“I’ll Follow the Sun” (McCartney – December 15, 1964)
Beatles '65 — Side 1, Track 5 (1:46)
YouTube (McCartney Live)
From Wikipedia, Rolling Stone, About.com, and Google –
"I'll Follow the Sun" is a song by The Beatles. It is a melancholy ballad written and sung by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released in 1964 on the Beatles for Sale album in the United Kingdom and on Beatles '65 in the United States, but was written long before that year: a version recorded in 1960 can be found in the bootleg record You Might As Well Call Us The Quarrymen. The song is somewhat of a cult favorite; it was released as a mono extended play 45 in 1964 on Parlophone/EMI (and in 1995 as a B-side to “Baby It's You”).
Largely composed by John, "And Your Bird Can Sing" features the singer insulting or "putting down" an acquaintance who's taken on a superior attitude; as such, the words of this song are some of the most speculated-upon of any Beatles track. The "bird" in this song is generally considered to be standard British slang for a girlfriend, leading some to speculate that the subject in question might be Mick Jagger (whose paramour, Marianne Faithfull, was just beginning her rise on the pop charts), or possibly Paul McCartney himself. A more popular theory in recent years identifies the subject as no less an icon than Frank Sinatra, whose press release announcing his nomination for a 1965 Grammy reportedly read, in part: "If you happen to be tired of kid singers wearing mops of hair thick enough to hide a crate of melons... 'Tell me that you've heard every sound there is,' crooned the world's greatest kid singer in his enigmatic reply, 'and your bird can swing. But you can't hear me. You can't hear me.'"
Whatever the point of the song, John was reportedly never pleased with it, considering it one of his "knockoffs" written just to fill a gap in the new album. (Paul is thought to have provided some melodic input in the bridge, as well as the suggestion of downward-moving harmonies at the beginning of the song's final verse.) For a supposedly throwaway song, however, more time than ever was spent on its creation: the band originally arranged and recorded a version, complete with final-stage vocal and instrumental overdubs, on April 20th, only to scrap the entire performance and rebuild the song entirely from scratch on the 26th. The final version -- which is in E, up from the original's D thanks to a capo -- features an overdubbed take 10 with the ending from take 6 spliced on.
The intricate signature guitar line that serves as the song's main hook is actually played by two guitarists: George and Paul, soloing in harmony at the same time on the two nearly-identical Epiphone Casino guitars given to John and George earlier in the year. Famed rocker and part-time Eagles member Joe Walsh has stated that he somehow learned to replicate the part without realizing that it was performed by two guitars.
Lyrics –
The song's lyrics center around a man who feels he is unappreciated by a woman. The song is believed to be him giving her an ultimatum, and that, as the lyrics state, "One day, you'll look to see I've gone." There is an unwillingness on the part of the song's narrator that adds a tenderness and tragedy to his leaving: "And now the time has come, and so, my love, I must go. And though I lose a friend, in the end you will know"..., as well as a reluctance on the man's ability to finalize the breakup, by the repeated phrase......"but tomorrow may rain, so I'll follow the sun."
Recording –
One reason they didn't use the song on their previous albums was because it wasn't tough enough for their leather-jacketed early image. By the time they did record it for their fourth album, the rhythm had changed from a rockabilly shuffle to a gentle cha-cha. And Ringo Starr kept the beat by smacking his palms on his knees.
"The next [single] had to always be different," McCartney said. "We didn't want to fall into the Supremes trap where they all sounded similar, so we were always keen on having varied instrumentation. Ringo couldn't keep changing his drum kit, but he could change his snare, tap a cardboard box or slap his knees."
Takes: N/A
Personnel
Paul McCartney – Vocal, bass guitar, acoustic guitar
John Lennon – Harmony vocal, acoustic rhythm guitar
George Harrison – Lead guitar
Ringo Starr – Percussion
Trivia –
One of the most famous outtakes in all of Beatles history, preserved for posterity onAnthology 2, is an abortive attempt at a vocal track on the original version's take 2. Throughout, John and Paul collapse in a giggling fit that is almost certainly brought about by the group's then-heavy use of marijuana.
Speaking of which, the line "you say you've seen seven wonders" is said to be a joking reference to the band's first use of marijuana, where Paul decided that life exists on "seven levels." Although this sounds like a bit of a stretch, it may account for the cryptic next line: "and your bird is green.
This was used as the theme song of the ABC-TV cartoon series The Beatles during its third season.
The original mono mix of "And Your Bird Can Sing" features louder handclaps and guitar than its stereo counterpart.
Today in Beatles History (From The Beatles Internet Album) January 21 –
1963 – EMI House. Promotional photographic session with Angus McBean.
EMI House, ground floor studio. Recording for Radio Luxembourg's “The Friday Spectacular”.
1966 – Marriage of George and Pattie Boyd, at the Esher Register Office, Surrey. Brian and Paul attend.
– Evening: Brian throws a party at Chapel Street, in honour of George and Pattie. Guests: Paul, Jane, John, Cynthia, Geoffrey Ellis, Wendy Hanson, George Martin, Judy Martin.
1967 – Chris Curtis returns to the Tito Burns Organization.
– 'Yesterday'... And Today, 31st and last week in the Top 200 (Billboard).
1970 – Daily Express publishes that John cut his hair to be able to travel without being recognized.
1971 – John is interviewed by Jann Wenner, published in 2 issues of 'Rolling Stone', under the title “Working Class Hero”.
– The second part of John's interview for 'Rolling Stone' is published.
1972 – US single release: “Mid Train”/”Listen The Snow Is Falling”.
1990 – Paul's concert in Wembley (“Get Back Tour”).
Beatles '65 — Side 1, Track 5 (1:46)
YouTube (McCartney Live)
From Wikipedia, Rolling Stone, About.com, and Google –
"I'll Follow the Sun" is a song by The Beatles. It is a melancholy ballad written and sung by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released in 1964 on the Beatles for Sale album in the United Kingdom and on Beatles '65 in the United States, but was written long before that year: a version recorded in 1960 can be found in the bootleg record You Might As Well Call Us The Quarrymen. The song is somewhat of a cult favorite; it was released as a mono extended play 45 in 1964 on Parlophone/EMI (and in 1995 as a B-side to “Baby It's You”).
Largely composed by John, "And Your Bird Can Sing" features the singer insulting or "putting down" an acquaintance who's taken on a superior attitude; as such, the words of this song are some of the most speculated-upon of any Beatles track. The "bird" in this song is generally considered to be standard British slang for a girlfriend, leading some to speculate that the subject in question might be Mick Jagger (whose paramour, Marianne Faithfull, was just beginning her rise on the pop charts), or possibly Paul McCartney himself. A more popular theory in recent years identifies the subject as no less an icon than Frank Sinatra, whose press release announcing his nomination for a 1965 Grammy reportedly read, in part: "If you happen to be tired of kid singers wearing mops of hair thick enough to hide a crate of melons... 'Tell me that you've heard every sound there is,' crooned the world's greatest kid singer in his enigmatic reply, 'and your bird can swing. But you can't hear me. You can't hear me.'"
Whatever the point of the song, John was reportedly never pleased with it, considering it one of his "knockoffs" written just to fill a gap in the new album. (Paul is thought to have provided some melodic input in the bridge, as well as the suggestion of downward-moving harmonies at the beginning of the song's final verse.) For a supposedly throwaway song, however, more time than ever was spent on its creation: the band originally arranged and recorded a version, complete with final-stage vocal and instrumental overdubs, on April 20th, only to scrap the entire performance and rebuild the song entirely from scratch on the 26th. The final version -- which is in E, up from the original's D thanks to a capo -- features an overdubbed take 10 with the ending from take 6 spliced on.
The intricate signature guitar line that serves as the song's main hook is actually played by two guitarists: George and Paul, soloing in harmony at the same time on the two nearly-identical Epiphone Casino guitars given to John and George earlier in the year. Famed rocker and part-time Eagles member Joe Walsh has stated that he somehow learned to replicate the part without realizing that it was performed by two guitars.
Lyrics –
The song's lyrics center around a man who feels he is unappreciated by a woman. The song is believed to be him giving her an ultimatum, and that, as the lyrics state, "One day, you'll look to see I've gone." There is an unwillingness on the part of the song's narrator that adds a tenderness and tragedy to his leaving: "And now the time has come, and so, my love, I must go. And though I lose a friend, in the end you will know"..., as well as a reluctance on the man's ability to finalize the breakup, by the repeated phrase......"but tomorrow may rain, so I'll follow the sun."
Recording –
One reason they didn't use the song on their previous albums was because it wasn't tough enough for their leather-jacketed early image. By the time they did record it for their fourth album, the rhythm had changed from a rockabilly shuffle to a gentle cha-cha. And Ringo Starr kept the beat by smacking his palms on his knees.
"The next [single] had to always be different," McCartney said. "We didn't want to fall into the Supremes trap where they all sounded similar, so we were always keen on having varied instrumentation. Ringo couldn't keep changing his drum kit, but he could change his snare, tap a cardboard box or slap his knees."
Takes: N/A
Personnel
Paul McCartney – Vocal, bass guitar, acoustic guitar
John Lennon – Harmony vocal, acoustic rhythm guitar
George Harrison – Lead guitar
Ringo Starr – Percussion
Trivia –
One of the most famous outtakes in all of Beatles history, preserved for posterity onAnthology 2, is an abortive attempt at a vocal track on the original version's take 2. Throughout, John and Paul collapse in a giggling fit that is almost certainly brought about by the group's then-heavy use of marijuana.
Speaking of which, the line "you say you've seen seven wonders" is said to be a joking reference to the band's first use of marijuana, where Paul decided that life exists on "seven levels." Although this sounds like a bit of a stretch, it may account for the cryptic next line: "and your bird is green.
This was used as the theme song of the ABC-TV cartoon series The Beatles during its third season.
The original mono mix of "And Your Bird Can Sing" features louder handclaps and guitar than its stereo counterpart.
Today in Beatles History (From The Beatles Internet Album) January 21 –
1963 – EMI House. Promotional photographic session with Angus McBean.
EMI House, ground floor studio. Recording for Radio Luxembourg's “The Friday Spectacular”.
1966 – Marriage of George and Pattie Boyd, at the Esher Register Office, Surrey. Brian and Paul attend.
– Evening: Brian throws a party at Chapel Street, in honour of George and Pattie. Guests: Paul, Jane, John, Cynthia, Geoffrey Ellis, Wendy Hanson, George Martin, Judy Martin.
1967 – Chris Curtis returns to the Tito Burns Organization.
– 'Yesterday'... And Today, 31st and last week in the Top 200 (Billboard).
1970 – Daily Express publishes that John cut his hair to be able to travel without being recognized.
1971 – John is interviewed by Jann Wenner, published in 2 issues of 'Rolling Stone', under the title “Working Class Hero”.
– The second part of John's interview for 'Rolling Stone' is published.
1972 – US single release: “Mid Train”/”Listen The Snow Is Falling”.
1990 – Paul's concert in Wembley (“Get Back Tour”).
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