- Timeline This song has been recorded in 1960
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Home recordings, aka "The Kirchherr Tape"
circa April 1960
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Song facts
From Early Beatles Songs:
This track is only known through the Forthlin Road tapes, where it sits with the series of instrumental jams. This one is a somewhat better structured blues number, with Lennon and McCartney vocalising together and separately, although a full lyric is impossible to decipher. It is presumed to be a co-write, and the lack of proper words suggests it was of recent creation, although probably not made up on the spot. The title is derived from something Lennon seems to sing – possibly referencing himself not knowing any words.
Last updated on December 24, 2020
Lyrics
[...] Time don't wait when I'm callin' you, Johnny boy...
Please Johnny, won't you tell me?
I'm gonna see my sister Sue.
If she don't want to see me I don't know really what I'm gonna do...
I don't know, I don't know.
Bootlegs
Unofficial album • Released in 1996
5:54 • Demo • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Guitar, Vocals
- John Lennon :
- Guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Guitar
- Stuart Sutcliffe :
- Bass
- Session Recording:
- circa April 1960
- Studio :
- Paul's House Forthlin Road Liverpool
Complete Home Recordings 1958-62
Unofficial album • Released in 2002
5:59 • Demo • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Guitar, Vocals
- John Lennon :
- Guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Guitar
- Stuart Sutcliffe :
- Bass
- Session Recording:
- circa April 1960
- Studio :
- Paul's House Forthlin Road Liverpool
The Silver Beatles - Lapis Lazuli
Unofficial album • Released in 2010
5:34 • Outtake • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Guitar, Vocals
- John Lennon :
- Guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Guitar
- Stuart Sutcliffe :
- Bass
- Session Recording:
- circa April 1960
- Studio :
- Paul's House Forthlin Road Liverpool
Live performances
Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.
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The first of the song sounds like a bereft, melancholy and wistful Paul.
But his lyrics in the “middle 8” reverts back to the Paul of unbounded optimism and dare I say--Love.
I wonder if Paul included some actual written lyrics of John and then finished up with his good-natured love ballad words?
Can I just say I LOVE it when Paul wears Johnny’s glasses!
thats mclennon the song
i'm surprised at how obscure this song is in the beatles community and how little its talked about because it really does sound like a love song written for each other. i don't really know how else to interpret it. i've read a bunch of different versions of the lyrics and they all come across like p and j are planning to run away together somewhere (and it doesn't really sound like they're planning on taking anyone else with them either)
The "I Don't Know" from the Soundcheck 2018 Original In-Ear Monitor Recording and probably the other Japanese release as well is the song from Egypt Station, not the Lennon/McCartney.
Thanks Sam, I'm fixing that !!