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Think For Yourself
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18 October 2015
11.57am
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Ahhh Girl
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I wonder if Paul may have had

Think For Yourself
‘Cause I won’t be there with you

in mind when he wrote these lines in Don’t Be Careless Love

I won’t be there
So look out for yourself

30 January 2016
1.38pm
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Pineapple Records
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I just discovered that the country legend Marty Robbins (1925-1982) may have pioneered the “fuzz bass” tone we all know and love from Paul’s playing on “Think For Yourself ” — purely by accident, apparently:

When Robbins was recording his 1961 hit “Don’t Worry”, session guitarist Grady Martin accidentally created the electric guitar “fuzz” effect – his six-string bass was run through a faulty channel in a mixing console. Marty decided to keep it in the final version. The song reached No. 1 on the country chart, and No. 3 on the pop chart.

You can hear the effect begin at about 1:26 — dig it, cats!

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30 January 2016
3.54pm
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ewe2
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That is an awesome fuzz, what a great accident. Makes the song really pop.

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14 May 2016
9.11am
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The Hippie Chick
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I don’t think I’ve ever heard another song that used the word “rectify”. I remember hearing this song as a kid and just going “Wow.” and thinking it was so deep and so smart. It resonates, even now. George, I’ve always thought, was never appreciated enough as a songwriter within the Beatles.

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“She wasn't doing a thing that I could see, except standing there leaning on the balcony railing, holding the universe together.”  - J.D. Salinger

4 March 2017
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Leppo
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Silly Girl said
I never quite appreciated the harmonies on this till I heard this terrific overdubs clip: 

  

I don’t know if this is the same clip as that link isn’t working anymore but I love all the dialogue and messing about on this clip which is real fly on the wall stuff. John has a lot of problems memorising the melody.

 

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Pivotal Moments in Beatles History No.118:  Yoko helps herself to one of George's digestives. 

19 November 2017
11.16am
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Evangeline
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I’ve been really liking this song. The harmonies, the witty, sharp lyrics, and most of all the whole song.
It’s a little reminiscent of Nowhere Man , but in my opinion it’s way better lyrically-wise.

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I am you as you are you as you are you and you are all together. 

21 November 2017
1.35pm
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QuarryMan
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I don’t think anybody dislikes this song. Compared to the other great songs on Rubber Soul it’s no masterpiece, but it’s a deeply satisfying listen in all areas.

I've been up on the mountain, and I've seen his wondrous grace,
I've sat there on the barstool and I've looked him in the face.
He seemed a little haggard, but it did not slow him down,
he was humming to the neon of the universal sound. 

21 November 2017
1.54pm
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Billy Rhythm
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I discovered a newfound appreciation with ‘Think For Yourself ‘ after playing it on ‘The Beatles’ RockBand’ game…  The game uses the ‘Live at Shea’ backdrop complete with the hysteria and the song’s a blast to play drums on…  while it may not sound like it, the singing is quite challenging as well…  it’s not a song that I would’ve thought to have live potential until playing ‘The Beatles’ RockBand’…  it surprisingly works…:-)

20 December 2022
3.29am
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Sea Belt
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I remember my older sister buying Rubber Soul in a bin at a department store and I read on the back cover that “Paul plays the special ‘fuzz’ bass on Think For Yourself !”

Anyway, there’s one part where he goes down deep — right after “going to” from G chord to Eb chord. I think Ultimate Guitar got one chord wrong.  It should be Eb to F (not D) to G. I’d like to know what notes Paul is using to stair-step down from G to Eb.

C7

Do what you want to do

G

And go where you're going to

Eb D (F?) G

Think For Yourself 'cause I won't be there with you

Now today I find, you have changed your mind

6 May 2023
11.32pm
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Von Bontee
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Was listening today, and it struck me how Ringo’s playing on this can be seen as a precursor to his “Rain ” performance – the way he throws in a fill every few bars, and they’re all varied

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7 May 2023
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Timothy
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Interesting, I’ll pay attention to that. Love the song, and it’s more relevant than ever lyrically.

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10 May 2023
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vonbontee
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Timothy said
Interesting, I’ll pay attention to that. Love the song, and it’s more relevant than ever lyrically.

Haha sorry, I listened again last night and barely hear what I thought I heard before…guess I was hearing differently while walking…

GEORGE: 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. 

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10 May 2023
8.48am
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sir walter raleigh
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vonbontee said

Timothy said

Interesting, I’ll pay attention to that. Love the song, and it’s more relevant than ever lyrically.

Haha sorry, I listened again last night and barely hear what I thought I heard before…guess I was hearing differently while walking…

  

One of the things that makes Ringo’s drumming so good how he’s able to do things that are sometimes completely invisible. On Penny Lane I was hearing this insane groove and on another listen it was just snare on 2 and 4. Its like the ability great jazz players have to put phrases into a listeners head during silences. Its extremely psychedelic especially from Rubber Soul onward. 

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12 May 2023
9.35pm
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Timothy
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vonbontee said

Timothy said

Interesting, I’ll pay attention to that. Love the song, and it’s more relevant than ever lyrically.

Haha sorry, I listened again last night and barely hear what I thought I heard before…guess I was hearing differently while walking…

  

I’ve got a word or two to say about the things that you do. paul-mccartney-facepalm_gif ahdn_george_08

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17 May 2023
6.29pm
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QuarryMan
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Von Bontee said
Was listening today, and it struck me how Ringo’s playing on this can be seen as a precursor to his “Rain ” performance – the way he throws in a fill every few bars, and they’re all varied

  

Between this and the fuzz bass this has to be one of the strongest rhythm section performances on a Beatles track. 

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I've been up on the mountain, and I've seen his wondrous grace,
I've sat there on the barstool and I've looked him in the face.
He seemed a little haggard, but it did not slow him down,
he was humming to the neon of the universal sound. 

17 May 2023
7.33pm
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vonbontee
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Hey QuarryMan!

QuarryMan said

Between this and the fuzz bass this has to be one of the strongest rhythm section performances on a Beatles track. 

  

…and it’s followed up immediately by another candidate! (I love that transition so much, it’s about one beat, and I think both songs are in the same key?) Such a funky little r&b groove on “The Word “, with the piano, amazing bass, guitar ‘chanks’, and Ringo doing more of those endlessly varied perfect little fills. (And the icing in the cake is George Martin’s harmonium breaks, and he somehow gets it to sound all wheezy and droney, distorted like John Cale’s “Sister Ray” organ! Man I love “The Word “…)

But I should 

stay-on-topic

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26 May 2023
12.53am
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meanmistermustard
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To indulge in some off-topicness. Ringo’s drumming in ‘Wait ‘ is fabulous too. I know the song was the definition of find a song to fill an album but the track is great.

 

And so to be on topic, here is the fantastic ‘Think For Yourself ‘ backing track.

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"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)

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