‘Mad Men’ Paid How Much to Use a Beatles Song?

AMC's award winning drama 'Mad Men' paid Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the wives of John Lennon and George Harrison a tremendous sum of cash to use one of The Beatles songs to close out their latest episode.

Find out what song, and HOW MUCH when you 'Read More!'

On this past Sunday's episode of Mad Men, the firm (Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce) wanted to use a song 'like The Beatles' in of its clients campaigns.  They spent a lot of time looking for something to match The Fab Four's sound, but came up short.

Funny thing- at the END of the episode as lead man Don Draper gets set to relax for the night- his wife tells him he should listen to 'this song', before she leaves for acting class.

The song that comes bellowing out of the Draper's mid-60's hi-fi- is none other than a Beatles classic from 'Revolver'-  the song-- "Tomorrow Never Knows".

Mathew Weiner, who created the show and is the executive producer, has always wanted to feature songs by The Beatles in the show, but hasn't been able to get licensing.  Probably the shows success, along with a wad of cash, is what finally swayed Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the wives of John Lennon and George Harrison to say "OK, mates".

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that people familiar with the deal are saying that Lionsgate- who produces 'Mad Men' paid $250,000 to use 'Tomorrow Never Knows'. That figure is about FIVE TIMES MORE than what is usually paid to license a song!

It's kind of unusual, to me, that they chose this song for THIS particular episode. Just a few episodes earlier this season a few of the gang were experimenting with psychedelic drugs- which would have tied in nicely to The Beatles classic - based on a book by famed psychedelic user/supporter Timothy Leary.

Here's the song-

Wow.