‘Till There Was You’, sung by Paul McCartney on the With The Beatles album, was written by Meredith Willson for the 1957 musical The Music Man.
It also appeared in the 1962 film of the same name. McCartney, however, heard the song through Peggy Lee’s 1958 version.
I had an elder cousin, Elizabeth Danher, now Robbins. She was quite an influence on me… Betty would play me records like Peggy Lee’s ‘Fever’. Peggy Lee did ‘Till There Was You’ as well. I didn’t know that was from the musical The Music Man until many years later. This led me to songs like ‘A Taste Of Honey’ and things which were slightly to the left and the right of rock ‘n’ roll.
Anthology
The song became part of The Beatles’ live set from 1962, with performances taking place in such varied places as Hamburg’s Star Club and the Royal Command Performance. They also performed it at their audition for Decca Records on 1 January 1962.
I could never see the difference between a beautiful melody and a cool rock ‘n’ roll song. I learnt to love all the ballady stuff through my dad and relatives – ‘Till There Was You’, ‘My Funny Valentine’ – I thought these were good tunes. The fact that we weren’t ashamed of those leanings meant that the band could be a bit more varied. And there was a need for that, because we played cabaret a lot. Songs like ‘Till There Was You’ and ‘Ain’t She Sweet’ would be the late-night cabaret material. They showed that we weren’t just another rock ‘n’ roll group.The Lennon/McCartney songwriting collaboration was forming during that period. We went on from ‘Love Me Do’ to writing deeper, much more intense things. So it was just as well someone didn’t come up and tell us how uncool ‘Till There Was You’ was.
Anthology
‘Till There Was You’ appealed to McCartney – a fan of musicals and show tunes – and offered a contrast to The Beatles’ more rock ‘n’ roll numbers.
I looked at the recording scene and realised that a few people were taking offbeat songs, putting them into their acts and modernising them a bit. So I looked at a few songs with that in mind. ‘Till There Was You’ was one; no one was doing that except Peggy Lee so I thought it’d be nice to play.
The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions, Mark Lewisohn
The Beatles performed ‘Till There Was You’ at their famous appearance at the Royal Command Performance on 4 November 1963. It was later released on 1995’s Anthology 1.
The next song we’d like to sing now is one which is a bit slower. This is from the show The Music Man, and it’s also been recorded by our favourite American group Sophie Tucker.
Royal Command Performance, 1963
They also recorded it eight times for BBC radio, the first of which took place on 1 June 1963. The Beatles’ last version, recorded for the From Us To You programme on 28 February 1964, was included on 1994’s Live At The BBC.
‘Till There Was You’ was the second song performed during The Beatles’ first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in America, on 9 February 1964. It was the only song played that night which was not one of their hits.
In the studio
‘Till There Was You’ was first recorded on 18 July 1963, during the first session for the With The Beatles LP. On the same day the group also recorded ‘You Really Got A Hold On Me’, ‘Money (That’s What I Want)’, and ‘Devil In Her Heart’.
The Beatles recorded three takes of ‘Till There Was You’, two of which were complete. However, it was felt they were unsatisfactory, and a re-make was attempted on 30 July.
During this second session the group recorded takes 4-8, the last of which was selected as the best version. A mono mix was made on 21 August, and a stereo one on 29 October.
Lyrics:
There were bells on a hill
But I never heard them ringing
No, I never heard them at all
Till there was you
There were birds in the sky
But I never saw them winging
No, I never saw them at all
Till there was you
Then there was music and wonderful roses
They tell me in sweet fragrant meadows
Of dawn and dew
There was love all around
But I never heard it singing
No, I never heard it at all
Till there was you
Then there was music and wonderful roses
They tell me in sweet fragrant meadows
Of dawn and dew
There was love all around
But I never heard it singing
No, I never heard it at all
Till there was you
Till there was you
This song gets a lot of ridicule, even more than “A Taste of Honey”, and not undeservedly so. I myself don’t enjoy it nearly as much as “Honey”, and the way Paul sings that he never “sawr” the birds winging is supremely irritating. But George’s surprising and unique guitar solo nearly makes it worthwhile.
I’ve always liked this song. Paul does a great vocal and George’s playing really stands out in somewhat of a flamenco manner. Yup,George crafts his guitar solo qiute nicely from the first to the last note then delivers it beautifully right into McCartney’s next vocal line.
This is highly enjoyable and a vastly superior cover.
The original version that I heard on the radio around 1959 or 1960 was from Anita Bryant.
Wha?????
Personally, I don’t care for “Honey,” but I absolutely love this song.
(PS- I love Paul singing “sawr.” My mom and I imitate it when we sing along. 😛 )
I have always loved it
Personally I’d rather have this than “A Taste of Honey” – Paul’s “sawr” is just one of those individual touches I think. But what makes it work for me is the guitars, no doubt about it: not just the solo, but right from the intro and all the little interjections between the vocal lines – all beautifully done. And Lennon’s rhythm guitar is not to be overlooked either.
I think you need to wash your ears…At least…Being optimist and discarding a more severe brain disease…
Please tell me your kidding!!!! Second Best cover on With the Beatles (money being #1)
You ought to watch George do that solo live – Ed Sullivan for instance – he doesn’t even look at the guitar – that’s the Hamburg impact.
I’ve always been intrigued by george’s guitar solo on this and wondered if it was original.For years i assumed that he must have copied it from the peggy lee version but on hearing it this isn’t the case.It wasn’t influenced by George Martin either as he played it on the decca tapes. Can anyone shed any light on this?
Around 1960 or 1961 Anita Bryant had a hit version of this song–check it out to see if the guitar solo is there.
It sounds exactly like the kind of solo George would write around this time, so I suspect it’s original.
It is a great solo. Innovative, original and incredibly tasty! George was barely 20 years old at the time.
I’m not a rabid George fan (although I love all my Beatles), but his playing here is gorgeous – and surprising. I love this track for Paul’s beautiful voice but especially for George’s contribution – and yes, considering his age at the time, quite astonishing.
Thank you for highlighting this song. I remember it being performed on the Ed Sullivan Show and it is still may one of my favorites. I even suggested it to be included in the 2005 tour on McCartneys website at the time and couldnt believe they played it. It was my wedding song 30 years ago and I never get tired of it. I believe the ” sorry girls he’s married” reference to John while they performed on Sullivan was the basis for a scene in the movie “That Thing She Does”.
Well, I sheepishly admit I kind of like this one. And “A Taste of Honey” and “P.S. I Love You”, which sound to me like three peas in the proverbial pod. Then after these pleasant but lightweight Paul performances, he comes up with “And I Love Her” on the next album, as beautiful and deep a ballad as you could ever hope for. What a guy; what a band!
As much as I love “And I Love Her” (I’m a classical guitarist), I think John’s “If I Fell” is better. I heard it was John showing he could write a good ballad too.
I am with you on that. This is one of my Beatles favorites and I have been listening to the Beatles since they first hit America. I like sweet songs, and I really enjoy McCartney on this song. But paired with Harrison’s guitar, I find it an inconspicuous masterpiece. I was seriously depressed (sarcastic) when I first learned that McCartney did not write the song and lyrics. But I got over it.
I only ever listen to this song for the solo. Like Tom Watt I thought it was copied. If it’s George’s creation I love it even more.
Great lead vocal, great lead guitar and let’s give credit to the great songwriter Meredith Wilson who wrote the song for his Broadway musical The Music Man.
The “style” of this song is very reminiscent of what was happening in Latin music at the time. Listen to “Eydie Gorme and El Trio Los Panchos” and it is chock-full-o ballads that this wonderful song reminds me of.
I guess you’re right eliirodz, there are a lot of Latin influences in George’s guitar, from its deep acoustic and gentle sound to its general style. A lot of “bolero” style.
George was well at ease with a classical on this, and “And I Love Her.” Robert, you’re right -George doesn’t even look, hardly on the Sullivan show -and that’s with a high fever! They all bought classical guitars while on holiday in Spain. George bought Mary Hopkin a Ramirez classical after she made a favorable comment about George’s.
Til there was you I consider a standard cover of the time. But it is far from being as good a cover (or song , for that matter) than youve really got a hold on me, twist and shoug, or even money
Per the “sar”–I believe that’s a deliberate regionalism that Wilson put in the song. Listen to Shirley Jones sing it in the movie version. Plus, I seem to remember seeing it written that way in some sheet music from way back when.
Why, George Martin? WHY? Why, when you had not one (She Loves You), not two (I’ll Get You), not three (I Want To Hold Your Hand), but FOUR (This Boy)
smash or potential smash no. 1’s available was THIS placed on the album.
Even agreeable McCartney is mocking it with his exaggerated “sar”. How do you justify this? Unbelievable.
Those songs mentioned were singles. I think it is great and glad its on the album!
George Martin may have been involved, but hardly had any final say in what was included.
I don’t know if its worth noting but Ringo is not only playing bongos on this but he’s got the hi hat going with his foot on the backbeat
I agree. Yet again, it seems Ringo is left largely unacknowledged. His rhythm and timing is integral to this song.
According to ‘The Beatles Chronicles’ by Mark Lewisohn, during Brian Epstein 1st meeting with George Martin, while listening to the Decca audition tapes (transferred into disc), George Martin was impressed with George Harrison’s guitar playing on ‘Till There Was You.
Earlier & later live recordings & performance of Till There Was You, George used his Gretsch Country Gentleman electric guitar.
I assume, maybe George Martin was the one who suggested to George to use nylon classical guitar on the studio version included on ‘With The Beatles’ album.
Paul isn’t mocking this — it’s exactly the type of material he liked to cover back then. George’s solo is beautiful. What’s not to like?
As a pianist, I genuinely love this song. Paul’s vocals are superb and George’s acoustic guitar is incredible. I love the chord changes that George employs throughout the song, and then delivers a beautiful solo that is so perfect culminating in the best delivery possible back to Paul’s vocals.
The two acoustic guitars here blend perfectly, and George’s solo , the highlight of this song as far as I’m concerned, has vastly improved since the amateurish one he did on 1st january 1962. Still, it’s really not a “Beatles” highlight, but however much better than “hold me tight” from the same LP, originally rejected from the first one, painfully sung out of tune half the time by Paul. But, that was, and still is, the appeal of the Beatles, the variety of their act, they knew it worked in their favor. As far as cover versions go on “With the Beatles”, I’d much rather have “Please Mr Postman” or “Roll over Bethoven.
watching them on Ed Sullivan, I remember when in the solo, George plays that descending F#m-Fm-Em chord riff, my heart skipped a beat, the floor dropped out from under me, and I gasped- that A-HA Moment marked the beginning of a 53 year love affair with Beatles music.
Heavy stuff for a high school freshman !!!
oh I forgot to mention that I decided to play guitar after this performance? This post is only two year late, to the day!
OOPS and it was in key of F, so I should have said “Am-G#m-Gm” chords. I rely on a capo!
My dad had a band in the 50s-70s and covered many Beatles’ songs. This is one that he sang to us girls at night; it will always have a special place in my heart.
One of the best parts of my life has been hearing each Beatles album as it came out. I love this song. All four of the Beatles were (are) very interesting and talented people. They provided comfort and background music to the Viet Nam war period, one of the most tumultuous periods in American history.
Regarding Paul’s singing of the word saw as “sawr”. This is a common manner of speaking in Liverpool often referred to as a having a scouse accent. It’s kind of their version of a USA southern drawl. To their ears it seems very natural and it may have never even occurred to Paul about how it sounded. I am a little surprised, however, that George Martin didn’t catch it and have Paul pronounce it using a more “proper” english dialect. Maybe even he was so used to hearing the scouse accent that it got by him. Or perhaps Paul purposefully kept his scouse accent to remind everyone that they were common working lads from Liverpool. Take that upper-crust!
I can’t stand “a Taste of Honey” but love this simple and beautiful song. love Paul’s vocals as well.
Thumbs up
Personally, I think “Till There Was You” is one of the Beatles’ best covers. Both Paul’s pristine vocals as well as George’s sweet nylon-string guitar solo says it all.
What I always wonder is How/where did Paul come up with the arrangement for this, meaning the chord voicings? The other recorded versions at the time, including the Peggy Lee record aren’t arranged for guitar, or even a combo, but a small orchestra. Did he find the chords in published sheet music? Hard to believe he could hear those chords from a record and play them on a guitar. The blending of the tight syncopating guitars is just sublime. And of course, the solo is exquisite. Like Harrison’s later slide work, “glasslike.”
It is not uncommon for accomplished musicians to be able to “play by ear”. People do ear training for this very purpose. Of course for some lucky ones, it just comes much more naturally.