The Beatles Song That Paul McCartney Says Sounded Too Similar to Chuck Berry
The Beatles were fans of several rock stars who often influenced their sound. One of these rock icons was Chuck Berry, whose songs The Beatles would often cover. During the recording of Abbey Road, Paul McCartney convinced John Lennon to change one song because it sounded too much like Chuck Berry.
‘Come Together’ is Paul McCartney’s favorite song from ‘Abbey Road’
Abbey Road is a special album because it was The Beatles’ final album ever recorded together. Let it Be did release after, but that one had been recorded before Abbey Road. While tensions were rising between the band members, they still managed to create memorable music. The album included fan favorites such as “Here Comes the Sun,” “Something,” and “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.”
In an interview with BBC shortly after the album (shared by Far Out magazine), Paul McCartney said “Come Together” was his favorite track from the album.
“Well, I like ‘Come Together’. That’s a great one, which is John’s one, yeah,” McCartney stated.
Paul McCartney changed ‘Come Together’ because it sounded too much like Chuck Berry
In an interview with the Fly on the Wall podcast with Dana Carvey and David Spade, McCartney discussed the origins of ‘Come Together.’ He said John Lennon came into the studio and pitched the song, but McCartney had to stop him as the opening lyrics ripped off another song by Chuck Berry.
“[John] came in and he basically brought in a Chuck Berry song. Chuck Berry did a song called ‘You Can’t Catch Me,’ which starts off, ‘Here come old flat top/ He come…’ It was the exact opening line. So, John brings it in. We’re in Abbey Road Studio number two and John comes in and he goes, ‘Listen to this one I got…Here come old flat top,’ and I go, ‘John, stop. That’s ‘You Can’t Catch Me’ by Chuck Berry. And he goes, ‘Yeah, I know. But it’s good though, isn’t it?’
“I said, ‘No, you gotta do something with it.’ So, that was a case where we head to get it out of that Chuck Berry tempo. You couldn’t change that opening line. It’s just such a good opening line and John had to pay Chuck Berry for using that later.”
The resulting changes led to a slower tempo and what McCartney called a “swampy groove.” The results paid off as “Come Together” became the biggest hit from Abbey Road.
McCartney wishes he had contributed to the song even further
While Paul McCartney gave many contributions to “Come Together,” he wished he could have done more and shared how he could have improved the song years later. In a 1970 interview with The Evening Standard, McCartney said he would have loved to have harmonized with Lennon, but he was nervous to ask him since tensions were high during the recording session.
“On ‘Come Together,’ I would have liked to sing harmony with John, and I think he would have liked me too, but I was too embarrassed to ask him and I don’t work to the best of my abilities in that situation,” McCartney admitted.
