Written by: Larry Williams
Recorded: 10 May 1965
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith
Released: 9 December 1966 (UK), 14 June 1965 (US)
John Lennon: vocals, rhythm guitar
Paul McCartney: bass, Hohner Pianet electric piano
George Harrison: lead guitar
Ringo Starr: drums, tambourine
Available on:
Past Masters
The Beatles recorded two Larry Williams songs during a single 10 May 1965 session: Bad Boy and Dizzy Miss Lizzy, both sung by John Lennon.
The songs were recorded for Capitol, The Beatles' North American label, so they could release the Beatles VI album in June 1965.
Beatles VI was otherwise a mish-mash of six tracks from Beatles For Sale, some others intended for Help!, and Ticket To Ride's b-side Yes It Is.
Having been part of The Beatles' live set since the early 1960s, The Beatles wasted little time in recording Bad Boy in four takes. The first three were rhythm tracks only, and onto the fourth were overdubbed rasping vocals (Lennon), double-tracked lead guitar (Harrison), electric piano (McCartney) and tambourine (Starr).
The song didn't appear in the UK until December 1966, when EMI released A Collection Of Beatles Oldies to plug the Christmas gap after Revolver. It was the only previously-unreleased song on the album, and its inclusion meant that all Beatles songs from 1962 to that point were available on both sides of the Atlantic.
Lyrics
A bad little kid moved in to my neighbourhood
He won't do nothing right just sitting down and looks so good
He don't want to go to school and learn to read and write
Just sits around the house and plays that rock 'n' roll music all night
Well, he put some tacks on teachers chair
Puts chewing gum in little girls' hair
Now junior, behave yourself
Buy every rock 'n' roll book on the magazine stand
Every dime that he get, ooh, is lost to the jukebox man
Well he worries his teacher till at night she's a-ready to poop
From rockin' and a-rollin', spinnin' in a hula hoop
Well this rock and roll has gotta stop
Junior's head is hard as rock
Now junior, behave yourself
Gonna tell your mama, you better do what she said
Get to the barber shop and get that hair cut off your head
Threw the canary and you fed it to the neighbour's cat
You gave the cocker spaniel a bath in mother's laundromat
Well your mama's head has got to stop
Junior's head is hard as rock
Now junior, behave yourself
Whoo!
Related articles:
- Recording, mixing: Dizzy Miss Lizzy, Bad Boy
- Recording, mixing: I Want To Tell You, Yellow Submarine
- I Want To Tell You
- Bony Moronie
- Recording: If I Needed Someone, In My Life
Larry Williams' original lyric is "he don't do nothing right, his report card looks no good". John either didn't like the line or just couldn't be bothered- he sings:
"He won't do nothin' right
hizim frizzim card look so good"!
This song really rocks! Ringo's drumming is very solid and John's rock 'n roll vocal is killer. All The Beatles cut loose on this one. ... Love this website by the way!
One of my fave Beatles songs. Very under-rated.
One of John's most scorching vocals and the ensemble playing (as per usual) is tight and ferocious.
I read that in Beatles books and websites because it was the first song not to be released anywhere in worldwide after the US, such as the United Kingdom and Australia.