Wrong. Penny Lane is named after John Penny. John Penny was a merchant in Liverpool in the 18th century. He became rich and famous. But he made his fortune in the infamous business of slave trading. Ships owned by John Penny carried black slaves from Africa to work on the plantations of America and the West Indies.

　　Recently, Liverpool City Council said that it wanted to change the name of Penny Lane, and also of some other streets in the city which are named after slave traders. It says that it is not right to commemorate people who made money in such a wicked way.

　　But there was a public outcry. Here’s why.

　　Yes – that was the Beatles, the Fab Four. They recorded their hit song Penny Lane in 1967. It tells about the people who live and work on Penny Lane – the barber who has photographs of his customers’ heads; the fireman polishing his fire engine. (There is a link from the website to the words of the song – or “the lyrics” as people in the pop music business say). Penny Lane is a song about a gentler and more innocent world, where the skies are blue and there are no bombs on trains. Perhaps that is why it is still so popular.

　　Two of the Beatles – John Lennon and Paul McCartney – grew up in the area around Penny Lane. Today the area is popular with students, and with tourists who take bus tours of the Beatles sites in Liverpool. Liverpool Council have changed their mind. Penny Lane will stay Penny Lane.

　　Vocabulary notes:

　　Note the expressions “the name comes from…” and “it is named after…”. In America, many people say “it is named for..” instead of “it is named after…”

　　A barber is a men’s hairdresser. Originally a barber shaved men as well as cutting their hair.