# Does Michael Jackson control the Beatles music library?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-michael-jackson-control-the-beatles-music-library/32128>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [September 5, 2000, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-michael-jackson-control-the-beatles-music-library/32128 "2000-09-05T19:49:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Ator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ator)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2000, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-michael-jackson-control-the-beatles-music-library/32128/1 "2000-09-05T19:49:16Z")

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Was the Beatles’ song “Only A Northern Song” written by George Harrison as a middle finger extended at Lew Grade? I read the column and I remembered how the song made references to how the songs are played wrong because “it’s only a Northern song.”

Doesn’t really matter what chords I play, what  
words I say or time of day it is  
As its only a Northern Song

If you think the harmony  
Is a little dark and out of key You’re correct  
There’s nobody there

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**Author:** ![Perderabo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Perderabo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perderabo)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2000, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-michael-jackson-control-the-beatles-music-library/32128/2 "2000-09-05T20:18:44Z")

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We are talking about: [Does Michael Jackson control the Beatles music library?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a951027.html).

And to answer your question, the finger is pointed at Dick James, not Lew Grade. George explains all in this [interview](http://www.billboard.com/sr/beatles/beatlesinterview.html).

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**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2000, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-michael-jackson-control-the-beatles-music-library/32128/3 "2000-09-05T20:52:49Z")

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Welcome to the SDMB, and thank you for posting your comment.  
Please include a link to Cecil’s column if it’s on the straight dope web site.  
To include a link, it can be as simple as including the web page location in your post (make sure there is a space **before** and **after** the text of the URL).

Cecil’s column can be found on-line at the link provided by **Perderabo**.

* * *

moderator, [Comments on Cecil’s Columns](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1)

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**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2000, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-michael-jackson-control-the-beatles-music-library/32128/4 "2000-09-05T20:54:48Z")

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Perderabo, thank you for providing the link, and also for teaching me a new bit of Beatles trivia! I never knew that “Only A Northern Song” was intended by George to be a jab at his publisher. I always thought he was poking fun at his (more famous) bandmates.

As my nephew once said “It’s better to die in the evening than in the morning because you’re smarter in the evening.”

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**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2000, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-michael-jackson-control-the-beatles-music-library/32128/5 "2000-09-07T05:25:00Z")

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And, BTW, Mike Jackson doesn’t control the Beatles songs anymore. Sony does. Jackson sold them a few years ago when he was having financial troubles.  
Cecil’s column must be a lil old.

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**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2000, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-michael-jackson-control-the-beatles-music-library/32128/6 "2000-09-07T19:50:49Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by pepperlandgirl \*  
> \*\*Cecil’s column must be a lil old. \*\*

It’s dated October 27, 1995. Old enough for ya? 😉