“It was like hitching a ride on a shooting star: a fantastic experience that caused immense pain, but I’m glad I had it…That sort of experience doesn’t come twice.”

Except when it does.

You know the story, you know the songs, but there’s so much more to the woman behind them. Episode three of the Dolls Pod Beatle Girl Miniseries is dedicated to rock-and-roll’s Helen of Troy: Pattie Boyd.

Pattie’s story is a lot more than meets the eye. She broke generational cycles, gained her independence (the hard way,) discovered her self-worth, and finally found herself after decades of living in song. (Plus: Abby hears 99 Luftbaloons in a bagel shop and goes straight to Emma for the story.)

Pattie Boyd: The Real-Life Layla is up now, wherever you stream your podcasts 🌹

(Episode starts at 4:56)

Sources used for this episode:

Pattie Boyd with Penny Junor, “Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me” (2007)

Pattie Boyd, “My Life in Pictures” (2022)

Eric Clapton, “Clapton: The Autobiography” (2007)

Kenneth Womack and Jason Kruppa, “All Things Must Pass Away: Harrison, Clapton, and Other Assorted Love Songs” (2021)

Chris O’Dell with Katherine Ketcham, “Miss O'Dell: My Hard Days and Long Nights with The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and the Women They Loved“ (2009)

Cherry Marshall, “The Cat Walk” (1978)

“Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars” (dir. Lili Fini Zanuck, 2017)

“Clapton Admits Abusing Wife” Associated Press, 6/27/1999

“Taylor Swift Interviews Rock ’n’ Roll Icon Pattie Boyd on Songwriting, Beatlemania, & the Power of Being a Muse” Interview Magazine, 7/10/2018

Songs in this episode:

Nena - “99 Luftballons” (1983)

The Beatles - “A Hard Day’s Night” (1964)

The Beatles - “I Need You” (1965)

The Beatles - “Norwegian Wood” (Take 1, from “Anthology 2 Version”) [1965/1966]

George Harrison - “Dream Scene” (From the “Wonderwall” soundtrack) [1968]

The Beatles - “Birthday” (1968)

The Beatles - “Something” (Studio Demo) [1969]

Derek and the Dominos - “Bell Bottom Blues” (1970)

Derek and the Dominos - “Layla” (1970)

Eric Clapton - “Wonderful Tonight” (1977)

Eric Clapton - “Pretty Girl” (1983)

with samples from Pattie’s L’oreal Shampoo ad (1966,) her Smith’s Crisps ad (1963,) and “A Hard Day’s Night” (dir. Richard Lester, 1964)

Follow @thedollspod on Instagram for clips and photos from this episode!