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Read the original blog post9.36pm
31 March 2008
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Written by: Lennon-McCartney
Recorded: 11, 12 September, 3 October 1963
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith
Released: 22 November 1963 (UK), 20 January 1964 (US)
John Lennon: vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica
Paul McCartney: vocals, bass, piano
George Harrison: lead guitar
Ringo Starr: drums
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Little Child was another of Lennon and McCartney’s original…
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12.18am
14 December 2009
Offline It just crossed my mind only today that this energetic album-filler track, however slight, is nonetheless notable as the single most harmonica-drenched Beatles track, at least as far as their EMI career – John gets an unaccompanied intro, a full 12-bar solo, and basically blows/sucks largely uninterrupted through much of the rest.
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12.37am
Reviewers
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1 May 2011
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This is a great example of how they could toss out a less than two-minute album filler which other groups of the time would have killed for as a single. ‘When I Get Home ‘ is another.
Stick on a 60’s station and you’ll hear songs from bands/artists which whilst hits to a degree are dreadful.
‘Clarabella’ is another where John is almost surgically attached to his harp thru-out. The Beatles were just throwing this fabulous material out there.
Since there is no video for ‘LC’, here it is so folk don’t have to go wandering.
ab_channel=TheBeatles-Topic
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Richard, Von Bontee, sigh butterfly, Rube"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
1.11am
14 December 2009
Offline meanmistermustard said
This is a great example of how they could toss out a less than two-minute album filler which other groups of the time would have killed for as a single. ‘When I Get Home ‘ is another.‘Clarabella’ is another where John is almost surgically attached to his harp thru-out.
Indeed, I wasn’t sure whether “Clarabella” might’ve been even harp-heavier, being a longer song, but was too lazy to compare their lengths, and periods of rest for John.
So so right about Beatles filler = A+ highlights of other bands’ songwriting catalogues.
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1.47am
6 May 2018
Offline I enjoy the Beatles songs that feature harmonica, and I would have liked it to have been used more in their later songs.
I’m not sure if this is a complete list, but I know these songs recorded during 1962-4 include harmonica:
* Love Me Do
* Please Please Me
* There’s A Place
* Chains
* From Me To You
* Thank You Girl
* Clarabella
* I’ll Get You
* Little Child
* I Should Have Known Better
* I’m A Loser
There are four later Beatles songs with harmonica used in different ways:
* Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite ! (harmonicas played by George, Ringo, Mal Evans and Neil Aspinall)
* All Together Now
* The Fool On The Hill (harmonicas played by John and George)
* Rocky Raccoon
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2.39am
14 December 2009
Offline …and he tries a bit of Famous Beethoven’s famous 9th Symphony “ode to joy” onscreen in “Help !” too. 
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1.26am
Reviewers
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1 May 2011
Offline Richard said
I enjoy the Beatles songs that feature harmonica, and I would have liked it to have been used more in their later songs.I’m not sure if this is a complete list, but I know these songs recorded during 1962-4 include harmonica:
* Chains
* Clarabella
There are four later Beatles songs with harmonica used in different ways:
* Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite ! (harmonicas played by George, Ringo, Mal Evans and Neil Aspinall)
* The Fool On The Hill (harmonicas played by John and George)
‘I Got To Find My Baby’ also, tho who should ignore John’s intro when it’s so much fun.
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8.47pm
21 February 2024
Offline This song has not aged well, considering it’s basically a grown-up asking a child to dance with them, even if it’s intended to be a happy birthday celebration.
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2.50am
30 August 2021
Offline I don’t think the word literally relates to a child; it’s similar to calling a girl or boyfriend ‘baby.’ Where do you get the idea of a birthday party?
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4.05am
21 February 2024
Offline Mr. Moonlight said
I don’t think the word literally relates to a child; it’s similar to calling a girl or boyfriend ‘baby.’ Where do you get the idea of a birthday party?
Simply one innocent explanation for dancing with a child. You could just as much play hide and seek.
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America is SAFE Again! 47
2.27am
1 December 2009
Offline Back in the olden days, when men were even more irredeemably sexist than today, it wasn’t uncommon for them to say patronizing stuff to women, addressing them as “My child…” for instance. There’s no sensible reason to assume that four young men in their early 20s aren’t singing to a young woman they wanna dance with, rather than some random toddler at a birthday party. This isn’t difficult.
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Mr. Moonlight, BeatlebugGEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
10.53pm
Reviewers
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1 May 2011
Offline It’s clearly not referring to an actual child, the same as many hundreds of thousands of singers weren’t referring to actual babies or girls in songs. To suggest or think otherwise is ludicrous. Yes, the title and song lyrics haven’t aged well but neither has ‘Does Your Mother Know?’ (ABBA) or ‘Young Girl’ (Union Gap) which are far worse by today’s standards. And I’m always loath to judge songs, films etc from 50/60 years ago by today’s standards.
On another matter, the backing track to this is so much fun.
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12.32am
25 November 2024
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Daily Beatles Song Review Day 23: Little Child
This is such an underrated song, and it’s one of the best on the album. Yeah, I said it. This song is great. I think the melody is really good. It evokes a similar “high school dance” vibe as I Saw Her Standing There , which is also while I don’t at all get people who get mad about the lyrics. To me, “Little Child ” is obviously just a cute little pet name. No one says “she’s my baby” and scandalizes people who think they mean a literal baby, it’s just an idiom. The school dance vibe emphasizes that, where this is likely about two teenagers.
Instrumentally, I also think this song is quite good. It has some of the best harmonica moments in the entire Beatles canon. I love that it plays during the vocals as opposed to only being in between lyrics like on some past songs. The drumming by Ringo is pretty good, and the rest of the band plays well too.
The vocals are the only part I could see why someone finds it objectionable, but I don’t. I think they sound really good, honestly. I can’t really explain why, but it just sounds great.
Score: 8/10.
Favorite cover: Here’s a cover by the group called The Inmates; I assume it’s a purposeful joke.
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