This week in 1968, the members of The Beatles traveled to Rishikesh, India, to take part in a spiritual retreat by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, creator of Transcendental Meditation (TM).
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John Lennon and George Harrison arrived in Rishikesh on February 16, 1968, while Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr showed up four days later. The Fab Four were accompanied by some friends, wives, and girlfriends, while The Beach Boys’ Mike Love and folk singer Donovan also joined the retreat.
During their stay, McCartney, Lennon and Harrison famously wrote many songs that The Beatles recorded for their classic 1968 self-titled album, a.k.a. The White Album.
In a recent interview with American Songwriter, Love recalled that, while in India, he was treated to an early preview of one of those now-classic tunes, one which was clearly inspired by The Beach Boys.
“I was sitting at the breakfast table by myself when Paul McCartney came down to the table with his acoustic guitar, and said, ‘Listen to this, Mike,’” Love shared. “And he [sang], ‘Flew in from Miami Beach, BOAC, didn’t get to bed last night.’ Anyway, he played me ‘Back in the USSR.’”
Love noted that at the time, the song wasn’t quite finished, and he claimed that he suggested to McCartney that he put in a section that was a parody of The Beach Boys’ “California Girls.”
“[McCartney] didn’t have [the middle part yet,” Love noted. “I said, ‘You gotta talk about all the girls around Russia, Ukraine girls and Georgia on my mind, and all that,’ which he did.’ Turns out Sir Paul can craft a tune fairly handily. But I was probably the first person other than his [then-girlfriend] Jane Asher … who was also there, to hear that song.”
Love Shares More Memories of Rishikesh
Love told American Songwriter that he was invited to go to retreat in Rishikesh by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi himself. He maintained that he didn’t know The Beatles also were going to be there until he arrived at the ashram.
“[T]hat was fascinating,” Mike said of the experience. “And so, we had a great time there. There was a lot of meditation, a lot of lectures by Maharishi, and a lot of songwriting.”
Love also recalled that another highlight of the trip was when The Beatles wrote a song in honor of his birthday, which is March 15.
“The Beatles ended up singing a song, at the end of which they said, ‘Happy birthday, Michael Love, happy birthday,’” he pointed out. “It’s called ‘The Spiritual Regeneration Movement Foundation.’ If you ever get a chance to listen to that, it’s pretty amazing.”
Love also recalled the circumstances that led Lennon to write the classic Beatles tune “Dear Prudence” while at the retreat. Among the other attendees were actress Mia Farrow and her younger sister, Prudence, who was particularly focused on Maharishi’s teachings.
“Maharishi at one point in time said, ‘Go ahead and meditate as long as you feel comfortable,’” Mike remembered. “And Prudence didn’t come out for like three days. The most I ever meditated at one time was maybe eight hours, which is enough. But that was the instruction, to go ahead and meditate as much as you’re comfortable. But, Prudence just took it so seriously.”
In the song, of course, Lennon sings, “Dear Prudence, won’t you come put to play?” hoping to coax her away from her meditation.
Love Remains a Devotee of Transcendental Meditation
Love told American Songwriter that Transcendental Meditation has had a major positive influence on his life and his songwriting.
For example, he said, “When I was with a group of people who were doing drugs or drinking too much or something, I was able to say, ‘I feel good doing what I’m doing. I don’t need to participate in that.’ So it was more of an enhancement of my lifestyle choices.”
He also noted that “my lyrical choices would continue to be accentuating the positive, … so I think [TM] was just in general a big help.”
Love Recently Was Chosen for a Prestigious Honor
Speaking about Love’s songwriting, Mike has been chosen as a 2025 inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Among the classic Beach Boys songs Love co-wrote are “California Girls,” “Good Vibrations,” “I Get Around,” and “Fun, Fun, Fun.” The ceremony will take place June 12th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.
The Beach Boys’ 2025 Tour Plans
Love and The Beach Boys have dozens of concerts lined up in 2025. The band next show is scheduled for February 21 in Mount Vernon, Kentucky.
The Beach Boys’ itinerary currently runs through a July 29 performance at the Tio Pepe Festival in Cádiz, Spain.
Tickets for Beach Boys concerts are available via a variety of outlets, including StubHub.
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