- 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 12, 1963
Sep 30, 1963
Oct 03, 1963
Oct 23, 1963
Oct 29, 1963
July 1993
Other soundcheck songs officially released
Officially appears on Tripping The Live Fantastic
Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying
Officially appears on Tripping The Live Fantastic
Officially appears on Paul Is Live
Officially appears on Paul Is Live
Related interviews
Paul McCartney Looks Back: The Rolling Stone Interview
Aug 10, 2016 • From RollingStone
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Song facts
From Wikipedia:
“I Wanna Be Your Man” is a Lennon–McCartney-penned song recorded and released as a single by the Rolling Stones, and then recorded by the Beatles. The song was primarily written by Paul McCartney, and finished by Lennon and McCartney in the corner of a room while Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were talking.
The Rolling Stones version
Released as their second single on 1 November 1963, the Stones’ version was an early hit, peaking at No. 12 on the British chart. Their rendition is a song featuring Brian Jones’ distinctive slide guitar and Bill Wyman’s driving bass playing. It is one of the few Rolling Stones songs to feature only Brian Jones on backing vocals. In the US, the song was released on 6 March 1964 as the B-side to “Not Fade Away“.
According to various accounts, either the Rolling Stones’ manager/producer Andrew Loog Oldham or the Rolling Stones themselves ran into Lennon and McCartney on the street as the two were returning from an awards luncheon. Hearing that the band were in need of material for a single, Lennon and McCartney went to their session at De Lane Lea Studio and finished off the song – whose verse they had already been working on – in the corner of the room while the impressed Rolling Stones watched.
Mick Jagger recalled the song in 1968: “We knew [the Beatles] by then and we were rehearsing and Andrew brought Paul and John down to the rehearsal. They said they had this tune, they were really hustlers then. I mean the way they used to hustle tunes was great: ‘Hey Mick, we’ve got this great song.’ So they played it and we thought it sounded pretty commercial, which is what we were looking for, so we did it like Elmore James or something. I haven’t heard it for ages but it must be pretty freaky ’cause nobody really produced it. It was completely crackers, but it was a hit and sounded great onstage.“
Bill Wyman noted how the Rolling Stones adapted the song to their style: “We kind of learned it pretty quickly ’cause there wasn’t that much to learn. Then Brian got his slide out, his steel (guitar) out and dadaw… dadaw… and we said, Yeah, that’s better, dirty it up a bit and bash it out, and we kind of completely turned the song around and made it much more tough, Stones- and Elmore James-like.“
Released only as a single, the Rolling Stones’ rendition did not appear on a studio album. The song was released in the UK on the 1972 Decca compilation album Milestones and on the UK compilation album Rolled Gold: The Very Best of the Rolling Stones in 1975. In 1989, it was issued on the US compilation album Singles Collection: The London Years. It is included on the four CD version of the 2012 GRRR! compilation. […]
The Beatles’ version
The Beatles’ version was sung by Ringo Starr and appeared on the group’s second UK album, With The Beatles, released 22 November 1963. It was driven by a heavily tremoloed, open E-chord on a guitar played through a Vox AC30 amplifier. John Lennon was dismissive of the song in 1980, saying: “It was a throwaway. The only two versions of the song were Ringo and the Rolling Stones. That shows how much importance we put on it: We weren’t going to give them anything great, right?“
The Beatles also recorded two versions of the song for the BBC. One version was for the Saturday Club, recorded on 7 January 1964 and first broadcast on 15 February. The second version was released on the Live at the BBC collection from the From Us To You show. It was recorded on 28 February and broadcast on 30 March. The Beatles also recorded a version for the Around The Beatles TV show, recorded on 19 April 1964. This version was released on the Anthology 1 collection in 1995.
Bob Dylan recorded a song for Blonde on Blonde (1966) called “I Wanna Be Your Lover” as a “tip of the hat” to the Lennon/McCartney song. It was left off the final album, but was eventually released on the compilation boxed set Biograph (1985).
The song features a heavy Bo Diddley beat. Bo Diddley himself acknowledged this in the song “London Stomp” (album “Hey Good Lookin’“). He sings “Hey, Liverpool, we got the London Stomp” over a “I Wanna Be Your Man” background. […]
From The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations:
- [a] mono 23 Oct 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.- [b3] stereo remixed from [b] 1976.
US: Capitol SKBO-11537 Rock and Roll Music 1976.Again, a lot of tape generations. This was the last twintrack recording started.
Paul McCartney have performed “I Wanna Be Your Man” during a few concert of his 1993 New World Tour.
Last updated on June 8, 2021

The book "The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present", published in 2021, covers Paul McCartney's early Liverpool days, the Beatles, Wings, and solo careers, by pairing the lyrics of 154 of his songs with first-person commentaries of the circumstances in which they were written, the people and places that inspired them, and what he thinks of them now.
"I Wanna Be Your Man" is one of the 154 songs covered.
Lyrics
I wanna be your lover baby
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your lover baby
I wanna be your man
Love you like no other baby
Like no other can
Love you like no other baby
Like no other can
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your lover baby
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your lover baby
I wanna be your man
Love you like no other baby
Like no other can
Love you like no other baby
Like no other can
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
Officially appears on
LP • Released in 1963
1:59 • Studio version • B • Stereo
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Maracas, Vocals
- John Lennon :
- Backing vocals, Rhythm guitar
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Hammond organ, Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Sep 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Recording:
- Sep 12, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Recording:
- Oct 03, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 29, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road
LP • Released in 1963
2:00 • Studio version • A • Mono
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Maracas, Vocals
- John Lennon :
- Backing vocals, Rhythm guitar
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Hammond organ, Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Sep 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Recording:
- Sep 12, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Recording:
- Oct 03, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 23, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1964
1:59 • Studio version • B2 • Mono • Mono made from [B] by Capitol
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Maracas, Vocals
- John Lennon :
- Backing vocals, Rhythm guitar
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Hammond organ, Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Sep 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Recording:
- Sep 12, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Recording:
- Oct 03, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 29, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1964
2:01 • Studio version • B1 • Stereo • Stereo remixed from [B] by Capitol
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Maracas, Vocals
- John Lennon :
- Backing vocals, Rhythm guitar
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Hammond organ, Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Sep 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Recording:
- Sep 12, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Recording:
- Oct 03, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 29, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road
Official live • Released in 1993
2:37 • Soundcheck • L3
- Performed by :
- Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney • Robbie McIntosh • Hamish Stuart • Paul Wickens • Blair Cunningham
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Geoff Emerick :
- Engineering, Mixing engineer
- Julian Mendelsohn :
- Recording engineer
- Bob Kraushaar :
- Recording engineer
Concert From the concert in Parramatta, Australia on Mar 23, 1993
- Session Recording:
- July 1993
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Official live • Released in 1994
2:09 • Radio show • L1 • ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’ was the first Top 20 hit by the Rolling Stones, a gift from John and Paul.
Concert From "From Us To You" in London, United Kingdom on Mar 30, 1964
Official album • Released in 1995
1:48 • Outtake • L2
- Terry Johnson :
- Recording engineer
- Jack Good :
- Producer
- Session Recording:
- Apr 19, 1964
- Studio :
- IBC Studios, London, UK
Meet the Beatles! (2004 remaster)
Official album • Released in 2004
1:59 • Studio version • B2.2004 • Mono • 2004 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Maracas, Vocals
- John Lennon :
- Backing vocals, Rhythm guitar
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Hammond organ, Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Ted Jensen :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Sep 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Recording:
- Sep 12, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Recording:
- Oct 03, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 29, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road
Meet the Beatles! (2004 remaster)
Official album • Released in 2004
2:01 • Studio version • B1.2004 • Stereo • 2004 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Backing vocals, Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Maracas, Vocals
- John Lennon :
- Backing vocals, Rhythm guitar
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Hammond organ, Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Ted Jensen :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Sep 11, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Recording:
- Sep 12, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Recording:
- Oct 03, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 29, 1963
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road
Bootlegs
Unofficial live
2:34 • Soundcheck
Concert From the concert in East Rutherford, USA on Jun 11, 1993
Rehearsals For The New World Tour 1993
Unofficial live
3:03 • Live
Concert From "New World Tour - Rehearsal Concert" in London, United Kingdom on Feb 05, 1993
Unofficial live • Released in 1993
2:38 • Live
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass guitar, Piano, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Background vocals, Keyboard
- Robbie McIntosh :
- Guitar
- Hamish Stuart :
- Bass guitar
- Paul Wickens :
- Keyboard
- Blair Cunningham :
- Drums
Concert From ""Up Close" taping" in New York City, USA on Dec 10, 1992
Unofficial live • Released in 1993
4:59 • Live
Concert From "New World Tour - Warm-up show #2" in Milan, Italy on Feb 19, 1993
Live performances
“I Wanna Be Your Man” has been played in 196 concerts and 12 soundchecks.
Latest concerts where I Wanna Be Your Man has been played
Jun 25, 2022 • United Kingdom • Pilton, Somerset • Worthy Farm
Jun 24, 2022 • 6pm • United Kingdom • Frome • Cheese & Grain
East Rutherford • Met Life Stadium • USA
Jun 16, 2022 • Part of Got Back Tour
Jul 26, 2018 • United Kingdom • Liverpool • The Cavern Club
"Under The Staircase" Spotify show
Jul 23, 2018 • United Kingdom • London • Abbey Road Studios
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