- Album This song officially appears on the Help! (Mono) LP.
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Jun 15, 1965
Jun 18, 1965
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Song facts
From Wikipedia:
“It’s Only Love” is a song written mostly by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was first released by the Beatles in 1965, on the Help! album in the United Kingdom, and on the Rubber Soul album in the United States.
Background and composition
“It’s Only Love” was composed with the working title, “That’s a Nice Hat.” Lennon had the original idea for the song and completed it with McCartney at his home in Weybridge.
In 1980 Lennon told Playboy journalist David Sheff: “I always thought it was a lousy song. The lyrics were abysmal. I always hated that song.”
In his 1997 biography Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now, McCartney said of the song: “Sometimes we didn’t fight it if the lyric came out rather bland on some of those filler songs like ‘It’s Only Love’. If a lyric was really bad we’d edit it, but we weren’t that fussy about it, because it’s only a rock ‘n’ roll song. I mean, this is not literature.”
Recording
The Beatles recorded “It’s Only Love” on 15 June 1965. They recorded six takes of the rhythm track, although two of these were incomplete. Lennon overdubbed his vocals onto the final take, and George Harrison recorded a guitar part with a tremolo effect.
Take two of “It’s Only Love” was included on Anthology 2 in 1996, along with the incomplete third attempt.
From The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations:
- [a] mono 18 Jun 1965.
UK: Parlophone PMC 1255 Help! 1965.
US: Capitol T 2442 Rubber Soul 1965.
CD: EP Box set 1991.- [b] stereo 18 Jun 1965.
UK: Parlophone PCS 3071 Help! 1965.
US: Capitol ST 2442 Rubber Soul 1965.- [c] stereo 1987.
CD: EMI CDP 7 46439 2 Help! 1987.Double track on the first “It’s only love” line sounds different in [c]; it appears to have been “fixed” by splicing from the second chorus.
Last updated on March 15, 2016
Lyrics
I get high when I see you go by, my oh my
When you sigh my, my inside just flies, butterflies
Why am I so shy when I'm beside you?
It's only love and that is all
Why should I feel the way I do?
It's only love and that is all
But it's so hard loving you
Is it right that you and I should fight, every night?
Just the sight of you makes nighttime bright, very bright
Haven't I the right to make it up girl?
It's only love and that is all
Why should I feel the way I do?
It's only love and that is all
But it's so hard loving you
Yes it's so hard loving you
Loving you
Officially appears on
LP • Released in 1965
1:57 • Studio version • A • Mono
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Tambourine
- John Lennon :
- Acoustic rhythm guitar, Electric guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- 12-string acoustic guitar, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 15, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Jun 18, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1965
1:57 • Studio version • A • Mono
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Tambourine
- John Lennon :
- Acoustic rhythm guitar, Electric guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- 12-string acoustic guitar, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 15, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Jun 18, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1965
1:58 • Studio version • B • Stereo
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Tambourine
- John Lennon :
- Acoustic rhythm guitar, Electric guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- 12-string acoustic guitar, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 15, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Jun 18, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
LP • Released in 1965
1:57 • Studio version • B • Stereo
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Tambourine
- John Lennon :
- Acoustic rhythm guitar, Electric guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- 12-string acoustic guitar, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 15, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Jun 18, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
EP • Released in 1966
1:55 • Studio version • A • Mono
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Tambourine
- John Lennon :
- Acoustic rhythm guitar, Electric guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- 12-string acoustic guitar, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 15, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Jun 18, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1987
1:57 • Studio version • C • Stereo • 1987 mix
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Tambourine
- John Lennon :
- Acoustic rhythm guitar, Electric guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- 12-string acoustic guitar, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- 1987 mix, Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 15, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1996
1:59 • Outtake • D • Take 2, preceded by the false start that was Take 3
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Jun 15, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Rubber Soul (US - 2006 remaster)
Official album • Released in 2006
1:58 • Studio version • B2006 • Stereo • 2006 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Tambourine
- John Lennon :
- Acoustic rhythm guitar, Electric guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- 12-string acoustic guitar, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Ted Jensen :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Jun 15, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Jun 18, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Rubber Soul (US - 2006 remaster)
Official album • Released in 2006
1:57 • Studio version • A2006 • Mono • 2006 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Tambourine
- John Lennon :
- Acoustic rhythm guitar, Electric guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- 12-string acoustic guitar, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Ted Jensen :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Jun 15, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Jun 18, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 2009
1:57 • Studio version • A2009 • Mono • 2009 mono remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Tambourine
- John Lennon :
- Acoustic rhythm guitar, Electric guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- 12-string acoustic guitar, Lead guitar
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Paul Hicks :
- Remastering
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Sean Magee :
- Remastering
- Allan Rouse :
- Project co-ordinator
- Session Recording:
- Jun 15, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Jun 18, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Bootlegs
Help! - Studio Sessions - Back To Basics
Unofficial album • Released in 2011
1:56 • Alternate take • Mono • Take 2 with reverb
- Session Recording:
- Jun 15, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Help! - Studio Sessions - Back To Basics
Unofficial album • Released in 2011
0:05 • Alternate take • Mono • Take 3 with reverb
- Session Recording:
- Jun 15, 1965
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Live performances
Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.
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