|
Girl
(John Lennon/Paul McCartney)
John Lennon:
Vocals, acoustic guitar
Paul McCartney: Bass guitar, vocals
George Harrison: Acoustic guitar, vocals
Ringo Starr: Drums
Recorded
November 11 1965.
Available
on:
Rubber
Soul
The Beatles 1962-1966 (Red Album)
When John
Lennon wrote Girl, he my have been inspired by Mikis Theodorakis'
song Zorba The Greek, which was a hit in the summer of 1965.
Just listen to the song's instrumental parts; it sounds
more like a Greek bouzouki than two acoustic guitars!
Lennon
later said that Girl was about the ideal woman he wanted
to meet in his life (although she doesn't sound particularly
nice.
"I
always had this dream of this particular woman coming into
my life," he said.
"I
knew it wouldn't be someone buying Beatles' records. I was
hoping for a woman who could give me what I get from a man
intellectually. I wanted someone I could be myself with."
So is
it Yoko Ono he is singing about, perhaps? (although they
had not met)
The song
could also have been about Astrid Kirchherr, former Beatles
member Stu Sutcliffe's German lover.
In 1970,
Lennon told the Rolling Stone magazine that the song Girl
also was about the Catholic Church, and its view on sex
before marriage. Hence the lines:
"Was
she told when she was young
that pain would lead to pleasure
Did she understand it when they said
That a man must break his back
to earn his day of leisure?"
This was
apparently a reference to "the Catholic/Christian concept
- be tortured and then it'll be alright," John said.
"I
was… trying to say something or other about Christianity
which I was opposed to at the time," he added.
In the
background, one can hear Paul and George constantly repeat
the word "tit." John also breathes heavily several
places. This could have been done to emphasize on the fact
that the song had sexual references.
Girl was
recorded in just two takes. A fuzz guitar played by George
was left out of the final mix.
Girl
(John Lennon/Paul McCartney)
Is there anybody going to listen to my story
All about the girl who came to stay?
She’s the kind of girl you want so much it makes you
sorry
Still you don’t regret a single day
Ah girl, girl.
When I think of all the times I tried so hard to leave her
She will turn to me and start to cry
And she promises the earth to me and I believe her
After all this time, I don’t know why
Ah girl, girl.
She’s the kind of girl who puts you down
When friends are there, you feel a fool
When you say she’s looking good
She acts as if it’s understood
She’s cool - oh
Ah girl, girl
Was she told when she was young the pain would lead to pleasure?
Did she understand it when they said
That a man must break his back to earn his day of leisure
Will she still believe it when he’s dead?
Ah girl, girl
|
