Sir Paul McCartney has revealed the role Ryde on the Isle of Wight played in inspiring The Beatles classic Ticket To Ride.
It's long been rumoured that a visit to the town gave Sir Paul and John Lennon the idea for the 1965 hit, but it has never been officially confirmed — until now.
Speaking at an event in London, Sir Paul recalled how he and John hitchhiked to the Island to see his cousin.
"My cousin Betty and her husband Mike Robbins were very influential on me. I would say to John on this occasion, lets hitch hike somewhere", said Sir Paul.
"He would play along so we ended up going down to the Isle of Wight, Ryde where they had a pub.
"They were always running pubs so they moved around Reading and various other places. So we wrote Ticket to Ride there with the play on words. Ryde was spelt R-Y-D-E and we spelt it ride."
Sir Paul was appearing at the Southbank Centre to discuss his new book 'The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present'.
He was answering a question put forward by presenter Samira Ahmed on behalf of Islander Jack Chase, from Ryde.
Jack asked:
"Growing up in Ryde on the Isle of Wight, can you talk a little bit about the influence that had on Ticket to Ride when you hitchhiked here with John and any memories of the trip?"
Sir Paul reminisced about the trip to the Island — and his love for Betty and Mike.
He recalled how on one occasion the pair put The Beatles legends, who were both teenagers at the time, to bed.
Sir Paul said:
"They were down in Ryde... the kind of lovely little memories. The things that stick out are the silly little things.
"This was me and John and they only have one guest room with one bed in it so me and John have to top and tail in this bed. We're lying there ready to go to bed and Bet and Mike would come in - they're grown ups.
"And even though we were in our late teens, they would tuck us in!"
Ticket to Ride was released as a single in April 1965.
It went on to become the Beatles' seventh consecutive number 1 hit in the United Kingdom, and their third consecutive number 1 hit in the United States.
WATCH: Sir Paul McCartney talks Ryde's influence on The Beatles classic Ticket to Ride (Video thanks to Music Lounge and Southbank Centre).
The Lyrics: Paul McCartney in Conversation was live streamed around the world and was available On Demand on DICE until November 12.
Four Men Arrested Following Rogue Trader Activities In East Cowes
Rugby Players Set To Scale Great Heights For Teddy
Drug Driving, Domestic Abuse And Stalking Among Arrests Made As Police Target Isle Of Wight Criminals
Work Begins On ‘Monumental’ Mural Project At Historic Columbine Building
More Acts Added To Isle Of Wight Festival Line-Up
St Mary’s Vaccination Hub Gets Ready For Spring Covid-19 Vaccinations
Twenty Isle Of Wight Pubs Under Threat As Stonegate Issues Profit Warning
Fundraiser Launched As Kezi's Kindness Founder Diagnosed With Incurable Cancer
Bon Voyage — White-Tailed Eagle Soars To France
Goddards Brewery Scoops Four Top Industry Awards At International Competition
Briddlesford Road Crash Results In Two Injured
Isle Of Wight MP Extolls Virtues Of Joint Emergency Service Officers For Isle Of Wight
Island Labour Announces Parliamentary Candidates As Quigley Vows To 'Take Fight' To Bob Seely
Can You Help Police To Identify Man Linked To Waitrose Theft?
Ryde Town Council In Crackdown On Dog Fouling
Former Patient Opens New Intensive Care Unit
Isle Of Wight Primary School Place Allocations Announced For September
The Rules Islanders Need To Know For Police And Crime Commissioner Election Postal Voting
Family Pays Tribute To Paul Hart Following Fatal Newport Collision
Teenager Sentenced For Planning Isle Of Wight Festival Terrorist Attack
