Log In
Register
Read the original blog post10.52pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline
My favourite Beatles track. Loved it upon first listen and would constantly rewinded to listen to it again never ever getting bored and still haven’t. Subtle guitar and piano parts, incredible vocals, driving energy throughout, John’s most threating delivery in any song (“that’s a lie”), those handclaps. I adore this with every inch of me.
And the talking at the beginning of take 2 is both fantastic and hilarious.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
2.45pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline A great song. Whenever I hear it, I can picture John looking up at the house or watching the girl walk hand in hand with another man. John tells a vivid story that, despite what Dick James said about the song resolving itself, leaves one wanting to know what happens next.
I definitely see what mmm likes about this underrated song.
The following people thank Zig for this post:
BeatlebugTo the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
4.54pm
8 January 2015
Offline
I love the 2nd take with all the silly mistakes. It’s a fine dark, dramatic song on the album, but I find it reassuring that John had trouble keeping a straight face, he had a lot of fun at work. You can also hear Ringo figuring out the dynamics, Paul trying out harmonics, and George playing those ultra cool 9ths in exactly the right way for the latin feel. I find the rhythm of the song as fascinating as the subject, the bossa nova is a stroke of brilliance when compared to the initial demo, because it then allows Ringo to be dramatic in the verses and at some point they figured out how to do the middle eight where Ringo gets to beat the hell out of the drums so you have that emotional slide from white-hot to gently seething back at the verse. Like MMM says, the deadliness of “that’s a lie” is because it directly contrasts with that cool bossa nova swing behind it. Perhaps the most telling part of the song is that it ends without resolution, just an infuriated NO REPLY! repeated and it ends like a despairing shrug.
The following people thank ewe2 for this post:
ZigI'm like Necko only I'm a bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin and also everyone. Or is everyone me? Now I'm a confused bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin everyone who is definitely not @Joe. This has been true for 2016 & 2017 
but I may have to get more specific in the future.
5.05pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline Taking everything we have from the recording sessions of the song they were certainly having fun in the studio. Interestingly at the start of take 1 John complained of having a sore throat and really wanted Paul to sing it with him.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
BEATLES Music gives me Eargasms! 
1 Guest(s)
