A love song written by Paul McCartney, ‘I Will’ was one of the songs worked on by The Beatles and their associates while in Rishikesh, India.
Alan-a-Dale. The minstrel wandering around Sherwood Forest in the Robin Hood legend. That’s me. This song finds me in my troubadour mode…Just because I was involved with Jane at the time doesn’t mean this song is addressed to, or about, Jane. When I’m writing, it’s as if I’m setting words and music to the film I’m watching in my head. It’s a declaration of love, yes, but not always to someone specific. Unless it’s to a person out there who’s listening to the song. And they have to be ready for it. It’s almost definitely not going to be a person who’s said, ‘There he goes again, writing another of those silly love songs.’ So, this is me in my troubadour more.
The Lyrics: 1956 To The Present
Although the music for ‘I Will’ came together fairly easily, the words were worked on in India, and remained unfinished even as recording began back in London.
I was doing a song, ‘I Will’, that I had as a melody for quite a long time but I didn’t have any lyrics to it. I remember sitting around with Donovan, and maybe a couple of other people. We were just sitting around one evening after our day of meditation and I played him this one and he liked it and we were trying to write some words. We kicked around a few lyrics, something about the moon, but they weren’t very satisfactory and I thought the melody was better than the words so I didn’t use them. I kept searching for better words and I wrote my own set in the end; very simple words, straight love-song words really. I think they’re quite effective. It’s still one of my favourite melodies that I’ve written. You just occasionally get lucky with a melody and it becomes rather complete and I think this is one of them; quite a complete tune.
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles
In the studio
If the writing of ‘I Will’ took some time, recording it was possibly harder still. Although completed in just two days, it took The Beatles 67 takes to get right.
George Harrison did not take part in the recording. Beginning at 7pm on 16 September 1968 and finishing at 3am the following morning, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and Ringo Starr recorded the song, plus a number of ad-libs as the session progressed.
These included take 19, which was an improvised song based around the line “Can you take me back where I came from?” Lasting 2’23”, the take was eventually trimmed to just 28 seconds and used on the White Album between ‘Cry Baby Cry’ and ‘Revolution 9’. The full version was released in November 2018 as Can You Take Me Back? (Take 1).
Other songs played during the session included ‘Step Inside Love’, ‘Los Paranoias’, ‘Blue Moon’, and The Way You Look Tonight.
If the songs recorded were unusual, the instrumentation was no less so. McCartney was on familiar ground, playing acoustic guitar and singing. Lennon, however, kept time by beating wood blocks known as skulls, and Starr played other percussion instruments: bongos, maracas and cymbals.
Take 65 of ‘I Will’ was the best version and, the next day, onto this McCartney overdubbed backing vocals, bass and another acoustic guitar track. He also sang a bass part.
i love the feeeeling that i get when i listen and think of this song!!!! . . . . what guitar was used for this song, i will, and how was it miked-and what mics were used on the guitar?-thank you-john
I think McCartney used his Martin D-28 for the song
Paul used a Martin acoustic, he also used the Martin on “Black Bird”
The way this song immediately follows “Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?” on “The Beatles” LP shows Paul’s huge range in performance style ability … from down and dirty to romantic and tender.
The heavily limited and/or compressed 12-string acoustic ‘lead’ guitar is extraordinary. If that’s the guitar Paul overdubbed, it’s amazing because it sounds so much like George’s playing.
That’s why I always preferred the McCartney solo or Wings albums when he would play most or all of the instruments himself (i.e. McCartney, Ram, parts of Wild Life, Band On The Run, parts of London Town and Tug Of War, McCartney II and the early solo singles) rather than use the faceless players he used in Wings. John’s work after ‘Imagine’ fell into the same trap and the result was rather bland unimaginative arrangements (exceptions being #9 Dream, Meat City and a handful of others). George’s albums often fell into the same studio musician trap. IMO of course.
John’s work on Double Fantasy was outstanding… IMO
I myself have had the hunch that George played those compressed 12-string acoustic guitar parts that you mentioned – AFAIK, Paul didn’t own a left-handed 12-string acoustic guitar at the time.
That’s not a 12 string! It’s a 6 string w/ Compression..great sound, Paul used it again for his 1982 rockabilly solo on “Get It’ from his great LP “Tug Of War.”
Lovely song but too short.
definitely should have been longer, its amazing and one of the most of underrated McCartney songs in my opinion
Garrison Keillor sang a lovely low-key version of this song on his radio show in about 2007 or so. He just suddenly started singing it, and there it was, “I Will,” a song I hadn’t really thought about in years – it was absolutely, flat-out beautiful.
Paul didn’t write I will for Linda. The song was written in India in Feb.68. Plus Paul broke up with Francie Swarts just 2 weeks before I will was recorded and went on trip with another woman in Sep,68. Paul got serious with Linda only after this song was recorded.
jj I think, this Song “I Will” was written for Jane Asher. Jane went with Paul to India. They were a couple until the middle of June or longer in 1968. Because Jane attends Michael McGear Wedding with Paul on June 7, 1968.
In the Beatles White album bloopers you can hear Paul sing…”if you want me to..I WON’T!” John gently says to him “Yes, you will.” Clearly, it’s about Jane and even then, John acknowledges how much Paul loves her. Unfortunately, Jane did not return to him and he moved on. However, his heart never did.
He wasn’t faithful to Jane. That’s why she left. He loved Jane but she wasn’t the stay at home mother Paul needed, Linda was perfect for Paul.
I’m sure the song was written about God, or The Divine Mother, or whatever was the pinnacle of his spiritual experience in the ashram. “Who knows how long I’ve loved you/didn’t catch your name”; the duality of “together/apart”; “I will, I will”. It is a perfect, beautiful, little love song but it’s not about a girl. It’s McCartney’s “Across the Universe”.
I always thought like “I’m Lonely” is a parody of the suicide blues genre, “I Will,” although it is a pretty song, is a parody of love songs. Listen to the lyrics, “If I ever saw you I didn’t catch your name but it doesn’t really matter, I would always feel the same…” For God’s sakes, he hasn’t even met her yet. Does anyone else get this?
I agree. I always thought this a strange love song in the normal sense in that the object of the lyrics is not someone that the singer knows yet. It is as though the song is in search of love, but confident that when love is found it will be deep and everlasting. So, if looked on in that way, it is kind of nice.
I agree. I’ve always thought that it was about the hope of finally finding a true love.
There were two acosutic guitars and superb bass-vocals by Paul.
I always liked the vocal-bass part. There is more than one vocie doing it, though. Sure John isn’t singing along with Paul?
BTW–been reading this site for a while now. Impressed. Thought I knew it all. I was wrong. 🙂
i hardly noticed the bass vocal into it was pointed out to me! it’s absolutely amazing!
At Shelly: I think it’s about how you could be walking down the street, and pass the person you are meant to be with and never know it. Only to possibly meet them later. Like soul mates, someone you know you love, even if you dont even know them yet. In Paul’s case it was Linda, which appeared in many different places where the Beatles were to take photographs of them, and then they finally met at a bar by coincidence I believe.
Jonathan: You are definitely right! A HUGE COINCIDENCE just confirmed it to me just right now, but besides that you must not be wrong, let`s not forget where he first wrote the song! India influences!! Past lives!! Soul mates! Predestined love!!
“A lonely life time” doesn`t matter if I know I have several lifetimes! GREAT FELLING THE SONG TRANSMITS ANY WAY, SO DOESNT MATTER THE REASONS. Pure Love.
The vocal bass is an very creative touch.
I already used it on a jamming with my friends, works good!
Growing up, I never had very good stereo gear. So, imagine my delight, recently listening to “I Will” on my iPod with upgraded ear-buds. I can finally REALLY hear McCartney SINGING the bass line! That is such an innovative, off-the-wall touch, that it lifts a very short, pretty tune to the level of “brilliant.”
Went back and listened with my best earbuds and there it was the base track I never heard! Thanks really made it special to hear his addition of base. Made me feel his love for this simple but oh so lovely song.
My cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4yn8_Ya-_o
I have always thought that if this song has been written and recorded during the Beatlemania period, it would have been one of the Beatles’ biggest hits. Every girl who had even shared a glance with Paul would have thought the song was written about her. Many broken hearts, many girls shouting out thier undying love, “saying it loud”, so that Paul could hear them.
I started singing this song “to” my daughter when I was pregnant with her. Now at three she continues to ask me to sing it to her at bedtime. It is a favorite lullaby and it’s perfect because of the meaning the lyrics have for me. We weren’t planning to have children, necessarily, and when I became a mom it was so life changing. It was like I had known her and loved her all my life but just didn’t know it. Now no matter where she is, even if we aren’t together, she knows I love her.
He’s imagining a woman he will meet, hopes that she will somehow identify herself so that he knows she’s the one. it’s intensely an unreservedly romantic in the tradition of a love that is idealized, unrealized and prospective. So, no. It’s not a parody. But I think what you’re getting from it is that the romance and (prospective) love certainly isn’t a realistic, domestic love but something really over the top. But the song’s musical setting, simple words and performance by McCartney are so utterly open and hopeful that it comes off really well. It’s one of those amazing gems. A lot of bands might have had this as the centrepiece of an album, but the Beatles by that time are at their artistic/musical peak, even if the band itself was tearing itself apart, so this is just one of many amazing songs on that album.
Does anyone know why George didn’t partake in the recording?
Ringo doesn’t just use cymbals here, the bass drum and floor tom are also used.
This song is somewhat reminiscent of both “And I Love Her” (acoustic guitar, quiet percussion, simple flowing melody) and “Here There and Everywhere” (dreamy vocal, major key, simple flowing melody), both of which are Paul songs, and two of my tops. Did I mention I’m a sucker for ballads?
Me dad used to sing this to me as a lullaby (as well as “Till There Was You”) when I was younger, so much younger than today. I always loved it, but I didn’t realise it was a Beatles’ song till I played– or, rather, discovered– the White Album for the first time (this was some years ago, of course). I was very surprised. It’s also one of the few Beatles’ songs my poor mother, who doesn’t care for the Beatles, actually likes. (When a few is all ya got, That Means A Lot.)
Paul’s vocal on this is wonderful– both the beautiful lead AND the bass, which I only discovered to the other day (after I read of it here)!!! I was out of my head when I realised anew just HOW versatile Paul is. One man=ballad crooning, rock screaming, AND bass!!!! :O
(Yes, brian, exactly what you said. My thoughts precisely. “WHA DON’ WE DOIT IN DA ROAD–Who knows how long I’ve loved you…”)
I thought that besides the clever imitation of his bass style, singing it, that maybe the bongos were actually achieved by that trick of slapping your cheeks.
Likewise, I always thought it was a tabla or some sort of old-fashioned hillbilly type of bass stringed instrument. Not that I doubt it but I would like to know the source that documents it was his vocal.
Seconding the comment about this following “Why Don’t We Do It in the Road” — it still shocks me when I hear the start of “I Will”, even now, after 30 years and thousands of listens. Each time I just shake my head at the range of that guy. He took a few notes, a handful of one syllable words, a guitar, and his own voice, and created this imperishable gem. Paul McCartney, how do you come to be?
As a guitarist, I’ve spent a lonely lifetime trying to play this song the way Paul does. The recorded key is F, but I have a suspicion that he’s got his acoustic tuned down a whole step (as he does with Yesterday) so that this can be played with G major as the root chord, i.e. G, Em7, Am7, D. Thoughts?
I think you are perfectly right. Moreover it was to high to sing in such key after all these years and you can notice Paul plays it in E in “the space within”.
Had a listen to it and I think you’re totally right! Plays in G, Guitar tuned 1 step down.
Correct!
I’m just paying closer attention to this song’s lyrics for the first time. I don’t hear a romantic song from a guy to a girl. And now you tell me it was written in India, which backs up my theory. This love is spiritual and eternal. That’s why your name doesn’t matter, the love has always been there for longer than anyone can remember, and the love will always be there just the same.
Tom I think you are right
You must hear Alison Krause and Union Station version of this song. Rarely if ever can I say a beatle song could be improved on, but if it can, this is it.
Among the many reasons to love this song there’s the beautiful use of rhyme — “love you forever and forever, love you with all my heart…. Love you whenever we’re together, love you when we’re apart.” Forever, whenever, together; heart, apart. Amazing rhymes and still the words seem so natural and convey such a beautiful sentiment. Similar is the beautiful use of alliteration — “will I wait” (two w’s) “a lonely lifetime” (two l’s) followed by “want” and “will” (more w’s). Plus the beautiful music, plus what I think is a beautiful sentiment — a man singing to his soulmate, who he has yet to meet, but who he knows he is meant to love. What a song.
I always thought that the Cars lifted the little guitar arpeggio for “My Best Friends Girl”. Seems like a pretty obvious theft to me.
Wow! I’ve always thought the guitar lick in MBFG sounded familiar. Well spotted!
Elliot Easton has pointed that out in interviews. In fact, the end of the second verse, just before his solo, is nearly a direct lift from “I Will”.
George was probably busy with his own contributions in another studio or decided he wasn’t going to work on Paul’s song all night long. As long as Yoko was there John probably went sure why not. Ringo probably was with John or knew Paul wanted him to go to work again…?.
Someone said yoko was there so George didn’t work on the song I will, but yoko didn’t get with John full time till just after India.
I’m not a religious person but besides the romantic love story theme I always heard something like a prayer in the lyrics. An agnostic prayer, you could say. “If I ever saw you, i didn’t catch your name, but it never really mattered, I will always feel the same.” There may be a god or not, doesn’t matter what the name of the god is. Maybe I’ve seen god already but I’ll always have love and try to love. That’s one take on it. Anyone else feel this?
A lovely song, a gem, so gorgeous and romantic. Its only misfortune was being placed right before Lennon’s “Julia” — a stunning ballad whose depth of soul “I Will” could scarcely approach.
I just recorded it in my hotel room but just realized I did it in the key of E, not F but I like the way the guitar rings out when you play the little hook. I was pretty sure Paul was singing the bass line, which even some of my hardcore Beatle buddies didn’t know, so I sang it as well
https://www.dropbox.com/s/85pfwmbb10u9ouk/I%20will.wav?dl=0
It is a beautiful song, almost makes me cry when I hear it.
Some of the comments inferring the lyrics are about meeting a future soulmate seem far fetched to me, flakey even. I think they were about Paul’s emotional circumstances at the time. His lyrics at times are confusing, but whether deliberate or not, I wouldn’t know. Perhaps they just reflected his state of mind.
Dan L: A matter of opinion, surely?
Kalle: A matter of opinion, no more, no less!
I think the lyrics are as he stated – just lyrics he made up at the last minute. Just love-song lyrics.
i always loved one of the outtakes, I don’t remember which one, but it’s only about 30-ish seconds long if i remember correctly, Paul sings the lyrics normally, until he gets to the end where he sings “I WON’T” and John yells “YES YOU WILL” from the other side of the studio. the first time i listened to it, on the White Album outtakes, i did NOT see it coming, and couldn’t stop laughing for AGES
One of the most beautiful songs ever written. So underrated!
I think the melody to I Will reminds me of I’ll follow the Sun.The White Album is a strange album in that songs like I Will and I’m So Tired ,( Can’t buy me Love), reference the early Beatles.But thr optimistic exuberance is gone.
Can You TAke Me Back CANNOT be take 19 – after the anniversary White Album release and we see the EMITape 70549. Where Can You tAke Me Back is listed at the end after Step Inside Love and Los Paranois – and you should look closer at the written Take number – that’s not 19 , but a 3 instead of a 1….take 39.
Anyone have any idea how Paul sang this? I’ve looked everywhere, can’t find anything. Is he using head voice? He sounds like he’s at a soft, delicate pitch for so much of it, but then his voice will drop (e.g. lonely life*time*).