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"I Call Your Name" is a song recorded by the English rock band
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
and credited to
Lennon–McCartney Lennon–McCartney was the songwriting partnership between English musicians John Lennon (1940–1980) and Paul McCartney (born 1942) of the Beatles. It is the best-known and most successful musical collaboration ever by records sold, with the ...
. It was written primarily by
John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
, with assistance from
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
. It was released in the US on '' The Beatles' Second Album'' on 10 April 1964 and in the UK on the ''Long Tall Sally'' EP on 19 June 1964. On 7 March 1988, the song appeared on '' Past Masters'', a compilation album that includes every song commercially released by the band that was neither included on the 12 UK studio albums nor the US '' Magical Mystery Tour'' LP, meaning that "I Call Your Name" appeared for the first time on a core catalogue album.


Overview

Lennon wrote the song prior to the formation of the Beatles. In 1963, he gave it to Billy J. Kramer of
The Dakotas The Dakotas is a collective term for the U.S. states of North Dakota and South Dakota. It has been used historically to describe the Dakota Territory, and is still used for the collective heritage, culture, geography, fauna, sociology, econo ...
, another Liverpool band who were signed to
Parlophone Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a German–British record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 192 ...
by
George Martin Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the " Fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the ...
. Kramer released it as the
B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...
of the single " Bad to Me", another Lennon–McCartney composition. Lennon was reportedly dissatisfied with the Dakotas' arrangement of his song as well as its position as the single's B-side, so the Beatles recorded their own version. The song features
George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...
playing the Rickenbacker 360/12 guitar, offering the distinctive sound of the famous guitar to the world for the first time. Since the song was being considered for inclusion in the Beatles' 1964 debut film '' A Hard Day's Night'', a rush mono mix for United Artists was attempted on 3 March 1964, but was ultimately scrapped. The following day, a new mono mix was made for the US Capitol Records release '' The Beatles' Second Album'', while a stereo mix, edited from two separate takes, was recorded on 10 March 1964 and was also rushed to the US for the stereo version of the album. The edit uses an alternate take of the opening guitar riff and the opening line sung by Lennon. The final UK mono mix was performed on 4 June 1964, intended for the ''A Hard Day's Night'' LP, but ultimately appearing on the EP '' Long Tall Sally''. The final UK stereo mix, performed on 22 June 1964, three days after the release of the ''Long Tall Sally'' EP, and also intended for the upcoming stereo version of the UK album, did not appear on a British release until the 1976 '' Rock 'n' Roll Music'' compilation (along with the remaining tracks from the ''Long Tall Sally'' EP). The song was never added to the 1964 film '' A Hard Day's Night'' because director
Richard Lester Richard Lester Liebman (born January 19, 1932) is an American retired film director based in the United Kingdom. He is best known for directing the Beatles' films '' A Hard Day's Night'' (1964) and '' Help!'' (1965), and the superhero films ' ...
thought it sounded too similar to " You Can't Do That", which was recorded five days prior and featured on the non-soundtrack side of the album release. The mono mixes feature cowbell from the start of the rhythm downbeat. The UK stereo edit has no cowbell and Lennon's vocal is single tracked until edited at the second measure of the opening verse, when the cowbell and double tracked vocal appear. The earlier US stereo mix places the edit on the word "call", and the double tracking and cowbell begin. The vocals are more prominent to the right, with the UK version being better centered, and there is a significant addition of reverb by the producers of ''The Beatles' Second Album''. The song's instrumental bridge is the Beatles' first attempt at ska. "I Call Your Name" was re-released in stereo in 1988 on the compilation album '' Past Masters''. The Beatles recorded the song for the BBC radio programme '' Saturday Club'' on 31 March 1964 (transmitted 4 April 1964). However, that performance has not been commercially released.


Personnel

*
John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
– lead vocals,
rhythm guitar In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guitar ...
*
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
bass guitar The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
*
George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...
12 string lead guitar *
Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...
drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair of matching drumsticks ...
,
cowbell A cowbell (or cow bell) is a bell worn around the neck of free-roaming livestock so herders can keep track of an animal via the sound of the bell when the animal is grazing out of view in hilly landscapes or vast plains. Although they are t ...
*
George Martin Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the " Fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the ...
– producer * Norman Smith
engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considerin ...
::Personnel per
Ian MacDonald Ian MacCormick (known by the pseudonym Ian MacDonald; 3 October 1948 – 20 August 2003) was a British music critic and author, best known for both '' Revolution in the Head'', his critical history of the Beatles which borrowed techniques from ...


Covers

*
The Mamas & the Papas The Mamas & the Papas were a folk rock vocal group formed in Los Angeles, California, which recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968. The group was a defining force in the music scene of the counterculture of the 1960s. The group consisted of Am ...
covered "I Call Your Name" in 1966 on their debut album '' If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears''.
Cass Elliot Ellen Naomi Cohen (September 19, 1941 – July 29, 1974), known professionally as Mama Cass and later on as Cass Elliot, was an American singer and voice actress. She was a member of the singing group the Mamas & the Papas. After the group brok ...
whispers "John... John" during the instrumental break, a little tip of the hat to her crush on John Lennon. The group closes the song with, "I call your name... ye-ah!" The Beatles were well known for the phrase "Yeah, yeah, yeah" from " She Loves You". *
The Buckinghams The Buckinghams are an American sunshine pop band from Chicago. They formed in 1966 and went on to become one of the top-selling acts of 1967, charting their only five top 40 hits in the U.S. that year. The band dissolved in 1970, but re-formed ...
released a version of the song in 1966. *
Tom Waits Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He worked primarily in jazz during ...
quotes two lines of the song in his 1980 ballad "Jersey Girl". *
Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...
recorded a version of the song for a television special marking the 10th anniversary of Lennon's death and the 50th anniversary of his birth. The track, produced by
Jeff Lynne Jeffrey Lynne (born 30 December 1947) is an English musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the co-founder of the rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), which was formed in 1970. As a songwriter, he has cont ...
, features a supergroup composed of Lynne,
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950October 2, 2017) was an American musician who was the lead vocalist and guitarist of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, formed in 1976. He previously led the band Mudcrutch, was a member of the la ...
,
Joe Walsh Joseph Fidler Walsh (born November 20, 1947) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. In a career spanning over five decades, he has been a member of three successful rock bands: the James Gang, Eagles, and Ringo Starr & His All-Starr ...
and
Jim Keltner James Lee Keltner (born April 27, 1942) is an American drummer and percussionist known primarily for his session work. He was characterized by Bob Dylan biographer Howard Sounes as "the leading session drummer in America". Howard Sounes. ''Dow ...
.


Notes


References

* * * * * * {{authority control Song recordings produced by George Martin The Beatles songs Billy J. Kramer songs The Mamas and the Papas songs Songs written by Lennon–McCartney 1963 songs Songs published by Northern Songs Ska songs British rock-and-roll songs