On this day (April 17) in 1971, all four former members of the Beatles had songs on the UK Singles Chart. A little more than a year after the Fab Four announced they were going their separate ways, the former members were showcasing their solo talents and keeping fans entertained.
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After years together, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, and Paul McCartney were all ready to strike out on their own. The fact that all four former Beatles had launched solo projects in the year after the band split is proof of that. The fact that all four songs were hits on the UK Singles Chart and in several other countries proves that fans were still eager to hear music from the Fab Four, even if they weren’t together.
All Four Members of the Beatles Notch Solo Hits
In mid-April of 1971, all four former Beatles had songs on the UK Singles Chart. George Harrison released “My Sweet Lord” in November 1970 in the UK and January 1971 in the US. Paul McCartney launched “Another Day” in February 1971. John Lennon’s “Power to the People” dropped on March 12 in the UK and hit the US ten days later. Ringo Starr’s non-album track “It Don’t Come Easy” came out in early April 1971.
Harrison had already released two solo albums–Wonderwall Music and Electronic Sound–before the Beatles split. Months after they called it quits, he released a triple album titled All Things Must Pass. “My Sweet Lord,” a song in praise of the Hindu god Krishna, was the album’s lead single and Harrison’s first single as a solo artist. It was a No. 1 hit in multiple countries and the first chart-topper from a former Beatle in both the United Kingdom and the United States.
“Another Day,” a non-album single, was McCartney’s first single as a solo artist. He wrote the song about a lonely woman’s day-to-day existence with his wife, Linda. He also produced the track, which drew comparisons to “Eleanor Rigby.” It peaked at No. 2 on the UK singles chart and No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Lennon wrote “Power to the People” and backed it with Yoko Ono’s “Open Your Box.” He recorded the track with the Plastic Ono Band and released it as a non-album single in March 1971. It peaked at No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart and went to No. 11 on the Hot 100. While it was an early solo hit, it would not land on an album until it appeared on Shaved Fish in 1975.
Starr had already released his solo country album Beaucoups of Blues when he recorded the Harrison-produced “It Don’t Come Easy.” Because he didn’t release singles from his solo album in the UK, this was his first single as a solo artist in his home country. Since its release, it has been a regular part of Starr’s concert setlists.
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