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Yes It Is

John Lennon: Vocals, acoustic guitar
Paul McCartney: Bass guitar, vocals
George Harrison: Electric guitar, vocals
Ringo Starr: Drums, tambourine

Recorded 16 February 1965.

Available on:
Anthology 2
Past Masters Volume One

It was John Lennon who wrote Yes It Is. It ended up as a B-side on the single Ticket To Ride.

The song might have been about his mother Julia Lennon who died in a car accident in the summer of 1958. In the song, John uses phrases like "scarlet were clothes she wore" and "please don't wear red tonight." His mother's favorite color was apparently scarlet red.

It is however possible that this is purely accidental and that the song had nothing to do with his mother at all. Lennon was rather dismissive of the song in later years and once said was an attempt to rewrite This Boy and that "it didn't work."

Harrison uses foot controlled tone pedal guitar (later know as wah wah) on this song.

It took 14 takes to perfect the rhythm track on Yes It Is and then three hours for John, Paul and George - all singing live - to get the vocal harmonies to everyone's satisfaction.

The song was not included on the soundtrack to Help! nor on the album.

Yes It Is

Scarlet were clothes she wore
Everybody know I'm sure
I would remember all the things planned
understand it's true
Yes it is, it's true
Yes it is

I could be happy with you by my side
If I could forget her, but it's my pride
Yes it is, Oh, yes it is, yeh

Please don't wear red tonight
This is what I said tonight
For red is the color that will make me blue
in spite of you it's true
Yes it is, it's true
Yes it is

I could be happy with you by my side
If I could forget her, but it's my pride
Yes it is, Oh, yes it is, yeh

Please don't wear red tonight
This is what I said tonight
For red is the color that will make me blue
in spite of you it's true
Yes it is, it's true
Yes it is, it's true