A 3.2 million year-old , 40 % complete fossil skeleton of an Australopithecus afarensis specimen discovered in 1974 was named `` Lucy '' because the Beatles song was being played loudly and repeatedly on a tape recorder in the camp . A 3.2 million year-old , 40 % complete fossil skeleton of an Australopithecus afarensis specimen discovered in 1974 was named `` Lucy '' because The Beatles ' song was being played loudly and repeatedly on a tape recorder in the camp .