Paul McCartney Said The Isley Brothers Changed The Beatles’ Lives
One of The Isley Brothers met The Beatles after a show. Paul McCartney said The Isley Brothers changed The Beatles’ lives. Subsequently, Paul got on stage and talked about The Isley Brothers’ impact on the Fab Four.
How The Isley Brothers’ Ernie Isley met The Beatles’ Paul McCartney
“Twist and Shout” was originally performed by a duo called The Top Notes. The Isley Brothers covered the song. Subsequently, The Beatles recorded both “Twist and Shout” and an original Isley Brothers song called “Shout.”
During an interview with UK Music Reviews, The Isley Brothers’ Ernie Isley discussed meeting the Fab Four. “We had finished playing a show recently and after I had come off the stage, my wife said, ‘Paul McCartney’s sitting over there,'” he recalled. “Well, he was sitting three or four tables away and let me tell you, I didn’t need telling twice. So, I walked over to where he was sitting and tapped him on the shoulder.”
What Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr said about The Isley Brothers’ impact on The Beatles
Paul was affectionate. “Before I could say anything, he stood up to his full height, gave me a bear hug which almost cut my wind off, and we were both shouting into each other’s ear,” Isley remembered. “I shouted, ‘Paul, you, John, George, and Ringo are just wonderful’ to which he replied, ‘Ernie, if it were not for The Isley Brothers, The Beatles would still be in Liverpool.’ Later that evening he got up on stage and repeated to everyone there what he had shouted in my ear, which was truly gracious of him.”
In 2014, Isley spoke with Ringo. Ringo told him The Isley Brothers helped The Beatles hit their stride. Isley also met Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison, who were “very gracious” toward him.
The way listeners in the United States reacted to The Isley Brothers’ ‘Twist and Shout’ and The Beatles’ version
The Isley Brothers’ and The Beatles’ versions of “Twist and Shout” were career milestones for both bands. The former reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100, remaining on the chart for 16 weeks. It was The Isley Brothers’ first top 20 single. It appeared on the album Twist & Shout, which did not chart on the Billboard 200.
The Beatles’ version of “Twist and Shout” became one of the first hits in the United States. Their recording hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, remaining on the chart for 26 weeks. “Twist and Shout” appeared on The Beatles’ album Please Please Me. Please Please Me peaked at No. 155 on the Billboard 200 for one week. The Beatles and The Isley Brothers are both musical legends and their career wouldn’t be the same without “Twist and Shout.”
