Written by: Lennon-McCartney
Recorded: 20, 26 April 1966
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Geoff Emerick
Released: 5 August 1966 (UK), 20 June 1966 (US)
John Lennon: vocals, rhythm guitar, handclaps
Paul McCartney: backing vocals, lead guitar, bass, handclaps
George Harrison: backing vocals, lead guitar, handclaps
Ringo Starr: drums, tambourine, handclaps
Available on:
Revolver
Anthology 2
Written mostly by John Lennon, And Your Bird Can Sing is notable mainly for its cryptic lyrics and the twin guitar riffs - played by Paul McCartney and George Harrison - that drive the song.
While Lennon never revealed the inspiration behind the song, it is believed to refer to the rivalry between The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Although the two groups were friends, Lennon saw the Stones as Beatles copyists, and the titular 'bird' may have been Marianne Faithfull.
Like Rain, And Your Bird Can Sing hinted at knowledge unbeknown to all but the enlightened, showing the influence of LSD. It is also likely that the oblique lyrics were an attempt at writing something akin to the wordplay of Bob Dylan, whose songs Lennon greatly admired.
Lennon was later dismissive of And Your Bird Can Sing, describing it as "a horror" and "throwaway". Paul McCartney claims to have helped Lennon write the song.
And Your Bird Can Sing was John's song. I suspect that I helped with the verses because the songs were nearly always written without second and third verses. I seem to remember working on that middle eight with him but it's John's song, 80-20 to John.
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles
And Your Bird Can Sing was the theme song for The Beatles' US cartoon series during its third season.
In the studio
On 20 April 1966 The Beatles recorded two takes of And Your Bird Can Sing, beginning with a rhythm track of guitars and drums. They then overdubbed three lead vocal tracks from John Lennon, harmonies from Paul and George, and tambourine and bass.
This version of the song was rejected, but was eventually released - complete with hysterical laughter from John and Paul - on Anthology 2.
On 26 April they recorded takes 3-13, with take 10 being the best. To this they overdubbed vocals and further instrumentation, and the song was complete.
no mention of Paul playing 'lead' with George on this one? pretty big fact to leave out methinks.
Was it definitely McCartney with Harrison? Ian MacDonald suggested it may possibly have been Lennon. As I couldn't confirm it either way I didn't put in the info. I admit it's more likely to have been McCartney and Harrison, though it could have been Harrison double-tracked. Confirmation from a reliable source would be helpful if anyone has it.
Didn't the "seven wonders" lyric of the song come from an tripped out paul on lsd and he wrote down "life is in seven layers"
Hi Grace. You're close - it's said to be about "There are seven levels", which was Paul's conclusion about life on the night he first tried marijuana. Some links:
http://www.beatlesbible.com/features/drugs/3/
http://www.beatlesbible.com/1964/08/28/bob-dylan-turns-the-beatles-on-to-cannabis/
Harrison said himself (i cant find where i read it) that him and mccartney did the harmonized lead guitars, although im not sure who did what key...but it was definitly mccartney. Lennon did the chords in the background.
Great - thanks for that. I've changed the line-up now.
Just watched anthology again last night. You're right. He was with mal and wrote it down on a piece of paper while smoking marijuana. I said lsd. My bad! I wish paul went into more detail about the "layer" thing
Also, I wish I knew why paul and john are laughing so hard on the anthology 2 track. I want to laugh too...but I don't know what's funny.
You know my name (look up the number) is the greatest anthology track. With a JAZZ jam session at the end, I mean there's nothing better than that!
I think it's just a matter of them getting the giggles. Not inappropriate if cannabis was a part of the inspiration for this!
For me, the best thing to come from the Anthology is its version of Across the Universe. I don't think any of the released versions of this song are the best this song could be (and it says something that there are so many), but the Anthology version must come close.
I'm pretty sure John plays tambourine on this one as well.
I'd like to offer up what I've learned regarding Lennon's inspiration for writing what is one of my favorite Beatle songs, And Your Bird Can Sing. This explanation, which I've heard through the years, was finally confirmed in Jonathan Gould's illuminating Beatle book, Can't Buy Me Love. I urge anyone who hasn't, to read this book.
The song's cryptic lyrics weren't induced through the ether of Lennon's drug use, nor a dig at The Rolling Stones. Rather it was a sharp but concealed rebuke of none other than...Frank Sinatra! Yeah, Sinatra, strange but true.
First, at the time the Beatles were writing songs for Revolver, they were harboring low-level resentment towards Sinatra because his album, September Of My Years, was a big Grammy winner for the 1965 awards and Rubber Soul wasn't even nominated. But what really inspired John's acid lyrics was what he read in March/April 1966. That month Esquire Magazine published a Sintra profile by the author, Gay Talese.
The article, well-known and remembered by Sinatra aficionados, extensively portrayed Sinatra's sybaritic life-style and his myriad possessions. Talese wrote, "Sinatra is the embodiment of the fully emancipated male, perhaps the only one in America. The man can have anything he wants."
Then Talese reports Frank's dim view of contemporary music and throws a verbal swing at the Beatles, belittling their music, and their mop-top hair. (Sinatra may have been acting out some jealousy here, considering his reliance on toupees!)
This is, without a doubt, what inflamed John to write the song that April. "You don't get me," should be viewed as Lennon telling Sinatra that you may think you've heard and seen it all, but you don't understand me, the Beatles or the tremendous changes transpiring with rock 'n' roll or society at large.
One more item which clarifies the lyrics: In the article, Talese mentions Sinatra's frequent use of the term, "bird." And no, Frankie didn't use the term as slang for a young woman, as John had done recently in Norwegian Wood. Rather, Talese reports, through implication, that Sinatra uses the term to refer to the male sex organ, particularly his own. Now the convulsive laughter between Lennon and McCartney on the Anthology track is readily understood. When Lennon slyly changes the line mid-song from "And your bird can sing" to "and your bird can SWING," that's funny! (Sinatra was widely reputed to have a larger-than-average sized member.)
Clearly, the reason for the Beatles' subterfuge through the years regarding the meaning of this song was due to this sexual reference. It would have been tough to explain that the song used as the theme for the Beatles' cartoon show was actually all about Sinatra's...er...bird.
That's fascinating, Frederique. Many thanks. I've got a copy of the Can't Buy Me Love book, but haven't had a chance to read it properly yet - I have a lot of Beatles stuff to read at the moment! It looks like a very well-written and well-researched book though.
Absent Gould's naming any source, I'm extremely skeptical about that claim. In fact, I don't believe it at all. Lennon was always an open book regarding the real-life origins and inspirations (if any) behind his songs. If AYBCS had anything to do with Sinatra (or Marianne Faithfull, for that matter), surely he'd have admitted as much long ago.
Where would the 70s have been if George & Paul hadn't come up with the harmony lead guitar parts on songs like this and Dear Prudence? Think Allman Bros, etc, etc. (assuming you want to)!
Terrific song, no matter what Lennon said about it later. George's guitar work shines, as usual. Great song on a great album!
Everett’s take:
We have drums, John’s rhythm guitar, and an unusually intricate Casino duet by George and Paul. Paul says “We wrote it at the session and learned it on the spot – but it was thought out. George learnt it and then I learnt the harmony to it, than we sat and played it”.
Paul then dubbed a busy, octave-rich Rickenbacker bass part.
A third track has rich-laden three-part vocals and heavily compressed handclaps treated with ADT. A fourth track has tambourine and Ringo’s added cymbals. The added singles include the crash at the start and just before the bridge (0:33 - 0:51).
A splice at 1:54 allows the nontonic ending – with Paul’s bass – to be chosen from an earlier take.