1978 Nostalgic Yacht Rock Classic Written in 30 Minutes That John Lennon Couldn’t Stop Listening To

Written in a burst of inspiration in just 30 minutes, this nostalgic yacht rock classic became an unexpected favorite of a former Beatles member.

The Little River Band had a hit with “Reminiscing” in 1978. The song recalled music and memories of the past, and reached No. 3 on the Billboard charts.

“Reminiscing” was reportedly a favorite of John Lennon. The Beatles member was said to have loved the song and asked for it to be played on repeat.

In her book Loving John, May Pang, Lennon’s companion during his separation from wife Yoko Ono, wrote that they would lie together in bed and listen to the song. Far Out quoted Pang, who claimed, “Oddly, with all the fantastic music he wrote, ‘our song’ was ‘Reminiscing’ by the Little River Band.”

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Graeham Goble wrote the song. He and bandmates Glenn Shorrock, Beeb Birtles, David Briggs, George McArdle, and Derek Pellicci helped shape its signature harmony-rich sound.

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Goble told Goldmine Magazine in 2021, that he penned the song “on April 9, 1977. We had just done the Australian television show Countdown on that day.”

He continued, “While we were sitting backstage, we were just playing our guitars and our lead guitarist, David, showed me this chord shape, a jazz-sounding C9 chord. Afterwards, when I went home later that afternoon, I got my guitar out again, and I just put my hands on that C9 chord shape, and within half an hour, I had written the whole of ‘Reminiscing.’”

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Goble’s lyrics for “Reminiscing” were inspired by looking back on the music and movies he loved as a child. “When I was growing up, the fantasy world I inhabited was the fantasy world of the black-and-white movies from the 1940s and 1950s, such as the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies and even the earlier movies of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. And of course, all the musicals of Rodgers and Hammerstein. And the big-band era, too, like the Glenn Miller Orchestra, and the jazz guys like Count Basie. That was what I loved.”

The song’s wistful lyrics struck a chord with listeners. Although it was written in the late 70s, the era Goble referenced was only 40 years prior, making it relatable for fans who recalled hearing that type of music in their childhood.

The Little River Band is still active and touring, with numerous dates scheduled throughout 2026 to celebrate their 51st year together.

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