Songwriter

Born October 9, 1940 · Liverpool. The acerbic wit and restless intellectual of the group. Lennon drove the Beatles’ avant-garde and confessional impulses – from the raw R&B energy of the early years to the lysergic experiments of 1967 and the naked vulnerability of the White Album. His songwriting evolved from witty pop craft to radical honesty.

Born June 18, 1942 · Liverpool. The melodic architect of the Beatles. McCartney’s bass playing redefined the instrument’s role in rock music, while his songwriting ranged from tender ballads to hard rock and music hall. A supreme craftsman, he pushed the group toward ambition and polish – and kept them grounded in pop when they needed it.

Born February 25, 1943 · Liverpool. The quiet Beatle who proved the most spiritually searching. Harrison’s mastery of the electric guitar defined the band’s sound from their earliest recordings, and his embrace of Indian classical music helped redirect Western pop’s relationship with the East. His songwriting, slow to develop, produced some of the group’s most enduring songs.

Born July 7, 1940 · Liverpool. The rhythmic heartbeat of the Beatles and a more inventive drummer than his modest reputation suggests. Starr’s distinctive backbeat, inventive fills, and impeccable feel underpinned the band’s most complex studio work. His right-handed style on a left-handed kit produced unique, identifiable patterns that shaped the sound of the era.

Born May 10, 1935 · New Orleans. Specialty Records rock and roller whose raucous style hugely influenced Lennon. The Beatles covered three of his songs – "Slow Down" (Long Tall Sally EP), "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" (Help!), and "Bad Boy" (US single). Lennon recorded several of his songs again as a solo artist.

Born April 9, 1932 · Tiptonville, Tennessee. A founding figure of rockabilly and a personal hero of George Harrison. The Beatles covered three of his songs – "Honey Don't" and "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby" on Beatles For Sale, and "Matchbox" on Long Tall Sally EP. His "Blue Suede Shoes" became a defining rock and roll anthem.

Born August 7, 1931 · Newark. Songwriter and producer central to the Shirelles' early-60s success at Scepter Records. Co-wrote "Boys" (covered by the Beatles on Please Please Me, sung by Ringo) and "Baby It's You" (also on Please Please Me) with Burt Bacharach and Mack David. Helped shape the girl-group sound of the era.

Born December 5, 1932 · Macon, Georgia. Self-styled architect of rock and roll, whose explosive vocals and gospel-rooted piano transformed popular music. The Beatles covered "Long Tall Sally" (1964 EP) and incorporated "Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!" into a "Kansas City" medley on Beatles For Sale. Paul McCartney's vocal screams are a direct homage.

Luxembourgish lyricist (writing as Jean Nicolas) who translated the Beatles' 1964 German-language singles.

Born October 18, 1926 · St. Louis. The single most important influence on rock and roll songwriting and guitar playing. The Beatles covered "Roll Over Beethoven" on With The Beatles and "Rock and Roll Music" on Beatles For Sale, and Lennon repeatedly cited Berry as the key influence on his rhythm style. "Back in the U.S.S.R." is a direct nod to his "Back in the U.S.A."

Born February 19, 1940 · Detroit. Songwriter, singer, and Motown vice president – one of the most admired lyricists of his generation. Wrote "You Really Got a Hold on Me", which the Beatles covered on With The Beatles with Lennon and Harrison sharing the lead. Bob Dylan called him "America's greatest living poet".

Born February 9, 1942 · Brooklyn, New York. A leading Brill Building songwriter who later became a defining solo artist of the 1970s. With Gerry Goffin she wrote dozens of hits for the girl-group era, including "Chains" – covered by the Beatles on Please Please Me. Her 1971 album Tapestry remains one of the best-selling records of all time.

Born March 13, 1933 · Belle Harbor, New York. Half of the Leiber and Stoller team. With Jerry Leiber he wrote "Kansas City" – a Beatles For Sale medley track – alongside dozens of foundational rock and roll songs ("Hound Dog", "Jailhouse Rock", "Stand By Me"). Their writer-producer model influenced generations including the Beatles' own songwriting partnership.

American R&B singer and songwriter. Wrote "Mr. Moonlight", which the Beatles covered on Beatles For Sale with Lennon's keening lead vocal. Originally a B-side by Dr. Feelgood and the Interns in 1962. Johnson's own recording career was modest, but his songwriting reached a global audience through the Beatles' version.

Born May 12, 1928 · Kansas City, Missouri. One of the great American popular composers, whose sophisticated melodies and unusual time signatures redefined 1960s pop. Co-wrote "Baby It's You" with Mack David and Luther Dixon – a Shirelles hit covered by the Beatles on Please Please Me. His partnership with Hal David produced dozens of standards.

Born March 31, 1925 · The Bronx, New York. American actor and lyricist who co-wrote the words to "A Taste of Honey" with composer Bobby Scott. Originally written for a 1960 Broadway play, the song became a worldwide standard after Herb Alpert's hit version. The Beatles' Please Please Me cover featured McCartney's lead vocal.

Born January 29, 1937 · Mount Pleasant, New York. Jazz pianist, singer, and composer best known for "A Taste of Honey", written with Ric Marlow for a 1960 Broadway play. The Beatles covered the instrumental ballad on Please Please Me, and Herb Alpert later took it to #1 in the US.

American R&B songwriter active in the 1950s. Co-credited with Little Richard and Robert Blackwell on "Long Tall Sally" – covered by the Beatles on the 1964 EP and a constant feature of their live sets. Little of his biography survives beyond the writing credits on several Specialty Records releases.

Born April 11, 1939 · Detroit. Detroit songwriter and singer, briefly a Motown staffer and a U.S. postal worker – the everyday inspiration for "Please Mr. Postman". Co-wrote the song with Brian Holland, Robert Bateman, William Garrett, and Georgia Dobbins. Later sang lead with the Originals on "Baby I'm For Real".

A traditional or public-domain song with no single credited author, arranged by the Beatles.

Born January 23, 1940 · Sunflower County, Mississippi. Country songwriter and singer who co-wrote "Act Naturally" – Buck Owens's 1963 #1 covered by Ringo on Help! Later had his own country hits in the 1970s including "Rednecks, White Socks and Blue Ribbon Beer".

Born December 15, 1916 · Baltimore. Co-author of "Twist and Shout" with Bert Berns (Bert Russell). Originally written for the Top Notes and made famous by the Isley Brothers, the song became the Beatles' definitive cover, closing their debut album with Lennon's voice-shredding lead.

American singer and songwriter, originally of the Marvelettes. Adapted an existing blues song into "Please Mr. Postman" and helped shape the lyric, sharing credit with the team that polished it for release. She left the Marvelettes before the song became Motown's first #1 pop hit, which the Beatles later covered on With The Beatles.

American songwriter associated with the Marvelettes. Brought the original blues fragment that became "Please Mr. Postman" to Motown, sharing the writing credit with Georgia Dobbins, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman, and Freddie Gorman. The Marvelettes' version was Motown's first #1 pop hit; the Beatles covered it on With The Beatles.

Born July 5, 1912 · New York City. Veteran Tin Pan Alley lyricist (and brother of Hal David), with credits stretching from the 1930s to the 1970s. Co-wrote "Baby It's You" with Burt Bacharach and Luther Dixon – a Shirelles hit covered by the Beatles on Please Please Me. Also wrote standards for Hollywood film songs including Cinderella's "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo".

Born May 10, 1940 · Florence, Alabama. A pioneering soul-country singer-songwriter whose understated vocal style influenced a generation of British groups. The Beatles covered his "Anna (Go to Him)" on their debut album. The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Otis Redding also recorded his songs.

Born April 25, 1933 · Baltimore. Half of the Leiber and Stoller team that wrote and produced some of the most influential rock and roll songs of the 1950s. With Mike Stoller he wrote "Kansas City" – covered by the Beatles in a medley with Little Richard's "Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!" on Beatles For Sale. Their catalog includes "Hound Dog", "Jailhouse Rock", and dozens more standards.

Born September 22, 1937 · Detroit. Songwriter and producer at early Motown, part of the original "Brianbert" team with Brian Holland. Co-wrote "Please Mr. Postman" with the rest of the Marvelettes' songwriting collective. Later worked as a producer and A&R man for various R&B labels.

Born May 23, 1918 · Seattle. Producer and bandleader at Specialty Records, where he produced Little Richard's biggest hits. Co-wrote "Long Tall Sally" with Little Richard and Enotris Johnson – covered by the Beatles on the 1964 EP. Also produced Sam Cooke's first solo recordings.

Born September 7, 1936 · Lubbock, Texas. The most direct songwriting influence on the early Beatles – Lennon and McCartney studied his records obsessively, and the band name itself echoes the Crickets. The Beatles covered "Words of Love" on Beatles For Sale. Holly's death in February 1959 made him a foundational martyr of rock and roll.

American songwriter, also credited as Ricky Dee or Richard B. Drapkin. Wrote "Devil in His Heart" – a 1962 Donays single the Beatles covered as "Devil in Her Heart" on With The Beatles, with Harrison on lead vocal. Little of his subsequent career is documented.

American songwriter best known for co-writing Buck Owens hits the Beatles covered.

Born December 21, 1939 · Brooklyn, New York. Brill Building songwriter and music publisher who co-wrote "Boys" with Luther Dixon. The song was a Shirelles B-side; the Beatles' Please Please Me cover gave Ringo his first lead vocal. Farrell later produced and wrote for the Partridge Family.

Born November 8, 1929 · The Bronx, New York. Stage name of Bert Berns, a brilliant songwriter and producer who fused R&B with Latin rhythms. Co-wrote "Twist and Shout" (Beatles version on Please Please Me) and "Hang On Sloopy". His Atlantic and BANG-label productions shaped 1960s soul before his early death in 1967.

Born May 18, 1902 · Mason City, Iowa. Composer of The Music Man – the 1957 Broadway musical that gave the Beatles "Till There Was You" via Peggy Lee's 1961 cover. McCartney's tender vocal on With The Beatles was the band's first crossover into the standards repertoire. Willson's other major work was The Unsinkable Molly Brown.

Born February 11, 1939 · Brooklyn, New York. Lyricist and songwriting partner – and first husband – of Carole King. With King he co-wrote "Chains" (Beatles on Please Please Me) and a long string of girl-group hits including "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman". One of the defining lyricists of the Brill Building era.

Born December 22, 1939 · Memphis. Motown receptionist who co-wrote "Money (That's What I Want)" with Berry Gordy in 1959 – Motown's first major hit and a Beatles staple covered on With The Beatles. Continued writing for Motown artists for decades and ran the company's songwriter relations.

Born November 28, 1929 · Detroit. Founder of Motown Records and one of the most influential figures in 20th-century popular music. As a songwriter he co-wrote "Money (That's What I Want)", which the Beatles recorded for With The Beatles. Built the assembly-line songwriting and production system that defined the Motown sound.

Born February 15, 1941 · Detroit. Co-founder of the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting team that defined Motown's golden era. Co-wrote "Please Mr. Postman", the Marvelettes hit covered by the Beatles on With The Beatles. Later wrote dozens of #1 hits for the Supremes, Four Tops, and Marvin Gaye.