Fifth Beatle Trivia

1. Peter Sellers had a hit duet with "Goodness Gracious Me". Who was the internationally famous Italian actress that he sang with on this record?

From Quiz Sir George Martin CBE: Record Producer

Answer: Sophia Loren

"Goodness Gracious Me", a comedy record by Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren was a number four hit on the UK chart in 1960. It did not chart in the US. Their next UK hit was "Bangers And Mash" which is Sausage And Mash (mashed boiled potatoes). It reached number 22 in the UK. On the record Sellers uses Cockney, American and Italian accents and in the latter part of the record Sophia Loren sings with a Cockney accent.

From Quiz The Fifth Beatle

Answer: Stuart Sutcliffe

Stuart had acquired a Hofner bass guitar at John's insistence and set about teaching him the basic rudiments of playing. Klaus Voorman, a bassist in his own right who would later go on to play with Manfred Mann and others, spotted the Beatles playing at a local Hamburg club and brought his friend Astrid Kirchherr to see them. She, of course, was responsible for the Beatles early hairstyle, and eventually had Stuart move in with her. Neil was their road manager and occasionally performed with them in the studio playing tambourine or singing backing vocals. Pete Shotton was an original member of The Quarrymen, the group John was playing with at the fete when Paul first saw them.

From Quiz Other People With The Title Of 'Fifth Beatle'

Answer: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

The Beatles were attending a lecture by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Bangor, Wales, when they learned of Brian Epstein's passing on 27 August 1967. Of the other choices, Shri Ramana Maharshi was an Advaita Vedanta sage of South India. Ravi Shankar is a master of the Sitar, a stringed instrument perhaps best known to western audiences as played by George Harrison on "Norwegian Wood". Ravi Shankar's involvement with the Beatles certainly made him an international star. Ravi Shastri has no involvement with the Beatles. Shastri was an Indian Test Cricketer mainly in the 1980s.

From Quiz Fifth Beatle

Answer: George Martin

The very distinctive 'harpsichord' solo played by Martin was actually played on electric piano and sped up on tape.

From Quiz Fifth Beatles

Answer: Eric Clapton

George Harrison asked Clapton to sit in when the other Beatles showed little enthusiasm for his composition during the 'White Album' sessions.

From Quiz Sir George Martin CBE: Record Producer

Answer: Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald had a number 34 hit on the UK chart with "Can't Buy Me Love" in 1964. It did not chart in the US. Ella Jane Fitzgerald was born in 1917. During her career which ran for 59 years she won thirteen Grammy awards. She gained numerous awards including the National Medal of Arts awarded by President Ronald Reagan and the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded by President George W. H. Bush. In later years her vision was impaired by diabetes and she died from it aged 79 in 1996.

From Quiz The Fifth Beatle

Answer: George Martin

It's amazing to think that records like "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" were made with four track recording machines. George Martin pushed the boundaries of what was possible with the technology of the time. He helped The Beatles take raw ideas and develop them, such as when Paul hummed a horn part he wanted for "Penny Lane", Martin was able to easily score an arrangement for it. Geoff was a studio engineer who played a major part of the Beatles sound, along with Martin. Alan Civil was the principal horn player for the BBC orchestra who played the solo on The Beatles "For No One" off the "Revolver" album, and played as part of the orchestral build up on "A Day In The Life". The Beatles backed up Englishman Tony Sheridan (As The Beat Brothers) on the "My Bonnie/The Saints" 45 rpm which was their first recording that was professionally released.

From Quiz Other People With The Title Of 'Fifth Beatle'

Answer: Jimmy Nicol

Jimmy Nicol was drafted into the lineup by Brian Epstein only after first having to overcome George's initial refusal to play if Ringo wasn't going to be there. Jimmy commenced his gig with the concert in Copenhagen on 4 June and continued until Ringo returned for the Melbourne concert on 14 June. Pete Best of course could hardly be considered, given previous circumstances. Bobby Elliot was the drummer for The Hollies and Mick Avory pounded the skins for The Kinks. At no time were either of them a fifth for the Fab Four.

From Quiz Fifth Beatle

Answer: Brian Jones

This B-side took an eternity for the Beatles to finally record and release, and Jones joined a late-night session to play the sax heard right at the end of the track.

From Quiz Fifth Beatles

Answer: Brian Jones

The Beatles had invited the Rolling Stones to a session, expecting him to bring his guitar. He showed up with a sax instead and added some faux-lounge flavor to this B-side.

From Quiz Sir George Martin CBE: Record Producer

Answer: The Dakotas

The Dakotas had a number 18 hit on the UK chart with "The Cruel Sea" in 1963. It was re-titled "The Cruel Surf" in the US but did not chart. The Dakotas were formed in Manchester UK and were the backing group for a singer named Pete McLaine. They accepted an offer from The Beatles manager Brian Epstein in 1963 to become the backing band for one of his singers, William Ashton because his backing group The Coasters did not want to turn professional. The group then became known as Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas.

From Quiz The Fifth Beatle

Answer: Billy Preston

Billy played the organ on "I Want You(She's So Heavy)" from "Abbey Road" and with numerous tracks on "Let It Be". He was given billing from among the numerous session musicians that played on it after Phil Spector produced it. Ray Charles never performed with The Beatles, but he was known to cover "Eleanor Rigby." Little Richard never played with them, but The Beatles were heavily influenced by him. Booker T. was the keyboard player in Booker T. & The MG's, an instrumental R&B band which was also racially integrated at a time when no other groups were.

From Quiz Other People With The Title Of 'Fifth Beatle'

Answer: Andy White

During the recording sessions for "Please Please Me", George Martin was unconvinced with Ringo's technical ability, so he drafted in Andy White, an EMI session musician.

From Quiz Fifth Beatle

Answer: Eric Clapton

An easy one for Beatles fans. George brought Clapton along to help improve the atmosphere during the tense 'White Album' sessions (it worked, albeit briefly).

From Quiz Fifth Beatles

Answer: Billy Preston

Preston, an old friend who toured Britain in the old days with Little Richard, was invited to the 'Get Back' sessions in the hope that his presence would calm the infighting between the Fabs.

From Quiz Sir George Martin CBE: Record Producer

Answer: 633

"633 Squadron" was a fictional WWII story starring the late Cliff Robertson, George Chakiris, Harry Andrews and Michael Goodliffe. It was based on the book by Fredrick E. Smith about an RAF squadron sent on a bombing mission to knock out a German rocket fuel factory in Norway. There are plenty of gaffes in the movie and here are some based around transport. In the movie there is a Land Rover which did not start production until 1947. There is also a 1964 white hatchback seen. German soldiers are driving in an Alvis Saracen personnel carrier which is a British army vehicle. They might have captured it from the British but that design was not produced until 1952.

From Quiz The Fifth Beatle

Answer: Brian Epstein

When Raymond walked into his shop, apparently Brian was oblivious to pop music and did not realize that this very group The Beatles was literally playing down the block from his store at The Cavern Club. Brian was so taken with The Beatles that he offered to manage them. Bert was a Hamburg-born producer/arranger/orchestra leader who recorded Tony Sheridan with The Beatles. Mal Evans was a telephone engineer who got to know The Beatles when he worked the Cavern Club as a bouncer. Later, he became a road manager, along with Neil Aspinall. Colin was a drummer for Lennon's first group, The Quarrymen.

From Quiz Other People With The Title Of 'Fifth Beatle'

Answer: George Martin

Parlaphone's George Martin was the Beatles' producer from "Please Please Me" until (but not including) "Let It Be", which was produced by Phil Spector.

From Quiz Fifth Beatle

Answer: Mal Evans

Big Mal can be seen hammering the anvil during the infamous 'Let It Be' film footage.

From Quiz Fifth Beatles

Answer: Andy White

White, a professional session drummer, was brought in by producer George Martin after original Beatles' drummer Pete Best put in a poor performance at an earlier session, their first with Martin. The Beatles in the meantime had replaced Best with Ringo Starr, but Martin insisted on using White, relegating Ringo to tambourine. Ringo drummed on a later version, issued as a single in some pressings. Best's plodding version was included in the Anthology series.

From Quiz Sir George Martin CBE: Record Producer

Answer: From Russia With Love

Matt Monro had a number 20 hit on the UK chart with "From Russia With Love" in 1963. It did not chart in the US. Matt Monro was born Terrence Edward Parsons in London in 1930. Among his various jobs before his singing career took off was driving a London bus. George Martin asked Matt to record a Frank Sinatra style intro for Peter Sellers to copy and use on an Album but Sellers left Matt's version on the record billing him as Fred Flange. George Martin then started to record with Matt and their second single "A Portrait Of My Love" reached number three on the UK chart in 1960. It did not chart in the US. The other three alternative James Bond theme's were all recorded by Shirley Bassey who has recorded more James Bond theme's than anyone else.

From Quiz Other People With The Title Of 'Fifth Beatle'

Answer: Klaus Voormann

Klaus Voormann was awarded a Grammy for for Best Album Cover, Graphic Arts, in 1965 for the "Revolver" cover. Klaus became aware of the Beatles after having a fight with his then girlfriend, Astrid Kirchherr. He wandered into a club called the 'Reeperbahn' and heard them playing, and thus the relationship was formed. Klaus later became the bass guitarist in Manfred Mann.

From Quiz Fifth Beatle

Answer: Yoko Ono

Yoko was, by then, a permanent fixture at Beatles sessions and provided an almost childlike accompanying vocal on one of John's lighter 'White Album' offerings.

From Quiz Fifth Beatles

Answer: Yoko Ono and Patti Harrison

Yoko was a new and unsettling presence during the marathon 'White Album' sessions. Here she joins George's wife on one of the few true collaborations between John and Paul from this period.

From Quiz The Fifth Beatle

Answer: Jimmie Nicol

Englishman Jimmie Nicol played with them for several dates in Holland, Denmark, and Australia before Ringo was well eough to rejoin them for their show in Melbourne. Alan White, who rose to fame as a member of Yes, did alot of session work in the late 60's and early 70's, and most notably, performed as the live drummer for Lennon's pick-up band when he played in Toronto. Roger Hawkins is a drummer who is known as part of "The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section", a crack studio band that has done literally thousands of recording sessions. Graham was a noted 60's session drummer who played on many groups and singers records, including Jimmy Page's 1965 solo single "She Just Satisfies."

From Quiz Fifth Beatle

Answer: Andy White

Pete had just been kicked out of the band, but after 15 unsatisfactory takes of what would be their first single, George Martin asked Andy White to sit in on drums while Ringo was relegated to the tambourine (NB Alan White was a drummer with Oasis).

From Quiz Fifth Beatles

Answer: George Martin

Martin recorded the solo an octave lower and at half the speed heard on the final record. Speeding up the solo gives it a sound similar to a harpsichord.

From Quiz Sir George Martin CBE: Record Producer

Answer: You'll Never Walk Alone

Gerry and The Pacemakers had a number one hit for four weeks on the UK chart with "You'll Never Walk Alone" in 1963. It reached number 48 on the US pop chart in 1965. It was Gerry and The Pacemakers' third number one hit of the year with only their third single. It was the first time anyone had topped the UK chart with their first three singles. "You'll Never Walk Alone" was written by Rodgers/Hammerstein for their 1945 musical "Carousel".

From Quiz The Fifth Beatle

Answer: Yoko Ono

No one had a greater influence upon John Lennon than Yoko Ono. John had wanted to leave the Beatles as early as 1966, the year they met at one of her interactive art shows at the Indica Gallery. She gave him the confidence to explore outside the boundaries of The Beatles. Astrid, as well as giving them their famous haircut, also took the first publicity shots of them, in and around the Hamburg area. Maureen was a Cavern Club regular who became pregnant and Ringo susequently married her giving birth to Zak Starkey. Dot Rhone was an old flame of Paul's- a relationship that pre-dated their Hamburg days but ended before their meteoric rise to fame.

From Quiz Other People With The Title Of 'Fifth Beatle'

Answer: Billy Preston

It was Billy Preston, who even gained the rare distinction of being credited on a label. "Don't Let Me Down (w - Billy Preston)". Whilst Eric Clapton played guest solo on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", that was for "The Beatles" rather than "Let It Be". George Best was a Northern Irish footballer who died in 2005. He was sometimes referred to as the 'Fifth Beatle' because of his good looks and flamboyant lifestyle. Regarding Yoko Ono, I shall restrict my comments in the interest of goodness and niceness! Whilst Yoko may have sat in (literally) on the "Let It Be" sessions, one can only observe that the Stones were not so foolish to let her do the same with them.

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Last Updated Apr 22 2024 11:02 AM

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