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Read the original blog post4.29pm
31 March 2008
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Written by: Lennon-McCartney
Recorded: 5, 13 March 1963
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith
Released: 11 April 1963 (UK), 27 May 1963 (US)
John Lennon: vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica
Paul McCartney: vocals, bass
George Harrison: lead guitar
Ringo Starr: drums
Available on:
Past Masters
Live At The BBC
Thank You Girl was originally intended to be The Beatles’…
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6.20pm
2 May 2013
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Decided to listen to a US Stereo album for the first time given the 1964 mono boxset initiated interest, specifically “The Beatles’ Second Album”. Whilst most seems to be heavy handed reverb and echo courtesy of Dave Dexter Jr what made me sit up amazed was the huge difference in ‘Thank You Girl ” to the UK version – three extra sections of harmonica. Totally unaware of this major difference, and found this article which comprehensively states why.
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sir walter raleigh, Richard, Queen Emily, Rube7.38pm
25 November 2024
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Daily Beatles Song Review 16/213: Thank You Girl
This song is novel in its subject matter, but that’s about it. It’s a song directly about thanking and appealing to their many cheering teenage girl fans. While many of the group’s early songs were indirectly about that, this one makes the subtext text and it’s fascinating to me for that reason. It’s pandering to the highest order, but I can’t deny that it works.
Musically, I think this song is a bit underrated. It’s not great, or a classic, but it’s better than it gets credit for. I think that for 1963, this song has some of Ringo’s best drumming, as well as some of the best Paul/John harmonies. All other instrumental parts aside from Ringo are also good (though not very special) and the harmonica is used appropriately.
I also think this is perhaps the best implementation of George Martin’s excess reverb/echo effect from this era. Rather than distracting and sounding garish, it feels like an intentional effect. Obviously, that’s very subjective, but yeah I like it here when I often don’t.
Score: 7/10
Favorite cover: There’s a pretty fun surf-rock cover by a band called The Surphonics.
Heads up: I am having some work done at my home and my internet will likely have issues, so I may take a few breaks in between the “Daily” song reviews for that reason.
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sir walter raleigh, RichardThere will be an answer; let it be.
10.01pm
30 August 2021
Offline Queen Emily said
This song is novel in its subject matter, but that’s about it. It’s a song directly about thanking and appealing to their many cheering teenage girl fans. While many of the group’s early songs were indirectly about that, this one makes the subtext text and it’s fascinating to me for that reason. It’s pandering to the highest order, but I can’t deny that it works.
This interpretation never occurred to me until I read it online recently.
I take it at face value as a love song from one boy to one girl. Any message for the fans remains deep subtext as far as I’m concerned.
"Nothing is Beatle-proof."
11.40pm
25 November 2024
Offline Mr. Moonlight said
Queen Emily said
This song is novel in its subject matter, but that’s about it. It’s a song directly about thanking and appealing to their many cheering teenage girl fans. While many of the group’s early songs were indirectly about that, this one makes the subtext text and it’s fascinating to me for that reason. It’s pandering to the highest order, but I can’t deny that it works.
This interpretation never occurred to me until I read it online recently.
I take it at face value as a love song from one boy to one girl. Any message for the fans remains deep subtext as far as I’m concerned.
It’s not subtext when it’s explicitly confirmed: “As McCartney explained, “We knew that if we wrote a song called ‘Thank You Girl’ that a lot of the girls who wrote us fan letters would take it as a genuine thank you. So a lot of our songs were directly addressed to the fans.“
The following people thank Queen Emily for this post:
Richard, RubeThere will be an answer; let it be.
2.17pm
7 May 2017
Offline I guess my main quibble here is with Paul’s choice of words: “So a lot of our songs were directly addressed to the fans.” In this case the fans were addressed indirectly, by implication. “We knew that if we wrote a song called ‘Thank You Girl ’ that a lot of the girls who wrote us fan letters would take it as a genuine thank you.” The genuine thank you would be taken by implication. It’s the underlying intent of the writers, the meaning below the surface, the subtext.
There was a 1964 song by a group called The Carefrees called “We Love You Beatles.” That’s how to directly address your subject matter.
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Mr. Moonlight8.30pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline I’ve never understood why this was originally going to be called ‘Thank You, Little Girl’ when the line neither appears in the song nor fits the tune.
Ringo’s drumming at the end is fun to hear, especially in the outtakes where you hear them all trying to help him get the part right.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
3.15am
30 August 2021
Offline Heath said
I guess my main quibble here is with Paul’s choice of words: “So a lot of our songs were directly addressed to the fans.” In this case the fans were addressed indirectly, by implication. “We knew that if we wrote a song called ‘Thank You Girl ’ that a lot of the girls who wrote us fan letters would take it as a genuine thank you.” The genuine thank you would be taken by implication. It’s the underlying intent of the writers, the meaning below the surface, the subtext.There was a 1964 song by a group called The Carefrees called “We Love You Beatles.” That’s how to directly address your subject matter.
Exactly. Paul may have confirmed it outside the song, but there’s nothing in the lyric that suggests it directly.
"Nothing is Beatle-proof."
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