Paul McCartney: John has this old poster which says right at the top "Pablo Fanques Fair Presents the Handersons for the benefit of Mr. Kite", and it has all the bits of things that sound starnge: "Over men and horses, hoops and garters, lastly, through a hogshead of real fire". "The Hendersons" - you couldn't make that up.
John Lennon (in 1968) - "'Mr. Kite' was a straight lift. I had all the words staring me in the face one day when I was looking for a song. It was from this old poster I'd bought at an antique shop. We'd been down to Surrey or somewhere filming a piece. There was a break, and I went into this shop and bought an old poster advertising a variety show which starred Mr. Kite. It said the Henderson's would also be there, late of Pablo Fanques Fair. There would be hoops and horses and someone going through a hogs head of real fire. Then there was Henry the Horse. The band would start at ten to six. All at Bishopsgate. Look, there's the bill-- with Mr. Kite topping it. I hardly made up a word, just connecting the lists together. Word for word, really."
John Lennon (in 1972) - "The story that Henry the Horse meant 'heroin' was rubbish."
John Lennon (in 1980) - "It's all just from that poster. The song is pure, like a painting. A pure watercolor."
