{"id":9475,"date":"2024-09-12T14:49:28","date_gmt":"2024-09-12T19:49:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thefest.com\/?p=9475"},"modified":"2024-09-12T14:49:28","modified_gmt":"2024-09-12T19:49:28","slug":"revolver-deep-dive-part-13-got-to-get-you-into-my-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thefest.com\/revolver-deep-dive-part-13-got-to-get-you-into-my-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Revolver Deep Dive Part 13: Got To Get You Into My Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

Revolver<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Side Two, Track Six<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cGot to Get You Into My Life,\u201d An Ode To Pot<\/strong><\/p>\n

by Jude Southerland Kessler and Dr. Kit O\u2019Toole<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

This month, the Fest for Beatles Fans Blog takes an in-depth look at <\/em>Revolver\u2019s \u201cGot To Get You Into My Life.\u201d\u00a0 Jude Southerland Kessler<\/strong>, our Fest Blogger and author of <\/em>The John Lennon Series<\/strong>, pairs up with Dr. Kit O\u2019Toole<\/strong>, author of <\/em>Songs We Were Singing: Guided Tours Through the Beatles Lesser-Known Tracks<\/strong> and <\/em>Michael Jackson FAQ: All That\u2019s Left to Know about The King of Pop<\/strong>. O\u2019Toole is also the co-author \u2013 with Dr. Kenneth Womack \u2013 of <\/em>The Beatles and Fandom<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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Besides being the co-host of the very popular Beatles solo podcast \u201cTalk More Talk,\u201d\u00a0 along with Ken Michaels, Kenneth Womack, Tom Hunyady, and Joe Mayo and co-host of \u201cToppermost of the Poppermost\u201d with Ed Chen and Martin Quibell, Kit serves as Associate Editor for <\/em>Beatlefan magazine. She contributes to many distinguished Beatles and music publications including <\/em>Goldmine magazine, \u201cSomething Else Reviews\u201d and \u201cBlinded by Sound.\u201d For years, Kit was a sought-after speaker at Beatles at the Ridge Authors and Artists Symposium, and in 2016, she was a Guest Speaker at the GRAMMY Museum of Mississippi Beatles Symposium. Most of all, Kit has long been a respected member of our Fest Family, taking part in numerous panels each year in Chicago and New Jersey. We are delighted to have her share her insights on \u201cGot To Get You Into My Life\u201d in the \u201cFresh New Look\u201d segment of the blog. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

What\u2019s Standard:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Date Recorded:<\/strong> 7 April 1966<\/p>\n

Place Recorded:<\/strong> Studio Three<\/p>\n

Time Recorded:<\/strong> Evening Session from 8.15 p.m. \u2013 1.30 a.m.<\/p>\n

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Technical Team<\/strong><\/p>\n

Producer:<\/strong> George Martin<\/p>\n

Sound Engineer:<\/strong> Geoff Emerick<\/p>\n

Second Engineer:<\/strong> Phil McDonald (Lewisohn, The Beatles Recording Sessions<\/em>, 72)<\/p>\n

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On this day:<\/strong> The Beatles had spent the afternoon and early part of the evening working on John\u2019s \u201cTomorrow Never Knows.\u201d At 8.15 p.m., however, they turned their attention to Paul\u2019s new song, \u201cGot to Get You Into My Life,\u201d capturing 5 takes. Take One was a rhythm track with a one-note organ intro performed by George Martin, enhanced by Ringo on hi-hat. At this point, Paul seemed to be creating an acoustic number, a love song. Indeed, Paul\u2019s bluesy outro was: \u201cGot to get you into my life, somehow, someway,\u201d with John and George responding: \u201cI need your love.\u201d By Take Five, this new love song had an organ introduction and was accompanied by full drums. As the evening ended, this take was marked as \u201cbest.\u201d (Lewisohn, The Beatles Recording Sessions<\/em>, 72)<\/p>\n

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Second Date Recorded:<\/strong> 8 April 1966<\/p>\n

Place Recorded:<\/strong> Studio Two<\/p>\n

Time Recorded:<\/strong> 2.30 p.m. \u2013 9.00 p.m.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Technical Team<\/strong><\/p>\n

Producer:<\/strong> George Martin<\/p>\n

Sound Engineer:<\/strong> Geoff Emerick<\/p>\n

Second Engineer:<\/strong> Phil McDonald (Lewisohn, The Beatles Recording Sessions<\/em>, 72)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Since the \u201cbest\u201d take (Take Eight) from 8 April is the one used for future superimpositions leading to the final product, the instruments that were used on this day are noted. In The Beatles Recording Reference Manual<\/em>, Hammack states that they were:<\/p>\n

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McCartney:<\/strong> 1964 Rickenbacker 4001S bass<\/p>\n

Lennon:<\/strong> Vox organ (adds acoustic guitar on 11 April)<\/p>\n

Harrison:<\/strong> one of the three guitars available in April 1966, including his 1961 Fender Stratocaster, 1964 Gibson SG Standard, or 1965 Epiphone ES-230TD, Casino<\/p>\n

Starr:<\/strong> Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl \u201cSuper Classic\u201d drum set<\/p>\n

On this day:<\/strong> The Beatles tackled Paul\u2019s new song again, slowing it down a bit to perfect the rhythm track. Winn in That Magic Feeling<\/em> tells us that this version was \u201ca slightly different arrangement.\u201d Three more takes were attempted, and the last, Take Eight, was dubbed \u201cbest.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Third Date Recorded:<\/strong> 11 April 1966<\/p>\n

Place Recorded:<\/strong> Studio Two<\/p>\n

Time:<\/strong> 2.30 p.m. \u2013 7.00 p.m. (Time supplied by Lewisohn in The Beatles Recording Sessions<\/em>)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Technical Team<\/strong><\/p>\n

Producer:<\/strong> George Martin<\/p>\n

Sound Engineer:<\/strong> Geoff Emerick<\/p>\n

Second Engineer:<\/strong> Phil McDonald (Lewisohn, The Beatles Recording Sessions<\/em>, 72)<\/p>\n

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On this day:<\/strong> According to Hammack in The Beatles Recording Reference Manual<\/em>, The Beatles returned to Studio Two to work on superimpositions for \u201cGot to Get You Into My Life.\u201d Hammack says, \u201cMcCartney added another bass to the song while Harrison added more guitar, and Lennon added more acoustic guitar using his 1965 Gibson Jumbo J-160E.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Fourth Date Recorded:<\/strong> 18 May 1966<\/p>\n

Place Recorded:<\/strong> Studio Two<\/p>\n

Time Recorded: <\/strong>2.30 p.m. \u2013 2.30 a.m.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Technical Team<\/strong><\/p>\n

Producer:<\/strong> George Martin<\/p>\n

Sound Engineer:<\/strong> Geoff Emerick<\/p>\n

Second Engineer:<\/strong> Phil McDonald (Lewisohn, The Beatles Recording Sessions<\/em>, 72)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

On this day: <\/strong>In a 12-hour studio session, \u201cGot to Get You Into My Life\u201d was completed. The vocals were overdubbed and extra instruments were added. But then, the song was dramatically altered. In Sound Pictures, The Life of Beatles Producer George Martin<\/em>, Womack tells us that \u201cduring the May 18 session, \u2018Got to Get You Into My Life\u2019 took a hard left turn from British pop fare into the world of American Motown\u2026\u201d (p. 79)<\/p>\n

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However, the product of this hard day\u2019s night wasn\u2019t a standard<\/em> Motown or Stax song. Instead, Paul featured a brass blast, a front-and-center horn section. He composed a catchy big-band line, and as five gifted brass musicians looked on, Paul sat at the piano, demonstrating the notes he wanted them to play. As the quintet attempted to capture this sound, John listened from the booth, running out with a \u201dthumbs up\u201d and vociferous \u201cGot it!\u201d when the sound was just right. And George offered input as well. Only Ringo, (we are told by Lewisohn) \u201cwas playing draughts in the corner.\u201d (The Beatles Recording Sessions<\/em>, 79) It was a Beatles group effort to create something very distinctive.<\/p>\n

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Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lewisohn, <\/em>The Beatles Recording Sessions, 72, Lewisohn, <\/em>The Complete Beatles Chronicle, 217, Hammack, <\/em>The Beatles Recording Reference Manual, Vol. 2, 109-112, The Beatles, <\/em>The Beatles Anthology, 209, Rodriguez, <\/em>Revolver: How The Beatles Reimagined Rock\u2019n\u2019Roll, 111-113, Womack, <\/em>Long and Winding Roads, 146, Womack, <\/em>Sound Pictures, The Life of Beatles Producer George Martin, 79-80, Harry, <\/em>The Ultimate Beatles Encyclopedia, 272, Miles, <\/em>The Beatles Diary, Vol. 1, 228-229 and 239, Winn, <\/em>That Magic Feeling, 23, Gould, <\/em>Can\u2019t Buy Me Love, 363-364, Spizer, <\/em>The Beatles for Sale on Parlophone Records, 216,<\/em> Turner, <\/em>Beatles \u201966, 146-147, Turner, <\/em>A Hard Day\u2019s Write, 115, Turner, <\/em>Beatles \u201966, 260 and 261, Margotin and Guesdon, <\/em>All the Songs, 26, 40, 44, 252 and 350-351, Riley,<\/em> Tell Me Why, 197-199, MacDonald, <\/em>Revolution in the Head, 154, Spizer, <\/em>The Beatles From Rubber Soul to Revolver, 222, Everett, <\/em>The Beatles as Musicians, Revolver Through Anthology, 38-39, Robustelli, <\/em>I Want to Tell You, 49 and 63, \u00a0Davies, <\/em>The Beatles Lyrics, 176, Spignesi and Lewis, <\/em>100 Best Beatles Songs, 95, and Mellers, <\/em>Twilight of the Gods, 80-81. <\/em><\/p>\n

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What\u2019s Changed:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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    \n
  1. \u201cAn Ode to Pot\u201d \u2013 <\/strong>Paul makes no bones about it: this song lauds the experience that produces \u201canother kind of mind.\u201d It\u2019s a song about cannabis. This will be discussed in depth by Dr. Kit O\u2019Toole in her \u201cFresh, New Look\u201d segment, but failing to mention this theme here as a \u201cchanged\u201d scenario in The Beatles\u2019 catalog would be remiss.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    John alludes to drug usage in \u201cDr. Robert\u201d and \u201cTomorrow Never Knows\u201d (the latter song will be discussed in next month\u2019s Fest Blog), but this \u201code to pot\u201d is a first for Paul. (Davies, \u00a0The Beatles Lyrics<\/em>, 176 and Spizer, The Beatles Rubber Soul to Revolver<\/em>, 222) After initially disguising his subject matter with the trappings of a standard love song, McCartney eventually stripped away that fa\u00e7ade and sang honestly about his enthusiasm for the inspiring effects of marijuana.<\/p>\n

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      \n
    1. A Motown\/Jazz\/Rhythm and Blues Number \u2013 <\/strong>By 1966, The Beatles had sampled myriad musical instruments: hand claps, maracas, harmonicas, tambourines, bongos, celestas, tape loops, a sitar, a Hammond organ, a sped-up piano that resembled a harpsichord or tack piano, and even a sweater stuffed inside the bass drum to produce a unique effect. In the summer of 1965, \u201cYesterday\u201d had even featured an orchestral arrangement. Indeed, the desire to give listeners \u201csomething new\u201d never diminished with John, Paul, George and Ringo. And as Spignesi and Lewis point out, \u201cThe Beatles were constantly pushing the envelope, testing their fans to see what they could get away with.\u201d (100 Best Beatles Songs<\/em>, p. 95)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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      Here, Paul \u00a0does showcase \u201csoul-style horns\u201d that were inspired by \u201cMemphis soul,\u201d Atlantic Records, and Motown. Then, he added forcefully delivered lyrics that transformed the song into what Robert Rodriguez referred to as \u201can R&B-styled shouter, complete with the brass and production that Paul may have had in mind back when the band was still contemplating recording at Stax.\u201d (Revolver, How The Beatles Reimagined Rock\u2019n\u2019Roll,<\/em> 111) In our \u201cFresh, New Look\u201d segment, Kit will discuss the Stax\/Motown influence in much greater detail. But it\u2019s worthy of a mention in our \u201cWhat\u2019s Changed\u201d segment that this sound was quite different<\/em> from anything the boys had offered up previously.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Years later, one of the brass musicians, Peter Coe, recalled that, \u201cThe Beatles wanted a definite jazz<\/em> feel.\u201d But another musician, Les Condon stated: \u201cThe tune was a rhythm and blues<\/em> sort of thing.\u201d McCartney\u2019s song combined elements from several genres, making it (in the words of Condon) both \u201cinteresting and unusual.\u201d \u201cGot to Get You Into My Life\u201d was not a mere copy of anything \u2013 not the Memphis, Atlantic, or Detroit sound.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

        \n
      1. The Use of \u201cOutside\u201d Musicians<\/strong> \u2013 Since George Martin\u2019s early \u201cwind-up piano\u201d contribution to \u201cMisery,\u201d the Guildhall School trained musician had frequently contributed to Beatles arrangements and performances. But apart from the use of a studio drummer in the very early days, recruiting outside musicians to participate on Beatles recordings was a relatively new practice.[i]<\/a> It dated back to June of 1965, when George Martin had convinced a very reluctant McCartney to permit a string quartet to supply the orchestration for \u201cYesterday.\u201d (Margotin and Guesdon, All the Songs<\/em>, 252) In the spring of 1966 \u2013 welcoming outside performers to the collective was a still a rather bold decision.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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        The five gifted horn players recruited to perform on \u201cGot to Get You Into My Life\u201d were Eddie \u201cTan Tan\u201d Thornton (trumpet) and Peter Coe (sax) \u2013 both of whom who hailed from Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames \u2013 Ian Hamer (from Liverpool, trumpet), Les Condon (trumpet), and Alan Branscombe (sax). (Rodriguez, Revolver, How The Beatles Reimagined Rock\u2019n\u2019Roll<\/em>, 112 and Lewisohn, The Beatles Recording Sessions<\/em>, 79). Kit will discuss the contributions of Motown in the \u201cFresh New Look\u201d segment, but the performance of these five musicians on this track certainly added that Memphis soul flair as well. They also unwittingly insured that \u201cGot to Get You Into My Life\u201d could never be performed on stage by the Fab Four. Paul could successfully perform \u201cYesterday,\u201d without orchestration, but \u201cGot to Get You Into My Life\u201d was a Beatles track that could not be replicated by John, Paul, George, and Ringo alone.<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        However, afterwards, all four boys agreed that the end justified the means. Only four weeks after \u201cGot to Get You Into My Life\u201d was recorded, Paul permitted Alan Civil to add his elegant French horn to \u201cFor No One.\u201d The way had been paved for later contributions by other \u201cnon-Beatle\u201d musicians (Eric Clapton and Billy Preston, for example) to enhance the boys\u2019 repertoire.<\/p>\n

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        (Note:<\/strong> Paul often performed \u201cGot to Get You Into My Life\u201d with Wings in 1979. He used a four-piece brass section. WATCH HERE<\/a><\/p>\n

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          \n
        1. Diverse Reception<\/strong> \u2013 The reactions to this uncommon Beatles genre have been, through the decades, quite strong and diverse. Ian MacDonald in Revolution in the Head<\/em> states, \u201cSlightly out of his neighbourhood in this idiom, McCartney seems to have no idea how he wanted the song done, and it took two days of trial and errors to record the basic track\u2026Leaving it for a month, he hired the brass\u2026By this time, the production had become messy, with raggedly matched lead vocals and leakage from the brass onto one of the guitar tracks.\u201d (p. 154) Similarly, Gould in Can\u2019t Buy Me Love<\/em> comments: \u201cRevolver<\/em> abounds in songs that were brought to life in the studio: this one was nearly done to death there\u2026overshooting the idiom of soul music entirely, landing closer to the sophistication of big-band jazz at its blandest.\u201d (p. 363)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

           <\/p>\n

          However, Walter Everett in The Beatles as Musicians<\/em> observes, \u201c\u2018Got to Get You Into My Life\u2019 has always been one of the LP\u2019s most popular tracks; it rose to the Top Ten in July-August 1976 when Capitol released it as a single in support of a compilation LP.\u201d (p. 39) Tim Riley in Tell Me Why<\/em> says, \u201cThe vigorous horns, pulsating bass, knockabout drumming, and above all, the untamed Wilson Pickett vocalisms in the refrain echo the charged brilliance of the Motown and Atlantic labels\u2026\u201d (p. 198) And John Lennon, who quite liked the song, said, \u201cI think that was one of [Paul\u2019s] best songs, too, because the lyrics are good, and I didn\u2019t write them.\u201d (Miles, The Beatles Diary<\/em>, Vol. 1, 228)<\/p>\n

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          \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

          A Fresh, New Look:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

          \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

          We welcome our friend Dr. Kit O\u2019Toole<\/strong> to the Fest Blog! At the recent Chicago Fest, Kit participated in a wide range of scholarly panels including \u201cThe Beatles Academic Panel (co-moderator with Ken Womack),\u201d \u201cGenerations Panel,\u201d \u201cMedia Panel (moderator),\u201d \u201cToppermost of the Poppermost (co-host),\u201d \u201cHistorians Panel: Yesterday IS Today,\u201d and of course, the \u201cTalk More Talk\u201d panel on the topic \u201cWrack Our Brains.\u201d Kit possesses expertise in music through the ages (from 1950 to today and from pop to classical) and an extensive knowledge of The Beatles. I\u2019m looking forward to her \u201cFresh, New Look\u201d at Paul\u2019s \u201cGot to Get You Into My Life.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

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          \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

          Jude Southerland Kessler:<\/em><\/strong> Kit, thanks so much for joining us for this month\u2019s \u201cFresh, New Look\u201d at <\/em>Revolver\u2019s \u201cGot to Get You Into My Life.\u201d If I\u2019m not mistaken, this is one of your favorite tracks on the LP. Tell us (to paraphrase Ringo in Help!), \u201cWhat first attracted you to this song?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

          \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

          Dr. Kit O\u2019Toole:<\/strong> I\u2019m a huge fan of soul and R&B, as were The Beatles, so \u201cGot to Get You into My Life\u201d is right up my alley! One of my other favorite bands, Earth, Wind & Fire, covered the track years later, and I think it\u2019s one of the best Beatles covers of all time. \u201cLife\u201d encapsulates everything I love about the band\u2014their ability to take on a genre but make it entirely their own. They never simply copied a particular style\u2014they incorporated their signature lyrics, voices, and instrumentation to create something new.<\/p>\n

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          Kessler:<\/em><\/strong> In Ken Womack\u2019s <\/em>Long and Winding Roads, he points out that \u201cGot to Get You Into My Life\u201d \u201cbrilliantly captures the sound of Motown, especially the flavor of Supremes hits such as \u2018Baby Love\u2019 and \u2018Where Did Our Love Go.\u2019\u201d (p. 146) Do you hear this, and if so, how do McCartney and The Beatles create the Motown overtones?<\/em><\/p>\n

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          O\u2019Toole:<\/strong> First, it cannot be overemphasized just how much Motown influenced The Beatles. As we know, Merseybeat groups were devouring American R&B as early as the late 1950s\u2014Berry Gordy founded Motown in 1959, and he struck a deal with Decca\u2019s London American imprint to distribute music in the UK (until Motown finally released music under their own label in 1965).\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ringo Starr stated in the Anthology<\/em> documentary that \u201cwhen I joined The Beatles we didn\u2019t really know each other, but if you looked at each of our record collections, the four of us had virtually the same records. We all had The Miracles, we all had Barrett Strong and people like that. I supposed that helped us gel as musicians, and as a group.\u201d<\/p>\n

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          The Beatles covered Motown tracks\u2014on radio, at least\u2014as early as 1962, when they performed \u201cPlease Mr. Postman\u201d on the BBC show \u201cTeenager\u2019s Turn\u2014Here We Go.\u201d It marked not only The Beatles\u2019 radio debut, but the first time any Motown track was aired on the BBC. That performance enabled Gordy to negotiate better UK distribution deals, as the Beatles essentially introduced the sound to the larger British public.\u00a0 As we know, the band would go on to cover \u201cMoney,\u201d \u201cYou Really Got a Hold on Me,\u201d and, of course, \u201cPlease Mr. Postman,\u201d all for With the Beatles<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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          In Gordy\u2019s autobiography To Be Loved<\/em>, he recalled finally meeting The Beatles during a 1965 Motown Revue package tour. \u201cWhile taking photographs together, I told them how thrilled I was with the way they did our three songs in their second album,\u201d Berry wrote. \u201cThey told me what Motown music had meant to them and how much they loved Smokey\u2019s writing, James Jamerson\u2019s bass playing and the big drum sound of Benny Benjamin\u201d (p. 210).<\/p>\n

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          Indeed, Jamerson in particular played a huge role in Paul\u2019s bass playing. As he learned the instrument, he listened to the melodic bass lines of Jamerson, even though Paul didn\u2019t even know his name for many years. His jazz-influenced playing and distinctive bass lines in tracks such as the Temptations\u2019 \u201cMy Girl\u201d expanded the possibilities for bass players, teaching Paul to avoid stagnant, clich\u00e9d lines (for examples of Jamerson\u2019s inventiveness, listen to Marvin Gaye\u2019s \u201cWhat\u2019s Going On\u201d or the Four Tops\u2019 \u201cStanding in the Shadows of Love\u201d).<\/p>\n

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          Smokey Robinson and the Miracles were another influence, as demonstrated in Please Please Me\u2019<\/em>s \u201cAsk Me Why.\u201d From John Lennon\u2019s falsetto to the backing vocals to the dramatic bridge (\u201cI can’t believe it’s happened to me \/ I can’t conceive of any more misery\u201d), Robinson and the Miracles\u2019 style resonates through the track. As George Martin stated in the Anthology <\/em>companion book, \u201cIn the early days they were very influenced by American rhythm-and-blues . . .\u00a0 They certainly knew much more about Motown about black music than anybody else did, and that was a tremendous influence on them\u201d (p.194). The Beatles would prove it with the B-side of the \u201cI Want to Hold Your Hand\u201d single, \u201cThis Boy,\u201d a close-harmony track which Harrison described as \u201da song John did that was very much influenced by Smokey . . . If you listen to the middle eight of \u2018This Boy,\u2019 it was John trying to do Smokey,\u201d he told Timothy White in his George Harrison Reconsidered<\/em> interview (p. 23).<\/p>\n

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          Fast-forward to 1966, and the Motown influence continued. For his \u201cPaperback Writer,\u201d Paul wanted a particular sound. \u201cI need you to put your thinking cap on,\u201d Paul told Geoff Emerick, according to the memoir Here, There, and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles<\/em>. \u201cThis song is really calling out for that deep Motown bass sound we\u2019ve been talking about, so I want you to pull out all the stops this time.\u201d (p.114) According to Emerick, Paul was obsessed with the deep bass sound of Motown records and frequently challenged Emerick to duplicate that sound in Beatles recordings.<\/p>\n

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          This brings us to \u201cLife.\u201d In a 1968, Rolling Stone<\/a> interview with Jonathan Cott, John Lennon described it as \u201cour Tamla Motown bit. You see, we\u2019re influenced by whatever\u2019s going. Even if we\u2019re not influenced, we\u2019re all going that way at a certain time.\u201d The horns, the lush production\u2014all reflected Motown at its best. Obviously, there were differences\u2014to make the horns sound bigger, Emerick close-miked the instruments, applied severe limiting to the sound, then came up with the idea of \u201cdubbing the horn track onto a fresh piece of two-track tape, then playing it back alongside the multitrack, just slightly out of sync\u201d to create the effect of ten horns playing instead of five (Here, There, and Everywhere, <\/em>p. 128).<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          The close-miking and double-tracking effect lent the horns a \u201cdirtier\u201d sound than a typical Motown production, but Paul\u2019s cooing \u201coohs\u201d recall a breezy Supremes vocal, the driving bass a touch of soul, and just the presence of horns a nod to the Funk Brothers. The growl behind Paul\u2019s utterance of \u201cGot to get you into my life!\u201d may be a tip of the hat to Marvin Gaye.\u00a0 Overall, it demonstrates how The Beatles absorbed all the Motown records they had heard, put them in a blender with their own sound, and created a unique, infectious track.<\/p>\n

          Kessler:<\/em><\/strong> Every essay on \u201cGot to Get You Into My Life\u201d heralds George Harrison\u2019s lead solo on his Sonic Blue Fender Stratocaster. John C. Winn in <\/em>That Magic Feeling refers to it as \u201ca brief but thrilling guitar solo\u201d (p. 26) and Riley in <\/em>Tell Me Why asserts, \u201cThis could well be George\u2019s finest moment: the sound of his guitar is dazzling\u2026\u201d Tell us more about Harrison\u2019s solo and how this remarkable sound was achieved.<\/em><\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          O\u2019Toole:<\/strong> In 2021, Guitar World<\/a> magazine asked some of the world\u2019s most respected guitarists to cite some of their favorite George Harrison guitar solos. David Grissom, who has played with such artists as John Mellencamp, the Chicks, and the Allman Brothers, cited \u201cLife\u201d as one of George\u2019s best. \u201cIt was this song that started my infatuation with guitar,\u201d Grissom said. \u201cThe lick that happens at 1:50 still gives me goosebumps. That Vox midrange and George\u2019s soulful double stop bend on the second and fourth strings are as good as it gets.\u201d<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          What Grissom describes is the fuzzy, distorted sound of George\u2019s guitar and the piercing solo, and the bending of the notes during his solo. In contrast with the brassiness of the trumpets, these elements give a harder rock edge to the track. \u201cLife\u201d exemplifies \u201crhythm and blues\u201d in every sense of the word\u2014George\u2019s riff and gritty guitar solo perpetuates the rhythm, offering a sharper, driving companion to the bright horns. The Beatles and George Martin could have easily stuck to the pure soul sound, but adding the crunchy-sounding guitar was a stroke of genius.<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          Kessler:<\/em><\/strong> Finally, you were the person who first alerted me to the fact that this song is (as Paul said in Miles\u2019s book McCartney) \u201can ode to pot.\u201d I always thought it was a love song. How did Paul reshape his original lyrics to tailor them to this unique subject matter?<\/em><\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          O\u2019Toole:<\/strong> In discussing the song with Barry Miles in Many Years from <\/em>Now<\/em>, Paul stated that he wrote \u201cLife\u201d when he was first introduced to pot. He found it easier to tolerate than alcohol and called it \u201cmind-expanding\u201d (190). The song, he added, is \u201cnot to a person, it\u2019s actually about pot. It\u2019s saying, I\u2019m going to do this. This is not a bad idea. So, it\u2019s actually an ode to pot, like someone else might write an ode to chocolate or a good claret\u201d (190).<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          More recently, in The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present<\/em>, Paul reiterated that when writing the song, he consciously wrote lyrics addressing his newfound love of marijuana. He cited the specific lyrics \u201cI was alone, I took a ride \/ I didn\u2019t know what I would find there\u201d as representing the \u201cjoyous\u201d and \u201csunny-day-in-the-garden\u201d experience of the time (p. 1954). Indeed, an ode to pot would prove too controversial for mainstream audiences, so Paul composed lines that could be interpreted as being in an altered state romantically or chemically.<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          Upon first listen it sounds like a bouncy love song, but a closer analysis of the lyrics reveals something else beneath the surface.\u00a0The narrator, alone, seems to enjoy a car ride.\u00a0But here\u2019s the key line: \u201cAnother road where maybe I could see another kind of mind there.\u201d\u00a0 This is a ride of another sort: a journey of the mind, a hallucinogenic ride. The horn blasts represent joy, a high of a sort. After this experience, he wants the experience \u201cevery single day\u201d of his life.\u00a0Next, he personifies pot, claiming that unlike others \u201cyou didn\u2019t run, you didn\u2019t hide,\u201d and he wants to hold not only the pot itself but the hallucinogenic experience.\u00a0\u201cYou were meant to be near me,\u201d he declares, and reiterates that they will be together every day (note that the beloved never speaks, the narrator says he wants it<\/em> to hear him).<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          The next verse again suggests that the narrator is in love with an experience, not necessarily a person: \u201cWhen I\u2019m with you I want to stay there \/ If I\u2019m true I\u2019ll never leave \/ And If I do I know the way there.\u201d In other words, he\u2019s reluctant to return to the \u201creal world,\u201d instead lingering in this dream state.\u00a0As the song ends, however, he reprises the opening lines about taking a ride and \u201csuddenly seeing\u201d his beloved \u2014 or, as Paul later clarified, marijuana.\u00a0In other words, he knows he can re-experience the high any time he wishes to escape.\u00a0What an interesting choice to use the language of soul music to express his desire for pot!<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          Kessler:<\/em><\/strong> So interesting! Thank you, Kit, for your insights, and for those of you who haven\u2019t yet enjoyed Kit\u2019s book <\/em>Songs We Were Singing: Guided Tours Through the Beatles Lesser-Known Tracks, this is the sort of excellent information you can expect for each of the \u201cumplumbed\u201d songs she discusses. Kit, thanks very much for being with us for The Fest Blog this month, and we\u2019ll see you in March for our big New York Metro Fest. <\/em><\/p>\n

          \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

          For more information on Dr. Kit O\u2019Toole, HEAD HERE<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

          Connect with Kit on Facebook HERE<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

          Follow her on Instagram HERE<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

          \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

          Come meet Kit and Jude in person at the<\/em><\/p>\n

          \u00a0New York Metro Fest for Beatles Fans<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

          March 28-30, 2025 at the Hyatt Regency Jersey City<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          [i]<\/a> Margotin and Guesdon, All the Songs<\/em>, 40 and 44 and Robustelli, I Want to Tell You<\/em>, 49 and 63. According to Robustelli, session musician Andy White did play drums on version 3 of \u201cLove Me Do\u201d (Margotin and Guesdon say version 2) and drums on \u201cP.S. I Love You,\u201d (Margotin and Guesdon say bongos) but this was not <\/strong>a group decision but rather the decision of George Martin. A studio drummer was also used once to perform fills during the making of \u201cA Hard Day\u2019s Night\u201d in 1964 when the boys were too busy to return to studio. But once again, this was not the decision of John, Paul, George, and Ringo.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Revolver Side Two, Track Six \u201cGot to Get You Into My Life,\u201d An Ode To Pot by Jude Southerland Kessler and Dr. Kit O\u2019Toole \u00a0 This month, the Fest for Beatles Fans Blog takes an in-depth look at Revolver\u2019s \u201cGot […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":9479,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[59,117],"class_list":["post-9475","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-beatles","tag-the-beatles"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thefest.com\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9475","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thefest.com\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thefest.com\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefest.com\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefest.com\/?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9475"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefest.com\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9475\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9478,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefest.com\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9475\/revisions\/9478"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefest.com\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thefest.com\/?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9475"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefest.com\/?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9475"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefest.com\/?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9475"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}