TOP 100 SONGS OF THE BEATLES: 95

"Any Time At All" (Lennon – July 20, 1964)

A Hard Day's Night – Side 2, Track 1 (2:11)
YouTube (Instrumental cover)

From Wikipedia, Rolling Stone and About.com –


Backgound –

The Beatles' song "Any Time at All" is credited to Lennon-McCartney, it was mainly composed by John Lennon, with an instrumental middle eight by Paul McCartney. It first appeared on the Beatles' A Hard Day’s Night album. 

In his 1980 interview with Playboy, Lennon described the song as "An effort at writing 'It Won’t Be Long,' same ilk: C to A minor, C to A minor—with me shouting.”

Lennon's handwritten lyrics for "Any Time at All" were sold for £6,000 at an auction held at Sotheby's in London, on 8 April 1988.

Incomplete when first brought Abby Road Studios on Tuesday 2 June 1964, McCartney suggested an idea for the middle eight section based solely on chords, which was recorded with the intention of adding lyrics later. But by the time it was needed to be mixed, the middle eight was still without words and that is how it appears on the LP. These few notes were influential in sections of Xanadu, I Say a Little Prayer and Tonight I’m Yours. McCartney sings the second "Anytime at all" in each chorus because Lennon couldn't reach the notes. "Any Time at All" reprises a George Martin trick from A Hard Night by using a piano solo echoed lightly note-for-note on guitar by George Harrison. 

Recording –

Date: June 2-3, 1964 (Studio 2, Abbey Road Studios, London, England)

Takes: 11

Personnel

John Lennon – Lead vocal, backing vocal, rhythm guitar (Gibson J160E)
Paul McCartney – Backing vocal, bass guitar (1961 Hofner 500/1), piano (1905 Steinway Vertegrand "Mrs. Mills")
George Harrison – Lead guitar (1964 Rickenbacker "Fire-glo" 360-12)
Ringo Starr – Drums (Ludwig)

Trivia –

The opening drum shot and closing harmonic chord were both spliced in from other takes, as the song had no formal written opening or ending.

Today in Beatles History (From The Beatles Internet Album): January 5 –

1962 – UK single release: "My Bonnie".

1963 – In the "Liverpool Echo", Tony Barrow announces and comments the release of the 2nd Beatles single.
– End of tour of Scotland.

1965 – "Another Beatles Christmas Show" at the Hammersmith Odeon, London (two performances).

1966 – "Day Tripper"/"We Can Work It Out" number 1, 5th and last week (UK New Musical Express chart).
– "Rubber Soul" number 1, 5th week (UK New Musical Express chart).
– CTS Studios. The Beatles record overdubs onto the soundtrack of the film "The Beatles At Shea Stadium".
– After night-clubbing together, John and P. J. Proby participate in a party at P. J. Proby's house, 5 Cheltenham Terrace, London.

1967 – Studio 2. 7.00-12.15am. Recording: "Penny Lane" (overdub onto take 7); "Untitled" (take 1). Mono mixing: 'Untitled' (from take 1). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Phil McDonald.
Preparation of sound effects for "Carnival Of Light".

1968 – George solo session at Abbey Road for "Wonderwall".
– BBC-2 transmits "Magical Mystery Tour", in color. 2nd transmision of the film.

1970 – Studio 1, Olympic Sound Studios. Time unknown. Stereo mixing: "I Me Mine" (from take 16); "Across The Universe" (remix 3, from take 8). Master tape banding and compilation: 'Get Back' LP. Producer, Engineer and 2nd Engineer: Glyn Johns.



1976 – Mal Evans dies in Los Angeles, in an unfortunate incident. The Los Angeles Police, mistaking his air pistol for a real gun, shoots him in self defense.

Photos from Google.