We Can Work It Out
"We Can Work It Out" is a song by English rock band the Beatles. It was released as a double A-side single on 3 December 1965 on the same day as Rubber Soul. This was the first time a single was released with two A-sides in the United Kingdom.[2][3] The single was number 1 in the United Kingdom.[4] It was the seventh highest selling single of the 1960s in the UK.[5] It was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.[6]
| "We Can Work It Out" | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by the Beatles | |||||
| from " | |||||
| A-side | "Day Tripper" (double A-side) | ||||
| Released | 3 December 1965 | ||||
| Recorded | 20 and 29 October 1965 | ||||
| Studio | EMI, London | ||||
| Genre | Folk rock[1] | ||||
| Length | 2:15 | ||||
| Label | Parlophone (UK), Capitol (US) | ||||
| Songwriter(s) | Lennon–McCartney | ||||
| Producer(s) | George Martin | ||||
| The Beatles UK singles chronology | |||||
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Personnel
According to Walter Everett, the line-up of musicians on the Beatles' recording was as follows:[7]
- Paul McCartney – double-tracked lead vocal, bass guitar
- John Lennon – harmony vocal, acoustic guitar, harmonium
- George Harrison – tambourine
- Ringo Starr – drums
MacDonald said that some sources say the tambourine part was played by Harrison, but he thought that Starr had probably played it.[8] Everett said Harrison played it, as it was recorded at the same time as the other instruments.[7] Guesdon and Margotin also said Harrison played it.[9]
We Can Work It Out Media
As with several of his songs over 1965–66, McCartney drew inspiration for "We Can Work It Out" from his relationship with actress Jane Asher (pictured in 1967).
Lennon played a Mannborg harmonium on the recording.
References
- ↑ Unterberger, Richie. The Beatles 'We Can Work It Out'AllMusic. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
- ↑ Hutchins, Chris (4 December 1965). "Music Capitals of the World: London". Billboard: 26. https://books.google.com/books?id=OykEAAAAMBAJ&q=double+side+campaign+unique+britain+intitle%3Abillboard&pg=PA26. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
- ↑ White, Jack. Is the double A-side making a comeback? Dual singles are on the rise, and here's why (5 June 2018)Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ↑ The 1966 Ivor Novello Awardstheivors.com. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ↑ Ken Dodd 'third best-selling artist of 1960s' (1 June 2010)BBC News. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
- ↑ Hertsgaard 1995, p. 150.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Everett 2001, p. 321.
- ↑ MacDonald 2005, pp. 171–172.
- ↑ Guesdon & Margotin 2013, p. 315.
Sources
- Everett, Walter. The Beatles as Musicians: The Quarry Men through Rubber Soul (2001). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-514105-9.
- Guesdon, Jean-Michel. All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Beatles Release (2013). New York, NY: Black Dog & Leventhal. ISBN 978-1-57912-952-1.
- Hertsgaard, Mark. A Day in the Life: The Music and Artistry of the Beatles (1995). New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 0-385-31377-2.
- Jackson, Andrew Grant. 1965: The Most Revolutionary Year in Music (2015). New York, NY: Thomas Dunne Books. ISBN 978-1-250-05962-8.
- Kruth, John. This Bird Has Flown: The Enduring Beauty of Rubber Soul Fifty Years On (2015). Milwaukee, WI: Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-1-61713-573-6.
- Lewisohn, Mark. The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions: The Official Story of the Abbey Road Years 1962–1970 (2005). London: Bounty Books. ISBN 978-0-7537-2545-0.
- MacDonald, Ian. Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties (2nd rev. edn)' (2005). Chicago, IL: Chicago Review Press. ISBN 978-1-55652-733-3.
- Number 1s Index. everyHit.com (2009). Retrieved 21 October 2009.