Topic: Song Of The Week - If I Fell (Read 25991 times)

Hello Goodbye · « **on:** February 21, 2015, 01:06:51 AM »

If I Fell

Between 15 January and 4 February 1964, The Beatles were staying at the George V Hotel in Paris during their marathon concert series at the Olympia Theatre. They needed some original songs for their upcoming movie so they had an upright piano brought to their room...

That was my first attempt at a ballad proper. That was the precursor to In My Life...it shows that I wrote sentimental love ballads - silly love songs - way back then.

John Lennon 1980 Playboy Magazine Interview.

On 27 February 1964, The Beatles entered EMI Studio Two for their third day of recording for their first motion picture A Hard Day's Night. The morning session brought Paul's And I Love Her to completion as well as starting and completing John's Tell Me Why. The afternoon session ran from 2:30 to 5:30 Fifteen takes of If I Fell were recorded with The Beatles on their usual instruments and singing simultaneously. In order to get the proper feel, John and Paul insisted on doing the intricate harmonies singing into the same microphone.

Take 15 ended up being the final take even though it contained a flaw at the end of the second bridge. Paul's voice cracked on the word "vain" to the point that this extremely high note actually cut off. It was fixed by double-tracking another vocal part as an overdub for that part of the song. John also double-tracked his vocals throughout the entire song, which gives their two-part harmony a rich and full sound.


The Beatles - If I Fell - A Hard Day's Night [Stereo Remastered] - 2009

The Beatles included the song quite prominently in their live shows throughout the latter half of 1964...


The Beatles If I Fell Live at the Indiana State Fair 3 September 1964

John Lennon - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar (1962 Gibson J160E)
Paul McCartney - Harmony Vocals, Bass Guitar (1963 Hofner 500/1)
George Harrison - Lead Guitar (1963 Rickenbacker 360-12 Fire-glo)
Ringo Starr - Drums (1963 Ludwig Downbeat Black Oyster Pearl)

tkitna · « **Reply #1 on:** February 21, 2015, 01:21:16 AM »

This one is only alright for me. Its not bad and the harmonies are simply fantastic, but it just has never been a favorite to my ears. That's not saying I dislike it though.

oldbrownshoe · « **Reply #2 on:** February 21, 2015, 09:03:30 AM »

Great song from a stunning L.P. but wouldn't get in my own Beatles' Top 40.
All the better, though, for Paul's mistake at the end.....a million years, mercifully, from the dead hand of 'Auto-Tune'.

It was non-45 L.P. tracks like 'All My Loving' and 'And I Love Her' and 'If I Fell' that hinted at a longer career than might have originally been expected (not least by themselves!) for The Beatles.
Clearly, even as early as '64, the group's catalogue 'bats a long way down'.

The 'Beatles Monthly' Poll of 1983 have it in the exalted position of 17 with 552 votes, polling 20 more (really?!!!) than 'Here Comes The Sun' at 18.

Hombre_de_ningun_lugar · « **Reply #3 on:** February 21, 2015, 11:50:56 AM »

One of many little gems from the Beatles catalog.

Quote from: oldbrownshoe on February 21, 2015, 09:03:30 AM

It was non-45 L.P. tracks like 'All My Loving' and 'And I Love Her' and 'If I Fell' that hinted at a longer career than might have originally been expected (not least by themselves!) for The Beatles.

Actually "If I Fell" was released as a single in UK in December 1964 (with "Tell Me Why" as the B-side), but it was made only for export purposes; so it is not considered as an official single.

http://www.jpgr.co.uk/dp562.html

"If I Fell" was also the B-side of the US single "And I Love Her". "If I Fell" peaked at #53, a decent position for a B-side.

blmeanie · « **Reply #4 on:** February 21, 2015, 12:50:07 PM »

I enjoy this one, the harmonizing as always is great

Klang · « **Reply #5 on:** February 21, 2015, 12:55:58 PM »

A unique tune. Very different for its time, as so many Beatles songs were. Outstanding harmonies, of course. One of the better love ballads.

Normandie · « **Reply #6 on:** February 21, 2015, 04:21:41 PM »

I love this song, one of my top Beatle favorites. It's so simple and beautiful. The harmonies are so exquisite they make my heart soar.

Bobber · « **Reply #7 on:** February 22, 2015, 11:00:00 AM »

Wonderful harmonies, especially when going into the middle eight. It took me weeks to figure that out and I consider myself to be talented with a good ear for harmonies.

Dcazz · « **Reply #8 on:** February 22, 2015, 01:02:35 PM »

Great ballad! I always liked it!

Hello Goodbye · « **Reply #9 on:** February 23, 2015, 04:11:25 AM »

It's a beautiful love ballad. It appears twice in A Hard Day's Night...


The Beatles - If I fell (from the movie A hard day's night)


A Hard Day's Night - Tell Me Why / If I Fell / I Should Have Known Better

KelMar · « **Reply #10 on:** February 23, 2015, 04:27:24 AM »

Quote from: Normandie on February 21, 2015, 04:21:41 PM

I love this song, one of my top Beatle favorites. It's so simple and beautiful. The harmonies are so exquisite they make my heart soar.

Well put Kathy! I've always loved this song too. I still remember how exciting it was to see it performed the first time I watched "A Hard Day's Night".

The falsetto rendering in this demo makes the song sound like something John might have learned from his mother:

http://youtu.be/1y42Q9vG50A

Thanks for continuing this thread Barry. It's a valuable one.

Hello Goodbye · « **Reply #11 on:** February 23, 2015, 05:10:35 AM »

Quote from: Bobber on February 22, 2015, 11:00:00 AM

Wonderful harmonies, especially when going into the middle eight. It took me weeks to figure that out and I consider myself to be talented with a good ear for harmonies.

When John and Paul shared a microphone, you knew they meant business...

This fellow shows you what they did...


How to Sing If I Fell Vocal Cover Harmony Lesson Tutorial

Kevin · « **Reply #12 on:** February 23, 2015, 09:19:52 AM »

Quote from: Klang on February 21, 2015, 12:55:58 PM

A unique tune. Very different for its time, as so many Beatles songs were. Outstanding harmonies, of course. One of the better love ballads.

I like it...a bit twee..but very nice. Not sure how "unique" or "different for its time" it is? Its a standard format..very well done of course...but hardly groundbreaking. Ballads with tight harmonies weren't new.

Klang · « **Reply #13 on:** February 23, 2015, 11:46:37 AM »

I don't think the harmonizing was so unique, but rather the song's overall structure. I can't think of anything else quite like it. Probably just my lack of knowledge, but that's what I was referring to.

Hombre_de_ningun_lugar · « **Reply #14 on:** February 23, 2015, 03:45:41 PM »

Quote from: Klang on February 23, 2015, 11:46:37 AM

I don't think the harmonizing was so unique, but rather the song's overall structure. I can't think of anything else quite like it. Probably just my lack of knowledge, but that's what I was referring to.

Maybe the intro, which has a different sung melody than the rest of the song, is a special characteristic of the track (even though this was not something new even for the Beatles; see "Do You Want To Know A Secret", for example). It's also difficult to divide the main melody in different sections.

Klang · « **Reply #15 on:** February 23, 2015, 04:51:39 PM »

Yea. I would be interested in hearing some examples of songs of that time that were similar in structure.

Enlighten me.

Hombre_de_ningun_lugar · « **Reply #16 on:** February 23, 2015, 07:22:16 PM »

The much later "Alone Again Or" by Love, from 1967, is another example of continuous melody without defined sections. Then there's "Subterranean Homesick Blues" by Dylan, from 1965. I'd have to think harder to find an earlier example.

Hombre_de_ningun_lugar · « **Reply #17 on:** February 23, 2015, 08:00:00 PM »

Of course we could also find some blues records with monotonous melodies. I think of "I Wish You Would", recorded by the Yardbirds in 1964, and originally released by Billy Boy Arnold in 1955. But "If I Fell" is a pop ballad, and in the world of pop ballads its structure may be innovative.

Klang · « **Reply #18 on:** February 23, 2015, 08:24:18 PM »

That's what I was thinking.

Great minds...

Mr Mustard · « **Reply #19 on:** February 25, 2015, 12:25:06 AM »

Even from such an overtly romantic album as "A Hard Day's Night", this beauty wears its heart on its sleeve. I take Kevin's point about it not really breaking new ground - you might regard it as a fairly transparent nod to The Everly Brothers - but the vulnerability is a bold move from 23 year old tough guy Lennon, whose songwriting prowess was gathering both momentum and maturity at this stage, and on this track the lyrical trepidation is palpable. He'd done the occasional soft-bellied ballad before ("Ask Me Why", "This Boy") but this one was deeper and much more emotionally plugged in.

Those harmonies - wow! I'm still impressed at the confident way John smoothly shifts his vocal register between keys with such ease. Paul's high harmony poured on top is just beautiful - even his vocal "crack" is touching.

God they can turn me into a soppy old git when they're on top of their game!

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Author Topic: Song Of The Week - If I Fell (Read 25991 times)

Bobber

KelMar