The Beatles: Lost in Translation? Quiz

Answer: Yellow Submarine

Ringo sings lead on this classic Lennon/McCartney track. The basic track was recorded in June 1966 with special effects - like Lennon blowing bubbles through a straw, George swirling water through a bucket, submarine noises, brass band, etc. - added two weeks later. Interestingly, the loose Spanish translation is "Submarino amarillo" ... but I thought that would give it away!

Answer: Birthday

This song has an interesting recording history. Both Patti Harrison and Yoko Ono can be heard singing "birthday" on the refrain and it is rumoured that George Harrison actually wore a glove when recording this track to avoid getting more blisters during the marathon recording sessions.

Answer: Eight Days a Week

This was probably the very first Lennon/McCartney song to feature a "phase in" at the beginning. The Beatles initially wanted to release this popular song as a single in Britain until Lennon came up with "I Feel Fine". George, Paul and John share the vocals.

Answer: Here Comes the Sun

The story goes that Harrison wrote this song on a sunny day in Eric Clapton's backyard. Lennon was absent for the original recording but joined the group later to lay down some intricate vocal tracks. One of my absolute favourite songs!

Answer: I am the Walrus

Like a typical Lennon recording, "I am the Walrus" was pieced together from fragments of songs in John's head. Interestingly, members of The Mike Sammes Singers were brought in for the weirdly worded closing stanza: "Oompah, oompah, stick it up your jumper".

Answer: French

The complete lyric is:
"Michelle, my belle.
Sont les mots qui vont trčs bien ensemble,
trčs bien ensemble."
In English it means "These are words that go together well" -which McCartney sings also in the ballad.

Answer: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

John told the story many times of his son Julian coming home from school with a drawing that inspired the title and lyrics of this song. Lennon always denied that the tune was about drugs but it was nonetheless banned by the BBC because of its psychedelic "drug-inspired" imagery and the song name approximating the letters LSD.

Answer: I Want to Hold Your Hand

This was one of two songs recorded entirely in the German language, the other being "She Loves You" (Sie liebt dich, yeh, yeh, yeh, yeah!). Both were recorded in 1964 and released shortly thereafter as a thank you to the fans in Germany, who helped establish their career in the very early days.

Answer: Revolution

The are several recording of this classic tune, the "speeded up version" appears on the B-side of "Hey Jude", a slower version can be heard on "The White Album". "Revolution 9" is really a series of mixed sounds courtesy of Lennon and Ono, also found on "The White Album". The only lyrical deviation from the "fast" and "slow" versions is the word "in" after Lennon sings, "Don't ya know know that you can count me out...".
(For the record, the other three options are pretend Beatles song names).

Answer: When I'm Sixty-Four

This memorable tune from "Sgt. Pepper" was written as an homage to Paul's father. Paul takes the lead vocal and John is on lead guitar.