For No One

AUTHORSHIP McCartney (1.00)
This song was written in March 1966 when Paul and Jane were on their skiing holiday in Klosters, Switzerland. They had rented a chalet high above Klosters, about half a mile from the town.

McCARTNEY: "It was very nice and I remember writing 'For No One' there. I suspect it was about another argument. I don't have easy relationships with women, I never have. I talk too much truth." Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now

RECORDED
May 9, 1966, at Abbey Road, with the vocal overdubbed May 16, and French horn solo overdubbed May 19

INSTRUMENTATION
McCARTNEY: bass, piano, harpischord, lead vocal
STARR: drums, tambourine
ALAN CIVIL: horn

Denni Brain, the premier horn player in Britain, was originally booked to play the French horn solo. As usual, George Martin did not stint in hiring the best session players for the Beatles and in this case there was an element of excitement looking forward to that session. Unfortunately, Dennis Brain died in a car crash before the session and Alan Civil took his place, both on the session and as Britain's top player. Paul hummed the melody that he wanted the French horn to play and George Martin wrote out the score. When it was finished, George pointed out to Paul that the high note went just beyond the top of the horn's range and showed him the reference book used for orchestral writing which showed the top notes of orchestral instruments. George Martin said, "But you know, these good players, they can play above the range." Paul said, "Let's try him then."

McCARTNEY: "George was in for the crack, he liked that. He said, 'It'll work, it'll work.' On the session Alan Civil said, 'George?' and looked at us both. He said, 'George, you've written a D,' and George and I just looked at him and held our nerve and said, 'Yes?' And he gave us a crafty look and went, 'Okay.' We did the same trick on 'Penny Lane' with David Mason on the piccolo trumpet, and he almost never forgave me for it because the only thing people ever asked him to do after that was high trumpet stuff." Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now

COMMENTS BY BEATLES
McCARTNEY, on why he redid Beatles songs for the film Five My Regards To Broad Street: " 'For No One' I'd never done anywhere, ever. I'd written the song, took it to the studio, one day recorded it, end of story. It's just a record, a museum piece. And I hated the idea of them staying as museum pieces." Washington Post via Musician (February 1985)

LENNON: "Another of his I really liked." Hit Parader (April 1972)