 1969 · 2.36 - "Step Inside LoveStep Inside Love"Step Inside Love" is a song written by Paul McCartney for Cilla Black in 1967 as a theme for her TV series Cilla, which first aired in the beginning of 1968. Her version was released as a single on 8 March 1968. It reached number eight in the British charts...
" · Cilla Black · 1968 · 2.21 - "A World Without LoveA World Without Love"A World Without Love" is a song recorded by the English duo Peter and Gordon and released as their first single in February 1964, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart in April. The song was written by Paul McCartney and attributed to Lennon–McCartney. The B-side was "If I Were You" written...
" · Peter and Gordon · 1964 · 2.38 - "Bad to MeBad to Me"Bad to Me" is a song John Lennon wrote for Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas while on holiday in Spain. Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas released their recording of the song in 1963 and it became their first #1 UK hit. Paul McCartney was present during the recording session at Abbey Road Studios...
" · Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas · 1963 · 2.18 - "I Don't Want to See You AgainI Don't Want to See You AgainI Don't Want To See You Again is a song by Paul McCartney credited to Lennon–McCartney, that was released by Peter and Gordon in 1964 as single....
" · Peter and Gordon · 1964 · 1.59 - "I'll Be on My WayI'll Be on My Way"I'll Be on My Way" is a Lennon–McCartney song, which was first released on 26 April 1963 by Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas as the b-side of their single "Do You Want to Know a Secret", a song also written by Lennon–McCartney. The single reached number two in the UK charts while "From Me to You"...
" (McCartney–Lennon) · Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas · 1963 · 1.40 - "Catcall" (Paul McCartney) · The Chris Barber BandChris BarberDonald Christopher 'Chris' Barber is best known as a jazz trombonist. As well as scoring a UK top twenty trad jazz hit he helped the careers of many musicians, notably the blues singer Ottilie Patterson, who was at one time his wife, and vocalist/banjoist Lonnie Donegan, whose appearances with...
· 1967 · 3.04
Artwork for the 1979 reissue
McCartney's profile in the artwork for the front cover reused a portion of the illustration from the Beatles' album RevolverRevolver (album)
Revolver is the seventh studio album by the English rock group The Beatles, released on 5 August 1966 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin. Many of the tracks on Revolver are marked by an electric guitar-rock sound, in contrast with their previous LP, the folk rock inspired Rubber...
, and Lennon's profile is a drawing that duplicated the back-cover photograph from his album Imagine
Imagine (album)
Imagine is the second album by John Lennon. Recorded and released in 1971, the album tended toward songs that were gentler, more commercial and less avant-garde than those on his critically acclaimed previous album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. The album is considered the most popular of his works...
.