If I Fell

"If I Fell"
Single by The Beatles
from the album 'Something New'
A-side	"And I Love Her"
Released	20 July 1964 (US)
Format	7"
Label	Capitol
Writer(s)	Lennon–McCartney
Producer(s)	George Martin
The Beatles US singles chronology
"A Hard Day's Night" (1964) "And I Love Her" / "If I Fell" (1964) "I'll Cry Instead" (1964)

"If I Fell" is a song by English rock band the Beatles which first appeared in 1964 on the album A Hard Day's Night in the United Kingdom and on the North American album Something New. It was written by John Lennon,^[2][3] and credited to Lennon–McCartney. "That's my first attempt at a ballad proper....It shows that I wrote sentimental love ballads way back when", Lennon stated in his 1980 Playboy interview.

Structure

The song opens with an unrepeated introductory section sung by Lennon, followed by a standard “Tin Pan Alley” AABA form. Each verse preceding the B section (or middle-eight) has a slightly different ending which creates a seamless transition between the two. The demo version (just John alone on acoustic guitar) from early 1964, does include the introduction, as well as an alternate ending. The remainder of the song features a two-part harmony, with Lennon singing the lower harmony while McCartney sings the higher one. It also features Lennon's intricate chord changes. The key changes from D sharp minor to D major between the introduction (a series of descending barre chords) and the main song, which uses mainly open chords, including an unusual D ninth.

Recording and performance

Lennon and McCartney shared a single microphone "for their Everly Brothers-like close harmonies."^[4]

Like much of the Beatles' early work, the song was released in two different mixes for mono and stereo. Lennon's opening vocal is single-tracked in mono but double-tracked in the stereo mix.

"If I Fell" was a part of the Beatles repertoire during their US and Canadian tour in 1964. The group typically performed the song faster than the studio version, and Lennon and McCartney often sang it with barely suppressed laughter. On more than one occasion it was introduced as "If I Fell Over".^[5]

Single releases

"If I Fell" was released as the B-side of the US single "And I Love Her" on Capitol 5235. As the B-side, it reached number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[6] It reached number 28 in Canada.^[7] The song was also released as a single in Norway, where it hit number one.^[8]

In the UK, it was released on 4 December 1964 as the A-side of a single (b/w "Tell Me Why") on Parlophone DP 562. The single was intended for export, but some retailers sold it in the UK anyway.^[9] It did not chart there and is generally not considered an "official" UK single.

Personnel

• John Lennon – lead vocal, acoustic rhythm guitar
• Paul McCartney – lead vocal, bass
• George Harrison – twelve-string lead guitar
• Ringo Starr – drums

Personnel per Ian MacDonald^[10]

Cover versions

According to Robert Fontenont of About.com, this was Kurt Cobain's favourite Beatles song, and was played by Nirvana whenever there were technical problems at their concerts.^[11]

• Lou Christie released a cover of the song on his album Lightning Strikes.
• Chet Atkins released an instrumental cover on his 1966 album Chet Atkins Picks on the Beatles.
• Maroon 5 performed an acoustic version of the song on their 1.22.03.Acoustic album.
• Evan Rachel Wood sang the song in the Across the Universe film.
• Gerry Mulligan's album has a cover - an instrumental - on a 1965 LP If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em.
• Reparata and the Delrons covered the song on their 1965 LP Whenever a Teenager Cries.
• Sammy Kershaw performed a cover on the album Come Together: America Salutes the Beatles, which appeared later on his album Covers the Hits.
• Rita Lee performed a version of the song as a bonus track to her Beatles cover album Aqui, Ali, em Qualquer Lugar.
• Adrian Belew performed an acoustic version on his 1993 album The Acoustic Adrian Belew.
• Peters and Lee performed a cover of this song on their album Favourites.
• Weezer performed this song in a show in 1993 before they were signed to Geffen Records.
• R&B guitarist Jonathan Butler covered the song from his 1994 album "Head to Head."^[12]
• Cilla Black performed the song, accompanied by Dudley Moore on a 1966 episode of 'Not Only... But Also'. Moore provides backing vocals, which prompts Black to burst out laughing on a few occasions. The clip was featured on a BBC archive show entitled '...Sings the Beatles", which aired on 15 January 2010.^[13]
• The Pozo-Seco Singers in 1966.
• Diane Keaton sings the song in the 1982 film, Shoot the Moon, while crying in the bathtub.
• Reba McEntire recorded this song on her European-only compilation album I'll Be, released in 2000.
• Al Di Meola covered the song on his 2013 CD All Your Life.
• Nellie McKay covered the song on her 2015 album My Weekly Reader.
• The Rutles' song "With a Girl Like You" is based on this song.

Notes

References

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to: A Hard Day's Night (album)