'Mad Men' & Beatles: Studio Paid $250,000 to License 'Tomorrow Never Knows'

We knew the studio behind "Mad Men" was obsessive about making sure every little period detail was correct, but we didn't realize just how much money they'd pony up for authenticity. So, it came as a bit of a shock to learn that Lionsgate reportedly paid $250,000 to use a Beatles song in the most recent episode, "Lady Lazarus."

At the end of the hour-long drama, main character Don Draper is seen kicking back with some whiskey and listening to the Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows," a track off the 1966 album Revolver. According to the Wall Street Journal, the studio had to pay that exorbitant fee and get the approval of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison to use the track.

If the $250,000 price tag for the Beatles song, which also played over the end credits, seems high, well, it is -- the Journal says it's about five times higher than a standard licensing deal. Lionsgate also claims that this is the first time that a Fab Four song was used this way, though the Journal says that other shows, like "WKRP in Cincinnati," have used them.

In the end, though, we bet that Don or Roger probably could have negotiated a better deal. Just sayin'.