Steven Spielberg Shares the Beatles Song That Changed His Life
Steven Spielberg opens up about his favorite Beatles song, 'Michelle,' and the unforgettable college memory it inspired. The legendary director reflects on the band's influence on his personal life and creative journey.
Some musicians leave a brief mark on pop culture, delivering a few catchy hits before fading away. But icons like David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, and The Beatles become cultural giants, shaping generations and inspiring countless artists. The Beatles’ influence is so profound that even movies like Danny Boyle’s 2019 film Yesterday imagine a world unrecognizable without their music. For Steven Spielberg, their impact is deeply personal, shaping not just his taste in music but also his creative path as a filmmaker.
Spielberg, known for classics like Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Jurassic Park, has always drawn inspiration from a wide range of artists. He once said Walt Disney influenced him more than anyone else in modern culture. Yet, when it comes to music, Spielberg has a special place in his heart for the four Liverpool legends: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. His admiration for the band became clear during his appearance on Desert Island Discs for BBC Radio 4, where he shared a story from his college days that revealed just how much their music meant to him.
College Memories and a Song That Sparked Romance
Recalling his freshman year, Spielberg described a crush he had on a fellow student.
“I was a freshman in college, and there was a girl I liked a lot,”
he remembered.
“She would agree to let me take her out to dinner, or to a jazz club, or out to a movie, 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 continued,
“‘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, sung partly in French and written by McCartney for the Beatles’ sixth album Rubber Soul, left such a mark on Spielberg that he later shared this story with McCartney himself. The director credits the song’s beauty as a source of inspiration for films like The Terminal and his semi-autobiographical The Fabelmans.
Behind the Making of 'Michelle'
While ‘Michelle’ holds a special place in Spielberg’s heart, it’s not everyone’s top pick. The song represents a turning point for the Beatles, as they moved from pop stardom to rock innovation. John Lennon once explained how the song came together:
“He and I were staying somewhere,”
Lennon told Playboy in 1980.
“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, already seasoned songwriting partners, quickly finished the track.
“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 Music Legends
Not everyone was a fan of the song’s smooth style. Bob Dylan, another 1960s icon, had a more critical take.
“I’m just saying The Beatles have arrived, right?”
Dylan said in an interview.
“In all music forms, whether Stravinsky or Leopold Jake the Second, who plays in the Five Spot, the Black Muslim Twins, or whatever. 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.”
He went on,
“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.”