The Beatles - Lovely Rita lyrics
This site covers the original British Beatles Albums plus analyses of the lyrics of non-album tracks.
Information on how the Beatles wrote the lyrics to their songs on the Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band album can be found below.
Find out how the lyrics to theLovely Rita song by the Beatles were written.
Beatles Album: Sgt. Peppers lonely hearts club band : Track 10
Year: 1967
Lyrics: Lennon, McCartney
Length: 2.43
The lyrics to the Beatles Lovely Rita song were inspired by an American friend of Paul McCartney who referred to British Traffic wardens by their American term 'meter maids'. At around the same time a meter maid named Meta Davis gave Paul McCartney a parking ticket. Upon being booked by the traffic warden Paul asked if her name was really Meta.
The two acts inspired Paul McCartney to come up with the lyrics of Lovely Rita Meter maid. The song itself tells the tale of a young guy who has received a parking ticket off Rita and tries to charm himself out of the ticket. The ticket that Paul received was for ten Shillings and he didn't get out of paying it.
Paul takes the lead vocals on Lovely Rita, he also plays the piano, but it is George Martin who plays the honky tonk style of piano in the middle of the song. Interestingly the Beatles make use of combs and paper to make a sha sha sound.
Individual Beatles role on Lovely Rita
John Lennon: Acoustic guitar, backing vocals, comb/paper.
Paul McCartney: Lead vocals, backing vocals, Piano, Bass guitar.
George Harrison: Acoustic guitar, backing vocals, comb/paper.
Ringo Starr: Drums
George Martin: Piano