Remembering George Martin, the “fifth” Beatle

As the photo on the back cover of The Beatles’ Revolver album showed, The Beatles were a self-contained club that very few were allowed to enter.

George Martin, who died yesterday at 90, was one. He was among the few people that ‘JohnPaulGeorgeRingo’ trusted. He was working class like them, the son of a carpenter who was too poor to send him to school.

But he came from a totally different musical world. He was a classically trained pianist and oboist who came to the studio in a suit and tie. He worked with orchestras, sound effects and comedy acts as The Goons, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.

Until he signed them to Parlophone Records (he was its A&R Director), it was a bit label in EMI’s structure, only known for comedy and jazz. But in 1962, after Martin made an electronic dance single Time Beat under the name Ray Cathode, he started looking for a rock act. The Beatles had been turned down by every record label in the UK, and Martin was not impressed by the demos they cut for Decca Records.

But he saw a spark there which he helped develop. It took The Beatles just four years to go from She Loves You to the stunning Strawberry Fields Forever. When this writer once asked Martin about his greatest moment with The Beatles, he replied, “John coming in to the studio in his Afghan coat and round glasses, and sitting on a stool and playing Strawberry Fields for the first time on his acoustic guitar. Even now, just telling you this, I feel the hair on my neck rise.”

Lennon said of Martin, “He had a very great musical knowledge and background so he could translate for us.”

“I must emphasise that it was a team effort,” Martin wrote in his 1979 book, All You Need Is Ears. “Without my instruments and scoring, very many of the records would not have sounded as they do. Whether they would have been any better, I cannot say. They might have been. That is not modesty on my part; it is an attempt to give a factual picture of the relationship.”

Well spoken, calm and with a great sense of humour, he let them experiment in the studio. He made changes to their lineup (Ringo replacing Pete Best) and to their songs, like starting Can’t Buy Me Love with the chorus, and speeding up the tempo of their first British chart topper, Please Please Me.

He took Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby and A Day In The Life to greater heights with lavish arrangements. He played piano on Rock And Roll Music and A Day In The Life. His own love for sound effects inspired them to experiment with backward tapes and avant garde sounds.

In 1965, annoyed with EMI’s refusal to give him a share of royalties, he went freelance. He opened the AIR recording studios in London and the Caribbean.

But he continued to work with the Fabs until 1969’s Abbey Road. He also scored their A Hard Day’s Night and Yellow Submarine movies and Paul & Linda McCartney’s Live And Let Die theme song. He worked on post-Beatles archival releases. In 2006, as his deafness set in, he worked with his son Giles on the soundtrack of Cirque du Soleil’s Love show which remixed Beatles hits.

Martin also produced for Cilla Black (Alfie), Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jeff Beck, Cheap Trick, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz, Kenny Rogers, Neil Sedaka, Jimmy Webb, Dire Straits, Peter Gabriel, Sting, Meat Loaf, Carly Simon, Celine Dion and Kate Bush, among others.

He was made a Commander of the British Empire in 1988, knighted in 1996 and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.

He attained 30 chart toppers in the UK and 23 in the US. Of the American chart toppers, 19 were by The Beatles. The others were with Paul McCartney, Elton John (Candle In The Wind) and America (Sister Golden Hair).

According to Billboard, his chart toppers were followed by Max Martin (19), Dr. Luke (16), Jimmy Jam (16), Terry Lewis (16), Mariah Carey (14), Barry Gibb (14), Lamont Dozier (13), Albhy Galuten (13) and Brian Holland (13). Martin’s run began in 1964 with The Beatles’ I Want To Hold Your Hand to John’s Candle In The Wind in 1997.

Among the tributes:

Ringo Starr: “God bless George Martin peace and love to Judy and his family love Ringo and Barbara. George will be missed.”

Prime Minister David Cameron: “Sir George Martin was a giant of music – working with the Fab Four to create the world’s most enduring pop music.”

Sir Roger Moore: “How very sad to wake to the news Sir George Martin has left us. He made my first Bond film sound brilliant!”

Lenny Kravitz: “The legends are really going home! Visionary producer of #TheBeatles, George Martin (1926-2016).”

Abbey Road Studios: “Abbey Road Studios wish to express their deepest condolences to the Martin family on hearing the sad news that Sir George passed away yesterday, aged 90. Sir George transformed music recording with his creative flair, innovation and passion and we want to express our deep sadness at losing such an immensely talented, charming and warm man. We are committed to ensuring Sir George’s visionary legacy lives forever at Abbey Road Studios, and we are hugely honoured to be part of his story.”

Quincy Jones: “My musical brother” who “knew the secrets of our craft that so few know today.”

Martin’s manager Adam Sharp: “In a career that spanned seven decades, he was an inspiration to many and is recognised globally as one of music’s most creative talents. He was a true gentleman to the end.”