Tell Me Why (1964 song)

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"Tell Me Why"
A Hard Day's Night
A Hard Day's Night
Song by The Beatles
from the album A Hard Day's Night
Released July 10, 1964
Recorded 27 February 1964
Genre Rock
Length 02:10
Label Apple Records
Writer(s) Lennon-McCartney
Producer(s) George Martin
A Hard Day's Night track listing
Side one
  1. "A Hard Day's Night"
  2. "I Should Have Known Better"
  3. "If I Fell"
  4. "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You"
  5. "And I Love Her"
  6. "Tell Me Why"
  7. "Can't Buy Me Love"
Side two
  1. "Any Time at All"
  2. "I'll Cry Instead"
  3. "Things We Said Today"
  4. "When I Get Home"
  5. "You Can't Do That"
  6. "I'll Be Back"

"Tell Me Why" is a song by The Beatles from their UK album A Hard Day's Night and US album Something New. Credited to Lennon & McCartney, it was written by John Lennon in either Paris or New York[1], it was completed in only eight takes on Thursday, 27 February 1964, at Abbey Road Studios, London.

Paul McCartney has said:

I think a lot of these [Lennon's] songs like “Tell Me Why” may have been based in real experiences or affairs John was having, or arguments with Cynthia [Lennon’s wife] or whatever, but it never occurred to us until later to put that slant on it all.[2]

Lennon described the song as resembling "a black New York girl-group song".[3] Using simple doo-wop chord changes and block harmonies, "Tell Me Why" races along at a pace. The vocal leap in the middle eight on "is there anything I can do" reinforces the impression that The Beatles were really enjoying themselves during this period, riding high on their success.

[edit] Releases

  • Included on the British LP A Hard Day’s Night.
  • Included on the British EP Extracts from the Film A Hard Day’s Night.

[edit] Covers


[edit] References

  1. ^ Bill Harry, The Ultimate Beatles Encyclopedia, p. 467; Ian MacDonald, Revolution in the Head, p. 98.
  2. ^ Barry Miles, Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, p. 164.
  3. ^ Bob Spitz, The Beatles, p. 489.