Unveiling the Beatles' Animated Music Video: The Story Behind John Lennon and Stephen Verona's 'I Feel Fine' Drawings
Joseph Robert O’Donnell, a Beatles collector and dealer from Tynemouth, discovered a collection of drawings at a London Auction House. These drawings, created by John Lennon and artist Stephen Verona, featured the lyrics to The Beatles’ song ‘I Feel Fine’ on individual pieces of paper. The 240 drawings were then transformed into a film, considered one of the first music videos ever made.
Stephen Verona, who collaborated with John Lennon on the drawings, shared the story of their creation during an interview. The idea for the animated music video came about while they were doodling on a table in London. The film, which was two minutes long and comprised of 240 drawings, became the Beatles’ first animated music video for the song ‘I Feel Fine’.
In 2000, Stephen Verona auctioned off the complete set of original animation drawings at Christie’s in New York, where they fetched $58,750. The drawings were later separated and dispersed around the world, becoming sought-after pieces of Beatles memorabilia.
The discovery of these unique drawings sheds light on the creative collaboration between John Lennon and Stephen Verona, showcasing a piece of Beatles history that paved the way for the music video industry as we know it today.