I Saw Her Standing There
"I Saw Her Standing There" | ||||
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Single by the Beatles | ||||
A-side | "I Want to Hold Your Hand" | |||
Released |
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Recorded | 11 February 1963 | |||
Studio | EMI, London | |||
Genre | Rock and roll | |||
Length | 2:55 | |||
Label | Capitol | |||
Songwriter(s) | McCartney-Lennon | |||
Producer(s) | George Martin | |||
The Beatles US singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"I Saw Her Standing There" (Remastered 2009) on YouTube |
"I Saw Her Standing There" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon. It is the opening track on the band's 1963 debut UK album Please Please Me and their debut US album Introducing... The Beatles.
In December 1963, Capitol Records released the song in the United States as the B-side on the label's first single by the Beatles, "I Want to Hold Your Hand". While the A-side topped the US Billboard chart for seven weeks starting 1 February 1964, "I Saw Her Standing There" entered the Billboard Hot 100 on 8 February 1964, remaining there for 11 weeks, peaking at No. 14. The song placed on the Cashbox chart for only one week at No. 100 on the same week of its Billboard debut. In 2004, "I Saw Her Standing There" was ranked No. 139 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Composition
Originally titled "Seventeen", the song was conceived by McCartney when driving home from a Beatles' concert in Southport, Merseyside[1] as a modern take on the traditional song "As I Roved Out", a version of "Seventeen Come Sunday" that he had heard in Liverpool in 1960.[2] According to Beatles biographer Mark Lewisohn, McCartney first worked out the chords and arrangement on an acoustic guitar at the family home of his Liverpool friend and fellow musician Rory Storm on the evening of 22 October 1962.[3] Two days later, McCartney was writing lines for the song during a visit to London with his then-girlfriend Celia Mortimer, who was seventeen at the time herself.[4] The song was completed about a month later at McCartney's Forthlin Road home in collaboration with Lennon[5] and performed as part of their set in December 1962 in the Star-Club in Hamburg. It is also possible John Lennon had more to contribute than has been reported since there is more than one photo of both John & Paul working on the song with guitars in hand taken by Michael McCartney. John very likely contributed some chord ideas as well since he was already actively writing songs on his own by late 1962.
McCartney later described in Beat Instrumental how he went about the song's composition: "Here's one example of a bit I pinched from someone: I used the bass
The lyrics were written in a
Recording
The first live recording (a slow version of the song) was made at the Cavern Club at the end of 1962. Lennon did not play rhythm guitar; he played harmonica in the introduction and during the verses. Lennon and McCartney laughed when they sang "Well we danced all night/And I held her tight/And I held her hand in mine" the second time.
The song was recorded at EMI Studios on 11 February 1963 and engineered by Norman Smith, as part of the marathon recording session that produced 10 of the 14 songs on Please Please Me.[13] The Beatles were not present for the mixing session on 25 February 1963.[14] It was not common practice for bands to be present at such sessions at that time.
On the album, the song starts with a rousing "One, two, three, four!" count-in by McCartney. Usually count-ins are edited off the final audio mix; however, record producer
The full take 9 version of the song appears on the "Free as a Bird" CD single as a B side, released for the first time.
Take 2 of the song was released on The Beatles Bootleg Recordings 1963, which was an album released exclusively to iTunes in 2013.
Reception
In its contemporary review of the US single,
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI)[27] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Releases
- British LP: Please Please Me
- British EP: The Beatles (No. 1)
- American
- American single: "I Want to Hold Your Hand"
- American
- Canadian
Personnel
- Paul McCartney – lead vocals, bass guitar, hand claps
- John Lennon – rhythm guitar, harmony vocals, hand claps
- George Harrison – lead guitar, hand claps
- Ringo Starr – drums, hand claps
- Personnel per Ian MacDonald[28][9]
Later performances by Beatles
This section needs additional citations for verification. (September 2012) |
John Lennon
A live version was recorded at
I'd like to thank Elton and the boys for having me on tonight. We tried to think of a number to finish off with so I can get out of here and be sick, and we thought we'd do a number of an old, estranged fiancé of mine, called Paul. This is one I never sang, it's an old Beatle number, and we just about know it.
This was the last major live performance by Lennon. After
Paul McCartney
McCartney included "I Saw Her Standing There" on his live albums
McCartney performed "I Saw Her Standing There" at the 1986 Prince's Trust Rock Gala, as part of the 10th anniversary celebration of HRH Prince Charles' charity. He was supported by an all-star band featuring Elton John, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Mark Knopfler, and Ray King. Interviewed at the time, McCartney said: "It is a good thrill playing with musicians of this calibre ... since it was a birthday thing, they wanted to do something silly at the end, and that's me".[29]
George Harrison and Ringo Starr
George Harrison and Ringo Starr also performed the song with Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Mick Jagger, and Bob Dylan, amongst others, at the Beatles' induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This makes it the only song by the Beatles that all four members performed on stage during their respective solo careers to any extent.
Tiffany version
"I Saw Him Standing There" | ||||
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Single by Tiffany | ||||
from the album Tiffany | ||||
B-side |
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Released | February 12, 1988 | |||
Recorded | 1987 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
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Label | MCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | Lennon–McCartney | |||
Producer(s) | George Tobin | |||
Tiffany singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"I Saw Him Standing There" on YouTube |
The song was covered by American pop singer Tiffany, released on February 12, 1988, as the third single from her first album Tiffany.[33][34] It was released in the United Kingdom on May 23, 1988.[35] Tiffany and her producer George Tobin changed the pronouns from "her" to "him".
The song peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, and charted highly in seven other countries.
Critical reception
Richard Lowe of Smash Hits considered this cover "an affront to taste and decency and will visibly cringe every time they hear that nasty little 'synth' 'riff'. A truly shocking record which is a shame".[36]
Track listings and formats
Cassette single and 7-inch single
- "I Saw Him Standing There"
- "Gotta Be Love"
- "Mr. Mambo"
12-inch single
- "I Saw Him Standing There"
UK 7-inch single
- "I Saw Him Standing There"
- "Mr. Mambo"
Japanese 3-inch CD single
- "I Saw Him Standing There"
- "Can't Stop a Heartbeat"
Japanese CD EP
- "I Think We're Alone Now (extended version)"
- "I Saw Him Standing There (dance mix)"
- "Can't Stop a Heartbeat (long version)"
- "Mr. Mambo"
- "Can't Stop a Heartbeat (singalong version)"
Chart performance
Tiffany version
Chart (1988) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[37] | 10 |
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[38] | 4 |
Denmark (Hitlisten)[39] | 49 |
Ecuador ( UPI)[40]
|
3 |
Ireland (IRMA) | 4 |
Israel ( IBA)[41]
|
8 |
Japan (Oricon) | 64 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) | 3 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) | 40 |
UK Singles (OCC )
|
8 |
US Billboard Hot 100 (Billboard) | 7 |
US Contemporary Hit Radio (Radio & Records)[42] | 11 |
West Germany (Official German Charts)[43] | 40 |
References
- ^ a b Badman 2000, p. 50.
- ^ Schofield 2012, p. 395.
- ISBN 978-1-4000-8305-3, pp. 747–748
- ISBN 978-1-4000-8305-3, p. 748
- ^ Miles 1997, pp. 93–94.
- ^ Harry 1992, p. 329.
- ISBN 978-1-440-84427-0p. 228
- ^ Barry Miles. Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now
- ^ a b c d "I Saw Her Standing There". The Beatles Bible. 15 March 2008.
- ^ a b Lewisohn 1988, p. 9.
- ^ David Sheff. John Lennon: All We Are Saying
- ^ Parlophone 1963, p. 3.
- ^ Lewisohn 1988, p. 24.
- ^ Lewisohn 1988, p. 28.
- ^ The Beatles 2000, p. 92.
- ^ MacDonald 2005, p. 60.
- ^ Mojo 2002, p. 40.
- ^ MacDonald 2005, p. 68.
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 4 January 1964. p. 8. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ a b Kent 2009, p. 202.
- ^ "Flavour of New Zealand, 13 February 1964". Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
- ^ "CHUM Top 50 – February 10, 1964".
- ^ "The Beatles - Salgshitlisterne Top 20". Danske Hitlister. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
- ^ "Swedish Charts 1962 – March 1966/Kvällstoppen – Listresultaten vecka för vecka > Januari 1964" (PDF) (in Swedish). hitsallertijden.nl. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
- ^ [Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–2002]
- ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1964/Top 100 Songs of 1964 | Music Outfitters".
- ^ "British single certifications – Beatles – I Saw Her Standing There". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
- ^ MacDonald 2005, p. 66.
- ^ YouTube 2009.
- The Courier-Journal. p. 52. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ProQuest 277861878. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ^ The Knoxville News-Sentinel. 2 October 1987. p. 51. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
- ^ "The new hit single from her Triple Platinum album" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 724. 12 February 1988. p. 29. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ^ Dion, Mike (19 February 1988). "Tuned In". Daily Hampshire Gazette. p. 64. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
- ^ "I Saw Him Standing There | On 7", 12", and CD single" (PDF). Smash Hits. Vol. 10, no. 10. 31 May 1988. p. 16. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ISSN 0260-3004. Retrieved 16 November 2023 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "australian-charts.com > Discography Tiffany". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles – May 7, 1988" (PDF).
- ^ Danish Charts Archive. 17 June 1988.
- ^ "Canciones de mayor popularidad en el hemisferio - Ecuador". UPI. 25 April 1988. p. 5. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
- ^ 8 May 1988
- ^ "Contemporary Hit Radio" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 731. 1 April 1988. p. 110. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Tiffany – I Saw Her Standing There" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
Bibliography
- Badman, Keith (2000). The Beatles Off the Record. London: Omnibus. ISBN 0-7119-7985-5.
- "The Ladybugs Sing "I Saw Her Standing There"". Dailymotion. 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
- ISBN 0-86369-681-3.
- ISBN 9780646512037.
- ISBN 0-517-57066-1.
- ISBN 1-84413-828-3.
- ISBN 0-8050-5249-6.
- Mojo Special Limited Edition # M-04951. London. 2002.
{{cite book}}
:|work=
ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Schofield, Nigel (2012). Fairport by Fairport. London: Rocket 88. ISBN 978-1-906615-47-5.
- Please Please Me (booklet). The Beatles. London: Parlophone. 1963. CDP 7 46435 2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - "The Prince's Trust 1986, "I Saw Her Standing There" by Paul McCartney". 2009. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2009 – via YouTube.
- The Beatles (2000). The Beatles Anthology. London: Cassell & Co. ISBN 0-304-35605-0.