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Another Girl
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| "Another Girl" | |
|---|---|
![]() Cover of the song's sheet music | |
| Song by the Beatles | |
| from the album Help! | |
| Released | 6 August 1965 |
| Recorded | 15–16 February 1965 |
| Studio | EMI, London |
| Genre | |
| Length | 2:04 |
| Label | Parlophone, Capitol, EMI |
| Songwriter | Lennon–McCartney |
| Producer | George Martin |
"Another Girl" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1965 album Help! and included in the film of the same title. The song was written by Paul McCartney[3][4] and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The song is addressed to the singer's girlfriend, who is informed that the singer has found "another girl."
Background and recording
[edit]Although "Another Girl" is credited to the Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership,[5] it was written primarily by Paul McCartney.[6] On 4 February 1965, following completion of the Beatles' Christmas shows, McCartney and then girlfriend Jane Asher flew to Hammamet, Tunisia,[7] for a 10-day holiday.[3] Because McCartney was there as a guest of the British government, he was able to relax protected from the hassles of Beatlemania.[3][8] The couple stayed at a villa that was built in the 1920s by Romanian George Sebastian.[9] According to music journalist Steve Turner, the villa – known as "Sebastian's Villa"[10] or "Villa Sebastian" – had previously been visited by such writers as Winston Churchill, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.[9][nb 1] The property contained a small amphitheatre that had been built the previous year, and McCartney was inspired by its acoustics to begin writing a new song.[12] He finished "Another Girl" in a bathroom in the villa,[7] which biographer Barry Miles described as having "ideal" acoustics for songwriting.[3]
The Beatles began recording the song on 15 February,[13] the day after McCartney returned from Tunisia.[3] It was the first day of recording for the soundtrack of the band's second feature film, Help! "Another Girl" was the second of three songs worked on that day, after "Ticket to Ride" and before "I Need You". Held in EMI's Studio Two, the session was produced by George Martin and engineered by Norman Smith, Ken Scott, and Jerry Boys. The band achieved a satisfactory basic track in one take,[13] featuring McCartney on lead vocals and bass, Ringo Starr on drums, and John Lennon and George Harrison on backing vocals and acoustic and electric rhythm guitars.[14][nb 2]
The band then added overdubs. McCartney double-tracked his vocal and Lennon added more backing vocals.[15] Harrison took 10 attempts at a guitar flourish to be edited onto the end of track, with the seventh being deemed best; however, this was left out of the final mix.[13] Harrison struggled with the lead guitar for the rest of the song, so McCartney recorded his own the next day using his Epiphone Casino.[15] The song was mixed for mono on 18 February by Martin, Smith, and Scott, and in stereo on 23 February by Smith and Malcolm Davies.[18]
Composition
[edit]With an up-tempo swing-beat that McCartney favoured ("Can't Buy Me Love", "She's a Woman") it opens with a short refrain, powered by block vocal harmonies, that segues straight into the verse, which is constructed on the blues-mode chord changes that the group favoured at that time. The bridge theme makes a sudden key change up a minor third from A to C (a harmonic strategy also used on the record's next track "You're Going to Lose That Girl") and features more close three-part harmonies as the aggressively sung verse's apparent threat to a jealous girl turns into a sweet tribute to the "other" girl who "will always be my friend".
This song features the often-utilized three-part harmonies between Lennon, McCartney and Harrison, but it is one of the only instances in which Lennon sings the highest harmony.
McCartney said of this song and other album tracks, "It's a bit much to call them fillers because I think they were a bit more than that, and each one of them made it past the Beatles test. We all had to like it."[3]
Live performances
[edit]The song was performed live for the first time by a Beatle when Paul McCartney returned to the Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, on 28 April 2015;[19][20][21][22] this was 49 years after the Beatles had first played at the venue, in June and July 1966.[23] In a released statement, McCartney said, "It was sensational and quite emotional remembering the first time and then experiencing this fantastic audience tonight."[24]
In the film Help!
[edit]In the film Help!, McCartney lip-syncs "Another Girl" while standing on a coral reef on Balmoral Island in the Bahamas, and plays a girl in a bikini as if she is a guitar.[3] Since McCartney's hands are occupied (with either bass or girl), Harrison mimes McCartney's guitar fills. The four Beatles also each change instruments; Harrison is seen playing McCartney's bass, Starr is shown playing acoustic guitar, and Lennon mimes playing drums. Another scene was filmed at the Cloisters, a famous Bahamian landmark.
Cover versions
[edit]The George Martin Orchestra covers the track on Help!, their instrumental reworking of the Beatles' album.
Berlin-based Lautten Compagney covers the track on their 2021 album "Time Travel" in an arrangement for baroque orchestra and saxophone.
Personnel
[edit]According to George Martin, quoted by Kevin Ryan and Brian Kehew:[25]
- Paul McCartney – double-tracked lead vocal, bass guitar, electric lead guitar
- John Lennon – harmony vocal, electric rhythm guitar
- George Harrison – harmony vocal, acoustic rhythm guitar
- Ringo Starr – drums
Notes
[edit]- ^ McCartney had initially been recommended the location by Peter Ustinov.[11]
- ^ Sources disagree on who played which rhythm guitar part. Citing George Martin's notes in his book Playback: An Illustrated Memoir, Jean-Michael Guesdon and Philippe Margotin write that Harrison played the acoustic part and Lennon the electric;[15] however, Ian MacDonald, Walter Everett, and Kenneth Womack state the opposite.[16] Sources do agree that the acoustic guitar used was a Gibson J-160E and the electric guitar was a Fender Stratocaster Sonic Blue.[17]
References
[edit]- ^ "The Long and Winding Road from Blake to the Beatles" by Matthew Schneider. Page 29
- ^ Davies, Hunter. The Beatles Lyrics. p. 98.
- ^ a b c d e f g Miles 1997, p. 194.
- ^ Sheff 2000, p. 195.
- ^ MacDonald 2007, p. 145.
- ^ Davies 2016, p. 180; Sheff 2000, p. 195.
- ^ a b Jacobson 2022, p. 43.
- ^ Whatley, Jack (8 March 2021). "The Beatles song Paul McCartney wrote in a Tunisian toilet". Far Out. Archived from the original on 27 January 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
- ^ a b Turner 2015, p. 112.
- ^ Courrier 2009, p. 112.
- ^ Miles 1997, p. 194; Turner 2015, p. 112.
- ^ Jacobson 2022, p. 43; Turner 2015, p. 112: built in 1964.
- ^ a b c Lewisohn 1988, p. 54.
- ^ Guesdon & Margotin 2013, p. 232; MacDonald 2007, p. 145: acoustic and electric rhythm guitars.
- ^ a b c Guesdon & Margotin 2013, p. 232.
- ^ MacDonald 2007, p. 145; Everett 2001, p. 284; Womack 2014, p. 40
- ^ Womack 2014, p. 40; Everett 2001, pp. 284, 345, 347; Guesdon & Margotin 2013, p. 232.
- ^ Lewisohn 1988, pp. 55–56.
- ^ Leonie Cooper (28 April 2015). "NME News Paul McCartney plays Beatles song 'Another Girl' live for the first time ever - watch - NME.COM". NME.COM.
- ^ Ariana Bacle (28 April 2015). "Paul McCartney plays the Beatles' 'Another Girl' for the first time live". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
- ^ Sharan Shetty (28 April 2015). "Paul McCartney plays Another Girl in Japan: Watch the first time a Beatle has played the Help song live". Slate Magazine.
- ^ "Paul McCartney sings Beatles hit Another Girl for first time live". The Sydney Morning Herald. 29 April 2015.
- ^ Swanson, Dave (2 July 2016). "When the Beatles Headlined the Budokan in Japan". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
- ^ "Paul McCartney returns to Tokyo, surprises fans with Beatles hit". Reuters. 28 April 2015.
- ^ Ryan & Kehew 2006, p. 389.
Bibliography
[edit]- Courrier, Kevin (2009). Artificial Paradise: The Dark Side of the Beatles' Utopian Dream. Westport, CT: Praeger. ISBN 978-0-313-34586-9.
- Davies, Hunter (2014). The Beatles Lyrics: The Stories Behind the Music, Including the Handwritten Drafts of More Than 100 Classic Beatles Songs. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 978-0-316-24716-0.
- Davies, Hunter (2016). The Beatles Book. London: Ebury Press. ISBN 978-0-09-195861-9.
- Everett, Walter (2001). The Beatles as Musicians: The Quarry Men through Rubber Soul. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-514105-4.
- Guesdon, Jean-Michel; Margotin, Philippe (2013). All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Beatles Release. New York, NY: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers. ISBN 978-1-57912-952-1.
- Jacobson, Laurie (2022). Top of the Mountain: The Beatles at Shea Stadium 1965. Lanham, MD: Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-1-4930-6529-5.
- Lewisohn, Mark (1988). The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions. New York, NY: Harmony Books. ISBN 978-0-600-63561-1.
- MacDonald, Ian (2007). Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties (Third ed.). Chicago Review Press. ISBN 978-1-55652-733-3.
- Miles, Barry (1997). Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now. New York, NY: Henry Holt. ISBN 978-0-8050-5248-0.
- Ryan, Kevin; Kehew, Brian (2006). Recording the Beatles: The Studio Equipment and Techniques Used to Create Their Classic Albums. Houston, TX: Curvebender Publishing. ISBN 0-9785200-0-9.
- Sheff, David (2000) [1981]. Golson, G. Barry (ed.). All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono. New York, NY: St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 978-0-312-25464-3.
- Turner, Steve (2015). The complete Beatles songs: The stories behind every track written by the Fab Four. London: Carlton Books. ISBN 978-1-78097-711-9.
- Womack, Kenneth (2014). The Beatles Encyclopedia: Everything Fab Four. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood. ISBN 978-0-313-39172-9.
External links
[edit]Another Girl
View on GrokipediaCreation and production
Writing and inspiration
"Another Girl" was primarily written by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership, though John Lennon later described it as entirely McCartney's work.[1] McCartney composed the song during a ten-day holiday in Hammamet, Tunisia, from February 4 to 14, 1965, shortly after the Beatles completed their Christmas season performances and just before studio recording began on February 15.[3] Accompanying his then-girlfriend Jane Asher, McCartney stayed as a guest of the British Consul in a secluded beachside villa, where he found respite from the relentless touring schedule that had dominated the band's early years.[4] The villa's isolated setting provided an ideal environment for creativity, and McCartney specifically wrote the song in the bathroom, drawn by the echoing acoustics created by its Islamic-tiled walls.[5] This relaxed atmosphere away from public pressures allowed him to craft the track amid a period of personal and professional transition for the band.[6] McCartney has characterized the song as a lighthearted and confident declaration of moving on from a past relationship, emphasizing a theme of straightforward emotional independence.[2]Recording sessions
The recording of "Another Girl" took place over two consecutive days, 15 and 16 February 1965, at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios) in London.[7] The sessions were produced by George Martin with engineering by Norman Smith, as part of the broader Help! album production following the band's exhausting 1964 world tour.[7] On 15 February, during an evening session from 7:00 pm to 10:30 pm in Studio Two, the Beatles captured the basic rhythm track in a single take, demonstrating their streamlined efficiency amid a packed schedule that also included work on "Ticket to Ride" and "I Need You."[7] Overdubs followed immediately, with lead vocals, backing harmonies, additional percussion, and guitar elements layered onto the four-track tape; these included a series of 10 unnumbered edit pieces for a guitar flourish that was ultimately discarded during mixing.[7] Ringo Starr's drum pattern, emphasizing a swinging rhythm on hi-hat and snare, provided the track's propulsive foundation from the outset.[1] The following afternoon, from 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm on 16 February, the group returned to Studio Two to complete the song, focusing primarily on overdubs for "I Need You" and "Yes It Is" while finalizing "Another Girl."[8] Paul McCartney added a lead guitar solo to the rhythm guitar layer, enhancing the track's texture without requiring additional takes for the core elements.[8] Technically, the sessions utilized EMI's four-track technology, with the rhythm section (bass and drums) on track one, rhythm guitars from John Lennon and George Harrison on track two, vocals—including McCartney's lead and the twin-tracked harmonies from Lennon and Harrison—on track three, and supplemental elements like extra vocals and tom-toms on track four.[1] This approach reflected the Beatles' evolving studio proficiency, allowing for dense yet balanced arrangements within the Help! sessions' rapid pace.[9]Personnel
"Another Girl" was recorded by the core lineup of the Beatles, with no additional session musicians involved. Paul McCartney performed lead vocals, bass guitar, and added a lead guitar overdub on 16 February 1965.[1] John Lennon contributed harmony vocals and rhythm guitar, playing a Fender electric guitar on the rhythm track.[1] George Harrison provided harmony vocals and rhythm guitar, using a Gibson acoustic on the rhythm track and attempting a Gretsch electric guitar flourish (which was ultimately unused).[1] Ringo Starr played drums on the rhythm track and added a tom-tom overdub.[1] George Martin served as producer, with Norman Smith engineering the sessions held on 15 and 16 February 1965 at EMI Studios, Abbey Road.[1]Musical analysis
Composition and structure
"Another Girl" is an up-tempo rock song characterized by a swing-beat rhythm and bluesy modal influences, particularly through the use of the flat-seventh chord (G major in the key of A major), evoking mixolydian mode elements common in the Beatles' mid-1960s output.[10] The track's energetic drive stems from its rhythmic foundation, blending rock propulsion with subtle swung phrasing that adds a buoyant, danceable quality.[11] The song is primarily in A major, with verses featuring a straightforward chord progression that incorporates I (A), flat-VII (G), IV (D), and V (E) chords, creating a blues-inflected harmonic palette; for instance, the verse opens with |A |G |A |D | over the first four measures.[10] The bridge provides contrast via a modulation to C major, shifting to a brighter, more expansive tonality before returning to the home key, a technique that heightens emotional tension without disrupting the overall flow.[10] This key change, unusual for the Beatles at the time, underscores the song's playful yet assertive mood.[10] Structurally, "Another Girl" follows a verse-chorus form adapted into an intro-verse-verse-bridge-verse-bridge-verse-outro pattern, with the verses functioning as pseudo-refrains through their repetitive lyrical hooks.[10] Clocking in at approximately 2:05 in length, it maintains a brisk tempo of around 178 beats per minute in 4/4 time, contributing to its compact, high-energy feel.[11] The arrangement emphasizes layered textures: Paul McCartney delivers the lead vocal with double-tracking for fullness, joined by three-part harmonies from John Lennon (high part) and George Harrison on the title phrase "another girl," creating a rich, choral effect.[1] Instrumentally, dual guitars provide rhythmic drive—Lennon on Fender electric rhythm guitar and Harrison on Gibson acoustic—while McCartney's prominent bass line anchors the swing rhythm, and Ringo Starr's drums, including tom-tom accents, propel the track forward with crisp fills.[1] McCartney also contributes a lead guitar solo, adding to the song's self-contained, band-centric sound.[10]Lyrics
The lyrics of "Another Girl," written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney, are presented below in their standard structure as recorded on the 1965 album Help!.[12] Verse 1For I have got
Another girl
Another girl
You're making me say that I've got nobody but you
But as from today, well, I've got somebody that's new
I ain't no fool and I don't take what I don't want Chorus
For I have got
Another girl
Another girl Verse 2
She's sweeter than all the girls and I've met quite a few
Nobody in all the world can do what she can do
And so I'm telling you, this time you'd better stop Chorus
For I have got
Another girl
Another girl Bridge
Who will love me till the end
Through thick and thin
She will always be my friend Verse 3
I don't wanna say that I've been
Unhappy with you but as from today, well
I've seen somebody that's new Chorus
For I have got
Another girl
Another girl The song's narrative unfolds from a first-person perspective, where the male protagonist directly addresses his current girlfriend to announce his shift in affections toward a superior replacement, emphasizing his resolve to end the relationship without regret.[13] This straightforward storytelling builds through escalating assertions, culminating in a repeated chorus that reinforces the finality of his choice.[14] Central themes revolve around empowerment through moving on from an unsatisfactory partnership, conveyed with a confident, assertive tone that highlights the narrator's agency in selecting a more fulfilling connection.[15] The lyrics praise the new partner's unwavering loyalty—"Who will love me till the end / Through thick and thin she will always be my friend"—while subtly deriding the old one, fostering a sense of liberation atypical of McCartney's more tender romantic ballads like "Yesterday."[14] Stylistically, the words employ colloquial language for an accessible, conversational feel, as seen in phrases like "I ain't no fool" and "I've met quite a few," which lend a casual, everyday authenticity without relying on deep metaphors or poetic complexity.[10] The rhythmic phrasing aligns with the track's swing beat, using short, punchy lines in the chorus to create a repetitive, emphatic hook that mirrors the narrator's unyielding stance, resulting in straightforward pop lyrics that prioritize direct emotional expression over elaborate imagery.[10] These elements reflect the 1960s youth culture's emerging embrace of casual relationships and personal autonomy in romance, aligning with the era's shifting social norms toward less rigid commitments, while tying into the lighthearted, comedic tone of the Help! film where the song underscores a playful romantic pursuit.[16]

