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Credit: Bent Rej<\/p>\n
Wed 17 June 2026 17:55, UK <\/p>\n
The rivalry between The Beatles and The Rolling Stones<\/a> is the most famous feud in the history of rock \u2018n\u2019 roll. However, underneath the barbed comments in the press was deep-rooted mutual respect. However, tensions did occasionally spill over into jealousy, such as the time when Mick Jagger heard one Beatles classic for the first time.<\/p>\n When The Beatles were elected into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, Jagger had the honour of being the person to induct the Fab Four into the club. During his speech, The Rolling Stones frontman spoke about the love he holds for his one-time bitter rivals, expressed his gratitude for the Liverpudlians giving his band their song \u2018I Wanna Be Your Man\u2019, and Jagger joked he was \u201calmost sick\u201d when he first discovered them.<\/p>\n While his quip made the room shake with laughter, an element of truth was hidden behind the humorous comment. Throughout The Beatles\u2019 career, they were a step ahead of their peers, and on more than one occasion, Jagger was left perplexed by the brilliance of their creative output.<\/p>\n Although the press often framed The Beatles and The Rolling Stones as fierce competitors, the reality was far more nuanced. Both bands paid close attention to each other\u2019s work, with admiration and inspiration frequently existing alongside any sense of rivalry.<\/p>\n One example of Jagger becoming envious of their skill set is \u2018Hey Jude\u2019, a song that blew him away to another dimension. In the book\u00a0Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, The Beatles founder revealed Jagger\u2019s feverish reaction to the track.<\/p>\n \u201cThe end refrain was never a separate song. I remember taking it down to a late night hashish-smoking club in a basement in Tottenham Court Road: the Vesuvio club. We were sitting around on bean bags as was the thing,\u201d McCartney recalled.<\/p>\n He continued: \u201cI said to the DJ, \u2018Here\u2019s an acetate. Do you want to slip it in some time during the evening?\u2019 He played it, and I remember Mick Jagger coming up: \u2018Fucking hell, fucking hell. That\u2019s something else, isn\u2019t it? It\u2019s like two songs.\u2019 It wasn\u2019t intended to go on that long at the end but I was having such fun ad-libbing over the end when we put down the original track that I went on a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n The extended coda ultimately became one of the song\u2019s defining features. What might have seemed unconventional at the time transformed \u2018Hey Jude\u2019 from a straightforward ballad into a communal singalong, allowing audiences to participate directly in its emotional climax.<\/p>\n When The Rolling Stones were recording Let It Bleed in 1969, Jagger openly admitted to his band\u2019s plans to take influence from \u2018Hey Jude\u2019 on the album. In an interview, he stated: \u201cI liked the way the Beatles did that with \u2018Hey Jude\u2019. The orchestra was not just to cover everything up\u2014it was something extra. We may do something like that on the next album.\u201d<\/p>\n On\u00a0Let It Bleed, The Stones stayed true to Jagger\u2019s word and used an expansive orchestra during the recording process of \u2018You Can\u2019t Always Get What You Want\u2019.<\/a> While they don\u2019t follow the same structure, through clever orchestral arrangements, they both transform from one song into another over their respective running time. Although this could be coincidental, it might also have been Jagger powerfully utilising his love of \u2018Hey Jude\u2019.<\/p>\n Whether Jagger\u2019s reaction stemmed from admiration, envy, or a combination of both, it highlights the creative relationship between two of rock\u2019s greatest bands. The Beatles may have inspired \u2018You Can\u2019t Always Get What You Want\u2019, but The Rolling Stones transformed that inspiration into something uniquely their own, proving that healthy competition can often drive artists to produce their finest work.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n![\"John](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/John-Lennon-Mick-Jagger-1996-The-Beatles-Far-Out-Magazine-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/a>Credit: Far Out \/ Alamy<\/p>\n
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<\/a> The Far Out Beatles Newsletter<\/p>\n