The Songs The Beatles Gave Away

The Songs The Beatles Gave Away is a book that was inspired by the 2009 BBC Radio 2 documentary of the same name. It was written by Colin and includes exclusive interviews with Sir Paul McCartney, Sir George Martin, Cilla Black, Mary Hopkin, Jackie Lomax, Billy Hatton, and others. The book focuses on the songs John, Paul, and George wrote for other artists rather than just for The Beatles themselves, and is illustrated with photographs of records, photographs donated to the project, and promotional photographs from the period.

Format: Hardback
Length: 528 pages
Publication date: 30 September 2022
Publisher: Great Northern Books Ltd

The Songs The Beatles Gave Away is a captivating exploration of the music that the iconic band released as singles but never included on their albums. This project was inspired by the 2009 BBC Radio 2 documentary of the same name, which Colin worked on alongside Bob Harris and his wife, Trudie Myerscough-Harris. For his book, Colin was granted exclusive access to the interviews conducted in 2008/9 with a host of musical legends, including Sir Paul McCartney, Sir George Martin, Cilla Black, Mary Hopkin, Jackie Lomax, Billy Hatton, and many others.

Previously, only small excerpts from these exclusive interviews had been available to the public, but now, for the first time, these gems are accessed in full. Among the last interviews they gave, Sir George and Cilla spoke candidly about their work and experiences, offering a moving reminder not only of their individual talents but also of a period in recent musical history that continues to resonate to this day.

Since making the original Radio 2 documentary, Colin has been able to speak to artists who did not contribute directly to the program, such as Billy J. Kramer, Peter Asher, Megan Davies of The Applejacks, and John Clay, who played with the Black Dyke Mills Brass Band in 1968 when Paul McCartney visited Saltaire, in Yorkshire, to record "Thingumybob," an instrumental tune he had written especially for a brass band to play.

In addition to these interviews, Colin has unearthed extensive interviews he conducted with Astrid Kirchherr and Klaus Vormann before he became the custodian of the Lennon house in Liverpool in 2004. He has also spoken with eye-witness and former member of the Plastic Ono Band, Alan White, who played on many Apple recording sessions.

The Songs The Beatles Gave Away is beautifully illustrated with photographs of records culled from Colin's private collection of original 45rpm vinyl singles, providing a visual glimpse into the band's musical legacy. This book is a must-read for Beatles fans and music enthusiasts alike, offering a unique perspective on the band's songwriting and recording process.

Dimension: 240 x 170 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781912101450