Pop Rock
The song “Paperback Writer” by The Beatles was written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon. It was released as a single backed with “Rain” in 1966. It went to #1 in the U.S. U.K., Ireland, West Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway.
A number of inspirations and influences went into the creation of “Paperback Writer.” One story is that McCartney’s aunt asked if he could write a single that wasn’t about love. One day, as he had this on his mind, he saw Ringo reading a book, and voilà. Lennon wanted to improve the sound of the bass on their tracks, as he felt that the bass on a Wilson Pickett record was more, well, prominent than on their records. So Paul switched to a Rickenbacker bass, which they boosted by using a loudspeaker as a microphone. The harmonies, evidently, were ideas that came from hearing those by The Beach Boys. The Beatles were impressed by “Sloop John B.” Producer George Martin wanted counterpoint from backing voices. Indeed, that’s there. In a surrealistic mode, Lennon and George Harrison sing the words “Frère Jacques” for a bit behind the third verse.
That’s enough said. Here are Paul, John, George, and Ringo.
