You're Going to Lose That Girl
Encyclopedia
"You're Going to Lose That Girl" is a song by the Beatles
from the album and film
Help!
, written by John Lennon
and Paul McCartney
. Capitol Records
originally titled the song "You're Gonna Lose That Girl" in the United States.
beat and using variations of familiar doo-wop chords, Lennon's lead singing is set in a call-and-response
with the enthusiastic answering harmonies of McCartney and George Harrison
, offering a last glimpse of the early Beatles' musical home turf.
The song's bridge
has a key change similar to that of the record's previous track "Another Girl
", moving up a minor third to G major, the relative major of the tonic minor. In this case the bridge emerges a measure early, diving a semitone down to meet the verse.
To fatten the sound McCartney overdubbed a background piano (a job that once would have been done by producer George Martin
"live" on the backing track) and Ringo Starr
added bongoes, the addition of Latin-American percussion being another way the Beatles often exploited their new-found access to four-track recording.
" backed with "You're Gonna Lose That Girl" as a single (Capitol 4506) to accompany the release of Love Songs
, a compilation album
which contained both songs. However, the single was cancelled before it was issued.
The Ramones performed a song titled "You're Gonna Kill That Girl" which may have been intended as a parody
of the Beatles song. The Rutles
' song "Now She's Left You" is a pastiche
of this song.
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...
from the album and film
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...
Help!
Help! (album)
Help! is the title of the fifth British and ninth American album by The Beatles, and the soundtrack from their film of the same name. Produced by George Martin for EMI's Parlophone Records, it contains fourteen songs in its original British form, of which seven appeared in the film...
, written by John Lennon
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...
and 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...
. Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
originally titled the song "You're Gonna Lose That Girl" in the United States.
Composition and recording
The last song recorded before breaking off to make the film, the song was composed at Lennon's house in Weybridge. In the lyrics the singer tells his "friend" that, if he does not value his girl, the singer will "make a point of taking her away" from him. To the Beatles' familiar twistTwist (dance)
The Twist was a dance inspired by rock and roll music. It became the first worldwide dance craze in the early 1960s, enjoying immense popularity among young people and drawing fire from critics who felt it was too provocative. It inspired dances such as the Jerk, the Pony, the Watusi, the Mashed...
beat and using variations of familiar doo-wop chords, Lennon's lead singing is set in a call-and-response
Call and response (music)
In music, a call and response is a succession of two distinct phrases usually played by different musicians, where the second phrase is heard as a direct commentary on or response to the first...
with the enthusiastic answering harmonies of McCartney and 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...
, offering a last glimpse of the early Beatles' musical home turf.
The song's bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
has a key change similar to that of the record's previous track "Another Girl
Another Girl
"Another Girl" is a song by the Beatles released in 1965 on the album Help! and included in the film of the same name. The song was written by Paul McCartney but credited to Lennon–McCartney.-Composition and recording:...
", moving up a minor third to G major, the relative major of the tonic minor. In this case the bridge emerges a measure early, diving a semitone down to meet the verse.
To fatten the sound McCartney overdubbed a background piano (a job that once would have been done by producer George Martin
George 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...
"live" on the backing track) and 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...
added bongoes, the addition of Latin-American percussion being another way the Beatles often exploited their new-found access to four-track recording.
In the film Help!
In the film, the group appears singing this song in the recording studio. (In addition to the group's familiar guitar-and-drum setup, there is also footage of Paul McCartney at a piano and Ringo Starr playing the bongos, both miming instruments they had overdubbed onto the recording.) Towards the end, one of the thugs uses a chainsaw to saw a hole in the floor around the drum kit. The producer reports that they will have to re-record the song due to a buzzing noise, at which point The Beatles begin asking one another who was buzzing. As they look to Ringo, he and the drums fall through the floor.Release, pastiche and parody
The song was released in 1965 on the Help album. In November 1977, Capitol Records scheduled the release of "GirlGirl (Beatles song)
"Girl" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney based on an original idea by Lennon and performed by The Beatles on their 1965 album Rubber Soul. "Girl" was the last complete song recorded for that album.-History:...
" backed with "You're Gonna Lose That Girl" as a single (Capitol 4506) to accompany the release of Love Songs
Love Songs (The Beatles album)
Love Songs is a compilation album that comprises love songs recorded by The Beatles between 1962 and 1970. It was released by Capitol Records in the United States on 21 October 1977 and on Parlophone in the United Kingdom on 19 November 1977 The compilation peaked at #24 in Billboard's Top LPs &...
, a compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
which contained both songs. However, the single was cancelled before it was issued.
The Ramones performed a song titled "You're Gonna Kill That Girl" which may have been intended as a parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of the Beatles song. The Rutles
The Rutles
The Rutles are a band that are known for their visual and aural pastiches and parodies of The Beatles. Originally created by Eric Idle and Neil Innes as a fictional band to be featured as part of various 1970s television programming, the group recorded, toured, and released two UK chart hits in...
' song "Now She's Left You" is a pastiche
Pastiche
A pastiche is a literary or other artistic genre or technique that is a "hodge-podge" or imitation. The word is also a linguistic term used to describe an early stage in the development of a pidgin language.-Hodge-podge:...
of this song.
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 vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar - Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir 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...
– backing vocals, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - 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 vocals, 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... - 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...
– drums, bongos
- Personnel per The Beatles Bible