Beatles Trivia Collage

Here are some interesting, funny and relatively wierd things I've picked up about the legendary Fab Four. I can't quite vouch for the veracity of every account, but still they do add some spice and flavor to a Beatle-maniac's appreciation of John, Paul, George and Ringo. Feel free to add, correct, or comment on any of the items listed below:

1. Ringo Starr is the oldest of the four, but he's also the shortest;

2. Decca Recording Co. actually had the first crack at the Beatles but rejected them stating that they "didn't like their sound" and that "guitars were on the way out". (Can anybody spell LOSER?);

3. Randolph Peter "Pete" Best, the Beatles' original drummer worked as a baker making £8 a week, after he was "fired" by the Fab Four;

4. The Beatles had their biggest sold-out performance at the Rizal Stadium in Manila, Philippines. The crowd estimate was 100,000. The open air sports arena (with an open field in the middle) was so packed that the Fab Four had to be flown in by helicopter, which landed in the middle of the field. Ironically, a day or so after the performance, the Beatles had their worst "send-off" when they were literally chased out of the country by an unruly ban of "nationalists" who were offended after the boys snubbed former First Lady Imelda Marcos' invitation to perform at the presidential residence. That was in 1966 and about 20 years after, it was the Marcoses turn to run for cover. During an ambush interview with the late George Harrison, the former lead guitarist recalled how he and the rest of the band believed that former President Ferdinand Marcos ("the old dweeb", in his words) tried to "have them killed";

5. Still in relation to the previous item, it is said that during the sell-out concert in Manila, an emmisary from the First Family tenaciously (and annoyingly) insisted that the Beatles do a private performance at Malacanang Palace (presidential residence). Finally, it was Paul McCartney who said "You tell those #$%&*^ at the palace that if they want to watch, buy a ticket" (or something to that effect);

6. There is an on-going (whacky) conspiracy theory which suggests that the murder of John Lennon was actually ordered by hard-line conservatives in the Republican Party. The plan was supposedly hatched by the likes of Richard Nixon and carried out by then President-elect Ronald Reagan. Here's the best part: the person who actually shot John Lennon was not Mark Chapman but....(drum roll)...Stephen King! They say chapman is but a look-alike patsy. (Now, somebody forgot to take their medication.);

7. Former Beatle and good friend of John Lennon, Stuart Sutcliffe died on April 10th, 1962. Exactly eight years after on April 10, 1970, the Beatles officially broke up;

8. The original title of the popular Beatles ballad "Yesterday" was "Scrambled Eggs". McCartney's original lyrics were, "Scrambled eggs, Oh, baby how I love your legs." ;

9. The song "Hey, Jude" was actually written as a "cheer-me-up", "feel-good" song for Julian Lennon. Paul McCartney wanted help John's young lad emotionally as he was going through his parents' divorce. Unfortunately, the song was briefly misinterpreted as an "Anti-Sematic", since Jews were often called "Jude";

10. With Beatles' steady rise to fame, Stuart Sutchcliffe unwittingly introduced the band's official "haircut": mop-top, never showing the forehead; hence the cardinal rule: FORGET THE HAIRCUTS. John Lennon was actually the first to breach this "sacred" precept when he was compelled to visit the barber in 1967 and in preparation for his role in the movie "How I Won the War". He played a role of an army lieutenant and somehow the mop-top look didn't quite fit the part and so....snip-snip...;

Once in a while, I'll try to post whatever facts, trivia, or even non-sense that I can pick up about those four lads from Liverpool.