Written by: Leiber-Stoller/Penniman
Recorded: 18 October 1964
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith
Released: 4 December 1964 (UK), 14 June 1965 (US)
Paul McCartney: lead vocals, bass, handclaps
John Lennon: backing vocals, rhythm guitar, handclaps
George Harrison: backing vocals, lead guitar, handclaps
Ringo Starr: drums, handclaps
George Martin: piano
Available on:
Beatles For Sale
Live At The BBC
Anthology 1
One of The Beatles' most thrilling rock 'n' roll performances, Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey was recorded for Beatles For Sale in a single take in October 1964.
Kansas City had been written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller in 1952. It was first recorded in the same year by Little Willie Littlefield that same year, under the title KC Lovin'. Under its correct title, it was popularised by Wilbert Harrison in 1959, after which a number of cover versions followed.
Among these was Little Richard's version. When performing the song live, it usually became part of a medley with his own song Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!, which was first released in 1958 as the b-side to Good Golly Miss Molly.
The Beatles saw Little Richard perform the medley in concert, and adopted it for their own set in 1962. They performed twice with him in England in October that year, and became friends with him during a two-week stint at Hamburg's Star-Club in November.
I could do Little Richard's voice, which is a wild, hoarse, screaming thing; it's like an out-of-body experience. You have to leave your current sensibilities and go about a foot above your head to sing it. You have to actually go outside yourself. It's a funny little trick and when you find it, it's very interesting.
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles
A live performance of the songs was captured at the Cavern Club, Liverpool, on 22 August 1962 by a sound technician from Granada TV. A recording from the Star-Club, Hamburg, taped in December 1962, is also available on bootlegs.
The Beatles had mostly dropped the songs from their set by 1963, although they were performed for a BBC radio session that year on 16 July, first broadcast on 6 August. Recorded for Pop Go The Beatles, this version was released in 1994 on the Live At The BBC collection.
Another radio version was recorded for the From Us To You show on 1 May 1964, and was first broadcast on 18 May.
A third BBC version was captured on 17 July 1964, for the 3 August edition of From Us To You, and a final one followed on 25 November for Saturday Club, which listeners first heard on 26 December.
In the studio
Despite having mostly dropped it by 1963, The Beatles revived the medley when their first American tour arrived in Kansas on 17 September 1964. It was rapturously received by the crowd, leading the group to consider recording it in the studio.
This they did a month later, when a shortage of original material for their fourth album led to The Beatles reviving a number of old songs.
Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey! became one of The Beatles' most successful cover versions. Perfected in just one take, it was one of the first songs to be recorded during a mammoth session on 18 October 1964.
The Beatles did record a second take of the medley, although this remained unissued until 1995, when it was the final song on Anthology 1.
Lyrics
Ah, Kansas city
Gonna get my baby back home, yeah, yeah
I'm going to Kansas City
Gonna get my baby back home, yeah, yeah
Well, it's a long, long time since
My baby's been gone
Ah, Kansas City
Gonna get my baby one time, a-yeah, yeah
I'm going to Kansas City
Get my baby one time, yeah, yeah
It's just a-one, two, three, four
Five, six, seven, eight, nine
Hey hey hey hey (hey hey hey hey)
Hey, baby (hey, baby)
Ooh, now girl (well, girl)
I said, yeah, now, pal (well, pal)
Now, now, now, now, tell me baby
What's been wrong with you?
Hey hey hey hey (hey hey hey hey)
Hey, baby (hey, baby)
Ooh, now girl (well, girl)
I said, yeah, now, pal (well, pal)
Now, now, now, now, tell me baby
What's been wrong with you?
Well, I said bye (bye bye, bye bye, bye bye)
Bye bye, baby, bye bye (bye bye, bye bye, bye bye)
Whoo, so long (so long, so long, so long)
Bye bye, baby, I'm gone (bye bye, bye bye, bye bye)
Yeah, I said bye bye, baby
Bye, bye, bye, bye
Bye now, bye (bye bye, bye bye, bye bye)
Bye now, baby, bye bye (bye bye, bye bye)
Handclaps are missing (you hear them the last half minute of the song).
It might be worth mentioning the Kansas City concert where the promoter paid The Beatles a huge amount of extra money in order to play this song at the show. I'm not sure about the details, but it's a fairly significant story about the song imo
Good point. Thanks Andrew. There's an article on the extra concert date here: http://www.beatlesbible.com/1964/09/17/live-municipal-stadium-kansas-city/