Beatles forums > Song Of The Week Series
Song Of The Week - What You're Doing
Hello Goodbye:
What You're Doing
The Beatles' first two albums featured a number of songs by "Girl Groups" such as The Shirelles (Boys and Baby It's You), The Cookies (Chains), The Marvelettes (Please Mr. Postman) and The Donays (Devil In His Heart). For their third album, Beatles For Sale, The Beatles chose to cover their male rock n' roll idols. But they paid tribute to the Girl Groups with this particular song.
http://youtu.be/2g_FD_sYazk
The distinctive drum introduction, said to have been incorporated by the insistence of Paul McCartney, is a direct reference to The Ronettes #2 debut hit Be My Baby from the previous year. What You're Doing even reprises the drum solo once again towards the end of the song just as The Ronettes did.
We wrote this one in Atlantic City. It's not that Atlantic City is particularly inspiring, it's just that we happened to have a day off the tour there.
Paul McCartney 1964 Interview
'What You're Doing' was a bit of a filler. I think it was a little more mine than John's, but I don't have a very clear recollection so to be on the safe side I'd put it as 50-50. It doesn't sound like an idea that I remember John offering, so it sounds like a way to get a song started, some of them are just that. "Hey, what'cha doing?" You sometimes start a song and hope the best bit will arrive by the time you get to the chorus...but sometimes that's all you get, and I suspect this was one of them. Maybe it's a better recording than it is a song, some of them are. Sometimes a good recording would enhance the song.
Paul McCartney Many Years From Now
On 29 September 1963, The Beatles entered EMI Studio Two at 2:30 PM. They spent the first four hours recording Every Little Thing and I Don't Want To Spoil The Party. After a short break for supper, they worked further on I Don't Want To Spoil The Party. At 9:45 PM they began recording the rhythm track for What You're Doing. They recorded seven takes by 10:45 PM. Five additional takes were recorded the next day with Take 11 deemed best...
http://youtu.be/aRT76hgsSOA
With the final deadline for recording the album being 26 October 1964, The Beatles entered EMI Studio Two on that day to record the last two songs for the album. After being present for some mono and stereo mixing sessions, they first recorded Ringo's contribution to the album, Honey Don't, from 4:30 to 6:30 PM. After an hour break, they started from scratch on What You're Doing recording Takes 13-19. Take 19 was their best. Paul then double-tracked his vocals and overdubbed the piano part. The recording was complete by 9:00 PM...
http://youtu.be/fo-hoeCuyig
Song written - 30 August-1 September 1964
Paul McCartney - Lead Vocals, Bass Guitar (1963 Hofner 500/1), Piano (1905 Steinway Vertegrand upright)
John Lennon - Rhythm Guitar (1964 Gibson J-160E), Harmony Vocals
George Harrison - Lead Guitar (1963 Rickenbacker 360-12), Harmony Vocals
Ringo Starr - Drums (1964 Ludwig Super Classic Black Oyster Pearl)
Klang:
Nice tune.
:)
nimrod:
I never knew about the 'Be My Baby' intro Barry.
Not really much else to say about this track, as Paul says, not a great song but a very nice song to listen too, well recorded (although George's solo is a bit out of time in parts), its a moody introspective peice, and one of the reasons Ive always rated BFS as an album is its introspectiveness (if thats a word) :)
Tracks like this and No Reply, Im A Loser, IDWTSTP & Every Little Thing gave the album a mood I liked, a mood not garnered on the previous albums
Interesting they dropped John's lower harmony (evident on take 11) on the verse's and just went for double tracked Paul.
Moogmodule:
As filler goes I've always quite liked this one. Nothing great but put together well and has some nice moments. Paul's voice sounds good on it. Beatles for Sale has grown in my estimation over the years. I find it a nice album to put on. Although I'm not that keen on Mr Moonlight or Rock and Roll music, the rest I'm more than happy to listen to anytime.
Maybe it's the introspectatiousness for me too Kev ;D
nimrod:
--- Quote from: Moogmodule on May 23, 2015, 02:17:58 AM ---As filler goes I've always quite liked this one. Nothing great but put together well and has some nice moments. Paul's voice sounds good on it. Beatles for Sale has grown in my estimation over the years. I find it a nice album to put on. Although I'm not that keen on Mr Moonlight or Rock and Roll music, the rest I'm more than happy to listen to anytime.
Maybe it's the introspectatiousness for me too Kev ;D
--- End quote ---
Yes I always skip those 2 tracks
manitestations of introspectiveness should never be underestimated ;)
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