Tip Of My Tongue

‘Tip Of My Tongue’ was written by Paul McCartney. Although never recorded by The Beatles, they did bring it to an early EMI session, before eventually giving it to Tommy Quickly.

The song was probably written in August or early September 1962, and it soon became part of the band’s stage repertoire. During live performances, John Lennon switched from guitar to maracas.

That’s another piece of Paul’s garbage, not my garbage.

The Beatles rehearsed ‘Tip Of My Tongue’ ahead of their second visit to Abbey Road on 4 September 1962 – Ringo Starr’s first recording session with the group.

Prior to the session, The Beatles rehearsed for three hours in Studio Three, and most likely practised six songs: ‘Tip Of My Tongue’, ‘Ask Me Why’, ‘PS I Love You’, ‘Please Please Me’, ‘Love Me Do’, and ‘How Do You Do It’. The last two of those were chosen to be recorded that evening.

The Beatles returned to ‘Tip Of My Tongue’ on 26 November 1962, during the recording session for the ‘Please Please Me’ single. Prior to the 7-10pm session they had an hour’s rehearsal in Studio Two, which also allowed for any technical issues with their equipment to be addressed.

During the rehearsal George Martin asked once again to hear ‘Tip Of My Tongue’, but for a second time rejected it. “It’s a great number,” he told NME journalist Alan Smith, “but we’ll have to spend a bit of time giving it a new arrangement. I’m not too happy with it as it is.”

The Beatles never returned to ‘Tip Of My Tongue’, and instead gave it to Tommy Quickly, another artist managed by Brian Epstein.

Quickly recorded his version on 8 July 1963. It was released later that month on the Pye Piccadilly label, with ‘Heaven Only Knows’ on the b-side. The single was not a commercial success, and did not enter the UK chart.

Oh, my God! There were always a couple of songs that we didn’t want to do because we didn’t think they were very good, but other people would say, ‘Well, I’ll do it, I think it’s quite good.’ Tommy Quickly was one of our friends out of Brian Epstein’s stable. This is pretty much mine, I’m ashamed to say. It sounds like one of these where I tried to work it around the title.

Lyrics

When I want to speak to you
It sometimes takes a week or two
To think of things I want to say to you
But words just stay on the tip of my tongue

When the skies are not so blue
There’s nothing left for me to do
Just think of something new to say to you
But words just stay on the tip of my tongue

People say I’m lonely
Only you know that’s not true
You know I’m waiting for a chance
To prove my love to you

Soon enough my time will come
And after all is said and done
I’ll marry you and we will live as one
With no more words on the tip of my tongue

People say I’m lonely
Only you know that’s not true
You know I’m waiting for a chance
To prove my love to you

Soon enough my time will come
And after all is said and done
I’ll marry you and we will live as one
With no more words on the tip of my tongue
No more, no words on the tip of my tongue
No, no, no words on the tip of my tongue