Getting Better
"Getting Better" | |
---|---|
Song by the Beatles | |
from the album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band | |
Released | 26 May 1967[1] |
Recorded | 9–10, 21, 23 March 1967 |
Studio | EMI, London |
Genre | |
Length | 2:47 |
Label | Parlophone |
Songwriter(s) | Lennon–McCartney |
Producer(s) | George Martin |
"Getting Better" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It was written mainly by Paul McCartney, with some of the lyrics written by John Lennon, and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership.[3]
Composition
The song has been said to be musically reminiscent of the Beatles' hit single "
McCartney's bassline, in counterpoint to this droning, was described by music critic
According to Beatles biographer Hunter Davies and MacDonald, the initial idea for the song's title came from a phrase often spoken by Jimmie Nicol, the group's stand-in drummer for the Australian leg of their 1964 world tour.[3][7] The title and music suggest optimism, but some of the song's lyrics have a more negative tone. In this sense, it reflects the contrasting personas of the two songwriters. In response to McCartney's line, "It's getting better all the time", Lennon replies, "Can't get no worse!"[9] In a December 1983 interview, McCartney praised this contribution as an example of things he "couldn't ever have done [him]self".[10] In a 1969 interview, Lennon cited "Getting Better" as an example of "pure Beatles" music, whereby, with the four band members developing a song, "we've all written it and we've all turned it into sort of pure Beatle."[11]
In a 1980 interview in Playboy with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Lennon, when asked about the song, said that the song's lyrics came personally from his own experience abusing women in relationships in the past. He states: "It is a diary form of writing. All that 'I used to be cruel to my woman / I beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved' was me. I used to be cruel to my woman, and physically – any woman. I was a hitter. I couldn't express myself and I hit. I fought men and I hit women. That is why I am always on about peace, you see. It is the most violent people who go for love and peace. Everything's the opposite. But I sincerely believe in love and peace. I am a violent man who has learned not to be violent and regrets his violence. I will have to be a lot older before I can face in public how I treated women as a youngster."[12]
Lennon's LSD incident
One of the recording sessions for "Getting Better" is infamous for an incident involving Lennon. During the 21 March 1967 session in which producer
Personnel
According to Ian MacDonald:[4]
- Paul McCartney – double-tracked vocals, bass guitar, handclapping
- John Lennon – backing vocals, rhythm guitar, handclapping
- George Harrison – backing vocals, lead guitar, tambura, handclapping
- Ringo Starr – drums, congas, handclapping
- George Martin – piano, pianet
Live performances
Paul McCartney performed the song live for the first time by any Beatle on his 2002
References
- ^ Everett 1999, p. 123. "In the United Kingdom Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band ... was rush-released six days ahead of its official date, June 1."
- ^ Unterberger 2009.
- ^ a b Miles 1997, pp. 312–313.
- ^ a b MacDonald 2005, p. 241.
- ^ MacDonald 2005, pp. 213.
- ^ Echard 2017, p. 174.
- ^ a b MacDonald 2005, p. 200.
- ^ MacDonald 2005.
- ^ Miles 1997, p. 314.
- ^ "December 1983 interview". YouTube. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
- ^ Miles (November 1969). "Abbey Road: The Beatles Come Together". Oz. Available at Rock's Backpages (subscription required).
- ^ "Playboy Interview: John Lennon and Yoko Ono". Archived from the original on 3 August 2004. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
- ^ Spitz 2005, pp. 670–671.
- ^ a b Lewisohn 1988, p. 104.
- ^ Miles 1997, p. 382.
- ^ The Beatles 2000, p. 242.
- ^ Emerick & Massey 2006, p. 172–173.
Sources
- Pollack, Alan W. (31 December 1995). "Notes on "Getting Better"". "Notes on" Series.
- ISBN 0-8118-2684-8.
- Echard, William (2017). Psychedelic Popular Music: A History Through Musical Topic Theory. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-02659-0.
- ISBN 1-59240-179-1.
- ISBN 978-0-19-512941-0.
- ISBN 0-517-57066-1.
- ISBN 1-84413-828-3.
- ISBN 0-8050-5249-6.
- ISBN 0-312-25464-4.
- ISBN 0-316-80352-9.
- Unterberger, Richie (2009). "Review of "Getting Better"". Retrieved 9 December 2009.