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Beatles forums => Songs => Topic started by: alexis on October 28, 2009, 03:55:05 AM

Title: Who sings lead on "Day Tripper"?
Post by: alexis on October 28, 2009, 03:55:05 AM
A John song, and up until recently I just figured it was John singing the solo bits.

Lately though, I wonder if it was Paul who started out each verse alone ("Got a Good Reason ...", etc.).

What do you guys think?
Title: Re: Who sings lead on "Day Tripper"?
Post by: nyfan(41) on October 28, 2009, 04:01:43 AM
The Beatles- Day Tripper (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwmtNk_Yb2Q#normal)
Title: Re: Who sings lead on "Day Tripper"?
Post by: Hello Goodbye on October 28, 2009, 04:05:12 AM
Yup...it's Paul:

Day Tripper (the Beatles) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wo0o8uQXQkE#normal)
Title: Re: Who sings lead on "Day Tripper"?
Post by: BlueMeanie on October 28, 2009, 06:35:21 AM
I've always thought it was Paul. Sounds like him to me, without a doubt.
Title: Re: Who sings lead on "Day Tripper"?
Post by: Euan Buchan on October 28, 2009, 11:59:21 AM
It's Paul with John joining in at the 2nd verse & chorus
Title: Re: Who sings lead on "Day Tripper"?
Post by: Nelson_Wilbury on October 28, 2009, 02:25:15 PM
This is one of the complex beatles' songs in the vocals.

Paul is lead in the start of the verse ("got a good reason"; "She's a big teaser"; "Try to please her")and John join him later, but John is lead in the chorus ("She was a...") with George and Paul sing harmonies
Title: Re: Who sings lead on "Day Tripper"?
Post by: peterbell1 on October 29, 2009, 11:26:11 PM
I always thought it was a John song but it looks like this is one of the few cases of proper collaboration, hence the "shared" lead vocal duties.
Title: Re: Who sings lead on "Day Tripper"?
Post by: TomMo on June 05, 2012, 07:55:05 PM
Here is what I've found: On at least two TV appearances (I assume in the UK) in 1966, even though the Lads were lip-syncing, Paul sings on the first part of the lines in the verses, John joins in for the rest of the lines. Paul: "Got a good reason" Paul and John: "For taking the easy way out."

Munich concert footage, 1966: Same as above. George joins in for the chorus.
Japan concert footage, both shows, 1966: Paul and John share the entire verses, George joins in for the chorus.
My recollection from DC concert, 1966: John steps up to his mic first, sings. Paul steps up to his mic for second half of first line. Both remain at mics throughout the rest of the song. I'm guessing Paul was merely late stepping up to the mic for the first verse.
All three examples: George plays the opening riff, appears to play at the guitar break.

My opinion: Paul and John sang on the record as they sang on TV and in the Munich gig. Chronologically, these occurred prior to the Japan shows, but after the track was recorded. Though John gets credit for "inventing" the riff, George played it on the record and in concert. Guitar break: inconclusive. John claims it was his, but you can judge the existing videos and form your own opinion.

John on lead guitar: Setting their later work aside, I can't find any footage of the Beatles in concert between 1963-1966 which shows John playing lead guitar on "Long Tall Sally" or "You Can't Do That", even though most Beatle-People know he did on the recordings. (John on LTS on one break only). The closest I've found was from their Australia concert, which focuses only on Paul and George during the break, not John. George does NOT appear to be playing the guitar solo at the break, but repeating the opening riff under what I would assume to be John's guitar solo.

Anybody have links to other live performances of "DT", "LTS", or "YCDT" to show John playing lead guitar in concert, not including John playing second lead on "I Feel Fine"? Just curious.
Title: Re: Who sings lead on "Day Tripper"?
Post by: Dcazz on June 24, 2012, 09:41:25 PM
I've listened very hard for years and on most of the early (pre white album) John solo's are more of a collaboration than a solo. On You Can't Do That , you can distinctly hear Georges Rickenbaker in the backround while John does the harder rythym lead(for lack of a better description). On Day Tripper I think George handles the intro riff lead and the higher pitched main lead. One of the audio mysteries that keep us Beatle fans searching is the interplay between these two guitarists. Sonetimes it's so hard to hear who's playing what you can listen for years before you figure it out. I've sat in the center of my truck and moved my head left and right to try to hear a certain part I noticed and want to hear clearly. Some other songs that take a lot of concentration are MMt's BYARM, Hey Bulldog, Lady Madonna to name a few.  Have fun.
Here is what I've found: On at least two TV appearances (I assume in the UK) in 1966, even though the Lads were lip-syncing, Paul sings on the first part of the lines in the verses, John joins in for the rest of the lines. Paul: "Got a good reason" Paul and John: "For taking the easy way out."

Munich concert footage, 1966: Same as above. George joins in for the chorus.
Japan concert footage, both shows, 1966: Paul and John share the entire verses, George joins in for the chorus.
My recollection from DC concert, 1966: John steps up to his mic first, sings. Paul steps up to his mic for second half of first line. Both remain at mics throughout the rest of the song. I'm guessing Paul was merely late stepping up to the mic for the first verse.
All three examples: George plays the opening riff, appears to play at the guitar break.

My opinion: Paul and John sang on the record as they sang on TV and in the Munich gig. Chronologically, these occurred prior to the Japan shows, but after the track was recorded. Though John gets credit for "inventing" the riff, George played it on the record and in concert. Guitar break: inconclusive. John claims it was his, but you can judge the existing videos and form your own opinion.

John on lead guitar: Setting their later work aside, I can't find any footage of the Beatles in concert between 1963-1966 which shows John playing lead guitar on "Long Tall Sally" or "You Can't Do That", even though most Beatle-People know he did on the recordings. (John on LTS on one break only). The closest I've found was from their Australia concert, which focuses only on Paul and George during the break, not John. George does NOT appear to be playing the guitar solo at the break, but repeating the opening riff under what I would assume to be John's guitar solo.

Anybody have links to other live performances of "DT", "LTS", or "YCDT" to show John playing lead guitar in concert, not including John playing second lead on "I Feel Fine"? Just curious.
Title: Re: Who sings lead on "Day Tripper"?
Post by: nimrod on June 24, 2012, 10:48:52 PM
Paul  said in a recent interview that he wrote the whole song and played all the parts, Ringo played triangle apparently but I just cant hear it..
Title: Re: Who sings lead on "Day Tripper"?
Post by: TomMo on June 25, 2012, 11:06:44 PM
I've listened very hard for years and on most of the early (pre white album) John solo's are more of a collaboration than a solo. On You Can't Do That , you can distinctly hear Georges Rickenbaker in the backround while John does the harder rythym lead(for lack of a better description). On Day Tripper I think George handles the intro riff lead and the higher pitched main lead. One of the audio mysteries that keep us Beatle fans searching is the interplay between these two guitarists. Sonetimes it's so hard to hear who's playing what you can listen for years before you figure it out. I've sat in the center of my truck and moved my head left and right to try to hear a certain part I noticed and want to hear clearly. Some other songs that take a lot of concentration are MMt's BYARM, Hey Bulldog, Lady Madonna to name a few.  Have fun.

I'm fairly certain George played lead on BYARM and LM. There has been some controversy about Hey Bulldog. Some say Paul, I say George, but it does sound a bit like Paul's style.
Title: Re: Who sings lead on "Day Tripper"?
Post by: Dcazz on June 25, 2012, 11:59:45 PM
I think the Hey Bulldog style can be heard fairly closly on I, Me, Mine which was all George (John wasn't present, April 1970). The HB solo is a collaboration as the squawky part is John and thelead, lead is George. It's funny the songs that I used to figure out those leads before John changed his style in 68 are I Want to Hold Your Hand, What Goes On, BYARM, Lady Madonna and Hey Bulldog. If you listen to these songs you'll hear the squawky rythm guitar behind Georges leads and they seem to carry this along through on these songs thou they become more sophisticated as they progress. There's a good video of IWTHYH where G and J are playing there amplified Gibson acoustics and you can see AND hear how they did it. After 67 the mixes are more difficult to discern and sound like one guitar but they're there.
Title: Re: Who sings lead on "Day Tripper"?
Post by: 7 of 13 on June 26, 2012, 05:50:31 PM
they switch back and forth don't they.
 ;yes
Title: Re: Who sings lead on "Day Tripper"?
Post by: TomMo on June 26, 2012, 08:52:14 PM
I think the Hey Bulldog style can be heard fairly closly on I, Me, Mine which was all George (John wasn't present, April 1970). The HB solo is a collaboration as the squawky part is John and thelead, lead is George. It's funny the songs that I used to figure out those leads before John changed his style in 68 are I Want to Hold Your Hand, What Goes On, BYARM, Lady Madonna and Hey Bulldog. If you listen to these songs you'll hear the squawky rythm guitar behind Georges leads and they seem to carry this along through on these songs thou they become more sophisticated as they progress. There's a good video of IWTHYH where G and J are playing there amplified Gibson acoustics and you can see AND hear how they did it. After 67 the mixes are more difficult to discern and sound like one guitar but they're there.

Would that account for John's playing style on David Bowie's "Fame"?
Title: Re: Who sings lead on "Day Tripper"?
Post by: Dcazz on June 27, 2012, 09:19:07 AM
In my origional post on this subject I stated his pre White Album style. Im basically talking about a limited number of song where the leads are difficult to figure out. I found it helpful to use a few others with similar tones to help.
Title: Re: Who sings lead on "Day Tripper"?
Post by: TomMo on June 27, 2012, 04:36:16 PM
In my origional post on this subject I stated his pre White Album style. Im basically talking about a limited number of song where the leads are difficult to figure out. I found it helpful to use a few others with similar tones to help.

Both our points are valid, Dcazz. I referred to John's playing on "Fame" as being similar to the tracks you mentioned.

John has been quoted as saying that he liked the blending of the guitars on early Beatle tracks. Yes, sometimes the lead can be hard to figure out.
Title: Re: Who sings lead on "Day Tripper"?
Post by: Dcazz on June 27, 2012, 08:10:15 PM
Actually having thought about it, I think you can trace the Fame licks back to his All My Loving, Happy Just To Dance With You rythm style.