The Beatles and Non-original Releases: An In-Depth Analysis

The iconic British rock band, The Beatles, is legendary for its original compositions and distinctive musical style. However, their discographies also include several non-original songs, which played a significant role in their early career. This article explores the extent to which The Beatles released songs that they did not write themselves, focusing on their album releases from their inception to the 1960s.

Non-original Albums and Singles

With a remarkable four members contributing substantially to their late albums, it's worth examining how much of their early releases consisted of non-original material. The albums Rubber Soul, the White Album, and Abbey Road were known primarily for their extensive contributions and writing credits by all four Beatles. However, dealing with the Magical Mystery Tour and Let It Be further clarifies the extent of non-original releases.

Magical Mystery Tour, particularly in the UK, did not receive recognition as a formal album; yet, since its CD release, it now has official recognition. Ringo Starr particularly contributed “Flying” to this album, making all four Beatles credited as writers. Moving on to Let It Be, while it does have writing credits for all four Beatles, it also contains a snippet of the traditional Liverpool song, "Maggie May," which was not written by any of the band members.

First Three Albums: The Elements of Non-original Releases

Examining the first few albums by The Beatles, there are several non-original songs. Their debut album, Please Please Me, featured six covers. The albums With The Beatles and Beatles For Sale also included six covers each. The EP Long Tall Sally contributed three covers, and the album Help! featured two covers. Additionally, one cover titled “Bad Boy” was recorded specifically for the American market, found on the Capitol LP Beatles VI and 1966's A Collection of Oldies…But Goodies. This brings the total number of non-original songs released by The Beatles to 24 through their contracts with Parlophone and Capitol Records.

The Evolution of The Beatles' Musical Style

The early Beatles albums included significant cover songs. Their debut album Please Please Me featured tracks such as ' Money (That's What I Want)' and 'Really Got a Hold on Me.' Among other popular cover songs, there were George Harrison's performances of 'Roll Over Beethoven,' 'Help!,' and 'Mr. Moonlight,' a Buddy Holly song, and two rockabilly songs: 'Rock and Roll Music' (a Chuck Berry song) and 'Hey Hey, Who Are You?' (Little Richard's hit).

By the time of their third album, Beatles For Sale, the band had shifted more toward original compositions but still incorporated one cover song, 'Rock and Roll Music,' a Chuck Berry song. It's worth noting that throughout this period, non-original releases were a strategic component of their album discography, reflecting the marketing and contractual agreements of their time with major record labels.

Artist Recognition and Creative Contributions

George Martin, iconic music producer, played a pivotal role in the Beatles' career. As an extension of the band itself, three of the first four albums—Please Please Me, With The Beatles, Beatles For Sale, and Magical Mystery Tour, contained a mix of original and cover songs. Apart from the traditional folk song arrangement on Let It Be, the other albums from Please Please Me to Abbey Road featured fully original material, reflecting the evolution of their musical direction.

For a comprehensive understanding of these albums and their song content, other resources, such as official album listings or discographies, are highly recommended. This article provides an overview of the non-original releases, highlighting the strategic and creative contributions of both the band members and producer George Martin.