"Every Little Thing" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their album Beatles for Sale, issued in the UK in December 1964. Credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was written by Paul McCartney. Capitol Records first issued the song in the US on Beatles VI in June 1965. The track is an early example of the Beatles' use of non-rock instrumentation on a recording, through the addition of timpani drum over the choruses.
| "Every Little Thing" | |
|---|---|
_sheet_music_cover.jpg) Cover of the Northern Songs sheet music | |
| Song by the Beatles | |
| from the album Beatles for Sale | |
| Released | 4 December 1964 |
| Recorded | 29–30 September 1964 |
| Studio | EMI, London |
| Genre | Rock |
| Length | 2:01 |
| Label | Parlophone |
| Songwriter(s) | Lennon–McCartney |
| Producer(s) | George Martin |
Composition
editRecalling the song's creation in his authorised biography, Many Years from Now (1997), McCartney says he wrote "Every Little Thing" in the music room at the London home of his then-girlfriend Jane Asher, where he was living at the time.[1][2] Other sources, citing a 1964 interview with McCartney, place the song's origins at Atlantic City in the United States, where the Beatles stopped over in late August that same year during their US tour.[3] In 1980, John Lennon told Playboy magazine that McCartney wrote the song, although he himself might have "[thrown] something in".[4] Author John Winn concludes that McCartney began the composition in London and finished it with Lennon in Atlantic City.[5]
"Every Little Thing" is a rare example of a Lennon–McCartney song in which one member of the partnership was primary composer (here McCartney) but the other sang lead vocal (here Lennon).[6][7][8] This was done to try to reproduce the sound of A Hard Day's Night.[8] McCartney sings in unison with Lennon on the verses, but Lennon's vocal is more prominent.[9] McCartney sings the high harmony on the chorus.[citation needed]
Recording
editThe Beatles recorded "Every Little Thing" for their fourth studio album, Beatles for Sale, during a period when Lennon and McCartney's productivity as songwriters had suffered as a result of the band's international touring commitments.[10] In Many Years from Now, McCartney says he had intended the song to be their next single, but it "didn't have quite what was required", and was issued as an album track instead.[2][11]
The group recorded the song in four takes at EMI Studios in London on 29 September 1964, and then five more on 30 September.[12] The recording has been the source of some confusion among commentators,[9] based on McCartney's comments in 1964 that the electric guitar riff was played by Lennon, rather than by George Harrison, the band's lead guitarist.[13] In their respective line-ups for the song, authors Ian MacDonald and Kenneth Womack each credit Harrison for the lead guitar part, played on a Rickenbacker 12-string, and Lennon as the acoustic rhythm guitarist.[6][14] Winn also names Harrison as the lead guitarist, saying that he played Rickenbacker on the basic track and the subsequent overdubs.[15]
The four band members enjoyed themselves on the second night; take 6 was aborted due to McCartney burping his vocals, and take 7 was finished but ended in loud laughter.[12] "Every Little Thing" is one of the first Beatles tracks to include "exotic" instrumentation, as Ringo Starr added timpani over the choruses, punctuating the refrain with one-two flourishes.[12] In addition, musicologist Walter Everett highlights the subtle use of piano in the musical arrangement; played as an electric guitar motif by Harrison on initial takes of the song, the piano part provides a countermelody during the verses.[16] The timpani and piano (the latter played by McCartney)[17] were overdubbed onto take 9, along with a guitar intro.[12]
Critical reception
editIan MacDonald praised the "emotional depth" of "Every Little Thing" and cited this song among others as a counter-argument to the common perception of McCartney as an "emotional lightweight".[6] Richie Unterberger of AllMusic also admires the song and its "infectious chorus".[18] While considering the Lennon–McCartney compositions on Beatles for Sale to be relatively uninspired, author Mark Hertsgaard pairs "Every Little Thing" with "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" as tracks that demonstrate "how the band, thanks largely to John and Paul's extraordinary singing, could make unremarkable material sound richer than it really was".[19] Tom Ewing of Pitchfork Media describes "Every Little Thing" as a "splendid" song that is "given melodramatic thrust by Shangri-Las-style piano and bass drum". While noting the Beatles' fatigue on the album in reaction to their punishing schedule in 1964, Ewing views McCartney's narrative as "distinctly melancholy, his 'yes, I know I'm a lucky guy' sounding like an attempt to convince himself of that".[20] Far Out critic Lucy Harbron said that "the tender song still remains one of their sweetest takes on love and a feat of collaboration between Lennon and McCartney."[8]
In 2010, "Every Little Thing" appeared at number 91 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Beatles Songs".[21]
This song was revisited briefly during the stressful rehearsals that were recorded for the Beatles' Get Back/Let It Be project – Harrison describes it as "a good one" before starting to play the lick, McCartney joining in on vocals.
Guesting on NPR's All Songs Considered, musician Matthew Caws selected "Every Little Thing" as his pick for "perfect song".[22] Caws said: "the lyrics are happy and simple, but the melody is sad and deceptively complex. The disconnect between these two elements is what gives the song such depth."[22]
Personnel
editAccording to Ian MacDonald[6] and Kenneth Womack:[14]
- John Lennon – double-tracked lead vocal, acoustic guitar
- Paul McCartney – vocal harmony, bass, piano
- George Harrison – double-tracked lead guitar
- Ringo Starr – drums, timpani
Cover versions
edit- In 1969, Yes covered this song on their self-titled debut album.[18] Their cover turned the song into a grungy wall of sound with several tempo and key changes and an extended jam opening that also references the Beatles' "Day Tripper".
- In 1986, Lou Ann Barton did a version on her EP Forbidden Tones.[23]
- In 2003, Peter Lipa included this song and 15 other Lennon–McCartney songs on his album Beatles in Blue(s).[24]
- In 2004, Martin Gordon released a cover on The Joy of More Hogwash.[25]
- In 2006, Barbara Dickson included this song and eleven other Lennon–McCartney and Harrison songs on her album Nothing's Gonna Change My World.
References
edit- ^ Miles 1997, p. 108.
- ^ a b Womack 2014, p. 267.
- ^ Guesdon & Margotin 2013, p. 190.
- ^ Sheff 2000, p. 205.
- ^ Winn 2008, p. 273.
- ^ a b c d MacDonald 2005, p. 128.
- ^ Pollack, Alan W. (1992). "Notes on 'Every Little Thing'". soundscapes.info. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
- ^ a b c Harbron, Lucy (17 December 2023). "The Beatles song written by Paul McCartney and sung by John Lennon". Far Out. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ a b Fontenot, Robert (5 January 2015). "The Beatles Songs: 'Every Little Thing' – The history of this classic Beatles song". oldies.about.com. Archived from the original on 22 September 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
- ^ Hertsgaard 1996, pp. 100, 105.
- ^ Miles 1997, p. 174.
- ^ a b c d Lewisohn 1988, p. 49.
- ^ Guesdon & Margotin 2013, pp. 190–91.
- ^ a b Womack 2014, pp. 267–68.
- ^ Winn 2008, pp. 273–74.
- ^ Everett 2001, p. 258.
- ^ Winn 2008, p. 274.
- ^ a b Unterberger, Richie (2009). "Review of 'Every Little Thing'". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
- ^ Hertsgaard 1996, p. 105.
- ^ Ewing, Tom (8 September 2009). "The Beatles Beatles For Sale". Pitchfork. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
- ^ Womack 2014, p. 268.
- ^ a b "Perfect Song: Artist Picks". All Songs Considered. NPR. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
- ^ "Forbidden Tones - Lou Ann Barton". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
- ^ "Beatles in Blue(s) - Peter Lipa". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
- ^ "The Joy of More Hogwash - Martin Gordon". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
Sources
edit- Everett, Walter (2001). The Beatles as Musicians: The Quarry Men through Rubber Soul. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-514105-9.
- Guesdon, Jean-Michel; Margotin, Philippe (2013). All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Beatles Release. New York, NY: Black Dog & Leventhal. ISBN 978-1-57912-952-1.
- Hertsgaard, Mark (1996). A Day in the Life: The Music and Artistry of the Beatles. London: Pan Books. ISBN 0-330-33891-9.
- Lewisohn, Mark (1988). The Beatles Recording Sessions. New York: Harmony Books. ISBN 0-517-57066-1.
- MacDonald, Ian (2005). Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties (Second Revised ed.). London: Pimlico (Rand). ISBN 1-84413-828-3.
- Miles, Barry (1997). Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now. New York: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 0-8050-5249-6.
- Sheff, David (2000). All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-25464-4.
- Winn, John C. (2008). Way Beyond Compare: The Beatles' Recorded Legacy, Volume One, 1962–1965. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press. ISBN 978-0-3074-5239-9.
- Womack, Kenneth (2014). The Beatles Encyclopedia: Everything Fab Four. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0-313-39171-2.