That Means a Lot

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“That Means a Lot”
Song by The Beatles
Album	Anthology 2
Released	March 18, 1996 (UK) March 19, 1996 (US)
Recorded	February 1965
Genre	Rock
Length	2:49
Label	Apple Records
Writer	Lennon/McCartney
Producer	George Martin
Anthology 2 track listing
"If You've Got Trouble" (5) “That Means a Lot” (6) "Yesterday" (Take 1) (7)

"That Means a Lot" was an unreleased Beatles song, recorded in 1965. It was originally to be included on the album Help!, but both John Lennon and Paul McCartney disliked the track, and so it was kept off.

Not to waste the tune, Brian Epstein, the Beatles' business manager, introduced the song to another of the acts he managed, P. J. Proby. An American, he had been introduced to Brian by Jack Good, who had created numerous television shows, and had created a Beatles TV program "Around the Beatles". Paired P. J. with Cilla Black on a couple of tours.

P.J. released "That Means A Lot" in September of 1965. (Arranged & conducted by George Martin, Produced by Ron Richards.)

The Beatles version of the song was released in 1996 on the Anthology 2 album. The song is credited to Lennon/McCartney, although which of the two wrote the bulk of the song is in debate. In his famed interviews with Playboy Magazine, Lennon claimed the song was Paul's, while Proby has claimed with certainty that the song was purely Lennon's. It is also possible that the song was subjected to a regular occurrence in the Beatles, that of Lennon or McCartney contributing a middle-eight to the other's verses and choruses. The optimism in the verses and choruses is typical of McCartney's songwriting, while the "Love can be suicide" middle-eight is similar to the attitude Lennon displayed in many other songs of the time-period.

[edit] References

• Liberty 45 rpm single #10215, P.J. Proby That Means A Lot: details printed on label.