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Wednesday, May 14, 2025

The 411 - "Yesterday" and "Eleanor Rigby" - The Beatles

The Beatles

411"Yesterday" and "Eleanor Rigby" are considered Beatles songs despite the fact that no other Beatles played instruments on the studio recordings for each respective song. Here's why:

  1. Authorship and Composition: The songs were written by Paul McCartney, one of the primary songwriters for The Beatles. Both "Yesterday" and "Eleanor Rigby" showcase McCartney's songwriting prowess and distinctive style.

  2. Vocal Performance: While the instrumental backing for "Yesterday" and "Eleanor Rigby" involved other musicians, the vocal performances were done by McCartney himself. The vocals are a crucial element in a song, and McCartney's voice is an integral part of the Beatles' sound.

  3. Collaborative Process: The Beatles had a collaborative approach to their music, even if not all members played instruments on every track. The collaborative nature extended to the studio, where different members contributed to the arrangement and production of songs, even if they didn't play all the instruments.

  4. Studio Musicians: The use of session musicians was not uncommon in the recording industry, and The Beatles, like many artists of their time, occasionally employed skilled session musicians to enhance the sound of their recordings. In the case of "Yesterday" and "Eleanor Rigby," the string arrangements were performed by professional musicians.

In essence, the term "Beatles song" is often used to refer to a song written by one or more members of The Beatles, regardless of who played the instruments during the recording session. The identity of a song is closely tied to its composition, lyrics, and the vocal performance, in addition to the instrumental arrangement. Both "Yesterday" and "Eleanor Rigby" are celebrated as integral parts of The Beatles' catalog due to their strong connection to Paul McCartney's songwriting and the overall sound and style of the band.

Source: Some or all of the content was generated using an AI language model

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