"Two of Us" (McCartney – May 18, 1970)
Let It Be – Side 2, Track 2
"Two of Us" is a 1969 song by The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon–McCartney).
"Two of Us" was originally released on Let It Be and was later released on Anthology 3 and Let It Be... Naked. Its title was used for a film Two of Us about a fictional 1976 reunion between McCartney and Lennon.
History –
The song was originally titled "On Our Way Home". McCartney claimed it was dedicated to his wife-to-be Linda Eastman, though the lyrics (e.g.: "you and I have memories/longer than the road that stretches out ahead" or "you and me chasing paper/getting nowhere") sounded to author Ian MacDonald like they were actually addressing Lennon.
An early performance of the song, in a guitar-driven rock style, can be seen in the Let It Be film. Unsatisfied with this style, which McCartney described as "chunky", the band reworked the song around acoustic guitars. The Beatles performed a finished version of the song live at Apple Studios on January 31, 1969; this performance was included in both the Let It Be film and album.
In May 1969, McCartney produced a recording of the song using this title by the group Mortimer, a New York City trio that briefly recorded for Apple, but this recording was never released.
An early performance of the song, in a guitar-driven rock style, can be seen in the Let It Be film. Unsatisfied with this style, which McCartney described as "chunky", the band reworked the song around acoustic guitars. The Beatles performed a finished version of the song live at Apple Studios on January 31, 1969; this performance was included in both the Let It Be film and album.
In May 1969, McCartney produced a recording of the song using this title by the group Mortimer, a New York City trio that briefly recorded for Apple, but this recording was never released.
There are any number of post-Beatle solo songs that deal obliquely with the dissolution of John Lennon and Paul McCartney's friendship (in John's case, not always so obliquely). "Two of Us," however, is that rare song crafted while the band was still together that seems to speak to the nature of their friendship. Although it's mythology -- Paul wrote the song about himself and his new bride, the former Linda Eastman -- there are several elements in the track that invite such an interpretation. For one thing, John and Paul sing it in close Everly Brothers-style harmony; the song also has a wistful air that makes it sound like an ending as well as a new beginning. Finally, there's this possible throwaway line from the bridge: "You and I have memories / longer than the road that stretches out ahead." A strange thing to say to someone you've known less than two years.
Linda's father, Lee, would often play a game with her as a child where they would "get lost," that is, take an aimless afternoon drive in order to discover new adventures. Growing up in the Scarsdale section of New York, it wasn't always easy to "go nowhere," but when Linda married Paul, she found it was a lot easier to do in the countryside around London. On one such trip in late 1968 the couple found themselves near a forest, and while Linda walked around, taking in the countryside, Paul composed "Two of Us" in the car.
"Two of Us" was presented to the Beatles during the "Get Back" sessions that later became the Let It Be project, and it was attempted several times in those early 1969 sessions. On the very first day at Twickenham studios, Paul presented it after an initial run-through on George's "All Things Must Pass," and the Beatles worked on learning it while veering off into some other "home" related cover songs. The next day, January 3rd, and again on the 6th, it was further worked out, and on the 8th and 9th, George begins one of the most famous fights in band history, when his suggestions for a guitar part are rejected by Paul, just as they were for "Hey Jude." These arguments were captured in the Let It Be film:
PAUL: "It's complicated now. We can get it simpler, and then complicate it where it needs complications."
GEORGE: "It's not complicated."
PAUL: "This one is like, 'Shall we play guitars through "Hey Jude"?' Well, I don't think we should."
GEORGE: "Okay, well, I don't mind. I'll play, you know, whatever you want me to play, or I won't play at all if you don't want to me to play. Whatever it is that will please you, I'll do it!"
JOHN: "I wish that we could start hearing the tapes now. Like, do it, and then hear what it is. Is it just 'cause we don't feel like it, or is it 'Does the guitar sound alright, really.'"
George temporarily quit the band the next day after a cutting remark by John. Back by the 24th, the band tried again, and again on the 25th, 26th, and 29th of January, slowly transforming the song from a Buddy Holly-style rock track to a gentler acoustic number. Finally, on the very last day of "rehearsals," and after having performed the rooftop concert the day before, the Beatles gathered to finish off the songs that wouldn't have worked in the rock and roll setting of the rooftop, including "Two of Us." John and Paul sang it and played it together, with George playing bass notes on his electric guitar and Ringo adding percussion here and there.
The final touch came much later when the project was handed over to producer Phil Spector to save; he took a snippet of typical Lennonesque nonsense from a January 22 Let It Be session where John made a mock intro for "Dig a Pony," and inserted it as an intro for "Two of Us" (and the album itself). "'I Dig a Pygmy,' by Charles Hawtrey and the Deaf Aids," he shouts. "Phase One, In Which Doris Gets Her Oats!"
Cultural references –
“Two of Us” is the title of a 2000 VH1 television drama which offers a fictionalized account of April 24, 1976, the day Lorne Michaels of Saturday Night Live offered the Beatles $3,000 to appear on the program, when by coincidence McCartney was visiting Lennon at his New York apartment and watching the program.
Recording –
Takes: 12
Personnel
John Lennon – Lead harmony vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar (1963 Gibson "Super Jumbo" J-200)
Paul McCartney – Lead harmony vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar (1967 Martin D-28)
George Harrison – Lead guitar (1968 Fender Rosewood Telecaster)
George Harrison – Lead guitar (1968 Fender Rosewood Telecaster)
Ringo Starr – Drums (1968 Ludwig Hollywood Maple)
Trivia –
Charles Hawtrey was a popular English comic actor, best known for his recurring roles in the Carry On franchise. "Deaf aids" was British slang for "hearing aids"; the band puckishly called their old Vox amps "The Deaf Aids" because they amplified sound so well.
The band Mortimer, an Apple discovery, recorded a version of this for a single. Although produced by McCartney himself, it has never been released.
Spector's tacked-on intro may have been inspired by a travelogue-style one McCartney made during an earlier take: "And so we leave the little town of London, England."
Steve Jobs quoted the "You and I have memories" to Bill Gates during their panel at the 2007 All Things Digital conference.
The cable channel VH1 named their 2000 TV movie "Two of Us" after this song; it was a fictional account of John and Paul's last day hanging out as friends in 1976.
Lennon casually begins whistling in the outro, and McCartney joins in, suggesting the two walking off down the road together.
Today in Beatles History (From The Internet Beatles Album) February 14 –
1964 – "With The Beatles" number 1, 11th week (UK Record Retailer chart).
– "I Want To Hold Your Hand" number 1, 3rd week; 5th week in the Top 100 (Billboard).
– "She Loves You", 4th week in the Top 100 (Billboard).
– Please Please Me, 3rd week in the Top 100 (Billboard).
– "I Saw Her Standing There", 2nd week in the Top 100 (Billboard).
– 10.00-12.00am. BBC's 'Saturday Club' broadcast (recorded 7 January 1964).
– "She Loves You", 4th week in the Top 100 (Billboard).
– Please Please Me, 3rd week in the Top 100 (Billboard).
– "I Saw Her Standing There", 2nd week in the Top 100 (Billboard).
– 10.00-12.00am. BBC's 'Saturday Club' broadcast (recorded 7 January 1964).
1965 – US single release: "Eight Days A Week"/"I Don't Want To Spoil The Party".
– Studio 2. 2.30-5.45pm. Recording: 'Ticket To Ride' (takes 1-2). Studio 2. 7.00-10.30pm. Recording: "Another Girl" (take 1, and 10 [unnumbered] edit pieces); "I Need You" (takes 1-5). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Norman Smith; 2nd Engineer: Ken Scott/Jerry Boys.
– Start of Help! sessions. A new recording technique is used: i) Rehearsals with tape running, spooling back it to record properly; ii) Making themes in one or two takes, with numerous overdubs on a rhythm track.
– Brian escorts Cilla Black to the Royal Film Performance.
– John passes his drivers test.
– Brian escorts Cilla Black to the Royal Film Performance.
– John passes his drivers test.
1967 – Vic Lewis, on behalf of NEMS Enterprises, flies to the US for talks with the Monkees' manager, Bert Schneider, with a view to NEMS Presentation bringing the group over to Britain for concerts.
1968 – Studio 3 (control room only). 4.30-6.00pm. Mono mixing: "Lady Madonna" (remixes 3-10, from take 5). Producer: George Martin; Engineer: Geoff Emerick; 2nd Engineer: Martin Benge.
– John, George, Cynthia and Pattie go to India.
1969 – Yellow Submarine LP, 5th week in the Top 30 (Billboard).
– End of George's stay at the London College University Hospital.
1975 – Capitol Records hurries to release the LP Rock And Roll and sues Morris Levy to force him to withdraw the LP Roots, which has already sold 3,000 copies, from the market.
1977 – US gold certification for The Best Of George Harrison.
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