I'm A Loser

Song facts

From Wikipedia:

“I’m a Loser” is a song by the Beatles, originally released on Beatles for Sale in the United Kingdom, later released on Beatles ’65 in the United States. Written by John Lennon, (though credited to Lennon–McCartney), it was considered for release as a single until Lennon wrote “I Feel Fine“.

According to music critic Richie Unterberger, while the lyrics tell a story of romantic rejection, “I’m a Loser” is one of the first Beatles compositions that “goes beyond young love” including “the hypocrisy of keeping up a happy face when your world’s falling down“.

Composition

In 1980, Lennon said the song was “me in my Dylan period” and added, “Part of me suspects I’m a loser and part of me thinks I’m God Almighty. [Laughs]” Country music and Bob Dylan were catalysts for the song. The country is in the fingerpicking, guitar twang and downhearted words; in 1964, the Beatles were listening to songs by Buck Owens and George Jones that McCartney said were “all about sadness.” Unterberger said the song was “notable for being perhaps the first Beatles’ song to directly reflect the influence of Dylan, thus nudging folk and rock a little closer together toward the folk-rock explosion of the following year.” Musicologist Alan Pollack said the song contained “a stronger blend of folk elements than almost anything else The Beatles had done to-date.” The line “I’m not what I appear to be” was Lennon’s most introspective to date, the start of the progression that led to “Help” and “Nowhere Man” the following year.

Lennon hits a low G in the verses, a note usually reserved for baritone and/or bass singers. This was atypical of Lennon; he sang the bulk of his Beatles songs in a tenor register. “I’m a Loser” does not mark the only occasion on which Lennon sang a low G, he also did so in “Happiness Is a Warm Gun“.

Recording and release

The Beatles recorded this song on 14 August 1964, the same day as “Mr. Moonlight” and “Leave My Kitten Alone“. It was recorded in eight takes.

It was released four months after it was recorded, but beforehand, it was previewed on BBC Radio on 17 November, along with three other songs from Beatles for Sale and also the “I Feel Fine“/”She’s a Woman” single.

On the original pressings of Beatles for Sale, the title was misprinted as “I’m a Losser”. […]

Paul McCartney, in Many Years From Now, by Barry Miles:

Looking back on it I think songs like ‘I’m a Loser’ and ‘Nowhere Man’ were John’s cries for help. We used to listen to quite a lot of country and western songs and they are all about sadness and ‘I lost my truck’ so it was quite acceptable to sing ‘I’m a loser’ … It’s only later you think, God! I think it was brave of John.

From The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations:

• [a] mono 26 Oct 1964.
  UK: Parlophone PMC 1240 For Sale 1964.
  US: Capitol T 2228 Beatles ’65 1964.
  CD: EMI CDP 7 46438 2 For Sale 1987.
• [b] stereo 4 Nov 1964.
  UK: Parlophone PCS 3062 For Sale 1964.
  US: Capitol ST 2228 Beatles ’65 1964.

Stereo [b] has the lead guitar mixed louder.

Last updated on March 9, 2016

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