If you’ve been tuning into coverage of the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina, you’ve likely heard the familiar strains of a Beatles classic featured in an Airbnb advertisement. Much like Etienne Daho’s song featured in Renault’s Roland-Garros 2024 ads, “Golden Slumbers” is poised to stick in the minds of many viewers.
Airbnb, a global partner of the Games, utilizes the song—with lyrics that gently tug at childhood memories—in a commercial showcasing Olympic and Paralympic athletes in their home environments. The ad features images of Italian para-snowboarder Jacopo Luchini, Haitian cross-country skier Theo Mallett, British freestyle skier Kirsty Muir, and Canadian mixed curlers Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman, all set to the melody of the Beatles’ tune.
The Unexpected Origins of a Beloved Song
In an April 2024 episode of his podcast, Paul McCartney: A Life In Lyrics, Paul McCartney revealed the surprising story behind “Golden Slumbers,” admitting the song was born from what he playfully called “theft.”
In 1969, shortly before the Beatles disbanded, the now 83-year-old singer visited his father in Liverpool. While there, he stumbled upon a collection of Elizabethan verses. Among them was “Cradle Song,” a poem by Thomas Dekker from the 1603 play, Patient Grissel.
McCartney was captivated by the poem’s language and decided to use its lyrics as the foundation for “Golden Slumbers.” “I didn’t know the original melody, I don’t know how to read music. So I composed my own. I simply took the lyrics,” he explained on his podcast, adding with a chuckle, “This is called stealing.”
Since its release on the 1969 album Abbey Road, the song has seen numerous covers. In 2016, Jennifer Hudson offered a unique rendition in the film Sing, performing it as a singing sheep—a decidedly modern take on the classic.
Worth a look
