"Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" otherwise known as simply "Norwegian Wood", is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1965 album Rubber Soul. It was written mainly by John Lennon, with lyrical contributions from Paul McCartney, and credited to the Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership. Influenced by the introspective lyrics of Bob Dylan, the song is considered a milestone in the Beatles' development as songwriters. The track features a sitar part, played by lead guitarist George Harrison, that marked the first appearance of the Indian string instrument on a Western rock recording. The song was a number 1 hit in Australia when released on a single there in 1966, coupled with "Nowhere Man".
Badrutt's Palace Hotel in the Swiss town of St. Moritz. Lennon began writing the song, as "This Bird Has Flown", while staying at the hotel in January 1965.
The popularity of Indian classical musician Ravi Shankar (pictured in 1988) soared as a result of "Norwegian Wood" and his taking on Harrison as a sitar student.
Cynthia Lennon
Videos
Cynthia Lennon was the first wife of John Lennon and the mother of Julian Lennon.
The Cracke public house
The Lennons in 1964
Exhibit with quotations from Cynthia and Julian Lennon at The Beatles Story, Liverpool, 2010