Every Little Thing (Beatles song)
| "Every Little Thing" | |
|---|---|
| Song by the Beatles from the album Beatles for Sale | |
| Released | 4 December 1964 |
| Recorded |
29–30 September 1964, EMI Studios, London |
| Genre | Rock |
| Length | 2:01 |
| Label | Parlophone |
| Writer | Lennon–McCartney |
| Producer | George Martin |
"Every Little Thing" is a song written by Paul McCartney[1] (credited to Lennon–McCartney) and performed by the Beatles on their 1964 British album Beatles for Sale. In North America, Capitol released it as the last track on Beatles VI.
Composition
McCartney wrote the song in a music room at the home of Jane Asher, where he was living at the time.[2] He hoped that it would be released as a single, but it "didn't have quite what was required", and was released on Beatles for Sale instead.[1]
"Every Little Thing" is a rare example of a Lennon/McCartney tune in which one member of the partnership was primary composer (here McCartney) but the other sang lead vocal (here John Lennon).[3][4] McCartney sings harmony, although one can hear him better in the refrain. The song's composer is not in question: McCartney claimed the song as described above,[1] and Lennon said in an interview with Playboy that McCartney wrote it.[5]
Recording
The released version was recorded by the Beatles in four takes at EMI Studios on 29 September 1964, and then five more on 30 September.[6] They were enjoying themselves on the second night; take six was aborted due to McCartney burping his vocals, and take seven was finished but ended in loud laughter.[6] It is one of few early Beatles tracks to feature "exotic" instrumentation: Ringo Starr plays the timpani on the track to add punctuating one-two flourishes to the refrains. This appeared for the first time on the ninth take, along with a guitar intro and piano piece.[6]
Reviews
Music critic Ian MacDonald praised the song's "emotional depth" and used this song and others as counter-arguments to the caricature of McCartney as an emotional lightweight.[3] Richie Unterberger of AllMusic also praised the song and its "infectious chorus".[7]
This song was revisited briefly during the stressful rehearsals that were recorded for the Beatles' Get Back/Let It Be project – Harrison describes it as "a good one" before starting to play the lick, McCartney joining in on vocals.
Personnel
According to Ian MacDonald:[3]
- John Lennon – double-tracked vocal, acoustic rhythm guitar
- Paul McCartney – harmony vocal, bass, piano
- George Harrison – double-tracked lead guitar
- Ringo Starr – drums, timpani
- George Martin – producer
- Norman Smith – engineer
Cover versions
- In 1969, Yes covered this song on their self-titled debut album.[7] Their cover turned the song into a grungy wall of sound with several tempo and key changes and an extended jam opening that also references the Beatles' "Day Tripper". They have played their version of the song live many times.
- In 1986, Lou Ann Barton did a version on her EP Forbidden Tones.
- In 2003, Peter Lipa included this song and 15 other Lennon–McCartney songs on his album Beatles in Blue(s).
- In 2004, Martin Gordon released a cover on The Joy of More Hogwash.
Notes
- 1 2 3 Miles 1997, p. 174.
- ↑ Miles 1997, p. 108.
- 1 2 3 MacDonald 2005, p. 128.
- ↑ Notes on "Every Little Thing", Alan W. Pollack
- ↑ Sheff 2000, p. 205.
- 1 2 3 Lewisohn 1988, p. 49.
- 1 2 Unterberger 2009.
References
- Lewisohn, Mark (1988). The Beatles Recording Sessions. New York: Harmony Books. ISBN 0-517-57066-1.
- MacDonald, Ian (2005). Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties (Second Revised ed.). London: Pimlico (Rand). ISBN 1-84413-828-3.
- Miles, Barry (1997). Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now. New York: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 0-8050-5249-6.
- Sheff, David (2000). All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-25464-4.
- Unterberger, Richie (2009). "Review of "Every Little Thing"". allmusic. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
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