Released 10 July 1964 Length 2:22 Writer(s) Lennon–McCartney | Genre Pop Label Parlophone | |
Recorded 27 February 1964,
EMI Studios, London | ||
"If I Fell" is a song by English rock band the Beatles which first appeared in 1964 on the album A Hard Day's Night in the United Kingdom and on the North American album Something New. It was written by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney. "That's my first attempt at a ballad proper....It shows that I wrote sentimental love ballads way back when", Lennon stated in his 1980 Playboy interview.
Contents
Structure
The song opens with an unrepeated introductory section sung by Lennon, followed by a standard “Tin Pan Alley” AABA form. Each verse preceding the B section (or middle-eight) has a slightly different ending which creates a seamless transition between the two. The demo version (just John alone on acoustic guitar) from early 1964, does include the introduction, as well as an alternate ending. The remainder of the song features a two-part harmony, with Lennon singing the lower harmony while McCartney sings the higher one. It also features Lennon's intricate chord changes. The key changes from D sharp minor to D major between the introduction (a series of descending barre chords) and the main song, which uses mainly open chords, including an unusual D ninth.
Recording and performance
Lennon and McCartney shared a single microphone "for their Everly Brothers-like close harmonies."
Like much of the Beatles' early work, the song was released in two different mixes for mono and stereo. Lennon's opening vocal is single-tracked in mono but double-tracked in the stereo mix.
"If I Fell" was a part of the Beatles repertoire during their US and Canadian tour in 1964. The group typically performed the song faster than the studio version, and Lennon and McCartney often sang it with barely suppressed laughter. On more than one occasion it was introduced as "If I Fell Over".
Single releases
"If I Fell" was released as the B-side of the US single "And I Love Her" on Capitol 5235. As the B-side, it reached number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100. It reached number 28 in Canada. The song was also released as a single in Norway, where it hit number one.
In the UK, it was released on 4 December 1964 as the A-side of a single (b/w "Tell Me Why") on Parlophone DP 562. The single was intended for export, but some retailers sold it in the UK anyway. It did not chart there and is generally not considered an "official" UK single.
Personnel
Cover versions
According to Robert Fontenont of About.com, this was Kurt Cobain's favourite Beatles song, and was played by Nirvana whenever there were technical problems at their concerts.