Beatles Trivia: 1 British Invasion Star Was There When They Recorded ‘Lovely Rita’
The Beatles‘ “Lovely Rita” is one of their most whimsical songs. Interestingly, a British Invasion star was there when the Fab Four recorded the track. The star in question explained how she came to know Paul McCartney and John Lennon.
Mick Jagger’s girlfriend was there when The Beatles recorded ‘Lovely Rita’
Marianne Faithfull was a balladeer who was known for her connections to The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. She dated Mick Jagger, who co-wrote her signature songs: “As Tears Go By” and “Sister Morphine.” She also performed a beautifully delicate cover of The Beatles’ “Yesterday” that stands out in a crowded field of Beatles covers.
During a 2011 interview with Louder, Faithfull discussed her connections to a handful of Beatles songs. “I went to a lot of Paul’s sessions — I was there when he did ‘Lovely Rita’ and ‘Fixing a Hole,'” he said. “Always late evening. That’s when I saw John mostly. He was very forbidding. He didn’t like other people being there. I was always very shy and quiet.”
What Marianne Faithfull thought of The Beatles’ John Lennon
Faithfull discussed her personal connections with two of The Beatles. “I met Paul McCartney via Peter Asher [brother of Paul’s girlfriend Jane Asher], and I met John Lennon because Paul and John were close friends of [artist] John Dunbar,” she said. “Lennon and John took thousands of acid trips together.
“Lennon’s attitude towards me changed a lot when I went off with Mick,” she added. “He didn’t like that at all. I’d see him, and he was always in such a wild state on acid it scared me. He really scared me, actually. All the emotion that came out on the Plastic Ono Band was there for years for all to see. He had [a] huge number of demons. Maybe we all do, but he had more than most.”
Faithfull was likely referring to John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, the first album John released as a solo artist. On that album, John was very open about his issues with his mother, his father, politics, religion, school, television, and almost every factor of human existence.
‘Lovely Rita’ wasn’t a hit and the world has forgotten it
“Lovely Rita” was not a single, so it did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. The tune appeared on the album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. That record topped the chart for 15 weeks, lasting on the chart for a whopping 233 weeks in total. Aside from Abbey Road, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was the Fab Four’s biggest album in the United States.
The Beatles might have inspired more cover songs than any other band. Artists can’t keep their hands off of standards like “Yesterday.” Even quirky Beatles songs like “With a Little Help from My Friends” and “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” inspired covers that became big hits. Despite all that, singers seem to want to leave “Lovely Rita” alone. Perhaps a retro musician like Lana Del Rey or Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker needs to breathe some new life into this classic rock ditty.
“Lovely Rita” is a pretty love song and it’s interesting to know that Faithfull was there when The Beatles brought it together.
