I'll Get You
Encyclopedia
"I'll Get You" is a song by The Beatles
, written by Lennon/McCartney
, and released by The Beatles
as the B-side
of their 1963 single "She Loves You
". The song was initially titled "Get You in the End".
and Paul McCartney
sing in unison for the majority of the track, allowing the few occasions when they do harmonise to stand out. But unlike most Beatles songs of the time there is no lead guitar break; the lead guitar being virtually reduced to a second rhythm guitar. The most prominent instruments in the track are McCartney's "plumply rounded bass", and Lennon's harmonica, which was overdubbed in a rush as session time ran out.
Beatles writer Bill Harry
credits Lennon as main composer although McCartney claims it was a 50 / 50 collaboration. McCartney recalls using Lennon's Menlove Avenue home as the writing base for the song; this was rare as Lennon's Aunt Mimi
, whom he still lived with at the time, was disapproving of the Beatles.
The song's opening line "Imagine I'm in love with you" was innovative, drawing the listener immediately into the story. McCartney would cite this as an early example of Lewis Carroll
's influence on Lennon's lyrics; a ploy explored again in later compositions such as "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
", "Strawberry Fields Forever
" and Lennon's solo "Imagine
". Reiterating its A-sides' catchphrase ("Yeah") and assuming the heavy scouse
accents conspicuous in their early records, Lennon and McCartney "drawl their way through a mock-naïve love lyric". McCartney later singled out the chord change underneath "It's not like me to pretend" (moving from a D major to A minor) crediting the Joan Baez
cover "All My Trials
" as inspiration. "I [also] liked that slightly faggy way we sang: 'Oh yeah, oh yeah' which was very distinctive, very Beatley" Looking back in 1967 Lennon said: "Ever heard anyone from Liverpool singing 'yes'? It’s yeah!".
" (on 28 August 1963 in the United Kingdom and 16 September in the United States) and was also later released in the US only on 21 May 1964 as the B-side of "Sie Liebt Dich", a German language recording of the previous A-side. Both were released on the Swan Records
label in the United States - the only Beatles releases on that label (the British release was on Parlophone
).
The song was also released in the US on 10 April 1964 on the Capitol Records
album The Beatles' Second Album. It was not released on album in the UK until the Rarities release as part of the set The Beatles Collection
. A live version of the song, recorded at the London Palladium
on 13 October 1963 is included on Anthology 1
.
The song is available on compact disc
in the first volume of the two-disc Past Masters compilation.
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, written by Lennon/McCartney
Lennon/McCartney
The Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership is one of the best-known and most successful musical collaborations in history...
, and released by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
as the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
of their 1963 single "She Loves You
She Loves You
"She Loves You" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney based on an idea by McCartney, originally recorded by The Beatles for release as a single in 1963. The single set and surpassed several records in the United Kingdom charts, and set a record in the United States by being one of the...
". The song was initially titled "Get You in the End".
Structure
Typical of the Beatles vocal style of that period John LennonJohn Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
sing in unison for the majority of the track, allowing the few occasions when they do harmonise to stand out. But unlike most Beatles songs of the time there is no lead guitar break; the lead guitar being virtually reduced to a second rhythm guitar. The most prominent instruments in the track are McCartney's "plumply rounded bass", and Lennon's harmonica, which was overdubbed in a rush as session time ran out.
Beatles writer Bill Harry
Bill Harry
Bill Harry is the creator of Mersey Beat, an important newspaper of the early 1960s, which focused on the Liverpool music scene...
credits Lennon as main composer although McCartney claims it was a 50 / 50 collaboration. McCartney recalls using Lennon's Menlove Avenue home as the writing base for the song; this was rare as Lennon's Aunt Mimi
Mimi Smith
Mary Elizabeth "Mimi" Smith was the maternal aunt and parental guardian of the English musician John Lennon. Mimi was born in Liverpool, England and was the oldest of five daughters. She became a resident trainee nurse at the Woolton Convalescent Hospital, and later worked as a private secretary...
, whom he still lived with at the time, was disapproving of the Beatles.
The song's opening line "Imagine I'm in love with you" was innovative, drawing the listener immediately into the story. McCartney would cite this as an early example of Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
's influence on Lennon's lyrics; a ploy explored again in later compositions such as "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" is a song written primarily by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney, for The Beatles' 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band...
", "Strawberry Fields Forever
Strawberry Fields Forever
"Strawberry Fields Forever" is a song by The Beatles, written by John Lennon and attributed to the Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership. It was inspired by Lennon's memories of playing in the garden of a Salvation Army house named "Strawberry Field" near his childhood home."Strawberry Fields...
" and Lennon's solo "Imagine
Imagine (song)
"Imagine" is a song written and performed by the English musician John Lennon. It is the opening track on his album Imagine, released in 1971...
". Reiterating its A-sides' catchphrase ("Yeah") and assuming the heavy scouse
Scouse
Scouse is an accent and dialect of English found primarily in the Metropolitan county of Merseyside, and closely associated with the city of Liverpool and the adjoining urban areas such as the boroughs of south Sefton, Knowsley and the Wirral...
accents conspicuous in their early records, Lennon and McCartney "drawl their way through a mock-naïve love lyric". McCartney later singled out the chord change underneath "It's not like me to pretend" (moving from a D major to A minor) crediting the Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
cover "All My Trials
All My Trials
All My Trials was a folk song during the social protest movements of the 1950s and 1960s. It is based on a Bahamian lullaby that tells the story of a mother on her death bed, comforting her children, "Hush little baby, don't you cry./You know your mama's bound to die," because, as she explains,...
" as inspiration. "I [also] liked that slightly faggy way we sang: 'Oh yeah, oh yeah' which was very distinctive, very Beatley" Looking back in 1967 Lennon said: "Ever heard anyone from Liverpool singing 'yes'? It’s yeah!".
Release
The song was a B-side on two separate occasions. It was initially released as the B-side of "She Loves YouShe Loves You
"She Loves You" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney based on an idea by McCartney, originally recorded by The Beatles for release as a single in 1963. The single set and surpassed several records in the United Kingdom charts, and set a record in the United States by being one of the...
" (on 28 August 1963 in the United Kingdom and 16 September in the United States) and was also later released in the US only on 21 May 1964 as the B-side of "Sie Liebt Dich", a German language recording of the previous A-side. Both were released on the Swan Records
Swan Records
Swan Records was a mid-20th century United States based record label, founded in 1957, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It had a subsidiary label called Lawn Records....
label in the United States - the only Beatles releases on that label (the British release was on Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone is a record label that was founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch was formed in 1923 as "Parlophone" which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a leading jazz label. It was acquired in 1927 by the Columbia Graphophone Company which...
).
The song was also released in the US on 10 April 1964 on the Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
album The Beatles' Second Album. It was not released on album in the UK until the Rarities release as part of the set The Beatles Collection
The Beatles Collection
The Beatles Collection is a box set of vinyl albums released in the United States in November 1978 and the following month in the United Kingdom containing the official catalogue of The Beatles in stereo, and a new compilation called Rarities...
. A live version of the song, recorded at the London Palladium
London Palladium
The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. From the roster of stars who have played there and many televised performances, it is arguably the most famous theatre in London and the United Kingdom, especially for musical variety...
on 13 October 1963 is included on Anthology 1
Anthology 1
Anthology 1 is a compilation album by The Beatles, released by Apple Records in November 1995. It was released as the first part of the Anthology trilogy of albums with Anthology 2 and Anthology 3, all of which tie-in with the televised special The Beatles Anthology. It contains "Free as a Bird",...
.
The song is available on compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in the first volume of the two-disc Past Masters compilation.
Personnel
- John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
– vocalLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, semi-acoustic guitarSemi-acoustic guitarA semi-acoustic guitar or hollow-body electric is a type of electric guitar with both a sound box and one or more electric pickups. This is not the same as an electric acoustic guitar, which is an acoustic guitar with the addition of pickups or other means of amplification, either added by the...
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes... - Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
– vocal, electric bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - George HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
– harmony vocalBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Personnel per Ian MacDonaldIan MacDonaldIan MacCormick was a British music critic and author, best known for Revolution in the Head, his forensic history of The Beatles which borrowed techniques from art historians, and The New Shostakovich, a controversial study of the Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich...