BEATLES FORUM

[Benny25]

To add to that and correct me if I'm wrong John but didn't the Mahareshi try to "hit" on Prudence and that caused John and Paul to denounce the guru?

[John_fromNY]

I mispoke. Al Jardine was not among them. However, Mike Love, Mia Farrow and her sister Prudence were there in Rishikesh India. Donovan Leitch was also there as well.

http://www.beatlesbible.com/people/maha ... sh-yogi/2/

The Beatles traveled to Rishikesh, India in February 1968 to take part in a meditation course at Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's retreat. George and Pattie Harrison, her sister Jenny, and John and Cynthia Lennon arrived on 16 February; Paul McCartney, Jane Asher, Ringo Starr and his wife Maureen followed three days later. Their fellow pupils included Donovan, Mike Love, Mia Farrow and her sister Prudence.

"Each year, Maharishi had a course for Westerners who wanted to become Transcendental Meditation instructors. Although I wasn't going to become an instructor, I wanted to go and have a heavy dose of meditation. John came, and Paul came after him, and then Richard [Starkey] followed with fifteen Sherpas carrying Heinz baked beans. Rishikesh is an incredible place, situated where the Ganges flows out of the Himalayas into the plains between the mountains and Delhi. There is quite a heavy flow of water coming out of the Himalayas, and we had to cross the river by a big swing suspension bridge. Maharishi's place was perched up on a hill overlooking the town and the river. It was comprised of about eight or ten acres. There was a kitchen with some outdoor seating and tables where we would all have our breakfast together. Nearby there was a large covered area with a platform where he'd give lectures." - George Harrison, Anthology

Starr was the first to leave, claiming that the food at the camp was unsuitable for his allergies. McCartney left shortly afterwards, having only intended to stay for a fixed period.

"One day Maharishi needed to get to New Delhi and back for something, so someone suggested a helicopter. When it arrived we all trooped down, a bouncing line of devotees, coming down a narrow dusty track to the Ganges, singing, being delightful. Very like the Hare Krishnas, marvellous, chatting away. We got down to the Ganges, the helicopter landed and then they asked, 'Does anyone want a quick go before Maharishi takes off?' John jumped up. 'Yea, yea, yeah, yeah!' John got there first, and there was only room for one. So later I asked John, 'Why were you so keen? You really wanted to get in that helicopter.' 'Yeah,' he said. 'I thought he might slip me the answer!' Which is very revealing about John. I suppose everyone is always looking for the Holy Grail. I think John thought he might find it. I think it shows an innocence really, a naivety. It's quite touching really. -Paul McCartney, Barry Miles from his book, Many Years From Now

Lennon and Harrison returned after a loss of faith in Maharishi. A story swept the camp that he had made a pass at one of the women; in later years it was said to have been Mia Farrow, but McCartney and Harrison have since denied this. It was later claimed that the story was concocted by Magic Alex, Lennon's friend, who felt his influence among The Beatles had been waning since they took up with Maharishi.

"There was a big hullabaloo about him trying to rape Mia Farrow or trying to get off with Mia Farrow and a few other women, things like that. And we went down to him and we'd stayed up all night discussing, was it true or not true. And when George started thinking it might be true, I thought, 'Well it must be true, 'cause if George is doubting it, there must be something in it.' So we went to see Maharishi, the whole gang of us the next day charged down to his hut, his very rich-looking bungalow in the mountains. And I was the spokesman - as usual, when the dirty work came, I actually had to be leader, whatever the scene was, when it came to the nitty gritty I had to do the leading. And I said, 'We're leaving.' 'Why?' Hee-hee, all that shit. And I said, 'Well if you're so cosmic, you'll know why.' He was always intimating, and there were all his right hand men intimating that he did miracles. He said, 'I don't know why, you must tell me.' And I just kept saying, 'You know why' - and he gave me a look like, 'I'll kill you, bastard.' He gave me such a look, and I knew then when he looked at me, because I'd called his bluff. And I was a bit rough to him. - John Lennon, Jann Wenner from his book, Lennon Remembers

[Benny25]

Great find John!

And soon after Paul wrote "The Fool On The Hill".

[John_fromNY]

Great find John!

And soon after Paul wrote "The Fool On The Hill".

Actually it goes on [see the link especially the bottom of the web page] ... John did write a song about the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Though the words as they were originally written made no sense at all. John modified and changed them as the song eventually became "Sexy Sadie" from the White Album.

"We drove for hours. John had a song he had started to write which he was singing: 'Maharishi, what have you done?' and I said, 'You can't say that, it's ridiculous.' I came up with the title of Sexy Sadie and John changed 'Maharishi' to 'Sexy Sadie'." - George Harrison, Anthology

[AussieSteve]

Great find John!

And soon after Paul wrote "The Fool On The Hill".

FYI Benny,

This song is an autobiographical song of Paul's where he also plays the flute and the recorder. The film clip in the Magical Mystery Tour movie for the song was filmed in Nice, France without the other Beatles present.

[Benny25]

Thanks Steve! I thought I read somewhere that it was about the Mahareshi. I stand corrected.

[Benny25]

A relatively rarely-played goof song that John wrote in 1967. You know my name, look up my number was the B-side of Let It Be and released in 1970. The guys let loose with all kinds of zaniness during the tape sessions.
A bit of trivia that I didn't know - Brian Jones plays the sax in the last section of the song.

http://oldies.about.com/od/thebeatlesso ... myname.htm

[John_fromNY]

Yes, Thank you Benny. It is another obscure Beatles song - mentioned in my first post here on page one.

A different version of it.




or the tape of John's composition track...



Next, to "What's the New Mary Jane," John's song..



"Come and Get It" - Paul's song. The song made famous by Badfinger....



Or "Not Guilty" - George's song....

[Benny25]

Since this is the Beatles forum I thought I'd talk about something that happened to me that is Beatle related.

I want to show you guys a present that I received for my birthday last month. My brother went to London to visit his daughter and they made the long trek on foot to St. Johns Wood and the infamous Abbey Road where the Beatles recorded many of their songs. There, my brother wiped off some blue writing and with a green marker wrote my name in the "Y" of Abbey and my niece wrote "Happy Birthday Uncle Ben" underneath that in orange. This really touched me that they went through all that trouble for me. I know that someone has probably already erased it and put their own inscription there but I have photos to preserve what they did for me.




I guess I'm getting sentimental in my old age but I thought I'd share this with you anyway.

As an aside, my youngest daughter gave me the re-mastered Abbey Road CD for a birthday present. She and I didn't have any knowledge as to what my brother and her cousin were doing for me halfway around the world. Pretty freaky, huh?

Ok, back to your regular programming...................

[WalterB]

Pretty nice, Benny. Oh, and Happy Birthday!

[AussieSteve]

Cool pics there Benny I want to visit Abbey Road in 2010 as well.
BTW, a belated Happy Birthday to you!

[John_fromNY]

That's very nice Benny. Happy belated birthday.

That's a very nice "gift" from your brother and your niece.



The Abbey Road sign looks like memorial where everyone can write. It's sort of like Jim Morrison's grave in Paris, France.

Very good.

[John_fromNY]

Beginning of *rant* *rant*

This was posted as a studio version from the White Album sessions... (by author uphoyaax)





Who is this guy kidding? Anyone knows that Paul McCartney had facial hair only twice when he was the group. He was pictured with a mustache during the Sgt. Pepper/Magical Mystery Tour sessions and he was shown with a full beard during the Let It Be sessions. Most times he was clean shaven with long sideburns. Other times .... like this well known White Album picture below.... He went unshaven.

The upclose shots with Paul singing the words "Helter Skelter, etc" are clearly so very poorly dubbed. Ugh.

Mr. Uphoyaax -- Paul has a full beard in your video. So this is clearly tape from the Let It Be sessions. Dumb ass!! NOT the White Album sessions.

Paul McCartney and the Beatles did not perform "Helter Skelter" during the Let It Be sessions.

Also... "Blisters on my fingers" was said, not by John Lennon as Mr. Uphoyaax claims, but, by Richard Starkey. Yikes!!

I'd so like to complain on the youtube comments for this entry. BIG TIME. What a dumb ass!!! But I don't want to go through the hassle of setting up an account there. So if any of you want to do so instead, please feel free to use my comments here.

Mr. Uphoyaax? Mr. Up Your Ass? Hey it kind of rhymes. Doesn't it?. Hehe..

End of *rant* *rant*

I'm happy now.

[h0rnytoad1]

That's very nice Benny. Happy belated birthday.

That's a very nice "gift" from your brother and your niece.



The Abbey Road sign looks like memorial where everyone can write. It's sort of like Jim Morrison's grave in Paris, France.

Very good.

i 2nd that sentiment Benny&John,
lets not forget Graceland

[John_fromNY]

So what were you doing 29 years ago today? .... Me? I was a high school senior 17 years old. I was watching Monday Night Football ... Then Howard Cosell came on and said that the ex-Beatle John Lennon had just been rushed to St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital apparently shot by a crazed fan....

...Ten minutes later, Howard came back on, crying and weeping, and he said that he was gone. John Lennon had just died. Then ABC broke away from the game and they went to the Eyewitness News newsroom....

[John_fromNY]

To add to that and correct me if I'm wrong John but didn't the Mahareshi try to "hit" on Prudence and that caused John and Paul to denounce the guru?

The British comedian and impressionalist Stevie Riks answers this...

[WalterB]

29 years ago??? Dang! I was 37 (was I ever 37?) and in Los Angeles working for TRW. Don't specifically remember where I was or what I was doing when I heard, but I do remember when Kennedy was shot and when Elvis died.

[Benny25]

John's succinct definition of the Beatles.

[John_fromNY]

Yes, John met Paul. Paul proved himself to John. A friendship developed. Then Paul brought his good friend George one day to play. John accepted George into the group after hearing him play too. A friendship developed between the three inspired musicians ...



... From Paul's concert for Citi Field in July 2009....

[boltman]

So what were you doing 29 years ago today? .... Me? I was a high school senior 17 years old. I was watching Monday Night Football ... Then Howard Cosell came on and said that the ex-Beatle John Lennon had just been rushed to St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital apparently shot by a crazed fan....

...Ten minutes later, Howard came back on, crying and weeping, and he said that he was gone. John Lennon had just died. Then ABC broke away from the game and they went to the Eyewitness News newsroom....

I was stationed at Camp Pendleton at the time, watching the same MNF game in my boss Corporal Gleasing's quarters (he had a color TV). I never heard Howard sound the same after that. He just seemed to lose something. Then, 2 years later, he was calling the Larry Holmes vs. Randall "Tex" Cobb fight. It was so one-sided, and Cobb was so overmatched, he got disgusted and retired the next day. I read later he hated being the guy that had to report the death of John Lennon so much, he resisted doing live broadcasts, just in case something like that should happen again. Crazy how life is.