Written by: Lennon-McCartney
Recorded: 20 February; 30 March 1965
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith
Released: 18 March 1996 (UK), 19 March 1996 (US)
Paul McCartney: vocals, bass, piano
John Lennon: backing vocals, rhythm guitar, maracas
George Harrison: backing vocals, lead guitar, maracas
Ringo Starr: drums
Available on:
Anthology 2
Although written by Lennon and McCartney for the Help! album, That Means A Lot remained unreleased until 1996, when it appeared on Anthology 2.
The song was mainly written by Paul McCartney, who sang lead vocals. With a drum pattern similar to Ticket To Ride's, and an arrangement plastered with tape echo and vibrato, on their first attempt The Beatles created a wall of sound arrangement quite unlike anything else they'd previously recorded.
The song is a ballad which Paul and I wrote for the film but we found we just couldn't sing it. In fact, we made a hash of it, so we thought we'd better give it to someone who could do it well.
New Musical Express, 1965
That Means A Lot was given to American singer PJ Proby, who had become friends with the group after taking part in the TV special Around The Beatles in April 1964.
Released in September 1965, Proby's version - slightly slower than The Beatles', and with a string arrangement written and conducted by George Martin - reached number 30 in the UK singles chart.
In the studio
The Beatles attempted to record That Means A Lot on two separate occasions. The first was on 20 February 1965, just two days after they abandoned another Lennon-McCartney song, If You've Got Trouble.
The Beatles rehearsed the song four times, before recording a single take of the rhythm track, with McCartney on vocals and piano, Lennon and Harrison playing guitars and singing backing vocals, and Starr on drums. They then overdubbed more guitars and vocals.
Although the group briefly considered it suitable for the Help! album, a remake was begun on 30 March. Following a light-hearted swing run-through, they began with take 20, and recorded four attempts.
Take 20 of That Means A Lot was a country-rock performance, played slightly faster than the previous version, and transposed from E major up to G major. The following take was similar, though without the guitar flourishes previously added by Harrison.
For take 22 the group revived the original arrangement and key, performing it this way through to take 24. However, all the day's attempts were incomplete, and The Beatles took the song no further.
The 20 February version of That Means A Lot was released in 1996 on Anthology 2. The second session's attempts, however, are available only on unofficial bootleg releases.
Related articles:
- Recording: That Means A Lot
- Recording, mixing: If You've Got Trouble, Tell Me What You See, You're Going To Lose That Girl, That Means A Lot, You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
- If You've Got Trouble
- Teddy Boy
- Old Brown Shoe
I always felt one reason the song wasn't released at the time was it had the line "Love can be suicide". I figured the suicide bit wouldn't do for a Beatle lyric in 1965.
I've always love that song. When I heard it on the bootleg 'Unsurpassed Masters', I was so astonished by how great this song was. I was 7 around this time. It took me years to research why it was unreleased. I can envision it being part of side two of Help! album, or become a b-side to some other song. In america, I see it part of maybe Yesterday ...And Today, or on Hey Jude. Till this day, its my all time favorite songs of the beatles.
Something also not mentioned here, is that the echoed tape is an Anthology product.
It's a tape-echoed fake-stereo version on the anthology CD.
The original take 1 is on full stereo with drums, guitars and bass on the left, voice in center with back vocals on left and right, double-track voice on the right and piano on right.
This can be heard on the Anthology DVD when Paul says about the dates where The Beatles we're acting and they had to complain Brian for a day off; and also we can hear it on bootlegs of the Help! Sessions.
I just listened to this and wow is it bad.
I happen to love this song, but to each their own.
it's a great song. period.
I wonder if this song was at all inspired by the Zombies. It has a similar feel to their 1964-65 sound - particularly the vocal arrangement.
First time I heard that one-Proby managed by Brian Epstein/
Sounds like some of his fiction!
Whatever why are there no Lennon McCartney songs on here recorded by other artists?Many were demoed by the Beatles-One & One is Two had a Beatles demo before the song was given to an Australian act.
Tip of my tongue seems to have no Beatles demo and the only version in 1963 was by Tommy Quickly
The Chapter One CD Unheard Songs is a double which includes all known versions at the time going back as far as the Quarrymen
I've limited the scope of the site to songs recorded and released by The Beatles. One day I may write about other Lennon-McCartney compositions, but there are no current plans to.
This is one underrated Beatles song. Tim Riley's comments about it in his new biography were accurate and fascinating.