Paul, John... and Yvonne? The French novelist asking: what if a woman had written the Beatles’ greatest hits?
Celebrated thriller writer Michel Bussi explains why the plot of his new novel Code Yesterday isn’t so far fetched, saying ‘I wanted to give women revenge’
TL;DR
- Michel Bussi's new novel, 'Code Yesterday,' posits that a French woman named Yvonne McKenzie secretly wrote all the Beatles' songs.
- The author aimed to provide 'revenge' for the historical underrepresentation of women in rock music.
- Yvonne allegedly collaborated with John Lennon and Paul McCartney after they met in 1957, providing melodies and inspiration.
- Song inspirations in the novel are linked to everyday events and objects, like household appliances and whisking eggs.
- The premise suggests that songs like 'La Marseillaise' in 'All You Need is Love' and 'Michelle' were nods to Yvonne's French heritage.
- Bussi emphasizes that the novel is fiction but explores the idea that the Beatles' universal appeal could stem from songs that might have been written by or about women.