10 songs you didn’t know were written by the Beatles
The Beatles were prolific hitmakers, each song a testament to their unparalleled songwriting prowess. While they amassed an immeasurable catalog of classics for themselves, they also dedicated their talents to crafting songs for other musicians.
Many listeners were unaware that the tunes gracing their radios were penned by John, Paul, George, or Ringo, especially when a pseudonym was used for credit. Here, we explore examples of songs recorded by other artists, yet conceived by the world’s most beloved Liverpudlians.
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“I Wanna Be Your Man” by The Rolling Stones (1963)
Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, this song became one of The Rolling Stones’ early hits. In fact, it was such a good tune that Lennon and McCartney borrowed it back so they could record their own version of it on their 1963 sophomore album, “With the Beatles.”
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“Come and Get It” by Badfinger (1969)
Written and produced by Paul McCartney, this song became a top 10 hit for Badfinger, a band signed to the Beatles’ Apple label. The band had several big hits of their own, so they didn’t necessarily need Macca to write material for them. But hey, when you’re signed to the Fab Four’s label, it doesn’t hurt to ask if they have potential hits lying around that they’re not using.
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“Bad to Me” by Billy J. Kramer With the Dakotas (1963)
“Bad to Me” was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney for British pop singer Billy J. Kramer. His recording of the song topped the U.K. charts. It was covered by other artists, most notably Graham Parker, but the Beatles themselves never took a crack at it. The only known Beatle-adjacent recording of “Bad to Me” emerged in 2013 on iTunes in the form of a John Lennon demo that was part of the compilation, “The Beatles Bootleg Recordings 1963.”
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“Love of the Loved” by Cilla Black (1963)
“Love of the Loved” is a song credited to John Lennon and Paul McCartney and was recorded as part of their unsuccessful audition for Decca Records. While that recording was never officially released by the Beatles, pop singer Cilla Black recorded the song and got a top 40 U.K. chart hit out of it.
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“Step Inside Love” by Cilla Black (1968)
Five years after “Love of the Loved,” Cilla Black’s career had progressed to the point where she had her own musical television show, simply called “Cilla.” For its theme, another Lennon-McCartney composition was used, “Step Inside Love.” The Beatles recorded the song during sessions for their 1968 self-titled album, but it didn’t see an official release until its inclusion on the “Anthology 3” compilation in 1996.
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“A World Without Love” by Peter and Gordon (1964)
“A World Without Love” was a U.K. chart-topper for the pop duo Peter and Gordon. Despite being credited to “Lennon-McCartney,” it was written solely by a teenage Paul McCartney. While it was a hit for Peter and Gordon, the Beatles never recorded it themselves as its author didn’t think it was good enough for the band.
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“Woman” by Peter and Gordon (1966)
Perhaps because he and the pop duo Peter and Gordon had been successful with “A World Without Love,” Paul McCartney wrote “Woman” under the pseudonym “Bernard Webb”. He wanted to know if the song could still become a hit on its own merits rather than on the famous “Lennon-McCartney” songwriting credit. The ruse collapsed pretty quickly, and the song eventually peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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“Goodbye” by Mary Hopkin (1969)
Folk singer Mary Hopkin recorded this Lennon-McCartney song in 1969, and it quickly skyrocketed up the charts. Sadly, it could never get past the number two spot on the U.K. singles chart, as there was a song firmly lodged there. The song was another Lennon-McCartney single, “Get Back.”
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“Sour Milk Sea” by Jackie Lomax (1968)
Written by George Harrison, this song was taped by singer Jackie Lomax, who recorded for the Beatles’ Apple label. Harrison plays guitar on it, and both Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr appear on it as well. Even with all of that going for “Sour Milk Sea”, it failed to meet sales expectations and is considered a disappointment. That’s a shame, because the song itself is a banger that deserved to be a hit.
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“Badge” by Cream (1969)
Featuring Eric Clapton on guitar, Cream was a massively successful British supergroup whose members had all the talent in the world. However, the band couldn’t stand each other personally, leading them to break up after two extremely tumultuous years. George Harrison co-wrote “Badge” with Clapton, and it appeared on their aptly named final album, “Goodbye.”
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Wrap up
The Beatles’ influence stretched far beyond their own recordings. From chart-toppers for Cilla Black and Peter and Gordon to deep cuts for Apple Records artists, Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison proved just as generous with their talent as they were prolific with it. The next time a classic from the 1960s comes on the radio, it might be worth asking who actually wrote it.
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