Single's A-side reveals rift in the Beatles
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"Hello Goodbye" by the Beatles was No. 1 on the Billboard pop chart 50 years ago today.
The song was written by Paul McCartney. His writing partner John Lennon wasn't a fan. He dismissed it as "three minutes of contradictions and meaningless juxtapositions."
Lennon thought his more adventurous composition "I Am the Walrus" should have been the A-side of the single, but he was overruled by McCartney and producer George Martin. It was an indication of the power struggle within the band soon after the death of manager Brian Epstein.
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