The Night Before (song)

"The Night Before" is a song by The Beatles from the album and film Help!. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney.

Composition and recording

Lennon plays a Hohner Pianet electric piano throughout the song accompanied by McCartney's ascending and descending bass lines. The song's verse has a call and response structure, McCartney's lead vocal alternating with Lennon and George Harrison's harmony, singing the chorus "Aaah, the night before . . .", the whole being alternated with a second melody. McCartney plays a guitar solo^[2] on the third verse that is recapitulated in part as the coda of the song.

Film performance

The song is performed on Salisbury Plain in the second Beatles film, Help! and, just as it finishes, a bomb explodes.

Live performance

McCartney played the song on 15 July 2011 at Yankee Stadium, stating from the stage that it was the first time he had performed the song in concert.^[3]

Personnel

• Paul McCartney – double-tracked vocal, bass guitar, double-tracked lead guitar
• John Lennon – backing vocals, electric piano
• George Harrison – backing vocals, guitar
• Ringo Starr – drums, percussion

Personnel per Ian MacDonald^[4]

Cover versions

• Restless Heart released a cover version on their 2004 album Still Restless.
• Bulgarian pop star Lili Ivanova sang a cover version in the 1960s.

Notes

References

• MacDonald, Ian (2005). Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties (Second Revised ed.). London: Pimlico (Rand). ISBN 1-844-13828-3. 
• Miles, Barry (1997). Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now. New York: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 0-8050-5249-6.