When John Lennon and Paul McCartney got Drunk and Played in the Bar of the Marietta Hotel in 1965
Imagine sipping a drink in a cosy Austrian hotel bar, surrounded by the chatter of fellow skiers and the warm hum of a live musician. Now picture two of the world’s most famous musicians, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, casually wandering in and deciding to join the entertainment. This isn’t the stuff of daydreams—it’s exactly what happened one evening in March 1965 at the Marietta Hotel in Obertauern, Austria, when Lennon and McCartney unexpectedly took to the stage, much to the delight of everyone in the room.
The Beatles were in Obertauern to film their second feature film, Help!. and if you were a Beatle in 1965, constantly dodging screaming fans, enduring endless interviews, and churning out hit after hit, you’d probably want a bit of a break. Enter Help!, a film with a plot so loose it was practically falling apart at the seams—but, crucially, it gave John, Paul, George, and Ringo the chance to mix a bit of work with a lot of play. With locations like the sun-soaked Bahamas, the snowy slopes of Obertauern, and swinging London, it’s fair to say Help! wasn’t just a movie; it was also a very clever excuse for a Beatles getaway.
Obertauern was picked for its stunning alpine views and ski slopes, offering plenty of snowy mischief for the lads when they weren’t filming. And then there was the Bahamas—a postcard-perfect paradise of palm trees and crystal-clear water. Who wouldn’t want to throw some tropical vibes into their schedule? It wasn’t exactly Lawrence of Arabia, but it looked fantastic on screen.
Director Richard Lester, who had also helmed A Hard Day’s Night, was under no illusions about what he was making. He later admitted the film wasn’t so much about crafting a tight, cohesive story as it was about keeping the Beatles entertained while shooting something visually fun.
The Bahamas leg of the shoot was particularly relaxed. The Beatles weren’t always needed on set, so when they weren’t busy lip-syncing or mucking around in front of the camera, they were either lounging on the beach or exploring the island. George Harrison apparently even found time to hunt for a ukulele to add to his growing collection of instruments.
Meanwhile, the Austrian stretch of filming brought a different kind of fun—skiing, snowball fights, and après-ski antics were par for the course.
It wasn’t all just about location, though. The Beatles had plenty of downtime to enjoy each other’s company and let their creative sides run free—although by this point, their creativity was sometimes boosted by a little help from their friends in leafy form.
By 1965, marijuana had become as much a part of The Beatles’ lives as guitars and matching suits. Thanks to Bob Dylan introducing them to the delights of cannabis the previous year, the Fab Four had fully embraced this new way of relaxing. And if John Lennon’s later comments are anything to go by, Help! was a prime example of their new extracurricular hobby blending into their work.
Looking back in a 1980 interview, Lennon quipped,
"We were all stoned for breakfast,"
describing the shoot as "like a mad Disney thing." It’s a wonder they managed to get anything done, really, given that half the time they were giggling their way through scenes or just flat-out forgetting their lines. Director Richard Lester must have had the patience of a saint.
Ringo Starr, never one to miss the chance for a good one-liner, later laughed about the absurdity of filming in the snow while high. The sheer contrast of being baked in the frosty Austrian mountains added to the surreal vibe of the entire production. Watching the film today, you can almost sense the haze of giggles and laid-back antics floating through the air.
After a grueling day of smoking/filming/skiing The Beatles would head back to The Marietta Hotel, where they stayed during their Austrian shoot, became a hub for their off-duty antics.
A Reunion with Jacky Sperling
One evening, during a lull in filming, Lennon and McCartney wandered into the hotel bar and heard someone familiar playing music. Jacky Sperling, an old friend from their early days in Hamburg, was on stage entertaining guests. The sight of Jacky must have sparked a wave of nostalgia. Back in the pre-Beatles days, when the band was cutting its teeth in Hamburg's gritty club scene, Jacky had been a fixture in their orbit. Those were formative years for the band, a time of long nights, relentless gigging, and a lot of camaraderie among musicians trying to make their mark.
Seeing Jacky at the Marietta Hotel was like bumping into an old schoolmate in an entirely unexpected place. Lennon and McCartney wasted no time rekindling the connection, and before long, the three of them decided that catching up wasn’t enough—they had to make music together. Fueled by a combination of drinks, nostalgia, and sheer fun, John and Paul hopped on stage to join their old mate.
The Performance: A Moment of Unplanned Joy
What followed was pure magic. The three of them launched into an impromptu set, playing a mix of rock ’n’ roll standards and whatever else came to mind. Though no official record exists of what they played, it’s easy to imagine the room filled with the sounds of Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and the kind of lively tunes that defined the Beatles' early repertoire. For the patrons in the bar, this was no ordinary night—it was a front-row seat to a slice of music history, delivered with the kind of unpolished, carefree energy that only a truly spontaneous performance can bring.
Unlike the screaming arenas they were used to, this was a low-pressure, joyful return to the simplicity of playing for the sheer love of it. Jacky Sperling, undoubtedly thrilled to share the stage with his famous friends, matched their energy, creating a musical camaraderie that lit up the room.
Reflections on a Fleeting Moment
For the guests at the Marietta Hotel that night, this was a moment to savour. At the time, The Beatles were so untouchable, so otherworldly in their fame, that such an unguarded moment felt like discovering the secret lives of legends. Here were John and Paul, not as untouchable icons but as two gobby musicians, laughing and strumming guitars like they might have done years earlier in a Hamburg backroom.
The snowy peaks of Obertauern had already provided a surreal backdrop for the zany plot of Help!, but this unexpected musical detour added a real-life highlight to their time there. For Lennon and McCartney, it must have been a welcome escape from the carefully choreographed chaos of their professional lives—a chance to remember why they fell in love with music in the first place.
The Legacy of the Marietta Hotel Moment
The night at the Marietta Hotel is a story that lives on through the memories of those who were lucky enough to witness it. No recordings, only 4 photos—just the warm glow of a magical moment where two of the greatest songwriters of all time let their hair down, picked up guitars, and reminded everyone that at their core, they were still just a couple of blokes who loved to play music together.
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