Baby, You're a Rich Man
John Lennon wrote the verses of a song titled One of the Beautiful People after attending an all-night festival at London's Alexandra Palace on the 29th of April 1967. Paul McCartney later added a chorus to this unfinished piece, creating what became known as Baby You're a Rich Man in July 1967. The two songwriters worked together at McCartney's home on Cavendish Avenue in St John's Wood during the early months of that year. Lennon described the final result as two separate pieces forced into one song during a 1980 interview. The lyrics address the beautiful people of the 1960s hippie movement and combine with McCartney's chorus to present a statement on non-material wealth. George Harrison performed the song during his visit to San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district in August 1967. Musicologist Walter Everett notes that the song asks an unnamed Brian Epstein what it is like to be one of the beautiful people. Lennon claimed the meaning was that everybody is a rich man regardless of material possessions.
The Beatles recorded the track during a six-hour session starting at 9 pm on the 11th of May at Olympic Sound Studios in Barnes south-west London. This marked the first Beatles EMI recording created entirely outside EMI Studios according to author Mark Lewisohn. Engineers Keith Grant and Eddie Kramer assisted producer George Martin during the process. Mick Jagger attended the session since his band the Rolling Stones regularly used the same facility. Lennon played a clavioline instrument set to its oboe setting creating a sound resembling an Indian shehnai. He created trill sounds by rolling an orange up and down the keyboard of the monophonic instrument. A feedback delay effect known as spin-echo filled space between verse lines. McCartney overdubbed a second part entering at 1:45 heard in reverse over the third verse. Harrison's lead guitar mirrored the role of a sarangi in an Indian khyal vocal piece. The group required twelve takes before achieving a satisfactory rhythm track due to various disruptions during the session.
Baby You're a Rich Man appeared as the B-side of their All You Need Is Love single released on the 7th of July in the United Kingdom and the 17th of July in the United States. The song followed shortly after Sgt Pepper which historian David Simonelli describes as the most important cultural moment of 1967. Both records provided a soundtrack to that year's Summer of Love phenomenon marking full emergence of the 1960s counterculture. During July and August the Beatles pursued interests related to utopian-based ideology. George Harrison was handed an acoustic guitar in Golden Gate Park on the 7th of August and briefly performed Baby You're a Rich Man leading crowds around like the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Harrison later became disappointed with Haight-Ashbury representing a haven for dropouts rather than community seeking enlightenment. The pair subsequently became avid supporters of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's Transcendental Meditation technique after attending a seminar in Bangor Wales where they publicly disavowed LSD on the 26th of August. Capitol Records included the track on the US album Magical Mystery Tour released in November 1967 against the band's wishes.
Derek Johnson wrote in NME during July 1967 highlighting Lennon's falsetto singing and the recording's Oriental instrumentation alongside unusual shuffle beat emphasized by handclaps. Billboard described it as an Eastern-flavored rocker with infectious beat and intricate lyric while Richard Poirier cited both sides of the single as particularly brilliant example of contemporary British rock bands restoring simplicities to good standing. Ian MacDonald welcomed use of clavioline saying it evokes beguiling joss-stick exoticism but bemoaned lack of focus evident in this and other Beatles recordings from immediate post-Sgt Pepper period. Tim Riley criticized lyrics as lacking purpose stating there is no center to music though snake-charming Clavioline provides degree of interest. Martin O'Gorman paired the song with Harrison It's All Too Much as two most sonically intriguing yet unfocused tracks in Mojo magazine 2003 feature. Scott Plagenhoef of Pitchfork dismissed it as second-rate take on John Lennon money-isn't-everything theme from considerably stronger And Your Bird Can Sing. Rolling Stone ranked Baby You're a Rich Man at number 68 on its list of 100 Greatest Beatles Songs in 2010.
The track peaked at number 34 on America's Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 60 on Cash Box Top 100 during 1967. Parts of the song were used in their 1968 animated film Yellow Submarine appearing towards end when Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band released from paralysis initiated by Blue Meanies hatred of music. The Beatles recording played at end of 2010 film The Social Network about rise of Facebook and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg. Noel Murray and Matt Singer described this appearance among five most effective uses of Beatles song in feature film calling perfect musical summation for The Social Network. American rappers the Fat Boys covered Baby You're a Rich Man performing it in 1987 comedy film Disorderlies. Hip-hop duo P.M. Dawn incorporated How does it feel to be one of beautiful people line into their song The Beautiful from 1991 album Of Heart Soul Cross Utopian Experience. Kula Shaker Presidents United States of America and Umphrey McGee have also covered the song. George Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick created first true stereo mix completed the 22nd of October 1971 for German release of Magical Mystery Tour album.
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Common questions
Who wrote the verses of Baby You're a Rich Man and when did he write them?
John Lennon wrote the verses after attending an all-night festival at London's Alexandra Palace on the 29th of April 1967. Paul McCartney later added a chorus to this unfinished piece in July 1967.
When was Baby You're a Rich Man recorded and where did the session take place?
The Beatles recorded the track during a six-hour session starting at 9 pm on the 11th of May at Olympic Sound Studios in Barnes south-west London. This marked the first Beatles EMI recording created entirely outside EMI Studios according to author Mark Lewisohn.
What date was Baby You're a Rich Man released as a single in the United Kingdom and the United States?
Baby You're a Rich Man appeared as the B-side of their All You Need Is Love single released on the 7th of July in the United Kingdom and the 17th of July in the United States.
How many takes did The Beatles require before achieving a satisfactory rhythm track for Baby You're a Rich Man?
The group required twelve takes before achieving a satisfactory rhythm track due to various disruptions during the session. Engineers Keith Grant and Eddie Kramer assisted producer George Martin during the process.
Which film used parts of Baby You're a Rich Man towards its end and when was that film released?
Parts of the song were used in their 1968 animated film Yellow Submarine appearing towards end when Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band released from paralysis initiated by Blue Meanies hatred of music. The Beatles recording also played at end of 2010 film The Social Network about rise of Facebook and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg.