"All My Loving"

"All My Loving" is a song by The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon/McCartney), from the 1963 album With the Beatles. The song was released in the United States in 1964, on the album Meet The Beatles!

Composition

It was the first of only a few occasions where McCartney wrote the lyrics before the music, as it was apparently conceived as a poem while he was shaving. McCartney originally envisioned it as a country & western song, and the music was written on a piano backstage during The Beatles’ Roy Orbison tour, with George Harrison adding his Nashville style guitar solo on the recording. Similarly employing the “letter” song model as used on "P.S. I Love You", "All My Loving" promptly drew much critical acclaim, and also attracted large amounts of radio air-play.

Recording

The Beatles recorded the song on July 30, 1963 in 11 takes with 3 overdubs. The master take was take 14 overdubbed on take 11. It was remixed on August 21 and October 29.

The group also recorded All My Loving three times for BBC radio, once in 1963 and twice in 1964. The final version, which was recorded on 28 February 1964, was included on Live At The BBC.

It was also the band's opening number on its famous US debut performance on The Ed Sullivan Show on 9 February 1964; the recording was included on Anthology 1.

Other releases and covers

It is also included on other Beatles albums: Anthology 1, Live at the BBC, and The Beatles 1962-1966. An instrumental version of this song appears in the movie Magical Mystery Tour.

The song was released as a single in the Nordic Countries, and in Finland it went no. 1.

Connection to Lennon's Death

According to Alan Weiss, a TV producer who happened to be there, "All My Loving" was playing on the sound system at Roosevelt Hospital emergency room when John Lennon was pronounced dead after being shot on 8 December 1980.

Credits

* Paul McCartney – bass, lead and backing vocal
* John Lennon – rhythm guitar, backing vocal
* George Harrison – lead guitar, backing vocal
* Ringo Starr – drums

During live performances, George and Paul sang harmony on the last verse of the song, after the lead guitar solo. In the studio version Paul sang both parts.

Album: With the Beatles
Released: November 22, 1963
Recorded: July 30, 1963
Genre: Rock and roll
Length: 2:04
Label: Parlophone
Writer: Lennon/McCartney
Producer: George Martin

Wikipedia