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Released in 1965

It's Only Love

Written by Lennon - McCartney

Last updated on March 27, 2025

Album This song officially appears on the Help! (Mono) LP.

Timeline This song was officially released in 1965

Master album

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

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.

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

See all official recordings containing “It's Only Love”

Bootlegs

Going further

Paul McCartney writing

Talk more talk, chat more chat

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