To lead a better life
I need my love to be here
Here, making each day of the year
Changing my life with a wave of her hand
Nobody can deny that there's something there
There, running my hands through her hair
Both of us thinking how good it can be
Someone is speaking, but she doesn't know he's there
I want her everywhere
And if she's beside me I know I need never care
But to love her is to need her everywhere
Knowing that love is to share
Each one believing that love never dies
Watching her eyes and hoping I'm always there
I will be there
And everywhere
Here, there and everywhere
Absolute masterful songwriting, beautiful melody, moving, hypnotic even.
McCartney wrote the song at Lennon's house in Weybridge while waiting for Lennon to wake up. "I sat out by the pool on one of the sun chairs with my guitar and started strumming in E," McCartney recalled. "And soon had a few chords, and I think by the time he'd woken up, I had pretty much written the song, so we took it indoors and finished it up."
In his biography Many Years From Now, McCartney said the song is one of his favourites. George Martin has also mentioned it as one of his favourite McCartney songs. John Lennon reportedly told McCartney it was "The best tune on the album" and said in his 1980 Playboy interview it was "one of my favourite songs of the Beatles."
It was ranked the 4th greatest song of all time by Mojo in 2000
The song is noted for its bitter-sweet melody, layered backing vocals and utilising a 'clever harmonic scheme' underpinning the chordal structure. "Here There and Everywhere" was recorded from June 14 to 17, a few weeks after a Pet Sounds listening party McCartney was affected by.
McCartney mentioned in the 1989 radio series McCartney on McCartney that the much-praised vocals were meant to have a "Beach Boys" sound. He has also said he was trying to sing it in the style of Marianne Faithfull.
PersonnelPaul McCartney – double-tracked vocal, acoustic guitar, bass, finger-snaps
John Lennon – backing vocal, finger-snaps
George Harrison – backing vocal, lead guitar, finger-snaps
Ringo Starr – drums, finger-snaps
George Martin – producer
Geoff Emerick – engineer
Personnel per Ian MacDonald