- Album This song officially appears on the With the Beatles (Mono) LP.
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Sep 11, 1963
Sep 30, 1963
Oct 29, 1963
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Song facts
From Wikipedia:
“All I’ve Got to Do” is a song written by John Lennon (credited to Lennon–McCartney) and performed by the Beatles on their second UK album, With the Beatles. In the United States, “All I’ve Got to Do” originally appeared on Meet the Beatles!. According to Dennis Alstrand, this song is the first time in rock and roll or rock music where the bass player plays chords as a vital part of the song.
Inspiration
Lennon said he was “trying to do Smokey Robinson again,” and Ian MacDonald compared it to “You Can Depend on Me” by the Miracles, both musically and lyrically. Richie Unterberger of Allmusic said it sounds like Robinson but also Arthur Alexander. Beatles biographer Bob Spitz said the song is “restlessly dark and moody“, and compared it to the Shirelles’ “Baby It’s You” (a song the Beatles previously covered) and early Drifters recordings.
It was one of three songs Lennon was the principal writer for on With the Beatles, with “It Won’t Be Long” and “Not a Second Time“. Lennon said that it was written specifically for the American market; the idea of calling a girl on the telephone was unthinkable to a British youth in the early 1960s. For instance, Lennon said in an interview regarding “No Reply“: “I had the image of walking down the street and seeing her silhouetted in the window and not answering the ‘phone, although I have never called a girl on the ‘phone in my life! Because ‘phones weren’t part of the English child’s life.”
Recording
The band recorded the song in a single recording session on 11 September 1963 in 14 takes with one overdub, take 15. The master take was take 15. It was mixed for mono on 30 September and for stereo on 29 October.
Although music journalist Steve Turner claims the song was written in 1961, MacDonald said the song was never in the Beatles’ live repertoire, and that explains why 8 of the 14 takes were incomplete: the band was unfamiliar with the song.
Release
In the UK, “All I’ve Got to Do” was released on With the Beatles which also includes the Beatles’ cover of “You Really Got a Hold on Me” by the Miracles, the most direct connection between the album and Robinson’s music. In the US, Capitol Records pulled “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” off Meet the Beatles!, releasing it later on The Beatles’ Second Album.
From The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations:
- [a] mono 30 Sep 1963.
UK: Parlophone PMC 1206 With the Beatles 1963.
CD: EMI CDP 7 46436 2 With the Beatles 1987.- [b] stereo 29 Oct 1963.
UK: Parlophone PCS 3045 With the Beatles 1963.- [b1] stereo remixed from [b] 1963, by Capitol.
US: Capitol ST 2047 Meet the Beatles 1964.- [b2] mono made from [b] 1963, by Capitol.
US: Capitol T 2047 Meet the Beatles 1964.
Last updated on February 7, 2016
Lyrics
Whenever I want you around, yeah.
All I gotta do,
Is call you on the phone,
And you'll come running home,
Yeah, that's all I gotta do.
And when I, I wanna kiss you, yeah.
All I gotta do,
Is whisper in your ear
The words you long to hear,
And I'll be kissin' you.
And the same goes for me,
Whenever you want me at all.
I'll be here, yes I will, whenever you call.
You just gotta call on me, yeah,
You just gotta call on me.
And when I, I wanna kiss you, yeah.
All I gotta do,
Is call you on the phone,
And you'll come running home,
Yeah, that's all I gotta do.
And the same goes for me,
Whenever you want me at all.
I'll be here, yes I will, whenever you call.
You just gotta call on me, yeah,
You just gotta call on me.
Officially appears on
LP • Released in 1963
2:03 • Studio version • A • Mono
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Sep 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Sep 30, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
LP • Released in 1963
2:03 • Studio version • B • Stereo
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Sep 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Sep 30, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1964
2:05 • Studio version • B2 • Mono • Mono made from [B] by Capitol
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Sep 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Sep 30, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1964
2:04 • Studio version • B1 • Stereo • Stereo remixed from [B] by Capitol
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Sep 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Sep 30, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Meet the Beatles! (2004 remaster)
Official album • Released in 2004
2:05 • Studio version • B2.2004 • Mono • 2004 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Ted Jensen :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Sep 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Sep 30, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Meet the Beatles! (2004 remaster)
Official album • Released in 2004
2:04 • Studio version • B1.2004 • Stereo • 2004 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Ted Jensen :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Sep 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Sep 30, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
With the Beatles (Mono - 2009 remaster)
Official album • Released in 2009
2:03 • Studio version • A2009 • Mono • 2009 mono remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Paul Hicks :
- Remastering
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Allan Rouse :
- Project co-ordinator
- Session Recording:
- Sep 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Sep 30, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
With the Beatles (Stereo - 2009 remaster)
Official album • Released in 2009
2:03 • Studio version • B2009 • Stereo • 2009 stereo remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Sam Okell :
- Remastering
- Allan Rouse :
- Project co-ordinator
- Session Recording:
- Sep 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Sep 30, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Meet the Beatles! (2014 reissue)
Official album • Released in 2014
2:03 • Studio version • A2009 • Mono • 2009 mono remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Paul Hicks :
- Remastering
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Allan Rouse :
- Project co-ordinator
- Session Recording:
- Sep 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Sep 30, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
With the Beatles (Mono - 2014 vinyl)
LP • Released in 2014
2:03 • Studio version • A2014 • Mono • 2014 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Backing vocals, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Sean Magee :
- Remastering
- Steve Berkowitz :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Sep 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Sep 30, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Live performances
Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.
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