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TL;DR:

  • John Lennon said “In My Life” wouldn’t have a piano solo without the help of producer George Martin.
  • John felt George’s job was to “translate” ideas The Beatles had into actual music.
  • “In My Life” was not a very big hit in the United States or the United Kingdom.
"In My Life" writer John Lennon in a black sweater
John Lennon | Icon and Image / Contributor

John Lennon said “In My Life” owed a lot to The Beatles’ producer, George Martin. The Beatle said Martin “helped us develop a language, to talk to musicians.” Subsequently, the tune appeared on the Fab Four’s massive album Rubber Soul.

John Lennon couldn’t explain the difference between 2 of The Beatles’ producers

George Martin is credited as the producer of every Beatles album except their final release, Let It Be. That was helmed by girl group maestro Phil Spector. Subsequently, Spector produced some of John’s solo albums like John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, Imagine, and Some Time in New York City. During a 1970 interview in the book Lennon Remembers, John was asked to discuss the differences between Martin and Spector.

“I don’t know,” John replied. “You see, for quite a few of our albums, like the Beatles’ double albums, George Martin didn’t really produce it. In the early days, I can remember what George Martin did.”

John Lennon’s ‘In My Life’ memories

John gave fans more insight into Martin. “He would translate … If Paul wanted to use violins, he would translate it for him,” he said. “Like ‘In My Life’ there is an Elizabethan piano solo in it, so he would do things like that. We would say ‘play like Bach’ or something, so he would put 12 bars in there. He helped us develop a language, to talk to musicians.”

John said he mostly produced the early Beatles albums. “I was very, very shy, and there are many reasons why I didn’t like very much go for musicians,” he recalled. “I didn’t like to have to see 20 guys sitting there and try to tell them what to do. Because they’re all so lousy anyway. So, apart from the early days — when I didn’t have much to do with it — I did it myself.”

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John Lennon Said Bob Dylan Inspired The Beatles’ ‘In My Life’

How ‘In My Life’ performed on the charts in the the United States and the United Kingdom

According to The Official Charts Company, “In My Life” reached No. 78 in the United Kingdom. There, it stayed on the chart for a single week. Meanwhile, Rubber Soul was No. 1 for eight of its 42 weeks on the chart. Glee introduced the track to a new generation with a cover.

“In My Life” was not initially a single, so it did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Subsequently, it reached No. 9 on Billboard’s Recurrents for one week. The tune appeared on the album Rubber Soul, which topped the Billboard 200 for six weeks. The album stayed on the chart for 70 weeks. It also helped solidify the idea the Beatles were true artists, not disposable pop stars.

“In My Life” is a beloved ballad and it wouldn’t be the same without Elizabethan music.

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