United Kingdom, July 6 -- The Beatles' "biggest fear" was being asked to read music.

The Love Me Do hitmakers may have written and performed some of the biggest songs in the world, but all four members - Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Ringo Starr, and the late George Harrison and John Lennon - were afraid their shortcomings would be revealed if they had to carry out tests to be part of a musicians' union.

Ringo told the New York Times newspaper: "The biggest fear, a long time ago, was that the union was going to make us all read music. Because none of us - John, Paul, George and Ringo - none of us read music. I thought, well, I'll go play tambourine then."

Ringo was the last member of the group to start writing songs, but his efforts often re...