Maureen Cleave is a journalist who worked for the London Evening News and London Evening Standard in the 1960s, conducting interviews with famous musicians of the era, including Bob Dylan and John Lennon.

An interview with Lennon on 4 March 1966 achieved notoriety when Lennon was quoted as saying that The Beatles were "more popular than Jesus now".

Cleave was a personal friend of Lennon, and is sometimes credited with part of the lyrics of "A Hard Day`s Night". The story goes that when Lennon first showed her the lyrics, she said that the line "But when I get home to you/ I find my tiredness is through/ and I feel alright" was weak, and suggested instead "[…] I find the things that you do/ will make me feel all right". She is also believed to be the inspiration for the Lennon song "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)".

She also inspired the Private Eye character of "Maureen Cleavage".

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