You Won't See Me
Encyclopedia
"You Won't See Me" is a song by The Beatles
, from the album Rubber Soul
. Though credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was written by Paul McCartney
. This is one of the few songs where McCartney sings lower harmony while Lennon and Harrison sing higher harmony together.
. She was rejecting him by not returning phone calls and ignoring him — for once, he was in a vulnerable position. The more biting tone of the song marks a change away from his earlier, happier love songs. "You Won't See Me" was recorded during the last session for Rubber Soul. At 3:22, the song was the longest that The Beatles had recorded to that point and marked a trend by Bob Dylan
and others at the time to start writing longer songs.
Mal "Organ" Evans
(one of The Beatles' roadies throughout their career) is credited on the album sleeve as having played Hammond organ
on this track, his contribution consisting solely of an A note quietly held throughout the last part of the song.
"You Won't See Me" was never a part of The Beatles' concert repertoire, but McCartney played the song live during his 2005-2006 concert tour.
MacDonald commented that Starr added an overdubbed hi-hat part in addition to the hi-hat part played in the basic rhythm track, and that Evans' organ part was a single A note held throughout the final verse and chorus.
, reaching No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart and No. 1 on the Billboard Easy Listening singles chart. Lennon is said to have told Murray that her version of "You Won't See Me" was his favourite Beatles' cover ever. Murray herself is a confessed Beatles fanatic and later covered several other of their songs as singles, including "Day Tripper
" and "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You
." Murray would re-record the song as a duet with Shelby Lynne
as part of her 2007 Duets: Friends & Legends
album.
"You Won't See Me" was a double double A-sided
hit for Murray. The flip side — "He Thinks I Still Care
" — reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles
chart in July 1974, about the time "You Won't See Me" peaked in popularity on the Hot 100.
recorded a cover of the song in Australia in 1966. It first appeared on the album "Inception/Nostalgia" in 1970, which was released in Germany, France and Japan only.
The song was covered by Bryan Ferry
on his 1973 album, These Foolish Things.
Helmut Köllen, the former bassist, vocalist of Triumvirat
, six months before die at age of 27, recorded an album called "You Won't See Me". It was issued posthumately and the theme song
closes the B-side.
The song wasn't performed live by Paul McCartney until his '04 Summer Tour (in 2004), with McCartney telling the audience that, up until then, he literally had not played the song since recording it 39 years prior.
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...
, from the album Rubber Soul
Rubber Soul
Rubber Soul is the sixth studio album by the English rock group The Beatles, released in December 1965. Produced by George Martin, Rubber Soul had been recorded in just over four weeks to make the Christmas market...
. Though credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was written by 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...
. This is one of the few songs where McCartney sings lower harmony while Lennon and Harrison sing higher harmony together.
History
The song is about a crisis in McCartney's relationship with his then-girlfriend Jane AsherJane Asher
Jane Asher is an English actress. She has also developed a second career as a cake decorator and cake shop proprietor.-Early life:...
. She was rejecting him by not returning phone calls and ignoring him — for once, he was in a vulnerable position. The more biting tone of the song marks a change away from his earlier, happier love songs. "You Won't See Me" was recorded during the last session for Rubber Soul. At 3:22, the song was the longest that The Beatles had recorded to that point and marked a trend by Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
and others at the time to start writing longer songs.
Mal "Organ" Evans
Mal Evans
Malcolm Frederick 'Mal' Evans was best known as the road manager, assistant, and a friend of The Beatles: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr....
(one of The Beatles' roadies throughout their career) is credited on the album sleeve as having played Hammond organ
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
on this track, his contribution consisting solely of an A note quietly held throughout the last part of the song.
"You Won't See Me" was never a part of The Beatles' concert repertoire, but McCartney played the song live during his 2005-2006 concert tour.
Personnel
- 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...
– lead 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...
, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - 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...
– backing vocalBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure... - 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...
– backing vocal - 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 ....
, tambourineTambourineThe tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all.... - Mal EvansMal EvansMalcolm Frederick 'Mal' Evans was best known as the road manager, assistant, and a friend of The Beatles: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr....
– Hammond organHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
- 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...
MacDonald commented that Starr added an overdubbed hi-hat part in addition to the hi-hat part played in the basic rhythm track, and that Evans' organ part was a single A note held throughout the final verse and chorus.
Anne Murray version
In 1974, "You Won't See Me" became a big hit for Anne MurrayAnne Murray
Morna Anne Murray CC, ONS is a Canadian singer in pop, country and adult contemporary styles whose albums have sold over 54 million copies....
, reaching No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart and No. 1 on the Billboard Easy Listening singles chart. Lennon is said to have told Murray that her version of "You Won't See Me" was his favourite Beatles' cover ever. Murray herself is a confessed Beatles fanatic and later covered several other of their songs as singles, including "Day Tripper
Day Tripper
"Day Tripper" is a song by The Beatles, released as a double A-side single with "We Can Work It Out". Both songs were recorded during the sessions for the Rubber Soul album...
" and "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You
I'm Happy Just to Dance With You
"I'm Happy Just to Dance with You" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and recorded by The Beatles for the film soundtrack to A Hard Day's Night.-Composition:...
." Murray would re-record the song as a duet with Shelby Lynne
Shelby Lynne
Shelby Lynne is an American singer, songwriter and actress. The success of the 1999 album I Am Shelby Lynne led to her winning the Grammy Award for Best New Artist, even though she had been active in the music industry for some time...
as part of her 2007 Duets: Friends & Legends
Anne Murray Duets: Friends & Legends
Duets: Friends & Legends is a studio album by Canadian country/pop artist Anne Murray. The album features seventeen of Murray's best-known songs re-recorded as duets with her favourite female singers. While the record mostly consists of new studio tracks, Murray's duet with Celine Dion on "When I...
album.
"You Won't See Me" was a double double A-sided
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...
hit for Murray. The flip side — "He Thinks I Still Care
She Thinks I Still Care
"She Thinks I Still Care" is a song written by Dickey Lee and Steve Duffy which became the third C&W #1 hit for George Jones, spending six weeks at #1 in the spring/summer of 1962...
" — reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart in July 1974, about the time "You Won't See Me" peaked in popularity on the Hot 100.
Other covers
The Bee GeesBee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
recorded a cover of the song in Australia in 1966. It first appeared on the album "Inception/Nostalgia" in 1970, which was released in Germany, France and Japan only.
The song was covered by Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry, CBE is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to public prominence in the early 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with the band Roxy Music, who enjoyed a highly successful career with three number one albums and ten singles entering the top ten charts in...
on his 1973 album, These Foolish Things.
Helmut Köllen, the former bassist, vocalist of Triumvirat
Triumvirat
Triumvirat was a German progressive rock trio that formed in 1969 in Cologne, Germany. The founding members were: keyboardist/composer Hans-Jürgen Fritz , drummer/lyricist Hans Bathelt, and bassist Werner Frangenberg....
, six months before die at age of 27, recorded an album called "You Won't See Me". It was issued posthumately and the theme song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
closes the B-side.
The song wasn't performed live by Paul McCartney until his '04 Summer Tour (in 2004), with McCartney telling the audience that, up until then, he literally had not played the song since recording it 39 years prior.