La leyenda del quinto Beatle ha circulado desde la concepción de la banda y aunque muchos han vivido sin saber cuál era su nombre (por pertenecer a una generación más reciente), les comentamos rápidamente que se trataba ni más ni menos que del productor George Martin. Sí, Sir George Martin, la misma persona que en su momento llegó a involucrarse en los discos de figuras como Kate Bush, Elton John Jeff Beck y, entre muchos otros más, los trabajos de Paul McCartney y Ringo Starr.
Pero… ¿por qué el quinto Beatle? Bueno, pues básicamente esto se debe al impecable trabajo que realizó con la banda durante sus primeros lanzamientos, los cuales hicieron que incluso se ganara una nominación al Grammy con A Hard Day’s Night. George Martin era un visionario y lo supo al momento de conseguirle su primer contrato a los Beatles para que comenzaran a hacer historia, así que la noticia de su lamentable muerte es algo que no se debe de tomar a la ligera. Este 2016 está abusando bastante y ahora nos quitó a una leyenda más; una que justamente se encontraba en sus 90 años.
Para honrar su trabajo, píquenle play a este clásico de The Beatles porque una vez que se encuentre con John Lennon y George Harrison, seguramente se pondrán a hacer cosas increíbles en los cielos.
‘I’m so sad to hear the news of the passing of dear George Martin. I have so many wonderful memories of this great man that will be with me forever. He was a true gentleman and like a second father to me. He guided the career of The Beatles with such skill and good humour that he became a true friend to me and my family. If anyone earned the title of the fifth Beatle it was George. From the day that he gave The Beatles our first recording contract, to the last time I saw him, he was the most generous, intelligent and musical person I’ve ever had the pleasure to know.
It’s hard to choose favourite memories of my time with George, there are so many but one that comes to mind was the time I brought the song ‘Yesterday’ to a recording session and the guys in the band suggested that I sang it solo and accompany myself on guitar. After I had done this George Martin said to me, «Paul I have an idea of putting a string quartet on the record». I said, “Oh no George, we are a rock and roll band and I don’t think it’s a good idea”. With the gentle bedside manner of a great producer he said to me, «Let us try it and if it doesn’t work we won’t use it and we’ll go with your solo version». I agreed to this and went round to his house the next day to work on the arrangement.
He took my chords that I showed him and spread the notes out across the piano, putting the cello in the low octave and the first violin in a high octave and gave me my first lesson in how strings were voiced for a quartet. When we recorded the string quartet at Abbey Road, it was so thrilling to know his idea was so correct that I went round telling people about it for weeks. …
The world has lost a truly great man who left an indelible mark on my soul and the history of British music.
God bless you George and all who sail in you!‘