The Beatles song inspired by Fred Astaire
The Beatles‘ range of inspiration was far and wide. The band’s discography traverses a vast landscape of themes from dreams to children’s books, gravestones, and narcotics. But when it comes to the year 1966, the inspiration came firmly from Hollywood.
When working on their seventh album, the remarkable Revolver, Paul McCartney turned his eye to the 1930s for motivation. The song ’Here, There and Everywhere’ was inspired by Fred Astaire, one of the biggest stars of Hollywood’s golden age.
McCartney, so proud of the track, previously said the song is his favourite Beatles effort. In the 2015 book Conversations with Paul McCartney, the musician claimed that while ‘Yesterday’ is often considered his most significant creation, his true favourite is actually ‘Here, There and Everywhere’.
When writing the material, Macca took significant influence from ‘Cheek To Cheek’, the 1935 track written for Fred Astaire in Top Hat. McCartney said the track “was always one of my favourite songs. I love the way it returns to its opening, it goes through the whole song: ‘Heaven … I’m in heaven.’ It comes back. Wow. It’s a simple little trick, but as a writer, I loved that.”
It was that circle structure that McCartney decided to borrow for his own song. “I kind of did that in ‘Here, There and Everywhere,’” he continued. “So all these influences have always been there.”
While ‘Cheek To Cheek’ is part of a film about Fred Astaire trying to win his lover’s attention, ‘Here, There and Everywhere’ reflects on how McCartney wishes his love could have always been there. Opening with the beautiful lyrics, “To lead a better life / I need my love to be here,” the song is one of the most beautiful love ballads written by the band.
Another major inspiration for the song came from The Beach Boys, with McCartney citing ‘God Only Knows’ as a reference for the introduction and harmonies. Having only come out a few months prior, the harmony-heavy initial vocals were a last-minute addition to add to the “old-fashioned” feeling of the track.
With the song being described by author Kenneth Wommack as a romance ballad “about living in the here and now” and “fully experiencing the conscious moment”, it makes sense that it was inspired by one of Hollywood’s biggest heartthrobs and romance actors, Mr Fred Astaire.
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