This image is a cover of an audio recording, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by either the publisher of the work or the artist(s) which produced the recording or cover artwork in question. It is believed that the use of low-resolution images of such covers qualifies as fair use.
- Album This song officially appears on the Please Please Me (Mono) LP.
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
"Please Please Me" album session #1
Feb 11, 1963
"Please Please Me" album session #3
Feb 25, 1963
Spread the love! If you like what you are seeing, share it on social networks and let others know about The Paul McCartney Project.
Song facts
From Wikipedia:
“There’s a Place” is a song co-written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and was first released as a track on the Beatles’ debut LP, Please Please Me. Lennon and McCartney share lead vocals, with George Harrison providing backing vocals.
Origins
The title was inspired by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s “Somewhere” from West Side Story, which contained the line: “There’s a place for us.” McCartney owned the album of the soundtrack at the time of writing “There’s a Place” and acknowledges its influence. The “place” in question was “the mind“, making its subject matter slightly more cerebral than Britain’s kissing and cuddling songs and America’s surf music from that period. Lennon is quoted as saying: “‘There’s a Place’ was my attempt at a sort of Motown, black thing. It says: ‘In my mind there’s no sorrow…’ It’s all in your mind.” Paul McCartney: “In our case the place was in the mind, rather than round the back of the stairs for a kiss and a cuddle. This was the difference with what we were writing: we were getting a bit more cerebral. We both sang it. I took the high harmony, John took the lower harmony or melody. This was a nice thing because we didn’t actually have to decide where the melody was till later when they boringly had to write it down for sheet music.” (Barry Miles. Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now).
Composed at McCartney’s Forthlin Road home, it was part of the group’s stage repertoire in 1963. With its major seventh harmonica intro (later reprised) and searing two-part vocal harmonies in fifths (Lennon low, McCartney high), it stands out as an early Beatles milestone track. The song was recorded on 11 February 1963 in 10 takes during the first of three sessions for Please Please Me. It was later overdubbed with a hamonica in 3 takes.
The song was officially credited to “McCartney–Lennon”, as were all other Lennon–McCartney compositions on the original UK release of Please Please Me.
From The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations:
[a] mono 25 Feb 1963.
UK: Parlophone PMC 1202 Please Please Me 1963.
US: Vee Jay VJLP 1062 Introducing 1963, Tollie 9001 single 1964.
CD: EMI CDP 7 46435 2 Please Please Me 1987.[b] stereo 25 Feb 1963.
UK: Parlophone PCS 3042 Please Please Me 1963.
US: Vee Jay VJSR 1062 Introducing 1963.[b1] stereo remixed from [b] ?1980, by Capitol.
US: Capitol SHAL-12060 Rarities 1980, Capitol B5624 single 1986.The remix [b1] has the left, instrumental channel relatively louder.
Last updated on May 21, 2021
Lyrics
There is a place
Where I can go
When I feel low
When I feel blue
And it's my mind
And there's no time when I'm alone
I think of you
And things you do
Go 'round my head
The things you said
Like "I love only you"
In my mind there's no sorrow
Don't you know that it's so
There'll be no sad tomorrow
Don't you know that it's so
There is a place
Where I can go
When I feel low
When I feel blue
And it's my mind
And there's no time when I'm alone
There's a place
Officially appears on
LP • Released in 1963
1:51 • Studio version • A • Mono
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Harmonica, Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Richard Langham :
- Second engineer
- A.B. Lincoln :
- Second engineer
- Session Recording:
- Feb 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 25, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road
LP • Released in 1963
1:51 • Studio version • B • Stereo
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Harmonica, Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Richard Langham :
- Second engineer
- A.B. Lincoln :
- Second engineer
- Session Recording:
- Feb 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 25, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road
EP • Released in 1963
1:50 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Harmonica, Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Richard Langham :
- Second engineer
- A.B. Lincoln :
- Second engineer
- Session Recording:
- Feb 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 25, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1980
1:51 • Studio version • B1 • Stereo • Previously issued on Vee Jay LP Introducing... The Beatles; available on Please Please Me
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Harmonica, Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Richard Langham :
- Second engineer
- A.B. Lincoln :
- Second engineer
- Session Recording:
- Feb 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 25, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road
Please Please Me (Mono - 2009 remaster)
CD • Released in 2009
1:51 • Studio version • A2009 • Mono • 2009 mono remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Harmonica, Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Richard Langham :
- Second engineer
- A.B. Lincoln :
- Second engineer
- Paul Hicks :
- Remastering
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Allan Rouse :
- Project co-ordinator
- Session Recording:
- Feb 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 25, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road
Please Please Me (Stereo - 2009 remaster)
Official album • Released in 2009
1:51 • Studio version • B2009 • Stereo • 2009 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Harmonica, Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Richard Langham :
- Second engineer
- A.B. Lincoln :
- Second engineer
- Paul Hicks :
- Remastering
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Allan Rouse :
- Project co-ordinator
- Session Recording:
- Feb 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Feb 25, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road
On Air - Live at the BBC Volume 2
Official live • Released in 2013
1:49 • Live • L1 • The penultimate track on Please Please Me, in the USA it was on the B-side of "Twist And Shout". In his 1980 interview with David Sheff, John described "There’s A Place" as "my attempt at a sort of Motown black thing". The mature lyric explored a theme revisited in one of John’s last songs "Watching The Wheels".
- John Lennon :
- Vocals
- Ian Grant :
- Producer
Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in Manchester, United Kingdom on Sep 03, 1963
Official album • Released in 2013
2:19 • Outtake • C • Takes 5 & 6
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Harmonica, Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- Session Recording:
- Feb 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 2013
1:59 • Outtake • D • Take 8
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Harmonica, Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- Session Recording:
- Feb 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 2013
2:04 • Outtake • E • Take 9
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Harmonica, Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- Session Recording:
- Feb 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Bootlegs
Unsurpassed Masters Vol. 1 (1962-1963)
Unofficial album • Released in 1989
2:17 • Outtake • Take 5 & 6
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Harmonica, Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- Session Recording:
- Feb 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Unsurpassed Masters Vol. 1 (1962-1963)
Unofficial album • Released in 1989
2:14 • Outtake • Take 12 (track 2) & take 13 (track 2)
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Harmonica, Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- Session Recording:
- Feb 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Unsurpassed Masters Vol. 6 (1962-1969)
Unofficial album • Released in 1991
2:02 • Alternate take • Take 1
- Session Recording:
- Feb 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Live performances
“There's A Place” has been played in 3 concerts.
Latest concerts where There's A Place has been played
Sep 03, 1963 • Part of BBC Sessions
Jul 21, 1963 • Part of BBC Sessions
Jul 16, 1963 • Part of BBC Sessions
Contribute!
Have you spotted an error on the page? Do you want to suggest new content? Or do you simply want to leave a comment ? Please use the form below!
Wrong lyrics, mate -- those are for "In My Life!"
Oops - this is now fixed; thank you very much to have spotted the issue, Cornbread !