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[Hello Goodbye]

Think For Yourself





Later, when we made Sgt. Pepper, I remember taking it round to Dylan at the Mayfair Hotel in London; I went round as if I were going on a pilgrimage.  Keith Richards was in the outer room and we had to hang around and then we went in to meet Dylan.  It was a little bit like an audience with the Pope.  I remember playing him some of Sgt. Pepper and he said "Oh, I get it - you don't want to be cute any more."  That was the feeling about Rubber Soul, too.  We'd had our cute period and now it was time to expand.

    Paul McCartney



On 8 November 1965, The Beatles entered EMI Studio Two at 9:00 PM to record George's composition entitled Won't Be There With You.  After a bit of rehearsal, they needed only one take to record the rhythm track which included George on electric rhythm guitar, Paul on bass guitar, Ringo on drums and John on organ.

The Beatles now set about recording overdubs, the lead and harmony vocals being recorded first.  That night, George Martin kept a tape rolling to record The Beatles as they perfected their vocals...

The Beatles - "Beatle Speech" ("Think For Yourself" - Vocal Overdubbing Session)

Apparently, John had the most trouble with his vocals prompting him to say "I'm sorry, sometimes I feel less than useless at these sessions, I really do.  Of course, Cynthia understands.  I often talk to her about it when we get home.  I say, 'Sometimes, you know, Cynthia, I just can’t get the note.'"

Paul played his newly-acquired Rickenbacker 4001S at this session.  He decided to repeat his bassline using a Tone Bender to produce a fuzz tone effect. 






The double bassline served as lead guitar for the song which was renamed Think For Yourself by the time The Beatles finished their session at 3:00 AM.  Mono and stereo mixing was done on 9 November at the EMI Studios.

Here is the original mono recording...

Rubber Soul Loud Cut MONO vinyl side 1

11:00



The tape of the vocals rehearsal is also interesting in that a short section of the tape at 10:52 was used in the movie Yellow Submarine when Old Fred asks The Beatles to revive the Lord Mayor of Pepperland with a song after he had been apple-bonked...




And you’ve got time to rectify...to rectify...to rectify






Do I hear music?



George Harrison – Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar - 1961 Sonic Blue Fender Stratocaster
Paul McCartney - 1964 Rickenbacker 4001S Bass Guitar, Harmony Vocals
John Lennon - Hammond RT-3 Organ, Harmony Vocals
Ringo Starr –  Drums (1964 Ludwig Super Classic Black Oyster Pearl), maracas, tambourine

[tkitna]

Painfully average song in my opinion.  The fuzz bass irritates me after awhile.  Its not a bad song, just mediocre for the lads.

[oldbrownshoe]

Even though George is my favourite Beatle, this would struggle to get in my Beatles Top 150, but then I've always viewed 'Rubber Soul' less sympathetically than most.....I plan to re-evaluate this next December.

The 'Beatles Monthly' Poll of 1983 had 'Think For Yourself' at joint 133 with 'Revolution 1' and (the much more enjoyable) 'Thank You Girl'.

[Moogmodule]

This is an ok song. Nothing too great. The fuzz bass I'm sure seemed like a good idea at the time but comes across as a bit gimmicky now. Which is unusual for Beatle recording choices.

There's some decent moments in it though, particularly with the harmonies.

[Bobber]

I can live with Think For Yourself. At least a major improvement compared to George's contribution on Help!: I Need You and You Like Me Too Much. However, I prefer George's other song on Rubber Soul, If I Needed Someone.

[Klang]

Kind of middling for me on its own, but as part of the flow of RS it's a definite non-skipper. I like the fuzz bass. Why shouldn't they have had it? A nice swerve in the road.

 

[stevie]

Great song to sing along with George to.  Nice harmonies too. I like it, one of my faves off RS.

[Hello Goodbye]

I can live with Think For Yourself. At least a major improvement compared to George's contribution on Help!: I Need You and You Like Me Too Much. However, I prefer George's other song on Rubber Soul, If I Needed Someone.

Wait!  I Need You was pretty good.  George made nice use of the tone pedal on that one...

The Beatles - I Need You (HD)

 

[Moogmodule]

Wait!  I Need You was pretty good.  George made nice use of the tone pedal on that one...


The Beatles - I Need You (HD)

I've always liked I Need You. I'd actually rate it above Think For Yourself in George's Beatle songs.

[Mr Mustard]

I've always liked "Think For Yourself" with its jerky chord shifts and that wonderful (in my opinion) fuzz bass! It's way more cleverly constructed than anything he'd previously attempted. George admonishes the listener with a typically sour vocal (wonderfully bolstered by Paul's feisty harmony in the descent!) but at the time of release the lyrics were easily Harrison's best to date. Contains the killer lines:

"Although your mind's opaque,
Try thinking more if just for your own sake"

Brilliant words! Among my favourite couplets from their entire oeuvre to be honest. Ringo's rattlesnake percussion adds to the whole waspish mix. I think the song might have been more highly regarded had it not been unfortunate enough to share the grooves with the truly sublime "If I Needed Someone" which eclipses it. But I still think for myself that "Think For Yourself" is underrated. I suppose you'll just have to think for yourself as to whether or not you agree with me.

Much as I like it though, I can't ignore the sense that here of course begins the sermonising - which was to mushroom to such irritating proportions within a decade.....

[Hello Goodbye]

I've always liked I Need You. I'd actually rate it above Think For Yourself in George's Beatle songs.

I like I Need You very much too.  I read that John manipulated the tone pedal by hand as George recorded the lead guitar part in the studio.

[Moogmodule]

Much as I like it though, I can't ignore the sense that here of course begins the sermonising - which was to mushroom to such irritating proportions within a decade.....

There is that element too. I think I notice it more now then when I was younger. Back then the fuzz bass was enough to win me.

[Moogmodule]

I like I Need You very much too.  I read that John manipulated the tone pedal by hand as George recorded the lead guitar part in the studio.

That'd have made a great picture.   

[Hello Goodbye]

That'd have made a great picture.

 

[Moogmodule]

 

Hmm ok. Maybe not as great as I thought. 

Is that the volume pedal? It looks more like a click on/click off effects box. I know this was 1965 but my volume pedal in the 70s was more like the classic wah pedal design.

I had visions of John kneeling in front of George pushing a volume pedal  like that up and down. 

[Hello Goodbye]

That's the Tone Bender, Moog.  The tone (volume) pedal they used was similar to the classic VOX tone pedal you're describing. 

I have the same mental image as you of John working the tone pedal during the I Need You recording session.   

[Hello Goodbye]

Yes It Is was recorded 16 February 1965, the day after I Need You.  According to Lewisohn's The Beatles - Recording Sessions, the same volume swells were obtained by George's the use of the volume pedal ...

The Beatles - "Yes It Is" Stereo Remaster

George remembered it a bit differently.  From Beatles Gear by Andy Babiuk:  Goerge says ".... So what we do is, I played the part, and John would kneel down in front of me and turn my guitar's volume control."

Now that would be an interesting picture too!   

[Moogmodule]

Yes It Is was recorded 16 February 1965, the day after I Need You.  According to Lewisohn's The Beatles - Recording Sessions, the same volume swells were obtained by George's the use of the volume pedal ...


The Beatles - "Yes It Is" Stereo Remaster


George remembered it a bit differently.  From Beatles Gear by Andy Babiuk:  Goerge says ".... So what we do is, I played the part, and John would kneel down in front of me and turn my guitar's volume control."

Now that would be an interesting picture too!    :

Yes. You'd have to be careful of the camera angle 

[Hello Goodbye]

I like the fuzz bass. Why shouldn't they have had it? A nice swerve in the road.

 

Tone Bender, volume pedal and knob...they all sounded great!  It was fun hearing these effects when these songs were released. 

I like Think For Yourself a lot.  A song in G Major with the use of several chords belonging to a song in G Minor.  George was brilliant in his use of minor keys for many of his songs! 

He appears to be berating someone in this song, but I can't figure out who.

[Hello Goodbye]

Yes. You'd have to be careful of the camera angle