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The song’s opening lines, penned by John Lennon, draw inspiration from the untimely death of Tara Brown, a close acquaintance of The Beatles. Brown, the 21-year-old heir to the Guinness fortune, tragically died in a car crash on December 18, 1966, while driving his Lotus sports car at 120 mph in Chelsea, London.
Lennon often channeled news stories into his writing, and it was a newspaper account of Brown’s accident that prompted the memorable opening lyric, "I read the news today, oh boy."
Tara Brown was a prominent figure in London's party scene, renowned for his good looks and connections with celebrities like Mick Jagger and Brian Jones. However, his lavish lifestyle came at a personal cost, leading to a strained marriage and a bitter custody battle over his children.