She Said She Said
Encyclopedia
"She Said She Said" is a song written by John Lennon
(credited to Lennon–McCartney) and released by The Beatles
on their 1966 album Revolver
. Lennon described it as "an 'acidy' song" with lyrics inspired by actor Peter Fonda's
comments during an LSD
trip in 1965 with members of The Beatles and The Byrds
.
had rented a house at 2850 Benedict Canyon Drive in Beverly Hills, California
for The Beatles' six-day respite from their U.S. tour. The huge Spanish-style house was tucked into the side of a mountain. Soon their address became widely known and the area was besieged by fans who blocked roads and tried to scale the steep canyon while others rented helicopters to spy from overhead. The police department detailed a tactical squad of officers to protect the band and the house. The Beatles found it impossible to leave and instead invited guests including actors Eleanor Bron
(who co-starred with them in Help!
), Peggy Lipton
and folksinger
Joan Baez
. On 24 August The Beatles hosted the Byrds and Fonda and, except Paul McCartney
, took LSD.
Fonda wrote for Rolling Stone
magazine:
As the group passed time in the large sunken tub in the master bedroom Fonda brought up his nearly fatal self-inflicted childhood gunshot accident, writing later that he was trying to comfort a frightened George Harrison
. Fonda said that he knew what it was like to be dead. Lennon snapped, "Listen mate, shut up about that stuff", and "You're making me feel like I've never been born." Lennon explained, "We didn't want to hear about that! We were on an acid trip and the sun was shining and the girls were dancing (some from Playboy
, I believe) and the whole thing was really beautiful and Sixties. And this guy - who I really didn't know, he hadn't made Easy Rider
or anything - kept coming over, wearing shades, saying 'I know what it's like to be dead,' and we kept leaving him because he was so boring. It was scary, when you're flying high: 'Don't tell me about it. I don't want to know what it's like to be dead!'" "...[H]e was showing us his bullet wound. He was very uncool," Harrison added.
McCartney recalls: "Fonda seemed to us to be a bit wasted; he was a little out of it. I don't know if we expected a bit more of Henry [Fonda]'s
son but he was certainly of our generation and he was alright." Actress Salli Sachse recalled: "Peter was really into music. He couldn't wait until The Beatles’ Revolver album came out. We went to the music store and played it, trying to hear any hidden messages."
When someone realised that they had not eaten all day the group tried to make dinner in the kitchen but Lennon was too confused from the drug to use his knife and fork properly and as he tried to stop his food from moving around on his plate he spilled it onto the floor.
is reported to have said: "All right, boys, I'm just going for a lie-down."
Harrison said he helped Lennon construct the song from two separate "bits". McCartney does not appear on the track; the bass is played by Harrison. McCartney said, "I'm not sure but I think it was one of the only Beatle records I never played on. I think we had a barney or something and I said, 'Oh, fuck you!,' and they said, 'Well, we'll do it.'"
before on 'From Me To You' and 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'. Since the guitars are audibly played in A, the song must have been sped up one semitone (by this time The Beatles routinely played with varying tape speeds) unless the guitarists retuned or used capo
s. The coda features a canonic imitation in the voice parts, a development of the idea originally presented by the lead guitar in the verse.
The song uses both 3/4 and 4/4 time.
A key element of Lennon's lyrics is the reminiscence of childhood; "When I was a boy everything was right/ Everything was right", a foil to the chaotic feelings of knowing "What it's like to be dead".
The song is often noted for Ringo Starr
's "circular" patterns and other contributions: Starr himself has expressed particular pride in his performances during this era. Some drum enthusiasts have referred to Starr's performance on this track as one of the best drum tracks ever recorded in pop music, comparing the approach to that of Mitch Mitchell
, drummer for The Jimi Hendrix Experience
, who was himself a follower of Elvin Jones
.
Denver memorabilia collector Chris Lopez discovered a tape made by Lennon while composing the song. The source was Anthony Cox, ex-husband of Lennon's second wife, Yoko Ono
. He sold it along with other recordings made by John at Christie's Auction House
in London for a six-figure sum.
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
(credited to Lennon–McCartney) and released by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
on their 1966 album Revolver
Revolver (album)
Revolver is the seventh studio album by the English rock group The Beatles, released on 5 August 1966 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin. Many of the tracks on Revolver are marked by an electric guitar-rock sound, in contrast with their previous LP, the folk rock inspired Rubber...
. Lennon described it as "an 'acidy' song" with lyrics inspired by actor Peter Fonda's
Peter Fonda
Peter Henry Fonda is an American actor. He is the son of Henry Fonda, brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget and Justin Fonda...
comments during an LSD
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
trip in 1965 with members of The Beatles and The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
.
Composition
In late August 1965 Brian EpsteinBrian Epstein
Brian Samuel Epstein , was an English music entrepreneur, and is best known for being the manager of The Beatles up until his death. He also managed several other musical artists such as Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black, The Remo Four & The Cyrkle...
had rented a house at 2850 Benedict Canyon Drive in Beverly Hills, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
for The Beatles' six-day respite from their U.S. tour. The huge Spanish-style house was tucked into the side of a mountain. Soon their address became widely known and the area was besieged by fans who blocked roads and tried to scale the steep canyon while others rented helicopters to spy from overhead. The police department detailed a tactical squad of officers to protect the band and the house. The Beatles found it impossible to leave and instead invited guests including actors Eleanor Bron
Eleanor Bron
Eleanor Bron is an English stage, film and television actress and author.-Early life and family:Bron was born in 1938 in Stanmore, Middlesex, to a Jewish family of Eastern European origin...
(who co-starred with them in Help!
Help! (film)
Help! is a 1965 film directed by Richard Lester, starring The Beatles—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr—and featuring Leo McKern, Eleanor Bron, Victor Spinetti, John Bluthal, Roy Kinnear and Patrick Cargill. Help! was the second feature film made by the Beatles and is a...
), Peggy Lipton
Peggy Lipton
Peggy Lipton is an American television actress. She played "Julie Barnes" in The Mod Squad, and Norma Jennings in Twin Peaks.- Personal life and background :...
and folksinger
Folksinger
----Folksinger is an album by folk singer-songwriter Phranc, released in 1985.Phranc's first solo LP fused elements of her punk rock past with acoustic folk music...
Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
. On 24 August The Beatles hosted the Byrds and Fonda and, except Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, took LSD.
Fonda wrote for Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine:
As the group passed time in the large sunken tub in the master bedroom Fonda brought up his nearly fatal self-inflicted childhood gunshot accident, writing later that he was trying to comfort a frightened George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
. Fonda said that he knew what it was like to be dead. Lennon snapped, "Listen mate, shut up about that stuff", and "You're making me feel like I've never been born." Lennon explained, "We didn't want to hear about that! We were on an acid trip and the sun was shining and the girls were dancing (some from Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
, I believe) and the whole thing was really beautiful and Sixties. And this guy - who I really didn't know, he hadn't made Easy Rider
Easy Rider
Easy Rider is a 1969 American road movie written by Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Terry Southern, produced by Fonda and directed by Hopper. It tells the story of two bikers who travel through the American Southwest and South with the aim of achieving freedom...
or anything - kept coming over, wearing shades, saying 'I know what it's like to be dead,' and we kept leaving him because he was so boring. It was scary, when you're flying high: 'Don't tell me about it. I don't want to know what it's like to be dead!'" "...[H]e was showing us his bullet wound. He was very uncool," Harrison added.
McCartney recalls: "Fonda seemed to us to be a bit wasted; he was a little out of it. I don't know if we expected a bit more of Henry [Fonda]'s
Henry Fonda
Henry Jaynes Fonda was an American film and stage actor.Fonda made his mark early as a Broadway actor. He also appeared in 1938 in plays performed in White Plains, New York, with Joan Tompkins...
son but he was certainly of our generation and he was alright." Actress Salli Sachse recalled: "Peter was really into music. He couldn't wait until The Beatles’ Revolver album came out. We went to the music store and played it, trying to hear any hidden messages."
When someone realised that they had not eaten all day the group tried to make dinner in the kitchen but Lennon was too confused from the drug to use his knife and fork properly and as he tried to stop his food from moving around on his plate he spilled it onto the floor.
Recording
This was the final track recorded during the Revolver sessions, and was hastily added when the album line-up was found to be a song short. It took nine hours to rehearse and record the entire song, complete with overdubs. After the recording of the song The Beatles' producer George MartinGeorge Martin
Sir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
is reported to have said: "All right, boys, I'm just going for a lie-down."
Harrison said he helped Lennon construct the song from two separate "bits". McCartney does not appear on the track; the bass is played by Harrison. McCartney said, "I'm not sure but I think it was one of the only Beatle records I never played on. I think we had a barney or something and I said, 'Oh, fuck you!,' and they said, 'Well, we'll do it.'"
Personnel
- John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
– lead and harmony vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, Hammond organHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard... - George HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
– backing vocalBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, shaker
- Personnel per Ian MacDonaldIan MacDonaldIan MacCormick was a British music critic and author, best known for Revolution in the Head, his forensic history of The Beatles which borrowed techniques from art historians, and The New Shostakovich, a controversial study of the Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich...
Music
The song is in the key of B flat Mixolydian, based on three chords: B flat (I), A flat (flat-VII), and E flat (IV). The key centre shifts to E flat major during the bridge sections by means of an F minor (v minor) chord, a pivot chord The Beatles had used to modulate to the subdominantSubdominant
In music, the subdominant is the technical name for the fourth tonal degree of the diatonic scale. It is so called because it is the same distance "below" the tonic as the dominant is above the tonic - in other words, the tonic is the dominant of the subdominant. It is also the note immediately...
before on 'From Me To You' and 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'. Since the guitars are audibly played in A, the song must have been sped up one semitone (by this time The Beatles routinely played with varying tape speeds) unless the guitarists retuned or used capo
Capo
A capo is a device used on the neck of a stringed instrument to shorten the playable length of the strings, hence raising the pitch. It is frequently used on guitars, mandolins, and banjos. G.B...
s. The coda features a canonic imitation in the voice parts, a development of the idea originally presented by the lead guitar in the verse.
The song uses both 3/4 and 4/4 time.
A key element of Lennon's lyrics is the reminiscence of childhood; "When I was a boy everything was right/ Everything was right", a foil to the chaotic feelings of knowing "What it's like to be dead".
The song is often noted for Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
's "circular" patterns and other contributions: Starr himself has expressed particular pride in his performances during this era. Some drum enthusiasts have referred to Starr's performance on this track as one of the best drum tracks ever recorded in pop music, comparing the approach to that of Mitch Mitchell
Mitch Mitchell
John Ronald "Mitch" Mitchell was an English drummer, best known for his work in The Jimi Hendrix Experience.-Early life and the Jimi Hendrix Experience:...
, drummer for The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Jimi Hendrix Experience were an English-American psychedelic rock band that formed in London in October 1966. Comprising eponymous singer-songwriter and guitarist Jimi Hendrix, bassist and backing vocalist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell, the band was active until June 1969, in which...
, who was himself a follower of Elvin Jones
Elvin Jones
Elvin Ray Jones was a jazz drummer of the post-bop era. He showed interest in drums at a young age, watching the circus bands march by his family's home in Pontiac, Michigan....
.
Denver memorabilia collector Chris Lopez discovered a tape made by Lennon while composing the song. The source was Anthony Cox, ex-husband of Lennon's second wife, Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
. He sold it along with other recordings made by John at Christie's Auction House
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
in London for a six-figure sum.
Cover versions
- Lone StarLone Star (band)-History:Lone Star were a Welsh rock band formed in Cardiff, Wales in 1975. An embryonic line-up consisted of former Iona members, Kenny Driscoll and Tony Smith, former Quest bassist Ray Jones, and drummer Jim Mathews...
covered the song on their eponymous album in 1976. - The ChordsThe ChordsThe Chords are a 1970s British pop music group, commonly associated with the 1970s mod revival, who had several hits in their homeland, before the decline of the trend brought about their break-up...
covered "She Said She Said" on their 1980 debut album So Far AwaySo Far Away (album)So Far Away is The Chords debut album. It reached a peak of number 30 on the U.K. albums chart in a three-week chart run. The cover was inspired by the second LP by The Spencer Davis Group.-Track listing:Side One#"Maybe Tomorrow"...
. - Yeah Yeah NohYeah Yeah NohYeah Yeah Noh were a post-punk group formed in Leicester, England in 1984. They released two albums and five singles while still together, and have had two compilation albums issued since they split in 1986.-Biography:...
covered the song on their 1985 album Cutting the Heavenly Lawn of Greatness...Last Rites for the God of Love. - WeenWeenWeen is an American alternative rock group. They formed in 1984 in New Hope, Pennsylvania when central members Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo met in an eighth grade typing class. Ween has a large cult underground fanbase despite being generally unknown in American pop music...
covered the song for their 1987 album Axis: Bold as BoognishAxis: Bold as BoognishAxis: Bold As Boognish is the name of Ween's second released recording in 1987. The title is a parody of a Jimi Hendrix album Axis: Bold as Love. Almost nothing is known about this tape and the record label that released it shut down years ago. The song "Bumblebee" was re-recorded and released on...
. - The Shop AssistantsThe Shop AssistantsShop Assistants were an indie pop band from Edinburgh, Scotland, formed in 1984, initially as Buba & The Shop Assistants. After achieving success with independent releases they signed to Chrysalis Records sublabel Blue Guitar, releasing their only album in 1986...
covered the song for their "Big E Power" single as a B-side. It is entitled "One More Time." - Overwhelming Colorfast covered the song on their 1992 self-titled debut album, produced by Butch VigButch Vig discographyThe discography of Butch Vig, an American musician and record producer, consists of a mix of albums, extended plays and singles released by bands he was a performer in and records on which he produced, mixed, remixed, engineered or a combination of those roles....
. - Matthew SweetMatthew SweetSidney Matthew Sweet is an American alternative rock/power pop musician. He was part of the burgeoning Athens, Georgia music scene in the early and mid-1980s before gaining commercial success during the early 1990s...
recorded a live cover that appears on the 1993 compilation album Born to ChooseBorn to ChooseBorn to Choose is a compilation album, released in 1993 on Rykodisc. It was released as a benefit album, with proceeds going to support NARAL, the Brooklyn Women's Anti-Rape Exchange and Women's Health Action and Mobilization.-Track listing:# R.E.M...
. - Gov't MuleGov't MuleGov't Mule is a Southern rock jam band formed in 1994 as an Allman Brothers Band side project by Warren Haynes and Allen Woody.The band released their debut album Gov't Mule in 1995...
perform the song live as a medley with "Tomorrow Never KnowsTomorrow Never Knows"Tomorrow Never Knows" is the final track of The Beatles' 1966 studio album Revolver but the first to be recorded. Credited as a Lennon–McCartney song, it was written primarily by John Lennon...
" on their 1998 album DoseDose (album)Dose is the second studio album released by Gov't Mule. It is a much darker record than Gov't Mule's self titled debut album. The songs "Thelonius Beck" and "Birth of the Mule" were tributes to jazz musicians Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis, respectively....
. - The Snake River ConspiracySnake River Conspiracy-Former members:*Martina Axén *Bobby Hewitt *Neil Taylor *Eric Hendrikx *Fab Fernandez *Tobey Torres *Mitch Doran...
included their version on the VulcanVulcan (EP)Vulcan is the recording debut of bay area rock group Snake River Conspiracy. The five-song EP includes 3 versions of the title track, along with a b-side and a cover of the Beatles classic, She Said She Said. The song Vulcan was also included on the band's debut album, Sonic Jihad, which came out...
EP in 1999. - The Black KeysThe Black KeysThe Black Keys are an American rock duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney. The band was formed in Akron, Ohio, in 2001. As of October 2011, the band has sold over 2 million albums in the U.S....
covered it on their first album The Big Come UpThe Big Come Up-Personnel:*Dan Auerbach - guitar, vocals*Patrick Carney - drums, producer*Patrick Boissel - album cover design*Robert Kramer - album cover design, photography*Dave Schultz - mastering...
in 2002. - Mark MulcahyMark MulcahyMark Mulcahy is an American musician and former front-man for the New Haven, Connecticut-based band Miracle Legion in the 1980s to mid 1990s. The band earned modest renown, especially in their native New England region, but disbanded after a sad turn of events with their record label, Morgan Creek...
recorded a version of "She Said She Said" for the UK release of Mojo: Revolver Reloaded, released July 2006.