One of George Harrison’s most famous contributions to the Beatles, “Taxman” was written when the band found out that they were making so much money the Crown was imposing a 95% tax on them, hence the lyrics, “There’s one for you, nineteen for me.”
Harrison’s song inspired Cheap Trick to make “Taxman, Mr. Thief,” another song that vilifies the IRS for taking everyone’s money. “Like the Beatles, even Dylan/Now, the taxman is out to get you”
Willie Nelson got so deep into tax debt that he released “The IRS Tapes” in 1992 just to pay back the government. Thanks to the album’s sales, $3.6