"Things We Said Today" (McCartney – July 20, 1964)
A Hard Day’s Night – Side 2, Track 3 (2:35)
"Things We Said Today" is a song by The Beatles written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon/McCartney. It was composed for the film A Hard Day's Night and appears on the soundtrack album. It was also released as the B-side of the "A Hard Day's Night" single in the UK.
Composition –
McCartney wrote the song in May 1964 while cruising the Caribbean aboard a yacht called Happy Days with his then-girlfriend Jane Asher. Music critic Ian MacDonald said, "The sombre lyric—provoked by the frustrating interruptions of a relationship between two career people—matches the lowering gloom of the music."
The song is one of three main compositions (along with "And I Love Her" and "Can't Buy Me Love") that Paul McCartney wrote for the Beatles' film. Recorded in advance of film production for lip-synching reasons, "Things We Said Today" has a reverse nostalgia premise. McCartney said, "I wrote this on acoustic. It was a slightly nostalgic thing already, a future nostalgia. We’ll remember the things we said today, sometime in the future, so the song projects itself into the future."
McCartney was particularly satisfied with his chord change, F major to B flat major—instead of the more obvious F minor—which first occurs beneath "…wishing you weren't so far away" in the song. John Lennon accentuates McCartney's strident acoustic guitar strumming by triple hitting a low A note on a piano. The tempo of the song moves from ballad to rock and back with a minor to major key change during its middle eight section.
Recording and performing –
The song is one of three main compositions (along with "And I Love Her" and "Can't Buy Me Love") that Paul McCartney wrote for the Beatles' film. Recorded in advance of film production for lip-synching reasons, "Things We Said Today" has a reverse nostalgia premise. McCartney said, "I wrote this on acoustic. It was a slightly nostalgic thing already, a future nostalgia. We’ll remember the things we said today, sometime in the future, so the song projects itself into the future."
McCartney was particularly satisfied with his chord change, F major to B flat major—instead of the more obvious F minor—which first occurs beneath "…wishing you weren't so far away" in the song. John Lennon accentuates McCartney's strident acoustic guitar strumming by triple hitting a low A note on a piano. The tempo of the song moves from ballad to rock and back with a minor to major key change during its middle eight section.
Recording and performing –
The Beatles recorded "Things We Said Today" in three takes on 2 June 1964. Take one was a false start, take two was the rhythm track, and take three was used for overdubs of the main vocal, tambourine, and piano. According to author and Beatle historian Mark Lewisohn, the piano was supposed to be omitted from the mix but is audible due to leakage onto other microphones during the recording of the overdubs, but MacDonald was skeptical about that conclusion.
The group also recorded "Things We Said Today" twice for BBC radio, on 14 and 17 July 1964. The first, a performance for the Top Gear radio show, was featured on the Live at the BBC album in 1994.
The Beatles included "Things We Said Today" as part of their live set during their 1964 tour of the United States and Canada, although it was dropped afterwards. George Harrison sang harmony vols alongside Paul McCartney during the performances.
The group also recorded "Things We Said Today" twice for BBC radio, on 14 and 17 July 1964. The first, a performance for the Top Gear radio show, was featured on the Live at the BBC album in 1994.
The Beatles included "Things We Said Today" as part of their live set during their 1964 tour of the United States and Canada, although it was dropped afterwards. George Harrison sang harmony vols alongside Paul McCartney during the performances.
Takes: 3
Personnel
Personnel
John Lennon― Rhythm guitar (1962 Gibson J160E), piano (1905 Steinway Vertegrand "Mrs. Mills")
Paul McCartney ― Lead vocal (double-tracked), bass guitar (1963 Hofner 500/1), rhythm guitar (1962 Gibson J160E), tambourine
George Harrison ― Lead guitar (1963 Gretsch 6119 "Tennessean")
Ringo Starr ― Drums (1963 Black Oyster Pearl Ludwig kit)
– Brian invites the Beatles to a restaurant in Soho to celebrate.
– Brian is made an opening director of Northern Songs Limited.
1964 – With The Beatles number 1, 12th week (UK Record Retailer chart).
– "I Want To Hold Your Hand" number 1, 4th week; 6th week in the Top 100 (Billboard).
– "She Loves You", 5th week in the Top 100 (Billboard).
– "Please Please Me", 4th week in the Top 100 (Billboard).
– "I Saw Her Standing There", 3rd week in the Top 100 (Billboard).
– End of stay in Miami. The Beatles leave from Kennedy Airport, USA, to Heathrow Airport, England. Dezo Hoffmann present at the Kennedy Airport.
– 8.10am. The Beatles arrive in Heathrow Airport, London. 3620 fans crowd the Queen's Building roof, the biggest Beatles reception at this airport.
– Informal ceremony, at the NEMS Moorfields office. Brian celebrates Cilla Black's number 1 presenting her with a gold bracelet watch stuffed with diamond chippings. When Cilla returns home, she discovers that Brian has sent her mother the biggest bunch of flowers she has ever seen.
1965 – The Beatles and Eleanor Bron fly from London to Bahamas, to begin Help! shootings.
1967 – Studio 2. 7.00pm-3.45am. Recording: "A Day In The Life" (edit pieces takes 1-9). Mono mixing: "A Day In The Life" (remixes 6-9, from takes 6, 7). Editing: "A Day In The Life" (remix mono 9 and edit piece take 9).
– Stereo mixing: "A Day In The Life" (remixes 1-9, from takes 6, 7). Recording: "Anything" (also known as "Drum Track (1)") (take 1). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush.
– Recording of final piano chord for "A Day In The Life". Remix of "A Day In The Life" with two 4-track machines in sync.
– Visit at the studio: David Crosby, of the Byrds.
1969 – Yellow Submarine LP, 6th week in the Top 30 (Billboard).
– Trident Studios. Time unknown. Recording: "I Want You" (later known as "I Want You (She's So Heavy)") (takes 1-35). Producer: Glyn Johns; Engineer: Barry Sheffield; 2nd Engineer: unknown.
– Start of Abbey Road sessions.
Ringo and Peter Sellers in The Magic Christian
1970 – New York premiere: The Magic Christian.
1995 – Recording of "Young Boy" begins in Idaho, USA.
– Ringo and Peter Sellers in The Magic Christian.
Paul McCartney ― Lead vocal (double-tracked), bass guitar (1963 Hofner 500/1), rhythm guitar (1962 Gibson J160E), tambourine
George Harrison ― Lead guitar (1963 Gretsch 6119 "Tennessean")
Ringo Starr ― Drums (1963 Black Oyster Pearl Ludwig kit)
Trivia –
Writer and music critic Paul Williams has declared this song the greatest work of art produced in the 20th century.
It's been reported that fans in the Sixties would slow dance with their dates to the minor-key, "ballad" style verses and then separate and "fast dance" during the major-key, "rock" bridges.
Today in Beatles History (From The Beatles InternetAlbum) February 22
1963 – This day's issue of the New Musical Express reports, erroneously, that "Keep Your Hands Off My Baby" was recorded during sessions for Please Please Me LP.
– "Please Please Me" single number 1, 1st week, sharing this position with Frank Ifield's The Wayward Wind (UK New Musical Express chart).1963 – This day's issue of the New Musical Express reports, erroneously, that "Keep Your Hands Off My Baby" was recorded during sessions for Please Please Me LP.
– Brian invites the Beatles to a restaurant in Soho to celebrate.
– Brian is made an opening director of Northern Songs Limited.
1964 – With The Beatles number 1, 12th week (UK Record Retailer chart).
– "I Want To Hold Your Hand" number 1, 4th week; 6th week in the Top 100 (Billboard).
– "She Loves You", 5th week in the Top 100 (Billboard).
– "Please Please Me", 4th week in the Top 100 (Billboard).
– "I Saw Her Standing There", 3rd week in the Top 100 (Billboard).
– End of stay in Miami. The Beatles leave from Kennedy Airport, USA, to Heathrow Airport, England. Dezo Hoffmann present at the Kennedy Airport.
– 8.10am. The Beatles arrive in Heathrow Airport, London. 3620 fans crowd the Queen's Building roof, the biggest Beatles reception at this airport.
– Informal ceremony, at the NEMS Moorfields office. Brian celebrates Cilla Black's number 1 presenting her with a gold bracelet watch stuffed with diamond chippings. When Cilla returns home, she discovers that Brian has sent her mother the biggest bunch of flowers she has ever seen.
1965 – The Beatles and Eleanor Bron fly from London to Bahamas, to begin Help! shootings.
1967 – Studio 2. 7.00pm-3.45am. Recording: "A Day In The Life" (edit pieces takes 1-9). Mono mixing: "A Day In The Life" (remixes 6-9, from takes 6, 7). Editing: "A Day In The Life" (remix mono 9 and edit piece take 9).
– Stereo mixing: "A Day In The Life" (remixes 1-9, from takes 6, 7). Recording: "Anything" (also known as "Drum Track (1)") (take 1). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Richard Lush.
– Recording of final piano chord for "A Day In The Life". Remix of "A Day In The Life" with two 4-track machines in sync.
– Visit at the studio: David Crosby, of the Byrds.
1969 – Yellow Submarine LP, 6th week in the Top 30 (Billboard).
– Trident Studios. Time unknown. Recording: "I Want You" (later known as "I Want You (She's So Heavy)") (takes 1-35). Producer: Glyn Johns; Engineer: Barry Sheffield; 2nd Engineer: unknown.
– Start of Abbey Road sessions.
Ringo and Peter Sellers in The Magic Christian
1970 – New York premiere: The Magic Christian.
1995 – Recording of "Young Boy" begins in Idaho, USA.
– Ringo and Peter Sellers in The Magic Christian.
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