BOB HARRIS

BOB HARRIS & COLIN HALL PRESENT: “THE SONGS THE BEATLES GAVE AWAY “

“Bob Harris is a straight-up legend” – Chris Martin / Coldplay
“Colin (Hall) is perhaps the world’s greatest Beatles authority” – Bob Harris

BBC’s Bob Harris and author/music journalist Colin Hall set out upon an intimate speaking tour based around their mutual love and appreciation of The Beatles, including a previously unheard interview with Lennon/McCartney from Bob’s archive. Together, Bob & Colin tell of how Lennon, McCartney and, to a lesser extent, Harrison gifted their tunes to others.

By 1963 Lennon and McCartney had written so many songs they simply couldn’t all be accommodated on just their own Beatles releases. It made artistic and economic good sense to offer these songs to other artists for recording and the Merseybeat boom of 1963 & 1964 gave them a tailor made outlet. This is the story behind those songs, the hits, the misses and the demos that the group never released: ‘The Songs The Beatles Gave Away’.

Among the many recipients of these songs were Cilla Black, Billy J. Kramer (who both offer candid insights) Tommy Quickly, and let’s not forget, The Rolling Stones who were bequeathed ‘I Wanna be Your Man,’ a tune from a teenage McCartney, that was finished in 20 minutes in the studio as The Stones were recording!

‘Whispering’ Bob Harris, OBE has been at the very heart of UK music scene for the best part of fifty years. He has established a worldwide reputation as one of the most trusted and influential broadcasters of his generation – described by Radio Times as “…one of the greats of British contemporary music broadcasting” and by The Mail On Sunday as “a national treasure”.

For the past 20 years, Colin Hall has been the custodian at John Lennon’s childhood home ‘Mendips’ (guiding the likes of Bob Dylan, Yoko Ono and James Taylor around the property) & has written two books on The Fab Four.’

This is the perfect show for fans of The Beatles, The 1960s, & for anyone who ever listened to, and enjoyed, the timeless music of Lennon & McCartney.