Written by: Lennon-McCartney
Recorded: 25 February, 22 May 1964
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith
Released: 20 March 1964 (UK), 16 March 1964 (US)
John Lennon: vocals, lead guitar
Paul McCartney: backing vocals, bass, cowbell
George Harrison: backing vocals, 12-string rhythm guitar
Ringo Starr: drums, conga
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2.22am
8 January 2015
A bad-boy song by John, not as bluntly menacing as Run For Your Life , but features a John guitar solo! I’ve loved the vocal for years, so typically bluesy and of course the cheeky chromatic 12-string end. It’s not one of the greats but it has enough happy energy to belie the lyrics and how about that drumming.
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11.12pm
15 March 2017
One of my favourite tracks on A Hard Day’s Night . I love the solo, John’s vocals, John’s solo and the harmony vocals.
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5.09am
19 January 2017
Yep it is a great song and also one of my favourites from A Hard Days Night. It’s side 2’s best track in my opinion.
Funnily enough I heard it being played at my favourite club the other day and it reminded me of how brilliant it is. I went into hyper Beatles fan mode and my friends all got confused…
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5.27am
Moderators
27 November 2016
I’m really glad that I discovered this song a few months ago. It’s hard to fault this song, and John performs such a great guitar solo on this song!
Side note: I was fooling around with this song in Audacity just 2 hours before this thread was revived. Cool little coincidence (though, what are the chances of me listening to a Beatles song…)
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8.55pm
30 April 2019
9.09pm
15 November 2018
Hey, I love the lyrics. Maybe not the “leave you flat” one (just what are you implying there, John?) but the “everybody’s green cause I’m the one who won your love” is a great line.
Also the guitar & cowbell are great. Fabulous lead by John.
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9.14pm
30 April 2019
2.12am
Moderators
27 November 2016
Kaniffee said
I have a lot of cognitive dissonance over this song. It’s an amazing rocker, a real head banger. But then I remember “oh right, there are lyrics.” Overall I’d say I like it, but it is certainly interesting to say the least.
Why even bother listening to lyrics?
On this sort of song it ain’t particularly necessary imo
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4.17am
26 January 2017
The lead guitar is the best think about this song, I think. It’s a really cool bluesy riff and the solo is pretty great as well.
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.
5.21am
14 June 2016
50yearslate said
Hey, I love the lyrics. Maybe not the “leave you flat” one (just what are you implying there, John?)
I don’t see the problem here, as if a song is inappropriate (like Run For Your Life ) and now being judged by modern standards. I enjoy the energy of the melody and emotional reality John provides.
He sings like he means it, which really makes the song what it is for me. “I can’t help my feelings I go out of my mind.” That says it all to me. The singer loves his woman in a fierce way, showing another side of his personality, just as I’ll Be Back has John saying more gently “if you break my heart I’ll go, but I’ll be back again.” People get angry. People get possessive at times. Ignoring those feelings is to ignore life.
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7.35am
30 April 2019
The Hole Got Fixed said
Kaniffee said
I have a lot of cognitive dissonance over this song. It’s an amazing rocker, a real head banger. But then I remember “oh right, there are lyrics.” Overall I’d say I like it, but it is certainly interesting to say the least.
Why even bother listening to lyrics?
On this sort of song it ain’t particularly necessary imo
I usually don’t listen for lyrics it’s only when I remember them or happen to hear them that this happens.
Timothy said
50yearslate said
Hey, I love the lyrics. Maybe not the “leave you flat” one (just what are you implying there, John?)
I don’t see the problem here, as if a song is inappropriate (like Run For Your Life ) and now being judged by modern standards. I enjoy the energy of the melody and emotional reality John provides.
He sings like he means it, which really makes the song what it is for me. “I can’t help my feelings I go out of my mind.” That says it all to me. The singer loves his woman in a fierce way, showing another side of his personality, just as I’ll Be Back has John saying more gently “if you break my heart I’ll go, but I’ll be back again.” People get angry. People get possessive at times. Ignoring those feelings is to ignore life.
I’m really not trying to hold this song to modern standards, just saying that I feel uncomfortable sometimes when I listen to the lyrics.
It is a really good song which is more than I can say for Run For Your Life (which I didn’t like before I payed attention to the lyrics). It’s still awkward sometimes though.
8.52am
9 June 2020
What a shame that in all the clips of the Beatles playing this song in concert, no film captures John playing the solo in the middle break.
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