Steven Spielberg Shares the Beatles Song That Changed His Life
Steven Spielberg opens up about the Beatles track that left a lasting mark on his youth, revealing a touching story from his uni days and how the song shaped his creative journey.
Some artists make a quick splash and then fade away, leaving behind a few catchy tunes before disappearing from the scene. But then there are those who become cultural icons, shaping generations and leaving a mark that’s hard to miss. The Beatles, alongside legends like David Bowie and Freddie Mercury, sit firmly in that second camp. Their influence is so far-reaching that even films like Yesterday have a bit of fun imagining a world without their music, suggesting that without them, things like Harry Potter or even Coke might not exist.
It’s not just the world of music that’s been shaped by the Fab Four. Steven Spielberg, the bloke behind classics like Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Jurassic Park, has often spoken about the impact the Beatles had on him. He’s always been open about drawing inspiration from a range of creative minds, once saying Walt Disney influenced him more than anyone else in modern culture. But when it comes to music, it’s the Liverpool lads who’ve really struck a chord with him.
Spielberg’s Uni Days and a Memorable Tune
Spielberg’s admiration for the Beatles came into sharp focus during his appearance on Desert Island Discs. He shared a yarn from his first year at uni, recalling a girl he fancied.
“She would agree to let me take her out to dinner, or to a jazz club, or out to a film, but she would never ever, ever let me kiss her. And we were driving back from someplace, and we pulled into the big parking lot by the dorms on the college campus at Long Beach.”
He went on,
“‘Michelle’ came on. I think we heard it for the first time together on the radio, and the melody is just heart-achingly beautiful. I look over at her, and she’s got tears in her eyes, and just before the song is over, she jumps over on my side of the car and starts kissing me.”
The song, partly sung in French and written by McCartney for the Beatles’ sixth album, Rubber Soul, clearly left a mark. Spielberg was so taken by the moment that he later shared the story with McCartney himself, hinting that the song’s beauty may have inspired films like The Terminal and his semi-autobiographical The Fabelmans.
Behind the Making of ‘Michelle’
While ‘Michelle’ is a favourite for many, it’s not everyone’s top pick. The track sits at a turning point in the Beatles’ journey, as they moved from pop stars to rock innovators. Lennon once explained how the song came together:
“He and I were staying somewhere, and he walked in and hummed the first few bars, with the words, and he says, ‘Where do I go from here?’”
Lennon and McCartney had been writing together for years, and they sorted it out pretty quickly.
“I had been listening to Nina Simone. I think it was ‘I Put A Spell On You.’ There was a line in it that went, ‘I love you, I love you.’ That’s what made me think of the middle-eight for ‘Michelle.’ So, my contributions to Paul’s songs was always to add a little bluesy edge to them. Otherwise, ‘Michelle’ is a straight ballad, right?”
Mixed Reactions from Other Legends
Not everyone was as taken with ‘Michelle’ as Spielberg. Bob Dylan, another giant of the era, had a more sceptical take.
“I’m just saying The Beatles have arrived, right? In all music forms, whether Stravinsky or Leopold Jake the Second, who plays in the Five Spot, the Black Muslim Twins, or whatever.”
Dylan went on,
“The Beatles are accepted, and you’ve got to accept them for what they do. They play songs like ‘Michelle’ and ‘Yesterday’, a lot of smoothness there.”
But he didn’t stop there, adding,
“Yeah, it’s the thing to do, to tell all the teeny boppers ‘I dig The Beatles’, and you sing a song like ‘Yesterday’ or ‘Michelle’. Hey God knows, it’s such a cop-out, man, both of those songs.”